The rest of the crew hung around for about an hour to make sure I was really okay before they left to rejoin the party which had been going on for the last nine hours according to them. It had apparently been started an hour after the fall of Arlong Park and hadn't stopped for anything, not even sleep.

I was both grateful and embarrassed to realize that I had been changed as I slept. I seriously hoped that it had been a female that had changed me. Mostly because I wasn't happy with the thought of a male I didn't know looking at my body. Of course, I wasn't particularly happy with the thought of a male I did know looking at my naked body either.

I was very grateful, on the other hand, that someone had thought to wash the blood off my hands. I had the vague thought that I probably would've passed out again if I had woken to the feel and smell of blood all over me. I said passed out because fainting sounded too wimpy for my tastes. So I passed out. Anyone who said differently was lying through their teeth.

I talked with the doctor shortly. He was an older gentleman by the name of Nako, and was rather kind if strict. He had a grey hair and goatee and had a bandana with a red cross on it. He also wore a pair of sunglasses, everywhere.

He had invited me to use his bathroom and I had accepted gleefully. I had taken as much time as I dared in the shower. I repeatedly washed my hair and body and just stood under the hot water until my fingers and toes turned prune-y. When I reluctantly left the shower an hour had passed and I dried off hurriedly so I didn't have to deal with the chilly air.

Nako had been kind enough to leave a pair of black shorts and a green tee-shirt for me to change into. Both were large on my now petite frame and hung strangely. The shorts were luckily draw stringed, and I pulled it as tight as I dared to insure I wasn't caught with my pants down, literally.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror for once and didn't wince at the scars. They really weren't that bad. Sure they were large and covered my face from my right temple to just before my nose and over my cheek, but they were healed well and they were rather thin not large gashes as I had first feared when I felt my face being slashed by Kuro's Cat Claws.

Of course, when I first got the gashes I was more worried about bleeding out than anything else. Which would explain why my feeling of being slightly "uncomfortable with someone's life force pouring out of them" changed to mild hemophobia.

I sighed brushing through my hair quickly. I tilted my head at my reflection trying to decide whether it was worth the trouble of putting my hair up or not. I finally decided to just leave it down but pull it behind my ears so it was out of my face.

"You done in there yet?" Nako's voice asked through the wooden door of the bathroom.

"Yeah. Give me a minute." I answered distractedly as I quickly checked my appearance once more, it was okay.

I opened the door and Nako was standing there waiting.

He looked me up and down real quick. "You look better." he stated.

It was true. The warmth of the shower had given me a healthy flush, where my "passing out" had given me a sheen of sweat and an odd pallor. Plus anyone would look better if they went from bed head to pin straight hair.

"Hey Doc, do you know where I can get a tattoo?" I asked passingly as I rocked back and forth on the balls of my feet.

"Sure. I double as a tattoo artist." Nako admitted. "What do you want done?"

"Our Jolly Roger." I stated easily.

"Where?"

"Right shoulder."

"Hm... I'm going to have to get a closer picture of the flag before I can do that." he warned.

"I'll go get Usopp to make me a mini picture." I stated cheerfully. I was almost positive he wasn't drunk yet.

"Okay. Hurry up. I'll wait here." Nako stated needlessly, as he plopped down onto one of the beds and picked up the food he had been carrying.

"Be right back." I chirped cheerfully as I hurried to find Usopp. Half an hour, three pieces of meat, and a tankard of some unspeakably nasty drink later I was back in Nako's house laying down on one of the beds as the good doctor prepared to create my tattoo.

I had chosen our Jolly Roger for two reasons. 1. It was a symbol that I wouldn't mind having engraved on my skin permanently. 2. It helped me feel like I really belonged in the crew, even if I wasn't a very good fighter.

I dozed lightly as I felt the gently prickling sensation of the tattoo being created. My friend had once told me she usually fell asleep during tattooing and I couldn't believe it. Now that I was feeling it for myself, I could admit it was oddly relaxing. Not to mention, what would have usually been extremely painful for me was made less painful by the fact I had suffered worse.

"There. All done." Nako declared an hour and a half later. He dabbed on a clear-ish looking paste and wrapped it firmly. "You'll need to avoid swimming or soaking the tattoo for at least a week. You can take the bandage off after two hours, but you should wash it after you remove the bandage." he instructed.

"Thanks." I grinned at him gratefully. I wonder how the rest of the crew is going to react to my new tattoo. I grinned at the thought.

I strolled out of the doc's house and went right into partying. My new tattoo hidden under a clean white bandage and said bandage hidden beneath the crisp new shirt Nako had supplied for me.

"Oi! Hikari! Sing!" Luffy's boisterous voice called from where he was seated stuffing his face with meat, observed by a crowd of both awed and horrified islanders.

"What shall I do today? What shall I do today? What shall I do? I could start a new adventure by jumping on my bed." I leapt onto a table as I said 'jumping'. "I could wake up Mr. Neelson, carry horse above my head! I can dance the shoddish!" I did a quick little skipping step as if to prove myself, "Spread magic everywhere! I could skate around the kitchen. Flip pancakes in the air, With handsprings in the classroom." I did a back handspring right off the table landing unsteadily on my feet before quickly regaining my balance. "Do anything I want. Villa Villacula is waiting for us. What shall I do today? What shall I do today? What shall I do? What shall I do today? What shall I do today? What shall I do?"

The villagers who had had been watching Luffy had turned to watch me as soon as he told me to sing and they all applauded wildly.

"Encore! Encore!" The villagers quickly picked up a chant, everyone watching me eagerly.

"Standing on top of Mount Kilimanjaro, watching the sunrise, the wind in my hair... I'm gonna go wherever I wanna go There's magic everywhere! I dance with the lions who roam Serengeti, I met a tiger and played in his lair. When I get home, I'm right where I wanna be There's magic everywhere! Watching the clouds roll by, Sailing the ocean, learning to fly In the moonlight sky. What shall I do today? What shall I do today? I made friends with the cobra in the burning Sahara, Danced with a Swami while everyone stared." I danced the same way I had with the Shoddish line in my last song. "I live where I live and I do what I wanna do There's magic everywhere! Dive with the dolphins And soar with the albatross, A world full of treasures to know if we dare. I am the sea, and nobody owns me!" I threw my arms out wide at the last line. "There's magic everywhere! Watching the clouds roll by, Sailing the ocean, learning to fly In the moonlight sky What shall I do today? What shall I do today? What shall I do today? What shall I do?"

The crowd broke into applause once more and I gave a short bow even as there was a cry for more music.

I went through Cuban Pete, Jump in the Line by Harry Befonte, Cross the Line by Superchick, Sweet Dream by Beyonce, You're Gonna Go Far Kid by The Offspring, One Last Hope from Disney's Hercules, and It's Raining Men by the Weather Girls before I finally begged off and slipped away. I grabbed a bottle of soda and snuck off into the shadows of the outskirts of the village. The party was mainly held in the middle so I was mostly successful.

I lost track of time as I laid back on a soft layer of grass. I watched the stars, trying vaguely to pick out the few constellations I knew. I couldn't pick out any of them. The Big Dipper, the Small Dipper, and Andromeda's throne were missing. Maybe I was looking in the wrong spot. I was from the United States, thus used to the Western Hemisphere, maybe since we were in the East Blue...

I was dragged out of my thought when I heard the soft sound of the grass being crushed underneath someone's feet. I normally wouldn't have heard it, but it was so quiet out here it was easy to pick out.

"So this is where you've been for the past four hours?" his voice startled me.

I tilted my head back farther so I was looking 'above' me. I still hadn't gotten up. "Aa." I grunted in agreement.

"What're you doing out here?" he demanded.

"Looking at the stars. Thinking. Relaxing. Take your pick." I answered before turning my attention back to the sky.

"Hmph." he grunted back before dropping down beside me, copying my position.

We were silent for a while before he spoke again. "What's so interesting about the stars?"

"I was trying to find the Constellations. But I'm so far from home I don't know where to look for them." I admitted softly.

"Hm." he muttered softly before reaching over and grabbing my wrist gently guiding my hand in a soft motion. I followed the motion and picked out what he was showing me. It was a long string of stars that practically went all the way across the sky. "That's UmiOuja, the Sea King." he explained. Then pushed my hand lower and traced another shape below UmiOuja's head. "That's Fuki, the fish. He's always trying to win his freedom and escape UmiOuja's jaws." he continued.

I smiled. We spent another hour with Zoro showing me the constellations and telling me the stories behind them. I wondered briefly why he could locate all of these constellations but couldn't find his way out of a one-way street with numerous signs pointing the right direction, but pushed the thought away in order to enjoy the stars and stories.

I tried to cover a yawn nearly two hours later but it escaped before I could muffle it.

"You're tired. You should sleep." Zoro stated.

"How are your stitches?" I asked, both curious and trying to redirect his attention.

"They're fine. Doc checked 'em out and said it would do more damage to remove them and do them again than to let them heal as is. But that doesn't change the fact you're tired."

I finally gave in and rolled onto my side, facing Zoro to sleep. "Fine, night." I muttered softly, feeling my eyelids drooping.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx X (Try to disappear on me now, damn line.)

I woke up, nestled to something warm. "Mmhm." I mumbled softly as I tried to lift my head. It felt heavy and sort of useless. I tried to roll over to get up only to be pinned to the warm object I had slept next to by a similarly warm object. I forced my eyes opened and had to blink several times until the blurriness of sleep disappeared.

Zoro had pulled me close to him, either before he fell asleep or shortly after. He was peacefully snoring away now, it was sort of loud and I couldn't believe I managed to sleep through it now that I was awake. I know I was a sort of deep sleeper but this was a bit much.

"Zoro. Zoro. Zoro. Zoro. Zorooo." I said sing-songingly softly trying to wake him up without getting him to cut me to pieces for invading his space.

"Wha?" he asked gruffly not even opening his eyes.

"I'd like to get up." I stated firmly.

"Wha?" he repeated opening his eyes. He stared at me for a second before pulling his arm away.

"Thanks." I muttered getting up and stretching.

"Think the party's still going on?" I asked after I finished stretching out.

"Course. I think it's supposed to go on for three days. Least that's what I heard." Zoro answered sitting up.

"Let's go, then." I stated rushing towards the village.

When I got to the village I got myself some of the more breakfast-like food and ate until I was stuffed.

I found a place to shower and quickly took care of myself and then tended to my tattoo quickly before wrapping it up again. I didn't want it to be seen yet. I wanted it to be a surprise. After the week was over I would leave it unwrapped. We should be past Logue Town by then.

"Oi! Hikari! Where are you?!" Luffy's yell echoed through the village. He probably wanted me to sing more. I shrugged at the thought. Why not?

"Why?" Rai returned.

'I see you're back.' I thought blandly.

"Is that anyway to greet a friend?" Rai asked rhetorically.

'You're a friend?!' I replied.

"That hurts right here." I had a flash of an image a male hand clenched against a likewise male chest. Said male chest was rather buff and uncovered.

'Wow. Where do you work out?' I redirected.

"You think I look good then?" Rai sounded 'pleased as punch' to use a cliche.

'Not as good as Zoro, but still...' I thought back teasingly.

"What does he have that I haven't got?"

'A body?'

"That was a rhetorical question! And of course I have a body! You just saw it!" Rai sounded extremely put out.

'No I saw a male chest and hand. How do I know they belong to you? Plus a chest and a hand does not constitute a body.'

"I am so proud of the confidence you have in me." Rai scoffed sarcastically.

'Are you saying you won't lie to me?' I asked innocently.

"Of course I won't."

Hook, Line, and Sinker. "Tell me the terms of the contract you have me under." I demanded.

"Damn it." Rai's voice was extremely soft, I almost missed it. He must've been cursing under his breath.

'Tell me.' I repeated, as I made my way to the edge of the village. This sort of situation called for some privacy.

"Fine." Rai finally relented. "So far you have four obligations. First you need to join and stay with the 'Strawhat' Pirates. Second you need to specialize in a weapon and/or ability native to this world. Third you need to keep the story from getting so far out of control that the main/required events take place, the only exception is that you need to save Portgas D. Ace, also known as Gol D. Ace. Fourth you need to prevent the death of any of the strawhats, which is really just an added clause to the first obligation." Rai explained.

I was silent for a few minutes letting the conditions settle into my mind. I had already joined the strawhats, and I wouldn't let them get hurt if I could help it anyway...

I was working on Haki and was planning on getting a weapon in Logue Town. Of course I still had the dagger I had bought in Shells Town, which was stupidly in the girl's cabin on the Going Merry, I could've used that in the fight against the Mermen. But I couldn't use it that well anyway and it wasn't really the type of weapon I wanted. I needed a weapon that would allow me to be mid to close range. Something that I could use to keep people at a distance, but something that wouldn't become useless close range...

I had already promised to save Ace...

But...

'I don't know the story line well enough to stop myself from changing extremely important events.' I told Rai bluntly.

"Hm..." Rai made a thoughtful noise. "Tell you what. I'll tell you if you're doing something wrong as long as you run the thought by me first. Okay? That'll keep you from breaching contract, and me from loosing my job due to messing up the time stream."

'Okay.' I agreed softly. That was the nicest Rai had been since I had entered the One Piece World.

"So this is where you've been." Sanji's voice startled me.

"Huh?" I asked jumping in shock.

"Luffy's been looking for you."

"I better go find him then." I said.

Sanji nodded and lead the way back to the village.

"Hikari! Where were you?" Luffy whined.

"Sorry, Captain. I was out in the forest." I apologized.

Luffy smiled as soon as the apology was out. "Can you sing for us please?" He pouted.

I smiled at him and sang for the next two hours before I slipped away for a bathroom break and a spot of lunch from some of the scattered stands that had been erected haphazardly in the excitement of the news of Arlong Park's destruction.

The third day came and went in the same mess that the second day had. I had ended up singing for several hours once more and the food was still as plentiful as it had been on the first and second day. Apparently the village felt that using all the food to celebrate their new found freedom from ten years of tyranny was as good of use as any other.

On the fourth day after the fall of Arlong Park the villagers got together and helped our crew load a huge amount of supplies onto the Going Merry.

I scurried up the gangplank just as Zoro was handed the last crate. Hurriedly I perched myself on the edge of the ship, one of the posts for the rail in between my legs, which dangled over the side, so I wouldn't be thrown overboard. I could swim, but it didn't mean I wanted to. Especially not with my tattoo and the water being so chilly.

I ignored the yelling Sanji was doing. Something about fifty-some point something percent less reason to stay on the crew.

My thoughts were on the kind of weapon I was going to get. I didn't want a bo staff, Nami had one. I didn't want a slingshot or a pistol, Usopp had the slingshot and I hated the recoil guns had. I didn't really want a sword, though Zoro could probably teach me to use it better than most sword users out there. I didn't care for knives, daggers, or blades either. Maybe something blunt would be best... Nah. I needed something that will do some damage if need be, and something that can hold back if need be.

I still had money from my waitress job back in Shells Town. Plus I had gotten a lot of tips from the more drunken villagers who threw money at my feet when I sang. I didn't bother trying to give it back. They weren't going to take it. We were their saviors...bluck. I hated hero worship.

"Set sail!" Nami's voice broke me out of my thoughts.

"You heard her." Luffy stated.

I watched as Zoro easily pulled the anchor up onto the deck, and the sails were quickly unfurled. The filled nearly instantly with air.

The crowd started to murmur in shocked disbelief. "She can't leave without saying goodbye." I heard one man say above the murmur.

"You going to let her leave this way?" Sanji asked.

"It's her choice." Luffy stated.

Nami wove her way in between the crowd dodging all of their attempts to slow her down. She reached the dock and leapt, landing nimbly on her feet on the ship. She then lifted her shirt letting a small pile of wallets and purses fall to the ground around her feet.

I shook my head.

"She hasn't changed at all."

"Wonder how long it'll take before she turns on us again."

I shook my head at Usopp and Zoro's remarks and waved cheerfully back at the small island.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx XxXxX

It had been a few days since we had left the island and I was currently sunbathing. I was wearing a sports bra and a pair of shorts, my tattoo was still covered by a bandage and so far no one had asked about it yet. I was wondering when they were going to. It had been about a week since I got it so I could get it wet without worrying about it at least. So if I needed to swim I could.

Usopp was working on one of his bullet things. I think it was a chili one?

Zoro was working out with his ridiculously heavy weights. His smallest weight was about twice as heavy as me. And he was using one of the bigger ones.

Luffy was sitting on the ram figurehead, or as he called it his special seat.

Nami was arguing with the mail-gall. Apparently they had raised the price once more.

Nami finally paid the price and the mail-gall flew off. She was half way through before she shouted in surprise. She dropped the newspaper and had a flier crumpled in each hand.

"Look at this!" Nami shouted in shock.

I sat up and saw Luffy hurried to grab the fliers. He looked at them and grinned his wide "D" grin.

"You have a bounty!" Nami practically screeched at Luffy.

I looked up at that. So we were close to Logue Town then. I had almost went back to my sunbathing when Luffy suddenly spoke up.

"Look! Hikari you have a bounty poster too!" He stated thrusting the flier into my hands.

"Hikari the look-a-like?" I asked having a bad feeling about this.

"Oh wow! 20 million beli! That's just under mine!" Luffy said excited.

"But I didn't do anything to get a bounty like that!"

It wasn't a bad picture considering it was on a bounty poster. My head was thrown back and I was grinning widely as I laughed at something someone had said. The lighting showcased my scars especially making them stand out a lot. My hair was cascading over my shoulders in little ringlets and my eyes were closed.

WANTED

DEAD OR ALIVE

HIKARI THE LOOK-A-LIKE

B 20,000,000

Twenty million. No matter how many times I though it, it didn't make sense.

"It's awesome!" Luffy declared.

"No it's not!" Nami protested.

It was one of the few times I agreed with Nami.

"I don't have any super power or skill! I'll be killed if someone comes after my bounty!" I protested.

"What about that magical see the future thing?" Luffy asked

I barely restrained from face-palming.

"It's called Haki, and I'm an amateur with it."

Luffy ignored me. He seemed to do that with anything that he didn't agreed with.

"Hikari-chan! You're so cute when you're worried!" Sanji called out doing his noodle-heart dance thing.

I repressed a flinch when he called me cute. I had never been a vain person but the scars on my face made me feel ugly and it felt like people were lying when they said otherwise. If he noticed my reaction he didn't show it.

Zoro finally spoke up. "Hikari, why is your arm still bandaged?" it figured he was the first to notice.

I smiled sheepishly and reached up and tugged the bandage loose, it unraveled itself and pulled around my elbow.

"You got a tattoo!" Luffy's voice was excited, Usopp's was incredulous, and Zoro's was surprised.

Nami said something else. "You got our Jolly Roger?" her's was also incredulous. She had bad experience with having a Jolly Roger tattooed on her arm.

I shrugged. "I feel like I belong in this crew and this is just a physical representation of that."

"It's awesome!" Luffy stated. "I should get one too!"

"You'll have to find someone you trust to do it. And I wouldn't suggest getting it done in the next town. There's a marine base there and the whole town is more likely to turn you in than help you." I stated seriously.

"The next town?" Luffy asked confuse.

"Logue Town. The town of beginning and end." Nami stated.

"The Pirate King Gol D. Roger was born and executed there." I finished.

"Awesome!"

Sometimes there was just no getting to Luffy.

A/N: Sorry about the wait. I was just being lazy and not finishing. But I finished finally. I have no clue how long it is but I hope it's enough for an apology.

Guess what! I dyed my hair. My hair is now the same color as Sharon Osbourne. I'm hoping it'll get lighter, though. Which wasn't on purpose on my part. I wasn't home when my aunt called to ask about the color so she picked one. I wanted fire engine red... Maybe next time.

Btw the songs are from the movie and television show Pippi Longstocking. The first one is the theme song of the television show and the second one is called "What Shall I do Today" and is from the movie.

I made the constellations up too. So no one try to find UmiOuja or Fuki. They aren't there.

Review and tell me what you think about this chapter, please!