Okay, there is one thing I would like to make clear before we get on with this chapter. Throughout this entire story, I have hinted at several different mysteries. The biggest mystery here would be Caout's past. What did she mean when she said she was a tool? What is Mizure's horrible secret? Who is this friend she keeps quoting? And who is this Master? Another secret is Tide's own past. The only bits of information she revealed about her past is that she is an orphan and that the Haustella massacre was her doing. But other than that we really don't know anything about her. A third, easily missed mystery was mentioned back in chapter 3. Ace briefly mentioned being forced to leave a certain place and cut himself off before he mentioned what he left behind. What was he talking about?

Just to be clear, none of these mysteries are going to be solved in this story. The answers to these mysteries will be their own separate stories that will come out in time. So for those of you awaiting the answers…Please stay tuned…

Disclaimer: I have not, do not and will not ever own the beautiful masterpiece that is One Piece.

It was two or three in the morning. No kid should be up at such an hour, correct? Maybe a teenager would be awake at this time…Those who worked at night would surely be awake…But not a kid. Definitely not a seven year old girl…

But of course, Hazuki was up at this late hour. She had woken suddenly at around one in the morning. Why? Who knows…? All that mattered was the fact that Hazuki was up at a time she would usually be sleeping. She stayed in her hammock, staring at the ceiling, for a while. At least an hour.

Hazuki had a lot of thoughts on her mind right now. One of the main ones being the upcoming talk with her father. They both knew they needed to talk. Alone, just the two of them…But Luffy had decided to wait until the next day. His only reason was that everyone, Hazuki especially, was tired and needed rest after fighting with all those Marines. Hazuki reluctantly consented to Luffy's request that she go to sleep.

But there she was, lying there awake. Because she knew…It couldn't wait any longer. They couldn't keep postponing it. So that's why she was out roaming the Thousand Sunny at this hour wearing nothing but a tank top and some shorts. Not because she couldn't sleep. But because she wouldn't until she and her father talked…Right at that moment…No more delay.

After narrowly avoiding waking up her roommates, Hazuki ventured out onto the deck of the ship. The cool sea breeze woke her up a little. She glanced around. It was dark but she could tell that the sky was very slowly starting to lighten up. The sun wasn't over the horizon, it was still too early. Hazuki walked, rubbing her arms. She headed towards the lion figurehead of the Thousand Sunny.

It was Luffy's turn to keep watch at night. That's why he was out on deck. He sat cross legged on top of the lion head and stared out at the horizon. His straw hat hung from his neck by the string. The wind played with his jet black hair. Luffy kept staring, a serious expression on his face, when he heard the faint sound of bare feet walking towards him. Luffy turned his head around to notice Hazuki looking up at him with a determined look.

"Haz," he said quietly, "What are you doing here? It's late."

"I know, Papa…" Hazuki replied, "But we have to talk."

"I said that we'd do it-"

"No, Papa. No more waiting…Now. We're talking right now."

With one look at her face Luffy could tell there was no changing his daughter's mind. He sighed softly and got off the figurehead of the ship. He and Hazuki walked toward the stairs that led down to grassy lawn of the ship and took a seat on the steps. They both clasped their hands together, waiting for the other to start the conversation.

"Hazuki," Luffy finally said after a few minutes, "You do realize that all I want is for you to be safe, right?"

"Well," Luffy continued when Hazuki nodded, "Keeping you in that room, locked away during battles…It's all because I want to protect you. I want to make sure nothing happens to you."

"I get it, Papa," Hazuki said, "I know that, while I still believe you treat me like a baby, you only want to keep me safe from harm. I realize that and I respect that."

Luffy looked down at his daughter, who was just staring at the ground.

"What did you want to prove earlier?" he asked, "You were soaking wet. You were bloody. You could have been killed. Anna and Annetoinette told me everything that I didn't already figure out after seeing you on deck today."

Hazuki grimaced. Darn those two…They were supposed to be her best friends and they went and tattled on her.

"I know what you're thinking, Haz," Luffy said as he put a hand on her shoulder, "Don't you dare be mad at the girls for telling me about your actions on the Marine ship. I was the one who pestered them into revealing it."

"I'm just ticked you know the whole story," Hazuki said, remembering how she told her friends every detail as she was drying off from her swim, "I originally had all intention of telling you about it but then I knew you would yell at me and punish me no matter what I said."

"Haz, you can't blame me for being upset. My daughter, the daughter I swore I would protect no matter what, went off, disobeyed by orders and got herself into a situation which could have ended badly!"

Hazuki gave a sarcastic laugh.

"Listen to yourself, Papa…Protect me? What a laugh."

Luffy furrowed his brow and frowned at the redhead. What was she talking about? Hazuki looked up at her father…More like glared. Luffy was taken aback by the intense gaze that he never would have expected out of the girl.

"All these years. Locking me away whenever troubled reared its ugly head, keeping me only a few feet away from you at all times, not letting me explore or experience new places or people. For the longest time I agreed with you. I always thought that yeah, he's only doing this to keep me out of trouble. He's only doing what any normal overprotective dad would do…But that's not the truth."

"What do you mean?" Luffy exclaimed, "Of course it's the truth!"

"Papa…Tell me why you baby me so much…"

Luffy looked at his daughter's face, puzzled. Didn't she already know? He was certain that he had told her…

"Well," he began anyway, "I do it to keep you safe. I couldn't stand it if something bad happened to you. I-"

"Freeze!" Hazuki interrupted, "Now say that last sentence again."

"I couldn't stand it if something bad happened to you…" Luffy said slowly.

"Again."

"I couldn't stand it if something bad-"

"Again."

"I couldn't stand it-"

"Again!"

"I couldn't stand-"

"Again!"

"I-"

"There!" Hazuki exclaimed, standing up suddenly, "Do you get it now? Do you understand?"

Luffy shook his head slowly as he looked at Hazuki's eyes.

"Hazuki, if there was a point to all that-"

"'I couldn't stand it if something bad happened to you,'" Hazuki said, repeating her father's words, "'I couldn't stand it'! Do you get my point now? It's about you, Papa! You, you, YOU!"

Hazuki crossed her arms in front of her and marched back up the steps. She went to the side of the ship and stared at the waters wordlessly. She didn't make any noise or movement when she heard the footsteps come from behind her a few minutes later. Luffy took a place right next to her and stared at the ocean as well.

"Do you need more of an explanation?" Hazuki asked bitterly.

"Haz, I don't understand what you were saying back there," Luffy replied, "What did you mean that it was about me?"

"Papa…You may not realize it but it wasn't me you were protecting all these years…You were just trying to protect yourself."

Luffy's eyes widened and he snapped his head towards the girl, who refused to meet his gaze.

"Protect myself?" he repeated, flabbergasted, "What are you-?"

"Think about it, Papa. Caout, your only child at that time, was the light of your life. Your pride and joy. And what happens to her? She's stolen…Right under your nose…You beat yourself up because you feel that you failed to protect her. And then what happens next? You find out Mama is pregnant with me…"

Hazuki turned her body away from the ocean. She leaned against the railing of the ship. Luffy just watched her silently.

"You make yourself a promise," she continued, "You swear that you will never let anything happen to this new child. Even if it means turning that child into more or less of a shut-in. Nothing was gonna happen to this second daughter…Because you wouldn't be able to handle the pain…If another daughter was lost before your eyes, like Caout was, you wouldn't be able to bear that pain. It would've driven you mad. You might have even killed yourself to end your suffering."

"The reason you insisted on babying me for all my life was to spare yourself of ever having to endure the kind of pain you felt when Caout was kidnapped…That's all. That's my point."

Luffy watched as Hazuki took a deep breath before she went on.

"In the end, no matter how you look at it, this story is about you and Caout…" she whispered with a strange voice. What was that tone? Luffy couldn't understand it, "I don't know how I became entangled in this tale. I'm just the girl who was born by chance. I'm only a minor character in this tale…You…Papa…and Caout are the main characters."

Luffy looked at Hazuki's face with horror. Her lower lip was quivering. Her eyes were becoming wet. She turned to look up at Luffy's face with an expression that could tear at one's heart.

"Tell me, Papa!" she said desperately as the tears spilled over, "What's my purpose in all this? Nothing, that's what! I am your daughter…But there's no point in my existence. I know that no matter how you and Mama act towards me, your thoughts are only towards Caout, your first born daughter. She's the only person who's on both of your minds! And I'm scared about what will happen when you find her. I don't hate her…And I'll be happy if you find her safe and sound. But I'm scared that I'll become even more of a wallflower when she reenters our lives! I just exist. No reason, no purpose…I just exist…And I hate that! I want…I want to be someone strong and brave like you! Someone really smart and pretty like Mama! I want to be someone who can be noticed! …But I'm not. I'm only Hazuki. A kid who just exists."

Finally noticing the tears streaming down her cheeks, Hazuki furiously started to wipe them away. What was she doing, crying like some baby? This was so stupid! She had just run off at the mouth.

"S-s-sorry," Hazuki said, angry at how her voice broke, "J-just ignore what I said…I was being an idiot…"

Hazuki rubbed her eyes harder when the tears just wouldn't go away. Suddenly, she felt the sensation of two hands grabbing her under the arms. She took her hands away from her face as she was lifted easily. Then, her body crashed against Luffy's in an airtight embrace. Hazuki was still, her eyes wide and her limbs all limp as Luffy tightened his grip on her. To keep herself from slipping, Hazuki wrapped her arms around her father's neck and her legs gripped the sides of his body as well. She realized, with absolute shock, that Luffy was shaking.

"I'm sorry…" his voice finally said. It was quiet but serious, "You don't have to forgive me…But I really am sorry…"

Hazuki pulled her face away from Luffy's shoulder to look at his own face. He wore a soft smile but his expression was still sad.

"I'm quite a failure, aren't I?" he said with a small laugh, "Not only didn't I stop Caout from being kidnapped…I wasn't any bit a father to you, Haz…All these years, my concern was looking for Caout…Finding her, saving her, seeing her one more time…But I never even stopped to think for one second about you."

Hazuki had a neutral expression as she listened to her father. He sighed briefly.

"I don't know why I was ever given kids," he continued, "I'm given two absolutely amazing girls…And I can't care for either of them correctly…"

Luffy's smile vanished and he looked and Hazuki's tear filled eyes.

"Hazuki," he said firmly, "No matter what you may think, I never thought of you as just existing. You are my daughter just as much as Caout. I feel the same way about you both."

"Yeah, right," Hazuki scoffed, "We're probably nothing alike…Caout's probably like the sun. Always shining and lighting up everyone…"

"Then you're the moon," Luffy replied, "Glowing beautifully and taking away the darkness."

Luffy tightened his grip on the girl.

"Hazuki, I never told you how much you mean to me, did I?" Luffy asked, "I never once told you how you are like in my eyes…"

Hazuki slowly shook her head. No, she hadn't ever heard anything like that from her father. Luffy never broke contact with her eyes.

"I don't think you're pretty at all," he began, "I think you are nothing less than beautiful. As for brains, you proved to me that you have plenty of them. You showed me back on Serafus and with that Marine vessel that you could think up smart plans at the snap of a finger. You have plenty of bravery. I mean what seven year old goes up against a bunch of hooligans? What little girl sneaks onto an enemy ship like you did? I was worried when you did that but I never told you that I was proud of you!"

"Proud?" Hazuki repeated, a little confused.

"Of course! I was horrified by how reckless you were. I was so worried about you that I could barely breathe! But, looking back, I'm really proud. Because you showed me that you are an amazing pirate. You don't need Devil Fruit powers or weapons. You're a warrior all on your own."

Hazuki turned her face away from Luffy because she didn't want him to see the blush that was creeping across her face. He was proud of her? Really? Were all the words he said true? Luffy then grinned widely and tightened his hold. Hazuki looked at her father.

"Hazuki…I love you…"

Hazuki stared at her father in shock, barely comprehending that those words came from his mouth.

"I don't even remember the last time I told you I loved you," Luffy said, "How pathetic can I be? I really am a horrible dad, aren't I? But I mean it, Haz…No matter how I act towards you, no matter how much of a terrible parent I was…I really love you."

That was all…As another round of tears burst from her eyes, Hazuki wrapped her arms around Luffy and squeezed him as if he may disappear from her grasp. Luffy hugged his daughter back.

"So, you love me?" Hazuki gasped out as she held onto Luffy, "I don't just exist?"

"Yup," Luffy responded, "You don't just exist…You live…You're a shining light, Haz."

It was odd…Luffy felt something inside him change. He felt so…different for lack of a better word.

The two stayed on deck for who knows how long…

It was around eight when the rest of the crew had woken up. Everyone was on deck, stretching and breathing in the morning air.

"Hey, did anyone see Haz?" Kuina asked, "She wasn't in her hammock."

"Come to think of it, Luffy wasn't in the room either," Ace yawned.

The crew stood puzzled on the grassy lawn. Now where could those two be?

"HEY! EVERYBODY! GOOD MORNING!"

The Straw Hat Pirates all snapped their heads up. There, sitting on the yard arm of the main mast, gazing at their nakama, were Luffy and Hazuki. They were sitting side by side and, much to everyone's shock, they looked perfectly happy.

"H-How long have you two been up there?" Ayrel asked with a laugh.

Luffy and Hazuki looked at each other.

"Six or seven hours…maybe?" Luffy estimated.

The crew decided not to question it.

"And don't worry!" Hazuki called down, "Papa and I, we're cool now!"

Everyone inconspicuously let out sighs of relief. Thank God…So that was now behind them.

"Alright everyone!" Luffy yelled, "Time to get on with our first order of business!"

"We know, we know," Zoro said, "Head straight towards Garuka."

Luffy tilted his head as he looked down.

"Well yeah, that's really important," he said, "But while we do that, there's something else that needs doing."

Everyone looked confused as Luffy coughed a little. What was the guy getting at? They all watched as Luffy smiled down at them.

"SANJI!" the straw hat wearing captain yelled at the top of his lungs, "I'M HUNGRY! MAKE BREAKFAST!"

To say that shock feel over the crew was an understatement. They had no idea what the hell was going on.

Then, smiles crept up on all their faces. They started chuckling.

"C'mon, Sanji! Get to it!" Luffy called down, "I'm starving! I haven't eaten in days!"

With a small shake of his head, Sanji started heading towards the kitchen. Nami, small tears of joy spilling down her cheeks, watched as the cook went off.

"What's the matter, Sanji?" she asked, "No complaints?"

"Why would I complain?" he responded with a chuckle, lighting up a cigarette, "I've been waiting to hear those damn words for the past eight years…"

Hazuki smiled at her father, who smiled back. Slowly, little by little, the old Luffy was coming back. Luffy then turned his attention back towards the ocean. Garuka was getting closer and closer.

"Are you excited?" Hazuki asked.

"Yeah. This is almost over…We're definitely getting your sister back. I know it!"

Luffy grinned determinedly. Nothing was going to stop him this time around.

Man, this was a longer chapter than I originally intended. I started typing and I just kept going and going until I got to a point where I felt it was right to stop. I once again broke my record for the longest chapter of the story! Whoo! Also, I know I got a bit out of character with all the corny stuff I made Luffy say but I think it went well. On a side note…YAY! THE OLD LUFFY IS COMING BACK!

Thoughts On Hazuki

As for Hazuki, when I first created her character, I really saw no reason for her existence. In fact, Caout's sibling situation went through numerous changes. First, she had an older brother named Tazer. Then, I gave her a little brother. Then, I gave her a little brother and a little sister. Finally, I came up with Hazuki. Even after I went through all those changes, I still didn't think Hazuki had any point in the story. She just existed to be a sibling to Caout and she really didn't have much of a role in the first draft of this story. I actually planned on scrapping her, thinking I didn't need her.

Then, I started thinking. What if that was Hazuki's dilemma? What if Hazuki also felt that she wasn't needed, that she was just a minor character in this story between Luffy and Caout? I think that's when Hazuki came to life for me. I turned her from this minor character with no purpose into this girl with a lot of potential who feels inferior to the sister she has never met. I mean, a lot of siblings feel that they can't match up to or be loved equally with another sibling. Me included! And now I love Hazuki as much as I love the other Straw Hat kids.

Okay, please keep reading and reviewing! Thank you!