"dum dum dum dum" a 12 year old blonde girl sang as she skipped down the cobbled street of her hometown, she carried a plushy voodoo like doll in her hands "Come on baby Jack, we need to get those mushrooms for mummy" she looked at the doll with her big blue eyes "Or mummy will be angry at us again."

The streets where she lived were rough and dangerous for a small girl, she looked completely out of place in that dark and grimy world, but she didn't mind; she didn't fear it at all, she feared more of what her mother would do if she was 'bad'.

"Good morning miss" The girl stopped and turned to the street beggar

"Good morning Danny" she grinned. The man was dressed in old marine uniform rags that had been completely worn through and there wasn't a spot on him that wasn't covered in grim and mud but to the girl he was a friend. Unknowing to her that he had originally tried to mug her but couldn't bring himself to do it after one look in those big angelic eyes - that had been two years ago.

"Off to market?" Danny asked through a toothy grin; he'd lost or sold a few of his teeth.

She nodded with enthusiasm "To buy mushrooms"

Danny chuckled "Well be good then and remember to becareful"

"I will" The blonde haired girl skipped away with her plushy doll bouncing over the cobbled stones as she ran - Danny knew she wouldn't but he knew no man that would raise a fist to her. No man at all.

The market was soon in her sight; the big tents with coloured mismatching patches, tables with all sorts of treasures from afar places and the worn leathery faces of the men and women who sold them. She waved to the street children she passed, she knew them a little but not by name as the only time she was ever out of the house was to go to market or get something for her mother; they waved back but their eyes were greedily set on the tables, waiting for the right moment.

"Good morning miss" She neared the tent that sold the treasures she needed, she didn't exactly know the name of the keeper since she had always refered to him by his nicname instead.

"Good morning mr eel" she replied back politely

"You've grown since I last saw you" he noted how she was no longer having to jump or look up at the stall now even though he'd only been at sea for 2 months or so.

She nodded "And so's Jack" she outstretched the doll infront of her

Eel nodded sympathetically "And so's Jack" for a 12 year old she was still as childish as she had been as a 6 year old "What can I get you?"

"Mushrooms" she replied quickly

"What kind?" Eel asked

she thought to herself for a second before replying "I don't remember" burying her face in the dolls hair shyly.

"Is it for your mother?" Eel sighed tiredly, she nodded as a reply "Ahh, yes the normal then" he turned away from the stall to the boxes behind, near the back of the tent before producing a brown paper bag "here" he reached into his pocket "and this is for you" he handed her a red lollypop. "free of charge"

"Thank you" she gasped with awe in her eyes at the red jewel- sweets were rare here and if she ever saw them then they were always too expensive.

"Anytime" Eel grinned as the girl handed over the bronze coins from her pocket to pay for the mushrooms he handed to her. "becareful miss" he shouted as she walked away timidly licking the lollypop.

She didn't reply as her mind was too focused on the lollypop - it was the first time she'd ever had a sweet and she wanted to savour it but on the other hand if her mother saw her with it...she tried not to think about that. Her mother may of thought she had stolen it and been 'bad' so she would have to be punished. The punishments always seemed to be worse when she was drinking that funny liquid.

'Cathy was never bad like you when she was your age' thats what her mother would say. She missed Cathy, Cathy was always so pretty with her light blonde hair being so fine and soft and her clear baby blue eyes; she was also very kind to everyone and smart -cathy knew everything- and generous -she always gave her the biggest biscuit- and everyone loved her. Till she got ill. Then Cathy went to the palace in the clouds with her father. Then her mother got sad all the time; she got mad too.

The girl decided to take the long way back home so she could get rid of the lollypop before she got home - she could say that the alley home had marines in it. She didn't like marines - except for danny - if you saw them then they took your money otherwise they would take you away forever.

The long way was a maze of streets and alleys; her feet knew these streets though too well.

On her way she passed a bar; it was a busy place even during midday with many men and funny looking women dancing round and drinking all kinds of different liquids. One caught her eye.

There was a lady at the bar who didn't look like the normal women there. The other women wore alot of make up that made them look like clowns with their dirty washout over the top dresses; they looked horrible and vile. The other lady was pretty.

She had a pretty face with dark night eyes that remindered her of the stars she sometimes saw on clear nights; her skin was tanned from the sun but it wasn't leathery or beaten like the merchants. She didn't wear anything over the top - simply a white shirt that had been tied under her breasts, short jeans, knee high boots and black golves - but she was still the prettiest lady in the bar. The thing that stood out most was the prettiest of all. She had mid length hair that was kind of spikey and ruffled, it looked shiny and soft but edgey. It was a colour she'd never seen on someone before: crimson red. The girl had only ever seen red like that when Cathy found some velvet once. She couldn't take her eyes off it though she knew it was rude to stare. The lady was drinking a clear liquid and laughing with the men around her. The girl thought she hadn't of been noticed by her till the lady turned to the window and indicated for to come in if she wanted to. The lady in the window looked kind and fun, as much as the girl wanted to she knew she couldn't so shook her head. The lady pouted as if to say she was hurt by the rejection but a smile broke through her face saying it was ok. The barman returned and was soon talking to her about something so the ladys attention shifted away from the girl.

The clock from the town centre chimed 12. And the trance was broken.

"oh no" the girl realised how long she had been staring at the window and that her mother would be angry so she ran off in the direction of home.

No matter how fast she ran it still felt like home was too far away, streets and people blurred as the girl ran clutching the brown paper bag in one hand and her doll in the other. She thought she would make it just it time before.

omph.

The girl had ran into something. Well more like someone.

She looked up at the man "I'm sorry" she panted apologising. the man didn't look upset at her, in fact he grinned at the sight of her, his whole dark face stretching into a grin. The girl noticed a scar running down his face, she would normally ask about it but at the moment she knew she didn't have time to.

"It's alright little girl" He replied "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"Home" she replied figgiting

"How about I walk you home?" the man suggested

She shook her head "I'm fine" she tried to walk away but he side stepped infront of her

"Little girls shouldn't wander alone"

"I'm fine" the girl mumbled again trying to walk away for him the once again stop her from leaving

"Still, you don't know who you may meet"

"I'm fine" she repeated trying once again for it to only fail once again.

The man grew more aggitated at the girl so decided that he had enough of the games. Grabbing her by the collar of her rag tag dress and holding her up to his level. "How about instead you be a good girl and come with me" he growled.

The girl whimpered knowing she didn't have a choice in the matter before she found herself blindfolded into a world of darkness. She didn't exactly know what was going on but she deffinatly felt herself being thrown against something before she felt the floor beneath her tremble and occastionally jump. She curled herself up and cuddled the doll she had grabbed onto ferociously the whole time. She didn't know what was happening or where she was going. All she could think was that her mother would be very angry at her.

After a few minutes she felt herself being tugged roughly and told to sit on a wooden chair which she did without question. She could feel tough, thick ropes being tied to her wrists and ankles but she didn't raise her voice once to ask.

Her blindfold was then tugged off and her eyes met the man again.

"Hello miss" he grinned, his face so close to his that she could smell his breath and see every little wrinkle in his dark face. He turned away from her "Sorry darlin but it's just business, you see theres a man I need to kill up their" he pointed the the ceiling before he continued to talk "and your just the calateral damage. You see, if I planted a regular bomb then if they found it they would dismental it which would make me sad. But because your such a good girl, they won't since if they do it will kill you and if they don't they all die. in a woosh" he made the hand gestures of a big bang. "now I need to be going"

"Like hell you will" from out of the darkness came a flash of gold.

The man backed away with his hand clinging to his head as dark red blood trickled down and from out of the wound grew a black marking. "What the?"

out of the darkness emerged a figure which made the girl gasp - that lady from before.

The man seemed to realise who she was as well "Red reaper" he choked

She smiled "oh so you know me?"

The man tried to got to his feet slowly "In our line of work you can't miss the name"

She laughed "In our line of work" she paused "Your a traitor, plain and simple. your not a comrade of mine."

The man tried to punch her but she seemlessly caught it, applying the force in her hand to crush his which made him squeal in pain when he felt the bones in his hand snap.

"Freeway Bomber" she tutted using his assasin name, letting go of his hand "you really think you could blow up one of the Dens and get away with it?"

The man growled "If one of them dies then someone else will have to replace them"

"Thats very naive of you to believe that you would replace them" She sighed "I've always found that bombers are cowards at heart. You can't even look someone in the eye as they are about to die. I'll agree I'm young and it takes skill to invent such contraptions but still your choosing to hide behind a little girl for protection thats the lowest of the low" she growled.

It was at this point the bomber realised that he wasn't getting out of this alive and that the reaper herself is rumoured to be unkillable as she would just rise back from the dead but he should take someone with him.

"I have a back up plan" he grinned walking over the the girl tied to the chair with the bombs strapped to her feet "You see, the bomb trigger is also the girl. I paid some merchant to give her a lollypop with a chemical that at a certain decibel will react and become a acid, this acid eats the flesh. The decibel level also attracts sea kings and as we are so perfectly perched over the ocean. It'll eat everyone here"

the red haired lady laughed "So the bombs just a dud to distract everyone. very nice. But as a just incase I fed the wrong information to your info guy. They're not here at all."

You could see the anger and fustration building up in the guy "Yes but even if I can't take you this girls dead" he grinned "Now say good..." he feel to the floor.

"You talk way too much" the red haired lady sighed appearing out from behind him, her attention turned to the girl "now lets get you out of there" The lady knelt down to the girl "This may hurt a bit but its ok" she stabbed the girl gentley in the arm. The girl winced in pain at the sting but it soon subsided - her mothers punishments had been worse sometimes. "I bet this is gonna be a story to tell" the lady laughed as she untied the girl from the chair.

The girl just nodded

"What?" the lady laughed "Cat got your tongue?" she grinned

"No" the girl replied timidly

The red haired lady opened her mouth then closed it "that bastard" she muttered, bending down to the floor and pressed her ear to the wood.

"what are you-" The floor erupted under their feet.

The floor beneath the girl disapearing as she fell into the water as the building came crashing down ontop.

She was about to call for help, when she saw it. A sea king. Grinning at her as if he had just found his meal.

She screamed as the monster as it came crashing towards her.

"Get lost" The girl found herself in the arms of the woman, standing on the water with the sea king looking startled before swimming away.

"W-who are you" The girl whimpered looking up at her saviour

"oh" the lady looked down "My names Mitsuki. And you?"

"Sammi"


Knock knock

"Wait a second" was shouted from inside the bar before Madeline threw the door open "What?" she snapped "Oh its you" she groaned noticing her ex pupil "What do you want? I thought you said you were done with me"

"I am" Mitsuki replied in a more calm tone "But I need you to look after someone for me" out from behind her appeared Sammi although she clung to mitsuki's side the whole time.

"Your 17, you can look after them yourself" Madeline was about to shut the door on her but Mitsuki had her foot in the doorway to stop

"I'm not taking a child with me onto a pirate ship" Mitsuki growled "Look how messed up that made me"

Madeline sighed leaning against the door "Parents?"

"Fathers dead and mother can be classed as unfit, substance, alcohol and child abuse" Mitsuki replied

Madeline nodded "Fair enough, it's proberly then in the childs best interest. You know my rules though"

"Train her to be an assasin then" Mitsuki offered

Madeline laughed "She's weak, she looks like a china doll. I remember how you were a tough tomboy with a attitude at her age, I could throw you in a valley of woves and you would come back in a few minutes cussing. She'll break if I even breath on her."

"Then its a challenge for you" mitsuki snapped tiredly "You can't just judge books by their cover"

"Fine" Madeline groaned turning away from the door and walking away.

"I don't want you to go" Sammi looked up at mitsuki

Mitsuki looked at Sammi - Sammi was just like her when she was young and she needed to find her strength "Sorry, but I can't. Its the life of the sea for me. Train hard and may be we'll see each other again" Mitsuki smiled and gave her a hug.

"o-ok, if I become an assassin can I then come with you" Sammi asked on the verge of tears

"then it's your choice" Mitsuki answered, she ruffled Sammi's hair "I think you may want to keep this though" she pulled out Sammi's doll from behind her back.

"Jack!" Sammi gasped, taking the doll off her, she looked at the doll making sure it was fine "Thank you" but when she looked up mitsuki was already gone and her mind was already made up on what she wanted to do.

"ARE YOU COMING IN OR NOT?"


"And thats about it" Mitsuki sighed

"You told a sea king to get lost?" Ace chuckled hugging her closer "You really have no idea what fear is do you?"

She laughed in agreement

A very annoyed Sabo trundelled into the scene "Thanks bro" he snapped throwing the axe down centimetres from his feet "I'm sure I lost 10 years of my life. Man, she is scary"

"Dadan scary?" Ace asked

"Worse" Sabo groaned, sitting down opposite them. "What you too been doing...actually I don't"

"MITSUKI" a shout echoed through the forrest that sounded alot like sammi

"I best go" Mitsuki sighed, she kissed Ace then disapeared.

"Siblings" Sabo and Ace laughed


the sun light hit her face as a new day dawned; mitsuki woke up cradled in her fiances strong arms, she loved waking up like this-it just felt so natural. She felt his warm breath on her neck as he continued to sleep. She loved watching him sleep, it was so peaceful and sweet how he sometimes whispered her name in his dreams; their was that way his freckles stretched across his face that told her he was having a good dream. yet today she couldn't enjoy it as a sickining feeling rose inside her, it was something she had grown used to over the last few days; she ran as quickly as she could to the bathroom.

"Whats wrong with me?" she thought to herself as she puked into the toliet

she soon felt gentle hands on the back of her neck, lifting her hair away from her face

"You ok?"

Mitsuki looked up; Ace was helping her even when she was disgustingly puking in a toliet

"I'm fine now thanks"

"Its proberly food posioning" they turned to see Madeline standing in the bathroom doorway

"She's properly right" Mitsuki sighed looking up at Ace who had her cradled in his arms

"Yeah but i want to make sure your ok"

Mitsuki shook her head "I'll be fine, dont worry about me. I'd tell you if there was something wrong."

It was a suficiant answer for him "ok" he smiled before kissing her neck


"And don't come back till its done" Madeline slammed the door shut after giving the boys and Sammi their marching orders. Her attention turned to Mitsuki who was sitting on the bar with a crossant in her hand. "And now you"

"What? It's just a crossant" she shrugged with half of it still in her mouth

"No" Madeline snapped "Your doing it again"

"What?"

Madeline sighed "When ever your ill you pretend that your fine and my bathroom smells of puke" she grabbed mitsuki's wrist and lead her upstairs

She whined but Madeline just snapped at her to stop.

"I'm fine seriously" Mitsuki sighed at they neared the bathroom

"Then you won't mind taking this will you" Madeline jammed a small device into her hands before shoving her into the bathroom and locking the door.

Mitsuki groaned at her mentor being so stubborn about this - it was pretty ironic since under her training Madeline had always said 'push through it! don't be a wuss!'.

She looked down at the small thing. Truth be told she was anxious to if her fear was true. Everything that had been happening she thought was stress or how she could of caught a illness while travelling.

The moments past by and sure enough it was time for her to check.

The outcome made Mitsuki want to tear the whole fucking tavern down.


CNK corner!

Duh Duh Duh!

what do we think of that? drop me a review of your thoughts :p

jjddma5: Yay! I'm so happy you updated again! I really love this story! Update again real soon please

I'm gonna try to! I like making people happy and it's really great hearing that people are still loving the story though I didn't update in a while so yey that made me happy.

Loot notlogin: OH NO! Poor Sabo...I hope she dosen't kill him...

Sabo's fine. Terrified. But fine. Madelines tough but motherly in a sense...I'm saying this of my own free will...she is not glaring at me as I write these words. Lets move on.

god of all: Great chapter and story so far please continue this story soon

I'm gonna try to keep updating since more and more people seem to be interested in it. I'm determinded to see this through and complete it.

Little update is that over 15,500 people have read this story to this day. YEY!

thank you to all my readers, you guys are awesome and to everyone who has favourited/following my story, you guys are coolsome.

Remember to review or drop a comment. I take all criticism and ideas on board.

Good night Fan Fiction! I'm out!