"One copy, please," she told the seller at the stand. After passing over a couple of beli, she received the newspaper in return, one of the few left in the rapidly dwindling pile.

She didn't need to read it - she'd already heard the exclamations all-around at the bar when the news first came in, as well as the whispers and glances the townspeople gave each other. But it had been a fairly historic moment, and she wanted something to keep for herself as a memento. To look back on when she grew up, and the world around her inevitably changed with the rise of the man she knew was to become the future Pirate King - Monkey D. Luffy.

The boy's name had spread, from the East where he'd grown up, and to the rest of the Grand Line as one of the Supernovas. But it would only spread further from here, with what he'd done.

Keeping the paper in her hand, she walked down the road to the inn she'd been staying in, wanting to get some lunch at the bar on the ground floor. The moment she stepped in, her ears were filled with a cacophony of sounds ushered in by the heavier-than-usual lunch crowd. Spotting a single empty seat at the bar, she brisk walked there to claim her place before anyone else could.

"Waiter! A grilled chicken chop, if you could," she yelled out. The man nodded at her before going back to serve his remaining customers their food.

As she waited there, she flipped through the advertisements to see if there was anything interesting, only half-paying attention as she listened into other people's conversations.

"I'm telling you, it's just some dumb kid who got in over his head, Mary, you'll see. Kuma could've punted him to the depths of the ocean for all we know, the paper doesn't say where he went." Beside her, a skinny-looking man was engaged in conversation with a lady who only pursed her lips at his words.

Now, Yuzu wasn't the kind of person who went around butting herself into other people's private conversations, because that was just rude and emotionally unintelligent, but she could disagree freely in her head.

After all, Luffy was the main character.

Glancing down, she smiled a little as she spotted the headline on her newspaper. 'BREAKING: MUGIWARA NO LUFFY MAKES INEXCUSABLE OFFENCE OF PUNCHING A WORLD NOBLE!'

Then, her smile faded as she recalled what this meant.

Yet another reminder that she was running out of time. Soon, she'd have to make a decision.

His face, smile a little too wide and a little too blinding, flashed in her mind. He didn't deserve what was coming for him, that much she knew. In her past life, where she'd been the kind of person to get emotionally attached with ease, he'd been her favourite character. There was just something about him, the boyish grin, the tragic past, the cocky tilt of the head, that had gotten her into him.

Here, in this life, she'd gotten slight glimpses into the man himself. Had felt the warmth of a live person, not the cartoon character.

If she'd been a better person, she'd be raring to save him without a thought. Would've made a whole plan to get him out - maybe even involve the Whitebeards earlier on.

But it was just that... She'd watched the cartoon once, in a different time. And she knew. When it had just been a cartoon, she'd called it the 'Marineford Arc'. The turning point. The climax. That one devastating episode in the main character's life that pushes them beyond everything they've ever known - that allows them to evolve. Ace's death had been the catalyst for Luffy's growth. The story simply wasn't complete without it.

And call her selfish, but she wanted a good ending. She wanted what she believed, with all her heart, that Luffy would bring. A world where people could question the World Government. Where absolute justice didn't reign. Where fat men and women didn't have rights they didn't deserve to have, and couldn't ever take her freedom away from her again. She wanted that.

The only problem was, if she saved Ace... would she be able to have that?

-line break-

Thanks to the people that informed me about the unreadable chapters. They should be fixed now!

Also, to the commenter who asked me to get a beta: I appreciate your advice but the way I write and update is a little too sporadic for a beta, I think. I'll try to actually proofread before I upload, but that's really all I can promise. The commas are habitual; I probably won't be changing them too much. Also, grammar is spelt with two 'a's. Hope you continue liking Yuzu!