Shivered Timbers
by Kaline Reine

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story. I do own Shiori, she is my character. I also own a few other original characters in this story (not affiliated with One Piece), which will be introduced as they are needed. c;

WARNINGS: This story contains (or may contain) graphic adult content and language, explicit sex scenes, possible violence, gore, cursing, adult themes, etc. I do not censor my writing, but I do my best to warn people about the subject matter and potential subject matter. So if you don't like that kind of thing or can't handle it, then I suggest not reading this story. You have been warned. Also, I know this doesn't follow canon but it doesn't have to, that's why it's a fanfic. xD

Also... The beautiful cover image for this story is by my friend, EzariaUmiko on DeviantArt. All credit for the image goes to her. c:

Chapter 14: Setting Sail

In her fingers, she twirled the small blue pendant, feeling it's smoothness as she rolled it against her digits. The peacock feather inside of it shone brightly in the dappled sunlight that passed through the trees. She clutched it protectively against her chest, before putting it away, tucking it hastily inside her shirt.

Shiori sat in her favorite part of the forest. It was a place where she often came to think, and reminisce about times from her past. She only ever came here when she needed to be alone. It was peaceful and she liked it because it reminded her of home... It was almost like being back in the forests that surrounded the Monastery where she grew up. Snow didn't fall here year round, like it had there. But it was the next best thing she had.

The Valkyrie had blossomed into a beautiful young lady. But she didn't feel like any of it mattered at all. There were so many changes happening all at once and it was overwhelming.

Thoughts of Sabo and his untimely death still plagued her mind. She'd come out here to try to sort things out, to gather her feelings about that and other more recent events. But nothing was working... No matter what she did, or which angle she thought about it from, it never seemed to get any better. It was unfair, the way her childhood friend's life had been lost so suddenly. And now she knew she was about to lose someone else dear to her...

Ace was leaving.

The freckle-faced boy had also grown into a young man, and he was intent on setting sail later today. He was leaving without her. Shiori was fifteen now, and she had no intentions of ever becoming a Pirate. She'd made that perfectly clear, many times throughout her life. There was just something about associating with the same kinds of people who had killed Michiko's entire family that left a bitter taste in her mouth. She didn't think this is what her loved ones would have wanted for her, and it certainly wasn't something she wanted for herself either.

They'd always had their disagreements because of it, but the latest one was pretty bad. She didn't know if she could stand to lose anyone else. She knew she had no choice in the matter... But she wanted a choice, and that was the problem. He had let her know, on no uncertain terms, that he wasn't going to give up on his life's dream for anyone. Not her, nor Luffy, nor Sabo, nor Dadan, nor Shanks, nor anyone else.

She knew she couldn't let him go. How could she stand to let one of her best friends just leave like it was no big deal? After everything they'd been through, how could she let him set sail and not take her with him? How could she let herself go, even if he did? It appeared to be a problem with no solution.

'And the problem still remains...' Here, where she was alone, her thoughts reigned free. 'How am I going to tell him?'

The albino paced frantically, walking back and forth between her two favorite trees. Shiori couldn't possibly imagine herself actually begging him to stay. He was still a brat, just as much as he was when they were younger. It was his greatest dream, and it would be selfish to expect him to really give up on it, just because she'd asked him to. She knew that; she knew all of that... And yet...

She sighed, all hope leaving her body and she slumped to the ground in defeat. The leaves made way for her petite frame, sliding out of the way over top of one another with ease. Her fist found it's way to the ground, and then she plucked a few stray blades of grass from their place on the forest floor.

The sound of footsteps crunching the leaves and twigs directly behind her woke her from her painful reverie... Luffy appeared, still wearing the same bedraggled old straw hat as always, the one with the red ribbon around it. Shanks had given it to him many years ago. It looked so very plain and ordinary, but that didn't mean it wasn't special to him. Just as Shiori knew that she may look out of the ordinary, but that didn't mean she was special to anyone. Just a girl who had lost her way.

"Hey..." The younger boy stated glumly. "He's ready to leave."

She staggered to her feet, turning to follow him.

"L-let's go..."

A lot of time had passed since the fateful day when they'd lost their brother... The tragic events that followed had everyone very upset for a while. They'd all done their best to comfort each other, but sometimes the pain of grief was too much.

In the meantime, she'd shown Dadan that she was more than happy to pitch in around the house. Shiori was always eager to do her fair share of chores. She'd even proven herself to be quite useful in helping them get food. Whenever one of the bandits wanted to run a scam on someone from Foosha Village, they would turn to her for help. She was cute and at first glance, appeared to be only an innocent little girl. It was easy to charm people into believing the lies they would urge her to tell.

She'd also caught many fish for them, with Ace and Luffy's help. Most of the time, it turned out not to be enough to feed everyone, but was still better than nothing. At least no one went hungry... They would just make it stretch further by adding other ingredients to it.

Shiori really felt like she'd found her new home, even if it was only temporary. She hadn't been there as long as the two boys, but she fit right in. Dadan didn't seem to mind her being around, although she wasn't too keen on showing it, most of the time. There were also times when they all had a lot of fun together. The boys didn't have to travel so far to see her, since they all lived together now. They all felt it was best not to go back to Edge Town for a while, to let things settle down after Sabo's tragic death. Ace and Luffy eventually took her through Foosha Village, to explore a bit. They'd shown her everything and sometimes they hung out at Party's Bar, which the Redhair Pirates often frequented.

But those days had long since passed. Things had been so different back then, so much simpler. There wasn't as much worry about the future as there was celebration and merriment. They were trying so hard to do anything they could think of to get their minds off of what had happened. That could only do so much and could only last so long, however.

She felt a knot form in her throat, as they approached the docks where Ace had purchased a small vessel. He said he would manage to get a bigger one later, once he'd gotten some semblance of a crew together. He was really intent on becoming a Pirate...

He saw her standing there, in the same pink and white sweater that he'd helped her lift from that shop in Edge Town. She'd finally grown into it. He liked that she'd put together her own look with a pastel pink skirt and some black tights that she'd purchased in Foosha Village with some money they'd swindled.

And Luffy was right there alongside her, his normally joyful demeanor nowhere to be found. Today was a solemn day. It was the anniversary of Sabo's death. And yet... Ace couldn't help but smile. He'd chosen this day for that exact reason.

"Spare me your concerns," He addressed both of them simultaneously. "I already know that I'm about to do something foolish... But it's also what Sabo-kun would have wanted."

"But Ace, we'll be worried about you, bro!" Luffy was breaking down, even after promising himself that he wouldn't. "Please... Take me with you? I wanna be a Pirate too!"

"You know I can't," Ace shook his head. "As much as I want to, I can't bring either of you with me. For one thing, you're not old enough yet. I'm barely seventeen but I know I can handle my own. Keep training and keep on getting stronger. It will be a dangerous journey, and you're not ready yet. I'm sure you will be someday. Come and find me then."

Shiori didn't know what she would say to him, when he walked over to her. Her hair, the color of clouds, was blown into her face by the same winds that moved them. She still kept it short, just barely brushing the top of her shoulders.

"J-just go already..." The girl muttered, bitterly. "H-hurry up and g-get out of here."

Ace leaned in closer to her. "I just need to know that you believe in me." Though his words were fierce, his voice was shaking on every other syllable. "I can't leave knowing that you'll both hate me if I do. This is something I've always planned, it's what my heart is set on. I can't have been training all these years for nothing... I have to make things right."

'Then don't go...' The words were right there, just on the tip of her tongue... But she didn't dare say them. She couldn't bring herself to- 'Oh, screw it!'

Suddenly, she was clinging to him, her arms wrapped stubbornly around his left bicep. "Ace-kun, p-please don't l-leave!"

She didn't even know where she currently stood with him. And right now, she didn't care. All she knew was that if he left her behind, she would be devastated.

"You know I have to." Ace pulled away from her. He was determined not to let his emotions get in the way of his goals. He refused to let anyone talk him out of it. And she knew then that his mind was made up.

'All that's left to do is say goodbye...' She thought, her mind racing frantically. 'But I can't do that... I can't.'

"I c-can't..." She muttered, finishing her thoughts out loud.

"What?" Ace turned to look at her.

Crap! She had his attention once again. And she still had no clue what to do with it.

"I can't say g-goodbye to you."

There was a long moment that passed. For a while, he said nothing, only regarded her with those dark eyes of his. And then a smile cracked over his porcelain lips.

"Good," The freckled boy grinned innocently. "Because I can't either! Haha... There's no point in saying goodbye when we know we'll see each other again... Someday."

He'd added 'someday' like it was an afterthought. Though they'd never made specific plans regarding meeting up with one another, they all knew it would happen. It was bound to. There was a good chance that she and Luffy might even leave Dawn Island together, if they could manage to get things ready in time. They were around the same age, and unlike these headlong boys, she was willing to go along with someone else and give up the notion of being Captain, if it meant having a companion to travel with.

"I'm t-trying..." She began, but then backed down from whatever it was she was about to say.

"What is it? I've got to go soon. These winds won't last much longer..." Ace remarked, as he lifted his green and black striped duffel bag onto the small ship. "Say whatever it is, so I can get a move on. I don't like long drawn out goodbyes."

"Goodbyes suck!" Luffy agreed, nodding vigorously. "You could still save us all the trouble and just stay here until we can all go together!"

"I have to keep getting stronger," He explained, becoming very serious. "There's nothing left for me on this island. I can't learn anything more by staying here. By the next time you see me, I'll be a Pirate Captain!"

"Well, you better watch your back 'cause someday I'm gonna be King of the Pirates!" The rubber boy chirped in response.

Shiori was still being very quiet, but she felt like it was now or never... She had to make one last attempt at understanding all of this.

"I just w-wish I could see things f-from your point of view..." The gloomy girl tucked her hair behind her ears on one side. "I still d-don't see any s-sense in it. This is the same f-foolish thing that g-got Sabo-kun killed. I still wish you'd r-reconsider."

Ace only chuckled, shaking his head. "That your way of asking me to stay too?"

He patted her head. It was clear that she was just a kid to him. A bratty little kid...

"I g-guess so..." Unable to meet his eyes, Shiori stared at the wooden dock beneath her feet. It was the same one that had brought her here, all those years ago, but many of the original boards used had been replaced.

"I don't see it that way," He attempted to explain. "What happened to him, well... That should never have happened at all. And it wouldn't have, if it weren't for the wretched and the entitled, the spoiled Nobles that inhabit the world! They rule things, and the Marines work for them, everyone is corrupt to some degree, and it isn't right!"

She'd promised herself that she wouldn't do this... That she'd support him by accepting his dream and letting him fulfill it in the way that he wanted. But some hidden part of her, deep down, would not allow Shiori to let him go. She needed him here, with her and Luffy. They were a family. She knew it wasn't a conventional family, but they'd practically grown up together.

Now there were tears in her eyes that had to fall... Pain in her heart that demanded to be felt! She couldn't allow him to leave without at least trying to explain her feelings.

'I never wanted Chiaki or Michiko to leave either... But they did. And look at what happened to them!'

Her mind raced through the previous events that had led up to this moment... All of the things she could never say... She didn't want to burden anyone else with her pain. They'd dealt with enough losses and misery already.

"And wh-what business i-is it of yours?!"

"I want to set the world right..." He replied, without missing a beat. "For your sake and everyone's, for the greater good. My heart believes in a cause and I can't leave it behind. No matter how much I might want to."

"You s-say it's for the g-good of everyone... But really, you're o-only being selfish!" Shiori spat at him, venom suddenly coming forth in her words. "You're e-every bit as selfish as they are! Only you're t-too blind to see it! And it m-makes me sick!"

Ace had become cold, his expression stoic. "Who's really the selfish one here? You only want me to stay because it suits you. You're coming across as a whiney brat who has to get your way all the time, even if it means hurting someone else. So be careful what you say."

Before wasting anymore time, his boots had plodded their way out onto the deck of his small boat. He really was going... Her tears fell freely, and Shiori couldn't understand why this was happening. It hadn't felt real until just now. She thought he wouldn't really go through with it, that there wouldn't be any way Ace would actually leave.

And then he was pulling away. Upset.

That was how he'd departed... With anger guiding him, urging him onward. Not even Luffy had been able to get another word in. The conversation was apparently over. The two watched his ship disappear into the horizon, eventually fading from sight as the winds carried it far away.

"We should go home." Luffy tried, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Shiori took his hand, reaching back over her shoulder and trying to smile at him, even through her tears. But it only came out as a twisted grimace at best. There was nothing that could make her feel better right now. She'd just lost one more person who was very dear to her. She couldn't shake this horrible feeling, the sense of loss and dread that she felt weighing down her heart...

She'd gone back toward Foosha Village with Luffy after that. There was nothing that could be done by staying at the docks. Ace had clearly made up his mind and he wasn't coming back. It wouldn't surprise her if they never saw each other again.

Also to her surprise, Luffy seemed to take it even harder than she did. Although he had put on a brave face in front of his brother, once he was gone, he'd cried for days... Shiori offered him what little comfort she could, given the circumstances. She knew that losing Ace had hurt him a lot. Oddly enough, she'd never really seen any of them as her brothers, just friends. But they'd been through a lot together and it still hurt to lose someone she was close to.

Mostly she was upset because she was worried sick about him. There were countless dangers waiting for him on the Grand Line... Waiting for all of them. She had a feeling that she wouldn't be able to stay with Dadan and the mountain bandits much longer, let alone forever. There were too many memories here. And she had come to realize that Luffy would want her to go with him later on, when he decided to set sail too. But she could't do that. If she couldn't go with Ace, how could she go with Luffy? As much as part of her might want to, she could never become a Pirate. Nor a Marine. The best use of her talents would be to find some quiet place somewhere, and live a normal life as a regular civilian.

There just wasn't much she could do, except leave now, before it became too painful for either of them to bear. Mostly, Shiori felt lost. She just wanted to be alone with her thoughts. For a few days, she continued to do her daily chores and live her life in much the same way as she always had.

There was just one problem... Ace wasn't around.

It was something they would all have to get used to. There would be no more adventures with the three of them. No more getting lost in the woods together. No more scamming people out of their money via the use of clever teamwork. No more upbeat freckle-faced young man to brighten her mood whenever she felt sad. Only childish Luffy to annoy her more and more. And annoy her he did... It was like she couldn't get a moment's peace!

But Shiori didn't have it in her heart to hold it against him. It wasn't his fault... The boy was just suffering from attachment issues. He cared about Ace too and the separation had taken it's toll on both of them. Each day, the two began to grow more distant. She knew she was welcome to stay with Dadan and the others as long as she liked... However, it was beginning to feel like she might be overstaying her welcome just a bit. It wasn't like she had anywhere else to go, but she felt weird about staying in the same place for so long. It wasn't her true home, and she wasn't sure if it would ever feel like it was.

Something was missing...

The Valkyrie had taken to going on long walks alone. It was the only way she could really be by herself anymore. Day after day, she would go out and leave Luffy there by himself.

He didn't know where she went that was so important... He'd even tried following her a few times, but all she did was go somewhere boring. She was isolating herself, dwelling deep inside her own mind, lost in her memories, and he eventually decided to leave her be. He felt partially responsible for Ace's sudden departure, but in the end, maybe it wasn't so bad.

They would get over it. And at least Ace was happy.

"How will getting it from a Paramecia type Devil Fruit user help us anyway?" A green haired girl was asking a shadowy figure who stood behind her.

He stepped out of the dark alley, revealing himself to be a tall, skinny blond man. He sported a pair of oddly-shaped red tinted glasses. He also wore a tangled mess of pink feathers, resembling a flamingo's.

"You'll see," The man grinned at her. He was proud of her. She was growing up so fast... "Someday. For now, you know what you need to do. It's time. Just get the sample and let us handle the rest. Stick to the plan."

"Okay!" She smiled, always eager to help in any way she could. "I'll get it. She trusts me, you'll see!"

"I suppose we will. Go on then."

With a determined nod, she left from their hiding place, blending in with the crowd...

A familiar face greeted Shiori when she rounded the corner, going into Edge Town. She rarely ventured out this way anymore, but she felt the need to walk down to the docks quite often. As long as she didn't make a stir or draw too much attention to herself, she was able to easily make it through the walled city to the other side without being kicked out. She liked to take frequent trips to the ocean to see if maybe Ace would come back... And she just liked to watch the waves roll in, even if she couldn't touch them.

She was actually surprised when Monet approached her, although she really didn't know why. She supposed it was because she hadn't seen her for a while. It was not an unusual occurrence to see the two meeting and talking together. Sometimes they met for a bite to eat or went shopping. They had actually bonded a little over Sabo's death, as odd as that was. Their friendship had had some rough patches, but for the most part, Monet had been a lot nicer to Shiori since the days when they were kids. It seemed like she'd grown up too.

The two girls approached one another, Monet showing a sweet smile, while she gave a friendly wave in kind. There was light laughter filling the streets from both sides as the girls embraced.

"Shiori-chan! It's been a while, how are you?"

"I'm f-fine Monet-chan," Shiori's smile widened and the two began to walk down the sidewalk together. "I was just g-going down to the d-docks again..."

"That figures. You never could give up on him, could you?"

"It's n-not what you think it is..." That was all she'd ever say on the matter, but somehow Monet was still convinced that she knew better.

For the first few weeks following Sabo's accident, she'd avoided her as much as possible after her outburst that day. But over time, the two girls had found a way to move on from it. Ever since, Monet had actually been nice to her whenever they did run into each other. Shiori had been hesitant at first, but it had continued for a long time. She didn't have it in her to be mean to someone who wasn't mean to her.

There was still something about it that didn't seem quite right... She could tell the other girl wasn't exactly being genuine. It only showed through sometimes. There was something about their interactions that always seemed sort of... forced. Although she had apologized to Shiori numerous times, it was like the golden eyed girl didn't really mean a single word of it. There was something that struck her as being very off about the whole thing, but there was no way to prove anything. It was impossible to tell if it were actually true, or if it was all just in her mind. So she had grudgingly allowed Monet to be a part of her life again.

Ever since that day, she'd been wary of her. She was never sure whether or not she could really trust her. But she needed a female friend, and Monet was the only other girl around who would even give her the time of day. Despite Shiori being quite a few years younger, the two got along fairly well. It was nice being friends with her, even if they were different.

"I found the cutest clothes on sale yesterday!" Monet giggled brightly, twirling a lock of hair between her fingers. It had gotten much longer, although she still kept her bangs short. "It was at that place we used to go, the one over on seventh street?"

She stopped in the middle of the crowded sidewalk and spun around, to show her friend her new outfit. She'd gotten a bright green and yellow tank top that really showed a lot more cleavage than Shiori would have ever dared to. But the store they both frequented usually had some tamer outfits that she liked as well.

"D-don't tell me you went w-without me!" The albino scoffed.

"I didn't think you'd seriously mind, I mean-"

"Relax," She laughed then. "I'm k-kidding! I thought you'd kn-know better than that! Haha, that outfit does l-look amazing on y-you though..."

The two were still as chatty as ever when they were together. There seemed to be a playful attitude between them today. Nothing was out of the ordinary.

"Is it okay if I go to the docks with you? I'm bored anyway, and I wouldn't mind a quick trip to the ocean. I could really use some fresh air..."

The green haired girl had really blossomed in recent years... After going through puberty, Monet had gathered a lot of attention from the local eligible Noblemen. Shiori would always get really embarrassed at the slightest mention of that kind of thing. Her body was still small and she hadn't filled out in the same way. She was still flat in all the places where there should be curves. Monet still had the edge in being older than her, so it was no wonder she'd matured faster.

"S-sure," Shiori chirped, already headed in that direction. "It'll be f-fun! Let's go."

She arrived outside the gates of Edge Town with her friend in tow. The two were eager to see what kinds of ships were in the terminal. So far, she saw a lot of the usual merchant ships moored there. There was a larger one further down that looked like it was equipped with a strong steel hull.

"Sure are a lot of people here today," Monet sidestepped as a young man made his way past them. He appeared to work on one of the merchant ships, and he was carrying many boxes of merchandise. "Do you wanna go further down the beach? Maybe take a walk while we're here?"

"Okay... It d-doesn't look like there's m-much going on here today..." The Valkyrie let out a bored sigh.

The two girls made their way across the sand, to a place where there was a lot less commotion. Around the western side of Edge Town, there was a long empty stretch of beach where only few people ever ventured. It was too easy to be overtaken by Pirates or robbed by bandits if the Nobles strayed too far from their precious walled city.

"Y-you know... I th-think I know why he d-did that." A long, drawn out sigh escaped the pale girl's lips. "Ace-kun, I mean... He left me b-behind in order to p-protect me."

Her brightly-colored friend responded with a warm smile, talking to her while they both watched the waves crash onto the shore. "Protect you from what exactly?"

"I don't know, i-it just seems like it'd be r-really dangerous on the ocean?"

"That's true... But there are dangers here too. Dangers you couldn't even begin to imagine..." Monet chuckled, mirthfully.

Suddenly, all of the air was knocked from her lungs. The small girl was thrown to the ground. Her back hurt very badly. Shiori let out a loud yelp. Something hit her over the head too. It hurt so much and the pain seemed to come out of nowhere. Before she knew what hit her, she rolled onto her back and kicked herself upright.

She had not hesitated to continue practicing her fighting skills. She often had Luffy as a sparring partner, although he liked to goof off way too often and wasn't much help...

"Stay down!" She found that a gun was being pointed at her, only inches away from her face. There was a click, as the hammer was pulled back. Although Monet's hands shook, she clutched the deadly weapon, holding it at point-blank range. "Don't move!"

"M-monet-chan?" Beady red eyes looked up at her in bewilderment.

'We were just talking like friends a few minutes ago...' She thought. 'What changed? Why is she acting like this? Is she going to try to... kill me?'

"If you even move an inch, you're dead! You hear me?!" Something in her voice sounded afraid. Maybe it was the way she shook, even as she appeared to hold so much power over her former friend.

"But I d-don't understand, I-"

Shiori grimaced in pain as she was kicked in the ribs, hard. After being knocked down again, she sat on the ground, not daring to move. She waited to see what the other girl would do.

Something glinted in the sunlight... Monet was holding a metal syringe in her other hand. She pushed the sleeve of her victim's sweater up so she was exposed. Without warning, she suddenly plunged the needle into Shiori's arm. She'd expected an injection of some sort, maybe even a kind of poison, but it didn't happen. The vial was empty, but when she pulled it back, it was filled with a bright red liquid. She had obtained some of Shiori's blood. For what purpose, she had no clue.

"Wh-what are you d-doing?! That r-really hurt!"

"Relax," The older girl's expression twisted into a sinister smirk. "I'm only taking what I need. Sorry. Looks like this is where our pathetic little friendship ends."

"But wh-why...?" Shiori gawked at her. She didn't understand.

"Shut up and hold still!" Monet growled, making sure to keep one hand firmly on the trigger of the handgun she held.

"Why aren't we f-friends anymore?"

She hesitated a moment. "...I have new friends now. Powerful ones."

Monet was touching Shiori's head and she began to panic because she didn't know why. None of this made any sense! First she'd taken her blood, now what was she doing? Shiori hated needles and was thankful that she'd finally put the dreaded syringe away, but this didn't make any sense. What could she possibly-

"Hey! Ow!" She cried, as she felt the other girl pulling her hair sharply. "St-stop that!"

Shiori couldn't take it anymore. She had to fight back. On her feet in a flash, she moved quickly to wrench the gun from Monet's hand. It was the same move she'd seen Michiko do when she was just a child... When she'd managed to disarm the first Marine who had trespassed on the grounds of their Monastery. The flashbacks certainly didn't help her state of mind any. She had been made to watch all of her loved ones dying all around her that day, and she refused to meet the same fate!

The gun was tossed about twenty feet away, resting in the sand. Shiori tackled her assailant to the ground, attempting to pin her down. She didn't want to do it, but she'd been pushed beyond her limits.

Monet was fighting back. She managed to land a punch across Shiori's face, before her arms were grabbed and held against the powdery sand. She kicked her off and scrambled toward her gun, trying to pick it up. Shiori stopped her by grabbing one of her legs and dragging her backward. All the while, snow had begun to fall from the darkening sky. It rained down in small white circles, dazzling the people who were around the corner, further down the beach. The cold powder began to mix with the sand, creating a surreal scene.

"Damn your stupid Devil Fruit! Those things are cursed, you know that?! It should have been mine anyway! Now let me go, before you really get fucking hurt!"

"I don't th-think so!" She glared down at the girl who'd just threatened her life. Golden eyes blinked back at her, their owner not revealing a thing. "I want to know wh-why you're d-doing this! Tell me, n-now! I w-want answers!"

It was obvious that she was angry about the whole thing. She felt hurt and betrayed. After she'd even been so nice as to give Monet a second chance, this was how she repaid her?! It wasn't right.

"I'll never tell you anything, stupid bitch! Do what you will."

Shiori had managed to get in a few hits and kicks before things went wrong. Just when she appeared to have given up, Monet started struggling again. She managed to get out of Shiori's grip by catching her off guard. She punched her several more times before grabbing the discarded pistol. She wasted no time in aiming it right at her again.

"Hold still! I'll just have to take what I want the hard way!" Monet snarled, very angry by now. She had expected things to go a lot smoother than this and she was annoyed. "Say goodbye!"

"Do y-your worst..."

In the ominous silence that followed, everything seemed to go quiet... She could no longer hear the calls of the gulls that flew overhead, nor the rushing of the sea as it's waves broke angrily along the shoreline. The wind blew past her, as Shiori waited for when it would all finally be over. She sat there poised, on her knees staring down the gun barrel. Maybe this madness would stop once Monet realized...

BANG!

A single gunshot pierced the serene silence. The violent sound echoed hatefully against the city walls behind them.

Golden eyes widened in surprise. "You... What?! That's impossible! You- you can't!"

"Oh?" It was Shiori's turn to smile, even as part of her had scattered across the beach...

A trail of pure white snow lay behind her, meeting the waves' edges as they cascaded forward in a torrent of seafoam and salt. Her vital points would have been missed anyway. She'd turned her entire upper body into snow! She had managed to effectively render the gunshots completely useless.

In the midst of the chaos, Shiori saw her advantage, and took it. While her enemy was stunned, she encircled her with the snow, forming a cold white sheet around her. It touched her skin and felt like she was being encased in solid ice. Monet began to panic, dropping her gun and squirming to get away. She knew this was it... She could very well die of hypothermia right now, and there would be no one around to save her.

"My, my..." A voice overcame both of them by surprise, causing the two girls to jump. A woman with big, full lips and long, flowing light blue hair was walking across the beach toward them. "What an interesting little catfight..."

She'd only been a few feet away by the time they'd seen her. The girls were so focused on fighting each other that they'd failed to notice anyone approaching. Shiori knew this probably wasn't good. Her first thought was that maybe Monet had set up an ambush, but the other girl looked to be just as surprised as she was.

"Who a-are you?" Shiori hadn't let her guard down. She still held the green haired girl within her snowy prison, although her concentration was gradually slipping. "Why h-have you c-come here?"

She didn't want to admit it, but she was slowly draining her energy by using so much of her power at once. Even Devil Fruits had their limits and she hadn't been practicing as much as she should have lately. She really didn't know how to advance her skills that much when it came to those abilities, since each one was so unique and different.

The older woman was staring down at them with dark, piercing blue eyes. "I know it's rude to interfere with the fights of others," She spoke in a silken voice. "But I had to come and see what all of the commotion was about. Maybe you should let her go?"

"I c-can't... She tried to k-kill me!" Shiori tried to explain. She wanted her to know that she wasn't the villain here... She knew that the strange woman had probably seen most of the fight though.

"I understand," The woman circled around them, seeming to have no difficulty in navigating the uneven loose sand, even in her high heeled boots. She also clutched a sword in one hand, but didn't seem too keen on using it. "Then I shall step back. Do what you will."

Just then, before she could figure things out, Monet had managed to work her way free from the snow that had encapsulated her. She couldn't go far, because her body was partially frozen by now and she was numb all over. Her extremities were in terrible pain. All she could do was fall to the ground, immobile.

"This really fucking sucks!" She yelled at her former friend. "I'm going to get you for this! You'll see, you'll pay for what you've done! I'll tell my friends and then you'll really pay!"

She was sure they were mostly idle threats, so Shiori just looked at her. It was a pitiable sight. Her only weapon rendered useless, her body on the brink of giving up on her... It was no use.

She didn't try to use her powers again to finish her off, even though she probably could have. For one thing, she didn't really want to kill Monet. She just wanted to teach her a lesson. And to make it worse, she was worried about the possibility of having to fight this new person right now. She was almost at her limit. The outlook was not in her favor either. Shiori only looked at both of them, torn between the two, and unsure of what their intentions were.

Monet was already regaining some of her movement, although it was taking her a bit. She looked up at the onlooker, noticing there were others coming to join her. She saw that they were coming from the docks and the larger stretch of beach around the corner, although she couldn't tell which ship they were from. There were a lot of them.

The mysterious woman who stood before them was wearing a large dark blue hat with a white and purple spotted bandana beneath it. Her hat was tilted to one side, with some type of insignia on the front. It looked like a skull inside of a snowflake. She felt like it was sort of familiar, the way she wore such a frilly white scarf with a long blue cape billowing behind her... And then there was her demeanor too...

At that moment, something seemed to dawn on her.

"You..." She pointed a trembling finger at the blue haired woman. "Wait... I know you, I've seen you on wanted posters before..."

"Have you now?" The woman wore an arrogant smirk. She seemed completely full of herself. It was obvious from the way she carried herself, to the way she dressed, in such a short little buttoned-down ensemble.

"You're... You're Whitey Bay!" Her yellow eyes were like two huge saucers, as she stared at her. "The Ice Witch!"

"Heh." Her smile only grew. "Indeed I am. I see that you've heard of me. I'm the Captain of this crew and we've come to Goa Kingdom to stock up on supplies, and for something else too... When I heard a gunshot, I had to come over and see what all the fuss was about. You see, I love a good fight."

"Who i-is she?" Shiori hated being the only one who was left out. She'd never heard of this woman. Could a female even be a Pirate Captain? This was the first she'd heard of that too.

Just then, the rest of Whitey Bay's crew had made it to where they were. Dozens of Pirates flocked to her side. Each of them was more fearsome than the last. They didn't do much, and they'd most likely just come over to see what the fuss was about. But one in particular caught Shiori's eye... There, among the crowd, was her friend that she hadn't seen for several years!

"Ch-chouko-san?!" She gasped, her jaw practically dragging the ground. "I-is that r-really you?"

The blonde moth fluttered over to her, her wings carrying her with ease. "Shiori-chan! Hi, how have you been?! Oh my gosh, it's been forever!" Chouko couldn't resist giving her a giant hug.

Shiori was amazed. "Y-you're a m-member of this crew?"

"Yes," She smiled warmly at her. "I guess my secret's out. Is this wench giving you trouble?" The blonde gestured toward Monet, who was still in shock, and not yet able to move freely.

"She w-was, but it's okay n-now..." The albino girl shrugged it off. "I d-didn't know you were a P-pirate..."

"Well it should have been obvious enough! Hahaha! Can't blame me if you didn't ask!" She stuck out her tongue, playfully. "When I got back to the ship, I told Bay-sama all about you and we've been lookin' for ya! I was worried for a while that maybe something bad happened to you during the fire."

"You h-heard about that?"

"Um yeah! Everyone has. The fact that you survived that alone is amazing, but then again, you never cease to amaze me!"

"But I'm w-weak... You're the strong one. You've s-saved me so m-many times!" She insisted.

"Nonsense!" Chouko shook her head.

"You underestimate your potential... Typical." Whitey Bay scoffed, looking down on her. Everyone else fell silent, waiting to see what she would do. "But I was thinking perhaps... Yes, I see some potential in you! I just saw your abilities and capability in battle, firsthand. I believe you could be of use to my crew. Would you like to come with us?"

"What? M-me?" Shiori was shocked. "W-with you? To where? This is c-crazy!"

"I think I should train you... Take you under my wing, no?"

She literally could not believe that a well known Pirate Captain was offering her this opportunity. The offer was so tempting, especially considering how elite her crew seemed to be. It was like she could sense the power pouring off each of them as they arrived, one by one. And they'd even offered their assistance in her fight with Monet, although that was already more than handled.

"I'm n-not sure, I don't know i-if I could-"

"No need to be so shy, sweetie..." Whitey Bay took her by the arm. "In a few years, you could return back here if you wanted. You'll be strong enough to do pretty much whatever you want, within reason. We should get going. No time to waste!"

"I h-haven't even agreed to g-go yet..." Shiori protested.

"Nonsense! No one ever refuses me! This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Now come on!"

"C-can I at l-least go home to g-get my stuff, a-and say goodbye?"

"Goodbye?" The blue haired woman raised an eyebrow.

"W-well I live with these b-bandits and... And a f-friend of mine. I can't just a-abandon my Nakama, I'm s-sorry..."

"Come onnnnn!" Even Chouko was pestering her to join. "Just tell those idiots bye and off we go!"

'Can I really do this?' She wondered, as they began walking back toward Edge Town. 'Can I just leave all of my plans behind, abandoned? Can I go with them and desert my hopes of Ace coming back victorious someday? Can I forget everything that's happened and join the people I've sworn to detest?'

As much as she hated to admit it, the peer pressure was kind of getting to her. No one had ever seen much potential in her before. Hell, she didn't even see it herself!

Monet was still on the ground, half frozen, and forgotten. "Hey!" She called out to the friend she'd just betrayed. "You can't just leave me here! What about me? Why can't I go? I have potential! Damn it, listen to me!"

A/N: Just in case you're wondering, yes Whitey Bay is a real character from One Piece. She is not mine, lol... But I do think she's awesome! Looks like Shiori has finally found her mentor and teacher. c: (I mentioned that it would be a surprise, didn't I?)

I like this chapter because Monet sort of got what she deserved... And someone has high hopes for Shiori, it's so cute! A lot of this was meant to be a little cheesy and funny, I'm just having fun with this story. I hope you're having as much fun reading it as I am writing it. And sorry I haven't updated in a while, I've had a lot going on in my life lately. I hope you've enjoyed this chapter! I look forward to hearing what you think, if you would be so kind as to review. c;

-Kaline