Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter and I hope you enjoy it!

Also I'm participating in the National Novel Writing Month, nanowrimo, for short. If you don't know what it is basically you get to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. So if I fall behind I'm apologizing right now. I'll try not to though. Got to do my best! The good news though is that it doesn't start until November 1st. This is gonna be hard!

Chapter 6: Food War
"I'll do it!" Nina knew she could do it. As long as it was for her friend she could do anything. "I'll perform, and I'll win."

"Win will ya? You're a cocky little mut you are." His snide grin wasn't just annoying it brought a shiver of fear down her back and made her palms start sweating. "Well, see. Tomarrow morning in the square if you don't show up I'll kill your friend. He's just another 3rd rate musician anyway."

Third rate...

"You'll make a cute addition to my crew little bird. No matter what crew you belong to you'll learn soon enough. Pirates are all alike." His grin was beyond evil. There was something in it that made her just want to disappear. "We'll take what we want and destroy all the rest."

Destroy...?

"The boy's village, people's lives, it don't matter. Survival of the fittest, you'll learn that tomarrow when you join my crew."

The boy's village... was this man the one that destroyed the village? He... she could feel a bitter rage welling up inside of her at his taunts and his threats. Somehow she would find the strength to win, and then Rolfe would be safe.

Slowly she looked up at met his eyes in a cold stare. "I'll win. I'll make you regret what you just said. You think he's a third rate musician, I bet he has more spirit than any of your other musicians, and don't forget music is about just that!"

"Nina-chan..."

The crew of the Going Merry were all surprised but at the same time they all believed in her, and her abilities. Even though they didn't yet know just how good she was. She was their friend and they would support her no matter what.

"Wait after being sick like that!"

"Than it's decided. Remember it's tomorrow, little chit. Be prepared.

"No wait!" Chopper was almost pleading. This was bad. She had only really gotten better a day or two before. She still had to recover her strength and this was not the way to do it.

"His eyes... he's planning something." Zorro nused outloud.

"We'll have to be careful." Robin was carefully watching Rolfe as he tried to keep Chopper away from his wounds.. "He's not someone to triffle with lightly. I only hope Nina can do this. We will have to watch her carefully."

Robin smiled at the sweet, naïve, and incredibly brave little girl. She had never agreed to join their crew but somehow everyone had already come to see her as a member. Perhaps one day...

"Are you nuts!" Rolfe shouted at Nina. "That was Red Beard! He's gonna come after you for this. Nina you got to escape as fast as you can. He doesn't fight like normal pirates. The way he destroyed our village was nothing but a walk in the park for him!"

"Red Beard?" Why did that name ring a bell?

"He's Red Beard?" Robin handed him a handkerchief. "He strikes me more as a weekling than aas a famous pirate."

"You're wrong. He's not week. Not at all." He had to stop this no matter what. He couldn't let him take Nina too! "He single handedly destroyed our village and everyone in it because he was bored!"

Did he just say everyone in it? Hadn't he said that the village had been destroyed but the people had. Momma? Pappa? Were they?

"You're working for the man who destroyed your village?" Sanji was towering over the boy. "You're working for the murderer who killed everyone you cared about."

"You're wrong. Not everyone was there that day...When he attacked about a fourth of the village had gone to the shrine on a hill about 3 miles away. None of us died... but when we returned there were bodies strewn everywhere. They were strangled to death... all of them. All of them had rope burns... it wasn't until he tried to capture us and I saw his power that I knew their was nothing I could do to stop him. He'd eaten the devil's fruit to. The hairy fruit. There was no way we could win so instead we... He had a love for music so I... I made a deal... I guess I kinda sold my soul to the devil. The people who didn't die They were impressed into the pirate's service. We work to live, and if any of us fail in our duties one of the other's is tortured and killed in front of them."

Rolfe was... crying...

"There was nothing we could do. We've been trying so hard to just survive but now with this... if you loose he will kill somebody. That's how he is."

"That dirty wrotten..."

"that's just how most pirates are." Nami sighed. "Most are greedy and only want power and for people to kiss their feet. The worst part of it is that we can't stop this from happening now that it's been excepted. Luffy where do you think you're going?"

"To stop this."

"Didn't you just hear what I said."

"Huh?

"If he's planning on making us give up all the meat he's dead wrong!"

"I said kiss his feet, not give him meat!"

"It's my responsibility!" Nina declared. "I've got to do this..." That murderer. Was her family okay? Had Rolfe lied about that? IF they were alive then they were working for him on his ship. There was no way she was going to leave things this way. "I won't let him hurt them."

"Don't worry we'll help. After all you are our friend too you know!"

Official crew member or not she was their friend, and none of them were going to let her cry. They were going to help her instead.

Chapter 7