Never Had a Dream Come True

Book One:

Blind Ambition

Chapter 4:

"Rika"

"I don't care what your father said you're going to die here and now" the man whispered aiming a gun straight at her. She tried to move but her body was frozen with fear and she could only watch as the man pulled the trigger.

At that moment Luffy appeared in front of the girl taking the bullet head on. The bullet bounced back off of him and hit the man in black right in the leg. "Guns are cheating" the rubber man said. The man in black began to hobble away. "You are going to pay" he spat at them.

"Are you ok?" Nami asked rushing over to the girl. The girl stood up looking even more freaked out than before. "Oh don't worry about him he's made out of rubber" Nami said as to answer her. The girl looked around 17 and had bright orange hair a bit lighter than Nami's. She had it pulled back into pigtails and had rosy pink cheeks. She wore a bright pink hat which looked like it had cat ears on top and a lime green and yellow striped tank top with jean shorts and brown boots. Over that she had on a pink overcoat that went down to her ankles. But the most interesting thing about her was she had the most extraordinary eyes. They were a mix between a sapphire and an emerald and held a look of sadness. Nami recognized that look. She had had it once herself when her life had been taken over by Arlong.

"And what would your name be pretty Miss?" Sanji asked with hearts in his eyes. The girl blinked a few times trying to take in what had just happened. "I'm Rika" she answered finally in a quite tone. "What a lovely name for a lovely lady" the cook said.

"Knock it off!" Nami shouted glaring at Sanji.

"Why was that guy chasing you?" Chopper asked. "And how did you scream so loud?" Usopp wondering.

"I-" Rika started but was cut off by men dressed in black shouting.

"Over here! Come one we have to capture her!"

"Quick in here!" the brown haired woman yelled. They all stood outside the restaurant while she shouted from the door.

"Mearii!" Rika yelled running towards the woman. Luffy ran after them and his crew followed. She led them into the basement and quickly locked the door. "Ok what it this about?" Zolo asked.

"Rika this is Monkey D. Luffy" Mearii whispered into her ear.

"Really?" Rika asked sounding happy. "I HAVE FOUND YOU!" she laughed hugging him.

"Get offa me!" Luffy said trying to pull himself away from her.

"You are Luffy correct?" she asked letting go.

"Yup" he answered.

"Then you must help!" she said falling on the ground bowing to him. "People in this town are nuts" Usopp hissed.

"You're telling me" Chopper answered.

"You give us that 500,000 berries and we'll talk" Nami spoke up.

"Please take it as a gift for saving Rika" Mearii said handing Nami that bag of monkey.

"Well if you insist" she smiled grabbing it from the old woman.

"Will somebody tell me what's going on!" Luffy yelled. Rika frowned and looked at the ground.

"An evil man my father is hurting our land, our people are dying, I've tried to run away countless times but-" she rolled up the sleeves of her overcoat to reveal bruises, cuts, and scars that looked as if they would never heal. The crew gasped. "We cannot fight them alone and we heard of you and your bravery" she said.

"I am pretty brave aren't I?" Usopp said only to be shushed.

"Please I beg of you if I live like this any longer I will kill myself!" Rika cried. The room was silent until Zolo spoke up.

"Tell us how you were able to scream with such power?"

Rika's eyes fell to the ground. "My father forced me to eat the screech screech fruit. The devil's fruit which gives you the ability to scream sonic waves. But he made me kill and I am just as much to blame as he is for the destruction of our town. He also posses that power only his is ten times stronger. I have been locked away for the past five months because I failed to escape and was caught. But no matter what he does to me I must find a way to end this!" Her story ended and she bowed once more. "Please" she whispered.

"Stand up" Zolo snapped. "We're pirates why would we want to help you?"

She felt her blood boil and almost screamed. If they didn't help her everyone would die. She had heard tales of them helping so many people despite what the navy had told them. She cooled down and looked Zolo right in the eye.

"You're right" Rika laughed getting up off the ground. "Why would the scum of the ocean want to do something good? I'll find someone else to help" she said getting up and beginning to walk away hoping he would stop her and change his mind.

"Oh really? Cause it seems to me we're you're only hope" the swordsman said.

Rika clenched her fists and fire shot up in her eyes as she realized her plan might not work. "My hope will not die and if you're not going to help me then leave. Because my only dream is to be free from this way of life and no one is telling me that it will be like this forever because I am going to change it."

Zolo smiled "Good."

"So are you with me or not?" Rika snapped.

Luffy gave her a smile "We're with ya" he said.

Rika gave them a huge smile and tried to contain her happiness. But her attempt failed as she ran over to the straw hat man. "THANK YOU!" she yelled hugging Luffy as hard as she could.

"YOU'RE SQUEEZING MY BRAIN OUT!" he shouted trying to get free. "As if they were any brain to squeeze out" Sanji said.

"Har har very funny" the captain answered finally free of Rika.

"I'm so glad that we change this, so glad…that I can finally sleep without fear of tomorrow" she said almost passing out on the floor. She curled up into a ball and slept.

Author's Note: Ok so here's the thing, Rika has a bit of a split personality. She tries to act tough and hard core but really she is a bubbly, loving, scare teenage girl. You'll see her act like that as things gets better. Please tell me what you think!