Casey was paying the newsgoo for ten newspapers. She had learnt long ago to buy more than one, because they were so many who read it. She went to the main office room, placed for in there, knocked onto Dragon's door, gave him one, before she headed to the big dining hall and placed four there. Then she went to her room and read the last, but as she unfolded it, a few new wanted posters fell out. She went through them and screamed happily and loudly, so all nearby could hear her. Then she run out found Sabo and hugged him.

"He has come. Look," she said, handing him a wanted poster.

Fire Fist Portgas D. Ace
Dead or Alive
Berries: 52.000.000

Sabo grinned brightly. "What a great bounty. Is there anything in the newspaper about him?"

"I haven't checked," Casey said and turned around to run back to her room, closely followed by Sabo.

She sat down and scanned the newspaper, quickly finding what she was looking for. Apparently Ace had managed to steal a Devil's Fruit from the marines ad ate it, becoming fire. A Logia type called the Mera Mera no Mi. Sabo and Casey laughed, as it said Ace had pretended to be asleep, before the theft.

"I bet it was his narcolepsy," Sabo said.

"Me too," Casey chuckled.

"So he has come to the sea. I'm so happy," Sabo sighed and lied onto the bed.

Casey curled up next to him. "Me too. In just one year I'll be going too. And I'll find him," she said.

Sabo pulled her close. "It'll be sad without you here, but I know you want to be with your family of choice. Do you think they remember you and want you back?"

She nodded. "I know they will. Or I'll call Shanks and join him. I'm a pirate, Sabo. Not a Revolutionary like you. This is not what I dream of," she said.

He hummed. "But we'll be family forever."

"Yeah," she hummed.

-x-

Casey panted hardly, as she lied on her back, staring at the star filled sky. It was new moon, so the stars were clearer to see. Smiling, she let her mind wander, thinking of Luffy, Makino, Shanks, Benn, Yasopp, Lucky Roo, Ace, Sabo, Thatch, Marco, Izo, Whitebeard, Haruta, Namur, Hack and Koala. All the people she and who had an impact on her lie so far. Her mind wandered to those who gave her life and her grandfather. She had mixed feelings about them.

Sighing, she sat up, drank some water and got back on her feet. In just mere weeks she was turning 17 and she wanted to impress her family with her strength and abilities. Also, there was the matter of Ace. He had vanished from the newspapers for the past three months and it just wasn't normal that a rookie with his ability and strength vanished, unless the marine or a pirate had dealt with him. If it was the fact, she would find out who had hurt her brother and kill that person, even if it was her Jiji, which she highly doubted.

Concentrating, she turned into a fox and focused on her Haki in this form. It wasn't as easy as she had thought, but she slowly had gotten the hang on it. She ignored her mother and father, who watched her, as she used her ice and Armament Haki together. Cursing as it didn't work properly, she started all over, until she fell onto her back, too tired to go on.

"You've come a long way, Casey. Get some rest," Dragon said, coming to her.

Panting, she gazed at him. "When I leave, I'll live in the New World. Am I even strong enough to do so?"

"Yes you are. Not many pirates are as strong as you, when entering the New World. Besides, you'll be on the ship of the world's strongest man. He'll protect you and so will his crew," her mother said.

"And they'll keep teaching you and challenge your strength and abilities. So don't worry, you'll be fine. After all, you're a D.," Dragon said.

She smiled and let him help her up. He was right, but she was kind of a perfectionist. Wanting to be the best of herself all the time. And then she was just as childish and silly as Luffy, always pranking the others with silly stuff, like switching their clothes, color them pink or yellow or she hid their stuff in odd places. Just smaller pranks and only when the tension was too much for her to take and it helped.

-x-

"Are you sure you know where we're going?" Sabo asked.

Casey nodded and strolled through the groves of Sabaody Archipelago. Today she turned 17 and she hoped that her family could reach her in time. She hadn't celebrated her birthday since her 10th, but it had made her so happy and she had finally understood why birthdays were special. Yet there hadn't been time for big celebrations, though Sabo, Koala, Hack, Ivankov and her parents had giving her small gifts on her birthday and even a cake.

"You do realize that the lower the groves, the more outlaws and danger lures," he continued.

"Trust me, brother. I know where I'm heading and what I'm doing. It's not like any of those scumbags can harm you and me," she grinned.

"True," he said with a shrug.

Casey laughed lightly. Sabo had been assigned to make sure she'll get to the Whitebeard Pirates safely, though he had no idea how. Casey had told him she knew how to get to her family, who she knew was waiting for her. However, she had not told him how.

"A bar?" Sabo asked, as Casey pointed at the bar on the top of a hill.

"I have to call Oyaji and it has to be a secure line. I didn't want to do that on the island. Shanks told me that at Shakky's Rip-Off Bar I could borrow a secure snail," she said, while walking up the long staircase.

Sabo didn't like it, but followed her. He so wished he could meet the redhead one day. There was a lot he had to thank for to the man. For saving Luffy and Casey back then and later brining Casey to the base of the Revolutionaries. Sabo wasn't sure he would have gained his memories so fast, if at all, if he hadn't seen her there.

They entered the bar, which was empty, except for an older man and the owner, Sabo guessed. Casey walked straight to the counter, flashed her brightest smile to the woman.

"Are you Shakky, the owner? I'm Casey and I would like to borrow your secure snail," she said, without hesitation or shyness.

Sabo shook his head. This was why Casey couldn't become a Revolutionary. She was too blunt and outgoing, just like her, no their little brother.

"So you're the famous Casey? Nice to finally meet you. You assume correctly that I'm Shakky," she chuckled, puffing on her cigarette, as she took in the features of Casey.

"Nice to meet you too. Shanks said you were the best person to go to, if I ever need advice or help," Casey said.

"And who's the young man next to you?" Shakky asked.

"My brother Sabo. He's here to ensure I get to my crew safely," she said.

Sabo bowed lightly. "Nice to meet you," he said, though he didn't really understand this woman's connection to anything.

"So what did the redhead tell you, Casey dear?" Shakky asked, while making some tea.

"Not much. Only that he knows you and you know him a little too well. Not that he minded, he just laughed it off, but that's his way. He said you once were a pirate and you probably would be able to beat me, even if I trained hard," Casey said.

Shakky eyed her. "I doubt he thought you would be this strong though. Did you train until you collapsed and then forced yourself a little further?"

"You nailed it," Sabo muttered.

"That's not healthy, you know," the older man spoke up.

Casey smirked. "I'm not a normal young woman, so what isn't healthy to a normal person, doesn't apply to me," she said, turning her head to the man. "You of all should know that the D.'s aren't normal, Silvers Rayleigh," she said.

Sabo gasped, while both Rayleigh and Shakky looked slight shocked to hear her call him by his full name. Shanks had ensured them that he hadn't told her about Rayleigh being here. How come the girl knew then?

Casey simply raised a brow. "You may have age, your hair grown longer and you have glasses, but your eyes and features haven't changed that much. I've seen old wanted posters of yours," she said.

"You're telling me you can tell?" Sabo said, looking at the older man, but shook his head.

Casey chuckled. "I'm not normal. Luffy has his … unique way of being, I have another dysfunction or genetic flaw. Well, I have more than one, but I cope," she said.

Rayleigh nodded. "You can tell who people are, by just comparing pictures to the face in front of you. A rare gift indeed," he said.

She smiled to him. "A gift … Not even transformation can really hide your true identity from me. The soul in your eyes never changes," she said.

"Sounds like you are godlike," Shakky said.

"Inari kitsune. My Devil's Fruit," Casey said and turned into her fox form.

She had now seven tails and from books, she had learnt that she could possess up to nine tails, but it had to come with her brutal strength, will power and being at ease with herself. When she got all nine tails, she had awakened her powers.

"What a beautiful sight. And I can even sense your strength in that form. You are one strange girl," Shakky said, as Casey slowly transformed back.

"Shanks didn't mention you were a D.," Rayleigh said.

She shrugged. "I think he and Benn will keep it a secret until it's revealed. They are the one two we told our full name to after all," she said.

Sabo blinked. "Oi I thought all knew. I mean, Luffy aren't shy to tell," he said.

"He told you and Ace, but he hadn't shouted it to just anyone, has he? He might do that to provoke Jiji, when he set sails, but I made it clear it was a secret until he set sail," she said.

Sabo tilted his head. "Why did he tell Ace and me then?"

"Because I told him he could," she said.

"Why?" Sabo asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Figure it out on your own. So Shakky, about the snail?"

Shakky chuckled at their bickering. "Of course," she said, handing a snail to her.