Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing. I hope to get the next chapter up soon. Thanks to all for the constructive critism, it has been help getting this story to the way it is. I really hope you like this part.
4shadowedice4, thank you for calling my attention to that glich. I will try to get that fixed as soon as possible. Not sure how that happened.
Again I do not own One Piece or it's Characters. Enjoy
The next day was, almost, like any other for Sara, since Shanks and his crew had come to her small town. Though this day she did sleep much later than she really should have, but she had been up most of the night arguing with Luffy and trying to make him calm down. Ace had not been much help in that situation. Though when Sara, finally, got out of bed, the house was empty, both Ace and Luffy were gone. For Luffy that was not unusual since the Shanks and his crew started staying in Fuusha, but Ace always seem to wait for Sara to get up and leave after Sara did. Today Sara had the house to herself, while she got ready for work.
It was mid morning when Sara finally left the house. She headed down the familiar way, but today was anything but normal. There were shouts coming from the center of town. As Sara got closer, she could Makino's, the Mayor's and Luffy's voice with another that she did not recognize.
"Luffy," breathed Sara as she rounded the corner of a shop to get to the main street.
The Mayor was begging the Mountain bandits to let Luffy go, but the leader was not budging.
"But I'm afraid it's too late. No one can save this brat now," said Higuma, "He's done the unpardonable: ha attacked me and he called me names." He pressed his boot on to Luffy's head. "I can't take that from this little rubber-spined Freak!"
Sara was shaking in fury and bit her lip to keep her from doing something stupid. She had to think rationally in any situation, that's Sira Ruka had drummed into her. Though Luffy was not making the situation any better.
"YOU started this bandit!" yelled Luffy, "You Mountain Macaque!"
"Luffy!" shouted both Sara and Makino, as the Mayor pleaded again, "Please forgive him."
Sara had been so focused on Luffy and the bandits that she had not seen Shanks or his crew appear. It really had not registered that it was Shanks until he spoke.
"Nobody came to greet us at the harbor. I was wondering what was going on."
"Captain Shanks," said Sara as relief washed over her.
"Oh, it's you mountain bandits again," said Shanks as he moved passed the Mayor and Makino, "Luffy, I thought your punch was as powerful as pistol."
"Not now Cap'n!" hissed Luffy.
Higuma looked at Shanks with contempt. "You pirates are still here? Taking a break from you cleaning duties?" Shanks just kept walking slowly toward the bandits.
"I don't know what you want, but you'd better back off before you get hurt," said Higuma, "Come any closer and we'll have to kill you, cowards."
Shanks ignored the leader of the mountain bandits and continued walking toward them and Luffy. Sara could feel her heart beginning to race again, but she did not move because Sara might cause more problems for the situation. She some how knew that Shanks knew what he was doing. Suddenly out of no where a bandit points a pistol at Shanks' head.
"Didn't you hear him?" questioned the bandit, smirking, "Don't come any closer or I'll blow you head off."
The bandits all began to laugh, as if expecting Shanks to cower but he did not. Calmly Shanks said, "You're putting your life on the line by pointing that at me."
The bandit holding the pistol looked confused, "What are you talking about?"
Shanks pointed behind him. "I'm saying it's not safe to point guns."
Out of no where one of Shanks' crew shoots the bandit in the head. Every one was shocked, even the bandits as they're comrade's body landed on the ground.
"Now you've gone and done it!" cried on bandit. Another yelled, "What've you done? That wasn't fair!"
"Fair?" answered on of the pirates in mock disbelief.
"Stop whining, Landlubbers," said Ben Beckman, "You're not dealing with saints here."
"We're Pirates," commented Shanks, "and WE don't play by the rules."
"This was none of your business!" shouted one of the bandits.
"Listen up," said Shanks, his voice commanding, "You can pour drinks on me, you can throw food at me, you can even spit on me, I'll just laugh that stuff off. But good reason or not, NOBODY HURST A FRIEND OF MINE!"
Higuma just laughed at Shanks, Luffy had a look of shock on his face and Sara smiled softly even though her heart was racing with fear.
"Nice speech! Very intimidating!" laughed Higuma, "You pirates spend you time floating around in you little ships. And you think you can stand up to mountain bandits? Don't make me laugh! Kill them!
The bandits drew they're swords and charged Shanks and his crew, but Ben Beckman stepped next to Shanks. "Cap'n, I'll take care of this." The first bandit to Ben Beckman received Beckman's cigarette in his eye. The other bandits were not as lucky, they were all beaten in a matter of minutes, with the butt of Beckman's gun.
"You were saying something about mountain bandits and pirates?" asked Ben Beckman as he lit another cigarette, "If you wanna fight us, you better bring a battleship."
Sara's jaw dropped, she had never seen anyone move that fast. All Makino, Luffy and the Mayor could say was "Wow." Higuma had a look of fear on his face.
"But the brat started it."
"Doesn't matter," replied Shanks with deathly calm, "There's a price on you're head isn't there."
Higuma had a look of pure fear on his face for a moment, and then he merely smiled something in his hand. In a matter of seconds the smoke covered everything.
"Luffy!" yelled Sara, but as the smoke cleared Luffy and Higuma were gone.
"Damn," cried Shanks, "I let him escape! We've gotta save Luffy!"
"Calm down Captain," said a pirate, "We'll all go out and look for him! We'll find him."
Ben Beckman and Sara looked at each other in silent conversation.
"Cap'n," spoke Ben Beckman.
"Shanks," said Sara, she finally got Shank's attention.
"We think the bandit took him to the sea," said both Sara and Ben Beckman.
All the pirates nodded, even Shanks smiled. As everyone headed toward the harbor, Shanks took hold of Sara's wrist. She turned and looked at the pirate captain. Shanks' eyes were a storm, while his face was calm.
"I'll get him back, Sara, I promise," said Shanks
"Thank you," whispered Sara.
Then Shanks did something unexpected, he kissed her forehead. It was an almost brotherly kiss, but it left Sara shocked. Then as quickly as the kiss happened Shanks let go of Sara and ran toward the harbor, leaving Sara just standing there for a moment. After a few moments Sara followed suit. All the pirates stood on the docks but Shanks rushed past them handing his hat and cape to Ben Beckman, jumped into the water and began swimming out to where Higuma and Luffy were. They were very far off the Sara could only see a small dark out line.
Sara, herself, was about to follow Shanks but some grabbed her arm.
"Don't," said Ben Beckman, "You'll only make more problems for Cap'n."
Sara was about to protest but the look Ben Beckman and the other pirates were giving her made her stop. It would be at least thirty minutes before Shanks would return with Luffy. Shanks had to be helped out the water, his arm was missing. After make sure Luffy was unhurt, Sara let Makino take Luffy to calm him down while Sara went to Shanks. As a Ferrin healer, Sara went to heal Shanks' arm but he grabbed her arm before she could start healing the arm.
"No," hissed Shanks, his eyes locking on hers, "I know what you want to do but no."
"But I can heal your arm," protested Sara.
"If you try that, you might kill yourself," argued Shanks, "I can't let you do that."
"I won't lose that much power," stated Sara, "I'm not that weak."
"Sara." It was a plea. "I know you want to, but I've had enough of my friends hurt today. Don't do it."
Shanks and Sara stared at each other for a few moments. Finally Sara gave in.
"Fine," she whispered, "I won't heal your arm."
The pirates carried Shanks away to the small clinic where Sara had healed Luffy wound. Sara went to check on Luffy and assured herself that he was fine. When that was taken care of, Sara headed to the small clinic. When she entered Shanks' room, Shanks' arm was bandaged and Ben Beckman was there talking to Shanks. Ben Beckman stopped talking when he saw Sara and left the room, closing the door behind him. Shanks watched Sara for a moment; he could see in her eyes that she was hurt by all this.
"Luffy's unhurt," said Sara, it was barely a whisper.
"That's good," replied Shanks, "Sara, I know what you are thinking and the answer is still no."
"But Captain Shanks please," said Sara, "I won't use up that much power. I won't kill myself, I promise."
"Sara, I'll be fine," said Shanks calmly. Sara began to protest but Shanks cut her off, "I don't want you to put yourself in danger for me. I care about you too much."
It was a command; Sara could not help but to follow. She merely nodded. "I just wanted you to know Luffy was alright and he is worried about you." Sara turned and left, leaving Shanks alone. She did not go back to Party's Bar or home. Sara walked out of Fuusha Village and wondered until she found a tiny mountain stream. She sat there and watched the water flow. When twilight came, Sara returned to her house but she did not see Shanks off. It was hard for her to say good bye. In the end it was the biggest mistake of her life, but by the time Sara realized that it was too late Shanks was gone. Sira Ruka had told her that the Future was uncertain; Sara only hoped that their paths crossed again.
