Disclaimer: I don't own one piece, as you should know by now.

Miriam: yes we do know, so why do you still keep saying it?

SS: I don't know. I feel like a criminal if I don't.

Miriam: what the hell? No wonder Lynn says you're crazy.

SS: she did what? Great, I really am crazy. I mean, I'm being badmouthed by my own OC... Life sucks.

Miriam: only when you're part of it.

SS: Lynn told you to say that, didn't she...?

Lynn: *sniggers in a corner*

Chapter 5 - Shadows of the past

The cold wind blew on everyone standing on the empty street. Lynn stared at the man that stood before her. He was in his mid twenties, with wild spiky hair and a nose ring. The way that ring caught the light every time he sneered gave her the creeps. He was tough, sturdy and tall with dark hair and eyes. And Lynn hated him. More than words can ever describe.

"Who are you?" demanded Luffy. He had noticed that ever since Lynn saw the man, she had stopped smiling.

"Name's Jason," he sneered simply. "What's it to you?"

Miriam swallowed, and explained to them. "He's the leader of the infamous Black Boots gang. Kind of like a pirate crew or bunch of bandits, if that's easier for you to understand. And he's supposed to be in jail."

"Why the hell are you out?" snarled Lynn. She was acting different, and everyone realised it.

Jason laughed. "Bars can't keep me. I don't intend to sit in that place forever, you know."

From behind her, Nami could see something was very wrong. And the way Miriam shivered beside her just proved to her she was right. She wasn't just scared of him because he was some gang leader. It was for a different reason that she was acting so strange and tense.

"Who's the kid, boss?" one of the underlings asked Jason.

He smirked. "Stupid squirt. Got in my way a few years ago. Both of them."

Lynn didn't say a word, but her trembling gave her emotions away. She wanted to just walk away, but her body refused to move.

"Both of them?" the guy asked.

"Yeah!" Jason laughed sadistically. "The big guy tried to stand up for her, but it was pointless really."

Nami looked at Miriam, who covered her mouth with her hands. The way her eyes moistened over gave Nami an uneasy feeling. She didn't understand. Luffy and Zoro had gone very quiet.

Jason smirked some more as he said something meaningfully at Lynn. "He was an easy defeat."

A drop of blood dripped from Lynn's tightly clenched fist onto the ground. Luffy saw this, and he pulled down his hat further. He didn't understand what was happening, but that man was making his friend angry and he wasn't going to let that stand. Before he could step forward, Lynn turned sharply and glared at him.

"Don't..." she whispered fiercely, yet her voice was shaking.

"Yes, you should listen to her," Jason said, "You should know your limits. By the looks of you, I bet you're even more worthless than him." He grinned at Lynn evilly. And she snapped. She finally snapped.

"SHUT UP!" she screamed, throwing herself at him. He easily dodged her fierce attack.

"What? Did I say something?" Jason faked an innocent smile.

"Don't... you dare..." Lynn threw another punch. "Call my brother worthless!" again, he dodged. Luffy stared at her. He was confused. Her... brother?

"Why not? It's only the truth." Jason continued to tease her cruelly.

With a cry, Lynn swung her leg furiously and she swung it so fast it smacked into Jason's side before he had time to move. Cursing, he lunged forward, and grabbed her shirt.

"Just try doing that again you little piece of shit." He threw her to the ground, and with a wave of his hand, sent his underlings to attack. She didn't have a chance to get up as she was immediately covered with a frenzy of kicks and stamps, yelping in pain as she tried to cover her head with her arms. She felt a jolt as a foot rammed into her stomach, making her almost lose consciousness.

"Why you..." Luffy growled. "Don't hurt my friend!" he charged forward. "Gomu gomu no pistol!" he shouted, and sent four of the five men flying with a single punch. Jason's mouth dropped open, and Miriam gasped from behind. She had heard from Lynn that he was strong, but she never thought that he could have such incredible strength. The remaining guy looked at Luffy and then at his fallen comrades and freaked out. Luffy knelt down beside Lynn, who squirmed weakly in pain.

"I hate him..." she grimaced through gritted teeth. "I hate him..." her head throbbed in pain and black flashed before her eyes.

"It's alright," Luffy comforted her softly. "They'll be gone in a moment." He glared up at the two remaining enemy meaningfully. Lynn smiled slightly, relaxed at hearing his words.

"I'm sorry big brother," Lynn said to herself softly, closing her eyes. "I've failed you again…" she slowly fell limp as she let herself fall into a slumber.

Luffy stood up and cracked his knuckles. The fallen men had begun to rise up again, groaning in pain. They glanced over at Luffy, and attacked at the same time, though with no planned cooperation. Fighting each of them off, Luffy remembered Lynn's warning for him not to use his gomu powers, so avoided stretching himself. It didn't really make a difference, though, as these men were simply weak and defeat went to them easily. After they collapsed one by one, Luffy turned to Jason and his only remaining subject. Jason gritted his teeth and stepped forward to fight, but his mate wasn't planning the same.

"Gomu gomu no..." Luffy started. Remembering the power of his previous attacks, he turned without a word and ran away, pulling Jason with him.

"What the hell are you doing?" Jason yelled furiously. "Let me go!"

"He's too strong boss," the man said shakily. "Let's get back up first."

Jason snarled, but it was true. That kid didn't look it, but someone that could send four people flying wasn't an easy target. Cursing, he struggled effortlessly in his mate's grasp, and continued to do so until they were out of sight.

"Lynn!" Miriam rushed towards where she lay. "Are you alright?"

"She's just unconscious," said Luffy. Then he paused. He looked at Miriam. "She said something about her brother..." he said softly. "I thought she was an only child?"

Miriam sighed. "That's what she tells everyone. And it's true in a way. You see, she has an older brother called Grey. Well, she had."

Everyone stared at her and she continued with a pained smile.

"He died three years ago."

They sat under the apple tree by the seaside; Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Miriam in the centre, leaning against its trunk. They had taken Lynn home and laid her on the bed to rest after fetching Zoro's katana. That's when Miriam said that she wanted to tell them something, and brought then to the tree. Luffy recognised it as the tree he fell from when he first arrived. That day, Lynn had been sitting under it in the same spot Miriam now sat.

"This was their favourite spot," said Miriam. "That's why Lynn comes here so often. Back when Grey was still alive, this used to be the place they hung out and chilled." She paused. "And it's also the place where he died." She looked over at the rocky cliff below them.

"So why does she hate that Jason guy?" asked Nami. "Did he..."

"Yeah," Miriam nodded. "You could say that. You see, Lynn has always been a trouble maker, and when she got herself into a mess, it was usually Grey who helped her wriggle her way out. But one day she offended a member of the Black Boots gang, and they beat her up. After knowing this, her brother was furious and went to the gang, demanding an apology. I don't know how it went, but I doubt it went very well. Because Jason tried to track him down. And when he found him, it wasn't pretty. Lynn doesn't know this, but I saw it happen. I saw everything."

(Flashback)

"Hey wait for me!" Lynn shouted after her brother, panting heavily. Grey scowled at his younger sister for following him. His short dark hair fluttered in the breeze as he stood under the apple tree by the sea.

"What do you want?"

"Why did you do that?" Lynn demanded. "I know you didn't mean the things you said, so why?" although she was only 12 when he was 16, she understood her brother very well.

"I meant every word," he growled at her, and she just laughed. Back in the house earlier, he had had a huge fight with their parents. He claimed that he wanted independence and when they refused to let him move out, he swore and cursed, and threw things around. Then he had grabbed all his belongings and pictures from the house and told them to forget he ever existed. He had basically cut himself from the family.

"Grey, I know you don't really want to leave us," said Lynn. "So why did you do it?"

Grey knew he couldn't hide from his sister, so he stopped pretending. "I have my reasons," he sighed. Seeing her confused expression he leant down and looked in her eyes sternly.

"I want you to pretend you never knew me." He said to her. "If you don't want to bring danger onto yourself, don't ever talk to me again, or tell anyone else we're related."

Lynn was hurt. "Why? We can work things out can't we? That's what you've always said isn't it?"

He shook his head. "No. This is the end of the line. I don't want you to suffer with me. You have a future ahead of you, and your own dreams. Be strong."

"You sound like you're in your deathbed or something," Lynn sniggered, but stopped when she saw his serious expression. A feeling of dread rushed over her. "What exactly did you do that's so serious?"

"Don't ask. Just leave. Now."

Lynn stuck out her bottom lip stubbornly and stropped. "I don't want to."

Meanwhile, Miriam was on her way over to Lynn's house when she noticed the two squabbling siblings under the apple tree. She started over to say hi, but then she noticed a bunch of men walking over to them from a distance. Feeling uneasy, she slowed down and lingered behind a small shrub, away from them.

Lynn and Grey saw the men approaching. Grey panicked, and told Lynn to hide, which she refused. Frustrated, he shoved her forcefully into a bush near the tree.

"I thought I might find you here," sneered the tall, dark one.

"Shut it Jason."

Jason looked around. "Did I just see someone around?"

"No. Not at all." Grey said. "Now, what the hell do you want?"

"I heard you upset my brothers," he motioned towards the gang behind him. "And I don't like it. Care to apologize?"

"They're the ones who hurt Lynn, no way in hell am I apologizing."

"Yeah!" Lynn popped up from behind the bush. "They hit me!"

Grey screamed at her for revealing her position, much to Jason's amusement.

"So this is your sister, eh?" he approached her, and ruffled her hair, much to her annoyance.

"Don't touch her." Grey snarled.

Jason harshly tossed Lynn to the side, and she landed in the bushes roughly. She could hear the fight between the two men go on behind her. Terrified, she daren't watch. But still, something forced her to turn around and face the present.

The battle progressed and it soon was obvious who was at the advantage. Jason, with many years of fighting experience and brute strength, was forcing Grey nearer and nearer to the edge of the cliff. Lynn's eyes widen in horror and she scrambled to her feet, prepared to dash out to save him, but Grey shot a meaningful glance in her direction. She lingered, and trembled in pure dread and fear.

Noticing his shift in attention, Jason sneered, and swung a hard kick at Grey's head. The impact threw him into the air; and over the safety of land.

Lynn's world stood still as she watched her brother tumble off the edge of the cliff. A scream caught in her throat. And she collapsed onto her knees, tears dropping from her eyes. Jason looked over the cliff at where he fell and rolled his eyes. He hadn't meant for him to fall, but even so, it served him right, and he couldn't care less.

"Let's go," he commanded his gang, and they trotted after him as he began to walk away, laughing cruelly at Grey's defeat.

Lynn was left on her own. Their chilling laughter still lingered in her ears. Slapping both hands over her ears, she broke down, and wept sorrowfully; unable to stop, lost in a world of soul destroying grief.

Yet all this time, no one noticed the small shadow behind a nearby shrub, also crying with a hand clamped over her mouth.

(End of flashback)

"Now, the funny thing was," Miriam said to the straw-hats. "The next day, when the police began to investigate his death, Lynn didn't say a word about how Jason and the boots gang were involved. She just said she didn't see a thing."

No one said a word, but they all knew exactly why. If she had told the police, the gang would have definitely come back for revenge, putting both her and her parents at danger. In the end, the police assumed it was suicide, and she was very brave to not have revealed anything otherwise. Most people would put vengeance before common sense, but Lynn knew better.

"Since that day, she swore to herself never to cry again. To make herself stronger, like her brother wanted her to be. " Miriam looked out to the ocean, squinting into the setting sun. "And she kept her promise. I haven't seen her cry for three years; but is that really a good thing? Isn't it unhealthy not to let your emotions out?"

The wind blew softly, she smiled a sad smile

"It's amazing how strong she is. It's strange. She acts so different when she's around others. She's so cheerful and lively, sometimes even I forget about the hideous things she's been through. But I know there are tears inside her, and she just refuses to let them out."

Miriam looked up at Luffy. He was aware of this, but continued to stare straight ahead. "I noticed something different when you arrived," she said. "She was smiling more brightly than she had for a long time. I guess... you reminded her of him; of her lost brother. I just want her to be happy, but I can't do anything…"

Miriam smiled, wiping away tears that rolled down her cheeks disobediently. "So, can you help me?"

No one said a word, but each one of them knew what their answer was. Luffy's hat cast a shadow over his eyes, and his tone was deep and serious when he spoke.

"Yeah," he said softly. "We will."

Hmmm. A failed attempt to write something dark and emotional? What do you think? It's my first time trying to write something like this, so please help me improve and R&R!

Next time: Luffy is attacked by fans, Sanji enters the scene with his mini side story, Nami goes shopping, and they prepare for Halloween, which is in two days. Overall, just much more light-hearted than this chapter! And if you want to laugh your ass off, read on, as the story just gets funnier and funnier!