Cinnamon-Fudg3 - Yeah, Chopper. I don't what I would give, to have him. He's way too cute, especially when he takes a compliment.

lany-chan - Thanks, I try. If you want to read about reunion, then don't miss 15th chapter.

Last time:

"Captain Shanks! There was another ship sighted. It seems it's the Strawhat pirates, they are thought to be one of the most troublesome and powerful rookies."

"Luffy?" he asked her.

"Hmm… Glad you remember me I thought you would forget." she replied and Shanks tightly hugged her. "Luffy, you're alive!"

Luffy's POV

Mine and Shanks's crew get along pretty well. Even if they had little problem understanding how our relationship works at the start. Most confusing to them is Zoro and Sanji's behavior towards each other. I remember one guy saying to them they are like worst enemies (which they nodded at) and at the same time the best friends. Let's just say the guy is very lucky to be alive, even if little traumatized.

"We're getting close to Prodence kingdom. Don't get into any trouble we are setting sails at sunrise." Nami said to me and I nodded not really listening to her. "Yosh, adventure, here I come." Then I used Soru combined with Geppo to get onto the island as fast as possible, but not before I heard Yasopp saying "She didn't listen to anything you just said." while sweat-dropping.

When I set foot on the island I went to find something to eat, preferably meat. I smelled the air and followed after the most delicious smell.

Thinking back about what Nami told me, I know we need to set sail early to get in time to Mittoa Island on our rendezvous with Shirohige, but that doesn't mean I can't explore a little. We're to supposed to meet with them two days from now at noon and that's 50 hours from now and the way there only takes about 10 hours according to Nami, so I have more than enough time to explore.

Things definitely changed in last few weeks and will keep changing. So far the marines still doesn't know about my treason, if you can call it that. As far as I am concerned I wasn't even proper marine to begin with. I know my nakama will stay behind me, no matter what path I will choose, they will back my choice and prevent me from doing something way too idiotic, like killing myself by accident and I will be here for them as well. I'm just little worried about them. I pissed off Bakainu (even if still doesn't know it yet) and there's chance he'll tried to get his revenge on me by hurting them, not that I'll let him.

As I strolled down the street I heard few wolf-whistles directed at me, but I promptly ignored them. They held no interest of mine. I finally found the stand with meat and ordered everything twice. That ossan gave me weird look, but did as told. When I tried the meal I thought I was in heaven. It was really good, not as good as Sanji's, but still good. No wonder, my nose is almost spot on.

"Oh, Luffy. You're here as well?" I looked over my shoulders, recognizing Zoro. "How did you get here? Got lost?" I grinned at him. "I didn't have a destination, so it can't be said I'm lost." The answer was so Zoro-like, it made me grin wider. "Oh, so you just don't know where you are." I said teasing him and he growled at me. "And you know where we are." he answered with challenge. "Of course I know where I am." I said and he looked suspiciously at me. "We're in Prodence kingdom at stall with meat, called Golden Duck." Zoro fallen anime-style and I laughed really hard. It's fun to make Zoro lose his composure and act like this. "It's way too early for your logic and I need some booze." he said sitting next to me and ordering some sake. "You need always booze." I grumbled.

"I was meaning to ask." Zoro started and I looked curiously at him. "Where is your katana? You always fought with it. It's weird seeing you without it."

"Oh, that. The katana was good, but not solid enough. When I fought with Kizaru, he managed to shatter it. Since then, I didn't find katana that I would want to wield."

Shanks's POV

"What do you mean I can't go?" I said to Benn who was refusing to let me on the island. "How come Luffy can go and I can't! She's bigger troublemaker than me!" I exclaimed childishly and pouted. This is not fair. "We didn't let Luffy go, she disappeared, that's different." said Nami rubbing her head.

"If you try to disappear as well, then I'll throw the booze overboard." Benn said with evil aura, reading my thoughts. "No, I'll stay, but don't do anything to my precious sake!" I immediately said coming to hug one of the crates, mumbling to it "Don't worry I won't let the mean guy do anything to you." everyone sweat-dropped at my antics, however I didn't pay them any notice.

"We're back!" yelled Luffy coming to stand with Nami and Benn. "Huh, what's he doing?" she said pointing at me. Nami didn't reply to her as she rather proceeds to beat her captain for leaving like that.

"Navigator-san, don't be so hard on Luffy. Rather be glad she's back already without getting mauled by something or getting raped in some dark ally." I felt shiver as the woman said this so casually. And the thought 'Where the heck did she get people like this?' went through my head once again. And here I thought my crew was special, we're nothing compared to them. "Nah, some guy did try moves on Luffy, but I had little chat with him and changed his mind, otherwise nothing happened." said Zoro.

"Zoro, you went with Luffy?" Benn asked the swordsman, the only one (sans Robin) not shivering after his dark tone. I may be protective of Luffy, but I think her crew takes this on another whole level. If anyone was mauled by something, I think it was the guy who tried to flirt with Luffy.

Benn's question wasn't answered as Zoro went napping and Luffy didn't pay any attention and went to sit on figurehead of her ship. I went back to mopping. It was so unfair! I wanted to go into the kingdom as well.

As the day went, mine and Luffy's nakama restocked the ships and I bothered them, trying to keep myself from getting bored. After my nakama kicked me out because I was too annoying I went on Sunny.

The first I found was Franky, we talked little and I marveled at his talent. The same went with Ussop and Brook. They told me interesting stories about their adventures or showed me their skills. But by the end of day I was getting bored so I decided to talk with Luffy.

"Benn, didn't you see Luffy. I want to talk with her." I said to him and he pointed at the lion figurehead. When I got up, she was there… sleeping. I decided to wake her. "Luffy~~" not even twitch. I bend over her. "Luffy ~" still no reply, I got devious smile on my face, this is gonna be fun. I took marker seemingly out of nowhere. (A/N: You must love the magic of anime/manga/stories, the things that can appear out of nowhere.) I was about to draw on her when a hand sneaked about my wrist and I was thrown into the water before I could even blink.

I broke on the surface and slowly made my way on the ship. Lucky helped me up and I was gasping for breath, the brat. "Shanks, did you try to wake Luffy?" Chopper asked when looking me over for some injuries. "Yeah, how did you know?" I finally wheezed up. "Nothing, but if you like to live than don't wake her up." he said, but I was making my way up her again.

Water was still dripping of me when I get there and Luffy was sleeping like she didn't throw me into the sea minutes ago. I approached her very careful not to make any sound, thinking how I should wake her up. The marker is down as well kicking her to the water. She's hammer, because of her DF, her nakama would kill me only for trying.

Then I notice the dripping water. Hug would do. I bent to her and made moves to grab her close to me to get her wet. I was centimeters away from her, when her eyes snapped open and focused on me. For some reason I had itch to run very, very far away.

"Shanks, what are you doing?" she asked, eyes narrowed at my frozen form. Her voice, even if calm, was darker than Robin's when she said her dark humor or when Zoro told us about his chat with the guy who flirted with Luffy. I gulped and backed up. "N-Nothing." Dammit, why did I stutter, there's nothing to be afraid of, it's just Luffy. 'Nothing, but if you like to live than don't wake her up' didn't the reindeer said something like this?

"Is that so?" she asked and I went to run, but it was too late for me.

Sanji's POV

"Dinner!" I yelled, knowing everyone will get here as fast as possible, before Luffy would try to eat their fill. Surprisingly, Luffy didn't come first, second or even eight, we started worrying what's wrong. It's never good sign if Luffy isn't eating. "Don't worry, Luffy will be here soon. Shanks tried to wake her, so she's probably punishing him." Chopper said happily not knowing, what exactly is the punishment unlike the rest of us who paled.

But before anyone could say anything she went through the door yelling "Meat!" she looked very happy and we didn't question it. Happy Luffy, is not violent Luffy and everyone likes it that better.

Yasopp's POV

I was sharing new story with crew. It was about giant and kidnapped princess. For some reason they found it interesting.

But that was before I saw Shanks. His clothes were still dripping water, however now they were newly ripped and were hanging on him by some miracle. His body looked like someone used him instead of punching bag and he had scared expression on his face. In all my life I know Shanks, I never seen him looking like this.

I instantly run up to him. Benn and Lucky Roo imitating me the second they saw him. "Shanks, what's wrong? Who did this to you?" we asked really worried. "I'm going to sleep and try to forget everything just happened and you're never to speak of this again." we blinked as he passed us.

We followed him with our eyes when he faced us once again and had serious, yet scared expession. "Don't, under any circumstancing, wake Luffy up. She's not an angel, that's devil herself." He said and disappeared. "Luffy did that to him?" I wondered aloud and gulped, making mental note to never, ever wake her up. By glancing at the two they were thinking the same as me. I only thought 'What did she do, to make Yonko, one of the most fearless pirates shake in such horror?' than I decided I don't want to know.