Hello there! I know that 10 faws aren't really that much in comparision to other stories but i was still so happy that someone liked what i wroke that i just had to make an another episode! Took me a while but here is the result.

Also, I do not own One Piece, Nasuverse or any other show/book/movie or a game that might be mentioned in this story. I only own these couple of words that i wrote.

Warning: Some swearing there and there.

Chapter 1: That ends with something important.

Scathach tore her eyes away from the tasty orange juice and looked at her surroundings. The place was just like always: Noisy. She had gotten used to the everlasting smell of salt, that is why the smell of booze and smoke from cigarettes now irritated her nose. The men, soon to become a babbling messes, rose their mugs of beer into air and laughed loudly. The beer spilled onto the ground, in fact, a couple puddles began to form under some. One or two of them thought it would be awesome to just drink straight from the barrel.

That is why one large group was formed, two or tree men held the barrel up while one of them took the challenge to drink the entire thing, the remaining ones formed a large circle that cheered loudly, while spilling even more beer onto the wooden planks.

Oddly enough, the lady behind the bar only kept smiling, not bothered by the mess at all. If fact, she had one of the sweetest smiles known to human kind. Her name was Makino. She introduced herself soon after Scathach nearly mauled Luffy upon their first meeting. She even offered her a place to stay once she learned of her 'small problem'. Even though Shanks is a nice guy, he won't take kids with him on a journey.

"... my punch is like a pistol!"

Which is exactly what Luffy was trying to achieve. Well, good luck with that. Luffy's eyes literally sparkled when he looked at the messy red head who, as she learned, almost permanently wore that amused grin of his.

Shanks got himself a fan-boy~

"O really?" Shanks munched onto his food with the most bored expression ever. In fact, Shanks did not look far from yawning or his face ending up in the dish due to being sound asleep. It was not wonder that the boy shot from his seat and shouted at him. Scathach gave the boy a look and began practicing her own art of teasing.

"Like a pistol, huh?"

"Course! Wanna see?"

Her face changed into a blank expression, then she grabbed his thin arm before pulling it closer. Luffy became very confused when she began to inspect it. "With a thin stick like this?" She poked it. His face reddened. "So soft."

"My muscles are made of iron!"

"These sticks are made from straws." Scathach said flatly.

"Liar!"

Her red eye twitched and then she bit him. Luffy screamed and promptly fell of his chair. "Why are you yelling? There was nothing there."

After a few seconds of impersonating some sort of a wild animal, he jumped up attempting to punch her. Too bad that she was already up on the bar, way out of his reach. "Look, you need to grow a couple inches too."

"Soon I will be eight, and then I will show you!"

"When?"

"Next week! Erm. I think."

Scathach grinned, exposing her teeth. "Well, congratulations. But too bad. I turned eight a couple months ago... in fact I believe that I will be nine in two months of time."

"WHAAAT!"

"Now Luffy, Don't get angry." And Luffy get's a juice from Shanks. With that happy face of his, he accepted it, and drunk it, completely oblivious to the amusement around him. He fell for it so easily, and now the entire bar was laughing at his innocence. Funny enough, even when he was getting angry again, he still held onto the glass of sweet orange liquid. "Stinky Shanks! Mean Scathach!"

This time he at least avoided calling her stinky. Man, Shanks got a large kick out of it when he heard that one of the locals called her 'Devil's Incarnation'.

A couple imaginary tears rolled down his cheeks, then he began to moan how happy and proud he is. If she hadn't felt so tired back then, she would have strangled him. Dealing with Luffy is exhausting. The brat is like like an infinite battery of energy, an infinite battery that is not afraid to use that energy and one that assumed that the two are best pals forever. Nearly impossible to get rid of him. Damn Duracell Bunny.

She can't even count the number of occasions he climbed through windown right into her room in this past 1 and something yeas, just because he still had energy left.

Then again, she is the only child in the Village that is even remotely close to his age and being alone is just not fun. Scathach knows that too well. To top it of, Shanks wasn't here all the time. He wouldn't be a pirate if he stayed in one place for too long.

The fun continued. The mayor cam around, got angry, took his cane and tried to shush them out. Obviously, against a number of happy-go-lucky drunks, It was not very effective. Frustrated, he called them a few names and then he left. Woop Slap was one of those grumpy, angry-at-everything people. Makino said that he is a kind man, and that he is just worried. If that man had a kind side, he had yet to show it. At least, he did not call the marines, aka people who were meant to capture all sorts of bad guys.

Scathach was pulled out from her musing when Luffy began to brag again, hoping to get Shanks to take him. He just never gives up, does he?

As if someone, flipped a switch, the mood changed. There was a large 'boom' followed by the sound of cracking wood. It took her a few seconds to realized what just happened. One half of the small door that used to be at the bar entrance lied in the middle of the room, along with it's metal hinges and small pieces of wood, that without a doubt, also used to be part of the entrance.

Seeing the destruction, dread filled her. The sound of steps alerted her to someone walking in. Man that walked in was one of the typical images that screamed 'bad guy'. But not bad guy like Shanks, but bad guy like 'I do what i want, i get away with it and i don't really care about you.' On top of that, she very well recognized the look in his eyes. He came here to humiliate someone. She knew that high and mighty look, and she did not like it one bit. On top of that, there was a weapon hanging from his waist.

The last person she saw with a real weapon and that look was her brother, and she honestly had no intention of facing someone that looked very much like an older version of him. That is why, while every eye in the bar was focused onto him, she glanced at Luffy, then at Shanks, who still looked calm. She grabbed Luffy and pulled him closer, while sending a glare towards the man. Luffy may annoy her, but he is still a boy without a brain that might jump and try to attack whoever the man was. Luckily, he stopped struggling.

Even when the man opened his mouth, the tone particularly screamed arrogance. "Pirates? These are the so called pirates?"

Scathach pulled Luffy even closer as the man continued to speak. He demanded some 'sake', while having all sorts of remarks about Shanks and his crew. Shanks... was not moving. He kept eating. He did not move even when the man proclaimed himself a bandit and a couple of his men appeared behind him. Why is he not moving? Send them away! Now, now, NOW!

"Scathach?"

"Not now Luffy!" She whispered. Their little conversation did not go unmentioned. The bandit grimaced at the sight of two kids.

"I am sorry, but I am afraid that we are out of sake right now. But some should arrive tomorrow." At this moment, Makino was a boss. Who can walk forward calmly and then speak to a bandit as if he were nothing more but an another customer? She. A new metallic smell hit Scathach in her nose and it made her shudder. Blood. She hoped that it was animal blood.

Scathach rolled on her bed, again. The events from several hours ago were still playing inside her head. Shanks apologized for drinking all the alcohol and offered the man a bottle that had yet to be open. Of course, the bandit did not really care about the sake, meaning that most of the bottles content ended on Shanks and floor. The bandit then took his sword and destroyed few more things before leaving.

When she realized that it was over, she practically apparated out of there with how quickly she ran away.

And now she was laying onto her bed, while staring at the dark ceiling. Makino knocked a few times but she did not answer and pretended to be asleep when the door opened.

Scathach was ashamed. She was afraid of a man that spilled some sake and then left. Pathetic. She will never become like that spear-woman in her dreams. But what can she do? She is a kid! Quite pathetic kid at that. Scathach grimaced when she realized how sucky her life is. Then again, it could have been worse. Like she could have been... she did not know. She had heard that the relationship between her mother and aunt wasn't that good. Who knows how Scathach would be treated if she were sent there. Or she could have really died when thrown through the Veil of Death and go to some really horrible place.

Over here she at the very least a couple people she felt fine with.

She tried to fall asleep but the image of he nameless bandit came back like some mad dog and she kept flinching, which meant that the bed became even a bigger mess than it was before.

This is going to be an another all nighter, isn't it? Scathach sighed and kicked the covers away before stepping down from her bed. There should be a couple books around that she hadn't red yet. Her feet touched the floor and was about to stand up when she heard a voice, one that she was not quite expecting right there and then:

"You know, you gave us a big scare when you disappeared like that."

Before Scathach remembered that she is meant to scream when she hears male voices in her room (in a middle of night non less), a hand clapped over her mouth that prevented her doing so. Shanks put one finger over his mouth, indicating her to be quiet before using both of his hands to pick her up and jumping out of the window. "Don't be worried Scathach-chan. I'll be just borrowing you for a minute."

"Shanks! Don't sneak into my room like that! What is the big idea?"

"Sorry, sorry Scathach-chan." She glared at him, but he smiled sheepishly. Scathach sighed. He wants something. And in deed, his face became serious, making her fingers twitch enough that she was forced to hide her hands in her pockets.

"Luffy told me that you were scared earlier today. Well, he pretty much screamed it at me."

"Hmph, I was not."

"Huuuh! So Luffy lied to me?!"

She again twitched, wanting to say no. Luffy did not lie. Luffy is many things but he could not make a poker face or lie even if his life depended on it. As some people would say, he wears his heart on his sleeve. Scathach believed that that it how she red the expression. Right now, Shanks was a jerk. He dropped that serious expression and began acting all goofy and innocent, practically forcing her into saying that Luffy did not lie. But that would mean admitting that yes, she was scared.

Shanks is a nice guy, but being a nice guy just wasn't enough for Scathach to tell someone more about her than she let those around to know. She did not know how, but she will pay him back for this. Someday.

"Luffy is not a liar."

"Huh?" Shanks paused in his ramblings and sat down, while looking at her. He looked serious once more.

"Yes, i had been scared, happy?"

"Scathach-chan..."

"So what if the guy scared me? He will be gone soon anyway, and I'll never see him again! Just like that damn family of mine!" She was angry. Angry, angry, angry!

"Scathach-chan, I have only wanted to thank you for protecting Luffy like that."

She paused. What?

"You see, It might have looked as if you just wanted to be near someone. I... would have understood that. Too big of a guy to be next to kids. Not to mention the bad attitude. But i know that look in your eyes well. Seen it a couple of times on my journeys. That was the look of a tiger that protects it's cubs despite the odds. And you know what? I am happy that Luffy got himself a friend like you. Erm... where did i put it. HA!"

From somewhere in his coat, he pulled out a small package. He looked at it, then at her with his signature large grin. "Heard from Makino that you skipped dinner, thought that you might want to eat something."

Scathach stared at the man with disbelief. When he came around, she expected him to practically demand her life story. But no. Shanks denied all rules that she set for his thinking yet again, and instead was thanking her for, as he put it, protecting Luffy. And offering her dinner that she skipped. Instead of happily accepting the food, wrapped carefully and possibly still warm, she felt like crying. Scathach made a mental note to certainly take her revenge on him sometime in future because altho he did not demand her to tell him what happened, he certainly broke the dam that held her worse emotions in check, such as sadness and anger due to how her family betrayed her. It may have been long ago, but such things just won't be forgotten. Especially if the only thing done with the matter was sweeping it under some rug and pretending that it does not exist.

Yes, she was a problematic child. Yes, she was not as famous as her brother, she was born a borderline squib and they got into trouble because she was kept as a part of a family because of it and she was overall different from others. But she loved them. It did not matter how much they pushed her away or how much they overlooked or plainly just ignored her. Or how they argued from time to time. She loved them and would go to hell and back if they asked her to. She always tried to do what she was told when the situation required it, she always stood by her brothers side when others threw insults at him and did not hesitate to throw a few punches when things got out of hand to protect him.

The fact that it was her father that cast the compulsion on her to make her jump through the Veil of Death and that her mother allowed it, even encouraged it... that knowledge burned and raged inside her like hellfire.

When Scathach took the food from Shanks, she made one more note to certainly take her revenge on him, because that was most certainly his plan.

Inside the pack was a warm bread. She pulled it to her chest but did not open, instead she felt tears going down her cheeks.

"I am sorry Scathach-chan. I should have mentioned sooner in what sort of pain you were this past year."

"Shanks, you are such a jerk." Scathach said between her sobs.

Scathach overslept. And that was a feat because she rarely let herself enjoy too much sleep. Judging by the noises that came from outside, it could have been long after breakfast. In fact, in could be shortly before lunch. Next minute, the stomach told her exactly what it though of her skipping breakfast by rumbling rather loudly. Should this happen among others, she would blush like mad. That is why she stormed the kitchen to see if Makino left her something. And she did. Right there on table was waiting a piece of bread, along with some jam. The poor meal did not last a minute and it was gone.

The first thing to do today was to find Luffy. Then she would persuade him into doing something 'fun' that involved the damn red head pirate. It would be fun to spike one of his drinks but it was too uncreative. It just wouldn't be enough. Now that she though of yesterday evening, Shanks did that to help her. And even though she felt much calmer, she still did not appreciate that he made her cry like that. Big girls do not cry.

Scathach needed only one glance inside the Partys Bar and she spun on her heel to leave. The bandit was there, along with the rest of his thugs. Nope, not there. Luffy wouldn't be so stupid to be there, right?

"Stop laughing! Don't make fun out of Shanks and his crew!"

She swore. Of course he would! She turned around yet again, this time she shot into the bar, barely avoiding the chair that vent flying due to the bandits anger. "What did you say you little f*ck!?"

First things first: Grab Luffy. Done. (Let go of me!)

"Shut up Luffy!"

Second: Distract the bandit. Scathach took oh of the mugs and threw it right into the man's face.

With Luffy over her shoulder, she run out.

Third: Run and pray that Luffy will be safe. "Scathach, let go of me!"

"Are you out of your mind, provoking them like that?!"

"They were making fun of Shanks! And they scared you too! Let go, I'll show that..."

"No, Luff!"

When Scathach heard an angry roar behind her, she sped up and ignored any further protests. Judging by the sound, she might as well have a number of devils on her tail. The people could be considered just as dangerous. Who knows what would have happened to Luffy if she did not take him away.

"Damn it Luffy! Do you want to die?!"

"Shut up!"

A sword that flew by them, finally silenced him.

Scathach moved as well as she could to avoid anything they threw at her. "Let me go Scathach!"

"I am not letting my first friend ever die! You are out of luck!"

Luffy stopped kicking for a second, but Scathach barely registered that. Something hit her, all she was capable of registering at that point was pain. Loads of it. She must go away. She did not even register Luffy flying off her shoulder. There was a loud 'crack' and everything turned dark.

Leaving the two boys behind, Scathah had completely forgotten about her aching back and just ran. It took her maybe two minutes to exit the forest. The world around her turned into one green and blue blur as she ran across the green plains that surround the Foosha village. She did not know how long she ran, buy by the time she reached first houses, dusk was approaching.

"Luffy! Luffy!"

There was a loud 'thud' when one of the doors opened, inside them standing... "Shanks! Tell me that Luffy is alright!"

The usually jolly man was far from jolly right then. He was pale as a ghost, even his red hair all did not seem as vivid as it used to be. His eyes that usually have a smile of their own looked at her as if she was a ghost herself. She probably looked like that, but it did not matter right now.

"Shanks, where is Luffy!?"

Please, please let him be alive! What time was it when she grabbed Luffy and started to run? Hours ago! Who knows how long she lied on the cold forest soil. And what could have happened to the idiot boy while she did so. The sun was setting already damn it! The only thing she saw was the boys dead cold body...

"Scatach!"

Scathach nearly got a whiplash, that is how fast she turned around. Right there in middle of street stood the teary eyed boy she had been looking for. While not injured, Luffy was a mess. In that instant, she looked him over and when she did not spot any injuries, she lunged herself at him, squeezing him in one bone crushing hug.

It was next day that she learned about what happened. Shanks and his men stepped in before anything could have really happened to him and beat the bandits' men. Luffy himself was kidnapped by their leader and taken to sea where he planned to drown the boy. As the bandit never really sailed, he did not know about the local Sea King, giant sea monster which attacked him and in the end ate him along with his boat. Scathach did not feel sorry for the man at all, he deserved it.

Luffy survived, but Shanks payed with one of his arms which the Sea King ate as well.

As for her, they thought that the bandits did something to her when they couldn't find her, Shank's men were trying to get something out of the bandits but it was no use. They had no clue what really happened, unlike Scathach.

Accidental magic. Her desire to get Luffy into safety triggered her magic, which sent her into that forest. Unfortunately due to the pain, she did not register that Luffy was no longer on her shoulder, therefore did not take him along with her.

When they couldn't find the red eyed girl, they thought that she is dead, that she was thrown into the sea and drowned. Or something. When everyone realized that she was aline, all felt as if a wave of relief washed over them. That evening, using his one remaining arm, Shanks gave both kids a hug when he saw then together, despite how weak he must have felt because of blood loss. At that time, Scathach also registered her injured back.

It was... interesting evening. Luffy kept crying, Shanks was all happy that she and Luffy are alive, just as well as coping with his loss of arm and she was being looked over by a local doctor.

Also, Luffy said something that gave no sense when the stars were out and everything was finaly silent.

"Scathach?"

"Yes Luff?"

"What were those shiny-shiny lines on you?"

"Shiny-shiny lines?"

"Yeah! You were like really fast! You even left a small hole behind!"

That gave no sense. Next morning, Luffy had shown her the hole. It almost made her forget about the events of previous day.

Several days passed and Shanks recovered nicely. Scathach had completely forgotten about her revenge, and instead tried to bake him a few cookies. Notice the keyword tried. But Shanks still appreciated the gesture.

Scathach and Luffy were watching and crates of provisions who knows what else were being loaded onto the pirate ship. It was one of those 'good bye' days. Clear sky, calm sea. For some reason, it felt like it would be a long time before she or Luffy would see the red haired man. Scathach kept looking around her, feeling as if something were to happen. There was commotion, yes, but it wasn't exactly what she felt that would be important.

"Are you leaving?"

"Yeah." Shanks did not turn around when answering to Luffy's question, and instead looked up at his large ship. "Time to leave, been here for quite long. Will you miss us?"

"Yeah, I'll miss you guys. I won't ask you to take me with me this time."

"I want to do it by myself when i get stronger. And I'll take Scathach with me too. To become a pirate."

Scathach looked at the younger boy. He surely matured in these past days. Though, she herself felt her hand twitch a little when he said that she would go with him... but she did not mind that much now. If Luffy grows a bit, perhaps it would be even fun. To travel the seas like Shanks and his crew. And who knows? Maybe she will find something really interesting.

Shanks ruined the calm moment when he turned around and stuck his tongue at Luffy, like some kid. In a way, Shanks is like a kid. Serious at times, but more than not a kid. "I wouldn't take you anyway!"

Course he wouldn't. Though if Scathach could bet, he is saying that to rill up the boy. "Like you could become a pirate!"

"I will!" And once again, Luffy ate everything. Hook, line and sinker. Going to be fun, there years that are before her. Both of them. "I will gather my own crew that will beat you guys! And I'll find the words greatest treasure! And no matter what, i will become the Pirate King!"

Pirate Kind huh? That is one ambition. Pirate King, the man who is said to own everything in the world, the kind of seas and freedom. It is said that the one who reaches Raftel, an island at the end of the worlds dangerous sea will become the Pirate King. Luffy, you are surely one crazy boy with one crazy goal.

"Oooh, you are going to beat us?" Shanks said playfully. Then to her surprise, he took the straw hat, the one that he wore at all times and placed it in Luffy's head. At the same moment Scathach froze. Something important happened. Very, very important. She was sure that the moment when Luffy's eyes were covered by his new hat and Shanks leaning above him would forever burn into her memory.

"Then I will let you take care of this hat. It's very important to me, so take good care of it."

Luffy began to weep. And he never stopped, with tears in his eyes he watched as the boat sailed. Shanks gave both of them a large wave and soon his boat disappeared onto the sea.

Yes, the following years are going to be truly interesting. She will without a doubt follow Luffy, as she now knew this moment somehow decided something big in the future. How? No idea.

And how she knew? That was a mystery. And also about Luffy being mature? He still had a long way to go.

Aaaand wrap. Phew. This chapter was a challenge. Kept going back, rewriting because I wasn't satisfied, then my computer lost a small part of it. Twice. You can imagine my amusement. I did not want to just write exactly what was in the show, I do not like reading parts like that, but there are just some parts that are way important to just gloss over. Such as Shanks giving Luffy his hat.

You must admit that that is one of the most important events in the series.

Those that know about magecraft, yes, Scathach is unlocking her circuits and instinctively used them to get back faster without really knowing. Luckily without tearing apart her muscles. Also, anyone that looked at special abilities of Scathach will mention her personal skill Haunts of Wisdom. Basically, it allows her so ocassionaly predict future. She even predicted the final moments of Chu Chulainn. I don't think that i will be abusing this skill, but she will make use of it from time to time.

In this episode it acted at the end when Luffy got his straw hat.

In this episode, Scathach also revealed how she felt about her family, the betrayal and everything. A lot of plot bunnies that are born in my head often begin in the HP verse and when this one was born, i though what would she gain or loose if i kept the heroine as Fem Harry and in the end decided keep it that way, that it would mix things up a bit. Not just in a way that she had horrible childhood before she came there. She will carry the feeling of betrayal with her for a long time.

The bandit reminded her of time when her brother attacked her, which ultimately lead to her being sent through the Veil and loosing everything she ever knew and breaking her in a way. Basically, she freaked out when she saw the bandit.

Hope that you enjoyed this episode... nearly midnight here right now. I really should be going to bed.

I should also tell you, that i do plan on writing some chapters that will include Scathach before her officially becoming part of Straw Hat pirates. I absolutely and unexpectedly fell in love with the arc that shows Luffy, Ace and Sabo as kids. Also, i got loads of cool ideas how to troll Garp. Even now i can't help but to laugh when Ace and Sabo tie Luffy to that large tree and decide that they need to kill him. And how Luffy starts to cry and outright tells them not to throw him into water.

Or the scene where Dadan finds an another kid in house (Sabo).

But before you move onto an another story... read below!

Omake: What happened in the forest.

"Hey."

"Hey." Something patted her cheek.

"Do you think she is alive?"

"She seems to be breathing."

"Hey, wake up." This time the patt was stronger. "Screw it, let's just leave her here."

"But she might die!"

"Who cares. Tche."

"Ace!"

"Fine..." One more. "Hey, you there. You listening to me?"

This time Scathach opened her eyes. The one speaking, probably called Ace was looking at her with a grumpy expression. Behind him, looking much happier was an another boy.

Boy. A boy. That reminds her Scathach looked around, searching for the familiar black-haired boy. A part of her brain noted that the two who found her were a few years older.

"How do you feel?"

"Better question would be: What the heck were you doing?"

That is a good question. What was she doing? And why does her back hurt so much?

"Hey, do you hear me? Answer me!"

Luffy. Bandits.

"Maybe she can't speak?" Said the one in back. The one who kneeled before her looked more and more irritated by second.

When things clicked in her head, she summarized the situation with one loud word: "SHIT!"

Not expecting that, Ace jumped away, promptly falling onto ground with a yelp. The blond let out a loud 'HIIIE', but actually managed to stay on his feet.

"Shit, shit, shit! Luffy! LUFFY!"

She was surrounded by trees. Loads. Large ones. A thick forest.

"YOU!" She pointed at the black haired one. "Have you seen a black haired boy around? Black hair, scar under one eye, a complete idiot?"

"Erm, no?"

"Shit!" And she ran away. The two boys looked at each other.

"Ace?"

"Yes?"

"What just happened?"

"Dunno." The black haired boy shrugged. "But remember, it never happened."

"Understood."

"YOU TWO!"

Oh snap! She is back.

"Which way to Foosha village?!"

"That way." Both boys moved in sync.

"Thanks!" And she was gone.

"Sabo?"

"Yes Ace?"

"Girls are weird."

"Agreed." Sabo said with a serious tone. The boys looked at each other and exchanged a few looks. Nobody shall speak of this ever again. After all, it never happened.