Chapter 5

She ran through the market and up the foot path to her home. She didn't stop running until she got to the clearing where her home stood engulfed in flames. She paused for a second before she ran at the door. Sanji saw her kick in the door and run inside. Two seconds later she ran out to a safe distance holding her hands to her chest and coughing. Everyone saw her open her hands to see a blue jay. Looking relieved that the bird was untouched. She took the bandage off it's wing.

"I couldn't leave him in there to die." The bird chirped and jumped off into the bushes behind them.

"You are the one that should be in there dying." Katsuo stepped out from the bushes.

"What have I ever done to you?" Mezumi shouted angrily.

"It's not what you did. It is what your mother did. She could have been my bride. But she went and fell in love with your blasted father, Yoshihiro, and became pregnant with you. Yet I was still kind and showered her with gifts, one of which was the devil fruit that gave you your power." Katsuo sneered.

"What do you know of my mother?" Katsuo continued.

"I gifted Youko with that devil fruit not knowing what it was. The stress it caused on her pregnant body forced her into an early labor. She died giving birth to you. All unborn children ingest what their mother eats. Therefore, you gained all the power from the fruit and she ended up dead." Mezumi was taken aback.

"What happened to my father?" She never knew her parents and now she finally had an opportunity to learn about them. Her heart swelled when she heard their names. Youko. Yoshihiro. Katsuo smirked.

"Your father sailed off as soon as he knew about you. He abandoned you worse than your mother did." Her heart sank immediately to the pit of her stomach. She wasn't going to let him see her disappointment though.

"Were you the one that spread the rumors about me?" She shouted at him.

"Yes. Your mother didn't want me. So I made sure no one would ever want you." Robin stepped forward, outraged at his words.

"You cannot judge an innocent child by the actions of their parents." Robin threw the words at Katsuo.

"So what is this? Is this just more of the hell you force me to live in?" She pointed to her home burning. "Or are you here to run me out of town and make sure I never return?"

"No." He said lamely. "I am here to kill you." He drew a gun and pointed it straight at Mezumi's face. "You have been a thorn in my side since the day you were born. I should have killed you long ago. But just like I was with your whore mother, I was merciful." He smirked. "You said I made your life hell. Allow me to put you out of your misery." Luffy stepped in front of her. His head lowered to the ground as a shadow fell across his face. If Katsuo did his homework he would have known who the people were in front of him. If he had bothered to know how close Mezumi was to this group of people he would have been wary. But Katsuo had been much too lazy and uninformed. He had just revealed himself to be the soul cause of her life being a living hell. He did not known he had just incurred the wrath of eight deadly pirates, with nothing but a hand gun to defend himself. If Katsuo had been a smart man he would run as far as he could and then keep running.

"Stop! If you want her you have to go through me." Mezumi pushed at him to get him out of the way.

"Luffy stop! Get out of the way. He's going to..." Mezumi kept pushing Luffy but he wouldn't move.

"What's one more body to bury?" With that, Katsuo pulled the trigger. Luffy stumbled and fell back as the shot echoed all around. Mezumi screamed. This man was the cause of her mother's death. He was the reason she was hated. She had lived under his tyranny for 18 years. She was not frightened. She was furious. These people, her friends, who she had only known for 2 days cared for her more than anyone else had in 18 years. She ran at Katsuo as he tried to reload. She tackled him to the ground causing him to drop the gun. His head hit the ground stunning him but doing no further damage. Kneeling over him she punched him right in the face.

"You." His nose started to bleed. She punched him again."Monster." Before she could hit him again someone grabbed her wrist. She turned around half-crazed only to calm immediately seeing Sanji with an expression she couldn't identify. He pulled her up and away from Katsuo. He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped away the blood on her hand.

"His blood doesn't deserve to be on your lovely hands." He pocketed the stained cloth. Mezumi grabbed the material of his coat in her hands and buried her face in his chest. She started to cry.

"Luffy..." Her voice broke.

"What?" Luffy said popping out of nowhere making light of the situation by picking his nose. Mezumi gasped.

"Luffy! How did you... I thought you were dead!" Mezumi was nearly hysterical.

"I'm a rubber man. Bullets don't hurt me. They just bounce off." He smiled.

"Luffy... you..." She couldn't form the words. They had stood up for her. Luffy had literally taken a bullet for her. She wanted to cry big, hysterical tears of joy.

"Like it or not you are part of our family now. We would do anything for our nakama." Luffy smiled at her. Behind Luffy she could see that Nami was binding Katsuo's hands and feet with ripped pieces of his clothing. Katsuo lunged out to grab Nami when two swords appeared at either side of his throat.

"For once in your life you may want to think before you act." Zoro looked at him as if he would like nothing better than to cut his head off. He let go of Nami's wrist. She proceeded to tie him up a little tighter that she had before. Mezumi looked back to Luffy.

"So your offer still stands? Can I join your crew?" She was hesitant. Luffy beamed.

"Party to celebrate our newest crew member! Sanji I want barbecue!" Luffy shouted loud enough to wake everyone in a 5 mile radius.

Nami whooped. Robin smiled. Usopp and Chopper linked arms and started to dance around in circles. Zoro even smirked. Franky made a star with his forearms, shouting "SUPA!" She turned back to Sanji.

"So you have to almost get killed before you make a decision. I will have to remember that." She rolled her eyes at him.

"Should we head back to the ship? We can start that party you are going on about." Mezumi asked everyone.

"You guys go on ahead. Usopp, Zoro and I need to take care of Mr. High and Mighty over here." Nami gestured to Katsuo. Everyone headed back to the ship without them. For once Mezumi didn't feel like hiding from the villagers. Walking straight through the market, she smiled and waved to everyone that looked her way.