The Change: Anonymous asked: okok but like what about an AU where everything is the same except when Luffy and Zoro meet Danni she's younger than them? Like between 10-15 and she figures she's going to die anyway so why not go be a pirate? it would be interesting
Genre: Adventure/Friendship
Warning (s): endangerment of a minor; sick!Danni; child!Danni; no care of one's own life; alteration of some canon events
Note(s): prompt came from tumblr; Danni is 11 and thus six years younger than Luffy as a reference point
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Zoro stared at his captain not sure how he was supposed to feel. On one hand, there was no denying that the girl knew what she was doing in a fight, but on the other hand she was only eleven. That was an eight year difference. It made his stomach twist uncomfortably at the thought of having her join the crew.
"Sure, why not?" was the girl's flippant reply to Luffy's question of her joining the crew. Zoro almost didn't catch it, but he could've sworn he heard her mutter, "Not like I have much longer to live, anyways."
He didn't even want to begin to think about what that could possibly mean.
Zoro didn't voice his doubts to his new captain and instead promised to himself that he would keep an extra eye on their new young crewmate. He did not want another young girl's death on his conscious. He already had one.
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Between Buggy and the life threatening battles that preceded, Nami hadn't had the time to give the young preteen following after the two monstrous idiots much thought. But when she finally could, she barely restrained herself from screaming at Luffy and even Zoro. It left a bad taste in her mouth to think that they had let (asked) the girl to be on the crew.
It reminded her of herself and Arlong.
But it didn't at the same time.
Luffy wasn't Arlong, and she could see that Zoro was fiercely protective over Danni. Nami couldn't blame him for that protective streak. Danni may have been able to fight incredibly well with her body, but she was so frail and fragile looking, it even brought out Nami's own maternal instincts.
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Usopp hadn't even realised the younger girl was a part of the crew, until he and Zoro had caught up with Jango just in time to see her protecting Kaya with her back as blood flew through the air. His heart had stopped at the sight and at the time he hadn't even registered Zoro's speed increasing and a loud roar escaping his throat.
The sniper had been nervous and fidgety the whole time Danni had been with the doctor. There had been so much blood and how would the small, frail girl even survive that? She wasn't that much older than the three Usopp Pirates, and that sent chills crawling down his back.
He had never been so relieved to see the girl come out of the doctor's with a wide grin and acting like she hadn't almost just died.
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Sanji had immediately noticed the young girl's presence amongst the crew, but he was the first to notice something the others hadn't. For all of Luffy's stupidity and carelessness, he almost always had an eye on Danni. The rubber idiot always kept the girl within eyesight, and was quick to pull her away from something dangerous.
It was because of that, he kept his mouth shut.
And when the eleven year old had latched on to him with sparkling eyes and a bright grin he couldn't really refuse her. She was happy with the crew and even though she looked like a fierce wind could blow her over, she was still strong in her own right.
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Vivi was the first and only one to actually voice a concern about Danni being on the crew. Luffy had stopped and stared at her for a very long time, until the princess had actually begun to grow uncomfortable with the piercing gaze. She had eventually dropped the subject, even though Luffy had never addressed her concerns, but she had still tried to get Danni to stay with her in Alabasta, instead of going with the crew.
When she had asked Danni to stay with her, the young girl had stared at her with an uncomprehending face, and asked why she shouldn't go with her crew.
Vivi had made to respond to that with it was dangerous, or its no place for a little girl, but they had all died in her throat when she remembered that Danni had fought with the crew against Baroque Works and helped save her kingdom. Those reasons couldn't apply to her.
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Chopper had been startled when he'd first met Danni.
The young girl didn't look like she belonged on a pirate crew at all. In fact she looked more like she should be in a hospital if he wanted to be honest. When he had made to mention this to Luffy or even Zoro, Danni had stopped him with a finger to her mouth and a sad smile, shaking her head.
Later in private, he asked her why she didn't want anyone to know. She had told him that she didn't want them to have memories of her tainted by her illness; she was living her life how she wanted, they didn't have to worry about it.
So he stayed quiet about it, and simply handed her the small bottles of red liquid that would at least let her live a little longer.
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Robin hadn't known what to make of the young girl on the Mugiwara crew. The youngest member she may have been, but she still somehow managed to mother all of the older members, who were all fiercely protective of her, even Usopp. And knowing this, Robin was cautious in trying to do anything with the girl.
Of course, that all went out the window when Danni sought her out instead, ignoring Zoro's wary glares. The girl had been eager to learn anything Robin was willing to teach, and before the older woman had even realized it, Danni had managed to worm her way into her heart.
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Franky didn't have any misgivings about Danni's place on the Mugiwara Crew. He'd seen her ferocity in battle, protecting the other's to the point where she didn't seem to care that'd she would die instead. While he was worried about her seemingly no care for her own life, he could respect it at the same time, as she used it as a way to protect the others.
It was why he was more than happy to let her climb all over him like a jungle gym, because it let him know that despite all she had been through she could still be the kid she was.
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Brook had taken one look at the youngest member of the crew and had immediately vowed to protect her at all costs. He recognized the signs of her sickness, and he had no wish to see her die of such a thing. The moment he'd known who the doctor of the ship was he'd take Chopper to the side and grilled the little reindeer about what he was doing for Danni.
He would do everything within his power to help the little girl.
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Luffy wasn't stupid. He knew the other's had doubts about his decision on letting Danni join the crew. She was only eleven after all. But when he had first met her, he had knew, knew, that she had a limited time, and he could sense her longing for the open sea.
And he couldn't just leave her there.
It brought back memories of Sabo setting out to sea, because his family wouldn't let him, and then having his dream end before it ever actually started. He couldn't leave her there on the island, when he could do something about it.
So he asked her to join his crew.
And she said yes.
FIN