A body could be seen between the cushions of a couch. A young boy with two black eye's, a gloomy face, and a black vest. The boy had his arm's folded across his chest as it was worth. The door to his room was locked as always, his parents hadn't given him any further activities, so he was in a slump. All he had was his book's and his book's felt like the only thing keeping him sane these days. However …

he finished them all.

All he really wanted was a friend, a nakama. Someone to talk to and share his interest, maybe even watch the clouds with him. But nope. His parents had already made that subject pretty clear.

"Friends? Please we Nobles don't have time to make friends. If anything we become associates and nothing else. Kid my boy, you should learn that all you ever need in the world in wealth, fame, and power. Tell me how can you get any of that by making friends? Well… I'm asking"

Kid wouldn't respond, but watching the intimidating look of his father he knew he had to say something. "I don't know, but who says friends have to give you any of that"

He laughed his head off. "That was a good joke my son. Good joke"

Kid sighed, was he destined too be friendless forever. Because that was all he wanted, was that so much too ask?

Bang!

The door banged open snapping, Kid back into reality.

"Kid are you here?" A small voice asked.

Kid stood from his seat that door was never opened without warning. The servants, his nanny, and even his parents would at least announce their arrival before entering.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" Kid asked the voice.

Coming through the door was a girl. Blue eye's, sandy blonde hair, and a white dress. Who was she? For now she remained a mystery. "My name is Katherine, but you can call me Kat. My parents said that you and me are going too be spending a lot of time together for now. I guess that means we're friends from now on"

"And my parents agreed to this?" Kid asked.

"Of course" She answered.

Father would really do that? After all this time he was friends have no real use in the world. Finally he was allowed what he really wanted. A friend.

Kat, was probably just the best starter friend Kid could have. When he came to be gloomy, Kat could always snag him out and give him some energy. Oddly while most of their interest didn't seem to match they could still relate on a page. Her parents would bring her over every weekend so they could 'play'.

"Kid I'm back. Did you miss me" Kat walked in the room carrying a stack of three books. She dropped them at the table next to Kid's couch.

"I guess you could say that" Kid said getting up from his bed. "Except I can't miss you much if I don't have the time. Oy! Did you bring my book's"

Katherine nodded before tossing a book at him. Crash schemed the pages knowing it was just the one he was looking for. "Thanks for bringing me this. When your not here I just get bored and I don't have anything else to do"

"Wish I could feel the when you have an older brother you can never get bored" Kat admitted. "So what do you want to do today. I know! Let's play pirates and marines"

"I don't know these room is kinda small" Kid pondered.

"Then we'll leave out the room dummy" She joked. "Now you can be the marine"

Katherine dashed out the room. Kid had no other way to comply then actually chase her. She turned out to be faster than she appeared in a dress of all things. She was obviously taking advantage of the giant palace. Chasing her from bathroom to bedroom. He tracked her down to the throne room only to find he lost her again.

"Darn where did she…" Two hands placed over his mouth and pulled him behind the curtains. Katherine hushed him before he could speak, he eventually found out why when he heard voices come in. They both then peaked behind the curtains seeing Kid's parents and Katherine's mother. "What do you think …"

"Ssh" Katherine hushed him.

They both leaned into the conversation that was taking place before them.

"So how well do you think the children are getting along? Spending time together isn't enough we need to know how they feel" Spoke Kid's mother.

Katherine's mother flashed her fan open. Covering her mouth before she spoke. "You can't rush these things if it's going too happen then it's going to be natural. It's not like they are just going to fall for each other and call it a day. Did you meet your husband that way?"

Kid's mother smirked in the inside turning to her husband. The former gave him nothing, but a pitiful look before turning back to Katherine's mother. "I married for money and he married because of a promise his father made with mine. I don't even remember the last time we slept in the same room together. Now back to business if my Kid marry's your daughter we get a share of your fortune?"

"Of course only if you can live through with your promise that is" She told her.

"You must mean…"

"ENOUGH"

All the attention turned to the back of the room. There Kid stood furious and tall; he's large dark eye's observed the Nobles that stood before him for a long moment as they did the same. They remained apon him for the longest of time. He gritted his teeth before yelling his pipe off. "Who the hell are you woman TOO DECIDE MY FATE. IS MY LIFE EVEN WORTH ANYTHING TO YOU?"

She flashed her eye's before giving him the moment of truth. "Darling one day you'll learn that money is to live. You asked me if your life is worth anything to me? Well of course it is, it's worth money"

Did he really just hear that? For something he didn't want to believe he heard loud and clear. Before questioning everything about his life he had another too turn to. "Father what is my life to you?"

Like his mother he only blinked. "Kid my boy, there is so much you don't know. Even when it might look bad every Noble has their reason. One day you'll learn"

He avoided the question. Wondering if his life was just that 'a tool for money'. Confused, hurt, betrayed he couldn't deal with so many feelings at once. He turned to Katherine for a mere second before becoming the wind that brushed past her.

He found himself locked in his room. Better known as his dark corridor for despair; he had his head buried in a pillow. Like earlier he found himself questioning every meaning of life. Money couldn't be the answer that was a fools way of thinking.

"Life without meaning is meaningless" He said in despair. "Life is a joke probably just cruel trick played on all of us. …Look at me talking to myself could I get anymore pathetic"

"Your not talking to yourself" He looked over his bed to see his friend Katherine. At first wondering when she got there turned to a 'who cares' moment. Hoping if he ignored her long enough she would go away. That however was not the case; he really wish she would leave. The longer she stayed the more he broke. "Kid I want you to know that no matter what we are still friends. Just because are parents are stupid enough to try and get us married doesn't mean we can't be friends. Besides we could always run away together and be pirates"

Kid turned to her once again. "Great don't tell me this story on how you met Thatch of the White beard pirates."

"I did how come you won't believe me!"

"Because it's ridiculous"

"Whatever because one of these days I'm gonna be a pirate" Kat declared. "Maybe one day I'll defeat an admiral. You can join me if you want"

"No thanks" Kid rose from his bed. "A pirates lifestyle doesn't seem fit. Besides I still have some thinking to do"

Kid turned his back to Katherine. What he didn't expect was to be pulled in by her death hug. This was followed by her playful laughter right before Kid flipped her over and pinned her down. "Nice try and next time you might what to keep a better grip"

So they continued their friendship regardless of what happened. The only true relationship that was tarnished was that of him and his parents. They stopped speaking so much, barely acknowledged each others existence. It was almost as if they're strangers in the same home. This couldn't stop them from doing what they want with him. He was sure they still wanted him married to a wealthier family whether it was of consent or not. All he could do for now was rebel, but only god knew how long that'll last.

While most believed his rebellious nature to be a stage it turned more to more than that. Kid was changing for what he would say is the better. He wouldn't let his parents influence take a hold of him. So when people laughed he didn't care he was becoming something more. For now he was a shell of his inner self, but the question was what was his inner self?

His parents found his as a embarrassment of late and decided not to take him to important events. This event they left him behind was an admirals birthday something all Nobles are welcome to. Even if most don't show up; Kid being the rebellious boy he was snuck aboard the ship to the holy land Mariejois.

"This place is boring there is no one here my age and barely any food" Kid complained. He walked around watching the adults talk to each other. He had managed to stay clear from his parents and any authorities. Oddly he had yet to see the admiral this party was for. Then out of nowhere he caught something flash from under the table.

When it went to investigate what he found was the answer to the shortage of food. A boy dressed in a younger version of a marine uniform munched down anything he got his hands on. At one point he actually bit his hands. "So are you planning on sharing any of that?" Kid asked him.

The boy took notice of him for the first time, stopping his eating. "I don't share my food with strangers"

"Actually I'm pretty sure this food was for the party, idiot"

"I'm not a idiot my father had me tested"

"Tell em to do it again"

The boy a tossed a rib at Kid. "There now can you stop complaining."

As Kid ate he noticed the boy staring at more. Apparently he wanted a conversation and to be honest Kid wanted one too. "So kid, are you a Noble too?"

"Noble?" He pondered scratching his head. "No uh, I live here in Mariejois with my dad. I also sometimes live at Marineford, usually sleeping in my dads office"

"Geesh your father sounds like a important person" Moaned Kid.

"Zeshishishi, of course he is that what an admiral is. An important person"

A bone got stuck midway down his throat before he forcefully pushed it out. "Did you just say your father is an admiral. Which one?"

"Akainu duh" The boy claimed. "You can call me Portgas D. Jerome. I'm gonna be a pirate maybe one day I can further and be king. So you wanna join … what's your name?"

"Kid, just call me Kid" Kid introduced. Kid reached his hand out to Jerome's, that's when the faze of red came. Time seemed to slow down. At one moment Kid was clutching his arm in pain;the next he was the one screaming in agony. He was attacked, but not directly cause if he was he would be dead. After being hurldled through the air he found a abnormally tall man; lava covered his left hand as he stood over Jerome.

"What did I say about saying those words " The man taunted. "Never ever say that again. Now as your punishment"

Kid must have been crazy because attacking an admiral had too be insane. Whatever the case, Akainu found himself unprepared when Kid leaped on him, driving knives down his shoulder. Kid believed that he was actually hurting him, but when facing reality Akainu couldn't have been more fine. Akainu tossed him to the ground ready for the kill.

Kid brought himself too look up not facing Akainu, but two people he called mother and father. He waited for them too help, he waited for them to plea for his life. So when they turned his back on him his entire world shattered.

"You bastards" Kid mocked one final time before his next feeling was a burning sensation.

Death was over him like a vulture.

He had no idea what he was doing going against, Akainu. Kid knew he was dead because he couldn't breath. No matter how hard he tried. His entire left eye of vision was gone and was still feeling the burns. Yes Kid was dead and he wasn't coming back; Crash? He always like the sound of that. Kid died after his fight with Akainu probably even before, but Crash was a different story. Crash has just been born and whatever Kid was he wasn't.

Kid was never allowed to make his own decisions. Crash made his own decisions that's where the difference started. At the moment Crash only wanted one thing and that was he wanted to move his legs they complied. He looked down at the river below him; his entire left eye was butchered open. He took notice of his shattered bones in his right arm. If he wanted revenge then he was going to have to fix that.

About a month later Crash had found a donor in the form of a bird. That just so happened to be carrying a devil fruit known as the Honei Honei no mi. The perfect devil fruit for him it even helped with his shattered arm. Afterwards the operation with his eye proved to be no problem. It took about five years to get out the ravine.

Now all he had to do was get out of wherever he was. However before coming into town he ran into a man about a few years older than him. With triangle symbols on his eyebrows that was his most notable appearance. He then shuffled cards back and forth in his hands.

"You your future is filled with uncertainty. Who exactly are you?" The man asked.

"My names Wolf Crash and who are you a fortune teller?" Crash asked him.

"You can call me Basil Hawkins. To answer your question then yes I am a fortune teller" Basil Hawkins told him. "Like I said earlier your future is filled with uncertainty. Do you know why?"

"Uncertainty huh?" Crash pondered. "I heard of people like that their called the D. If your a fortune teller tell me if I inherited the D."

Hawkins shuffled his cards another time. "That's up to you to decide. Also before you leave the island there's a thirty percent chance you'll stay free for long"

"Whatever man" With that Crash walked off and thankfully never ran into Hawkins again.

Escaping the island and deciding to take vengeance on World Government. What better way than killing every marine he came across, taking down their bases. He later became known as a pirate reaper and everyone wanted his head. The day he heard Admiral Akainu was calling him for a fight he couldn't resist. However that day was the day he cursed Hawkins name.

"Shit" Mocked Crash.

The Marines had outsmarted him. Not sending Akainu, but Kizaru instead. The latter was more than Crash could handle. His kicks smashed the bones of any part he hit. His devil fruit regeneration was reaching it's limit. Kizaru kicked him in the face sending him flying through ten tree's back. Then that was it he couldn't move anymore and his vision faded.

"What a cruel way to go down huh"

Crash looked from where the voice came from. He believed it to be a figment of his imagination, why was he staring at his younger self? Dressed in his Noble clothes and all.

"Sorry that you couldn't win and sorry for being here. I know I'm probably the last thing you want too see." Said Kid.

"What do you want? I thought you died years ago" Crash asked him.

"Just too tell you the answer you've been looking for. You wanted too know the meaning of life, it's easy when you think about it. The meaning of life is to live life" Kid smiled at his older self one last time before leaving.

Crash believing he was about to die smiled. "If that's the meaning of life then I'm already doing it. Did I live a good life? … let's just say I'm halfway there"

A/N: First off sorry for the long wait. I just needed the motivation before doing anything. To show my apology I give you another chapter today. Apparently people went through the feels during Luna's past. Would it kill you if I said there's more to come? NO WAY. It was killing me to write that.