Chapter 3

"Never give up on anybody."-Hubert H. Humphrey

Kya yawned loudly as she awoke to an unfamiliar room. "Where am I?" she wondered a loud, pushing herself out of the comfortable bed in the small room. She bit her lip, remembering the past events. "They must've taken us to an inn or something. How sweet." She muttered, walking over to a door on the left side. She hoped it was the shower.

Thankfully, she was right. She smiled brightly. "Finally! A nice warm shower!" she exclaimed, removing her clothing quickly and jumping under it. She'd never been so glad to have a shower in her life. All the grime that had accumulated over the past weeks was now gone, making its way down the drain. She felt so...refreshed.

After a long, much needed soak, she quickly dried herself off and threw on a black tube top that covered her busty chest and black leggings and then her belt and knife strap. She was happy, no, ecstatic to freed from the damn wooden object that held her against her will. Now, she was a free woman. To do whatever she pleased. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, smiling. Her black side swept bangs outlined the top of her face, while her breast length pink hair framed the rest of it. She was small and skinny; only five foot five and 98 pounds. A perfect assassin.

She flinched at the word. She no longer wished to kill people for living, though it had good pay. Killing people just didn't seem like a good job anymore. Smiling even bigger, she remembered what she was now. A pirate. Luffy was going to be her captain. Hopefully a damn good one at that.

She sauntered her way down the stairs to the man part of the building which was a restaurant. Not just any restaurant though, but the one where she had been arrested by the ugly bastard. She frowned at the memories, but shrugged it off. Today was a fresh start.

"Oh! Kya-san! Glad to see you're awake! My name is Rika, remember me?"

Jumping, she turned to see the little girl with a large plate of food in her hands. It was the same little girl that she had saved. She smiled lightly, placing a hand atop the brown haired girl's head. "Of course I do! Thank you, for letting me take residence for the night...or however long I was here."

"It was only a night. Luffy-san and the other boys are still sleeping. But no need to thank us. You guys are the ones that saved our town!" A woman with the same colored hair said happily behind the counter, most likely Rika's mother. Kya smiled at her. "It was no problem at all." She said before walking over to a chair by the window.

"What would you like to eat?" Rika asked, giggling. "Uhm, some ale and apples if you wouldn't mind." Kya answered, folding her arms across her chest. "Ale? You're old enough to drink ale?" Her mother questioned.

"I'm 18."

Rika and her mother gawked slightly, but didn't say anything, only went to get her requests. "Oi! Oi! I'm hungry!" A loud whine came from the top of the stairs and Kya sighed. That was Luffy. "Meat!" Said boy came running down the stairs, pounding his fists against his chest. "I want meat!" he declared before he stopped when he saw her.

"Oi! Kya! You're awake!" He shouted, running over to her and glomping her. She jumped slightly, but hugged him back. "Of course I am baka. Now get off me so I can breathe." She grumbled and he released her tiny form. He smiled cheekily at her before taking a seat. "Are you ready to become a pirate?"

"Sure thing." She smiled at him and he gave her a thumbs up. "We're gonna go to Grand Line and find One Piece! And all be the Pirate King!" He shouted and she chuckled. "Oi, Luffy. You're so loud. You'll wake Zoro and Koby." She chided.

"So, Kya. What are you dreams again?"

"Ah, well. I've decided killing people as a profession isn't really my...forte anymore. I just plan on killing the man who destroyed my home."

"Where is your home?"

"Grand Line."

The straw hat boy nearly spit the food he was eating out on her. "You're from the Grand Line?" He shouted. "Oi! Oi! What's with all this ruckus?" A deep voice bellowed from the stairway. She looked behind the black haired dimwit to see Zoro rubbing his head as he walked towards them. She smiled warmly. "Glad to see you're okay, Zoro." She said and he stared at her for a moment... or moments. The restaurant was silent for some time before she snapped her fingers, bringing him back into reality. "Oi. What's wrong with you?" he jumped back a little, making a strange face and shaking his arms. "N-N-Nothing! I was just thinking! I'm glad you're alright too."

She raised an eyebrow as he came to sit at the table with them. Rika's mother brought over a surplus of apples, gallons of ale, and plates stacked high with meat. "Meat!" Luffy cried, digging in first. Kya and Zoro chuckled at him for a moment, before eating themselves.

"Kya, mhuy rngh oh watkng nrgeat?" (Kya, why aren't you eating meat?) Luffy asked through mouthfuls of food. "I don't eat meat." She said, smiling as his mouth dropped to the floor. "You don't eat meat?" He shouted, throwing some at her. "Oi! Luffy stop!" She cried, only to be muffled by the boy climbing on top of her trying to stuff the awful substance in her mouth. "Eat!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

Zoro laughed loudly as he pried Luffy off the poor girl. "Luffy, leave her alone. We don't want to kill her just yet, right?" He winked and she frowned. "Owh! What the hell was that for?" he cried, nursing the newly formed bump on his head. She smiled in satisfaction. "You deserved it." She answered simply before grabbing an apple and taking a large bite of it.

After some time, Koby had found his way down to the restaurant and all four of them had eaten enough food for a fleet of ships, well the boys had. Kya munched on apples and drank about eight glasses of ale. "I'm full! Haven't eaten for nine days, almost starved to death!" Zoro exclaimed, rubbing his stomach. She made a 'hn' noise at the ignorant man. She hadn't eaten for almost two months. She wasn't complaining. "Then it would've been impossible for you to last a month!" Luffy laughed, still stuffing his face.

"Your so scrawny, how come you can eat so much more than me?" Zoro demanded, leaning towards the boy. She had wondered the same thing, but figured it was probably cause he was rubber. "Sorry, even I ate a lot." Koby muttered quietly, rubbing the back of his head in shame. "Don't worry! Keep eating, you saved our town!"

"Onii-san you're so strong!" Rika exclaimed coming up next to Luffy. He smiled, his mouth full of food. "Yup! I'm strong. I'll get stronger later on!" Zoro turned to look at his new captain. "Oh yea, what are your plans next?" He asked.

"I am going to head for the Grand Line!"

Koby nearly choked on his food and Kya chuckled at him. "What?You're saying crazy things again! Just you three, how can you enter the Grand Line! Don't you understand? The world's greatest pirates are there!" He yelled, getting in Luffy's face. "We're going for One Piece... It won't hurt to head in that direction!" Zoro added, smirking. "My home's there. I have to go back." Kya added, resting her chin in her hand.

"Zoro-san! Kya! You're even saying this rubbish!" Koby shouted, getting in their faces this time. "What are you so worried about, it's not like you're even coming with us..." The green-haired swordsman trailed off unsurely. "Even though I'm not going, I will still worry! Can't I? Can't I worry about you guys?" Kya and Zoro exchanged awkward glances. "Uh..."

"Luffy-san, even though we just met...We are friends!"

"Yup! Even though we have to part, we'll always be friends!"

"I never had friends growing up...Every time I would be picked on... No one would ever stand up for me. But the three of you...taught me to live by my dream!"

"That's why we're heading for the grand line." Luffy told him. "Yup." Zoro added unenthusiastically and Kya smiled and nodded her head at the young boy. "Hmm...that's true..." He began, but then his eyes widened. "No! No! What I meant was that you're too reckless..."

Zoro tapped the boy's forehead with the hilt of his sword. "First of all, you'd better worry about yourself." he started, putting the katana on his shoulder. "Even though you were just doing chores on a pirate ship, you're still a small pirate. Don't underestimate the Marine's ability to gather information. If they know your past, they won't let you in for sure." She nodded, placing a hand on his shoulder. "The Marines know everything."

"Excuse me!"

The entire restaurant stopped what they were doing to turn towards the door. There stood a tan Marine, Ripper his name tag read. "We are wondering...Are you really Pirates?" he asked, his arms behind his back just like the other Marines behind him. "Yes, I just found my first two crew members. That makes us pirates now." Luffy said cheerfully. "Even though you are pirates,in reality..." Ripper fixed his hat. "You saved our town and base. For that we are grateful. But, since you are pirates, as Marines we can't allow you to stay any longer. Please leave this place immediately. As for the events here, we will be reporting them to headquarters."

People in and outside the restaurant began shouting, telling the Marines how stupid and illogical their idea was but the three pirates simply ignored them. Kya stood up and stretched, yawning loudly. "Hmm, well then... Let's go." Luffy said, standing up slowly. "Thanks for the food ma'am." Zoro made no noise as he stood from his seat also. "Luffy-san..."

"Are you really leaving onii-san?" Rika asked sadly, but all questions were left unanswered as the three walked towards the door and the Marines. Ripper moved for them, and headed towards Koby. 'They already know.' Kya thought sadly, stopping right before the door.

"Aren't you with their group?"

"Eh! I...I...I'm not...I'm not with them!"

"Please hold on..." Ripper directed towards the newbie pirates. "is he telling the truth?" Luffy turned around and pointed at the pink haired boy. "I know what this guy used to do. I can't remember where but, he used to be with this fat female pirate...I think her name was Alvida." Koby's face was drenched in horror as Luffy walked over to him, poking his forehead. "It was a fat and ugly female pirate, and this guy spent two years on there."

"Shut up!"

Kya laughed to herself as Koby punched the straw hat in the face, sending him to the ground. "His tactics sure are weird." She muttered to Zoro, who made a slight 'hn' sound. "You! You deserve a beating!" Luffy yelled back, punching Koby in the face.

Fists and harsh words flew through the air and Zoro looked at Kya. "We should stop him before he gets too far." He muttered, annoyed. She nodded, and they walked over to their captain, grabbing him by the collar. "Hey! You went overboard. Stop it." She said calmly, and he let his arms fall.

"I know he isn't your friend! Please leave this town immediately!"

As they walked outside, Kya ran into three of the officers who arrested her. "What's up guys?" She asked smirking. Zoro chuckled lightly, placing an arm on her shoulder. "Didn't you want to arrest us?" He joked and the three froze in terror, making them both laugh.

"It feels good not to be tied to the post anymore." She said, stretching her arms out as they followed to Luffy to his boat. "Ya. I thought if I was going to be tied there any longer I'd go mad." She chuckled as they reached the...boat?

"Oi! Luffy! What the hell is this?" She screamed, attempting to go after the young captain but was held back by the swordsman. "Nice act, this way, even though he was a pirate before, it wouldn't be such a big deal." He said, throwing the small girl to the ground. She huffed, glaring at Luffy as he chuckled. "I believe Koby will become stronger and more independent in the future."

Standing up, she brushed herself off. "On of these day... One of these days I will kill both of you and it won't be pretty." She muttered and Zoro threw his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer. "It's time to go, or else there's no telling what else will happen. Not leaving anything behind that's what pirates are all about." He said, smiling. "Oh, I'll tell you what'll happen next." She growled, glaring at him and he only smiled bigger.

"That's what I'm saying!" Luffy laughed, and began untying the boat. She managed to maneuver her way out of Zoro's hold and from the corner of her eye she saw Koby panting heavily by them. "Luffy-san! Thank you very much! I will never forget you for the rest of my life!" He cried, saluting them.

"I've never seen a Marine saluting pirates." Zoro noted lazily and she only shrugged. "Only us, I guess." She said and he sighed. "Koby! We'll meet again someday!" Luffy shouted waving as the three climbed into the small raft-like boat.

"Group, salute!"

She gasped slightly as the Marines stood behind Koby, saluting the three pirates with him. She smiled and waved lightly to them. "This should be an interesting adventure." She chuckled and Luffy raised his fists In the air. "Yahoo! We're off to the Grand Line!"

"Hey, Kya..."

Said girl looked lazily over at Zoro, who leaned against the opposite railing of the boat as her. Luffy had passed out some time ago, his head rested in her lap as she played with his hair. "Yes?"

"What do you think it'll be like?" he asked quietly, staring up at the sky. She raised an eyebrow. "What will what be like?" she asked, confused. He sighed loudly. "Being a pirate."

"Well...I'm sure it'll be like being an assassin or a pirate hunter. Lots of traveling and killing. But more Marines after us."

"I never planned on doing this."

"Well, neither did I. But here we are. Thanks to this goofball."

He chuckled at her name for Luffy. "Ya, here we are. As pirates." She smiled lightly at him. "It can't be so bad. I mean, it'll get us closer to our dreams right?" He sighed and stood up, rocking the boat slightly. "I guess. If we don't get killed first."

Gently, she moved Luffy's head up to turn the opposite way of where she was sitting. She put his head back on her thigh before laying down herself. "Well, aren't you a little pessimistic?" she said sarcastically and he snorted.

"You're annoying."

"No I'm not."

"Yes. You are."

"Shut up."

"I think you're the one who needs to shut up."

She growled lightly. "I'm going to bed now." She declared, placing her arms behind her head and closing her eyes. He made a loud grunt and his footsteps got closer to her. "Idiot, what are you doing?" She muttered tiredly. The only answer she received was his head on her stomach.

"Why are you-"

"Goodnite."

Annoyed, she let out a a long breath. "Whatever, idiot. Goodnite."