Minami: I'm so happy, I already got some really good responses so I think I'll continue to write this story.

Ray: So how long will it really be?

Minami: Hmm... who knows, I don't really think about that... well at least 10 chapters!

Ray:...just asking cuz you can't have me jumping around for 30 chapters, it's tiresome.

"ew!" I said with discust when I somehow got the fish and eels over me. Gross.

"Can't you watch it?! And you call yourself a fisherman?" I yelled up towards the man who had carelessly dropped his catch for the day. Jerk!

I quickly walked away, boiling with anger. Inside my head I repeated every not-nice-to-say word I knew, hoping it would help. It didn't. I still smelled fish and bathing here in the docks was out of the question. That only left me the option of going back to the inn which was a bad idea since my old buddies was still in town. I guess it couldn't be helped then…

I walked further down the docks until I reached the beach. No one would bother me here, hopefully. I walked behind the bushes and left my bag as I walked to the water. By extending my hands over it and moving I slowly made the water move at my will. In an instant I made the water float in the air, moving at my command.

First I separated the water from the dirt and most salt. With that done I drenched myself. After several times doing this I no longer smelled like fish, more like seawater.

With this done I slowly started to heat up myself, dehydrating the water from my body and my clothes. This time I actually did it without setting anything on fire. With this done too I made the wind ruffle my hair, drying it. Easy.

"Eat this." Kai said and handed me a fruit. I stared at it and wrinkled my nose.

"What is it?" I asked him and grabbed the fruit. He smiled his gentle smile and pointed at the fruit.

"This is the worlds most important fruit. I got it for you, as a late birthday present." He said. My eyes widened as I stared at the fruit. I looked up at him.

"Then shouldn't you eat it? If it's important." I said and tried to give it back to him. He just shook his head.

"No this is only for you. You don't become twelve twice." He said and pushed it back.

I had a look at it again and then had a bite. It wasn't too bad but it felt weird. As if… I was burning from the inside out.

"Kai, it hurts..." I said as my body started shaking in pain and fear. Kai just smiled.

"I know." He just said as he too had a bite of the fruit.

I sighed at the memory from 3 years ago. The memory of the devil fruit and Kai. They had both changed me and my life. I was naïve back then but I can't really say that I neither like it nor hate it. It's just the way things are. Suck it up and move on. That's my way of living now, Kai or no Kai.

In truth, this was a sorta boring lifestyle, running away all by myself. No one to really talk to. `And I absolutely refused talking to any fishermen after this…´ I thought as I grabbed my bag and walked up alongside the beach. On the other side of the island there was mostly jungle and places no one visited so it would be easy laying low for a day or so. They would eventually give up and go back to the base. But when would Kai give up? Here I am trying to act as if I'm dead and he still doesn't give up!

Staring into the fire I somehow felt safe now. Fire did that to me nowadays, not like the time the house burned down. That time I was really scared and I probably would have died for real. Now Fire couldn't hurt me, duh, since I can control it. Play with it, fight with it. Even create fire from thin air. Still, it takes light-years to learn it all and it sucks the energy out of you. Fighting for 40 minutes would easily make me pass out.

But now I don't want to fight anymore. I don't feel any thrill anymore and I don't have a reason to ki…not anymore.

Before I knew it my eyelids were already closed. Soon the nightmares would return and another night would pass in a flash.

Past to present

"Lighter on the feet! You wanna get killed?!" Kai yelled as I barely avoided the blade passing before my eyes. If I had waited half a second I would have become blind.

"Don't think, let your body do the reacting, not the brain!" he continued to lecture as he attacked further with his sword. Trying to block it took all I had and I knew that he'd soon find an opening. Quickly I looked around, taking in the environment.

"Good, use what's around you!" he encouraged me.

I blocked and slipped passed him going for the barrels behind him. Jumping and using one of them as foothold I twisted and made a front flip, trying to land an ax kick on his head. But of course he simply avoided it and attacked as soon as I had landed. Without being prepared he easily pushed me down to the ground and pinched me under him. I glared up at him and his stupid grin as he bent down, moving closer. When our nose tips almost touched he stopped.

"Good job." He said. After that he let go of me and helped me up. Once up I noticed that my heart beated harder than usually and my stomach felt funny. I thought about it for a moment but then I simply put the blame on the adrenaline.

"So, tomorrows the big day." Kai said and grabbed one of the water bottles and threw it to me. He lifted his own and drank three big mouths. I nodded at his comment and smiled.

"You'll buy me a cake, right?" I asked and drank from the bottle. Kai just nodded.

"12 years huh? That's not bad. It's been six years since that time." He said and smiled at a memory we both shared. A memory of fire, tragedy and liberation.

"Hey, that's a scary face you know!" he suddenly said, pulling me from my thoughts. A blush quickly spread across my cheeks.

"No way, meanie!" I said and frowned as he laughed at me. Kai was always like that, teasing me and laughing. But he was fun and kind, only to me. Me only.

I already by the age of 10 knew what Kai and his guys where doing. Illegal stuff that is.

They where back then a group of 20 people controlling smaller groups all over the four seas. All of them being specialists in different combat and military areas made them all very dangerous and well-organized persons.

The point of the organization was to be hired for different dirty jobs by rich noblemen, revengeful siblings or even the government. Stealing, sabotage and killing where all common jobs.

Kai was the leader and he had started it all the day we left home. With a few of his friends he and I traveled the world, making a reputation. After that bigger jobs came in and a business was created. I was Kai's next recruit and test object. His goal was to make me the ultimate assassin and thief. And that was fine by me. As long as Kai was there it didn't matter. I grew up with them, why wouldn't I work with them too? Why not be useful?

Kai was four years older than me, we left home when he was 10 and I was 6.

He was my neighbor and my best (male) friend. Our families where both noble and very close so we where practically siblings.

Then the nightmare began.

Mom started drinking and taking pills when I was 5. She'd shut her inside her room and do things I didn't even want to think about. When she then killed herself I'd go over to Kai whenever I would be sad.

Kai's father was a middle-aged man with a lot of power. But rumors had been going around town that he was a pervert and that he had bought… children. But I had no idea back then that I would be his next target. And he tried once to take me with him but Kai stopped him.

Once home I discovered an even worse truth. Father had been doing bad lately in business and he was desperate. He had sold me to Kai's Father and he probably planed to continue doing so. That night Kai's father was murdered and my house set on fire.

Back then I didn't think of it but later on I realized that it had been Kai who'd saved me. For that I was eternally grateful and I would follow him no matter what. That's what I thought, back then.

Minawa: Ain't it exciting?! This is gonna be fun writing!

Ray: ...you just had to cover me with fish, didn't you?

Minawa: anyways, I know it's a lot to understand but I think it's important that you know things about Rays past so that you can understand her background. More will come later on so just sit tight!

Ray: You just made my charater gloomy you idiot!

Minawa: ...bye! ^-^