So, my dear readers. I'm happy, that my story got some interest and I'm especially grateful for the reviews. I'm interested in your opinion but I can't read minds. So, share your thoughts, please?
But okay, now to other things. This chapter made a giant leap in the timeline. Maybe some of you wondered, just when did Sakura land in the world of One Piece, well you'll get the answer in this chapter, at the very least in the next.
Oh, this chapter wasn't beta-read again. I would like for someone to go over my chapters before I post them, to minimize the mistakes; so if someone wants the interesting job, write me. I have the feeling that my commas just pop up randomly and that's something that really annoys me. And I mean, really annoys me. So, please, help me!
One more info; I wrote the marine ranks with a capital letter. So that you can differentiate better.
So, the next thing, if you want to see Sakura interact with a character, write it down. Maybe that will give me some ideas how I can continue with this story. I would be happy, you would be happy, so it's a win-win-situation, right?
With this I wish you fun with the following chapter and I apologize for every mistake you see.
Disclaimer: I own neiter One Piece nor Naruto, just the idea of this story.
"Captain! We have some-... Argh!"
The call was disconnected after that, making her clench her fist around the Den Den Mushi and gritting her teeth in rising anger. Her limbs started shaking, showcasing her emotions to the world, a fact that Garp had tried to get rid off but had, as one could clearly see, failed.
Sakura took a deep breath and brushed her hair back, letting the heavy, long mess fall back, covering the 'Justice' of her coat.
"Okay, everything is alright. Your guys are just running into little problems, no biggy. You don't have to storm into something you were told to not enter. Trust in your crew and let them handle that... That's right, trust in them!", she muttered to herself and sunk back into her chair, crossing her legs and arms but gripping her elbows, digging her nails into them.
The foot that was in the air whipped quickly up and down, showing her anxiousness for her crew. She had been told that she was like a mother hen, hindering her crew on doing their job and also creating sometimes problems without even meaning too. So this time she had been given the direct command to not leave her ship and let her men handle the situation.
And it made her edgy!
She liked to be in the middle of things, she liked protecting her men and in her heart she was a healer! She had to see to their health! But noooo, she had to stay back! She had been a field medic, always in the thick of it. Damn it, she had fought against Madara together with Naruto and Sasuke! If that didn't show her ability she didn't know!
Sakura jumped forward when her Den Den Mushi purred, lifting the receiver and listening intently.
"Captain, we need you! The pirates are stronger then anticipated! They have a Devil Fruit user in their midst!"
Would it be inappropriate to fist pump and be happy about the troubles her crew had? But that was unimportant, she was needed!
"I'm coming, hold on," with these words she hung up and sprung from her seat, leaving the bridge with long steps, a small spring in them.
The marines at the side of the doorway saluted her, following her smiling figure with their hooded eyes.
"She is really happy, to be needed," one said and scratched his forehead.
"Yes, but this is why she is so well-liked by the other marines. And feared by the pirates," the other sighed and let the back of his head collide with the wood behind him.
Both jumped to attention when they heard a loud boom, a few kilometers into the city, watching the dark dust cloud as it got taller and taller.
The two of them exchanged exasperated glances but still smiled a little, knowing the antics of their beloved captain.
Sakura hummed happily to herself as she munched on the piece of cake in her mouth, enjoying the rich flavor of chocolate combined with strawberries and the fluffy whipped cream on top of it.
Her jade colored eyes had fallen shut in delight and her cheeks had taken on a rosy tint, letting her appear younger then she actually was. The surrounding marines blushed, taken in by the cute picture their captain made while eating her cake.
The man opposite her groaned annoyed and watched the young captain with glare, not used to blunt ignorance this girl had going.
Fed up with playing only second fiddle he slammed his hand down on the table, making the tableware rattle and spilling some of the green tea that sat in the porcelain cup.
Annoyed by the interruption, Sakura sat the plate with the rest of her cake down and finally looked at the older male, sending him an icy glare.
"What?", she barked and showed him her ticking lower lid.
He smirked smugly and settled deeper into his chair. He crossed his arms and let his gaze wander over the woman, taking in her lovely appearance.
Her hair was a unique shade of pink, reaching the small of her back in gentle waves and it was parted to the right to let one gaze freely into her youthful face. Red clips, formed like flowers held the long strands out of her face but he knew that they weren't only for decoration there.
Her face was nothing special but her eyes made more then up for that. They were slanted and a beautiful, soft shade of jade and lined with black eyeliner, making them pop out even more. One could almost describe them as hypnotizing but one thing made them really stand out and it was the expressiveness of them. They always were filled with feelings, may it be good or bad ones.
Her body wasn't ugly as well. She may not have the massive bust like most females he knew but she was pleasantly formed, her limbs lean and muscled with, for her small stature, long legs and a trim waist. She knew how to highlight the advantages of her form and it let her stand out. All in all she was something special in their world.
"Enough stared? Now, what do you want? I have better things to do then being stared at and wasting my time with idle silence," she growled and crossed her arms, pulling his attention to her lean forearms, painted with dark lines.
"I apologize," his tone made it clear that this wasn't the case," but I'm here to deliver you your new orders. You are hereby directed to intercept Fire Fist Ace on his way to Alabasta. You are given the order to capture the pirate and bring him to Headquarters, be it dead or alive, preferable alive.", he said in a strong voice and looked her steadily in the eyes.
Silence surrounded them for a few seconds until she turned her head to the side with a snide 'Tch'.
"And the bosses don't have anything better to do then send a Captain after me while they could have just called? What exactly is going on?"
The mans eye twitched in irritation and he leaned forward, glaring at the female.
"You don't have anything else to say?"
"No, I only question the sanity of Sengoku-sama. Does he really want to enter a war with Newgate-sama? And that is exactly what will happen if we capture Fire Fist."
The man jumped up, his face contorted in rage, his cheeks blazing with the blood that had rushed into his head. His stance was aggressive and his balled fist shook.
"Hold your tongue, Sea Witch! Show respect to your superiors! And don't question their orders!"
A smirk crept onto her lips and a shudder went through the older Captain, making him shrink back slightly.
"Maybe you should think how you talk to your superiors. Just because I'm pretty laid-back doesn't mean I tolerate everything. That was your first strike. Two more and you find out why being on my ship is a double-edged sword. Now, back to my question. Why send a Captain of the marine after me? Do they suspect that Whitebeard intercepted the Den Den Mushi? Or do they just don't like you?"
The man gulped, pushing himself deeper into his chair and trying to suppress the shivers that race down his back and into his limbs.
Now he got the warnings of his direct superior at the HQ. Rear Admiral Haruno 'Sea Witch' Sakura was no joke and definitively not to be underestimated. She had earned her rank and esteem on her own.
"They... they found out that someone had tapped into the oversea line of the Den Den Mushi of... of the HQ. V... Vice Admiral Garp send me himself to... to deliver the... the order!"
A quick, amused laugh escaped her throat before she got herself under control again and picked up her forgotten cake.
"Well, why didn't you just say so before?! I would have welcomed you with open arms! Now, are they sure that it was the Whitebeard Pirates? I can't even imagine that Newgate-sama would sink to such new lows."
She took a bite of her cake and blushed happily when the sweetness spread in her mouth.
The man, completely thrown off by the quick change of emotions just sat silently in front of her and gaped, not understanding anything anymore.
The marines stationed in the room send him sympathetic looks, knowing how he felt. Their captain was something special, her quick change of state of mind being the most obvious extroversion.
"Well, Tobias-san, get to the bridge and tell them to take course on Alabasta. I want to be there as fast as possible. Daedalus-san, nice seeing you but I think you just fulfilled your mission. Give the old man my love and now; get off my ship", she said with a sweet smile but the Captain could have sworn that a black shadow hung over her back and laughed at him diabolically.
Jumping from his seat he shakily saluted and hurried out of the room, not caring if he lost his poise. It was important to get the hell out of the Witch's lair.
Sakura chuckled when the door slammed shut after the scared marine and took another bite.
"If they get too cocky you just have to get them back to the ground, right? Now, lets get to Alabasta. I heard some interesting things!"
She stood on top of the deck, the wind pulling softly at her clothes and hair, making her coat flutter dramatically. Well, this island wasn't really interesting, she thought. As far as she could see there was only sand, reminding her of Suna and therefore of her old world but she quickly shook the images away. She wasn't here to reminiscent about her old life but to capture a wanted criminal.
She had even dressed for the occasion!
Her hair was gathered into a bun with one long braid hanging out of it and her bangs swept to the side with her flower clips. Her body was wrapped in a handmade quipao, the front only reaching her knees while the back went to the top of her strappy heels. Under it she wore black short shorts and around her waist a white obi, holding her katana safely to her side. She also had a pouch integrated to the obi, filled to the brim with her beloved paper bombs she now could create without trouble and blowing herself up. Also a pair of cloves had found their way into the pocket.
All in all she was dressed rather simply, if she thought about the outfits of some of her colleagues. She wouldn't even have the nerve for dressing so smartly. She was a simply girl, easy as that.
"Captain, we are starting the docking!", a marine shouted and saluted to her.
She just nodded and let her gaze wander back to the port town, watching the people gazing at the large ship with fascination.
Well, it looked like she finally had something to do! This town seemed rather large and interesting. And maybe they could stock up on tea and sweets!
After finally docking she went down the plank first ignoring the eyes that burned themselves into her body and looked around, trying to decipher where Ace could be. This town was big enough that even someone as conspicuous as the Whitebeard Pirate could get lost in the masses.
Thoughtfully she touched her chin and tilted her head to the side, closing her eyes and trying to decide her next action. But she didn't even get to form a concrete thought, when she heard a surprised shout, getting her attention.
Sakura looked up again and saw a marine, stopping after a sprint in front of her and saluting her while trying to get enough air into his lungs.
"Re...Rear Admiral Sakura! Honor to meet you, ma'am!"
"At ease, marine. You don't belong to my crew, so why are you here? Stationed or belonging to another docking Captain?", she asked and rubbed her chin, cocking her hip.
She didn't even knew that others marines were here. Did they have the same orders as her? Probably not but it didn't hurt to ask.
"No, I'm a member of Captain Smokers crew, ma'am. I was just looking for my captain, because I heard that Portgas D. Ace had been sighted in this town!", he explained in excitement and looked at her with shining eyes.
Sakura sighed and gave him a small smile. Somehow it was so cute how puppy-like the grown man looked in this moment but this information wasn't as helpful as he thought. Maybe for Smoker but not her. She had known already that Ace was here. But not to disappoint the man she nodded in thanks.
"Did they say how long ago they had seen him?"
"It was said, that he only docked around three hours ago. And he had asked for another pirate. I think it was the captain of the Strawhat Pirates."
Her eyebrows wandered up and surprise made her eyes widen. Until a little memory popped up in her mind and realization lightened her face up.
"Of course... That means he knows that his brother will get here eventually. Oh, two birds with one stone!", she pumped her fist in victory and turned to the next passerby that hurried along. "Wait a second! Could you please tell me, where the nearest restaurant is?"
The man looked at her with wide eyes and open mouth before he caught himself and pointed down the busy street, lined with vendors and their stalls.
"Just follow this street until you reach the first intersection. Then take the right and you will find the Spice Bean."
She beamed at him, making him blush, and thanked him with a short bow. Then she turned to her second-in-command and threw him a wink.
"Well, I think we deserve a meal, don't you, Gory-san? And thank you for the information. If we find Smoker before you, we will deliver the message ourselves!", with this this started skipping down the street, making the tall man named Gory sigh and follow her with exasperation, leaving the other two men standing there speechlessly and staring after her.
"Looks like there's some kind of ruckus going on in that store...What happened?", Smoker mumbled around his two cigars and watched the gathering people through his goggles.
Tashigi at his side looked too and listened to the murmuring.
"Apparently some customer died all of a sudden", she said with worry in her voice, getting a low 'Tch' from her Captain for her soft heart. But before the two could even think about entering the restaurant, they heard bright and loud laughing, coming into their direction as well as a loud 'Captain, wait for meeee!'.
Turning to the shout, Smokers eyes widened behind his goggles and a cigar fell out of his mouth, landing without any notice on the packed sand ground. That couldn't be true! Not here and not her!
But it proved itself when a fist sailed directly in his face and catapulted him into the stand of a panicked vendor.
With a gasp Tashigi turned to the newcomers and now it was her turn to stare dumbfounded.
"Rear Admiral Sakura! Wha... What are you doing here?!"
The woman with bright pink hair laughed boisterously and propped her hands into her hips. With a wide smile she tilted her head, letting her long braid glide over her shoulder.
"Tashigi-chan! How nice to see you again! How have you been? And is Smoker-kun treating you alright? I know how he can be."
She patted Tashigis head, even if she had to get on her toes to reach the top comfortably.
The younger woman blushed, unused to such gestures from high ranking colleagues or people in general but smiled a bit, instantly remembering why she liked the Rear Admiral so much. The woman was nice when one deserved it and stern and dutiful when it was needed. Not to forget; skillful.
But her thoughts were interrupted by a fist made out of smoke skimming by her face and hitting Sakura. Well, at least that was the intention but her body exploded into smoke and was replaced by a perfectly cut wooden block.
"Aaah, captain Sakura! Don't waste time on this! We have our orders!", Gory whimpered, tears leaking out of his eyes and his hands buried in his dark hair, gripping the spiky strands in desperation. He knew exactly what would happen if he let the fight really start and it wasn't in their budget to fix a whole borough.
The woman sighed and flipped the braid back over her shoulder, straightening her posture and crossing her arms.
"Bah, Gory-san you become more and more of a partypooper. But you're right. Smoker-kun, we met one of your subordinates and he told us, that Fire Fist Ace is in town. But get the excitement out of your eyes, I have orders to handle him. You keep your nose out of it. Now excuse me, I need some food."
Letting her second-in-command with a twitching Smoker and a gaping Tashigi she threw open the door and stepped into the nicely buzzing room, immediately spotting the big Whitebeard logo on a really nice looking back.
Giggling she took a few steps into the direction of the talking pirate and ignored the growing hush of the establishment.
"Well, well, well, look what my little eyes spy there! If it isn't Portgas D. 'Fire Fist' Ace! You don't know how good it is to see you. But what brings the Whitebeard Pirates' 2nd division commander to this kingdom?"
Abruptly shouts got loud of "What? A Whitebeard Pirate?!" and "I knew I had seen this mark before!" but the pirate and the marine only had eyes for each other.
A rogue smirk slithered on his face, the toothpick rounding up the image he made with his relaxed posture. His eyes wandered over the woman in front of him and he could certainly appreciate the sight.
Her legs were slim and long, her skin really pale for a sailor, her body seemed made for dancing or better yet, fast fighting, but what really held his attention were her eyes. They were slanted and a beautiful green, flashing with mischievousness and an unbreakable will, both things he liked in a woman. Well, the last made him respect his enemy too but it was so much more attractive in a beautiful female.
The shimmering purple jewel on her forehead made him a bit curious, though. Ace could feel it in his bones; that wasn't a fashion statement.
"Oh, I'm just looking around. For my little brother, that is...", he finally answered her question, getting a grin from the female marine.
But her response was interrupted when Smoker marched right into the restaurant, wiping the smile from her face and provoked an annoyed 'Pah'.
"Fire Fist Ace, give yourself up without resistance.", he said and ignored the pouting woman at his side, his whole attention on the dangerous pirate in front of him.
But the next words out of Aces mouth made more then up for the interruption.
"Sorry. No can do, Smokie.", the young man said and shrugged his shoulders, a goading smirk pulling the corners of his mouth up.
Sakura snorted, quite in an unladylike manner, before slapping her hands in front of her lips to muffle the giggles trying to escape her. But Smoker still could hear the amused noises from his superior, making his hands clench into fists. But otherwise he kept himself under control. He knew that now wasn't the time to get into a fight with the 'Sea Witch'. The time for revenge would come.
"...I'm already on the hunt for another pirate right now, so I don't particularly care about taking your head..."
"So just look the other way then."
"Ah, ah, now I'm sorry to cut in, but Smoker-kun may not care much about your head but I do. I got the mission to arrest you and I plan to fulfill my mission.", Sakura cut in and stepped in front of the taller marine, her hand slipping into the pouch fastened to her obi and pulling out her leather gloves.
Aces smirk widened and his dark eyes twinkled mischievously. He now had turned around fully and leaned both elbows on top of the bar, showcasing his broad chest and muscled torso. And what eye candy this was!
"What a dull reason... If it was at least something personal I might have thought about coming with you. But so... well, let's see what ya got."
"ROCKET!"
Before anyone could react, something crashed into Smokers back, making him collide into Sakura and taking Ace with them, smashing them right through a certain number of walls until they finally got stopped.
With a groan Sakura pushed her upper body up, kneeling on the ground. She winced when she touched her forehead, blood trickling from a small cut. But her attention was brought to the ground, when it moved under her. Her eyes widened a bit before a coy smile made itself home on her face, her hands settling back onto the hard chest of the Whitebeard Pirate.
"Mhm, who would have thought that someone like you would make such a good cushion?"
Ace groaned and opened his eyes, immediately seeing the female marine sitting atop him and dangerously low. He raised a brow but his lips pulled up into a flirtatious smirk, his hands settling on the shapely hips.
"I think I just fell in love.", he chuckled and let his thumb glide over the silky fabric of her dress in little circles.
Sakura blushed prettily and leaned forward, her hands splayed over his pectoral muscles and stroking the firm skin with the tip of her little finger. Her braid fell over her shoulder again, tickling his neck a bit and giving him a whiff of her shampoo.
She stopped a few inches above his face, so close that her nose touched his and gave him a smoldering look.
"Believe me, boy, you're a few years too early to try something like that. Safe these words for the girl that you really fall in love with, not a woman that wants to throw you into jail," with these words she pressed a quick kiss to his freckled cheek before lifting herself up and pulling him with her.
Turning to the elderly par, that still sat at their table and stared at them, she bowed deeply and threw them a smile.
"I apologize for the inconvenience but the Navy will pay for the repair. Have a nice evening."
She didn't left them time to say anything; she just gripped Ace by the wrist and pulled him with her, back through the holes their bodies had created.
The younger man didn't protest, just followed the soft pull and silently fumed, still hurting from the impacts his back had had to endure.
As they neared the hole of the restaurant Ace perked up, seeing and realizing just who sat at the bar and stuffed his face with food. Filled to the brim with excitement he took a deep breath and readied himself to shout out the name of the boy he had been looking for but only came to a "HEY, LUF-", before something smashed him, face first, into the ground.
"STRAWHAAAT!", Smoker shouted and glared at the young boy, who still continued with eating, looking at the captain unblinkingly.
Sakura, who stood to the side and watched the spectacle couldn't suppress the snort and now didn't even try it. She broke out into a gusty laugh, bending over, wrapping an arm around her middle, slapping her knee and cried from the hard laughing.
Irritated from not being taken seriously, his form started with shaking, blood rushing into his cheeks and biting right through his second cigar.
"CAN'T YOU TOP EATING FOR JUST ONE SECOND?"
Sakura, having been able to calm down a bit tilted her head, following the exchange with curiosity so she saw the exact moment the boy realized who stood in front of him, ready to arrest him. Well, it looked more like Smoker just wanted to thrash this kid.
Suddenly his eyes popped a bit out of his skull and he shouted something unidentifiable, hitting Smoker with half-chewed bits of meat and other things.
The marine Captain wiped some of the mess off of his face, gritting his teeth and Sakura could see veins popping up from his forehead. She didn't need to hear the "You little piece of s..." to know that this boy just had destroyed the last patience he had had in his body.
But now it was her turn to stare aghast at the teenager as he stuffed the arms full of food into his mouth, looking like a too big chipmunk and sprinting out of the door, Smoker hot on his heels.
And without a warning Ace suddenly popped up too, making her shriek in surprise and jump away from him. Shocked she could only watch as the devil fruit user followed the duo, leaving her behind in a dust cloud.
The restaurant was silent for a few seconds, everybody still working on understanding what just had happened until the owner mumbled: "They didn't even pay..."
Shaking her head, Sakura turned to the tall man and bowed deeply.
"I'm sorry for the chaos. The Navy will pay for every repair that is needed."
"Captain! Wha-AAAAAAHH! WHAT HAPPENED?!"
Turning around she saw her second-in-command, Gory, staring at the damage that the building had suffered and she could have sworn that she had glimpsed his soul leaving his body but that had surely just been a mirage. They were common in the desert, right?
Vanishing from her position she appeared next to Gory, grabbed his collar and pulled him behind her, speeding up and letting him flutter behind her like a flag, his face still ashen and his eyes just white balls. She followed the forms of Smoker and the Strawhat Pirate onto the rooftops, her mind telling her, that Ace would protect his brother from capture with everything he had and that would mean a chance for her to arrest him.
Sakura jumped from rooftop to rooftop, watching the spectacle and giggling in amusement, spotting the marines of Smokers crew now also chasing after the boy.
When they finally reached the end of the streets and ended up at one end of the city she detected a group of young people, people that were everything but happy that the Strawhat run into their direction and even had shouted the name of one.
Finally Smoker had enough and jumped through the last line of his men and used his ability, letting a smoke fist fly into the direction of the running pirate boy but Sakura also saw Ace readying his own attack, countering Smokers attempt. And then, to round up this action-filled adventure Ace appeared in flames directly in the path of the marine captain.
"Give it a rest. You might be smoke, but I'm fire. A match between our abilities won't get us anywhere", the Whitebeard commander said with a challenging grin, his eyes shadowed by the rim of his orange cowboy hat.
"WHO'S THAT...!?", one of the Strawhats crew shouted, the scare was clear as the sky above them.
Silence reigned a few short moments before the boy pirate, clearly in disbelief, shouted the name of his brother.
The older boy turned his face to Luffy, as she recalled the Strawhat was called, and grinned, his lips stretched so far back that his grin almost looked unnatural.
"You haven't changed at all, have you, Luffy? Since we can't talk like this just run along ahead. I'll catch up with you later. I'll stop these guys in the meanwhile. NOW GO!"
And the Strawhat Pirates took their legs into their hands and raced off, leaving the stunned marines back and a fuming Smoker, who gathered his strength for a devastating attack and yelled out a furious "STRAWHAT!" before sprinting forward, ignoring the much more dangerous pirate in font of him, his eyes set on his goal.
"OH NO, YOU WON'T!", Ace roared and a giant flame wall appeared, cutting off Smoker from his pursue and conjured a smile on her lips.
She didn't loose time, forming a handsign and dispersed into pink blossoms just to reform beside the raging captain. Carefully she let Gory fall into the sand and looked up into Smokers face, grinning at him.
"Do me a favor. When he doesn't wake up in the next ten minutes, get him back to the ship. I swear, his heart is getting weaker every time we set foot onto an island. But don't worry, I will continue with the hunt. Wish me luck!", she winked at him and jumped through the flame wall, making some men cry out in fright but she just laughed and pumped chakra into her feet, boosting her sprint with a little extra power. Oh, she would catch the Fire Fist, that she was sure of.
He had just refused the invitation for tea and calmed them down when he felt a sharp pull on his belt and suddenly saw the waves breaking at the side of Luffys ship. He held still for a bit, trying to make sense out of the things he saw, before it made click and he begun to struggle.
Panic welt up in him, sweat dotting his forehead and his heart raced in his chest. He would die if the person that held him over board decided to let go. And he really didn't want to die right now, he still had something to do!
A soft snicker reached his ears and made him stop struggling and trying to break free.
"Got ya! I win!"
And he was pulled back onto safe ground. He didn't even care if it looked pathetic but he scuttled as fast as possible to the middle of the deck, staying low and staring at the female with wide eyes.
There, leaning against the railing of the ship, was the female marine, her arms crossed in front of her chest and one leg thrown over the other, her amused gaze switching from the Strawhats to him and back.
"Well, well so you are the famous Strawhats I have heard about... I have to say, it is a pleasure to meet you. Every person that can make Smoker loose his head is alright in my books."
It was interesting to watch the different reactions of the pirates, the sword fighter was ready to attack by the slightest twitch of the marine, the blond guy stared at her with lovestruck eyes, the long-nose and the little hairy guy hid behind the mast, their expressions showing clearly their panic, the blue haired girl hat her hands in front of her mouth and his brother just stared dumbly at the marine. But it was the reaction of the girl with the orange hair that really got his attention.
Her pupils had shrunken to little black points and her chest moved rapidly up and down while her body shook like a leave in a storm. She was the one that seemed to know who this marine was and she was scared shitless.
The woman also had detected the girl and smiled at her, waving her fingers at her.
This steered the attention of the other Strawhats to their crew mate and made Luffy ask the most important question:"Do you know her, Nami?"
"Oh, this I want to hear, too! Come on, Nami-chan, tell us a story!", the marine woman said brightly, sitting onto the white reeling, crossing her legs and propping her chin on her hand, observing the shaking girl with amusement.
"You... you're Rear Admiral Haruno 'Sea Witch' Sakura! You... you're the youngest Rear Admiral ever and also the most feared one, not only by pirates but also by the Navy. It is said, that you ate a devil fruit that allowed you to manipulate the energy of people and yourself, making you impossible to defeat. Also... there is the rumor that you should already be an Admiral but that you turned down the offer on every occasion. So, why... why are you here? We aren't important enough to catch your attention!", Nami ended her explanation with a whimper, hiding herself behind the sword fighter.
Sakura chuckled and shook her head, a lazy smirk painted her pretty lips.
"Well, the last bit was new. I didn't even know that I got such offers! Man, I'm really good!", she said with wide eyes, squishing her cheeks together making her look ridiculous and getting a 'Shishishi' from Luffy.
Ace, now calmed down and brave enough to get back onto his feet, put his hat back on and mustered the young woman with his hands on his hips.
"Oh, now I also get the big fishes after me! I'm honored", he said, grinning almost mockingly at her.
The female closed her eyes and cocked her head, creating an image of innocence. But everyone could feel the power flowing off her, well, all but Luffy who still grinned brightly.
"Hmm... Ace-san, this isn't really about you. I believe that the Navy wants to use you to start something much bigger. You're just a very important chess piece on the board. You're lucky that I'm not that reckless to start a war with Newgate-sama."
The ones that understood the meaning behind her words gaped at her, not fully believing their own ears. Since when did a high-ranking marine let a pirate get away?
The commander of Whitebeard blinked rapidly, as if to convince himself that the female would let him escape. Oh, he was sure that he could take her on, even if he didn't knew the range of her abilities but an unneeded fight wasn't something he was looking for. He still was chasing after Teach, the traitor, and every moment counted.
"And what do you want in exchange?", he asked, suspicion thick in his voice.
The sunny disposition vanished and was replaced by a serious mask. She pushed herself off the railing and made her way to the younger man, ignoring the tensing of the Strawhats and stopped in front of him, poking her index finger into his chest.
"You will do me a favor. Not right now, nor in the near future but I will collect this favor. I have a feeling, that I will need it someday."
Ace lips parted in surprise, not expecting this at all. Well, at first it sounded too good to be true but after he lost more then one thought on it, he clearly saw the problems that such a promise could bring in the future. What if she used it to make him do something he wasn't able to? He kept his promises, so to break it wouldn't be easily done by him.
"Why are you trusting me with upholding my end of the bargain?"
Now a mischievous smirk took over her features, making the cook swoon and the more easily scared crew members of his little brother gulp and hugging each other.
"Because I know who used to raise you and your brothers. Oh, he said to me, that if I somehow got near enough to a fearsome pirate to be able to talk civilly with him, I have to tell him how angry he still is about your choice. The same to you, Luffy-kun."
Ace smiled sunnily, immediately getting who she was referring too, while the younger brother stood clueless and picked his nose with his little finger.
"Who're you talking about?", he asked with an empty stare, not even caring for the answer.
Before anyone could react, two fists punched the top of his head, leaving two steaming lumps on him and him whimpering in pain.
Shaking their fists, both Sakura and Ace glared at him, their faces more demonic then ever.
"Think before you speak, idiot!", they yelled and made Nami, Usopp and Chopper back away.
Sighing Sakura let her hand fall back down and turned her back to the crew. After a few steps she stopped again and twirled around, her coat fluttering dramatically in the wind.
"Well, now it is time to part. Ace-san, we will see each other again, of that I'm as sure as the sky is blue. Luffy-kun, please continue with annoying Smoker-kun. He is just so cute with his veins popping!", here she giggled girlishly and made the rest of the crew sweatdrop, "But do know, now I will keep my ears open about news of you. Don't disappoint me!"
Luffy saluted her, together with Usopp, Chopper and a lovestruck Sanji, grinning excitedly at her. Returning the gestures she disappeared in an explosion of flower petals and smoke, leaving the gasping and amazed crew behind, the idiot trio with shining eyes.
Ace turned as he heard a muffled thump, the navigator now sitting on the ground, panting and shaking. Immediately the princess hurried to her friend and knelled beside her, laying an arm around her shoulders to help the other female calm down.
"I... I thought we... wouldn't survive this! This was the Sea Witch! She... she could have killed us all with just a few hand signs!"
Tilting his head to the side and crossing his arms behind it, his younger brother looked at his female friend, completely unconcerned with the experience just now.
"What do you mean, Nami?"
The navigator looked up at her captain with wide, haunted eyes.
"Even Arlong was scared of her. It was said, that she had killed a Sea King with one punch when she had been only 16! And she hadn't even been in the Navy then. Also, she destroyed whole cities while hunting for pirates, killing them without even touching them! And she can walk on water! She is a witch!"
Ace was surprised about this info but also not. One could hardly imagine that a fragile woman like Sakura could be able of actions like that, but he had been able to feel the energy she had let loose. It reminded him of the old man Garp. So, she couldn't be a bad person if she was in cohorts with his adopted grandfather.
Turning to his brother his trademark smirk returned, seeing the determined, excited fire burning in the eyes of Luffy.
"Nee-chan is sooo cool! She will join my crew!", he exclaimed, making his crew drop to the ground in surprise and getting a joined "LUFFY!" from them.
Laughing he crossed his arms behind his head again and closed his eyes, enjoying the fun his friends spread.
Ace joined him and threw his head back, letting the sun shine into his face.
'Please stay like that forever, little brother. Don't loose your innocence in your journey.'