*Beep* Beep*Beep*Click*

Is it time to wake up already? I was having the strangest dream. There was magic and an egg….so surreal…..why a dream like that….I haven't even seen a fox since Grams passing….so strange.

Clicking off my alarm I start blinking my eyes to get the sleep out of them I focus on the first thing I see. The window is open, the sun is so bright and the air is so clear. Everything is so….ordinary.

Smiling from that thought I roll over to the edge of the bed and stretch my limbs high to pop out all the kinks. Wait, why am I not in my pajamas? As a matter of fact how did I even get home? I don't even remember. Maybe I'm coming down with something, flus are known to cause brain inflammation after all. I'll stop by the infirmary on the way to the office. No bother worrying about it now till the doctor tells me what I have. I hope I catch him on a good day, last time I stopped by he'd been furious over someone's fight that injured quite a few people. He certainly can get creative with that stethoscope when he wants to make folks suffer.

So with this in mind I do my normal routine in the morning. Coffee for the first thing though. Absolutely no one can survive without the elixir of the gods in their system. Shower, a change of clothes and a quick beauty moment. A quick curl of my dark brown hair, a flick of mascara and a tinted lotion for a bit of cover-up in this hot weather and I'm good to go. I have to say my most vain I get with makeup is a bold lip-color. And lately I've been addicted to a lovely plum shade that accentuates my eyes, skin and hair wonderfully. Plum is a shade of purple…purple? Those eyes were purple. Why can't I forget that?

Thinking about a strange dream will do me no good today. Anyhow I've got to get to the office in the next thirty minutes.

Walking across the foyer of the main lobby I notice that there is hardly any people around. It's 7:45am, where is everyone? And the few people that are lingering around all giving me friendly good mornings and wishing me luck? Luck for what? I'll check in at the office really quick and run the coffee maker there ( two cups at home is nowhere near enough to last me the day, plus sometimes I do overnights so its extremely useful to have nearby) then I'll swing by the infirmary for my flu medicine before I check the coo for any mail that need to be sorted.

Reaching my target goal I'm surprised to hear laughter coming from Garps office. It's not the laughter itself that is surprising but the fact that the second voice joining in with Garps laugh is very childlike. Perhaps his grandson is visiting? That would be so nice I haven't seen Luffy in ages. Although Ace must be very lonely on Dawn Island by himself. "Good morning Garp sir, how is your morning goi…."

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. "Girlie!" "Mistress!" "Arara Laurel good morning." *SLAM*

Oh, today's going to be a hard no from me. None of it was REAL!

In my moment of trying to cause forced dementia by hitting my head against the wall Garp opened the door with a glint in his eyes. "Ack! Let me go Garp!" "Can't do that Laurel, we need to talk about your training!" Training?! There is no way in hell I'm going through his training. I've seen that in action with soldiers and most of them end up traumatized!

I'm in a chair and surrounded. Garp, Kuzan and Kong are all circling me like sharks in water, and I am currently stiff as a board because there is a small lump of fur in my lap chattering away in a squeaky voice. It wasn't Luffy it wasn't Luffy it wasn't Luffy. *Breathe* *Inhale* *Exhale* Calm* Ok, I can do this, I may be able to find a solution if I just stay calm.

"Mistress?"

"Ah, I'm sorry about that. I have to admit I thought you were a dream. And please don't call me that." "What should I call you then? You remember my name right? Its Meeko! And I'm an Inari."

A what now? Why do I feel like I've heard that term before? Did Grams mention it? It was so long ago. "Mah mah you can call me Laurel. My full name is Laputa Laurel. And what is an Inari?"

At this point everyone has sat down to join in the conversation, " We were just about to get to that when you walked in Laurel." Garp is scratching Meeko behind the ears and it looks as though they're both enjoying it immensity, Meekos little leg is tapping up and down as he sighs. Kong leans forward to get my attention "Miss Laputa, after last night we must talk about your future with the Marines. As there were…..unfortunate circumstances (aka me fainting) the most we could do was return you to your residence until we could talk. Meeko has been explaining the nature of a familiar to us but wanted to wait for your arrival before going into detail anymore so there would be no repeating."

"I understand sir. However I do have one question before we start. I understand why Garps here as he's my direct commanding officer and why you are here, to represent the Marines and World Governments intentions with this new development." " You're quite right Garp, she's defiantly not naïve or unintelligent." "Bwaha I wouldn't have made her work for me if she was stupid!" Gee thanks Garp. Love you too you blunt jerk.

"But what I don't understand is why Kuzan is here." "ARA? You serious?" "Yes, Garp and Kong make perfect sense but you have no affiliation with Garps unit outside of training sessions or when you both play pachinko to avoid work on the roof." "HEY! That's not something you tell people Laurel!" Bite me Garp I'm so done with you right now. "So I'll ask again, why is Kuzan here?" Kong looks at Kuzan in question and of Kuzans reply is "What? I'm nosy." Overgrown matchstick head, flatfooted yeti bastard.

"There you go, answer given." THAT'S NOT AN ANSWER!

"Fine, so where exactly do we begin Meeko?"

"At the beginning Laurel of couse."

A/N

SO MEEKO LOOKS LIKE A FENNEC FOX IN CASE ANYONE WAS WONDERING. AND INARI ARE A REAL THING WHICH WILL BE EXPLAINED NEXT CHAPTER.

I DO NOT OWN ONE PIECE