-=Merchant Days=-

Another day onto the strangest beginnings yet! For only those who can, eat some fruit to make yourself healthier. If you want to live longer follow the advice of cabbages.

Anyway on with the story!

"Alright let's check the map now."

Okay, so I've gotten lost again. No biggy, all I have to do is find out where I'm currently at. So if I started about right here then within a few hours I should've reached there.

"What did I do wrong?" I questioned myself. All I did was blow the strongest gust I could manage without breaking the sail. Oh wait, shit! I shouldn't have used that strong of a gust. Calm down Rogue! You got this, all you got to do is find your location on the map and then reach your destination.

Great! Location found, now all I have to do is check the map again for the island. I looked at the map along with the compass to find out if I went in the right direction. I saw that I indeed was going in the right direction now, phew! As I got closer, I could see the forests that covered the entire island with only minor patches of light that went through it.

Upon landing ashore I placed down my pack full of items onto the grassy edge of the island. With my items in tow I looked around for any signs of life. Only to see nothing that seemed to be man-made or similar. No noises could be heard that seemed to be made by human life, only animals and of the like could be heard here. After some thought I started a little campfire on the grassy shore and hooked my ship onto a rock nearby to keep it inshore. I prepared for the night as I looked towards the sun to see it lowering and leaving the sky to the night.

As I laid down, all my thoughts were running through my head as they all focused around the same thing. Why wasn't there anybody around? I could only hope that there were people around as I stared into the night sky with only nature surrounding me.

"You think she's awake?"

"I don't know, why don't you poke her?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean obviously someone has to wake her up!"

"You know if you poke wind with a stick nothing happens."

"Aaaaaaaaah!" These two kids screeched. They hugged each other as tightly as they could in terror. Their indiscriminate features stood out as they were both a glossy white. Their eyebrows seemed to be small to nonexistent. Both stood around 4ft in height. They had a smooth curved chin along with tiny ears hiding on the side of their heads. And their nose was quite normal at least. I observed further to notice a few bruises on their face around their circle-ish type of mouth along with their big round flaming orange colored eyes staring at me. Both had on basic blue shorts and a green-ish white shirt.

"W… Wh... Who are you lady?" They said together as they seemed to calm down enough to realize I wasn't angry. They looked quite strange to be kids with their bruised faces.

"I'm Rogue, what's up?" I say as I rose my hand to greet them, only to see them cower back in fear again like before. Almost like a scared dog who thought it was going to get punished. What sort of damage has been done to them to react like that to a normal handshake? "I'm not going to hurt you two." I started, "I'm only here to see if there's a need for a merchant."

After I said that they immediately began to warm-up to me talking about how they saw me out on the shore the day before, but were too scared to go say hi to me. Understandable, as they were children but what of the adults? Why weren't they there as well to help?

"So what are your names?"

"I'm Pep!" The skinnier one stated.

"And I'm Pap!" The more average kid said.

"And we are the P brothers!" They shouted together.

Hm. They seem so energetic now; I wonder what's wrong with them and why they're on edge so much. I looked back at them as they smiled great big D-shaped smiles. But with their eyes it told another story. I could only tell that there was something bad going on with this island that I had yet to figure out myself. I could only gaze on as they continued to touch my stuff? Wait a moment!

"Why're you guys touching my damn stuff!"

"We're sorry, it will never happen again!" Almost systematically they apologized back to me as though they had rehearsed it to the max. Definitely something was going on in hand and I needed to find out why.

"So where are you two from?"

"Well! There's a village in the forest where the town is!" They answered cheerfully.

"But I couldn't see any towns while coming onshore yesterday?"

"Well, we live deep in the forest!" Pep started.

"So that pirates won't see us and raid our town!" Pap ended.

"Oh!" Quite an ingenious plan that could fool almost anyone out there that would do so, almost no flaws could be stated. With my thoughts rapped up I looked on into the dark ominous forest. My fear that someone stealing my stuff came into mind, so I left my stuff at the shore while proceeding to follow the children to their town.

While at first glance the forest was beautiful and full of fresh fragrances, looks can be deceiving as a bear pulled out to attack me. Only for me to swiftly dodge the down-cut from the bear and attack him before he had the chance to attack me again.

"Air Pressure!"

The bear slammed into the ground as I slammed my hand against its head without any mercy. When I looked back at it, the bear was so scared that it ran away while haphazardly tripping over branches and bushes.

"Amazing!"

I looked back to see the two children hiding behind a rock. Etched onto their faces were glowing eyes that almost blinded me. But yet their eyes still told a different story.

While walking, we had to stop as the sun started setting and the night was beginning. I started a campfire as they all gathered around me like my own kids. Both snuggled up close to me and laid their heads against my chest to fall asleep.

"Do you ever look up at the sky and wonder about everything out there in the world?" They asked.

"Yeah, I do. With life like this just traveling around East Blue it makes you wonder. How it is out there or maybe about what is the best food out there. Ha-ha!" I answered.

"Don't you ever question the things you see wondering if it is real or not? Because me and Pap both think that even when you've explored the whole world it won't matter since there will always be more. There could possibly be zombies in the world somewhere just waiting to fight or maybe some floating island even. Imagining is useless as there is always something out there that will be out of this world."

"True, but with exploration comes experience which leads to my question. Why are you guys out here by yourselves?"

"Our parents trust us you know! Even though we're only 10, I bet there are even stranger things out there. Just think about it for a second."

I started thinking about everything they had just said. I could only fathom to imagine what the whole world is. And even when I do find out about every place, where is the fun then. It really prompts me to think more on what is really being asked of me. With the dark green jungle surrounding all of us while we were gathered around the crackling campfire I thought of the real question behind it.

"So are you saying that even when your adventure or dream is over? There is always more to it afterwards."

"More of the experience behind the adventure, from how it starts to how it ends there's always something more after every little thing. Take a dream and finish it. What do you get? Sure it's done but the adventure that you went through with all memories you hold it begs the question of whether the dream was really all you achieved."

"Well they say that behind every door is a secret waiting to be revealed!" I told them.

"Ha-ha nee-chan you're really strange!"

"Well, I'm sure I could say the same thing about you. Now let's go to sleep before the sunrise" As I spoke I began to lay my head against the tree as the two got into a more comfortable position to sleep. I slowly closed my eyes and went into my slumber.

"Adventure?" What are the things truly behind all of it? The good and the bad combined makes you really think doesn't it. Who knows if you can accomplish your goal but is it all you have achieved if you do or not?

Pondering the thought of it just goes to show that the prize probably is not the only thing behind. Yet what were the two kids trying to tell me? That adventure is more than meets the eye or possibly something more?

I may never understand the two even if I tried to anyway. But what is hidden in behind their eyes that hold such a past.

I drowsily opened my eyes only to find out that I was by myself on the plain of grass. Nowhere in my sight were the two children but yet I could hear them. Slowly I went towards the noise being made in the distance as I started to become more focused. All the grass near me was blowing with the wind slowly as though a hymn was playing in the background. Slowly the air caressed my face softly tingling all my senses and face with its cool touch that left no mark. As I approached the spot of the noise it felt as though I was walking against something that was pushing me back.

In the opening were four graves all lined up together and next to each other. Each one having some wear and tear marks that had affected it over the amount of time it was here. My eyes peering at the words read "Pep Woodlum" and "Pap Woodlum". As strange as it may have felt at first I could only grasp the air around me wondering what was happening. Slowly I turned around not wanting to face the truth.

Even when I knew I saw ghosts of the two kids I couldn't help but wonder why they talked to me. Completely disregarding the supernatural I found out they had died about 22 years ago when testing out to see if the new land was habitable. I wonder who buried them into the ground only to hear a soft crunch near me. I turned swiftly hoping that it was all a dream but alas it was not. There stood an old man who looked to be in his 70's staring at me. His skin and bones showing behind his old wrinkly sky blue shirt and green overalls.

He silently stared at me as I did the same to him. Plastered on his face was surprise when seeing me. Sluggishly he walked closer and closer to me and asked who I was.

"Just a girl on an adventure of sorts."

He took the answer with stride and sat crisscrossed next to me. It was silent but the two of us understood what the other would say and we just sat in peace for a few minutes enjoying each other's company.

"I bet you met the ghost of these two didn't you?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, you should try and take their help in stride because they have been here for awhile lonely."

"Yeah…" Tears started gathering in my eyes when I thought of the short time I knew the two. Life just seemed so unfair at some points just like this time.

"Well the town is nearby. Come if you want."

I got up off the ground while slapping off any dust that was on me. Next I went to the town with the old man. I went around checking for any items or utilities that I might need for a later date. Softly I began to hear the melody around me play just like when I was younger.

Slowly time passes by…

Leaving only the memories of us…

Traveling across the seas…

Never ending adventure…

With my little hands I grasp that dream…

Helping others realize theirs…

Slowly as time pass by…

Yet truly what lies ahead…

We may never know!

I could only shut my eyes and listen to the melody play. Memories of my brothers hit me hard along with the two ghost kids. Even when I truly never knew the two it had felt like I've known them for years by now. Thinking back on their question of what was an adventure without memories I promised myself I would stay the same once again. Placing a little Cordelia on the grave I began my trek back to my boat.

The bear this time around only stared at me in acknowledgement. It was as though everything around me understood what was happening and could understand my pain. Even when it was small, this memory of mine I will always treasure to the end of this world.

I looked back towards the forest after leaving its almost magical embrace on me. Everything as though a curse was placed in the beginning lifted up and out into the sky. With my dream in hand I placed my items back onto my boat and unanchored it from the shore and began to leave.

With a slow cool whispering breeze I looked back to see the two children waving at me. Their eyes so different from before. Now holding more light in them that radiated even in the sunlight. I silently watched as they cupped their hands around their mouths.

"It was nice one-chan! Meeting you was different!"

I held a yell back from coming out at them and just took a seat and looked into the sky wondering their question once again. What was an adventure? I may never know but I can only try to find out what it was while I was on my own.

"To be known across the world!"

Heh. What is my dream? Someday I'm sure I'll find out what mine is. With one last look towards the island I turned around to face forwards and hope for the best as I traveled more. I closed my eyes only to be suddenly slapped in the face with a piece of paper. I picked it off and read the paper. My eyes quickly scanning the paper over and over surprised by what I saw. After not hearing anything or looking for anything about him. He already has to be famous.

"Wanted Portgas D. Ace!"

Hello again my fellow ducks! This time around I wrote a little more character to her. Hopefully it doesn't make her seem really unrealistic. Cause you know I'm trying to build some character for her so it doesn't seem like nothing is happening. I want it to be more passionate or something like that. But as always I hope you review about what I could write about island wise or someone for the next chapter.

Hopefully it won't be rushed but I may rush at some moments. So really this story is like a learning experience for both you and me. With all this in hand there won't be any confusion whatsoever till next time.

Thanks to Black Night Wolf for beta'ing, she's the best! And as always I hope your day is Quackful!