(A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who followed and favorited this story! I promise Toffee won't always be so weak. Well, I kind of see her being where Nami and Usopp stand, but maybe not completely not as involved with the fights the way they're normally portrayed before the time skip. xD Though I do see her being the big sister of the Straw Hats the way Franky and Robin are considered the mom and dad. Even if she might not seem like it most of the time. :P)
"I'm sorry...I couldn't be more helpful..." Toffee said, both guilt and depression seeping into her tone, tears pouring down the eight year old's face while she sat down on the blood splattered ground on her knees.
"Toffee that's-" Cain started to say, biting his lip when Theo held up a hand and moved to sit down beside the girl.
Placing his hand on top of her head, Theo's normally unreadable face broke into one of apology. "No. This is my fault. I told Altair you were ready when clearly you weren't..."
"B-but I should be! Cain and Deimos were my age when they started taking out bad guys!" Toffee sniffled out, gripping tightly onto the black shorts she wore. "I-I just froze when that woman started crying and begging for her life..."
"I can't say it'll become any easier...But that women and her husband were selling orphaned kids to anyone, no matter how shady...They had to be taken out before anymore children could be hurt due to their selfishness and greed..."
Toffee nodded her head in understanding. "I...want to be able to kill without stopping like you do, big brother...The way you and papa can become so calm and even a little scary...I want to be able to fight like that...!"
Cain rapidly shook his head at this. "No, Toffee! You don't need to learn Assassin Mode! You won't feel anything at all when you enter into that state! You'll...you'll become a cold blooded killer, and that doesn't suit you..."
Not saying anything, Toffee's misty eyes shined with determination while she stared into Theo's red and golden eyes, wanting him to know she was willing to do whatever it took. She didn't want to be a burden to her family. They had done so much for her...It was only right she did everything she could to help them. No matter the cost...
Running a hand through his messy locks, Theo murmured, "I'll have to talk it over with the old man first...But-"
"You dirty bastards! How dare you kill my parents!"
"Theo!"
At Cain's startled cry, Theo pulled Toffee protectively against him; his eyes remaining cold and not showing an ounce of fear even when seeing the gun being directed at them. The same couldn't be said for Toffee, and she flinched and buried her face into Theo's chest when the bullet was fired...
"Toffee!"
"Toffee! Can you hear me?"
Eyes shooting open, Toffee caused Nami to shriek and tumble backwards when the girl had lurched upwards; beads of perspiration trailing down Toffee's face while she was unleashing heavy pants. The sound of the gun being fired was still so clear in her mind...
"Sheesh! You could have at least given some warning that you were awake first!" Nami lightly scolded, a hand resting on her own racing heart.
"Was it a nightmare?" Vivi asked with concern as the gray haired woman covered her paler face with a hand.
Toffee was about to say yes, but it seemed better to be truthful. "It was a memory...After my family had finished a job...The son walked in on his parents and all of their servants slaughtered in his home...He aimed a gun at us, but my oldest brother, Theo, caught the bullet with his teeth while another of my brothers killed the young man before he could do anything more..."
"He caught a bullet with his teeth?! That's so cool!" Luffy exclaimed with a large grin.
Nami, Vivi, and Usopp were a bit more disturbed than Luffy was, and Vivi spoke up in an aghast tone, "Your family did something that cruel...Why?!"
"They were selling children...To pirates, people who shouldn't even be around children, and even to the marines who did nothing to stop them because they were a prominent family," Toffee spoke quietly, her words causing those around her to tense up. "I'm not sure if the son was just as guilty, and maybe the servants were innocent...But my family didn't like to leave witnesses. And anyone involved was liable in their eyes..."
Shaking her head and standing up with a small smile, Toffee said, "T-that was in the past. I'd rather just forget all about it...More importantly, what happened with Baroque Works...?"
"We beat them up!" Luffy proclaimed, a fist connecting with his left palm while his nostrils flared.
A relieved look appeared on Toffee's face, and she was glad to see that no one looked seriously injured. "Thank goodness. I'm really sorry I wasn't able to help out more..."
"You got hit by Mr. 5's explosions! Twice! Your lucky to even be alive!" Usopp cried out while waving his arms for emphasis.
"Yeah, so stop blaming yourself. This dunce here would have kept getting caught in that brats Devil Fruit if you hadn't knocked her out," Zoro added, prodding Luffy on the side of his head with the hilt of his sword.
Toffee just timidly smiled. They were all so kind...Even Vivi who barely knew any of them for she had taken off her jacket to place on Toffee.
"Your clothes were damaged in the explosion. I figured you'd be more comfortable having your back covered," the princess explained with a smile, her words causing Toffee to blush. "Are you really alright? Your back is pretty scorched up..."
"I'll put some aloe on it once we return to the ship. But I do have one other question...Why am I wet?" Toffee asked with a sheepish expression.
It turned out that Brogy had been heavily crying over what he believed to be the death of both his rival and friend...Yet miraculously Dorry had survived despite the intensive damage he had suffered. It was a good ending to a day that had started out so chaotic, and the Straw Hats were finally able to just relax once following the two giants to Brogy's campsite.
"I'm sorry. All of this trouble because of me..." Vivi apologized, looking completely miserable.
Nami huffed at this, causing the princess to cry out in pain when her cheek was stretched out. "I don't know who's worse about apologizing all the time. You or Toffee..." she mumbled despite the fact that Toffee was currently scribbling like mad in her log book.
"She's right, Vivi. What are you so down about?" Luffy voiced, munching on some rice crackers alongside Usopp. "Here. Want a rice cracker?"
"Where did you guys even get those?" Nami questioned in disbelief, shaking her head hearing the boys going on about a party.
Vivi couldn't help but smile faintly at the childish display, but she turned to Nami in concern when hearing her letting out a small cry. The navigator had removed her shirt earlier after their wax ordeal, and the princess could make out a nasty red mark on her side.
"What's that?" Zoro asked, eyeing the mark himself.
"It's nothing. Just a bug bite," Nami brushed off, scratching at the inflammation.
Zoro shrugged, figuring Nami knew what she was talking about, and he turned to look back ahead with a scowl. "Man, having to wait a year for the log to set to the next island is pretty serious,"
"Not everyone seems too concerned about that, though..." Toffee mentioned with a tired smile considering Luffy and Usopp were cheering on Heartless who was stuffing his mouth full of crackers.
"We are in your debt," Brogy spoke up with a grin. "There must be some way we can express our gratitude?"
Hopping up onto a nearby bolder, Luffy exclaimed. "Okay then, Mr. Giants, do something about our log!"
Dorry gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "The log is the one thing we can do nothing about.
Toffee peered over at the distressed looking Vivi. It was concerning what this meant for her homeland, and it was obvious the others felt the same from the sudden heavy atmosphere. So it was a bit alarming at the sudden cheerful voice that had arrived to break it.
"Nami-swaaaan! Vivi-chaaaan! Toffee-chaaaan! ...And the rest of you jerks!" Sanji greeted, waving animatedly at the females.
"Yo, Sanji!" Luffy welcomed back happily. Though unlike him, Usopp, Carue, and Heartless were either glaring or snarling at the male who was approaching them without a care in the world. To think Sanji would have the nerve to show up now after all the fighting was done!
Sanji didn't seem to notice the anger being directed toward him, his attention instead turning on the giants where he screamed out, "WHAT THE HELL?! ARE YOU MR. 3?!"
"Hey, how do you know about Mr. 3?" Nami inquired, looking at the cook in surprise.
"WHOA! Nami-san! You're as stimulating as ever~!" Sanji chirped with heart eyes seeing the female's exposed torso. Despite Nami threatening him, Sanji pulled off his jacket and placed it over her like a gentleman. "You'll catch a cold like that." Smiling when Nami awkwardly thanked him, Sanji moved to sit on a nearby log. "Well then, I just had a talk with Mr. 0 on the Den Den Mushi."
"The boss! You talked to him?!" Vivi exclaimed, her pitch a bit shrill due to her shock.
"Ah~ You look gorgeous as well, Vivi-chan~" Sanji swooned, his heart eyes having returned from seeing Vivi's jacket gone where more of her flawless skin was exposed.
"Would you focus and get to the point, you damn perverted cook!" Zoro snapped.
Sanji glared and huffed at the swordsman, but continued by saying, "There was this weird-ass hideout in the middle of the jungle. Seems he mistook me for this Mr. 3. So I went ahead and told him I finished you guys off."
"That means he thinks we're dead, right?" Vivi questioned, a bit of hope having returned to her chocolate colored eyes.
Usopp let out a groan at this, rubbing at his teary orbs. "Why is it that when nobody's looking for us, we can't leave?!"
"We can't leave? Do we still have something to do here?" Sanji asked with a casual grin, pulling out something from his back pocket. "And after I went through the trouble of bringing you this thing."
Sanji tilted his head in confusion considering everyone's jaws had practically dropped to the ground, and Luffy was the first who managed to speak, saying excitedly, "It's an Eternal Pose to Alabasta! We can set sail!"
Everyone was bouncing for joy, and Vivi had even thrown herself at the now elated cook, hugging him and profusely thanking him for she really did believe they wouldn't be able to leave this island until a year had passed.
"Lets have a rice cracker party, everyone!" Luffy cheered, hitting his own bite-sized piece against Nami's as if they were toasting drinks.
"Didn't you and Usopp feed most of them to Heartless-kun, though?" Toffee brought up, pointing down at her shadow who was wiping crumbs from his mouth.
Nami shook her head seeing Luffy and Usopp pouting, having obviously forgotten about this. "We don't have time for this, anyway! Let's go, Captain! We don't have time to mess around here!"
Letting out a small grunt as he stood up, Sanji eyed Zoro who had walked past him. "Oh yeah, you. You haven't forgotten about our Hunting Contest, have you?"
"Nope. And I won, by the way. I got a rhino THIS BIG!" Zoro claimed, extending out his arms.
"A rhino? It had better be edible," Sanji scoffed out.
I can't believe they're still focusing on that Toffee thought with a sheepish smile. When noticing the giants appeared lost in thought, she tilted her head. It almost seemed like Zoro and Sanji's conversation had affected them in some way?
"Well, round old man. Big old man, we're gonna get going," Luffy spoke up, straightening his hat and grinning up at the two.
Brogy blinked, coming out of his thoughts before grinning at Luffy. "I see. Well, you seem to be in a hurry,"
"It's too bad you can't stay, but don't let us keep you," Dorry chimed in with a smirk. "I hope your country is safe."
"Yes. Thank you," Vivi said gratefully with a gentle smile.
"And make sure to look after your two cowardly friends, little girl," Brogy said while looking down at Toffee.
"I'll do my best!" Toffee agreed with a little salute, Usopp and Nami letting out insulted "Oi's!" at the giants comment.
"Later! Don't die anymore!" Luffy chirped, walking backwards while he said his farewells. He ended up backing into Toffee, causing the girl to cry out as she fell to the ground while he let out a yelp himself as he tumbled over her.
Nami slapped her head at the two. Maybe Toffee's clumsiness afflicted others? Or they were both just idiots...And she ended up grabbing Luffy by his hat and taking hold of Toffee's jacket to drag the two off before they could cause anymore trouble. "Hurry up, Usopp! Before we leave you behind!" she called out to the sniper who was happily telling the giants how he'd come to Elbaf one day.
After Nami had snapped at Zoro and Sanji, who were still competing over who had caught the biggest game, to hurry up and get on board the ship so they could set sail, the Going Merry was finally leaving the shores of Little Garden and was now hopefully on her way to their intended destination.
"I think I'm actually going to miss this place," Toffee admitted, holding her log book close to her chest.
"Even though we all nearly died?" Usopp gasped out, looking at the girl incredulously.
"But it's such a unique and beautiful island. And there were some really adorable cats on it~!"
"THEY WEREN'T ADORABLE!" Usopp and Nami yelled out together, karate chopping the older girl on the head and making her wince.
Luffy laughed at this, the grin growing on his face when spotting some familiar faces. "It's the giants! They came to see us off!"
"For all the tiny humans that have come to this island..." Brogy started.
"...the biggest reason they could never reach the next island lies ahead," Dorry continued. "You guarded our honor with your lives."
"And so, we shall do the same, no matter what kind of enemy there may be,"
"A friends honor must never be tarnished, no matter what the cost!"
"Believe in us, and continue straight ahead! Whatever should appear, do not stray from your course!"
Luffy had a surprisingly serious expression on his usually carefree face, and he tipped his hat upwards. "I got it!"
"What the hell?" Zoro muttered.
Usopp gulped while Toffee could feel Nami gripping nervously onto her arm, and the gray haired woman furrowed her brows. Just what in the world was waiting for them up ahead?
"This is farewell," Brogy said a bit somberly as he pulled out his axe.
"We'll meet again," Dorry added, wielding his own blade. "Without a doubt."
Nami unleashed a startled gasp, pointing directly in front of the ship. "Look! Up ahead!"
Something incredibly large and red was rising up out of the water, and Toffee could hear Dorry say what sounded like 'Island Eater'. And she could understand why it was called that. The goldfish looking creature was the perfect size to devour an entire island if he chose to do so. It was clear the Straw Hats were its choice of food source at the moment, for its bulbous eyes were focused solely on them.
"T-turn the helm! Hurry, or we'll be eaten!" Nami cried out frantically, peering up at a frightened Usopp who stood on the upper deck. "Usopp! Hurry!"
"I-I can't! We're going straight ahead!" Usopp declared, even with sweat trailing down his face. "R-right, Luffy?"
Luffy just smiled and gave a simple nod. "You bet!"
"Are you insane! This thing isn't like Laboon!" Nami insisted. They were being pulled into its gaping mouth and would be devoured any second!
"I know. Settle down," Luffy replied, showing no concern as he jumped up to sit down on Merry's head. "Here, have the last rice cracker."
"I don't want it! We've got to turn the ship around!" Nami exclaimed frustrated, having caught the cracker that was tossed at her.
Toffee placed a gentle hand on Nami's tense shoulder. "I know it's scary, but we should trust Luffy, right? And Brogy and Dorry, too,"
Nami was nibbling on the rice cracker while crying, but then motioned over to the door where Heartless was peeking out alongside Carue. "Tell that to your shadow..."
"Heartless-kun! I'm disappointed in you!" Toffee huffed out, placing her hands on her hips. And she puffed up her cheeks when Heartless gave her a little wave before scurrying into the meeting room with Carue. So much for always staying by her side!
It was too late to turn back, and most of the crew could only wait with trepidation as the ship came closer and closer to being devoured. Just as darkness surrounded most of the screaming and crying group, a massive wave of attack energy came shooting inside of the goldfish, creating a hole and allowing the Straw Hats to safely return to the open waves.
"Woo hoo! We flew through!" Luffy roared, throwing his arms up into the air. "No turning back! We're going straight ahead!"
"Such incredible strength...!" Toffee said in awe, stars even shining in her eyes.
"They even pierced the ocean itself!" Usopp sobbed due to his own amazement, large tears trailing down his tanned cheeks. "This is the true strength...of an Elbaf Warrior! It's so awesome!"
"NOW FRIENDS! GO FORTH!" Brogy and Dorry shouted together, the weapons they had used for over 100 years finally breaking and falling into the ocean depths.
Toffee grinned while waving both her arms, knowing they probably couldn't hear but she yelled back, "THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, MR. WARRIORS!"
"I PROMISE! I'LL BECOME A GREAT WARRIOR JUST LIKE THE BOTH OF YOU!" Usopp proclaimed, joining Toffee in waving goodbye to the two giants.
Toffee smiled faintly at Usopp's sniffling, but determined form, gripping at the front of her shirt. And I need to do the same...I have to overcome my fear, or I won't be able to help Luffy and the others out when we face more dangerous foes like those on Little Garden...