3 YEARS LATER

¨Mugiwara no Luffy, a rookie with a 300 million beri bounty. So, you're telling me that he's your little brother?¨ Kira asked, her eyebrow slowing rising. Ace nodded, a proud smile stretching across his face. Kira fought the urge to giggle. He was just so cute!

"Yep! Isn't he great? Although he's always getting into trouble. You wouldn't believe the kind of sh*t he's pulled. What an idiot." He rolled his dark eyes, scratching the back of his head. Noticing her stare, he gave her a cheeky grin and she lightly punched his arm, a small smile on her lips. She grasped the wanted poster of his brother in her hands, staring at Luffy's face. There was something about him that interested her, but she couldn't quite place it.
"Luffy, huh…" She'd have to meet him someday, and ask him why he was so special.

"LUFFFYYYYY!" The cat burglar Nami, a woman with a bounty of 16 million beri, screamed. The bubbles of Sabaody Archipelago floated gently around her, a total contrast to the wrath oozing from her. That IDIOT! What does he think he's doing, using ALL OF OUR MONEY to buy meat?! And now he's RUNNING from me?

She stomped along the street, spotting an unsuspecting vender selling octopus fritters to passers by. Slamming the last bit of money she had on her down on the wooden cart, she ordered every octopus fritter he had, to go.

HA! Even if he's on the run, Luffy could NEVER resist the smell of 6 pounds of octopus fritters! This'll make him come fast.

She wasn't wrong. After about three minutes of waiting, she spotted Luffy beelining through the streets toward her, his nostrils flared to inhale the delicious scent of fried fritters. He didn't seem to remember, or care, that she was still mad at him as he stopped in front of her, already drooling over the crunchy snacks. He made to grab some but she smacked his hand away, scowling.

"None for you, mister. Last time I checked, you wasted all of our money on meat, so I'm wasting the rest on myself." With that, she reached inside the bag and pulled out a handful of fritters, stuffing them in her mouth and chewing loudly. Luffy lurched as if she had punched him, grasping with shaking hands for any stray fritters that might have fallen out.

"N-nami… please… just one… I'm starving!" He pleaded, his puppy-dog eyes ripping her anger to shreds. She sighed, defeated.

"Oh, all right, fine. Ugh, you're so annoying." His happy yelp was muffled as he began to stuff his face, his rubber cheeks stretching to compensate the insane amount of food entering his mouth. He grinned happily, his face lighting up as his stomach began to fill. It only took about two minutes for the fritters to disappear completely and Luffy sighed, content.

What the two didn't notice was that while they had been immersed in their conversation, the rest of the people in the street had started bowing, pressing their foreheads to the grass and murmuring praises that lingered in the still air.

Nami raised her head, noticing the change in the atmosphere. She nudged Luffy, who looked at her dumbly.

The thud of heavy feet on the grass resounded in her ears as she turned, glancing behind her. Her positioning was less than ideal, as she and Luffy were smack-dab in the middle of the street, and they were the only ones still standing for some reason.

"Ummm… What are those pwesents doing in mah wayyyyy?" A garbled voice asked and the thudding stopped. The entire street gasped as Nami turned fully, now face-to-face with a Celestial Dragon.

Oh, sh*t.

"Mooooooove!" The Celestial Dragon, Saint Charloss, yelled, obviously not pleased that a commoner was standing in his line of sight. His slaves shifted as he drew a gun, the golden paint job reflecting on the bubbles floating past. Celestial Dragons were known for their cruelty and willingness to kill anything in there way, something that Nami had forgotten. It seemed that now she would pay the price.

"Nami! MOVE!" Luffy cried out as Saint Charloss fired, aiming for Nami's heart. Luffy, acting on instinct, tackled her to the ground, gasping as the bullet hit his side instead. He slumped over her, panting hard. Saint Charloss grinned, saying something about how it was his fate to die.

"Bullsh*t!" Nami screamed at him. She opened her mouth to say something else when Luffy collapsed, head lolling.

"Luffy? Luffy! What are you doing? Bullets don't affect a rubber man, get up!" She tried shoving him off of her but stopped when she felt warm, sticky liquid dripping onto her legs. Hand shaking, she gently touched his side, withdrawing immediately when Luffy winced.

"S-sorry...Nami...I think he had a-" He was cut short by Saint Charloss, who ordered a slave man to kick him off of Nami. Luffy grunted as the man's foot connected with his face and his body hit the ground, the impact increasing the blood flowing from his wound.

"Stupid boyy! Don't yoo know that I have Sea-Prism-Stone bullets? Now yoo'll dieee!" He raised the gun again, this time aiming for the imobile Luffy. Nami watched in horror and time seemed to slow down as the Celestial Dragon pulled the trigger, firing the bullet in slow motion. She began sobbing as Luffy gave her an apologetic smile, accepting his death. She sobbed harder when he mouthed GO, because he was always risking his life, caring for his crew more than himself. Of course, of course he'd want her to save herself, not him. He was such an idiot, she would not leave him. Even if it meant her death.

"LUFFYYYYY!" She screamed, scrambling toward him as the bullet neared. She had to do something, anything to save him, even if it was jumping in the way. She was replaceable in their crew, but he was not. He had to become King Of The Pirates, otherwise their journey and dreams would be for naught.

She wasn't going to make it. The bullet neared his heart, ready to deliver the killing blow. Time stopped completely as she saw it rip through his shirt-

And then it was gone. Luffy gasped as he realized that his life was not yet over, and Nami sobbed in relief, throwing herself over him and crying into his shirt, ignoring the blood now soaking her hair.

"Hey, Nami, it's okay, don't cry. I'm okay now, see?" He weakly grabbed her chin, his face pale from blood loss. He smiled sweetly, reassuring her, and she realized the position they were in. She quickly shoved away from him, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Yooooo! What doo yoo think yoo are doing?" The Celestial Dragon cried, pointing a chubby gloved hand at the person standing in front of them.
When did she get there? Who is she? Is she the one who stopped the bullet? Nami wondered, taking up a defensive position beside her captain. She drew her climate baton, pointing it at Saint Charloss. The mysterious woman threw out an arm, stopping her in her tracks.

"He's going to die if you don't get him to a doctor, girl. Get going." She said, glancing at Luffy who indeed looked like his grasp on life was slipping. Nami gasped and nodded, lifting Luffy up and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She winced as his weight settled on her. Glancing back at the woman, she smiled her thanks. The woman simply nodded, turning back toward the Celestial Dragon.

Opening her hand, she dropped the Sea-Prism-Stone bullet that was resting in her palm. The Saint's eyes widened; he recognized it as the bullet about to kill Luffy.

How did it get into her hand? He thought, now enraged that his prey escaped.

"Fine, then! I'll just have to kill yoo and get them later!" He screamed, firing his gun repeatedly.

The people still kneeling on the ground screamed as the bullets neared her, but the woman simply smirked. She moved, faster than the eye could see, and dodged every single one. She then appeared in front of Charloss, her fist stopping just before his face. The blowback ripped his bubble away and dented the ground about 100 feet behind him.

"Y-yoo...H-how could yoo...doo...t-this…" He stuttered as his eyes rolled back and he slumped. Two of his slaves hurried to catch him and the woman stepped back, unclenching her fist and turning way.

The people bowing began to stand as the slaves hurried the Celestial Dragon away, grasping at the mysterious woman and praying to whatever god they worshipped. A little girl pushed through the crowd surrounding the woman, clutching onto her shirt and pulling urgently.

"Miss, how did you do that? I thought the Celestial Dragons were all-powerful! Who are you, miss?" She stared at the woman with clear brown eyes, brimming with intelligence. Her golden hair hung in curls around her shoulders and she was missing her two front teeth.

The woman smiled, her beauty almost blinding the people around her.

"My name is Kira, honey, and I'm just a girl looking for her boyfriend."