Chapter 1

Brilliant rays of light filtered shyly through thick cumulonimbus clouds. Bright slanted streaks stretched down from the heavens, glittering like the stairway that guides the dead to long-lasting paradise. The light danced across the vast ocean's surface, in which said ocean had swallowed the rather radiant white luminescence whole in return. The light glimmered against the sea, like a swarm of butterflies beating against a cage made of glass. A light breeze would push along small waves, while also carrying the intangible smell of sea salt. The angry storm had finally ebbed, and what remained of it was now a peaceful atmosphere.

In the middle of this sea sailed a brightly coloured brigantine ship, which starkly stood out from the blue that endlessly surrounded her. The Thousand Sunny stood proud; her sails flapping endlessly in the calm midday breeze. With the help of her beloved nakama aboard her deck, she and the Mugiwara no Ichimi were off to destinations and adventures unknown. Upon the ship's figurehead sat a man who wore a hat of golden woven straw. He sat with his back against her orange mane; hands grabbing at his knees and round brown eyes looking outwards to the shimmering ocean beyond him with barely contained glee.

Monkey D. Luffy did this everyday. Literally… If he wasn't stealing food from Sanji; sleeping alongside Zoro on Sunny's warm, grassy deck; asking Nami about where exactly they were heading; poking at Chopper and Usopp for another round of tag; sitting with Robin as she told him about the current book she was reading; listening to snippets of song ideas from Brook; or bugging Franky about his next cool robotic contraption… Then there he sat, taking in the warmth of the sun and the feeling of freedom in the form of the salt-laden breeze.

It is times like these he reflects on what led him to this moment. All of the friends he had made, and all of the hardships he went through to get to where he was right now. But, thinking about these things made his brain hurt. And thinking about the past was just plain boring! So, it also was times like these where he could unwind and embrace the feeling of his nakama safe around him. There were no archipelagos, no bubbles, no Marines, and definitely no Shichibukai. Just him, the vast sea, his ship, and his crew.

(And it was a crew who he'll never, EVER lose again. Not if he could prevent it. Which- he WILL. He's stronger now. Much, MUCH stronger. The two year timeskip had done wonders to both his nakama and he - as proven from the battles they faced in Fishman Island. He was so proud of them; and so HAPPY they were all alive.)

He continued to just sit on Sunny's figurehead - or, as he'd like to call it: The Captain's Special Seat - until the sky shifted into a beautiful palette of oranges, reds, pinks, and purples. They streaked across the evening sky like delicate strokes from an artist's paint-brush. It was around this time that Sanji would finish up with supper, and all of the crew would clamor into the galley to feast on whatever the blond chef had prepared for them. Luffy was hoping it was another big banquet! They have had one every day since they left Fishman Island, and it made the rubber-man extremely happy every single time. Out of all the things he missed while training with Rayleigh on Amazon Lily, it had to be Sanji's food.

"Dinners ready, you shitty idiots!" Sanji called, who had poked his head through the galley door and cupped a hand to his cheek as he did so. And, of course at that, Luffy wasted no time clamoring to his feet and giddily hopping from his throne with nothing more than the flicking of his sandals to beat his nakama to the dinner table. He ended up stuck as he, Usopp, and Chopper all tried to squeeze themselves through the door at the same time - a continuous endeavor that they'll NEVER learn from, especially Luffy himself. A nice shove from Franky had been enough to send the trio toppling over each other and crashing to the floor in a small heap.

A mumbled thanks from Usopp had the cyborg shipwright giving a thumbs up and a cheeky smirk in return. Said cyborg had bent down and given a disoriented Chopper a couple of pats on the head from the smaller hand that was built into Franky's metal palm. Robin would probably never let the man live it down if he didn't apologize - and rightfully so, if the look in the woman's eyes didn't tell enough as she watched the entire display from her seated place at the table. Franky shuddered at the mere thought of the woman's impending wrath. And throughout this, a certain rubber-man had guffawed in his spot on the floor.

Luffy had been beaten to the dinner table by both Robin and Nami, much to the man's chagrin. They had probably been there for plenty of time before Sanji had called out to the boys of the crew for dinner - if the book that sat in front of the archeologist, and the shared tea between her and Nami wasn't enough to go by. The Mugiwara Captain had ended up getting over his disappointment quicker than ever, though, and skittered to his spot at the table. Bouncing at the edge of his chair with a little more exuberance that needed to be; he awaited for all his beloved nakama to settle down at the table to feast. A huge grin had plastered itself onto his face, as if he were a child waiting to receive candy from his parents. And once Sanji himself had given the call, feast is exactly what they did.

Dinner was as chaotic and messy as usual. But, when wasn't it when Luffy was present at the table? The man practically dove into the many plates of meat Sanji had set out for dinner, and stuffed his cheeks full with it. And, if whatever on the table wasn't enough… rubberized arms slithered around his nakama to steal from their unguarded plates. The familiar sound of a fork being slammed down into rubbery flesh could be heard, as well as an unrelenting yowl that would come from a certain gluttonous thief. It appears that even as the years went by, Luffy's grandiose appetite and terrible thievery will NEVER change.

Zoro would glare - albeit playfully, as he would never outright harm his captain for something as miniscule as this (or really, he wouldn't harm him at all.) - at Luffy, who only laughed through the pain at being caught red handed in his schemes once again. The fork was let up, and the rubber arm slumped back to its original person. If Zoro wouldn't allow Luffy to steal from his plate, then off to the next victim! (Though, let's just say that each of his attempts to steal from his other nakama's plates were still as fruitless as the first had been.)

Throughout the chaos of the dinner table, though, a rather civil conversation was being held. Nami had completely set down her fork and looked at the triple Log Pose on her wrist. Her lips would set themselves into a grim thin line, and her eyebrows knitted together as if to frown. Sanji, having noticed her abrupt change in behavior, would lower his own fork from his lips and peered at the ginger-haired woman with a lifted brow.

"Is something the matter, my dear?" The blond asks, his voice soft and tender, yet also loud enough for Nami to hear through the cacophonous sounds from the surrounding crew. Nami looks up to him and attempts a small smile. Leave it to Sanji to know when exactly a woman was feeling down.

Nami was trying to get used to the new Log Pose she had been given back at Fishman Island. It wasn't anything complicated. It was just now there were three Log Poses built into the bracelet, unlike the single one she had always used too. She knew that New World navigation was way more complicated than it had been in Paradise… But she couldn't help but fear that she was failing at her job somehow. It didn't help that the fact that the surprise storm that had hit them earlier today had left everyone a little more winded than usual… ESPECIALLY her. It had put a huge damper on her mood. Sanji only needs to glance at the red-headed woman to understand what was going on. He gives her a knowing nod, before smiling with his teeth.

"Well, I'm sure whatever it is.. You'll pull through. You're our navigator, and have never led us into something we couldn't handle. Why should that be any different now?" The reassurance of Sanji's words make her smile, and any unnecessary fear that lingered within her would wither. Of course the blonds words won't FULLY rid her of her nagging fears, but that didn't mean that it hadn't given her a helpful shove in the right direction. Now it was her turn to pull herself up and out from the quicksand, and march straight on ahead with confidence and pride. It's what Luffy would do. It's what he ALWAYS does. All of a sudden, her fears feel so silly. She just needs to trust herself, and things should turn out alright. (If not, she and her nakama had always gone from leaps to bounds just to survive. And especially now that they were strong enough to take on whatever the New World decided to throw at them, she knew they would be more than prepared for it.)

"Thanks, Sanji-kun." She says, hoping that she had been heard through the chaos of the dinner table. The blond would flash a bright grin - confirming that he had definitely heard her - and shake his head.

"It's no trouble, really. I'm happy to help in any way I can." Which was true. Sanji would always stoop down low to help any woman in need. Be it throwing his own clothes over puddles so they could walk safely across, or sacrificing himself for their honor. Some of these same principles apply to his nakama as well, even if he doesn't… show it often.

Raucous laughter swells up from the dinner table suddenly, and it had effectively grabbed both Nami and Sanji's attention. They both turned their heads in sync to see that Luffy was playing with his food again. His cheeks were impossibly stuffed with food, which gave the man the appearance of a hamster. There was also the accompaniment of Usopp and Franky who cheered their captain on by slapping harshly at the dining table's surface. Except, now Robin was grabbing and pulling at Frany's ear with her devil fruit ability for his childishness, and Brook chuckling at the cyborgs misfortune with an enthusiastic "Yohoho!". The shipwright's painful yowling elicits soft, nostalgic laughter from the Mugiwara no Ichimi's navigator, and a rather irritable shake of the head from the blond chef.

"You damn shitty rubber! Stop playing with your food and eat!" Exclaims Sanji, clearly exasperated at the sight of his Captain being a childish fool. The urge to jump across the table and kick the man over the head was stronger than ever, as well as to make quick work of those who encouraged it. Usopp looks the other way, and whistles as he grabs his utensil and brings a forkful of food to his lips. He was obviously trying to avoid the blond chef's dangerous glare. Luffy laughs and chunks of meat fly from his mouth as he does so. He eventually swallows everything he had stuffed into his face with a LARGE gulp. The sight of a huge lump traveling down his throat and into his body was a sight that only a person made from rubber could accomplish. It was also a sight the crew was practically desensitized to.

Eventually, things calm significantly due to Sanji's interference. The sound of dishes clacking, and utensils scraping filled the galley - as well as the soft, murmured apologies from Franky to Robin. Chopper was quietly fretting about the cyborg's ear, no matter the reassurances said cyborg tried to give him. Luffy licks at his fingers, before rubbing them together as if preparing himself to pounce into the food once more. Except, he isn't able to. Something prevents him from commencing. He settles his hands down on the table, looking across to see Zoro settling down his bottle of booze, and Sanji wiping his face with a cloth. They both look at Luffy with a knowing gaze. They had felt it too.

The sound of muffled splashing is heard, and Thousand Sunny jostles aggressively to the side. The galley tilts; food and dishes sliding dangerously close to the edge of the table. A few glass cups fall to the floor, and a slew of curses fall from a certain blond chef's mouth. Luffy jumps up from his spot, and practically rockets himself out the door - through the door, actually - with nothing more than the stretched limbs that guided him. Sanji yells about the abuse of his galley, and Franky about the abuse of the Sunny in general. (The poor gal already had ENOUGH property damage…) Luffy ignores it, in favor of his curiosity on what caused his haki to prickle. The rest of his nakama had evidently followed suit shortly after.

Out at sea was another ship. It was considerably sized; probably a Carrack type by the looks of it. The ship itself wasn't under the Navy, nor was it another crew of Pirates. It didn't sail with any kind of flag. It was just… a ship. It really didn't give the Mugiwara no Ichimi any descriptors on who exactly they were fighting. Cannonballs whizzed by them and hit the surrounding water, further causing the Thousand Sunny to rock violently against the waves. It was obvious on which course of action the Mugiwara no Ichimi should take. Protect the Sunny, and kick their attackers ass for threatening them and their wooden nakama!

They scattered. Franky took the helm to keep Sunny out of any clear line of fire, and the rest tackled the cannonballs that were continuously shot at them. The assault was clearly coming from the unidentified boat; but what for? For fun? For their bounties? It wouldn't be unwise to chalk the boat up to being a crew of gutsy bounty hunters. There was the sound of singing blades as Zoro sliced, of growing plants from Usopps 'Pop Greens', and even of inflatable skin from a certain rubber Captain's 'Gomu Gomu no Fusen'. When cannonballs proved to be useless against the Mugiwara no Ichimi, the boat decided to move closer so they could broach a more close range tactic; raiding.

Upon eye observation, the ship was crawling with people. The number seemed to increase as it inched closer and closer. That wasn't a problem though. The Mugiwara no Ichimi were always ready to take on a fight! Luffy falls to the ground after slinging away the final cannonball with a clap of his sandals. He steps in front of his nakama, and cracks both his fingers and then his neck. They wait as the ship parks close to the Sunny, and as ropes and hooks cling to her rails so both her and the ship stay closely connected. There's the sound of cheers as many, MANY individuals raise their weapons to declare their eagerness for the upcoming battle.

Luffy doesn't exactly pay them any attention though. His focus was on something else. Something in the back of his mind prickled. He couldn't exactly pinpoint WHAT it was exactly, but he did know this. There was something powerful on that ship. Perhaps it's their leader? Well, whatever it may be, he's not just going to ignore it. Luffy was never one to ignore an adventure!! Once the battle commences; and the opposing enemy rushes onto the Sunny's grounds like a massive tidal wave; Luffy wastes no time stretching his arms back, coating them with armament haki, and then whipping them forward to shove away the many bodies and weapons that had come barrelling at him.

A smile stretches across his face in a way only HE can. There's a small pit of excitement growing in his gut like some sort of ulcer. People go flying off the Thousand Sunny as Luffy pummels his way through the rushes of enemies with nothing more than armament haki and elongated arms. They scream as they fly over the rails before splashing into the water below. The rest of the crew pay no mind to Luffy's actions, as they were pretty typical at this point. Plus, they were too focused on toppling their own (not so) fair share of enemies.

He makes it to a pretty decent sized latch, Luffy thinks. He yanks it open and hops inside before anyone can catch up to him or prevent him from going inside. His sandals slap onto the floor below, and his knees bob in a way only a rubber-man's could. Funny. He can't break his knees if they're just rubber. The room is dark, and round brown eyes blink as they adjust to the dark lighting. The feeling that was pulling Luffy in like metal to a magnet had become stronger than it had been when he was on the Sunny. It was obvious he was getting closer. Though… At the same time, he could feel as that sensation became more wild, and more frantic than it had been before. Perhaps it could feel him too?

Once Luffy's eyes had adjusted to the low brightness of the room, only then could he see where exactly he should go. Of course, he could have also just trusted his gut instinct and rammed into the walls or something. But, he didn't exactly feel like doing that. So, instead he busted through the door. He darts down many hallways, pausing only to beat up some unfortunate lackeys who were standing on guard, before continuing to dart down the hallways once more. And still, that feeling Luffy was following had grown. Those hallways turned into different rooms, latches, and even ladders. It was like a labyrinth, despite the ship being a little smaller than the Sunny herself.

He found himself in a corridor. Along each wall were large metal doors that stretched themselves down to the end. But, from what he could feel, there wasn't anybody being held in them… except for one person. Luffy didn't know why they were locked in a cell. He was under the impression that this sensation belonged to the leader or captain of this ship! But, apparently not? Or maybe they were, and chilling in cells was just… a hobby or something? Luffy shakes his head. He takes down the hallway, observation haki stretching to the farthest he could make it. His nakama are still fighting above, and the people he beat up were out cold. He didn't feel anybody coming in his general direction either.

Luffy kicks down a door, and some bits of the wall. It ends up flying across to the other side of the cell. Cement and drywall crumbled as Luffy sets his foot down. Dust mingled in the air from the destruction he had created. There's a sudden rancid smell that hits his nose, and he wrinkles it up in discomfort. And that strong sensation had spiked up to an overwhelming blare. It was so strong. He could feel it. He could feel THEM. It was a person. And what he was feeling was their 'Voice'. It was so loud, and equally as frantic. Luffy frowns. This wasn't the feeling of an incredibly wrong enemy. No. This was the feeling of someone with oversensitive observation haki that they cannot control.

The dust clears enough to reveal a figure in the darkness of the cell. They settle themselves at the back corner of the room, their body pressed against it. They were curling into themselves, as if to appear like the smallest being in the world. Their hands held over their ears, as if to block out noise. Luffy falters. He doesn't exactly know what to do. Obviously him busting into the room had scared the living daylights out of the guy. So, instead he decided to observe. He takes in their trembling form, and their very LOUD 'Voice'. It's so weird for something so pathetic looking to have such GREAT haki, albeit frantic as it was. It makes him wonder…

Time marches onwards, and the cell is silent. Luffy doesn't like this. He doesn't understand why they were just… trembling and acting like he wasn't there. Were they tuning him out? Ignoring him? Did Luffy somehow die and now he's a ghost? Okay, that one doesn't make sense! He can't die! He needs to become King of the Pirates! There's no way he's dying until then! Besides, he doesn't remember ever dying recently. So, that rules out that option.

Luffy takes a step inwards, and FINALLY there's movement in the room. The smell of mildew and manure (probably human) is much more prominent now that he's inside. The figure at the corner of the room jolts, and tries to push themselves further into that corner. But, it doesn't exactly do them any good because… Well, it's a corner. They couldn't phase through physical objects. Unless… Maybe they could? No, no. Because if they could they would probably be gone by now. There's a whine, and it's sad and pathetic and Luffy doesn't understand why they're doing this. He couldn't see much through the darkness of the room, besides the outline of their trembling form. A light could really come in handy right about now.

"Who're you?" Luffy decides to ask instead, since he wasn't getting any responses otherwise. And, still. There is nothing. The rubber-man takes yet another step. The whine is now a whimper. The figure 'Voice' is nothing but fear and anxiety. Obviously, they didn't want him coming near. Obviously they didn't want to talk to him. But Luffy couldn't fully understand that. He just wanted them to respond, and they were doing anything BUT. Luffy taps his foot, and frowns.

"You're really weird." He says, simply, as if stating a fact. He wasn't exactly wrong. This situation in itself was very weird. (But, it's also pretty hypocritical for him to call them weird when he was literally a guy made out of rubber.) It was also very wrong. Luffy receives no response, still. Clearly, he didn't get the memo that the figure didn't want to speak to him. But, he didn't really care. He wanted to talk to them, and they weren't responding. So he's going to get them to respond. Luffy takes more steps to where he was fully inside the room. He moves closer to the figure, and said figure tenses in return. They were looking straight at him, and Luffy did the same in return.

Now that they were closer, Luffy could see more than what he had been able to before. A mop of pink hair that flowed down to their shoulders, strikingly blue eyes, a large cross shaped scar on their forehead, a fairly muscular build, some bandages that were wrapped loosely around rather grotesque looking wounds, cuffs on their wrists, and a metal collar that settled itself around their neck. There was something so… familiar about it, as well. That collar… And then he was back in Sabaody, watching as a Celestial Dragon mounted on a slave strolled right pass. People around bowed to them, but not him. Or, not until he was forced too.

Suddenly Luffy understands. And suddenly he's really angry too. This person was a slave. This ship was a slave ship, and the people he was fighting were slave traders. There really wasn't any other way to explain this. The slave before him was awfully still as they continued to press themselves against the wall. They watched Luffy, like a skittish animal to its abusive owner. It's not something he would see with someone with such a powerful 'Voice'. Fearful people didn't usually HAVE haki. It was for those who had dreams, and the will to achieve those dreams.

And suddenly Luffy realizes. This person must have had one. But they were stripped from it before they had the chance to even achieve it. And that's a whole new level of anger that would wave over him. That was wrong. So SO damn wrong. And suddenly, he wants to free this person too. Everyone deserves to achieve their dreams. Even this guy. His dreams had to be big if his haki was THIS strong. So, Luffy breathes. He was rather calm despite the realizations that struck him. Or, at least he APPEARED calm. He looks at the slave before him, who looks back with so much FEAR and anxiety - something no one should have towards a person. He offers out a hand, and the slave flinches. Luffy pays the action no mind.

"Come be free with me." Luffy declares, because really, it wasn't in any slightest an offer. And the slave just looks back at him, the fear in their eyes slowly meshing between confusion and paranoia. It was like Luffy had spoken in a language that was completely foreign to them. The rubber-man would purse his lips, as his hand had not been taken. He did appear to rouse something within them, though. They weren't as fearful as they were confused. And that's progress. Luffy had moved his hand again, but this time it raised upwards to touch the top of his straw hat. He removed it from his head, and stepped closer to the slave.

The straw hat was placed on top of their head. Luffy steps away to take in what happens next. The slave lifted their hands from their ears, and began to gingerly touch the brim of the straw hat like it were fragile glass. They were silent, or that was until tears sprouted from beneath their eyes and fell down their cheeks. They bite their lip, and stifle a soft, broken sob. And then more of those follows suit. Luffy cringes, because well… He was never too fond of crybabies. But he doesn't do anything. He waits as they begin to bawl, hands touching the straw hat on top of their head like it was going to disappear if they were to let go.

Eventually, they stop crying. Or rather, the crying slows down to just sniffles and hiccups. And Luffy is happy that THAT'S all over. Letting someone cry out their feelings is probably the best case scenario. Besides, that's what Jinbe had done with him after his mental breakdown on Amazon Lily. Luffy decides to take this time to extend his hand out again, and ask them a question once again. The slave is trying their hardest to wipe away their tears with their arms and palms, but the effort is half fruitful. The cuffs and chains they wore would knock against their face and rub against it despite their efforts.

"So, are you ready?" He asks. The slave just looks up at him from under the brim of the straw hat, eyes glistening with unshed tears still. They don't exactly respond, but the look alone is enough to tell Luffy their answer. And so, the Mugiwara Kaizoku captain smiles. It's WIDE, and carefree. The exact definition of freedom if it had taken on a physical form. Luffy wastes no time in grabbing the slave - because clearly they weren't going to do it themselves - and hoisting them up onto his shoulder like a burlap sack of potatoes. The slave flinches and squirms, but then just sinks into Luffy's touch after realizing he wasn't going to do any harm.

They escape. It's as simple as that. There's no if, ands, or buts about it. Luffy resurfaces from the ship, but with a new companion in tow. The hatch - plus a massive chunk of wooden deck - is punched through, and it goes flying high into the sky. Luffy slings himself out of the hole he created with elongated, stretchy arms; and the slave he was carrying would hold on for dear life. There's laughing, and it sounds like the chiming calvary bells of freedom. Luffy's sandals smack onto the deck, and the slave on his back sputters and clutches Luffy the best they could like he was some sort of lifeline. The surrounding enemies were down for the count. Clearly, his nakama had made quick work with them. Luffy approaches his closest nakama, which so happened to be Zoro, and shuffles around the trembling, overwhelmed slave that still clung to him.

"Ne, ne. You guys beat them all up without me?" Luffy would whine, his face morphing into a rather childish sulk. Zoro would turn fully to Luffy as he sheathed his sword, Wadou Ichimonji, and rested a hand comfortably on her white hilt.

"Sorry, Senchou. Better luck next time." The green-haired man says through a forming smirk and shrugs. He then notices the shivering companion his Captain had clinging to his side like some kind of barnacle. The swordsman decides to raise a single eyebrow in inquiry.

"Who's that?" Zoro asks, and Luffy responds with a huge smile.

"Just someone I found! They're a slave I think?" Luffy declares, a little too happily than needed to be. ESPECIALLY when mentioning that the person with him was a slave. Luffy then jolts upwards, as if remembering something.

"Oh! Zoro! Have you seen Chopper?" Luffy asks, but before Zoro can reply his Captain is swerving around in the direction he thinks the reindeer doctor to be in and cupping his hands to his mouth.

"Oiiii! Chopper!!" The rubber-man calls, and is immediately responded with the sounds of hooves clomping on wooden deck flooring. Chopper approaches in 'Walk Point', seemingly happy to respond to his Captain's call. Luffy is also enthusiastic to see his reindeer doctor, apparently.

"Ne, Chopper! Do you think you can take care of them?" Luffy asks, and is thumbing at the slave that still clung desperately to his form. Said slave was looking down at Chopper with immense paranoia. They were clinging to Luffy on his back now, as the rowdy jostling had knocked them from the rubber-mans shoulder multitudes of times. They had gone back to covering their ears again, as well. Chopper looks from the gestured slave to his captain, and then nods.

"Of course. I'd be happy too." Chopper says. Luffy is smiling, and turning himself a bit so he could look at his cling-on companion fully. The sight itself was startling, as Luffy had turned his neck around a little farther than a normal person could go.

"See? You'll be all fixed up too! My doctor is the best in the whole world! He'll make sure you're all better." (And at this, Chopper is abashedly dancing and calling Luffy a jerk in the background.) Luffy says, but it doesn't seem to persuade them one bit. They still appeared scared. Something Luffy wasn't exactly fond of either; scared-y cats. Well, he was fond of Usopp. But Usopp was also just a different kind of scaredy-cat. At this point, he just tears himself away from the slaves grasp, narrowly avoiding the chains that attached themselves to the manacles they wore, and hands them to Chopper. The way Luffy had pulled them from his back was like he was manhandling a wet cat.

The reindeer had shifted into his 'Heavy Point' - which actually scared the living hell out of the slave; like, SERIOUSLY - and took them into his own hands. Chopper had wasted no time in escorting them out from the enemy's ship and to the Sunny's infirmary after that. And, with that out of the way… Luffy glances around himself. He flexes his fingers, and breathes. He's going to destroy this ship. And NO ONE was going to stop him or tell him otherwise. The rubber-man exchanges one look to Zoro, a look that tells the swordsman everything Luffy was about to do. And, of course, Zoro respects it. The man hounds the remaining Mugiwara no Ichimi off the ship so his Captain could do his thing without harming those he cared for.

The enemy's ship is reduced to smithereens by the time Luffy is done with it. There was nothing on that ship that could be rebuilt, or used as a way to keep someone afloat. The crew had some rising questions - minus Zoro, who knew what the newcomer on their ship actually was. Telling the rest of the crew, though, was solely on Luffy. But, it shouldn't take much for anyone to realize what exactly was going on with the newcomer on board. And, for the captain to give the kid his lucky straw hat, there had to be SOME meaning to why Luffy had even retrieved them from that boat in the first place. (NO ONE touches his straw-hat, after all. It was his treasure. And being given it, even for a short amount of time, meant that he really trusted that person and considered them as nakama.)

When Luffy had come back on board, giant rubber fists deflating back to normal and black armament haki disappearing, he had signaled his nakama to proceed on ahead in their voyage. There wasn't any need to stay here any longer. Of course, the Mugiwara no Ichimi did exactly that. Luffy was immediately berated by Sanji for destroying the ship before they could ransack it for any food or materials. Luffy didn't regret it though. He had picked his nose and seemed disinterested in the lecture, much to the blond chef's disappointment. The entire exchange was interrupted by Nami, for she wanted answers about who exactly they had taken onto their ship. She wanted to know what exactly they were dealing with here.

"So, Luffy. Who was that?" Nami asks, clearly demanding a reasonable explanation from her Captain. And Luffy turns to her - since Sanji was rendered utterly compromised by the power of perverted hypnotism, so he didn't have to deal with being berated by HIM anymore - and removes the pinky finger he shoved up his nose.

"Oh! I dunno. He's a slave. N' he's super strong! Thought I'd rescue him!" Luffy says casually, and flicks the booger from his finger. The rest of the crew out on deck stall for a moment to balk at how blunt Luffy said that. Nami herself would frown, before crossing her arms under her bosom.

"Luffy, you do realize we're pirates… Right? We can't hold a traumatized… KID on the ship. Especially with how dangerous the New World is, and how TARGETED we are now." She says, frowning. But Luffy only frowns back in return.

"Why not? He's super strong! I felt it! He'll be great! He's just a big ol crybaby right now." Luffy says, and Nami facepalms.

"I- ..Luffy. He can get HURT. More than he already has been. It's not WISE to keep him on the ship. It's best of we release him somewhere-"

"No! We can't do that! I don't wanna! Not until he's okay, n' healed!" Luffy blurts out, and Nami is slightly startled by his words. She fumbles over everything she wants to say, and then just gives up on even trying to reason in its entirety. Nami sighs. Alright, fine. If Luffy thinks that they could harbor this kid on the ship, then they could. She honestly just didn't want anything bad happening to them…

".. Alright, Senchou." Nami relents, as she saw no way of convincing him otherwise. She smiles, or tries too. They'll just have to take care of some severely traumatized kid, and protect him when danger arises. Besides, Luffy knows what he's doing. Nami knows better than to ever doubt him. So she won't. She settles a hand on Luffy's shoulder, and pats it. Luffy looks at it with confusion, and Nami would shake her head before letting her hand fall back to her side. She leaves shortly after that, leaving the rubber-man with confusion that he's sure to forget about later.

_

In the infirmary, things had gotten a bit hectic. Chopper had been weary with both the manacles and the collar the slave wore. Well, he'd actually been weary with the slave in general. They had this knack for holding their hands over their ears, like the world was too loud for them to handle. That in itself was a concern. Did they have sensitive hearing? Perhaps once they recovered more, he could perform some hearing diagnostics.

They also appeared to be too scared of Chopper. And it wasn't just because he was a walking, talking, shape-shifting reindeer anymore. No. It was the fact that they were touched. Even the smallest graze made them uncomfortable. Which… Is funny. Because they didn't do that with Luffy. They were pretty clingy to him. Yet again… It could be the fact that Luffy was their quote unquote 'savior'. And because of that, a small bond of trust was formed?

Chopper wasn't a therapist. He was a doctor. So he wasn't exactly GOOD at this type of stuff. He only had the common knowledge that any person should have. So he tried his best with what he could work with. In the end, they had ended up freaking out to the point that the reindeer doctor had to tackle them and knock them out with some anesthesia. Now they were fast asleep; and everything that he couldn't do when they were awake were now able to be safely performed.

Chopper had ended up throwing away their previous clothes because of how… gross they were, and had given them something he had lying around instead. (The old pair they had been wearing will be thrown away - probably burned. They appeared beyond salvageable by the LOOKS alone, and the smell was so bad he assumed that it would never come out.) That's also how he got confirmation that they were actually a HIM. So, that's good. The slave had also gotten fully cleansed, and now smells MUCH nicer than he had before. It also made it much easier for him to analyze his wounds. There were a lot of concerns around his body. The head scar looked fairly old, and it appeared to have had some trouble healing over in its process. Same with some other scars and wounds that littered their body.

There was this mark imprinted in the center of his back. Ugly, gnarled flesh, puckered up in an angry red would form the shape of a circle. He could only assume it had been hot ironed, and held on long enough to melt flesh and sear it straight down to the very bone. There were also four triangles; three above it and one below. It gave the impression of a talon print of a bird, or the claw of some kind of dragon. Whatever or whoever had put this mark on him, well, it was purposeful. And it made the reindeer want to cry because of it. He didn't, though. He couldn't. He had a job to do, and he'll see it through to the end.

He had moved on to other things. Other… Much more sensitive, and heartbreaking things. Bruising and marks around the thighs and buttocks specifically… imprints from fingers and nails, and how swollen and abused both the anus and rectum was. Chopper cannot even fathom the trauma this person had physically endured. Yet, he also feared how far off they were mentally, as well. It was no surprise that they had freaked out about Chopper touching them. But it also makes him wonder… Has this happened repeatedly? Or was it only a one time thing? He couldn't imagine what else could have been done to him. Actually, scratch that. He didn't WANT to imagine what else could have been done to him.

(There were also rashes around and between his buttocks from the soil in his old pants, understandably enough. He could only imagine the limited areas the poor kid had to relieve himself…)

Chopper sniffles, trying not to cry as he documents everything down with his newest patient. He was finished with everything he needed to do. Now, they could sleep peacefully. Or, as peacefully as they could. Obviously, the slave had obtained PTSD. There wasn't any way he hadn't. So, he wouldn't be surprised if he had any sort of nightmares or terrors. For now though, he would embrace the peace for as long as it decided to last. The reindeer would let out a long sigh, adjusting his position in his office chair. He had put down his pen before gathering his notes and records and neatly setting them in another manila folder. He wipes at his eyes and nose, trying to rid the rest of his sorrows before they had escalated any further than they needed too.

He sits up from his little rolling chair, and stretches his sore limbs - both from the after effects of the battle and from sitting in the chair for a considerable amount of time. Speaking of the previous battle, he needs to go around and make sure his nakama are alright. He needs to check if they have any wounds they need patching up. So, the reindeer would grab a medical first aid kit from one of his many infirmary shelves, and sets to leave for just that. Though, before he goes to close the door behind him, he stops to stare at the pink-haired kid sleeping soundly in one of his medical cots.

Chopper could only imagine the amount of damage that had been done on him. They were definitely in for an experience with this kid, and whether it was a good or bad one… only time could tell. The reindeer doctor finally leaves; the door being closed quietly behind him. His little hooves clop onto the deck as he approaches his first closest nakama for their after-battle checkup. The infirmary was left in darkness, and the pink-haired kid slept soundly in it.

Everything was at peace. Everything was normal. Though, nothing lasts forever. And with their newcomer; that was bound to be true.

Let the show begin.