Going towards the Red line.

Akane woke up the next day with a heavy body. She didn't have a big hangover from the day before, as she would've been groaning in pain if she was.

Luckily her Devil fruit powers had a regeneration power, as it prevented her from having major hangovers. Though she was quite ashamed when she remembered what happened yesterday.

She swore that she would go easy on the alcohol. She wouldn't abstain from it though, alcohol was too delicious to abstain from. She wouldn't abstain from it even if she got drunk a few times. It was a necessary evil.

Akane looked outside of the window and was glad to see she was on her ship. The ship was already stocked, so they could leave whenever they wanted.

Behind her she saw Ban laying on the bed, snoring away as his arms were still around her. Akane smiled wryly as she silently left his arms and took a short shower. As the steam filled the bathroom, Akane could hear sounds from the outside. Ban had probably woken up already.

Akane let the water stream down her face as she washed of all the filth in her hair and from her body. Having to many tails might look pretty, but it was a bother keeping them clean. She thoroughly scrubbed her tails and ears until they too were sparkly clean and left the shower.

What she hadn't counted on was Ban standing in the door opening with wide eyes, though a smirk was soon on his face.

"Wow, even though you look like a kid, you're still developing pretty well, aren't ya~" Ban said, as Akane trembled in annoyance. Akane swifly drew her swords, causing Ban to leave the bathroom in a hurry, though his laughter was still heard clearly.

Akane harumphed and quickly got dressed. She combed her hair, drying her tails and combing them through to be a bit presentable. After she was done, Akane went on deck to officially meet her new crew member.

She wouldn't question Ban on his methods, as he would just answer with that annoying smile of his. She would note down Ban's action from this morning and get back at him whenever she found the right time. An evil smile appeared on her face as she already had a clue on how.

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Finding Laffitte near the helm, Akane formally greeted him.

"Nice to meet you, Laffitte. My name is Eldertale D. Akane. I am the captain on this ship and I'm glad you agreed to be our Navigator. You've already met my First mate, Ban." Akane said, glancing briefly at Ban who was already getting ready to depart.

Laffitte had a small smile on his face.

"Nice to meet you, Captain." Laffitte said, glancing briefly at Ban too.

Akane ignored Ban when their eyes met and he had a major smile on his face, as if he had already forgotten about this morning. She turned her head away and told Laffitte where she wanted to go next.

"Let's head for Reverse mountain. We'll find our crew on the way or on the Grand line. There isn't any haste to fill the empty spots after all." Akane said as she just wanted the Grand line. Filling up her crew came after.

Laffitte nodded as he already was setting the course.

Akane nodded in satisfaction and began to help Ban with readying the ship.

Not long after the ship departed towards the Red line, The Reverse mountain.

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In the meantime as they traveled across West Blue towards the Reverse mountain, Akane taught Ban and Laffitte about Haki. Surprisingly Laffitte knew a little bit about observation Haki, but not enough to practice in it.

Akane taught them both, with Laffitte being more adept at observation Haki than armament Haki. Ban on the other hand was the complete opposite, being more adept in armamanet Haki than in observation Haki.

So far they were quick learners as they both managed to become slightly decent in the Haki they were adept in.

The days passed uneventful, except for some seakings and some pirates that thought they were easy prey.

What was strange though were the marines in these parts. While marines were supposed to be all about justice, the marines she had seen so far were more about taking treasures. Akane found them to bear a resemblance to pirates, though marines were more used to covering up their tracks.

Even now when she was close to an island near the Red line, she saw a marine ship docked at the harbour, with a captain barking threats at a civilian. Akane moored her ship a distance away from the marine ship, but she could still get the gist of it.

Apparently this civilian had helped a wounded pirate tend to his and his nakama's wounds. Though pirates were most of the time very notorious, this particular crew had been very grateful, as the woman had even resupplied their ship. In return they had given her some of their treasure.

The marine in the vacinity had gotten wind of it and was now extorting the woman from her money under the pretense of her taking bribes from pirates. They even threatened the poor woman to lock her up and charge her for the crime of helping pirates.

The woman was near crying and had multiple times told the marine captain she didn't know they were pirates and that she had spend the treasure to maintain the orphanage she was running. The captain didn't belief her and was ordering his man to take the woman in custody.

"So, what are we going to do little fox? I can see you want to punch him in the face." Ban said as he was basically taunting her.

Akane smiled as she responded, "Well, don't blame me. You are wanting to beat him up too, aren't you?" pointing at his clenched fists.

"Isn't that lovely. How about we 'talk' some sense into that guy. I'm sure we can 'negotiate' with him splendidly, captain." Laffitte said, a slight smile on his face.

Over the couple of days he had gotten a clear understanding of this harmless looking captain of his. He wholeheartedly believed she was the best captain he could have. He was sure the battles and adventures would be exciting as well. He wouldn't mind following her if it meant life could be a bit more colorful.

Ban and Akane smiled at his words as the trio quickly docked the ship. Whithin a few minutes, the marine soldiers that were bothering the woman were laying down on the ground with their limbs in unnatural positions.

Ban held the captain by his neck in the air, while Laffitte had made many soldiers unable to battle with just a few swings of his cane. He even disappeared at some points, only to appear when a whole group of Marine soldiers fell lifelessly to the ground.

Not long after the whole marine battalion was incapacitated, with only their captain remaining. The man coughed as blood seeped from his lips.

"How dare you do this! *cough* I am a marine...*cough*...captain. You...won't get away with this." The man said as his arms clenched firmly at Ban's hand that was clasping his neck.

"I don't really care though." Akane said as she waved goodbye at the poor woman that thanked her with tears in the eyes. The woman quickly left, hurrying the children that had watched from a distance along with her.

"You just make me sick." Akane said as she locked her eyes on him.

Ban seemed to find it funny as he had a slight smile on his face. "I wonder how you can walk with those words on your back. Aren't you ashamed to wear it when you do such despicable things. Hell, even I don't steal from an orphanage and I'm a thief."

The marine captain looked with hate at Ban.

"The marines will definitely hear of this. You'll be wanted soon enough. Don't regret what you did today." The captain said with a smirk on his face. His hand had reached down behind his back, quickly pulling a gun out and firing at Ban's head.

Ban didn't even dodge it, neither did Laffitte and Akane move to help him.

Ban's head burst open as blood sprayed all around him. The marine captain seemed very proud of himself to have taken down Ban.

That pride quickly faded as the grip on his neck didn't falter. Before his eyes he could see Ban's head regrow, the same smirk still on Ban's face.

"I wondered what you wanted to do. That wasn't very nice~" Ban said as he threw the captain down on the ground.

"You've stained my clothes. The little fox won't be happy, y-know? She's the only one amongst us who can wash clothes." Ban said.

The captain looked back at the shadow that had been cast over him. All he saw was a large katana sweep down at him. He couldn't even scream as his head left his shoulders within a millisecond.

"He got what was coming to him." Akane said as she swept her katana sidewards, the blood splattering on the ground leaving the blade as clean as it had been before she had drawn it.

"Let's continue shall we?" Akane said as they went in town to stock up supplies.

They wouldn't be able to get them when they departed for the Reverse mountain. Aside from that they had a need for a log pose, but she didn't really bother with that, as she was sure that Ban would have found one as soon as they got back to the ship.

When they left the island, a few marines that survived by hiding quickly reported what had happened to the world government.

In only an hour, a bounty had been placed on the heads of all three persons.

It would only be after Akane and Co entered the Grand line that they would see their bounties. Not that they really cared.