Would I have chosen a house with riches

If I were to pick any home I want?

Just the image gives me creeps and itches

I wouldn't live to keep the thought.

To have received this place called home,

Is a blessing in itself;

The very reason why I don't have to roam,

In the alleys all by myself.

Of course there are some difficulties,

Telling loved ones how you feel,

Being called a typical teen,

You'd think wasn't part of the deal.

Though when you fall they stay with you.

When you cry they are there.

You feel better as they make you smile,

Such feelings are getting rare.

That's why you stay with them,

Or else you couldn't stand

Without the love that supports us

The emotions which weren't planned.

So no, I wouldn't choose another house, with riches for all I care.

Because if you knew my family, you know you wouldn't dare.

-noelicoan

"This was none of your business!" A now slightly frightened bandit said, legs jelly.

"Listen up... You can pour your drinks on me. You can throw your food at me. You can even spit at me. Most things I will just laugh off, but... Good reason or not, nobody hurts a friend of mine." A single glare without haki was all it took to scare them out of their wits.

Letting out a loud laugh to hide his fear, the bandit complimented, saying how intimidating Shanks speech was, though if you listened carefully, you could hear the slight waver in his voice.

"You pirates spend your time floating around in your little ships, and think you can stand up to mountain bandits!? Don't make me laugh! Kill them!!!" He ordered, setting off all of his men, which were a total of thirty men. Benn stepped forward, but Natsuki stopped him, a gleam in her eyes, the blue orbs glowing in the shadow of her hair.

Benn sighed and stepped aside, though he still had his rifle at the ready just in case.

The men laughed, looking at her as if she were already dead. That was where they were wrong. She first got out her twin revolvers, but instead of shooting any bullets, she swung them around as if they were swords, knocking out ten as she hit their heads or necks. She then used her flexibility and acrobatics to somersault around the place, punching them in the gut and kicking them in the crotch. In another second, they all lay on the ground groaning. She pointed her revolver at the lone bandit's head, her stone glare still on his face.

Makino, the Mayor and the townsmen looking at them through their windows gaped at her strength.

Shanks looked at them smugly, proud that this strong little ball of energy was his daughter.

Benn smirked. "If you wanna fight us, you better bring a battleship."

"So strong..." Luffy said in awe.

"The brat started it!"

"Doesn't matter, you're a bounty head, aren't you?"

The man then rummaged in his pocket for a second, which Natsuki didn't allow. She jumped at him, but he caught her hand, a disgusting look passing in his eyes, as he threw a smoke bomb to the ground, the area instantly covered with it.

He then ran as quickly as he could, one girl and one boy each in his arms, to the sea where a small boat awaited.

"What a brilliant escape! Nobody would expect a mountain bandit to run to the sea! I brought you two as a hostage, though I may as well enjoy myself with the girlie." He rubbed his hands, licking his lips, the hurling look in his eyes again. Natsuki tried to free her hands from the ropes she was bound with, but she wasn't getting anywhere.

Luffy stood up, as he was free, trying to deliver his punch which was 'as strong as a pistol' but the man just looked at him, and kicked him off the boat, leering in on Natsuki, who squirmed against the ropes.

Natsuki's eyes pupils turned silver and a wave of pure willpower went crashing against the disgusting man.

She jumped in the water, her hands still tied, desperately trying to find Luffy beneath all the bubbles.

Panicking as the air slowly disappeared from her lungs, she went to the surface, when she found a giant sea king, the size of three warships, looking at her with gleaming yellow eyes.

She felt something with her foot, and with a difficult tug, she somehow managed to put Luffy's arms around her head using her mouth to drag his sleeves.

She awaited the wetness of the cavern of the monster's mouth to surround her, when she felt someone jump in front of them from quite far away. Another large wave of willpower rippled across the sea, and absolute silence followed.

She opened her eyes, her legs working hard to keep both of them afloat, when she saw her father with a smile on his face. He swam to them, and he patted her head, though he didn't do his usual hug.

A spreading red stain by his arm was seen, and Natsuki let out a strangled sob.

Luffy, who had woken up from the two unleashed waves of haki, told her that her nightmares were true.

"Shanks! Your arm!"

She sobbed once more, and Shanks untied her rope with his knife, holding her closely, though he couldn't hold the he both of them with just one arm.

Natsuki then saw how the blood red rose was blooming larger and larger on his white shirt, and unconsciously shunshinned the three of them back to the village, not thinking how she had done it.

She didn't care if they caught her in action. She had to stop the bleeding.

"...arm... blood... sew up... think... amputated..." incoherently she muttered, when she was found by her family.

Charley, their doctor came forward, quickly cleaning the wound, taking some of the flesh and muscle out to get enough skin to sew up.

As soon as the emergency operation had finished, Natsuki hugged her father close, crying loudly, her wails echoing in the now purple sky.

They all looked at the ground. His missing arm would stand as a memory, that they were not powerful at all. They still had yet to go.

Natsuki slept in her father's bed that night, tears still falling, and Shanks wiped it gently off her cheeks, deciding what he was reluctant to do until just a few hours back.

The next morning, Natsuki woke up to empty space. She hurriedly changed, and skipped down the stairs, when she heard a shout and the clang of metal from the kitchen.

"Watch what you're doing capt'n!!"

"I am!" He denied.

"Um, dad, what are you doing?"

"Making breakfast of course."

"For?"

"You." He flipped the omelette, and slid it onto ketchup rice, and placed it on the table, gesturing for her to go sit down. She took a bite. A tear rolled down and she took another. Water freefalling down her face, she finished the dish, turning to her father.

"How?" It reminded her of something, it tasted like home. Something she never tasted before. Something which the first nine years she could never have, seemed to love.

"It was your mum's favourite. See? I'm fine Natsu. You don't need to look after me. I'll do fine on my own."

"Why will you be on your own?" She knew his answer. She just didn't want to admit it.

"Because you will be staying here until you are eighteen. Only when you're an adult will I allow you to come to the Grand line."

"My family is with you!" She denied.

"I saw you with those boys Natsu. You looked so happy. That is something I cannot simply give to you. You know it."

She shook her head sideways, then nodded, then shook it again.

"I don't want to."

"Really? I'll let yourself answer that one. We'll be sailing this afternoon. I won't force you to leave this ship, though I will guarantee, that you staying with us, will not get you strong as you would get strong if you stay here." She nodded, and headed to her room, where she shunshinned -something she let her clone practice during the night- to the forest where she first met her father.

After an hour of silence, replaying and fast-forwarding her life, she decided.

She appeared in front of her father and smiled.

"I'll stay dad. I'll get strong. So that one day I can be as strong as you."

"Don't get as strong as me. Get as strong as your mother. She was stronger than I ever will be."

"Tell me about mum in the future?"

"Of course. Now, stay healthy, safe, and don't date anyone without my consent okay?" Now Shanks started freaking. Why did he convince his daughter to leave!?

"I will dad. Now, see you later."

"See you later Natsuki." The two redheads hugged each other tightly, and Natsuki, kissed her father's cheek, where her chakra left an invisible seal on his skin. She did the same to all the members of her family, but on their heads as they crouched down.

"You are all under my protection. I'll come flying, but I can't save you for another year or so, because I'm not strong enough. So don't die for a year okay?" She left them all confused, and she looked at Benn. She kissed his forehead and placed the seal.

"Can you tell them for me?"

"Yes, if you promise to develop that seal so it can be transferred by something other than a kiss." Natsuki giggled, and she waved as they all jumped on deck, pulling and releasing ropes, setting their jolly roger free.

A scar on its left eye and two swords crossed behind it, the red haired pirates took off for the Grand line, leaving another red head, to train more years.