I shall drink your wine

take away your food,

deprive you of shelter

and dry up your well.

You have hurt me

just once, and must pay

to the distant day

when you manage to give

me the flagon of peace,

only Hemlock will silence

the hatred in me.

-Herbert Nehrlich

The two of them reappeared at the cave where Natsuki and Fuyuki were found by Haruki, earlier in the day.

Haruki gagged, nearly throwing up, then ended up puking in a nearby bush.

"What did you-"

"Listen boy-"

"I'm not a-"

"Listen boy! Do you think you're the most unfortunate in the entire world?"

"Of course not! There are tonnes of other children younger than me who have seen their parents die in front of their eyes."

"Then why do you act like you're the most unfortunate in the world?"

"No I don't!"

"Oh really? Then what was it that I heard earlier I wonder? 'What would you know! I bet you're some girl who doesn't know pain! Who's been protected by her grandfather her whole life! Who doesn't know what it feels like to be powerless! Who hasn't seen a loved one die! Who doesn't know how much it takes to hate someone so much!!! How can you, much less imagine, than understand, how I feel like!' Was it?" She imitated.

"How'd you remember what I said?"

"Not the point. So, just looking at me, you assumed that I was some sheltered girl who hasn't seen death?"

"Well, that's not what I said..."

"It's what you connoted. Firstly, I know pain. I was neglected by my parents for nearly my whole life, well, my first pair of parents, and I was treated like a demon by the rest of the villagers. Now, that won't compare to what you've seen and experienced. Of course not. From what you seem to be experiencing, what you remember is far worse.

Next thing, I haven't been protected by my grandfather my whole life. He wasn't there most of the time because of his duties. Besides, you see these scars on my body? Half were made by him.

Also, you shouldn't challenge me when it comes to feeling powerless. When I was twelve, my father's arm was torn off, because I wasn't strong enough. I saw my brother die in front of my eyes because I was powerless... I saw my village burn because of my ignorance.

As I just said, I have seen a loved one die. He was one year younger than me. When he was twelve, he was gone. Also, to hate someone? Shall I just briefly explain the person I hate the most? Because if I'm going to have to list the people I hate, we'd be here for a very long time... Well, the person I hate the most, well, is a group of people I guess. In the last place, it was my whole village who tortured me, those who tricked me, those who forgot about me, and in this place, I hate the world government! They killed my brother, and I will avenge him! Is what I want to say, but revenge is bad." Haruki looked up.

"Why do you say revenge is bad?" Truthfully, he wanted to know her response toward revenge, since that was what he had planned against the pirates who killed his parents.

"Of course it's bad. You know, a friend I once had, Sasuke. He came from a prestigious clan. He was like a noble in my village. Though when he and I were seven years old, his older brother, a trained assassin, killed their entire clan, leaving him on his own. He sought for revenge on his brother, and when I was fifteen, Sasuke killed his brother, only to find out, that there was a reason behind the assassination, and it was done to protect him. He regrets it so much.

Now, I'm not saying that what the pirates did was forgivable, nor was it done to protect you, or to teach you an important lesson. Though what I can tell you, is that revenge is never the answer. It is a wrong step in life, that no one should ever take. After killing them, what satisfaction would you get? Your family aren't coming back. All that's going to happen, is a whole lot more deaths. So, if you still think avenging your family is what you believe your family would've wanted, then fine! I won't stop you. Though please. Consider what your father would've wanted you to do. What your mother would've wanted you to do. I'm sure you will find your answer there."

Natsuki stood up, looked at him directly in the eyes, smiled, then disappeared in a crack of lightning.

~o0o~

A few hours later, Haruki walked down from the mountain, a determined look on his face.

"Vice admiral Garp! I have found the purpose of life I sought for many years sir!"

"And?"

"I want to, no. I will leave the Marines to pursuit this dream, sir!"

"That dream is?"

"To find the pirates who haunt me, and put them in their rightful place, sir!"

"Can't you do so as a marine soldier?"

"I doubt they are in this side of the vast ocean, sir! I will go to the Grand line!"

"Hm, you're right. Under me, you cannot go to the Grand line without the strength. So, what are you going to do?"

"He can join us?" Natsuki said with a grin that split from ear to ear. You could only describe her as fox-like.

"Natsuki, you little schemer! I bet you used that silver tongue of yours to get him on your crew!" Garp laughed at his granddaughter. She truly was as sly as a fox.

"You know me well, Ojii-chan."

"I will not become a pirate!"

"Gosh! I thought you would've already known that not all pirates are bad!"

"I couldn't. I can't become a pirate to defeat another."

"That's the best part though! If you're a marine, or some sort of official, if you kill them, even with reasons, it would be unjust, since you marines believe these people must atone for their sins, but if you're a pirate, and you accidently kill another pirate, then it would just be seen as a catfight!" A moment later, Haruki let out a big sigh.

"Alright... I'll join you guys..."

"YAYYY!!! Fuyuki! We got another crew mate! One more till we're the full season! Do you think there will be an Aki, along the way?"

"Autumn? Hm, Fairly common name. Wouldn't be surprised if there were a pirate named Aki..."

"True. So, where's the ship?"

"There." She pointed at the dock, which had a single fishing boat, rather small, with a single mast.

"That? That's so small though!" Natsuki glared at him.

"Extremely sorry, I'll go get a much larger ship! Whoops! I forgot! There are no places which sell ships on this island!" She sarcastically replied. Fuyuki found it interesting how since Haruki got involved, she was acting very sassily, whilst before, she was rather calm. Perhaps he reminded her of her younger brothers.

"There are." Garp interrupted.

"What?"

"I'm saying, that I will give you one of my ships."

"Ojii-chan... I couldn't."

"Yes you could. Now take it before I give you a new training regime!"

"Yes sir!" The cold sweat which appeared on her forehead seemed only visible to her crew.

So they ended up getting one of the largest ships he owned, to which many of his soldiers complained. Natsuki apologised to them personally, and they all didn't seem to mind after that.

It had a deck which could fit at least one hundred people, four masts with gigantic sails, two crows nests, and cannons on the side, and front. The sail was left blank for them to choose what to draw. They explored the inside, which had a whole lot of space, with five rooms aside from the captain's cabin. There was a kitchen, a larder, a hold and a forecastle, nothing was left behind.

It was well equipped, the larder full, and the rooms with bedding, even a table and a map with a compass to plan journeys in the captain's cabin. Natsuki hugged her grandfather tightly.

"Now, I'm going to be reporting this as a theft alright? So, don't blame me when you get a bounty."

"It's a small price to pay." She admitted. Her first crime, to 'steal' a ship from her grandfather. How pathetic, yet it seemed somehow, right. Like it defined what kind of a pirate she was. A pirate who was good.

"I'm gonna miss you, my sneaky little vixen!"

"I'll miss you too Ojii-chan!" Natsuki stood on her tippy toes and hugged her grandfather dearly.

"Next time I see you, better grow up." He teased.

"I will! Since I have these two boys to protect me as I eat healthily!" She replied with an eyeroll.

"Haha! Don't cause too much havoc! I'll have to watch out for Ace soon as well!"

"You sure do Ojii-chan! See you on the other side!"

"See you too vixen!"

The three of them boarded the ship, and looked down at the troops.

"Thank you! Goodbye!" She waved at them, and they saluted back at her.

"No supper for a week for saluting to a pirate!" They heard Garp yell, and they laughed with each other, on a journey to find their last crew mate, to complete the full season.