Once all three of them arrived at the shore, Shuli who finally let Luffy go because both of them safe -- passed out.

"Shuli!" Luffy screamed and started to cry again.

"That child..." He picked her arm in his arm while Luffy still looking over her worriedly and saw makino and the mayor.

"Makino-san! Sis! Shuli and shanks got badly injured!" Luffy screamed and runs towards her trying to pull makino towards the other child.

"Captain! Shuli! Someone call the doctor's for the both of them!" Makino gently pull them both to his ship as a seek of shelter.

"I'm fine, Makino-san." He smiled but only to make her cry at the sight of it.

"I'm sorry that you guys got involved with me." Luffy screamed at them, full of guiltiness build in him.

"Luffy, I'm glad the both of you guys are safe and thank you again for standing up to us." He smiled as the doctors came to treat the both of them up.

"Captain! Your arm!" Lucky roux shrieked.

"I'll prepare a kit while someone get a professional!" Benn ordered.

Shanks couldn't help it but to ask what he saw before his arm was taken away. Shuli was trying to do something even when things are greeted by death -- that child was even doing something to help Luffy get away instead of herself.

"Luffy, do you know Shuli's parents?" He asked while getting treated.

"I don't know... But shuli said s-she was from north blue. She traveled with her dad for a year but arrived in East Blue with my grandpa..." He was still crying from the awful event.

"She does remind me of someone but I don't remember that person anymore." He sighed before thinking again.

'was she about to cast a spell?' He thought about shuli, the child who's full of enigma.

"She's just a kid too." He mumbled.

•°°°•

The next day, shuli finally woke up from her slumber to only feel Luffy beside her sleeping while hugging her side.

"Luffy..." She sighed softly and started to remember the event from before.

Shuli could remember her life was on edge, luffy's was on the line too. She tried to do something that was out of instinct but didn't work -- shuli then could remember someone rescuing them and thanks to result that --

"Uncle shanks--!"

"Shhh.. Luffy is sleeping, do you know how hard for him to sleep without wetting the bed thanks to his tears?" Shanks appeared beside her and sat down.

"U-uncle shanks but your arm..." Her eyes began to water at the sight of it.

"Hey it's okay, I'm glad you're okay." Shanks then kissed her head and smile softly.

"Do you want to walk to stretch?" The captain asked.

"Yes please."

Both of them slowly walk out from the nursing room of his ship and walk around. Shuli slowly walk to avoid falling while shanks chuckled at the sight of it. Her figure was indeed graceful, her dark-green slowly following the breeze and eyes that resembles such gold treasure. People will mistake her as a noble.

'Wait a noble...'

"I actually wanted to ask... Did you try to cast a spell on Luffy?" Shanks asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sigh -- you're still heavy guarded when I ask about your background. Nevermind, Shuli..." Shanks by far looked furious that made shuli shrink away in fright.

"What you did today was unacceptable! Both of you could get killed!" He scolded. "Aren't you afraid of dying!"

"I am...! I'm still afraid! But what choice do I have! Luffy was! Luffy was scared!" Her voiced started to crack as she remembered the traumatic event.

"Someone had to be the one who would reassure! I had too!" Her eyes once again began to water as her tears fall. "Luffy is the only one I got!" She gripped the clothes from her sides. "I don't want to lose another one of my family!"

Shanks looked at the sight of it, shuli finally looked like a child again. As a child should. Shanks began to pick her up into his arm and let her hug his neck tightly. "You even lost your arm..!"

"A small price to pay for both lives that are so precious." Shanks kissed her head again to comfort her, he let her cry onto his shoulders until she feels satisfied.

After awhile, the sniffles and tears began to stop with her eyes swollen from all the crying that she finally let go.

"You're a child of a noble aren't you?" Shanks asked and made her squeak from surprised.

"Kinda, my dad is a pirate and my mom is a noble."

"I won't dig any deeper, I'll wait until you feel ready okay? Though I'm leaving the next day though." Shanks teased.

"Are you really..?"

"Yea I am, I'll sail to the very end." He smiled at her. "You're a big girl, always taking responsibility but don't let it spoil too much on Luffy."

"I know."

He smiled at her and looked at the view until the sun comes out. "You're gonna hate me for leaving aren't you?" The red haired captain asked.

"Yea, I'll hate you for it but I don't want to see you off. That's how mad I am and myself for letting Luffy in danger and your arm." Shuli stated.

"Don't be harsh on yourself."

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•°°°°•

"She really won't see me off huh?" Shanks frowned, clearly upset that shuli didn't see him leave.

"Yea, sis said she don't want to see you off. She's sulking... But shanks! I won't beg you to take me with you. I'll become a pirate on my own!" Luffy grinned at the captain.

"Bleh! I wasnt gonna take you in anyway!" He teased Luffy. "You'll never become a pirate!"

"I will!" He screamed at shanks. "Someday, I'm gonna gather a crew that's good as yours! And I'mma find the greatest treasure in the world! And I'm gonna be king of pirates! I'll show you!"

That moment, shanks felt a deja Vu with Luffy. Even it's for a bit, he felt happy to see a glance of such nostalgia.

"So you're gonna surpass us, huh? In that case!" He took his straw hat and put it on luffy's head. "I'll leave this hat to you, this hat is very dear to me y'know? Take good care of it! Once you become a great pirate, come and return to me Luffy. It's a promise!"

Luffy started to cry when finally shanks took his dream rather in a serious way, he crouched down to his height and gave a present. "Give this to shuli once she stop sulking."

Everyone in the village cheered when the pirates went off to a voyage, shanks never did waver his view off Luffy though he's a bit sad he couldn't see shuli but the present was enough for him to let her acknowledge that shanks is gonna miss her too.
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°••°

The next few days was quite boring without shanks and his crew here. When shanks departed, he left a gift to Luffy for shuli.

After the day of voyage, a stranger came to visit shuli, though she knows who she is but everyone rather thought it's a kidnapper but the visit didn't last long when they suddenly vanished -- the stranger left a book for her while shanks left her a rather big scarf that she could use it as a blanket. The letter from shanks was together with the gift as well.

'I knew you're gonna get mad at me for leaving and not spending time with you guys for another day but as you know a pirate needs to sail. Since your dad was once a pirate, did you perhaps see your dad in me? I know I shouldn't be saying that but one day, maybe you'll see your dad again.'

That was the letter written along with the dark-colored red scarf that was pattern with Victorian style. She took a whiff of the scarf, it was filled with his cologne, the burnt smell of his cigarette is still here. "Uncle shanks... I hope you're doing okay. See you soon."

For the other gift that stranger left behind is a book mainly how to fight. "What in the world did 'she' give it to me." Shuli sweat dripped at the sight of it.

Makino even gifted her some clothes though it's not even her birthday, she's not gonna complain to it. It's rather nice to be gifted again. Her clothes rather looks elegant and simple, just a long-sleeve white shirt with frilly collar and a dark brown high waisted pants.

"Thanks Makino-san, now I can move around better without those cursed dress or skirts." She laughed happily at how comfortable she felt.

"No problem but now you look like a pretty boy instead of a pretty girl."

"I guess so but welp I want to feel more comfortable." Shuli then tie her teal-colored hair to a ponytail. "Let's start!"

For the next few months, she gave herself one hell of a training. While Luffy as well trying to work on his moves by himself and tried not to disturb shuli at the same time but there are times where he disturbed her to play or practice with him but never once she got irritated by it. She couldn't help it but to laugh at the persistence that he has, Shuli knows grandpa train him with no boundaries at all. Speaking of gramps, the only times shuli would abandoned Luffy is when Garp is home -- with no hesitation she'll said. "Goodbye Luffy! Say hi to gramps for me!"

"Traitor!!"

Her progress was a success but many more trainings to go before she'll head off to see the world since shuli decided to gain a skill before helping Luffy out but she did promise to give him an answer once Luffy find her again. Shuli knows how dangerous the outside world is.

So not only shuli been busy with her training but she found another way to make money. Without telling Luffy where she went, she came back with loads of animal skin but the progress can be hard for it. Day by day, she learn to skin the animals and ask makino if the materials is eligible to sell -- it takes practice but she was getting good at it though in return her hands received a lot of cuts while doing so.

"Again?? Shuli, your hands is gonna bleed again..." Makino started to wrap the bandages around her hands and fingers.

"I'm okay." Sighing depressingly at her results for letting her guard down.

"SHULIIIIII RUN!!!" Luffy went inside the bar saw shuli getting aid from Makino-san.

"Luffy? What's wrong?" Shuli finished her aid from Makino-san and jumped to him. "You alright? Did you cause trouble again??"

"No time to explain! We need to go now!"

"Where do you think you brats are going?!!!" A deep voice rumbled through the corners of partys bar.

"Ah- now I see why you want to run away. It's too late if grandpa sees you." Just when she finished her sentence, there he was standing right in front of them.

"I heard what you said, you little brat!" He punched his head hard. "Nothing can avoid my fist of love!"

"You're speaking stupid again gramps!" The 7 year-old grumbled.

"Seems like you're brave enough again to speak back to me! I swear that red-headed pirate corrupted your mind!" Before shuli could run away, Garp took him into his arm while Luffy was dragged by his gummy cheeks.

"No fair! How come she get the special treatment! Gramps!"

"Shut up! Unlike you monkeys, I never had a granddaughter before!"

"Because all of us has a banana gramps!"

"THATS WHY!! I'm gonna train you along with ace to become the strongest marines in the navy!" He finally spoke out his reason.

He went even further inside the jungle while shuli managed to ushered Luffy to come up on his shoulder. "It was a mistake to leave you guys in the village! Making friends with that red-haired punk and now you guys want to be pirates?!"

"I want to become a great man like shanks! Than I'll become the pirate king!!"

"Grandpa, who's ace??" Shuli asked.

"You'll see, from now on you both are gonna live here with him."

While grandpa was talking with someone, Luffy wandered around the place and Shuli stayed still beside him.

Luffy went running around as hyper as usual while shuli paid attention to the adults talking. 'Another group of bandits...'

The other 2 appeared behind the lady named curly dadan was complaining of how hard this ace that he is already 10 years old.

"You're annoying, kid!"

Garp went to grab Luffy by the collar and gently push shuli in front of them. "Well! You're gonna take care of these 2 as well. Hey Luffy, Shuli, say hi to them."

"Hello, my name is shuli! Please take care of us." Shuli greeted them politely.

"Yo! Uh my name is Luffy! Take care of me too!"

"Who's children is that?"

"My grandson and granddaughter."

"Eh??....EH?!!!!!!!"

"NOT ONE BUT TWO MORE?!"

"Honestly, shuli is not blood related but she was left-behind by someone that I know." Garp laugh it off.

"ITS NOT FUNNY GARP-SAN!"

"At least that kid is polite, I knew she's too pretty to he a boy with that outfit." Dadan groan at the newfound stress. "But either way we can't! This is not an orphanage!"

"Luffy, don't wander too far from me." Shuli approach her little brother to make sure he don't wander off too far from her.

While the adults are discussing something that shuli doesn't want to hear anymore. She felt someone watching them.

A spat was shot on luffy's cheek, there he was. Another boy who's on top of a giant rock, looking down on both of them. "Grandpa, is that ace?"

"Say sorry! It's gross!" Luffy scolded 'ace'.

Once he heard what shuli was asking, Garp was happy to see him. "Oh ace! You're here already?"

"Hey, say sorry!" Luffy yelled at him.

"Luffy, come here." She used a tissue to wipe it clean properly.

"Stop sis! I'm not a baby! I'm a man."

Ace still didn't say anything and quietly observe the 2 of them with a frown. "The more you frown, the more you look like an old man and it's rude to stare at someone for too long." She finally spoke to ace though she doesn't expect an answer.

"Luffy, shuli, this is ace. He's 3 years older than you Luffy while shuli is a year older than ace. Both of you are gonna live with them starting from today." Garp introduced them.

"YOU CANT DO THAT GARP -SAN!"

Without further denial, Garp bonked his grandson's head. "Be nice, follow shuli for an example."

"I didn't exactly introduce myself properly to him though." Shuli mumbled.

"It's already decided?!'

"Any problem with that?" He glared at them but they can't refuse him.

"NO SIR!"

"That's all for me. I'll stop by when I have the time also shuli. I'm sorry but I'm afraid they left with no notes or whatsoever so I'm not too sure what to do but you'll be staying here." Garp explained the situation.

"Ah... I see, when are you gonna come by again gramps?" Shuli asked.

"I don't know how to answer that, I'll see you guys by then."

Once Garp left, shuli took noticed that Luffy already went inside but shuli still waited outside. Since those people are bandits and Shuli doesn't know how cruel they can be so she kept on dazing towards the sky.

"Gimme the meat!!" Is what she heard when she realized it's lunch time but she glanced at how Luffy was only eating rice for lunch.

"Oi kid, eat your rice already!" Dadan scolded her. "I'm fine, thank you. Luffy you can have my rice."

"Shuli should eat or this old man will scold you."

"I'm a woman! The brat already understand her situation but you don't?!"

"Luffy, I'll be right back okay?"

"Okay!"

Shuli went out before anything could happened, she went vast on her own. Everything that she practice on her own, even went deeper inside the jungle with a wooden pole and her very own hunting kit.

"Alright, time to practice."

Hours went by very fast, the fighting style that she's practicing was by instruction to use a polearm. Sweat building up and body was aching from such intense training day by day, shuli finally able to caught up in the advance.

Even if her body is aching, she'll push her limit but one thing shuli can't push is time itself since realizing it's almost dusk, shuli needs to hunt quick before it gets dark.

Wandering around more in the jungle, she found a rather large crocodile for a normal citizen to see. "You're small than the one I fought... But you'll do!"

She took out a set of butcher knifes and took the one with the sharpest edge and a Chain. "This will do nicely, if I save up more money-- I can buy a better set enough to make a polearm and better tools to skin them but for now... Let's turn the crocodile around."

Shuli approach it with no hesitation at all, the crocodile saw the little kid walking towards her and without no hesitation the creature began to run towards her.

"This is good enough." The girl dodge the upcoming attack and quickly wrap the chain around the limb and aimed the slash of the knife to another limb and gave a glory slash to the stomach. "One more and Luffy will get the meat he wants." The crocodile went chopping the jaw towards her but fortunately she dodged it pretty well and the remaining chain was tied to another limb and Shuli began to harshly to tie a knot of the 2 limbs until she heard a crack inside it's body.

"It's ready now." She smiled and flipped on its back since it stopped squirming and whimpered in pain. "Sorry crocodile but only the strongest live most right?" With no hesitation the sharpest hunting knife that she bought and sink to it's weak spot and to give mercy; Shuli granted instant death .

"Now that's done, I'll need to skin it than I can sell the scales to make money. If I kill a bear, I can make a coat or a blanket for winter." She kept on mumbling as she started to skin the crocodile.

What skills she's been gaining before shuli started her hellish training? Advance knowledge and one thing she's good at is gaining money and knowledge about merchants.

"Ack! It's already night!" She dragged the body of the crocodile along with the skin to bandit's hut.

The lights are already out but she could see the worries in the bandits's eyes as they were glad that at least shuli is safe. "What's wrong?"

"What the -- what is that?!" Dadan shrieked.

"A skinned crocodile, take care of the skin and cook the meat. I got it for Luffy." She instructed.

"A-another monster child... I thought she would be the normal one..." Dadan sighed and took a break from the craziness.

"Sh-she?!"

"It's garp's adopted granddaughter whatever he has."

"I knew it, she looked too pretty to be a boy." One of them exclaimed.

"Where's luffy?" Shuli asked once more and began to get worried. Luffy will get rowdy if he didn't get the food but it's too quiet to not hear his voice.

"We asked ask but he told us that he had no idea." The rooster uncle bandit spoke.

"Who last seen Luffy?"

"It was ace."

"Dadan, just cook the meat. I'll go ask ace where's luffy." Shuli went it and straight to the room. "Ace! Where's luffy?"

"I don't know, stop annoying me." Ace silently glared at her.

She took out her butcher knife and aimed at him. "I want an honest answer since you saw him last." Shuli's eyes went dead for a moment. "Where have you last seen the boy?"

"You wanna fight?" He didn't back down from her threats.

With no hesitation, she threw the knife at ace but by thin hairline -- the boy managed to dodge it as a result he fall down in his butt.

"I just want an answer brat."

"Go to hell!"

Her eyes widen at his sentence. "Aren't we already in hell?" Shuli shoved him back even further to the floor. "You did something to him didn't you?"

"I didn't!" He denied.

"Then why can't you say anything? A simple answer -- I won't pressure you any further, gramps won't forgive me if something happens to you but I won't forgive you if something happen to Luffy. You understand?" A chill went down to everyone's spine witnessing what they thought to be an execution. "I'll come back with Luffy." She went out, not bothering taking her butcher knife back from the wall and went out.

"These children are gonna be the death of me." Dadan shrieked and cried in pain.

"Oi!" Ace called out to shuli.

"What?"

"Go in that direction... I last saw him there.." He pointed at the left side of the deep jungle before leaving for bed.

"I guess he's not so bad after all..." Shuli mumbled and ran into that direction.

-Chapter 3 ended-