The Secret of Me

Could This Be Considered Kidnap?...

Days turned into weeks and I became more familiar with the island and its inhabitants.

I work at the bar, for free, not that I was asking for any money... I occasionally saw the one I learned to call 'Luffy' around the town. He was usually with someone I found out to be his grandfather.

I often watched him, and the two others...

But from my place in the trees they never had seemed to notice me...

They interest me... all three of them... I feel like I have some sort of unpaid debt to them or they have debt to me... I can't seem to figure out why...

I was walking in the woods one afternoon, the warm sun tickling down through the trees leaves, and I felt like I was utterly safe . . . and maybe... happy?

I blink a few times looking up at the color I had learned to address as blue sky. . .

The color reminded me of Mert.

I only knew her for a day . . . not even that long.

Yet she died for me.

Then I did something I will regret for the rest of my damned life!

Why?! Why did I-

Pain. Everywhere.

Rattling my bones... blurring my vision... ringing in my ears . . . refusing to stop, yet I couldn't name the source. . . and I've felt many, many, sorts of pains....

I feel myself fall... I couldn't do anything but concentrated on breathing. . . and even that was a difficult duty...

I shall not give in... if this pain drives me to death I will fight the tears and try with every ounce of energy I possess to stay conscious. I'm not weak I tell you! I'm not weak!!

My breathing hitched... and a scream rose from deep within my core, raging up my throat and pouring out of my mouth, then I plummet into the pitch black darkness of unconsciousness, feeling worthless and defeated.

I find myself, sometime later, laying on what seems to be a bed.

I inhale slowly and open my eyes.

Face to face with some old guy.

A surprised yells emits from my mouth as my hand fly to cover it, I say a muffled apology.

I slowly recognize the man.

Oh great. . .

This man was none other than Monkey D. Garp.

This was very much so confirmed by the hat bearing boy who jumped onto the bed, knocking the breath out of me yelling, "YOUR THAT GIRL THAT WAS AT THE DOCKS!!!!"

I sigh again opening my mouth to quickly say my thanks and leave but Garp interrupted me, after of course hitting the small boy in the head resulting in a throbbing bump, in which he sat in the corner hands over his inured head.

"Quiet!" He yelled at the kid then turned to me, "Who are you?"

I quickly jump to my feet and bow, my head spinning and throbbing at the movement.

"Valdis Nyx, sir." I say in my usual quiet accented tone.

"Where do ya live?" He questions.

"Here and there sir. . ."

"Your homeless?"

"Um..." I can't lie... I simply cannot lie at all, "Yes..."

He studied me for a moment.

"What do you want to be?"

This caught me off guard but I answer after a moment's thought, "I'm not sure sir... possibly a Marine, maybe. . ." my words trailing off as I thought.

The smile he then got terrified me.

"HEAR THAT BOY!!! THIS GIRL'S GOT HER HEAD ON RIGHT!!" He celebrated, grabbing the small boy called Luffy, though I have no idea why he was celebrating... "Yes girl! Nyx! I've got the perfect home for you! Teach those boys what's right... that's what you'll do!"

My eyes widen, sweating I quickly say, "Oh that's so very kind of you but-"

I was cut off again by the Marine, "No need to thank me! Now come on!" He then dragged me from the room with one hand, the straw hat wearing boy in the other, both of us behind him, the boy looked at me with a huge smile despite the huge bump on his head.

And that's how it came to be.

 I now stand in front of the three boys.

Three odd boys.