The Devil's Grin - A One Piece Fanfic (Snail-like Updates)

Thank You. Good Bye.

Here is another chapter finally! A big thank you to all those who commented on previous chapters. As an author I can honestly say that comments are the most important to writers. Reads are nice. Votes are great. But comments tell us that our writing moved our readers. So please tell me what you guys think of this chapter. It's my life at one yet(5.5k words) and the next one will most likely be longer or as long. So feedback please.

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"Look! We're here!" Luffy yelled. D could hear all the crew outside gathering at the figurehead to take in the majestic sight of the city. He couldn't blame them. It was always a breathtaking sight when he saw it. He'd join them if he could but he was drained of power for a whole nother reason.

"Are you still sleeping?" Mary suddenly popped up next to him causing him to jump a foot of the bed.

"How long have you been there?!" D asked holding a hand over his racing heart. Or at least it would be if it was his real body. Having a copied body was convenient sometimes. Made it hard to cause any lasting damage for one thing.

"I've been in here since Nami and Robin brought you in." Mary answered causing D's jaw to hit the floor. "Why did they tell everyone you was having a meeting if all you did was wrestle?"

"..." D sat there in shocked silence at her innocent question. "It was a special kind of meeting!" He answered quickly. It was a good thing he had his cloak on. "Let's not talk about that." He chuckled nervously.

"OK." Mary shrugged. That's when he noticed she was sweating and breathing heavily.

"How are you holding up?" He asked concerned. He knew she couldn't be doing very well with the damaged state she was in.

"I can still carry them." He could hear the determination in her voice. He placed a hand on her head and smiled. She was such a brave girl despite not being a conscious being for very long.

"We're all lucky you take such good care of us, Little Mary." She smiled and nodded at him before running out to join the crew.

He sighed softly as he leaned against the wall. She put on a brave face but she had to be in immense pain. She was the soul of the ship. Which meant she could feel everything that happened to her 'body'. He had been wondering what he could do for her to make her last days better. It was only a matter of time before she could carry them anymore. The thought of having to part ways with her with her being so young was heartbreaking. He finally knew what he could do for her. Decision made he adjusted his postion so that his legs were crossed and began to concentrate. He needed to gather power for her gift.

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Several hours went by and they finally arrived at Water Seven and found a place to dock outside the city. D had finished building the power necessary and was preparing for Mary's gift. Stepping outside the room onto the upper deck he could see the ship was basically empty. Zoro was the only one on the ship, and he was sleeping.

A quick scan of the city revealed the locations of the crew as well as the man he was expecting to join from here on out. Nodding he moved to the figurehead to where Mary was resting. "Would like to see the city?"

Confused, Mary looked over towards Water Seven. "I can see it right there."

D smiled as he chuckled. "I mean, would you like to walk through the city and see the sights."

"I can't go to far from the ship." Mary looked down.

"I can change that." She looked up surprised. "For a day that is."

"How can you do that?!" Excitement and astonishment filling her voice and eyes.

"It's actually simple really." D waved his hand and an exact copy of her stood at his side. "I create an empty body for your soul to reside in. The reason it would be only a day is because it takes a lot of power to move you into it and hold you there. You are not a natural existence, an inanimate object brought to life by the love of those around you. Your constantly drawn to your 'body' because your soul is unable to recognize anything else. And that's why it takes so much power to give you a day of freedom."