The Most

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"It's always Belle!" The young girl kicked the dry leaves on the ground on her way to the dock, she knew that it would be a while before the sunset but she didn't want to be home right now. Not after the fight she had just had with her older sister, Belle.

Merry, the girl's name, pouted as she could smell the sea already. Great, the waves and the seagulls would make her feel better. At least the waves and seagulls didn't play favorite like her Mom did. If only she was the only kid like Kuina... But to think about it, her aunty Robin didn't seem like someone who would play favorite. Even if one day Aunt Robin and Uncle Zoro decided to have another child, she didn't think they would love Kuina lesser.

The young girl sighed. The cold wind blew her shoulder length orange hair softly. It had been Belle's fault. She started the fight and the younger girl just tried to fight back. She didn't realize that little Ace was there and so when she threw the stuffy animal toward his older sister, it hit the black haired toddler instead. Of course it made the youngest of the three, who had just started learning how to stand these past few weeks fell on his butt and started wailing. His mother who had been doing laundry heard her only son wailed and stormed into the room furiously. Of course, Merry would be the one to blame. It had been always her anyway.

Merry sighed when she arrived on the dock. It was getting darker as the sun started to set. She sat on the wooden flooring and swing her feet in rythm with the wave.

Maybe her mom disliked her because she looked different. Belle and Ace both had straight thick black hair unlike her who had wavy orange hair. She bit her lip at the reason. Her mom also had the same orange colored hair. She shouldn't hate her because of that. Besides, her mom had told her once that her hair was beautiful. Yes, amongst the three, she was the one who resembled her mom the most. Sure her mom would not hate her just because of her looks right?

Think about it again, her mom wouldn't hate her. She should knew it. Her mom was tired and she did make Ace cry. She realized that what she had done might had injuried her little brother... For a reason she felt sorry.

She knew her mom didn't hate her but still...

"What are you doing here?"

Merry startled at the familiar voice, she turned to see a man with jet black unruly hair stood behind her. His infamous grin plastered on his face.

"Dad!"

"Shishishi, Merry, it's almost dinner time," he said lightly as he sat down next to his daughter, "don't you feel hungry?"

The girl was hungry but she didn't want to go home yet. Maybe Ace was still crying and her mom was still angry.

"Ace is okay," as if he could read her mind he continued, "Belle had told your mom that you did that because she teased you first."

"Did mom scold Belle?"

He laughed, "I don't think so, she helped preparing the dinner though."

The girl huff-ed, "see, mom's playing favorite again. She scolded me but not Belle."

He patted her head but saying nothing. He had been married for twelve years, a father for eleven years and had three kids, but still comforting a sulking kid was not something easy. He had faced so many strong enemies but still he'd rather to face those bad guys than facing his wife's angry face or his kids' sullen face.

"I think Mom loves Belle the most."

Her father tilted his head, thinking, "really? I think she loves you all."

Merry pouted, a habit she inherited from her father, "how about you dad? Who do you love the most?"

She was hoping his father would answer that he loved her the most. She would not be happy if he told her that he loved Belle or Ace the most.

The pirate king grinned, "the one I love the most?"

Merry nodded, eager to hear his answer.

"It would be your mom," he patted her head once again, the young girl looked exactly like a replica of his wife, especially when she looked like that, "I love my wife the most."

It was not the answer she had expected from him, she had thought he would at least say that he loved the three of them equally.

"Now, it's getting late, let's go home or your mom would be mad at us," he helped his daughter to stand up, "Ace had been looking for you..."

Merry stood up, she frowned, "he always pulled my hair."

Luffy laughed, "it's because he loves you!"

"It's because of my hair! It is so orange! It attracts him!" She complained as they started walking their way home. She did complain but actually she didn't mind Ace playing with her hair at all.

"He doesn't pull Nami's hair," Luffy stated easily, "Ace liked you. You should be nicer to him."

Merry didn't say anything though she felt happy. To know that someone in the house was actually liking her made her felt better. Maybe in five years or seven, she could get Ace on her side to bully Belle.

"By the way," Luffy suddenly said when they could see the light of their house finally, "I love your mom the most but it doesn't mean I don't love you. One of the reasons is because she had given birth of you all."

Merry rolled her eyes, "and other reason is?"

Luffy thought for a moment when they stopped in front of the door.

"Maybe because he cooked meat every Tuesday and Friday."

Merry rolled her eyes once again though this time she had to be agree with her father.

"We're home!"

NOTE:

If you like this universe (!futurefic) I will try to start a new collection of fics with this setting :)