Disclaimer: I own neither One Piece nor Naruto.

Soo, here we go! I present to you...the next chapter!

I decided to mix up the timeline a bit. Shanks and his crew won't stay for a whole year. You've been warned :D

This chapter was also betaed by LoveroftheKiller, who has proven to be an invaluable help. Thanks, buddy!

Enjoy!~

Sometime in the future, somewhere on the Grand Line

She was on her knees. Doubled up with an agonizing pain that came from her chest. It hurt. A cry of anguish clawed its way through her throat. She couldn't fathom why death hadn't yet claimed her. Her thoughts were sluggish, her vision blurry. She should be dead. Why was she still alive? The cries of broken men were fuzzy in her ears. Where was she again?

Little by little, memories came flooding back and she realized. There was something left she had to do. The seal on the back of her neck was burning.

She…she was angry.

No, furious. How dare they?

She'd warned them. About what would happen if they decided to go down that path. They didn't care.

She would show them what happened if you didn't heed her words.

Her previously suppressed aura flared, grew until it towered over most of those present. Her killing intent slammed into the enemies and she felt them shiver deliciously in fear. She stood. Slowly. It hurt like hell. It was pure torture. Ignoring the surprised outcries of the people around her—

(she really shouldn't be standing anymore)

—she raised her head, and fixated her enemies with dark eyes. There was an icy fire burning in them. Cold. So cold.

Jutting her chin out, she slowly raised her hands to form a seal. Her forehead started to tingle.

You think me a miracle healer because I heal and aid?

I'll show you what else I am able to do.

The Voice of the sea was crying.

Present

Sakura woke with a start and looked around in confusion. Blinking owlishly, the medic scanned the room and recognized her small chamber in the Partys Bar.

Somebody had taken care of her wounds. The leg where she had been shot and some of the deeper cuts were tightly bandaged. Her wounds had already started to heal so Sakura deduced that she had been out for a few days at least. The kunoichi was aware that she could consider herself lucky. Chakra exhaustion was a serious condition, her life had been on the line. Even now, after being unconscious and recovering, Sakura knew that she shouldn't do anything even remotely strenuous with her chakra for the next few days.

Someone had put a glass of water on her nightstand. She greedily gulped its content down and sighed. The cool liquid did wonders for her dry throat.

The medic concentrated and identified the Red Hair Pirates' auras downstairs together with Makino's. Luffy was surprisingly absent.

Carefully, the kunoichi stood up from the bed and shakily took a few steps. Her leg ached a bit but it was bearable. Nothing compared to before.

Her attention was drawn to downstairs again when Shanks's aura flared in her direction and Sakura realized that he must've noticed her state of awareness. It was similar to signaling things with chakra so the kunoichi answered him by weakly flickering back. The captain's aura brightened with joy and a smile spread across Sakura's face.

When the pinkette arrived downstairs she made a beeline for the bar where the red haired captain sat, past the crew that was merrily drinking as usual. She didn't miss the subtle glances of Benn and the others though, flickering over her injuries with worried eyes.

When the kunoichi climbed the stool beside the emperor, Shanks acknowledged her presence with a dip of his head.

Makino was the first to address the pinkette. "How are you feeling?"

Sakura hadn't been sure how the bar owner would act after seeing the kunoichi ruthlessly killing a dozen bandits right in front of her but the older woman seemed surprisingly unperturbed. Makino appeared to be genuinely concerned.

Sakura let out a breath she didn't knew she'd held. "I'm fine. Really, I've had much worse," she honestly responded.

Turning to the red-haired captain next to her, the pinkette didn't miss a beat and went into full doctor mode. "Show me the arm," she demanded.

Obediently, Shanks held it out for her to examine and observed her actions in silence. After thoroughly inspecting the spot where the arm had been bitten off, Sakura did a quick medical scan (it was annoying; her chakra was only moving sluggishly, like a cat that had been lying in the sun for too long).

Eventually, she deduced that everything was fine and working properly. Her gaze fell to an oval scar on his forearm, where she had bitten onto the limb to have her hands free. It was pale and stood out from the rest of his tanned skin.

Still, the medic was more than satisfied with her work. Clearing her throat, she chimed, "It's all patched up, but you shouldn't do anything strenuous with it for a few weeks to let it recover completely."

Shanks scrutinized her bandages with an unusual solemnity, before his gaze wandered to her face, searching for any signs of pain or distress. When he found none, his expression turned thoughtful. At last, he confessed, "You had us worried there, Sakura."

The medic shrugged and waved off. "I'm alright. I over exerted myself but I'll be fine if I lay low for the next few days. Promise."

His brows knitted in a frown. "Don't play it down," he chided, "You were hurt gravely. Are you always that unconcerned about risking your life?"

Is he implying that I was gambling with my life? Does he think me that incapable? After all I've done?

"Excuse me?" Sakura fumed, "Me playing something down? You were the one who came out of the water with only one arm but still grinning like an idiot! How dare you!" she seethed.

Shanks had the decency to look guilty, but she wasnt' finished yet.

"I was fully aware of the risks and consequences of my actions! It wasn't as if I would try to throw myself into danger without a reason! Of course recovering the arm and attaching it back wasn't easy, you git! But, if you hadn't been so stupid and lost it, that wouldn't have been necessary in the first place!"

Jabbing her index finger in his chest, Sakura growled, "If you ever stupidly lose an arm to a Sea King like this again, you'll have to ask somebody else to attach it back on!"

The emperor nodded mutely. "I apologize. I shouldn't have said that," he admitted. Scratching the back of his head sheepishly, he hurried to explain, "We were so worried about you! You almost died. Even your Haki was acting strangely."

Sakura blinked owlishly, her previous ire forgotten. "My Haki? I never heard of that. What do you mean it acted strangely?"

The emperor looked at her in disbelief. "Wait, you don't know what Haki is? You just used it when you were upstairs! You use Observation Haki all the time!"

"I use what? Do you mean my chakra? Or the auras? Because you can't mean the Voices, you told me some time ago that you couldn't hear them."

"Chakra? The hell is that?"

Sakura and Shanks looked at each other in utter confusion.

Eventually, the pinkette pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. We won't get anywhere like this.

She tried to collect her thoughts. Of course he's never heard of Chakra. It doesn't exist here. Should I give him an explanation?

The thought of divulging information evoked a deep wariness within her. Sakura squashed the feeling immediately. Constant vigilance and suspicion were a vital necessity for her profession. Thinking like this had saved her life multiple times during the war.

Trusting Luffy had been easy. Everything seemed simple with her friend. He had seen her at her lowest but he didn't turn away. Instead, Luffy had given her hope.

But she had called Shanks a friend. And there was no war here.

I can trust him. He's a good person, she reminded herself.

Sometimes, Sakura felt very old.

"Chakra," the kunoichi disclosed cautiously, "is a form of life energy that all individuals produce to some degree. It circulates throughout the body and enables me to do a variety of things, including healing techniques."

Sakura expected the redhead to start firing questions at her immediately, but rather than going into her explanation, Shanks was just drumming his fingers on the bar, lost in thought.

Eventually, he spoke up and pinned her with keen brown eyes. "Haki is a power that can be found in every living being. It has to be awakened in order to use it, but most people never notice it in the first place. Haki has versatile uses, one of them being Observation. It can allow the user to sense the presence, the emotions and nature of others and even predict an opponent's moves."

What? That's extraordinary!

Sakura's mind was racing and a thousand questions were right on the tip of her tongue but Shanks continued, proving her why exactly he was a Pirate Emperor, despite his normally laid back attitude.

"You are able to use it consciously. You sensed me when I followed you on your way to Gray Terminal and today, just after you woke up, you used it too. However, your Haki has always felt peculiar. I'd say it moves but I can't really pin down what exactly feels strange about it. All I can say is that your Haki is slightly off and different from everyone else's."

His voice gained a smug edge when he figured, "It makes total sense, since you've stated that you don't actually have Haki but 'Chakra' that circulates throughout your body. You also told me everybody possesses 'Chakra' but you're the only person I know whose Haki behaves strangely. That leaves me with the question..." the emperor trailed off and his eyes gleamed. "Where are you from?"

Sakura's whole body stiffened. Some part of her was admiring his quick brain while the other contemplated on how to react.

Where am I from?

Images flashed before her mind's eye. Konoha in ruins...Team Seven eating together at Ichiraku's...thousands over thousands of Shinobi fighting against an army of white Zetsu...Ino smiling at her. Her expression darkened.

"I…" Sakura started, but a big lump in her throat stopped her from carrying on.

Fuck this! Why am I so emotional?

Shanks's expression softened when he realized her struggle. "How about we start with something easier," he suggested. "How old are you really?"

The pinkette slammed her eyes shut and took a deep breath to calm herself. It's okay. You can trust him.

You are a kunoichi, a shinobi. You are strong, Sakura told herself. Her spine straightened and when she opened her eyes again, they were unyielding like steel. Her voice firm and proud.

"Eighteen. My name is Sakura Haruno and I'm a kunoichi of Konohagakure. I am a member of Team Seven and have trained under one of the Legendary Sannin, Tsunade Senju."

Her shoulders slumped. "I…I never intended to get thrown into this world," Sakura choked.

Panic surged within her. What will he do? How will he react?

Unexpectedly, Sakura felt herself being pulled in a warm hug. The kunoichi tensed due to the sudden contact but gradually relaxed after a few seconds.

When Shanks pulled back, he sent her a warm smile and ruffled her hair affectionately. "Tell me everything," he encouraged her.

Sakura did.

Shanks was speechless. Astounded. He'd known that this pink haired girl—no, woman actually, was special but he could've never imagined...this.

Ten months ago, the emperor wouldn't have believed her story. Although he had seen many seemingly impossible things while sailing with Roger, a healing, pink haired ninja-girl really would've pushed beyond the limits of his belief. But, after observing her for ten months now and witnessing her doing impossible things...he just couldn't not believe her.

Clearing his throat, Shanks summarized, "So you are a ninja-girl from another world who fought in a war and then against some crazy goddess. And that goddess somehow turned you back into a child and sent you here?"

The pinkette nodded hesitantly; her expressive green eyes were cautiously taking his reaction in. A pang of sympathy for her situation roused in Shanks. To lose everything so abruptly... damn.

The red haired captain tried to maintain his composure and lightly noted, "Well, I don't know what I expected but…your story makes perfect sense!"

Ninja-girl, how he'd nicknamed her, didn't seem impressed by his reaction. Shanks could see that she was trying to put on a brave front but her eyes easily gave her true feelings away. Uncertainty and weariness. Her gaze flickered around the room to his crew who had without a doubt heard everything.

Shit, those are some major trust issues, right there. She must've been through a lot, Shanks mused and tried not to be offended by her distrust.

He felt obliged to make something clear and affirmed, "You won't regret trusting me. I swear to you, everybody in this room will protect your secrets with their lives. Who do you think I am?"

Sakura sighed and flashed him a wry smile. "I apologize. My profession doesn't really encourage me to put my trust into others."

The emperor nodded. "I understand. So now you're looking for a way home?"

Her shoulders slumped. "Yeah. At first I didn't want to believe my eyes when I looked at the maps. I mean, another world? But, the more I read about this world, the more I realized that I landed somewhere wholly different from what I know. Count in the fact that I'm the only one with Chakra around and I came to accept what happened to me.
"But I still feel like I have to make sure that my home really doesn't exist...here. Maybe somebody has at least heard of it? That's why I've been waiting for Luffy's grandfather for a while now."

"Wait, Luffy's grandfather?"

"Yes, apparently he's a great marine and knows a lot," Sakura shrugged.

A great Marine? That could be about anyone.

"He only visits Luffy from time to time so I've been waiting for him," she recalled with a scowl. "I think his name was Garp though. Monkey D. Garp."

Shanks suddenly felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over his head. "M-Monkey D. Garp? Are you sure, Ninja-girl?

"Do you know him?"

He scrunched up his face and supplied, "Monkey D. Garp, called Garp 'The Fist' and 'Hero of the Marines', is said to be the man that was able to corner the Pirate King multiple times on his journey. I only met Garp a few times; he is extremely strong, loves rice crackers and often throws cannon balls with his bare hands." As an afterthought, Shanks added, "He may be a marine but he's a decent person, I think."

Should've figured the little squirt has a celebrity in his family, the captain inwardly groaned.

"So he's famous then?" Ninja-girl sounded skeptical.

"Almost as famous as I am," Shanks bragged, deliberately exaggerating and was rewarded with a laugh from the pinkette.

When she seemed to remember something, Sakura perked up. "I've been meaning to ask, do you know where Luffy is? I haven't seen him since I woke up."

"Oh, I sent him away some hours ago. He needed a breath of fresh air since he's been at your bedside the whole time, waiting for you to wake up." He noticed her tiny brows raise in bewilderment.

"Why are you surprised? You should know that boy by now, he has a heart of gold," Shanks chuckled.

Sakura smiled fondly. "He does."

"Why didn't you ask me anyway? You would trust a marine more than you'd trust me, Ninja-girl? I'm heartbroken," he pouted and theatrically pressed a hand to his chest.

The pinkette snorted. "You didn't exactly give me a reason to, you know."

"She got you there, captain!" Lucky Roo butted in from one of the tables in the back.

Oh, shut up, Shanks inwardly gaze dropped to his arm. He could see the oval scar that her teeth left and flexed his fingers. It worked...flawlessly.

She risked her own life to recover the limb of a man she didn't trust. Then she attached it back on like it was nothing and called him a friend.

Extraordinary.

Taking a deep breath, Shanks began, "I don't know how to express my profound gratitude for what you did a few days ago. I...didn't really care about the loss of my arm because I sacrificed it to save Luffy but...if I'm honest I'm really glad that you managed to get it back and reattach it. Thank you," he sincerely declared.
"And I promise you," he vowed, completely serious,"that I will do whatever lies within my possibilities and resources to help you find a way home."

Ninja-girl was gaping at him. Shanks knew that it wasn't easy to get that kind of a reaction from her so he felt a bit smug while waiting for her to recover.

Eventually, Sakura blurted, "Konohagakure."

"Ehh?"

"That's the name of my village. Have you ever heard about it before?"

Oh, she mentioned that in the beginning, didn't she?

There was a nagging feeling in the back of his head. The name seemed vaguely familiar to him and he combed through his memories for any information that might help her.

Konohagakure..

"Oi, brat!"

"Y-Yes, captain?"

"What do you think about visiting a Hidden Village full of ninjas?"

"But captain, we just left Wano Kuni a few days ago!"

"Hahaha, we won't find it there, Shanks. Finding Konohagakure will be a whole new adventure! It's said to be in another world! I've read about it."

"You read captain? Isn't Rayleigh the smart one?"

"Oh, shut up!"

Sakura watched how Shanks's face took on a faraway expression. Raising an eyebrow, she shot Benn a questioning look, but the first mate just shrugged as if to say 'He does that sometimes' and the medic had to suppress a chuckle.

When the emperor snapped back, he grinned from ear to ear. "I've heard of Konohagakure before," he confided, "My old captain once mentioned the name. He talked about a Hidden Village full of ninas so I'm fairly confident that he meant your village."

"He did?"

"Yes, I'm positive that he'd read about it in the form of a story or something similar. One of his many adventures. He only mentioned it once though so I can't tell you anything more."

"Oh wow, that's... I don't know what to say! Who is your old captain? Is there a possibility for me to meet him!?" Sakura asked eagerly.

Shanks visibly deflated, "That's not possible since he's...well, he got executed eleven years ago. You might've heard of him, his name was Gol D. Roger."

Her eyes grew wide. "You sailed with the Pirate King?"

"I was a cabin boy on his ship," the emperor nodded. "Captain might be dead but there are still members of his crew left. They're scattered around the world but I bet they know more than me since I only was a cabin boy. The most likely to know anything would be Silvers Rayleigh and Garp the Hero, I'd guess."

"Wait, Garp? But, isn't he a marine?"

The emperor snorted. "Garp and Captain were rivals and stood on different sides, but they were friends too. Never accept anything you hear or read as the truth, especially not any information that comes from the World Government," Shanks advised.
"They portray him as a demon. A monster." A bitter laugh escaped him. "He was everything but. He was fearless, loyal and warm. His strength may have been monstrous, yes, but my captain, Gol D. Roger, was a great man."

The pinkette noticed his fingers absently ghosting over the brim of his straw hat. "He gave me his hat. It's my most precious possession, my treasure. But there's more to it."

Shanks voice became solemn. "The Pirate King is the freest person in the world. This straw hat is both, a symbol of freedom and a crown. I do not intend to become Pirate King, so I'm just keeping it warm until the next King emerges."

The emperor cleared his throat and the atmosphere lifted, "Sorry Sakura, kinda got lost there."

A wistful sigh escaped her. "He must've been an amazing person. I really wish I could've met him."

"Really? I thought maybe the fact that he is called a devil by most of the world would deter you."

Sakura snorted and crossed her arms. "Do you think so lowly of me? I'm not a prejudiced person, Shanks. I'd rather make up my own mind and won't let myself be influenced by propaganda. In fact, I find the stories about the Pirate King more than fascinating."

A hearty laugh escaped him, "No way! We really should've talked sooner! I have so many stories I can tell you about my adventures with Captain!" His brown eyes were excited.

Suddenly, Shanks's face took on a serious expression and he straightened his back. Being confronted with the rapt attention of a Pirate Emperor, the kunoichi suppressed a strong urge to fidget on her seat.

"Sakura," the redhead began and his gleaming eyes bore into her. "Sail with me. With us. Join my crew."

The pinkette needed a few seconds until his words sank in. At last, her eyes grew almost comically wide.

"W-What?"

"I said, join my crew." The emperor spread out his arms with a wide smile. "Come on, Ninja-girl. Imagine, the places you would see. I can tell you everything you want to know about Captain! And the crew and I could surely teach you more about Haki!"

Sakura was in a daze. Considering his offer, she closed her eyes and a smile flickered over her face.

What a dangerous man. Wicked, I'd even say. Bating me with the promise of knowledge and freedom. Trying to lure me in.

She'd love to say yes. She really would. But... it didn't feel right to her. How could she leave now? Sakura wasn't nearly strong enough yet to survive in the seas that Shanks sailed, she was quite sure of that, and there were still things left to do here.
She'd read a lot, sure, but the pinkette couldn't be sure about how this world worked. And she wouldn't commit herself to a path, be it Pirate, Marine or whatever, without knowing where it would lead her.

"I'm afraid, I have to refuse."

The red-haired captain seemed genuinely surprised by her answer. "You-you refuse?"

Pah, I bet he is rarely turned down by somebody like this.

The kunoichi was aware of the fact that being invited into to crew of an emperor was probably a tremendous honor.

"I feel honored, really. I just can't."

The redhead frowned. "Is it the fact that you want to find a way home? I already said that we would help you so I thought that would be self-evident."

Before Sakura could open her mouth and give him an answer, the door burst open. A black blur tackled Shanks, sending him and the attacker tumbling from the bar stool and landing in an undignified heap on the floor.

"Sakura's my friend, you can't have her!"

With raised eyebrows, she took in the sight of Luffy sitting on Shanks's chest, glaring furiously down at the captain.

I must've been so engrossed in my conversation with Shanks that I didn't sense him eavesdropping, the medic mused.

The emperor seemed to be at a loss for words. Frowning, he explained, "Luffy, that is not your decision to make."

"I don't care!" her black-haired friend shouted. "Even if she is older than she looks! She can't leave! She is my only friend!" Sakura could see his small fists clenching the fabric of Shanks's white shirt.

"Everyone always leaves! My father left me with Gramps, and Gramps left me here and never visits! Sakura already said that she doesn't want to leave so don't you dare try to convince her of something else!"

"Luffy," the emperor began softly, "Sakura is her own person. Not letting her go when sailing with us would help her finding a way back home is not right. It's selfish. Don't you want to help her?"

Luffy visibly flinched.

That was a low blow, Shanks, the kunoichi thought grimly. Totally unnecessary.

"Sakura," Luffy turned to her with trembling lips, "Will you stay here? I'm sorry that I'm selfish," he hiccuped, "but you're my only friend. You wanted to meet Gramps, right? I'm sure he will help you!"

The pinkette could see tears forming in the corner of his eyes and realized that this was more than a simple tantrum.
Her green eyes softened and she jumped off her seat to open her arms. Immediately, Luffy threw himself into her warm embrace. "I'm sorry for being selfish," he whispered.

"Everybody can be a little selfish, Luffy," she soothed. "And I already said that I will stay here. Nothing Shanks says could change that."

Turning her head to hold the emperor's gaze, she continued, "I am grateful for your offer. The seas you sail are dangerous and while I know that I would be safe and sound with you, I don't appreciate being a burden or a liability. I'm not weak but I will need several years to regain the strength I have lost."

The image of Sasuke and Naruto fighting alone against Orochimaru in the Forest of Death sprung up in her mind, accompanied by the feeling of utter hopelessness she'd felt at that time. Sakura cast the memory aside, in the farthest corner of her head.

I refuse to be a liability ever again.

Sakura's eyes roamed over the rest of the crew and she met everyone's gaze brazenly. "I am but a burden right now and in addition, there are things left to do for me on this island. I will not leave it now."

Shanks narrowed his eyes shrewdly. He didn't seem to agree and Sakura cursed inwardly.

How to placate him? she wondered.

"Then join me at a later point in time," he offered graciously. "We will wait for you in the New World."

Damn that man! she inwardly hissed, her temper flaring.

"Listen, who even said that I want to be a pirate!?" Sakura snapped at him. "You all seem to forget that I have yet to express any desire to resort to piracy!"

"What do you want to be then? A marine? A revolutionary?" Shanks scoffed. "You'll be better off with us."

"I refuse to be bound to anyone, you jerk!" she furiously hissed. "As if there isn't anything else you can be in this muddy pond of a world! What the hell?!"

The emperor still didn't seem convinced and Sakura clenched her teeth in frustration, her mind racing.

"How about this," she started, "If you beat me in a drinking contest, I will join your crew without protest. If I win, however, you'll stop pestering me about joining you."

Shanks expression became unbelieving and Sakura ignored the surprised shouts of the Red Hair crew. Makino watched in open shock and Luffy cheered.

"Umm, Sakura," Yasopp warned to her from the back of the room. "I don't think that's a good idea!"

The pinkette snorted. "I'll have you know that I can hold my liquor well, thank you very much," she sniffed and narrowed her gaze on the captain with a clear challenge.

Shanks grinned, already confident of his victory. "The game is on."

Oh, you won't know what hit you, believe me.

It was when 'Red-Haired' Shanks was lying unconscious on the ground and the whole crew was staring at her in awe, that Sakura downed her last shot.

"You won," Benn stated, surprised. Then he cracked a large grin and loudly proclaimed, "Sakura has beaten the Captain in a drinking contest! Congratulations!"

The whole room burst into cheers and laughter over the downed captain. The pinkette chortled and shook her head in amusement.

In truth, Sakura had cheated. Being an Iryonin had many advantages. One of them was the ability to reduce the amount of alcohol in your blood, thus reducing its effects on the body.

Being the student of Tsunade, this ability had proven to be invaluable. Since the pinkette was still suffering from the after effects of severe chakra exhaustion, it had been difficult to pull it off, but she'd won anyway. That didn't mean she didn't feel a bit dizzy now.

With a heartfelt sigh, the kunoichi plopped herself down on the floor, next to Shanks. The captain was starting to snore and she grinned down at him.

Makino approached them, squeezing her way through the crew that had surrounded Sakura and Shanks in a loose circle to watch their competition. The bar owner crouched down next to her and held out a plate with snacks. The pinkette observed the woman's face carefully, but surprisingly, there was no disapproval visible in her expression. Hesitantly, the medic took the food and gave her a nod of thanks.

Isn't she upset? I am basically a child that just downed huge amounts of alcoholic beverages, Sakura puzzled.

Either her face was like an open book, or Makino had an awareness of people's feelings that was even scarier than Luffy's, because the woman snickered, "I know you're an adult and that's okay. The alcohol doesn't even seem to affect you very much, so in my books you can drink as much as you want."

Her voice softened. "And if you ever need anything, just ask. Just because you're technically an adult, doesn't mean you can't ask me for help. I'm your friend, Sakura."

The kunoichi had to blink away her tears. Clearing her throat, she croaked, "Thank you," and she meant it.

"So, you're going to stay here?" Luffy butted in, plucking at Sakura's sleeve with a questioning look. Her friend had surveyed the drinking contest in awe and his cheers had been the loudest.

"Yes, of course I am, Luffy. We're friends, right?" At her words, his face lit up with a blinding smile.

"We are!" He hugged her fiercely. Sakura held him just as close.

The soft sound of the waves breaking on the shore filled the air and a gentle breeze came off the sea. It was the next day and the 'Red Hair' Pirates' farewell.

Luffy and Sakura were standing side by side near the landing stage and watched as the pirates were making the final preparations for departure.

The sun was warming her face and the Voice of the sea was humming contently. Maybe the sea was happy to have the pirates back on her waves again? The peaceful atmosphere seemed unfitting for bidding goodbye to a friend, and Sakura thought that she would much prefer gloomy clouds covering the sun and sky right now.

Shanks approached them with a smile. "I got something for you, Sakura," he announced and held out... a small, white piece of paper?

Hesitantly, she took it and looked at it from all sides. The confusion had to be written in her face because the redhead chuckled and explained, "This is my Vivre Card. It always moves in the direction that I am and thus, you will always be able to find me."

Sakura's face lit up. A Vivre Card! I read about them!

"And this," he handed her a worn out book, which she accepted carefully, "is also for you. I'm sure it'll be helpful to you." His aura flickered meaningfully and he sent her a conspiratorial wink.

Oh, so it's a book about Haki!

Her fingers stroked reverently over the old leather binding, which was artfully decorated with faded golden ornaments. It looked fairly old and valuable.

"I went through great difficulties to retrieve it the last time we left," the emperor admitted. Benn snorted from a few feet away and interjected, "What he means is that he stole it right under Kaido's nose for you."

Sakura was taken aback. He would go that far for me?

"Thank you," she breathed. That man is amazing!

"You know," Shanks stressed, "I have other really rare and interesting books in my little library on the ship. If you would sail with us, you could read them all. Imagine!" he taunted, sending her a sly smirk.

The pinkette barely refrained from rolling her eyes. Take that back.

It had turned out that Shanks was a sore loser. After sleeping through his drunkenness the day before, he had woken up and hadn't wanted to admit his defeat. Instead, he'd accused her of cheating.

Of course, the thought was not that far-fetched, what eight-year-old girl beats a full-grown man, who is also widely known for his high tolerance for alcohol, in a drinking game?

Right, her. Sure, using her chakra like that wasn't exactly fair, but it was not like the pinkette was above fighting dirty. She was a shinobi, not some marine with a misguided sense of honor. If the emperor was so assured of his alcohol tolerance that he ignored the obvious catch of their competition, he had to be really arrogant.

Besides, what could Shanks do to prove his accusation? Sakura had told him as much and since he didn't have a clue about what she'd done to win, the red-haired captain did have to acknowledge her victory, grumbling and throwing her dark looks the whole time. The situation had been hilarious.

Luffy's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. "You're really leaving this time.."

Shanks let out a wistful sigh. "Yep, we've stayed here long enough, it's about time we move on. Are you upset?"

The raven-haired boy merely shrugged and confessed, "Yea...but I won't force you to take me along anymore. Sakura is here." Then, Luffy perked up. "And I'll become a pirate all by myself!" he revealed and beamed.

Huh, he wants to find his own crew? That's new, Sakura thought.

Shanks let out a loud guffaw. "You don't have what it takes to become a pirate!" he mocked Luffy.

"Yes, I do!" Luffy claimed and suddenly, his whole demeanor changed. Astounded, Sakura continued to watch how his spine straightened and his black eyes became dead serious when he fixated the emperor with an unrelenting stare. Luffy's whole posture expressed pride and defiance and Sakura could feel his aura bursting with couragepassionresolve.

The Voices around her stilled, like they intended to listen and time itself seemed to halt. Sakura unconsciously held her breath.

"One day, I'll find myself a crew that is as strong as yours!" Luffy declared.

"And then I'll find the World's Biggest Treasure!"

"I'll become the King of Pirates!" he loudly exclaimed.

The pinkette stood stock-still. She was reminded of another friend with that bright grin and a seemingly foolish dream. Another boy who reached for the stars.

They were so alike, it almost hurt.

Sakura once more realized that Monkey D. Luffy was dangerous. Inevitable. She'd known it the first time when she saw him. People were drawn to him like moths to a flame. He had the ability to inspire. Faith. Courage. Friendship. Loyalty.

She didn't doubt for a second that he would reach his goal and become the King of Pirates.

The pirates surrounding them, were staring at Luffy in shock and Shanks himself seemed frozen. An unreadable expression flickered across the emperor's face but he seemed to catch himself fast.

"Oh! So you want to be bigger than us, huh? Well, then...''

"This hat is my gift to you," 'Red-Haired' Shanks said and placed the worn straw hat on Luffy's mop of black hair. It was too big for the boy, but he peeked out from under its brim anyway, his eyes wide.

The emperor smiled fondly. "This is my favorite hat, you know. I trust you to take good care of it."

"When you become a great pirate in the future, return that hat to me," the captain told Luffy seriously. Then he simply turned around and ambled away, intent on boarding his ship.

Tears were streaming down Luffy's face and he choked on his sobs. Sadness rolled off his aura in waves but there was also something else. Was it solemnity? Sakura couldn't name it but she knew.

That hadn't been a halfhearted promise. Those hadn't been the words of a small boy. This was the resolve of a soul that burned as fiercely as a raging fire.

Sakura also knew, that it wasn't just any straw hat. 'Red-Haired' Shanks had chosen. The worn, frayed straw hat Luffy was wearing now, was a message, a crown, and a claim.

It meant, this one is worthy.

This one will be great.

And, this is the one that I believe in.

Sakura offered her hand to her friend for comfort and Luffy clutched it tightly. Hand in hand, that's how they stood and watched the crew set sail.

When the pinkette noticed Shanks talking to Benn, she laboriously directed chakra to her ears and listened carefully—

"That kid's gonna be big," Benn remarked.

"I know," the emperor hummed in agreement, "He reminds me of my early years."

"You mean the King," his first mate guessed.

Shanks remained silent. Sakura could see his gaze falling to the bite-shaped scar on his arm, the rosy white color contrasting from the tanned skin.

Eventually, he stated, "They're both going to be big. The question is...who is going to shake this world more?"

Seemingly tearing his eyes off the arm he'd once thought lost, the red haired captain ordered, "Set sail! Pull up the anchor!"

A wide grin split his face when he heard the crew cheer, and shouts of "Aye, Captain!" reached his ears.

"You know what I'll answer to anybody who asks about the Hat and this scar?" Shanks said to Benn, "I'll say, 'I gave my hat to the next generation, to a boy with a grin that shines as bright as the sun and fire in his heart. The scar, on the other hand, was caused by the one woman who managed to break my nose and beat me in a drinking contest.'"

Benn grinned and retorted, "They will wonder about the story behind that for quite some time."

There ya go. I really hope you liked the chapter! Writing the 'Hat-Scene' wasn't easy, it's such an important moment..

Please tell me what you think about it! I love to hear all your thoughts and ideas :)

Have a great day~