I watched the girl sitting on the edge of the bed in my office with the now small cat curled up next to her. She had refused to be treated until the cat had been seen, too, and then the cat shrank into a regular size so he could go with her into the room. Me and the rest of the crew's jaws dropped, but Pops just laughed, telling me to help her the best that I could. I, of course, gave her a once over and found more than just the bleeding arm. She had untended wounds on her back that looked extremely bad; they were blackened around the edges and looked almost burnt. I treated the arm, cleaning and wrapping it up, but she didn't let me get close to the ones on her back.

I sighed as I bent down to her height; her fragile frame was shivering, but I couldn't do anything about it because she wouldn't let us give her a coat, probably because her back wounds hurt.

"Hey, I know you're in pain and are scared, but I need to know what happened if I'm to help make you feel better. So, can you tell me how you got your wounds on your back?" I said calmly to the 10-year-old. She looked up at me with her yellow eyes. At that moment, she looked so sad and broken but also familiar. But she didn't respond. It must have been traumatic whatever happened to her, and I have a feeling the Marines had a hand in it, consecrating it was them who had been chasing her. "It's alright if you don't want to tell me; I understand it's hard. How about you tell me something else? How did you meet your currently little friend?" I tried to open up the conversation this way instead, as the two of them seemed very attached, so I thought it would be a good start.

"I found him in a box on a ship; it was a grey powder that I was told was gunpowder," she spoke very quietly, but at least she opened up a little bit. I gave her a small smile.

"Which is why you called him Gunpowder." She nodded her head. "It's a fitting name. I'm going to ask you another question, alright? Do you know how to help the wounds on your back?" She thought my words through but looked at the footsteps approaching my office. I had to leave the door open because she reacted badly to it being closed, so we could see that it was Thatch approaching. The cook had a plate of cookies in his hand.

"Sorry to interrupt, but if it's okay with the doc here, I thought you might want something to eat, so I made you a treat." I chuckled at my brother as I saw the girl's eyes light up at the plate. She looked at me, and I nodded, giving her my approval. She reached out her non-injured hand to the plate in front of her. She started to munch on the cookies that Thatch held out for her. At least she was eating something. I was about to ask my question again when she answered.

"I do know. Are you going to hurt me after making me feel better?" The question in itself was heartbreaking to hear her ask. I gave Thatch a look, which he sent back.

"No, we won't hurt you; I promise we just want to help you. Those wounds look beyond infection, though, so it will probably hurt to put anything on them. I will try to be as careful as possible while I help you. And Gunpowder can stay with you as well, and I'm sure Thatch here would love to keep providing treats for you."

"Oh, definitely! Is there anything else you'd like to eat?" Thatch looked excited at this development as the girl thought about his question.

"Anything really sweet...maybe cinnamon sugar pastry." The green and purple-haired girl looked almost scared to ask for anything and more than a little overwhelmed.

"I can work with that!" Thatch gave a friendly smile before taking the now-empty plate away. I watched her as she looked back up at me.

"Will you make the pain go away for good if I tell you how?" She cocked her head to one side slightly, the look of pain and mistrust clear in her eyes.

"I promise you that with your help, I will try to make the pain go away. No one on this ship will hurt you." I gave her a small smile. She nodded her head.

"There's a plant that helps the pain; I'm not sure what it's called, though."

"Do you know what it looks like? I have a book that has pictures of plants in it." She nodded her head. I grabbed the book and helped her flip through the pages. Luckily, we didn't have to flick through the book too long as she pointed to Aloe Vera. A plant known for helping soothe burns and helping heal minor cuts and scratches. "Okay, we have some in the kitchen. I'll go and get the plant and bring it back." Her small hand grabbed my purple jacket.

"Please leave the door open." She sounded scared again. I turned around to see the cat had grown a little in size and was now curled around her.

"I will, don't worry. I'll only be a few minutes; the kitchen isn't too far away." She let my jacket go, letting out a small sigh.

"Okay." As I left through the door, leaving it open as she asked, I heard a quiet "Thank you!"

"It's alright; it's my job to help people!"
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It was an excruciating next few days for me as I helped the doctor, Marco, with my wounds. He is a tall, lean, muscular, blond-haired man with a rather sleepy look and some stubble around his chin. He wears an open purple jacket and a light blue sash adorned with an elaborate golden-yellow belt around his waist. He has dark grey knee-length pants and black sandals, and on his left leg, he wears what appears to be some straw decoration. He also has a funny tattoo on his chest, a cross and a crescent moon on it (I would later find out that it was a simple version of the Whitebeard flag.)

Eventually, I was allowed out on the deck as long as I was careful and stayed out of people's way so I wouldn't get hurt by accident. I remained by Marco's side as he led me around. Gunpowder sat in my pocket in his smallest size so that he wouldn't cause too much hassle but still be with me. His little fluffy head was poking over the top so he could see everything as well. I took in the four massive masts and the 14 giant sails as they caught the wind; their flapping and rustling calmed me.

Along with the sound of the water hitting the sides of the ship. In the distance, the sounds of orders being given and boots on the deck mixed in with the other sounds around me. It was all familiar to me, even if the boat wasn't. The smell and taste of brine and seaweed were mixed with the undercurrent of stale alcohol. As we walked past the crew, they said hello to Marco. A few even gave me a smile and a wave as well. I must have looked very stunned because Marco let out a chuckle.

"You'll get used to it while you're with us. We're one big family here, so we're very friendly to one another. It's different from most crews, but it's what Pops wants."

"That's the big man with the giant moustache. The one who brought me on board?" I asked the doctor.

"Yes, that's right. He's a good man; we're going to go and talk to him now." He sounded proud as he led me to a big chair. "Stay right here for a second, alright. I'll go and get him." Marco walked over to the door that was not that far away. I sat on the deck as Gunpowder hopped out of my pocket and grew a little in size so he could curl up in my lap. The warmth of the sunshine made my skin tingle as I closed my eyes to enjoy the feeling. I only wish I could enjoy it how I was made to, but I don't know how much I should show, never mind tell these people. A shadow fell over my vision, so I opened my eyes again. Before me stood a man with a pale complexion, his black hair tied up like a geisha, with a lock of long, loose hair falling over the right side of his face. He wore a pink and purple kimono and a scarlet obi with black spots tied around his waist. He was looking at me with curiosity. Next to him stood the familiar face of Thatch, holding a plate with some cookies. My eyes lit up at the plate. Thatch had become one of my favourite people because he kept feeding me sweet things with no questions, even though Marco had said I should eat something else because all that sugar wasn't good for me. He kept it up all the same. Thatch is a tall man with a light brown pompadour hairstyle, which goes to a point at the back of his head and a goatee around his chin. He also has a stitched scar on his face around his left eye. He always dresses in a posh uniform, with calf-length pants, a black belt around his waist, and brown shoes. For a pirate, he looked very smart, in my opinion.

"I thought you might want something whilst we're talking," he grinned as he sat beside me, giving me the plate.

"Hey, what about the rest of us? Do we not get special cookies?" The new man asked. Before Thatch could reply, however, a loud laugh could be heard as the giant man and Marco approached from the cabin. "Pops, Thatch isn't sharing." This just made the man laugh more. I took in the sight of the big man now that I could. He had a prominent crescent-shaped moustache, and his yellow eyes demanded respect but were also kind. He had a long face, with many wrinkles around his eyes and many scars running along his chest, and was very muscular. He wore a black scarf around his head and adorned himself with a long white and red captain's coat, which hung loosely from his broad shoulders and bore a symbol (which I now know to be his Jolly Roger). He had a bare chest and wore light, loose pants tucked inside his large black boots and a dark pirate sash around his waist.

"Now, my sons, let's go easy around the little one until she settles in. You're not used to my sons' jokes or attitudes, but you will get there." He got settled into his chair, his golden eyes settling on me; they were kind and curious. I was startled again.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice shaking a little bit as I spoke.

"I want you and your fluffy companion to stay with us. We can protect you from the Marines and offer you freedom on the open seas. You will never be alone again." It took my brain a second to take in the information, but when it did, it hit me full-on.

"Why would you want me around? You don't even know my name or anything else about my life?" I was so confused and didn't want to get my hopes up just to be tossed aside when they reached the next island.

"Then tell us your name, child, and when you're ready to tell us everything else, we'll listen with open hearts. You can think it through. There are a few more days before we reach the next island, where we can repair the damages to the ship. But your talents will be wasted out there on the run." What he was saying made sense. Also, I hadn't felt this safe with people since my mum.

"I will think it through, and I'm Morgan Nightblossom." As soon as my name left my lips, the big man grinned.

"That makes a lot of sense to me now. Enjoy the day, and explore our home. My sons will be well-behaved and will keep an eye on you to make sure you don't overdo it," he nodded his head after he finished talking. I was dismissed. I also finished my cookies, which were orange and chocolate chip. Thatch took my plate as Marco gently helped me back onto my feet. The man I didn't know said:

"Before you run off, I'm Izou, and I apologise for my behaviour. Let me know if you ever want me to do your hair." He said with a grin.

"It's okay, and I'll keep that in mind."

"We're going to stay and talk to Pops for a few minutes, so how about you go and see if you can find any hiding spots? I'll come and find you," Thatch said with a smile. I nodded, and with Gunpowder in my arms, I ran around the ship, trying to find a good spot. I hid in the crow's nest, climbing up the rigging. I curled up on my good side so you couldn't see me from below. The sunshine lit up my face, and I fell asleep in the warmth, with Gunpowder watching over me before I was found.
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Over the next few days, I became attached to everyone, as they became attached to me. So when the next island came and went after, the ship got proper repairs. No one was surprised that I stayed; the crew liked Gunpowder, which immensely helped my decision. So the, Moby Dick became my home, and the Whitebeard Pirates became my family, my older brothers who spoiled me so much, and my pops who kept me close and helped train my Haki. He also didn't bat an eye when my magic started returning after my wounds healed, about a month after they found me on that island. I stopped a terrible storm from touching the boat. Then, Whitebeard told me he knew one of my secrets, although he didn't tell me how. From then on, I didn't have to hide who I was, and no one changed their opinions. I felt happy and free, with no cares in the world. But of course, fate had other ideas!