I was hauled aboard after a man with an eye patch spotted me. He and his partner set me down onto a pile of rope and that's when I sputtered back to life, coughing up water and half my lung it felt like.

'Kane?' I whined, feeling awful. You probably don't know this, but nearly drowning leaves you with one hell of a headache and burning neck. I wouldn't recommend the experience to anyone.

"..He's alive! Oh, and a marine at that!" One of them said in awe, a scruffy hand feeling the band I always kept around my front leg.

"His name's Bandit. We should report this to the base on-"

"Now, wait just a moment!" A young girl's voice interrupted.

I was beyond confused now. I was wondering where Kane was, what happened, why didn't I smell anyone from the ship, and things like that. You know, confused Bandit thoughts.

"There's… um… you know there's a new base on Cocoyasi right?" She asked, stepping closer to me and the other guys.

I couldn't see them, my eyes staying stubbornly shut, but my sense of hearing was, well, dog like. I could tell she was lying from listening to her tone, but I didn't understand why.

Really mom, confused me is quite stupid.

"Is der now? Well, ain't that convenient. We are goin' der alre'dy! Ha! Well, sea dog, you are 'n luck. Dis fine young lass will bring you back to yer work. Wonder who he belongs to…" One said.

"You know, I've heard that they're adding the dog force to all of the ships now. Ever since their trials came back a success. I overheard them say that not a dog has been lost as of yet. They're proving quite useful in the fight against Piracy." The first said, shifting his weight, "Well… up till now, anyway."

"Yes that is quite interesting, but I didn't hire you to chat. Get me back to my island before daybreak!" The younger girl demanded, stomping her foot.

The men reacted by moving about quickly, mumbling quietly.

By now I was aware enough to understand that I wasn't on the Marine ship anymore. Something happened, who knows what, and I was saved from a watery grave by this group.

I was grateful for that, but Cocoyasi wasn't a marine based island. So what was the girl…

I opened my eyes, and Nami was the first thing I saw.

The shock of it all caught up to me and forced my heavy legs into action, jumping up and scaring the girl.

Instead of recoiling in fear like a girl of her age should, she clenched her fists and took a guarded step back.

"Easy, dog." She nearly whispered, eyeing me warily.

I was backed against the ship railing, my tail pressed against the wood. I was in my 'battle ready' stance purely on instinct, but I soon realized that the only threat here was me.

'Nami? Is that really you?' I asked with a look her way, relaxing slightly but staying pressed back against the boat.

She took a brave step closer, lowering her fists. "Hey, buddy. It's fine, you're okay, just relax." She stepped ever closer, her dirty dress reflecting the moonlight slightly.

I couldn't look her in the eye anymore, as I felt guilty all over again.

I had planned on never seeing any of them ever. I was supposed to be a Marine dog, following orders and letting others think for me.

What I was feeling was why. The reason Nami was out here was my fault. It was my fault her mother figure died because I could have done something about all those years ago... But I didn't.

This, doubled with confusion and worry made my legs give out as I slid back to the ground, just barely being able to sit.

Nami took my change in behavior as her fault.

"Oh! I'm sorry dog, I forgot you were hurting!" She quickly kneeled next to me and pet my damp head hesitantly at first, before going into kid mode and petting me all over.

"I know you're a good guy, but I can't give you back to the Marines yet... See I need to get home tomorrow and... Well... I lied to the meat heads over there. I lie to a lot of people..." She trailed off and I felt another pang of guilt.

That was my fault too.

"But I'll get you home somehow." She promised, with a hug around my neck.

I wanted nothing more than to pull away and jump back into the sea... But I really needed a hug right then.

I may have been actually 19, but it was like I had... Well... A moment of weakness.

In that moment mom, I wasn't the Bear Kane had raised. I was the boy who was lost when his truck crashed into the river. I was the scared kid who had no idea what he was landed in and wasn't sure what was up and down. I was scared, and a hug, even from the girl who's life I ruined, was welcome.

She sat with me the rest of the trip, talking about the ocean, the cool things she saw, funny people she met, and other unimportant things.

I didn't deserve to, but I felt a little better.

She reminds me so much of my little sister.

Bailey and Nami couldn't be more different, but sometimes I see Bailey in Nami.

Anyway, when Nami stole from the fishermen and they waved us away like we were good friends, I followed her.

We got to town and an older lady shot Nami a glare before slamming a door in anger and marching off.

'What's your deal?' I barked, forgetting for a moment I was in cannon.

Nami looked near tears, but bit her lip and said "Come on." To me in a too old for a little girl voice.

She was completely different from the happy girl that talked to me about nothing just a few hours ago. It was hard to see her turn into a burdened child.

I matched her pace as she nearly ran through the sleeping town, save the early birds who glared.

We eventually made it to the tangerine orchard, the fruit not yet ripe and the sun barely above the horizon.

She visibly relaxed when we entered the groves, sighing and giving me an embarrassed smile.

"Sorry about that, the villagers don't exactly like me very much. But... It's how it has to be." She sighed and readjusted her backpack over her yellow shirt.

That was my fault too.

I had to think about something else so I wouldn't bolt off, so I stopped and smelled a tangerine. The orchard was really this beautiful in person, so I figured she would have something to say about it.

She did, but it really didn't do what I wanted it to.

"Oh! You like our little groves? My sister does most of the work keeping this place up and running, but I help out when I can. We… Hey, wait a minute. That reminded me of something!" She got an excited grin on her face as if I just offered her ice cream as she looked at me, "I've met a Marine dog before! See, a while ago these evil fishmen came and took almost all of our harvest. My mom didn't know what we were gonna do without it, because that's where our money came from. We were scared, but then the marines saved us. The… What's it called? Oh yeah! The K-9 unit beat up the bad guys and brought back our tangerines. Do you know them?"

She looked at me like I was going to answer her, but I just pulled a 'dumb dog' move and looked away. Not really anywhere in particular, just away from the little girl who's life I could have saved but didn't.

That was the breaking point. Really, before I had been following her because I wanted to make sure she got home all right, but now I needed to get out of there.

I felt awful. While before I had felt like a dog and I had believed that that was my lowest, I was sorely mistaken.

This was my lowest.

'I didn't help you, and you don't owe me anything.' I whined at her, backing up a few steps.

She gave me a confused look, and once again took my change of mood as her fault.

"Oh, silly me! Of course you don't know them. There are more dogs than anyone can count, right? Good thing I don't want to steal from Marines, the dogs aboard their ships would find me in a heartbeat." She shook her head and continued down the dirt path.

I sighed unhappily, and trailed after her, my tail dragging behind me.

We got to the humble house, Nami letting me in with a giggle.

"Nojiko! I'm home!" She shouted, her child side taking over.

"Nami?" Another girl's voice answered from beyond the visible kitchen, footsteps getting closer and a purple haired girl in a green dress ran to the other girl, wrapping her in a hug. "Oh Nami, I was so worried! You were supposed to get home hours ago…"

Instead of getting flustered or angry with the embrace, Nami accepted it and hugged her back, visibly relaxing. "Well, I had to fish out a tag along. Couldn't let him drown…"

I was too busy trying to blend in with the ground to notice the rest of what they said. It was basically Nami recalling a few heists, talking about rescuing me, and Nojiko describing orchard work and the townspeople. They were sitting at their table by then, but the smiles never left their faces.

"So, this is the Marine dog?" Nojiko asked, looking with interest my way.

'Hi, I ruined your life too.' I barked quietly.

"Yeah, this is Bandit. I'm going to bring him to the nearest Marine base in a week when I-"

"No." Nojiko said, her happy mood abandoned.

Nami was confused, "What do you-"

"No Nami, you're not going anywhere. I don't care what Along says, you're not a thief and you're just… just…" Nojiko was near tears. It seemed she couldn't keep up the happy facade any longer and went on and on about her little sister's decisions. It was like she thought of nothing else.

Nami was confused before she was somber. Her little hands went from relaxed little kid, to too old girl and cupped her face as she listened to her sister's rant.

It reminded of my of myself when I was… you know… in trouble.

There was a long silence when Nojiko was done, tears running down her cheeks and silent sobs crushing her chest.

Nami's eyes were shaded by her bangs, making her nearly unreadable.

But I could smell her fear, her anger, and her unshed tears as she looked up at her big sister with a smile.

"What are you talking about, sis? It's no big deal, really. I get to travel all over!" She feigned excitement, though it never reached her eyes. "I need to take you to this little island near the grand line. There's this little restaurant that sells ice cream as big as your head. And-"

Nami's little lie was replaced by another hug from her sister.

I didn't remember this dynamic. This big sister wanting to protect little sister thing, but I understood it. I protected Bailey until I couldn't…

They didn't talk anymore that night.

I was given a blanket to sleep on in the kitchen, some meager meat, and a good night hug from Nami.

I had a restless sleep. One filled with guilt and self hatred.

In the morning, the little thief went to see Arlong and I was 'left' with Nojiko.

"So, want to do chores with me, Bandit? Do Marine dogs even know how to do chores?" She wondered out loud to herself, poking her cheek.

'I can try, but I don't know how much I'll be able to do without thumbs.' I offered, unable to refuse a request from the little girl.

She giggled at me and seemed to understand my willingness as we began a day in orchard life.

We were harvesting a part of the orchard that day, she jerry rigged a basket to stay on my back as she put tangerine after tangerine in it.

I was thankful that I was in top shape from my years of Marine work because by the end of the day, I was exhausted.

Nojiko didn't really talk to me the way Nami did, but it was a nice change. She thanked me, smiled every once in awhile, and even gave me her own nickname.

"Ritoru shinshi," or 'Little gentleman'

I guess I was doing something right for once.

I would describe every guilt filled laborious day to you, but it was basically like that.

Nami would come home late, they would eat, and she would be off early the next morning. When I tried to follow her, sure I could take out at least some of the Fishmen, she would stop me and ask if I would help out her sister.

Nami would apologize to me constantly, saying how sorry she was I wasn't home with the other super dogs... and that she was working on it. While I wanted to get away from them and the guilt and the situation, I couldn't bring myself to run away. I felt that if I could help now, it could somehow make up for what I did. Or, more like, what I didn't do.

So, I worked my tail off with Nojiko while Nami endured the horrors of Arlong Park alone.

What a gentlemen I was.

Before Nami got around to bringing me to a base, Nojiko confided to me her thoughts on the matter. I guess I rubbed off on her or… something like that.

"So, you're going to be here a while, huh? I guess that's fine. You pull your weight and since you're a Marine you can keep an eye out for us. You'd be surprised how many people think that just because we're poor they can take whatever they like." She huffed, angrily picking a tangerine off the bush and setting it in the basket on my back.

'Yeah… I guess.' I huffed back, keeping step with her as we moved down the line.

The sun beat down on our heads, basically baking me alive. The downside of having fur.

And with the portions they fed me, I was getting tired quickly.

"Maybe when they see you running around they'll think twice… Yeah that could work." She smiled at herself like it was brilliant, before a touch of sadness crept into her eyes. "I just wish all our problems could be that easy." She sighed and rested her hand on my head, looking down at me.

"You know Ritoru shinshi, I wish all our problems could be scared away by you. If you could arrest all of Arlong's cronies and lock them away forever… Nami wouldn't have to…" She shed a tear and slowly sat on the ground, a tangerine in her little lap.

I was so shocked at her sudden mood swing that I let my big brother instincts take over and I put my head on her shoulder.

Nojiko seemed to forget I was a dog, if just for a moment, and spoke her mind. "I'm the older one, you know. If anyone should be risking their neck it should be me… But Nami's the strong one. She always has been. Ever since Bell-Mere… well… Since Arlong killed our mother, Nami has been working on saving us. It took a lot for her to do that, and it still takes a lot for her to go through with it every day. Stealing from people, and putting her life on the line all for this village." She spoke with such emotion, too much wisdom for such a little girl.

"It used to be hard for her. She would always say how sorry she was that it had to be this way… How she wished she could give it all back. But now it's easier. Easier to take things from men twice her age and what do I do?" She threw the tangerine angrily, squashing it on the ground. "I pick these stupid things all day… and all for… just so… Mom loved these stupid fruits. She took such good care of them, just so we could eat. Just so she could put food on the table for us. I can't just… Can't just let them go."

With that she stood back up and went back to work with a new found resolve, but she wasn't done guilt-ing me under a rock.

"I stay here and support Nami. No matter what, she's my sister and I trust her. When she needs help though, I'll be ready to give it to her." Nojiko vowed, and resumed our day like nothing happened.

She acted no different when the sun went down, when Nami came red eyed but smiling, and the next morning.

She didn't talk that way to me again, but I don't think she needed to. She said what she needed to say and got it out to someone, albeit a dog.

But hey, I'm a great listener when I can't talk back.

I think Nojiko is a great sister and exactly what Nami needed her to be… But as it turned out… I helped Nami too.

It was a couple weeks before Nami could go on another run off the island. The night before, Nojiko packed her some supplies and odds and ends that Nami might be able to use. She also gave me a hug and thanked me for all my hard work with an addition to my sleeve, a small tangerine pin.

I wore it like it was made of lead, but I guiltily thanked her.

We went through town and boarded a boat small enough for Nami to pilot herself.

"What a great day for sailing!" She said excitedly, smiling at me.

'Sure… If you like that kind of thing.' I groaned, used to the bobs and waves of the ocean but not quite as much in a smaller vessel.

She seemed to sense my boredom and rolled her eyes my direction, "Come on Bandit, It'll be fun!"

I had mixed feelings.

Sure, I wanted to let Kane know I wasn't dead. Actually, I had been worried about him until I saw the article in the paper about 'A mourning trainer loses East Blue's top K-9 in pirate attack.'

I wasn't against going back to the Marines, but at the same time… The girls had grown on me. It was different from the ASL brothers… While they were all little badasses and I cared what happened to them, they didn't need me like these girls did. They were completely on their own and I was to blame for it. I knew they'd be alright in the end, of course I understood that, but they weren't Ok right then.

Yes, I didn't deserve it, and no I would never expect it, but they had welcomed me into their lives and I, although guiltily, accepted them into mine.

I hadn't thought these thoughts at this point, however. I was thinking about seeing Kane and being back with my team. I wanted so many training exercises and missions that I could just forget about my time with Nami and Nojiko and move on.

The plan was to travel to the nearest Marine base and drop me off before Nami went on her own journey, and that'd be the end of it.

But, of course, nothing can go exactly to plan, can it?

We had been at sea for the better part of three hours, Cocoyasi getting smaller and smaller until it disappeared behind the relatively calm sea.

Nami was staring up at the puffy white clouds and talking about their shape, beckoning me over.

She pointed at a particularly large one and I tried to look at it, but my neck really wasn't meant for that kind of movement.

Nami laughed, and I suppose I did look a little funny. "Bandit, silly dog. Come here and lay down next to me, we have a bit on this current before we need to work. Don't you have an imagination?" She laughed again and patted the bit of wood next to her.

Now I felt ridiculous, but I really didn't want to refuse a request from a little girl.

So, I lay down a bit away from her and turned belly up to look at the sky.

A point to consider, please. I was in no way shape or form going belly up to 'bow' to anyone. I was merely cloud watching with a little girl. Big difference.

She scooted right next to me and pointed to a cloud, explaining "See? That one looks like a Jolly Rodger. Not Arlong's, a different one I stole from one time. And that one over there looks like a leg of chicken. What do you see?" She asked, looking at me expectantly.

I looked back and did my best to give her a 'You really expect me to respond?' look. She just winked and went back to cloud watching.

I realized right then how innocent she was. This was before she turned into a money grabbing battle axe, before she truly began to feel trapped in her life.

I could still help her. If she had someone to watch out for her and have her back on dangerous missions, would she turn out differently?

I had no clue, but I saw Nami, the little girl that saved me from the ocean and hugged my neck and cried quietly to herself at night.

For once, not blaming myself.

She went on to talk about chickens and how this one restaurant had the best, and I listened.

While all I was expecting to hear was the sound of her little voice, the angry tones of men met my sensitive ears and I froze. My training kicked in and I tried to pinpoint that sound again, and I got it.

They were too far away for me to find out what they were saying, but I could hear that they were no calm and collected Marine ship.

It was either a citizen's boat or pirates.

I sprang to my feet… or paws… and scanned the horizon.

Nami noticed my change in behavior and, once again, blamed herself and started to apologize, but I couldn't have her making any noise when a potential threat could be less than a league away.

'Be quiet, Nami! I need to listen.' I barked, gently but intensely in her direction.

"What is it, boy?" She asked, taking a few steps toward me, "Do you need to go-"

'No! There's someone out there, silly girl.' I huffed, and tried my best to ignore her and go back to focusing on the loud and obnoxious sounds.

It was then I spotted the ship… and they had a Jolly Rodger.

"Pirates!" Nami said, her child like behavior changing into that of her other self. "Sorry, Bandit. I have a job to do. I promise we'll get you home, it'll just take a little longer." She apologised, rubbing my head.

I said something along the lines of 'Hell no!' and stomped my foot down.

She gave me a look of confusion before her lips turned into a calculating smile, "Oh right, you're a Marine dog! Well, what do you say, wanna help me this once?"

I nodded my head in a human like way, standing next to her.

"Alright," She paused to gather her thoughts, "Alright, here's the plan. Because we need a plan right? They'll be right next to us in less than thirty minutes, I've been a situation like this before. I used the old 'lost girl' con, but this time we'll use the 'lost girl and dog.' I'll get us onto the boat, and you'll distract them with some crazy Marine moves. I'll get below deck, grab their valuables, sabotage their ship, and we'll escape."

Needless to say, it was an impressive plan. And very doable.

I barked in agreement and shook out my fur.

"Oh… and one more thing…" She gave me an apologetic look and knelt next to me, gently grabbing onto my sleeve but not pulling. "This will give you away in a heartbeat… Can I hold onto it for safekeeping?" She looked me in the eye, but I was hesitant.

It was, well… it is my treasure.

It represented what I'd been through, who I'd met, and a lot of people that had come and go in my life. Giving it to someone else… was like giving up a leg.

But, I let her. I trusted her to keep it safe, if just for a little bit.

Not only was she testing me, but I was testing her.

She put it into her backpack and we waited for the ship to come to us.

"Ahoy there!" Nami yelled when it got close enough, waving her hands, "Hey! Can you guys help us?"

A younger man poked his head over the side railing and gave us a funny look, before replying, "What? What'd you say? I *hick* I can't hear ya over the ocean, lass."

I remember thinking, great another drunk.

"Can you help us?" Nami repeated.

The man processed this a moment before nodding, "Yeah, sure. Give me a moment." He disappeared and yelled instructions to his men, who lowered a ladder for us.

The ship was much bigger up close, and in my experience a bigger ship meant more pirates. That was fine with me, it meant more of a workout.

We clambered up the ladder, Nami impressed I knew how.

I was a ship dog mom, I learned how to climb ladders.

We made it to the top… and Red haired shanks met me with a gleeful smile.

"Wow, see that men? He's a clever dog!" He laughed, a bottle of Sake in his only hand.

If I could, I would have paled at the sight of him. I would have grabbed Nami and swam to tim buck two and hid under a rock, but as I didn't do any of those things, I could only stare.

"Miss, did you train him yourself?" Another asked, looking at Nami.

She, apparently, didn't know the kind of danger we were in and continued in her little con.

"Yes sir, taught him everything he knows."

How could I have been so stupid? It wasn't his ship, I would have recognized his Jolly Rodger. His other crew wasn't there, but it suddenly didn't matter. Red Haired Shanks was interested in these pirates, for whatever reason, and would maybe give them a hand if a girl and dog tried to steal from them.

I was certain we were going to die, but when Nami said, "Bandit, roll over." I gave her a funny look and did just that.

"His names Bandit, eh?" Shanks marveled, stepping closer. "Hello, Bandit. I'm Shanks." He introduced himself, unnecessarily but politely with a slight bow.

"You must be drunk, talking to a dog that way." The real captain of this ship scoffed, looking at the other man.

"Nonsense! Always be polite to another person's dog. What da hell did your mother teach you?" Shanks slurred, ignoring my return bow and stepping over to the other man.

Everyone on deck was interested in this little exchange, giving Nami her opening.

It was too late to turn back, so I went forward.

Distracting them didn't mean hurting or possibly maiming, right?

I sucked up my pride, for Nami's sake, and became a... A... A show dog.

I rolled over again and barked, wanting their attention.

If I was doing this, they better damn well pay attention.

I stood up and tried to balance on my back paws, but comically falling backward and causing the twenty or so men on deck to laugh.

I got up and did some leaps, even jumping over a man's offered arm.

It was like I practiced with Kane.

Then, the weirdest thing happened.

Shanks seemed to get sober real quick as he watched me, and said quietly so I could barely hear him, "About face."

After four years of responding to this command, I did so. My feet pulled in and head tilted up.

His eyes widened in surprise and I realized my mistake.

Only Marine dogs knew how to do that.

The other men didn't pick up on it like Red haired Shanks, but I was sweating bullets.

"Girl! What else can he do?" A scruffy guy asked.

I panicked, if possible, more because I thought Nami was still below deck. But to my relief, she appeared by my side, the backpack blushing a bit more than before, a smile plastered to her face.

"Alright, but I'll need a volunteer." She explained, looking around.

A shorter man stepped forward and I waited for Nami's next instruction, but she gestured to me to back up by the ladder.

"Alright, now go to the other side of the deck and turn around." She commanded and as soon as she did, she pointed, making all eyes fall on his back and away from us.

"Don't look away from him or you'll miss it!" She warned, everyone but Shanks following along.

"Ready..." She said, but kept down to our little craft instead, expertly for a little girl.

I met the red haired man's gaze before I followed.

He was calm and calculating... It was unnerving.

Nami and I were barely ten feet away before the men caught on.

"Little liar! Where did you go?" The captain yelled venomously. "Catch up with the weasel, She's probably up to no good."

"Aye sir!"

I knew that sabotage was part of the plan, but I didn't think Nami had time to execute it.

But, I was surprised at her capability as there was a snap and I think the rudder went out because the ship started to lean precariously, the pirates shouting angrily.

I was watching them, expecting them to right out the ship and run us down, but the girl did her job. They were successfully sabotaged.

She sighed in relief when we were out of earshot, and sagged against the side of the ship. It was getting dark by then, the sun getting ready to set. She pulled her backpack into her lap and gave me a sly smile.

"See, bud? We did it!" She opened it, showing me a few handfuls of money.

I whined, meaning 'It's the least I can do.' But she took it as funny.

"Silly Dog! Of course you'll get your share… But I don't think you can do much with money…" She thought about it for a moment, her tongue sticking out the side of her mouth.

My marine instincts kicked in and I shook my head, wanting no reward. Mom, I don't help people out and expect anything in return… sometimes I really don't care if they thank me. Call me old fashioned, but Spider man wasn't a millionaire.