Chapter 24: Re-pledge.

= Weeks Later =

Ace has fully accepted Rin a few days ago. Rin can now hunt wild animals properly but keeping up with Ace and Sabo is still hard for her.

Rin arrives at the hideout and was about to climb up the tree when someone suddenly calls her from behind.

"Rin! Over here!!"

Rin turned around and saw Luffy calling her. "What are you doing there?" Rin asked as she walked towards Luffy.

"Come! Come with me!" Luffy said as he pulled Rin's hand.

"Where are we going, Luffy!?!"

"Ace and Sabo told me to fetch you!!" Luffy said.

"For what?" Rin asked.

"They didn't told me. They said I have a big mouth so I should just fetch you!" Luffy answered.

"Um... okay?"

Few minutes later they arrived at a place with a tree stump. On top of the stump there's four empty cups.

"What... What's all this?" Rin asked. ' Didn't they already pledged to become pirates? What am I supposed to do here? '

Ace and Sabo came with a big sake bottle.

"You're finally here." Sabo said.

Ace put the bottle on the stump and said "Come on, Luffy. We're gonna do a re-pledge." Ace starts pouring the sake into the cups.

"What do you mean re-pledge? Didn't you already pledged to become pirates? Luffy said so last time Garp came." Rin asked confused by what's happening.

"Yeah, but you weren't there when we pledged before. So this time you're gonna pledge too." Sabo said.

"Stop standing there and grab a cup already!" Ace said.

"But... didn't Ace hate me at least until a few days ago... is he okay with it?" Rin asked.

"He doesn't hate you, he's just upset that he lost against you." Sabo explained. "So... will you join us?"

.

.

.

Rin crouch down and hide her face with her knees because her eyes starts getting teary.

"H-hey what's wrong?!?" Sabo asked worriedly.

*sob* *sob*

"What the-" Ace shocked by the sobbing sounds.

"I'm sorry... I know you doesn't like a crybaby *sob* but I didn't expect this... *sob*" Rin said to Ace. Rin always wanted to really be a part of the group but she knows she can't at least that's what she thought. 'I can't believe my dream to become one of them actually came true... I should stops crying.'

Rin stands up, wipe her tears and with a still teary eyes she said "But I only heard that you can become BROTHERS if you exchange cups of sake... I'm a girl..."

Sabo smiled and said "We'll change it to siblings then. You'll be our sworn sister."

"But I don't drink..."

Seeing Rin worrying about the smallest things made Sabo chuckled a little before saying "You can just clink your cup, you don't have to drink it."

"But I'm not sure whether or not I wanna become a pirate." Rin said.

"There's no need for you to pledge to become a pirate, so grab a cup already!!" Ace said impatiently.

"Hehe okay!" Rin grab a cup. Luffy and Sabo also grab a cup.

Ace raised his cup and said "I'm just gonna make it short. So from now, we're siblings!"

*clinks*

"Thank you... thank you soo much!!" Rin said happily. ' It's true... there is bond thicker than blood. '