One Piece 1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: This is my first story in a long time. To be honest, most of my files for my other stories were corrupted when my computer died some months back. Anyway, I'm starting off this story with my own filler and Trafalgar Law will make an appearance in a few short chapters. From there I'm planning to cover Sabaody Archipelago and some small stuff before Punk Hazard. Ultimately, Punk Hazard and from there on will be the main focus for the story. I just wanted to set up her background is all.

_Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece. I only own my OC and anything/anyone not seen in the series. _

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><p>Her hand clutched the receiver as the Transponder Snail mimicked the relaxed expression of her superior.<p>

She listened, though begrudgingly, as Captain Read continued to list off the responsibilities that she was tasked with. Rogiko Ginger never once complained about the list of duties that were given to her because she took her role as Ensign seriously. However, she knew that the woman was avoiding her question. She said it perfectly clear and she knew Read heard it because the snail conveyed as much, but when she began listing off the duties of what was expected from her, her mood changed.

"Captain," she saw that the snail's painted pink lips fell into a thin line, "you didn't answer my question."

Her expression couldn't be hidden so she knew that Read saw it. Yet she made no hint that she did. She merely sighed through the receiver as the snail's eyes closed for a moment. When they opened again she found the eyes lazily staring at her.

"Ginger-chan, we've been over this already. You always ask about her and you're never satisfied with the answer I always give you." Her tone sounded unmistakably exasperated but she wasn't surprised.

Ginger frowned, watching as the snail's eyes perked up. "You never give me an answer, _granny_. You dance around the subject like everything else. Just tell me what I want to know."

The snail gave another dramatic sigh. "She was a pirate captain and was executed, _shashasha_. You know-"

"What was she executed for?"

There was a pause on the other end before Read said, "I'll tell you the rest once you arrest that outlaw." Her hand gripped the receiver tightly not mistaking the slight crack she heard as the device crunching from her grip. "Now, you need to do your duty, Ginger-chan. I didn't raise you to get things half-finished. Come back to headquarters as soon as you've captured him."

"Read-san-"

The snail made a sound and with much more force than necessary Ginger hung up the receiver. She gritted her teeth upset by the outcome of the conversation. For years Captain Read avoided the subject of Rogiko Greta's capture and execution not once slipping and divulging a single detail to her. All she ever said was that the former Captain of the Rogiko Pirates had surrendered her life, and her daughter, to the Marines. So it came to be that Rogiko Ginger was raised by Captain Marigold Read after her mother's execution.

Ginger had tried so many times to find any files kept on her mother but was disappointed to find that nothing was revealed. No records or anything. The best thing she had come close to finding was her old wanted poster which displayed her name, a picture of her smiling confidently, and below her 95,000,000 bounty.

The thought of not knowing everything about her mother made her uneasy. She knew there was something important she needed to know, but at the moment that eluded her.

Footsteps came inside the communication room just as she pulled on her brown gloves. "Ensign Rogiko!" When she didn't respond right away the Marine gave a bow to apologize for the sudden intrusion. "We've arrived at Sage's Island! There's no sign of him just yet, what are your orders?"

Honey eyes fell upon the wanted poster of Berserker Jax Rackham as she turned back to him. "I want five squads of four going in from different areas. The island isn't that big so he can't escape. I'll lead one team."

The Marine gave a firm salute before walking out of the room, leaving her alone with her thoughts once again. Being twenty-three and a Marine wasn't exactly what she pictured herself doing when she was a child. Her most vivid memory had been when she was five, and even then her dream seemed so close to reality. As a little girl she wanted to travel the world and experience what a young adult her age should before settling down. Though she blocked the rest of her childhood after her mother's surrender, she could distinctively recall her voice in the back of her mind, encouraging her younger self to partake in these adventures when she grew older.

"I'm not that person anymore." It came out as a whisper as her hand clenched.

She wouldn't go down that path, she wouldn't risk her life to live as a pirate. The way Ginger saw it pirates caused nothing but havoc, however, she was also aware that everyone fell into the grey area. Pirates and Marines were alike in that regard when it came to one's morals.

In this world, there was no black and white.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been close to dusk when they had arrived at Sage's Island.

Ginger glanced about and saw that the island was not only lush with green vegetation but had small cottages situated near the forest. It was almost like any other island when it came to housing fugitives from the law. Bandits, outlaws and even pirates enjoyed islands that were far from the watchful eye of the World Government.

Four teams had already dispersed when they landed, leaving her with four other Marines as support. Unlike most soldiers who carried around a sword or two she was equipped with only two daggers that hung from either side of her waist. She didn't plan to have to use much more force than necessary to arrest Berserker Jax. His nickname spoke for him when it came to his history with violence. According to his files he had slaughtered dozens of Marines through sheer brute force alone. Ginger didn't plan to fight, and yet she didn't underestimate him and his potential. She would make sure that they conducted this arrest as thorough and safely as possible.

"Ensign Rogiko, is it true we're the only ones going to be arresting this man?"

"They don't call him Berserker for nothing." Another Marine added, shifting uneasily in his steps while his hands clung onto his rifle.

Ginger looked back at the two. "The higher-ups want to see if we can handle this without support." Her eyes flickered up ahead to the dirt path that cut through the forest. "Then again, he could've set a trap and we would be walking into our planned demise." Though she couldn't see their reactions she knew that they were apprehensive and annoyed at her calm explanation.

When she took a step forward on the dock she suddenly lost her footing and fell face first upon the wooden surface. The Marines scrambled to her side only to have her mumble a 'Don't help me!' while propping herself up. In a quick second she was on her feet once more while rubbing the tip of her nose. The pain subsided and she groaned as the soldiers looked at one another.

"Who the hell made this dock so slippery in the first place?" Her frown deepened as she glanced at them.

The blond-haired Marine of the four looked down. "There's no sign of water anywhere, uh, Ensign."

Ginger sighed, "Obviously. Someone just made this dock slippery with something is all." She rubbed her nose again and glared at the deck before stomping her foot upon it.

A Marine with a prominent scar running across the bridge of his nose spoke up, "Isn't that what you said when you fell overboard two nights ago?"

"That was different! Someone built the rails to low." She brought her hands to her waist further emphasizing her point. "What kind of shipwright builds rails on a ship that come up to your waist?"

When none decided to point out that she was merely clumsy in her actions she instead began to walk forward with them trailing behind her. "I don't care. We have a bounty to catch. I don't have time to argue on who the real idiot is."

The Marine with the black-rimmed bifocals pushed them further up his nose. The glare from the setting sun flashing upon his lens. "What is our plan of action?"

"Shoot anything that moves."

He frowned at Ginger's answer but didn't offer a retort.

The last Marine was a scrawny man who was a few years younger than her. He was perhaps 19 at best with peach colored hair covering his head and chin. He nervously looked around as they passed the cottages that lined the pathway, noticing that none of the residents had come out to greet them. In fact, it was quiet on the island, nothing but the waves hitting the shore with the birds flying overhead.

"Going into the forest now seems like too much of an easy trap, Ensign Rogiko," Blondie noted, surveying the area up ahead with a concerned frown, "and the fact that this village is quiet seems too suspicious to overlook."

"We have four other teams on this island, we can corner anyone who poses a threat." Scar gave his colleague a cheeky grin. "Don't get so nervous. We're Marines."

Ginger looked off to the side, inspecting each cottage as they passed. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a figure in one of the windows. The young girl couldn't have been older than six. She allowed the others to pass her as she slowly kept an eye on the child. At the last second the little girl turned away from the window with a somber expression. She shook her head, passing it off as the girl being frightened of them and fell back instep with the Marines.

Blondie licked his lips, and looked at Ginger with his frown still in place.

The rapid _purupurupuru _made her quickly pull the Transponder Snail from inside her coat pocket. The small snail nearly tumbled out of her hand as she scrambled to catch it.

They stopped mere feet from the entrance of the forest as she answered the call. "_Ensign Rogiko_!"

"What is it?" Ginger noted the distressed features on the blue snail.

"_We were patrolling the eastern part of the island and noticed a ship going underwater._"

The Marines gathered around her, sending each other confused looks as she furrowed her eyebrows. "Going underwater? A ship doesn't do that."

She heard the Marine over the Transponder Snail speaking, but she wasn't taking the information in. Everybody knew certain ships didn't submerge underwater it took a special kind of ship to do that, one that wasn't accessible to everyone but the lucky few. The remaining light was descending over the trees, basking the forest in twilight as the light began to seep back from the world. Ginger glanced up still hearing the Marine explaining the situation, however, she became distracted once she sensed that they were being watched from the forest.

"Quiet!" It was a sharp command that hushed the Marine on the line while the others became alert. When she was sure the threat lingered she began shouting commands, "I want your squad to enter through the east side of the forest. The plan has to remain in place. Relay the information to the rest of the squads; the plan is still in motion." She hung up before he could get another word in and motioned for the four to follow her.

If she was right then perhaps she knew who the submarine belonged to. From the recent headlines, she was well aware that the Strawhats were already making a name for themselves but they had an actual ship and hadn't been spotted near this island. Her teeth kept grinding against each other as she mentally ticked off the different crews. The only one that seemed possible of being here were the Heart Pirates. It didn't seem like a far-fetched idea, yet why exactly would they be on this island?

"Be on your guard," she warned them. "We could be arresting one man or several."

"What do you mean by several?" The teen inquired quietly, watching overhead as the last rays of the sun disappeared. "Uh, Ensign."

"Exactly what I said. If they saw a submarine off the coast then that could only mean that they could be pirates." She passed a glance over her shoulder and saw them exchange nervous looks once more. "The Heart Pirates to be exact."

They had come across a clearing in the forest not long after, the path cut off into two different directions. One stretched straight ahead while the other curved to the left. Once again she had that sinking feeling that they were being watched. She immediately dropped Jax from the list seeing as he was the type to rely on brawn rather than brain. The idea of being watched unnerved her, making her uneasy being out in the open separated from the rest of her men. No other call had come through, hoping that she was wrong she made the decision to split away from her current group.

"Go down this path, I'll take the left."

Blondie opened his mouth. "Ensign Rogiko, are you sure?"

"I don't like the feeling that we're being watched." She fixed the coat that hung from her shoulders, making sure that it didn't get in the way should she need to pull her weapons free. "I would rather handle it alone. You have your Transponder Snails. Use them to keep in touch." She was going already walking down the path without waiting for either of them to offer a reply.

The matter simply couldn't wait. It had to be dealt with accordingly.

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><p>Ginger had walked the path for what seemed like hours, but in reality only one hour had passed.<p>

The sun had already set and the forest was eerily calm with a few animals here and there giving themselves away. She swept her black bangs out of her face, expression calm as she continued. No calls had come in through her snail. What should've been seen as a normal coincidence couldn't be accepted by her. The overwhelming feeling was back again in the pit of her stomach at the thought that something was amiss. How long had she been doing this? Two years had been spent in these exact same situations, and yet she wasn't as nervous as she was now. Captain Read was expecting success on this particular task, something else to show off to the other Marines who held their doubts that a child of a pirate could cut it out as a Marine.

The memory gnawed at her for a time, rearing its ugly head whenever she had her doubts. It was during those times that she wondered what life would've been like had she become a pirate like her mother. Would she be like Strawhat Luffy? Getting into strange but dangerous situations wherever she landed? Or would she be as ruthless as Whitebeard? Earning an infamous reputation in his generation? The scenarios flashed one at a time, and yet she felt as if neither suited her. For one thing, Monkey D. Luffy and Whitebeard were Captains in their own right. Ginger was in a position of power, but she didn't particualry enjoy it. She was satisfied being Master Chief Petty Officer Rogiko Ginger but somehow Captain Read had it in her head that she was best suited as a commissioned officer. And here she was.

Hunting an outlaw.

Her thoughts drifted to other pirates with infamous titles to them; Roronoa Zoro the Pirate Hunter, and even Trafalgar Law, Captain of the Heart Pirates. Now he, according to her men, was a sadistic son of a bitch. Her lips curved into a smile at the thought of running into the likes of him. What exactly would she do?

"Well, I can't arrest him. He wouldn't let me." She sighed. "I'm better off catching Rackham instead."

"He seems like a big guy."

The moment Ginger attempted to spin around was the opportunity her feet had to trip over themselves. This time she landed on her side with her arm breaking her fall on impact. Her eyes shot up but it took some time for them to adjust to the dark figure that stood a few feet from her. His figure was bigger than hers just at first glance, and his voice was deep yet scratchy when he spoke. Slowly, she got herself up without taking her eyes off of him.

There was no mistaking it; the man who stood in front of her was Berserker Jax Rackham.

"You're rather clumsy for a Marine," he took a step forward while Ginger's hand fell to the hilt of her dagger. "Clumsy and arrogant."

She smirked, keeping her calm as her other hand slipped into the pocket of her coat. "I'm arrogant? This coming from the outlaw with a pretty big bounty."

Jax stepped closer once again while she stayed still. The moon was bright enough to touch upon his features. His short orange hair was wild and unkempt with a red bandanna covering his forehead. On his back were two guns that seemed big enough for three Marines to carry each. There was definitely no mistake, it was him.

He had his arms folded across his chest as he inspected her from head to toe. "What rank are you?" Her fingers grasped around for her Transponder Snail, cursing herself mentally once she realized it was no where to be found. "Oh, I see. You're looking for something. Something to call the dead men with."

Ginger froze. The color drained from her face as her brown eyes widened in horror. Did he really kill them already? No. It was a trick, he wanted to taunt her, to catch her off guard so he could have the upper hand. If so, why did she feel the sudden panic from earlier?

_He couldn't have killed them. They would've tried to call. _

"I see the terror clear as day on your face, woman." Jax chuckled. "Your Marines are dead."

Regaining her composure was key and that was what she did. One hand unsheathed her dagger while the other gripped the other. "I'm placing you under arrest."

"For what?"

"Must I read you your crimes?"

"I have a feeling the Marines didn't tell you."

Her eyes narrowed into a glare. "If you have something to say-"

"I made a deal." The feeling was overwhelming again as the words died on her tongue. "I turn in my associates and the pirates I worked with in exchange for amnesty. We closed it not too long ago."

The words were out before she could stop them. "They wouldn't make a deal and send us here for nothing!" She didn't realize she had shouted until he rose an eyebrow at her. "You're lying! We don't make those kinds of deals with pirates or any other criminals! Certainly not outlaws with bounties like yours!"

His expression never changed, even though by now her anger was threatening to spill over. "What don't you get? My information is far too valuable for them to pass over. You shouldn't worry about me though, _Ensign Rogiko_." Her name came out in a taunt. "It's your men that you should be concerned about."

"What did you do?"

Jax's arms unfolded as he slowly reached into the pouch in front of him. Her hand gripped the dagger tightly while beads of sweat poured down the sides of her pale face. He was getting something, and for sure she knew it would be a weapon, but what he pulled out made her nearly lose her calm. A small green Transponder Snail was in his hand in a instant, its eyes closed as he held it up for her to see. It wasn't hers.

"I waited until the moment you split your men up into teams. I hunted them down and slaughtered them all. Then when I saw you leaving your squad, I decided to kill them too." Her eyes widened for the second time that night as he calmly explained the atrocities as though they were nothing. "You probably came to this island telling your men to not underestimate me, and you probably had the same idea too. You see, _Ensign_, you should've followed your own advice. Assuming I didn't have a plan was your first mistake."

"Why didn't you surrender if you made a deal!?"

Jax's eyes held hers. His blue eyes bore a hole through hers as the corners of his lips barely lifted. "I wanted a parting gift."

Ginger snapped. In a split second she rushed forward with her dagger in her left hand, slicing at him before coming to a stop once he had gotten her arm behind her back. Applying pressure he managed to make her release a grunt in response though she refused to drop her blade. Her other hand went to grip her upper arm as he continued to painfully, and slowly, apply more pressure. A pop in her wrist went unnoticed as she bit her bottom lip.

"Yes, that's correct." Somehow in the midst of having her arm pinned he was talking to someone. "Ensign Rogiko Ginger eliminated her entire squad." Ginger whimpered, causing Jax to twist his hand a certain way. Throbs of pain shot up her arm as she grunted in pain again on the verge of tears.

_No_.

Why couldn't she do anything to stop him? She shook from the pain that was going through her arm as her mind raced with the scenario that they were really dead. Blonde Keiji, Scar-nosed Ako, Bifocal Rege and even the kid. They couldn't all have been killed. She ordered the formation confident in knowing that they could take him down if they had to. They couldn't have been killed in one go, unless he did hunt them down and shot them with those large guns on his back.

"Did you hear me, _Ensign_? Is my story to your superiors believable?" He twisted his hand again which caused her to shriek. "You're probably thinking they won't because of my reputation. However, if you're still alive and on the run that's bound to make it true. Of course, I'll have the eyewitness accounts of the citizens to make this story plausible."

**_"Going into the forest now seems like too much of an easy trap, Ensign Rogiko, and the fact that this village is quiet seems too suspicious to overlook."_**

Ginger's eyes closed. _Of course_, she thought. _That was why they didn't come out to greet us. He scared them into going along with it_. She should've knocked on their doors, she should've reassured them that they could handle it, and suddenly the image of the little girl came to mind. _That was why she staring at us_. _This entire time I brushed it off as her being too afraid of us, but in reality she was afraid _for_ us_.

She would rather die as a Marine than live her life as a fugitive for something she hadn't done. Being branded a murderer for these crimes was something she couldn't handle. At the same time, Ginger refused to believe they were dead. Jax had to have been saying that to get a rise out of her. If they truly were dead it would be her fault either way, she indirectly sent them to their demises. She was incompetent as a leader and as a soldier. Escaping like Jax wanted was the only solution, and yet how could she ever expect to live if the Marines caught her? The firing squad would take her life, same as her mother before her.

"Leave now, _Ensign_, or you can stay and be my prisoner."

Ginger's eyes opened, ignoring the searing pain in her arm she said, "I don't care. If my men are dead because of you then my life will be the justice they receive."

"_Room_."

Her eyes went from looking up at the sky to looking at a large blue sphere that appeared overhead and covered the area they were on. When she turned her head she was surprised to see that she had been right in _this_ regard.

Trafalgar Law was staring right at her.


	3. Chapter 3

It took her a minute to realize that she was no longer being held in Jax's tight grip.

Ginger slowly brought her arm to her side without bothering to sheath her dagger. Trafalgar Law didn't move so much as an inch from where he stood, and when she looked behind her she found that Jax was glaring at him. Upon turning back she found that Law had shifted his gaze from her to Rackham instead. It was only the three of them in the area with the moonlight from overhead being their only source of light.

Her head was spinning and the pain in her arm was beginning to become uncomfortable as she continued to stare at him. Why had he saved her? Pirates despised the Marines and vice versa. There was no love between the two factions. So why now?

"Why are you interfering, Trafalgar?" Jax called to him. "This is none of your damn business."

Law's look of indifference shifted as a half smile upturned the corners of his lips. "We weren't done talking, Jax-_ya_." In his hand was a nodachi that rested comfortably against his right shoulder.

Ginger frowned when she noticed the blue sphere they were under had disappeared. She came to the conclusion that he indeed had a Devil Fruit power, cringing inwardly at the thought. She learned about the Devil Fruits and their selective powers from her mother who in turn despised rather than feared those who had inhabited said powers. The way her mother saw it, it gave the user a crutch to lean on rather than relying on their own physical strength to overcome a situation. She herself didn't show any outward hostility towards those who did, but at the same time she bore no love for them. To put it mildly, she became incredibly uneasy around Devil Fruit users.

"I don't care what you do with her," her attention went back to Law who in turn momentarily passed her a cold glare. "But you and I weren't finished." She turned away from him. The feeling of not wanting to remain around either of them any longer kicked in.

"Hold on, Trafalgar," Jax growled. "Then why did you switch her out with that shitty power of yours?"

Law tapped his shoulder with his nodachi as a careless grin replaced his frown. "Are you implying I'm not allowed to do what I want?"

Slowly she sheathed the dagger she had been wielding and before long she took off in a sprint past Law. All that was on her mind were her men. She didn't care if Jax or Law went after her. All she cared about was finding out the truth about what happened to her squad. _I can still make it. _Her Transponder Snail was no longer on her person as she continued to run through the dark forest, evading low branches and loose twigs on the way. _I can still make it_. She hit the area where the first team would've entered from, finding nothing but the forest floor. She walked a few feet and looked around for anything that was amiss.

Nothing. He hadn't fired his guns because she would've heard them if he had. So where were they?

She had twenty-four men to account for as she continued in her search. The entire time her thoughts would drift back to Trafalgar Law. She wondered again why he had bothered to even save her. What would he gain? Certainly nothing. Perhaps a hostage but that was unlikely. Admirals were the ideal hostages in most cases and the rest merely ended up as stains on the ground. Ginger was no different from them. Then again, he said he didn't care for her well-being and implied that she was merely in the way of his and Jax's discussion.

When she paused to listen she noticed that there was no sign that Jax or Law had followed her.

Instead, she focused on her search. She was disappointed to find that it was too dark to see anything and just by looking around she realized that moonlight wasn't enough.

"Damn it," Ginger cursed while tentatively gripping her left arm. The pain throbbed, and suddenly she felt disgusted. In sheer anger she clutched the coat with her other hand, pulled it off her shoulders, and threw it to the ground. Her teeth clenched as their faces, one by one, flashed through her mind. The thought that they were dead because of her upset her greatly.

"He didn't kill them. I know it." She looked through the bushes, sighing in frustration when she found nothing. Staying in one spot wouldn't help and so she continued along while looking from side to side.

"Ensign Rogiko!"

Her head whipped to the right where she spotted one of her men running towards her from a clearing. A smile crept upon her face as she waited for him. She recognized that it was Keiji, and a sigh of relief made it all to easy to deem it safe.

The hushed winds swept across the trees with a sudden blow, causing her smile to drop as she looked up. Her eyes widened in surprise as Jax Rackham rushed down to her from above with lightning speed.

"Keiji!" She thrusted herself forward and out of his way.

"Ensign!" He called out to her as she quickly blocked Jax's blow with her arm.

He lifted his leg and aimed for her side until she used her left hand to stop him by grabbing his knee. Unfortunately, the defense position left her vulnerable to his headbutt, and with a forceful push she was sent skidding across the ground. Discomfort and irritation set in rapidly through her head. _  
><em>

The Marine looked from her to Jax. Anger was clear in his eyes as he unsheathed his sword and held it in front of him. "He killed half of our men! They may want him alive but he has to pay!"

"Keiji, don't be stupid! You're no match for him." Ginger was on her feet in an instant as the pain lingered in her head and arm. She flinched as she felt blood trickle slowly down the side of her face. Her eyes were on Keiji as she slid her dagger out of place again. "Listen, take the others and board the ship with the villagers-if they'll go. Then sail back to headquarters. Sage's Island is not safe for anyone."

His eyes slid to hers before quickly flickering back to Jax who was still. His face was calm, his lips were pursed in a thin line while his blue eyes glared at her. She could tell just from his posture and expression that he was annoyed rather than angry. Whether with her, the fact that some of the men were alive, or even with the fact that Trafalgar Law intervened she didn't know. All she knew for certain was that she had to stall him long enough for them to send out a distress call and evacuate. One way or another she wouldn't let him win.

"That's an order!" But he didn't budge and neither did the hatred in his eyes. "Get out of here!"

"I can't do that," Keiji finally murmured. "I can't. Not after he killed them one by one in front us. He killed our young recruit. Ensign...he snapped his neck like a twig and Ako went after him. We couldn't hear anything because he made sure we didn't!"

She had opened her mouth but suddenly found herself frozen in place. The trees swayed again but this time Ginger noticed that there was no sound. All around it had become dead silent. Though she couldn't hear her breaths she knew she was breathing because she could feel it, that and her heartbeat which was steadily rising as she became uncomfortable with the silence.

The hand that held her dagger trembled as did her body. _Breathe_. The voice inside her head was her own as she calmed herself. Jax had to be manipulating this, and if that was the case then she wouldn't give him the satisfaction. What she hadn't noticed before was that she saw nothing but darkness, and although she would've lost her cool she forced herself to relax by closing her eyes.

_I'm not letting him get away with this_.

She brought a hand to her face and slapped her cheek, light at first, before delivering a hard smack. She could faintly hear it resounding back and could feel the pain it brought on.

And suddenly it was all over.

The heavy feeling of impending darkness, the absence of sound, all of it was gone in an instant.

It wasn't until she opened her eyes that Ginger watched in horror as Jax held Keiji by the face while the latter struggled against his grip. _No_. She surged forward and in one large sweep aimed it to slice Jax's hand off. Blood dripped from the wound and from her blade as the breath was taken from her. _No_. His body fell to the ground with a loud thump while blood continued to flow free from his slit throat. Her teeth bit down on her lip but Keiji didn't move.

"I'm surprised, _Ensign Rogiko_. How did you escape from the range of my _Sound-Sound_ fruit?" Jax's tone was mocking. He didn't care that he had made her kill her own man indirectly.

The sight of seeing Keiji dead on the ground in front of her was enough to send her over the deep end, yet she merely stood somehow hoping that he was still alive. The thought was unlikely as Ginger made sure that when she struck she put enough force to inflict a lethal wound. That was how she was able to take down most criminals who refused to be arrested. This was what she intended to do with Jax.

"He was right. I made sure the men I slaughtered didn't hear me coming. It was mercy now that you think about it, _Ensign_." His hand shot out and clutched the front of her dress shirt. His fist crumpled the black fabric as she looked up at him, eyes showing nothing but hate while Jax smirked. "I intended to do the dirty work and leave you with the credit, but if you were that desperate to be rid of him-"

The end of her blade was brought down on his wrist, causing Jax to grunt in pain. Ginger's other hand kept his wrist in a tight grip as her hand twisted the blade in deeper. He balled his free hand into a fist and hit her once in the temple. The blow didn't deter her from her task and instead she responded back by dragging it down his arm as his grunts turned into choked yells. His tanned flesh tore open while blood slowly trickled out from the deep laceration. Out of the corner of her eye she saw his fingers making rapid movements, and again the sound from around them was becoming distant.

She dragged the knife out of his arm and into his chest.

One by one the sounds from around them returned, one of them being Jax's pained yell before he shoved her back. His hand removed the knife from his chest and flung it at her as she dodged. With the last of her energy she kicked him the force sending him flying back.

Ginger stood up, grabbed her knife, and made her way to where he had landed. Blood was seeping through his shirt from the chest wound she had inflicted on him as well as his arm. Her eyes showed no emotion as she pointed the end of her dagger at him.

Jax saw her, and the hate was evident. "...You-"

"-I'm bring you back to headquarters," she said icily, "but unfortunately you won't be alive to answer for your crimes."

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><p><em>AN: Thank you to those who reviewed! I'm glad you're enjoying it so far! _


	4. Chapter 4

Ginger considered having a cigarette to ease the tension she felt.

Everything had happened so fast and she wasn't sure if any of it was real at all. Berserker Jax laid on the ground underneath the night sky bleeding out while she knelt beside Keiji's body. Her fingers touched the skin of his throat eyes falling slightly as she felt no sign of life.

She made sure there was distance between her and the wanted outlaw if he tried to do anything. She pondered on what to do as thoughts ran through her head at the possibility of being on trial and executed for these crimes. She could use the villagers as proof, but would that be enough?

It all didn't make sense. Why had the Marines accepted a deal from him, and better yet why had no one contacted her? Why didn't Captain Read at least try? Did she know? Or had she been left in the dark considering her close ties with Ginger?

When she tried to fit the possibilities together nothing became clear. She didn't want to assume that someone within HQ had it in for her, and at the same time it was the most logical answer. She considered sailing back to headquarters without reporting in but it would only serve to condemn her.

Keiji was the only one who she found, and yet none of the others came running. At this point she had to assume the worse and accept the fact that they were most likely dead. She sat back on her legs and looked over at Jax again. His chest was falling ever so slightly as he continued to lay there.

Footsteps were heard coming her way. She turned and saw that Law had come to a stop just a few feet from where she was.

His grey eyes shifted from Jax to her in one quick movement. "Is he dead?"

Ginger scoffed. "He will be soon."

She heard him walk forward as the dirt beneath his shoes crunched with each step. He stopped and stared at Jax with an uninterested expression while using the tip of his shoe to lightly kick his side. She raised an eyebrow as Jax grunted weakly.

"He has about another hour before he succumbs to his internal injuries," Law pointed out. When she didn't offer a rebuttal he looked her way with a smirk. "Did you use Haki to inflict this much damage?"

Trafalgar Law had no business asking her these kinds of questions, but then again she was at his mercy. She had no energy left to take him on in a battle should he desire one. His Devil Fruit power was something she never wanted to experience first hand if they did. Yet he knew about her using her own willpower to finally take care of Jax. She hadn't used it right away because she didn't have enough experience and practice to use it as often.

"Yes." Her answer was swift and her tone was firm.

He didn't ask another question, opting instead to crouch beside the fallen man and watch with an apathetic gaze as Jax's breaths slowed. It left her contemplating her choices on what to do next even though the obvious was to return to headquarters. Did she even want that? To return and be suspected of the slaughter of twenty-four men, and a possible ally, was something she couldn't take. Her duty was to the Marines as was her life if she ever wanted justice for them. Up until now she would've lived and died for the Marines without second guessing herself.

Now, another life was calling to her, one she had put off indefinitely after the execution of her mother. To live as a pirate appeared as it would be the best decision considering that she knew her life would be in jeopardy should she return. The smell of the sea and being free to do what she wanted was tempting as well as the excitement in knowing she would be wanted by the World Government. Perhaps that was what excited her the most. She never did like leading and instead preferred to follow.

The thoughts quickly disappeared as remorse settled in over the loss of her men. _I shouldn't be thinking these things_.

"_Room,_" Ginger jerked her head. "_Scalpel_." In disgust she watched as Jax's heart became encased in a clear cube like structure. Law held the organ in the palm of his hand as the dull beating could be heard while it pulsed.

"Why do you have his heart!?"

He stood up while bouncing the heart up and down in his hand. "A trophy." She deadpanned. "What are you gonna do now, _Marine-ya_?"

She shrugged with a small frown as she carefully chose her next words. "I'll have to report this to my superiors."

"They'll arrest you and then execute you," Law said, his tone unsympathetic. "I overheard Jax making that deal with your superiors. They sounded desperate for the information he had. You **did** kill him, and they won't be happy."

Turning her head suddenly she asked, "What kind of deal did they make? Do you know who he spoke with?"

Law tapped his shoulder with his nodachi in his hand. "I might have."

"What are you doing on this island anyway?" One after the other the questions escaped past her lips. "What were you and Jax discussing?"

He frowned at the sudden barrage of inquiries. "That's none of your business, _Marine-ya_."

"You can answer at least one."

His nose scrunched up as his lips slightly parted at her rebuttal. The fact that she had no fear asking him all these questions seemed as if she didn't care for her life. Truth was Law being here from the beginning was suspicious. She knew of him and his crew just from the accounts of Marines who witnessed what he could do. Given the fact that he was one of the Eleven Supernovas whose bounties exceeded one-hundred million beli said as much.

"Normally, I would've cut you up into pieces and spread your body parts all over this island, but you took down Jax on the second try." His lips curved into a smirk as they locked gazes. "You made an impressive show by cutting his internal organs with such a strike."

"So what?"

The gradual beating of Jax's heart went unnoticed as Law said, "You could have taken him on your own from the start. Why didn't you, _Marine-ya_?"

Her arm began to tingle again as Ginger's hands clenched before she looked down at them. Captain Read had once remarked that she was well trained when it came to swords. When she made the off-hand remark about Greta preferring knives to swords Ginger immediately began her training with them. The little use of Haki was something she believed to be normal, something that everyone did. She didn't find it special as it made up for her not having any Devil Fruit powers to rely on.

She rested her hands atop her knees again while looking up at Law. "I didn't know he had Devil Fruit powers. Otherwise I would have given it my all. It doesn't matter though, I don't have a choice now. I have to turn myself in." Just hearing the words tumble out of her mouth was enough to make her regret them.

"You could become a pirate."

The tingling sensation in her left arm caused her to grip it and prevent it from shaking. Her tone suddenly turned mocking as she said, "Oh, yes, become a _pirate_. Be wanted and hunted down by the World Government and those who want to make a name for themselves."

Law walked past her with the heart still in his hand. "Do what you want." He stopped then, turned his head, and added, "I could leave you stranded here without any way to return. I could destroy your ship and take any Transponder Snails."

"I don't need your help, **pirate**." She said brazenly, eyes turning away from him as she looked at Keiji.

"You're in no position to decline my offer. You can stay here and hide out from the World Government or you could become a pirate and always be on the move. Away from prying eyes." The more he talked the more sense he made. Ginger knew that Law was right when it came to this tricky situation. It was either be arrested and charged, hide, or live free on the open sea.

She looked back at him again. "Why do you want to help me?"

"I'm giving you an ultimatum."

"Why?"

Law looked down at the heart as the heartbeat slowed. "I was going to recruit Jax into my crew. You killed him, it seems fitting to recruit his killer instead."

Ginger smiled then though it didn't reach her eyes. He couldn't have been serious. Why on earth would he think that she would join willingly? She wasn't that desperate to escape by turning to him and claiming his "offer" as he called it. Keiji laid dead in front of her, her men were scattered and likely dead too, and Berserker Jax was slowly dying a few feet away. She could get away on her own, possibly even turning herself in and facing the consequences. Her claim would likely go unheard but it was the right thing to do.

She inhaled a deep breath, and released it. "No."

He raised an eyebrow at her retort but his look of indifference remained the same. He looked at her, pocketed the heart, and turned forward again. He didn't say anymore as he walked away from her.

"They say pirates have their pride," she called out, standing up as the shadows hid her face in obscurity, "but we Marines do too."

Trafalgar Law didn't respond and continued walking until she could no longer see him.

* * *

><p>The next morning she walked from the ship towards the cottages. That night had been spent feeling unable to sleep and uncomfortable with the situation. She drank a cup of coffee and sat in front of the Transponder Snail for what seemed like hours, contemplating whether to phone it in or not. The ship had seemed so quiet without the familiar laughter of the crew to fill it. She felt guilty being the only one left alive, but somehow being alive and enduring the pain of being unable to save them seemed like a just punishment.<p>

As she walked along the path she briefly wondered if she was wrong to turn down Trafalgar Law's offer. Even if he was truthful about being on this island to recruit Jax it sill didn't make up the fact that he was pirate. They didn't share the same morals.

The first house she reached had a woman in the front of the tending the cobble pathway. She had dark blue hair and brown eyes who appeared a few years older than herself. It was strange how some of the villagers she walked past paid her no mind and went back to the ways things had presumably been since before they arrived.

"Excuse me," Ginger said as the woman glanced up nervously. "I need to ask you some questions."

"I thought you had left already," she mumbled, setting the broom aside.

"No. I'm sorry to say I have to ask why no one greeted my team and I when we anchored?"

The woman's nervous expression turned into one of mild annoyance. "It's polite to ask someone their name before asking questions."

Ginger, feeling quite embarrassed at the realization, hurriedly complied. "I'm terribly sorry for any trouble I caused last night. My name is Rogiko Ginger, an—former Ensign with the Marines. And your name?"

The woman nodded, "My name is Michi." She looked from left to right before turning to her front door and beckoning Ginger to follow.

She hurriedly followed while take precaution in case if something went wrong. The door closed behind her as Michi turned and offered her a seat at the table in the small living room. "Please, Ensign Rogiko."

"Just call me Ginger." She sat down, watching as Michi hurried to the kitchen. She got a cup and turned to get the teapot off from the burner. Ginger's face paled as she watched her pour the drink. "I..I'm not a lover of tea."

The woman scoffed as she set the teapot down. "It's for me. Not you." Michi then sat down across from her. "As for your question, we didn't go out to greet you because that pirate told us to hide. I have a feeling you're unfamiliar with Sage's Island as well as Jax Rackham."

"You're correct."

Michi took a small sip of her tea and locked eyes with Ginger. "We're a small island that's usually off the World Government's radar. We sit in between two islands just before Sabaody Archipelago. Naturally we go unnoticed because of our size. We usually have to sail to our neighboring islands to trade. Rackham found this place a month back. He said in exchange for our help he and his crew would make sure that we wouldn't have any trouble."

"His crew?" Ginger repeated as Michi nodded. "No one mentioned that. They said he was alone."

"He wasn't. His crew set off a few days ago, though. Probably to Sabaody, but for what business I have no clue." She took another sip of her tea. "You're not planning on following them, are you?"

To take her empty ship and travel there seemed like a reckless idea in the first place. From what she knew of the place it was mainly a grove of trees which explained why it had no magnetic pull like other islands did. What exactly would she do if she got there? Who would she look for and why? She wanted to ask questions about Jax and his intentions and they were the best source.

Ginger's left arm tingled again. The memories of what happened last night resurfaced. "I have to."

Michi slammed her cup down which caused her to raise an eyebrow. "Aren't you going back to your base?"

"If I return empty-handed with my crew dead then they'll arrest me and I would be on trial." Her face darkened. "I've decided last night that I won't go back without proof that absolves me of this crime."

"Ginger, don't be ridiculous! They'll brand you a criminal the moment they don't hear from you and put on a bounty on your head. It'll be useless to get proof when they already named you an enemy."

She shrugged. The moment of having second thoughts had long since passed. "I don't care if they do or don't. I need this proof for myself. This man killed my entire team after he supposedly made a deal with the Marines. He was going to blackmail me and I want to know why."

A flicker passed before the other woman's eyes as she said, "I...suppose you have a point."

"If that means I become wanted in the process then I'll have to endure it. I'll worry about it once I have my answers," she looked down, quite surprised she had revealed this much to a stranger. She assumed it didn't matter now that she would be on the run. "Thank you for answering my question." She stood up quickly then causing her knee to hit the table in the process. "Ow! Damn it!"

Michi deadpanned at the sudden action. "Are you gonna be okay by yourself?"

"All I have to do is get to Sabaody alive. I'll manage from there." The pain in her knee subsided as she walked towards the front door.

That was when Ginger stopped and turned her head to look at the woman from over shoulder. She was debating whether to ask not at all wanting to burden these people with more trouble than it was worth. Considering that it would benefit them in the long run she decided to try and hope that Michi would carry out this final request.

"It's a lot to ask from you," she said, "but I'm going to need a favor."


	5. Chapter 5

She had expected to find nothing left.

Ginger watched with a blank expression as one by one the locals helped dig the twenty-four individual graves. She would personally see to it that the casualties reached base one way or another. Their bodies had been found in the woods just north of where she and Jax had been. Each of them cut down with a single devastating blow in silence with no possible way of her or anyone hearing their anguished cries. It was the people who had found them when scouting the woods once she assured them Jax would no longer be a threat to them. She promised that his crew would not return to Sage's Island to wreck havoc, and made it a point to say she would hunt them down herself.

It didn't matter now, however, nothing would bring them back.

The mood was solemn as they worked while she made a mental note to gather the names and send them to Read. The bodies were covered with heavy white blankets, shielding her and the locals from them. Her hand balled into a fist at her side, her face still while she imagined the surprise and pain each of them felt. Her knuckles cracked when she finally loosened her hand.

"Thank you," she whispered, making sure her voice was hushed. "I won't let this be forgotten."

One of the men working turned when he finished. "Are you going to stay for the burial?"

She shook her head. "I shouldn't. I need to head out now. If the Marines do come, tell them I did this."

He was surprised at first but he quickly became appalled at the idea. "Why would you take credit for this?"

"Whether or not you want to believe it they did die by my incompetence. The Marines will brand me a criminal soon. Why not make it count?" The words stung when they left her lips. Getting into the mindset that she was responsible was easier to cope with rather than blaming herself for not being able to stop it. If she was dead set on being a pirate than she supposed she had to think like one.

It was when Ginger bowed at the man that she chose to leave without saying anything more. She had to leave this island to avoid the Marines following her. Luckily, several men on the island volunteered to help operate the ship in exchange for it once they dropped her off. She complied without a second thought not at all caring what became of it.

Hours later found her locked in her cabin on said ship, pouring herself into paperwork. She had long ago stripped herself of her uniform and instead chose to keep her hair up while putting on a mint green colored dress. The sleeves of it stopped up to her elbows with the skirt falling just above her knees. Three large buttons that began from the collar adorned the front, stopping just above her waist.

Normally when she was off duty she preferred clothes that were comfortable to wear, and although it was hard to avoid getting them dirty she still took the risk because she enjoyed wearing what she liked. At times they varied depending on her mood. Sometimes she liked to wear shorts or pants, and at other times she wanted to wear suits with the long skirts. It was interesting how she didn't like wearing the cap that came with the uniform, but at the same time pillbox hats would immediately come with her off-duty look.

The soft _purapurapura _caused Ginger to suddenly look at the Transponder Snail with disdain. She set the papers aside and answered it with a curt "hello".

"Is that anyway to talk to your superior?" Marigold Read's voice was clear as day. "What has you so mad, _Ginger-chan_?"

"I shouldn't have even picked up your call."

The snail's expression turned serious upon her tone. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"It's so sudden, but I want to say goodbye." Ginger smiled sadly as her tone conveyed what she felt. "_Mari-sama_, thank you for everything you've done. I know you wanted me to be an exceptional Marine and rise through the ranks like you, but now it doesn't seem that will happen. It's no fault of yours. I have to handle this myself."

There was silence on the other end, worrying that they were somehow cut off she quickly opened her mouth to add, "This is something I have to do alone."

More silence followed though the snail's expression remained the same. Her thoughts wandered as she waited for retort, and when she was about to speak again the snail's features hardened. "Are you a fool? What's happened? Tell me now before you return to base!" Her tone brought back memories of Marigold's harsh training, but Ginger wouldn't be so quick to yield to them. She shook her head, forcing herself to relax while the snail's eyes glared. "I said tell me! What have you done, Ginger!? What did you do!? I took you under my wing, raised you as my daughter, and I was determined that you wouldn't become your mother! If you're scared, then that's alright. We'll fix this-"

"—It can't be fixed! Not now. It'll take me time to figure out what happened, and when it does then I'll have the consequences. _Mari-sama_, this is **my** burden."

"Ginger," she said exasperated, the snail's expression contorting to one of guilt, "you do this and you'll be repeating the cycle. Greta sailed the seas with you, endangering your life from the very beginning. She made enemies out of pirates, she made enemies out of Marines, and she sure as hell pissed off the Celestial Dragons at one point where she endangered a small town." The snail paused. "The only thing Greta did right was surrendering herself and you. She paid her debt back to society with her life. Don't follow her footsteps."

Ginger sucked in her lips, trembling all the while, refusing to cry though it did no good since she was certain Marigold could see. The tears pricked her eyes as she opened them. No matter what she endured during the remainder of her childhood it was nothing compared to what her life would've been if she stayed with her mother's crew. The old woman, she hated to admit, was right in that regard when she raised her as her own. Ginger received the best training, fought her way to her current rank, and earned the respect of her peers and it was all thanks to Marigold. She had a bed to sleep in at night with food in her stomach and she never had to worry about being caught by rival pirates. Everything she had now up until this point she owed to her.

Her fingers pinched the bridge of her nose with her free hand, stifling her whimpers. To Marigold, Ginger was never the daughter of a pirate. She was just a little girl who was caught up in the storm that was her mother's rage against the world. She had silenced the hushed whispers of predictions from others, defended the girl to her own superiors, and took the responsibility of raising a child despite the fact she never liked children. All this she did because it felt natural— a motherly instinct hidden within the depths of the formidable Marine.

She owed her very life to the woman.

"_Mari-sama_," she opened her eyes, "the bodies are buried on Sage's Island. Jax Rackham was dumped in the sea."

"Ginger—"

She hung up the Transponder Snail with a sudden click.

* * *

><p>The heart had stopped beating that very night their submarine went under water to avoid detection.<p>

Trafalgar Law noticed the long pauses in between each pulse before it silenced all together. He expected as much for he was the one who gave the diagnosis of the grim situation. When he showed the heart to the only animal in his crew, Bepo, the bear noticeably flinched from the sight.

At the moment, he was seated in the kitchen of his vessel while musing through last night's events. To his left, Keki was busy preparing lunch for the crew. She was an old woman with dark grey hair who was several feet shorter than Law and relied on a stool to reach the appliances she so often used. He had found her a year ago when she nearly beat Penguin and Shachi into unconsciousness when the paired attempted to take her rice cakes from her shop (which they insisted was an accident). It was a disappointing sight to have two Heart Crew members beaten bloody, though it gained them a cook once she insisted on joining.

"_Keki-ya_," he began, opening one eye to look at her, "stop telling Bepo that he'll be our main course every night."

The old woman merely snickered. "That yeti thinks he can sneak off with as much as he pleases when I sleep. That will teach him to leave the food alone."

Law's lips tugged into a half-smile. "Regardless, I need him to be fearless."

"And he will be once he knows he can't get away with stealing our week's provisions," she lifted the wooden spoon and tasted the soup. She smacked her lips and held out her hand. "Bring me the salt, _boy_." Keki also had the annoying habit of addressing him as "boy", yet despite his protests she still continued to call him that. It was only during these times when they were alone, otherwise she addressed him as "Captain" like everyone else.

Still, Law complied and got up from his seat to hand her the salt. Once he did, he leaned against the counter lazily watching her stir it in with two hands grasping the handle of the large wooden spoon. He folded his arms and was about to speak when she added, "Take off your hat when you come into the kitchen next time."

"I don't like being ordered around on my vessel."

"_Oh_," she looked at him. "Your vessel, yes. The kitchen is the cook's territory. It's an unspoken rule on a pirate ship."

Agitated with her explanation he retorted, "This is a submarine."

"I stand corrected." Keki removed the spoon from the stew and offered a taste to him. He shook his head as she frowned and set the utensil aside. "I hear you ran into trouble when getting that devious man to join."

It was a major loss to him considering the fact that Jax was not only a Devil Fruit user but also a wanted man with a good size bounty on his head. Looking back on it now he didn't seem that strong since he had been cut down by a Marine.

"He was killed by an Ensign class Marine."

Keki raised an eyebrow. "Oh, did you get his name at least? You could have recruited him instead."

"It was a woman." He shifted his stance, crossing one ankle over the other. "I believe _Jax-ya _said 'Rogiko' during their fight." The older woman looked at him while dropping in the diced eggplant. "What?"

"There was only one Rogiko I heard of, but she was executed seventeen years ago on my island." Law's expression never wavered at this new bit of information. He instead opted to continue listening while she took her time. "Rogiko Greta of the Rogiko Pirates. They said she angered one of the Celestial Dragons who in turn demanded her death."

"What did she look like?"

"Black hair, gold eyes. Unlike most pirates at their executions she didn't have any last words." Keki stirred the contents for the umpteenth time as he waited. "The Marines mentioned she surrendered and thus was given a quick death. Otherwise, she would've been taken to Impel Down. This woman you saw must have been her daughter."

"Daughter?"

"Ah," she nodded. "I forgot to mention she surrendered both herself and her daughter to the Marines. That might've been why she was executed at the base there instead of at Impel Down."

Finally, Law smiled as he looked away while closing his eyes. "How do you know this, _Keki-ya_?"

She chuckled, hopping down from the stool. "I cooked her last meal. You would be surprised how quick people divulge their life stories when they know they're going to die." She pushed the stool out of her way to get to the oven. "Judging by the fact that you came on board alone, it's safe to assume she had other plans."

"She refused my offer. She didn't want to be at the mercy of a pirate." He waved a hand. "She'll be arrested soon enough."

Keki open the oven carefully, poking at the meat with a fork gingerly. "Oh, that's a shame." She took a chunk of it and stuck it into her mouth. "You need all the help you can get it if you're still going along with **that** plan." Law shot a cautious look at the woman while she closed the door to the oven. "I still think you shouldn't go through with it, _boy_. But it's your decision."

His grey eyes remained on her. "I have my reasons." It was all he had to say on the matter since she immediately nodded and chose not to say anymore on the subject. Whether she liked it or not, Law's word was final. No amount of nagging or convincing would steer him out of what he had in mind. The crew knew this, though Keki still had a hard time grasping this fact.

He still needed more information on certain locations and the people he was searching for. It would take time to gather everything, but Law figured it would pay off in the end. In the meantime, he was building his crew little by little, picking nothing but the best to join. It didn't matter that the Marine turned him down because there would be more suitable candidates to come along. She showed exceptional skills, but he wasn't about to beg or convince her. A pirate captain never groveled at someone's feet, and he wasn't about to be the first one to do so.

Their next stop, which happened to be the tenth island in the Grand Line, was Sabaody Archipelago. The New World would follow soon enough which meant that his plan would immediately have to go into motion.

His fingers dug into his arms ever so slightly as Keki carried on cooking oblivious to the memories her captain was fighting hard to keep at bay.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Hope you're all enjoy this so far! A couple of footnotes to mention:_

_- Rogiko Ginger is based off of Ginger Rogers who was an American dancer in the 30's. I liked the idea of basing her personality off of her._  
><em>- The clothes she will be wearing from here on out are inspired by the dresses from the 50's and early 60's. I figured since characters like Sanji, and the Admirals in the Navy, wear suits then why not dresses and suits from that same time period?<em>  
><em><br>_


	6. Chapter 6

It was hard to forget that the things that happened in the past five days actually took place.

Ginger tried relentlessly to busy her free time but found that the memories would present themselves whenever possible. She would sleep when she was able almost expecting nightmares to surface but whenever she awoke she came to find that she had a dreamless sleep. On the fifth night it was no longer strange as she came to welcome not having dreams. She saw it as a sign of some sort and never came to question it.

The Transponder Snail had been disposed of the moment she ended her call with Marigold lest she try to call her back and apologize. She had to go through with this, becoming a pirate was easy enough once you thought of it but actually acting like one was a different story. It would be inevitable that her bounty and wanted poster would be public and as such she braced for the worse.

The sixth morning found them already landing at her destination with the one of the villagers helping her with her belongings. The self-proclaimed captain on board, a hairy man who stood four feet taller than her, helped her with directions.

"Do you know what you're looking for?" he asked, taking a long drag on his equally long pipe while his eyes studied her. "This is the stop before entering the New World..._World_."

Ginger frowned. "I've no intention of entering the New World," she said calmly, "I only want to find Jax's men is all."

The captain lips pulled inwards as he made a long "mmm" sound just before the gray smoke trailed out of his nostrils. She turned her head away as the smoke seemed to travel towards her. "You said you were going to go rogue. Going rogue means staying away from Marines of any kind. Eventually you're going to have to enter the New World." He tilted his head. "Going alone means you'll be vulnerable..._vulnerable_." The old man also had a bad habit of repeating the last word of any said last sentence.

"I'm fully prepared," she said, patting the leather holster that held her knives. "No one's going to get the upper hand on me."

He laughed the sound rumbling through his chest while she smiled at him. "Take care. We'll put your ship to good use..._use_." She nodded at him then before proceeding to leave the docking port in favor of finding directions.

It was hard to believe that a grove of trees made up this non-island even harder to admit that she absolutely never thought she would be in this situation. She didn't know where to go to begin looking for Jax's merry band of misfits. She wished she would've thought longer on this before deciding to become a pirate. So began her short journey of asking for directions, side-stepping many times to prevent people from bumping into her. The brown pack was held tightly over her shoulder as she walked along the throng of people in the section.

She then held out a hand and stopped a man from hurrying past her. "Pardon," she began, her voicing turned light as he passed her a look. "Where would I go about finding someone?"

The man, who was a few short years younger than her, turned and looked around with an uninterested gaze. Ginger waited patiently, noticing that it seemed as if he was struggling to answer her question. It was when she looked away from him and up at the trees that she noticed the number "41" painted upon it. All the captain mentioned was that Sabaody was made up of different groves of trees that held various sections. She failed to ask exactly which she should go to.

"Look, it's alright I'll ask somebody here since it's obvious you're not a local."

"Just give me a minute," he replied gruffly. His eyes scanned the trees while snapping his head toward the shops that surrounded them. "I'm sure I spotted "1" somewhere."

Ginger's eyes narrowed. "Don't you mean "41"?" she sighed, "Nevermind, I'll ask someone else."

"Fine by me." She released his shoulder and they walked past one another.

It was only when she stopped and quickly turned that she suddenly lost her balance. She fell back with a loud _thud, _groaning at the impact it made on her lower back. A few of the passing people stopped to help which she was quick to shoo away as her eyes remain on his receding form. There was no doubt that she recognized that head of green hair with his signature three swords hanging at his hip. There was nothing she could do about it now considering that she was no longer employed by the Marines. Pirate Hunter Zoro wasn't the person she wanted. If the Strawhat pirates were here then that could only mean that they were seeking passage into the New World as the captain had mentioned earlier.

During the commotion she managed to get directions to head to Groves 1-29 if she was seeking someone of importance, either that or head to the Marine base located in Groves 60-69. She thanked the man who had given her the directions completely oblivious to the fact that he had taken a quick snap of her profile with his camera.

Ginger continued on while occasionally looking up at the trees to ensure that she was still going the right way. Her hand reached up, her fingers touched the patch of colored hair that was tucked underneath, and made a mental note to pick up dye later. Her thoughts eventually drifted back to Sage's Island which caused her to frown at the memory. It was when Trafalgar Law's voice came to mind that the frown instantly thinned out as she became annoyed. Who was he to offer a position among his crew? He claimed he did so because she took down Jax but if that was the case why did he interfere the first time? He had no idea who she was, and was only slightly impressed at the quick work she made of him. If he really didn't care what happened to her (as so he claimed the first time) then why bother letting her finish Jax off? Had he been lying to see if he-

_That bastard! He used me as bait!_

The more she thought of it the more it made sense. Berserker Jax already held a reputation of being a formidable pirate, why not let him easily crush an Ensign class Marine like her? The thought of being used as bait made her upset, but she calmed once she realized she shouldn't have been surprised. Trafalgar Law was a pirate who would do what he liked until the day he got caught or died.

_You have a lot of nerve, Law._

Eventually she ended up in the area she sought out, noticing that shady looking characters were currently running amok. "21" was marked upon one of the trees as she treaded lightly on dangerous territory the further she went. The stares of those she walked past didn't faze her. She held her chin high while her right hand dropped to grip the handle of her knife, passing any who gazed at her a sharp look. To come through unscathed she needed to act like she was one of them already. Her outward appearance would leave some to believe she would be an easy target, however, they would learn their lesson the moment they attempted to do something. Ginger looked down at herself then, and wondered if throwing her uniform overboard had been a hasty move.

She calmly moved to the side, keeping her eyes guarded as she came to a stop. Some of the people here caught her attention as most of them were wanted. Various faces reminded her of the days when she sat behind a desk, handling paperwork on criminals who were either imprisoned or still out at sea. Most of those who weren't captured were here now. Few of them had bounties over one-hundred million beli and posed an immediate threat. _I have to be level-headed_, she thought, _I can't draw too much attention. _

She removed the pack from her shoulder and delved into its contents, searching for any wanted posters she might've stuck in it. When she came up empty-handed she chose instead to pick a random person from the sea of people to ask of Jax's crew mates.

"Pardon," the word came out more cordially than she intended. "I'm looking for some people. Do you think you could assist me?" The man who she asked suddenly turned. His eyes narrowed before they seemed to relax; no longer bothered by the intrusion. His postured relaxed as did his demeanor once he got a good look at her. She shifted her feet before opening her mouth to add, "I won't beat around the bush. They belong to Berserker Jax Rackham's crew. I have reason to suspect they came here not too long ago. I need to know if they're here or not."

He raised an eyebrow. "You don't dress like a Marine," he said calmly, "but you speak like one." His fingers came together, tying into one another before pushing his hands outward as the bones in his fingers cracked. It didn't little to nerve her, but she didn't let the action be forgotten.

"I've been around Marines long enough for them to rub off on me." Her lips upturned slightly as she folded her arms while keeping his gaze. "Now, about that question I asked."

He scoffed. "Try the Auction house."

Ginger looked around, spotting small shops and the like rather than the building he referred to. "I don't see it anywhere."

The stranger hooked a thumb at one of the trees and said with a huff, "You're in Grove 21. The Auction house is at Grove 1."

"Thank you." She gave a curt nod before hurrying along to the destination. If it was an auction house as he claimed then the auction had probably begun, and if so it would make her search all that much harder. She couldn't believe that the stranger had been so helpful as she was almost sure he would've demanded payment for the information. Instead, he merely looked the other way as she set off. During that time she heard a rumbling nearby, but ignored it because it was no longer her business if fights broke out. All she cared about was finding this crew and putting an end to them.

Her steps quickened along the way, hoping that the rest of her search would be just as easy.

_I need to be careful_, she warned herself, _nobody on this place can be trusted_.

* * *

><p>When Keki insisted that she would rather remain on the submarine than walk around for hours on end he had no choice but to leave her behind<p>

Instead, he and a few of his crew members decided to go into the lawless area of Sabaody to pass the time. Keki gave a list of ingredients for Bepo, insisting that the bear be the one to gather the said items because she claimed he knew what to look for. Law didn't care. His nodachi leaned against his shoulder in its permanent position as they walked to Grove 1.

It hadn't been that long ago that they witnessed a fight between Killer and Urouge before it was stopped by Drake in an attempt to prevent it from escalating. It was a disappointment to see it come to an end so quickly, but Law figured there would be a chance to see them go at it again. From what he knew, all three had bounties over one-hundred million beli which in itself was only slightly impressive. His, of course, was second highest only to Drake's.

"I think I got what she wanted," Bepo said, frowning at the bag he carried. "If I miss something she'll starve me out. Again." His small black eyes slid over to Penguin and Shachi. His voice turned monotonous as he added, "I'll have to resort to eating you two."

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!" They yelled in unison though Law paid them no mind.

He looked up, catching the sight of the number "1" painted on the tree as they passed. The Auction House was just a few more feet up ahead. He wasn't interested in purchasing anything, knowing full well what kind of merchandise was auctioned off at places like these. The thought unsettled him, and yet he wasn't about to make it his mission to rescue anyone either. As pirates, and as a pirate with a bounty over one-hundred, they needed to keep a low profile for the time being to avoid an all out fight with the neighboring Marines.

"Captain," Bepo called. "Where are we going?"

"To the Auction House," Law replied without looking back. "We're gonna observe. Nothing more."

Penguin sighed. "For a minute I thought you wanted to buy a...slave." The word seemed taboo, and it was simply because the very thought of slavery occurring in this day and age was unlikely. To those who knew better, slavery was an everyday occurrence in different parts of the world. Law wasn't oblivious to the fact.

"And if I did?" He didn't have to look to see that three of them had made an effort to put some distance between them. Bepo, who was cradling the bag of ingredients to his chest, looked petrified at the thought.

Shachi was the only one to give a short laugh. "Good one, Captain!" Law didn't reply.

They reached the Auction House and quickly filed in with the rest of the people. It hadn't started yet which gave them the full advantage to find seats and separate themselves from the rest. Law immediately slid in and seated himself on the long benches that filled the rows. Bepo sat behind him to his left while the others quickly took their own seats, making sure that it was obvious to not sit next to the crew.

Law's arms hung off the back of the bench with one leg resting over the other while his nodachi sat beside him. Being close to the exit while being on top served as an advantage to him as he quickly surveyed the large area. The stage was a few rows down with the curtain drawn. As his grey eyes slid over to the right he noticed that many people who had filed in were looking to purchase a slave from today's auction. His usual mask of carefree indifference hid the slight disgust that he harbored toward any who believed they held the right to own any other living being.

More people entered the Auction House but the Heart Pirates paid them no mind. He chose to be observant to those who were already seated, ignoring Bepo's worried cries as he scrambled on the floor behind him, no doubt searching for one Keki's ingredients he most likely lost. Shachi and Penguin on the other hand merely stuck to observing as well.

Law's eyes shifted to the right once more, raising an eyebrow as the person stopped from going further down. It was a woman by the looks of it, considering the fact that she was wearing a two piece pink suit. Much like him she wore a hat though hers was round with a flat top. One hand was on her hip while the other clutched the strap of a bag that hung from her right shoulder. Her back was to him as she looked ahead. The longer he stared with his suspicious gaze the more she appeared familiar to him. His eyes widened slightly but went unnoticed as he closed his eyes.

"_Marine-ya_, having trouble finding a place to sit?"

When he opened his eyes he saw that the hand on her hip fell to her side and clenched into a fist. Her gaze was on him in an instant, eyes hard as Law stared back with as much intensity.

"I didn't expect to find you here out of all places," she said. "What an unlucky coincidence."

"Sit down or keep walking, it doesn't matter to me. It's amusing to find you here is all."

She sat down beside him with her hands in her lap. By then his subordinates had turned to their captain and the woman with curiosity. Rogiko Ginger, on the other hand, surprised him by leaning back and relaxing in her seat. He would've expected her to sit somewhere else, to be so upset with him that she would avoid him at all costs. That wasn't the case. The Marine in the pink suit merely made herself comfortable as she turned her head to him.

"Why are you here?" she asked, eyes guarded as the insistent chatter in the indoor stadium grew louder.

Law smirked while looking at her. "It's none of your business."

"I should've expected such an answer."

"Why are you in civilian clothes?"

"_It's none of your business_." Whether she was mocking him or answering his question, he didn't know. Ginger blinked as her gaze went from him to the stage in a matter of seconds. "What kind of auctions do they do here?"

His smirk was replaced by a frown at her question. Not only did she avoid his earlier question but she had the gall to counter with another one. It was strange considering that she was a Marine and should've already known what this place was about. Even an Ensign could dig up information on classified areas if they wanted, going behind certain protocols for the chance to learn something they weren't supposed to. If pirates knew about this place then he figured that the Marines ought to have known too since they were only two sections over.

Ginger suddenly turned back to him. "There are a lot of influential people here." It would only be a matter of time until she put two and two together.

Bepo leaned in and whispered, "Captain, do you know this woman?" Law remained silent.

She continued to look around all the while ignoring how he was patiently waiting for her to come to the realization. In the meantime, he looked over his shoulder to see if anymore people were still coming in, and when he did he saw that Eustass Kid (another pirate with a high bounty) and his crew members were standing near the entryway. He was a Captain too though he had a higher bounty than Law. He stood with his arms crossed while his eyes went from one end to the other. They locked gazes, and Law gave him the finger.

It didn't take long for Ginger to suddenly realize why people of higher stature were talking loudly among each other about their future purchases. From the look of surprise that she had Law figured she was distraught with the new found information. Indeed the potential buyers weren't trying to hide the fact that they had come seeking new purchases to own. She turned to him then and said in a hushed voice, "This is a slave auction!"

The lights suddenly dimmed and the red drapes on stage opened.

The auction had begun.


	7. Chapter 7

Being in the Auction house made her aghast with the reality of the situation.

She was appalled by it and was disgusted with the fact that no one was stopping this. Ginger opted to stay silent, seething about this wasn't going to make the problem go away. The announcer continued to praise the auction they were having today with a smile on his face and perhaps too blind to see how selling slaves was wrong. She turned to Law and found him preoccupied with watching the man on stage with a lazy smile on his face and without a care in the world. A quick sweep of the area around her found that a large bear was sitting behind them but on Law's side while two others sat in front of the bench they were on. She didn't find it peculiar in the least.

The announcer kept talking, claiming that the prizes being auctioned off were one of a kind with a very special prize being saved for last. Ginger didn't understand how the Marines allowed this to go on, but then of course it dawned on her that there were wealthy people among them.

"I thought you would be miles away at a Marine base." Her eyes tore away from the scene of a person being forced on-stage in favor of looking at him. Law didn't spare her a glance but he acknowledged her nonetheless with a small grin. "Not in a place like this."

She frowned. "I came across some information."

Being obscure was necessary since Law was a pirate. She certainly didn't need him jeopardizing her plan. Her vague answer didn't warrant any reaction from him as he kept his eyes solely on what was happening on stage. The people around them shouted out prices which caused her skin to crawl at the very thought of being bought by them. Desperately wanting to stop this clashed with her reason for being here as she needed to remain unknown if she wanted to get the upper hand. Fortunately for her being covert was her specialty, something she took pride in. She was often given praise for being silent when taking down lesser known criminals often raising alarm at the very last second when her knife was on a critical point on the body. Working in the shadows had been her preferred way of dealing with certain situations, and though she never was tasked with going undercover she took this moment to treat it as so.

_This will all be over soon. Mari-sama will praise me for this._

Law took his eyes off of the auction to shoot her a look of warning which Ginger countered with her own. "What kind of information would lead you here, _Marine-ya_?"

"My name is Ginger," she retorted.

"I don't care. You're no ally of mine."

When she turned to look away from him she found that the poor individual had been bought as property. Inwardly she continued to seethe but remained discreet about her revulsion with this shady business. She felt Law's eyes leave her after a moment of lingering on her, turning instead to watch another auction take place. She didn't understand why he suddenly seemed so bothered. Was it the fact she rejected his offer in the first place? It couldn't have been, yet he didn't necessarily act like she was his friend. To say he hated her was also another lie so perhaps cold indifference was his opinion of her?

The white gloves on her hands were removed as she folded them together and placed them in her bag.

From behind where they sat, near the entrance, she heard a group of people talking among themselves. She took no interest in their conversation, assuming that they were here to simply buy a life like the rest of the denizens. The longer she sat the longer time seemed to gradually move. Her eyes shot from one area to the next not quite sure who it was she should be looking for. Jax's jolly roger was a mystery to her as was the face of his crew. The thought of asking Law if he knew came to mind almost immediately, and yet it was clear by the air around him that he wasn't going to bother with her anymore.

At least, that's what he thought.

Ignoring the sounds of the excited cheers from around them, Ginger leaned closer and asked, "I suppose you wouldn't know Jax Rackham's crew?"

Law remained unfazed. "I might." The curiosity lingered as he took a long pause. "What's the information worth to you?"

"I have a sufficient amount of beli. I'll give you all that I have. This is urgent." She stressed, hoping on a small sliver that he would give her what she needed.

Instead, he kept his expression void of anything aside from the fictitious interest he had in the auctions taking place. "You want me to tell you about them? What if I want to recruit more crew members?"

"What makes you think they'll join? They're a rag-tag team of mis...fits." One of his eyebrows perked up. "I need them to answer a few questions. After that you're free to do what you want."

The long wait was filled with shouts of different amounts of currency, each person around them wanting to bid on the person that was being showcased, not at all caring how wrong this seemed. By this time, Ginger had turned her body so she was facing him, obscuring her face to those who sat on her right. The pillbox hat she was wearing did well to hide her hair since it was pinned underneath it. It was during this time that the bear had leaned back to look at her, and when it did she looked at him, offering a small smile to be polite. The bear merely turned his head the other way, out of embarrassment or dislike she didn't quite know. What she did know was that Trafalgar Law was taking too long to answer. His eyes never glanced at her but remained on what was happening on stage.

At this point her patience was still unwavering as she was going to refrain from begging. It annoyed her that he was taking so long to give her a straight answer, but figured that he was torturing her by not giving her what she came here for.

"You made it clear that you wouldn't accept a pirate's help," Law finally turned to her. "Isn't it hypocritical of you to ask me for help now?"

Ginger was taken aback by his tone, noting how his face portrayed him as being cool and calm yet his tone of voice suggested he was threatening her in a way. He made sense for it wasn't that long ago that she refused his offer to join his crew in favor of staying loyal to the Marines. Even now, though, she didn't know who to trust. If the Marines were as loyal to her as she was to them then they would've been inclined to hear her side of what really happened without needing evidence to judge her. She wouldn't have to go sneaking around them to prove her innocence, though it was likely they already made up their mind and found her guilty of the crimes. It was fear of being executed that sent her down this path as well as the fear of being her mother's daughter.

Rogiko Greta's reputation was everything she aspired to prevent from becoming, and yet that very aspiration lead her down to choosing the dishonest way of going about this situation. There was no guarantee, however, that being truthful of what happened would help her in the trial if there was ever going to be one in the first place. Jax Rackham had made a deal, twenty-four Marines were dead, and she was on the run. She somehow suspected that the Marines sent out to Sage's Island wouldn't question the citizens. Her thoughts drifted back to the island and the events before. If it had been Jax's intention to frame her, why exactly had he done it? Or if there was a third party, who put him up to it in exchange for immunity? Or had it all really been a bad case of misunderstanding on her part?

"Do you want me to say I'm sorry?" she questioned, ignoring the look he gave her. "Do you want me to get on my knees and beg for the information? I'll tell you right now that's not gonna happen. Ever." Her tone was light with an underlying hint of a threat. She wouldn't show fear to him, and if he insisted on a fight then she would fight him without a second thought.

Her muscles tensed when Law suddenly hooked a thumb to his left. She followed it and her eyes immediately found the heads of five men all sitting down near the front of the stage. They were a burly bunch and oddly enough kept quiet when the rest of these idiots shouted out their bids on the person who was being shown. "They're here waiting for Jax I assume even though it would be much more fascinating to watch you fight among yourselves."

Ginger turned her eyes back on him. "You're not lying to me, are you?" she deadpanned as his hand went back to hanging off the back of the bench.

"Take it or leave it."

For the first time in days she smiled. She had no reason to trust his information, but it wouldn't hurt to investigate them a bit more before she acted. Slowly the weight was lifting off her shoulders, and she sat back with one leg tucked underneath her. What would she do if they turned out to be the ones she sought? Would she kill them or turn them in? And if she did, would the Marines accept it? Her smile turned into a frown at the thought. If they didn't, she would be dead. She didn't want to die so early on in life not when there were things to still be discovered. Perhaps she could put her skills to use? Or settle down on an island, find a husband, and perhaps have a few children. The thought made her sick when she remembered she didn't like kids. Not one bit.

The commotion around her broke her from her train of thought. Coming down the steps was a man in a full body suit with his head encased in a resin bubble. Ginger didn't have to look to know that Law was watching him as well. He was going down the steps at a slow pace, and just by the mere sight of him it was obvious that he held himself at a higher stature than the other people here including herself. She made sure to keep a blank face as he kept on not stopping to spare a glance at anyone seated on their level. She knew who he was right off the bat and once again carefully hid her hatred for his kind. Celestial Dragons is what they and others called them but they were better known as World Nobles to many. He and his kind were disgusting in every shape and form so much so that she wanted nothing to do with any of them.

The disgust caused her to attempt to get up but she was stopped instantly by a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes snapped to Law and found him giving her another warning look. Ginger calmed herself and leaned back while his hand left her shoulder almost as fast as he had brought it. It was clear in that look alone that any little thing would be seen as disrespect in that World Nobles's eyes. She was grateful that Law decided to stop her when he had.

He finally took his seat in the area designated only for people of his kind, and despite this the auction was still going on.

"Thank you." Ginger murmured, folding her hands in the lap of her skirt as she begrudgingly watched the next auction taking place.

Law's arm fell across his lap as he closed his eyes. An indication on his part that he heard her. It would do her no good to suddenly be singled out by a World Noble especially now considering her circumstances. She twisted her fingers this way and that as the auctioneer took one bid from the other. It wasn't until that man shouted out his bid that the rest gave up on the prize being won. The murmurs around her signaled their defeat, yet that didn't make the situation any better.

She thought about joining Law's crew. The thought coming to her as she continued to doubt her current plan. From the very beginning she must've known that taking on the daring task of going rogue was destined to fail from the start. Perhaps that's what she wanted. She allowed herself to stay within the Marines out of respect for Marigold taking care of her for so long. Now, she was a woman of twenty-three who was far more curious about the world than what rank she should strive for next.

Ginger was about to open her mouth when the lights on stage created a bright glow. Earlier, she had tuned out and couldn't care less what the auctioneer was saying, but that was until a large sphere like object which was covered in a tarp was rolled onto the stage. She noted the people around her suddenly take a special interest at what was being brought forward. Her curiosity caused her eyes to stay solely on what it was that being kept secret from them.

It was only when the tarp was pulled by the man that it revealed a creature. For the second time that day, she was taken aback. The sphere was in actuality a tank that held what seemed to be a mermaid. She leaned closer, eyes widening slightly despite her being in opposition of what took place here. The poor creature seemed deathly afraid of her cage, but was even more fearful of the possible candidates who would bet for her life.

"Do you see the collar around her neck?" Law asked. "If she were to try and take that off it would explode. Killing her instantly. That's what all these slaves wear to ensure they don't oppose or try to escape." His explanation caused her mouth to part slightly.

"How horrible," she murmured. "To be bought and sold like property."

The loud conversation from behind her returned, sounding as though they were talking among themselves eagerly to try and buy the mermaid. Upon coming to that conclusion Ginger turned to look at them from over her shoulder. A woman with bright orange hair was the most enthusiastic one, and though her tone of voice resonated as much her expression told a different story. She was determined to buy her at whatever the cost. The men in her group seemed to agree.

_Disgusting_, she thought with a twist of her mouth. This entire business was wrong, and yet she could still do nothing to stop it. She was powerless and that made her upset. _If I could stop this somehow then it would be worth it_, she told herself.

Ginger's eyes remained on the mermaid in the tank, sympathizing with her but being unable to do anything to help. The last remaining funds she had would only stretch for so long, and she was sure it wasn't enough to reach the minimum bid for her. As she looked from the people to her right to those on her left she found herself trying to figure out what ulterior motive Law had in mind. Why else would he even be in here? She shouldn't have been surprised since it was a possibility more pirates aside from him and Jax's crew were here as well, buying or selling slaves to make a profit.

"Trafalgar," it came out quietly, almost lost among the excited cheers that surrounded them, "what are you even doing here?"

A smile curved his lips. More so amused than annoyed that she would take it upon herself to question him in such a way, but his answer granted her no possible way of ever finding out.

"I'm just watching a show."

* * *

><p><strong>An:** Thank you guys again for the reviews! They're very encouraging! I have things planned out so hopefully this story will come along nicely!


	8. Chapter 8

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that?"

Ginger deadpanned, eyes narrowing into a glare at Law as he caught her stare out of the corner of his own. She had heard her fair share of excuses and they mostly came from Marines who were below her rank.

Law, however, kept her stare while ignoring the outcry of excited cheers coming from around them. "What happened to not associating yourself with a pirate?" He completely deflected her earlier question.

"Do I have much of a choice? What will happen exactly when I do present evidence against Jax?" She propped her arm on top of the bench with the side of her face resting against her hand. "He's not alive. My evidence will be thrown out in a snap and I'll be arrested for murder. I know enough that Jax made a deal with someone but I don't know who. It could've been Sengoku for all I know, and if I were to make that known who would take my word over his?" He raised a brow in response. "What I'm saying is that no matter what I find out the Marines will put two and two together and brand me an enemy. It doesn't mean I'm gonna let this go. For my sake, and for those under me who were killed, I'm going to find out why Jax attacked us and wanted to pin it on me."

His sudden smile caught her off guard. "So, you refusing my offer earlier was just your stubbornness getting in the way." Two things about his retort irked her. One, he didn't pose it as a question but more as a smug assertion, and two, he was right. Her pride meant more to her than accepting help to get out of a dangerous situation. She could've well avoided this talk with him now but instead she allowed her foolhardiness to get in the way. She sucked in her lips, giving him his answer. "Now, the question you should wonder about is if I'll help you again. You know full well, _Marine-ya_, that you have no way of getting off this place if you run into trouble."

"Then let me join your crew."

The two in front of them suddenly turned to look up at them both while the bear turned back with his mouth agape. The only sounds that could be heard were that of the auction taking place for the mermaid. Law's eyes never left hers as she kept her expression perfectly still.

"The first 'no' I take is the last." He was curt with her, and Ginger could understand why.

"It took me five days to come up with a plan on what I wanted to do. Now, I figure that you have a point. I'll be stuck here surrounded by Marines." She then lifted her head while her hand fell in front of her.

Law's smile, which hadn't dropped, thinned out into a line before his lips parted. The people around them were lost among them as she waited patiently. During this time, she didn't care to know who had bought the mermaid lest she do something she would end up regretting. The hat he wore briefly concealed his eyes, keeping her in the dark as he pondered on the proposal. Those who she assumed were apart of his crew waited in anticipation as well. "One condition then."

Ginger sucked in her lips, preparing for the condition he had in mind. "Which is?"

A hush fell across the auction house. Her ears perked up, noticing that the once bustling crowd around them had fallen deathly silent. She and Law turned back to the stage though he didn't seem to have a care for what caused the sudden silence. Her eyes zoned in on the World Noble from before enthusiastically shouting out his bid for the mermaid. Five-hundred million beri for her. It was a hefty sum indeed. The silence slowly began to dissipate as soft murmurs of disappointment filled the house.

"So, they're giving up because he bought them out?" She muttered under her breath. "This shouldn't be taking place at all."

"You seem to forget this is a lawless area of Sabaody," Law interjected. "They can do what they please regardless if it wasn't."

Ginger swallowed thickly as the auctioneer (who she still didn't know the name of) concluded that the bid was final. The mermaid didn't seem to know what was going aside from the fact she was chained and being showcased in such a manner.

A crash was heard from behind them suddenly seemingly out of no where and before she knew it most of the people who had been seated suddenly flew in other directions. Her mouth was slightly parted at the commotion as a young man's voice shouted out in annoyance at the landing. The group, who had stood near the entrance, knew them which surprised her all the more so. The straw hat came into view and it was then that Ginger figured out who exactly made the stir.

"It's Straw Hat Luffy!" She exclaimed while Law passed a glance from over his shoulder, smirking at the realization.

To think that he would be the one causing such a commotion at just the right time. Ginger continued to stare in disbelief at how easy-going he seemed to be despite being in an auction house with World Nobles. When he spun around and spotted the stage his eyes grew wide momentarily before dashing off down the stairs beside her in a sprint, shouting "Camie" as he went. His complete disregard for his surrounding astounded her as her eyes followed him. Quite surprising how she managed to be here to witness him firsthand, knowing full well of his reputation that went with his high bounty.

A man came running up behind Luffy while attempting to restrain him or slow him down. She watched unsure of who he was and what he wanted to do. Surely he knew of Luffy's strength like most of the world did, including herself. His attempt was thwarted though since Luffy continued running down the steps trying to get to the stage. That was when the unlikely thing happened. Ginger saw that four more arms sprang from beneath his jacket thought it was too little too late since Luffy managed to slip further ahead and out of his reach.

"He's a fishman," she said, marveling at the fact. "I've only seen one before."

Marigold had taught her that discriminating against them was wrong though most of the population viewed all fishmen and mermaids alike as grotesque creatures. She had been witness to one account of said discrimination when some of her fellow Marines poked and prodded at a captured criminal who happened to be one. She reprimanded them for daring to do so. At the time, deep down in the deepest darkest part of her mind, she was both afraid and distrustful of that fishman. She knew it was right to be wary around him considering he was a criminal, but she also knew it was wrong to have such thoughts of him. If he had been human she wouldn't have been as scared.

It only took seconds for the crowd to react to him. There were cries of disgust while they threw their bidder cards at him. All but her and Law and his crew remained silent, watching as the poor fishman received the onslaught of vicious snarls just because of his appearance. Thinking back to the criminal she had captured so long ago made her feel guilty for the thoughts she had.

"That poor guy," she muttered. "To be treated in such a way." Law passed her a glance but didn't say anything on the subject, choosing instead to watch the spectacle unfold.

A shot was fired.

Once again the silence engulfed the large vicinity before soft murmurs of satisfaction were heard. Ginger watched in surprise as the fishman fell to his knees. She inhaled sharply, seeing him suddenly fall forward with his blood pouring out and coating the steps underneath him. Regardless of who he was it was still a terrible thing to see. It shouldn't have come as a shock as it did, considering that she didn't know him, but the fact remained that he was still shot before her eyes and she was powerless to do anything to help. Indeed when she glanced up and instantly zeroed in on his shooter she knew that anyone who was crazy enough to step in would be done for.

Holding the smoking pistol was none other than the portly World Noble, bouncing from foot to foot enthusiastically at what he had done. The fishman was a few feet away from her but Ginger felt herself start to get up off the bench without a second thought.

Law's eyes snapped to her. "Hey, don't call attention to yourself." He warned, his voice was loud enough for her to hear. "You'll be shot next."

"He just shot him because he wasn't human. I can't wrap my head around that." Ginger moved to go down the steps but a hand on her wrist permitted her from going.

"It doesn't matter if you can't understand," his grip tightened. "It's not worth it. You'll get yourself arrested and killed for trying anything."

During this time, those who were closest to her and Law, had drawn their attention on them. Several whispered among themselves while looking at her as if to challenge her to try something. Her hand tightened into a fist, eyes darting from the Celestial Dragon to the injured fishman, while Law's hand around her wrist clenched to try and prevent her from leaving though it only served to hurt her in the process. "Hey, hey, it's no business of yours."

She begrudgingly sat back down upon remembering what she had been taught. Marigold often said that it was the duty of the Marines to protect the Celestial Dragons through whatever means. Even if they were wrong it was best to not question them. It was a stupid rule back then as it was in this moment. Finally, Law's hand left her wrist once he was certain she wouldn't be making a move to get up again.

Ginger's hands were once again on her lap as she dug the nails of her thumbs into her forefinger. Even just going down to help him would result in her being noticed, and right now she couldn't afford that. "Does this mean I'm part of your crew now?" she asked, eyes still on the fishman.

"We'll talk about that condition later."

* * *

><p>Almost a half hour later and Law had left the building with Kid and Luffy, leaving her behind with his other crew members. In the course of the events that had followed she would never had guessed that everything would turn upside down so suddenly. Three Celestial Dragons were currently unconscious, leaving the auction house in pandemonium. However, most of the crowd had fled right after Luffy decided to punch the portly one who had shot the fishman.<p>

At the moment, Ginger stayed seated while watching the Straw Hats in amazement after they had nearly taken down all of the guards who posed a threat. Her eyes strayed over to the old man who had emerged from back stage with a giant. The giant, however, was nowhere to be seen now, but the old man remained and helped in disarming the guards that remained while managing to take the collar off the young mermaid. The way the old man had looked at her when he had noticed Law and Kid left her mind reeling with questions. Did he know who she was? Was the immediate one that came to mind.

The old man was helping the reindeer of Straw Hat's crew take care of the wounded fishman who she heard was named Hachi. She decided to get up from her seat, causing the bear and the other crew members to look at her. She walked down the steps and covered the distance in less than five seconds.

"That was impressive." The old man gazed up at her upon her approach. Ginger was referring to the Haki he had used to disarm the guards and stop one of the Celestial Dragons from shooting the mermaid dead on.

His eyes gleamed with amusement as he looked backed down while the reindeer continued doing what he apparently did best. The other Straw Hats stood around, watching the conversation between the two. "What was more impressive was you being able to withstand it," he countered. "Though you seem like someone who can hold her own. Call me Rayleigh."

Ginger smiled. "Alright, Rayleigh."

His look of amusement was still present when he glanced up at her again. "I remember coming across a woman once. She was good friends with Shanks, or so she claimed." Her lips pursed. "Black hair, gold eyes and sailing on a ship called _The Fortune_. You look just like Rogiko Greta; a spitting image."

"Rogiko Greta," the name left the lips of one of the women from the Straw Hats. Blue eyes, and black hair that reached the top of her shoulders, Ginger knew her to be Nico Robin. "The female Captain of the Rogiko Pirates. Her reputation ranged from the sinking of multiple Marine ships to various other crimes."

The long-nosed man of the crew shuddered. "She did that just for fun?"

Ginger's eyes found Robin's and the woman took it as a sign for her to continue. "She was executed seventeen years ago for killing a Celestial Dragon."

The reaction ranged from silent stares to surprised shouts. The one who seemed to be really surprised at this information was the long-nosed member who had his eyes bulging from their sockets. The blonde-haired man in the suit and the skeleton —

...skeleton?

She did a double take, eyes wide, and mouth open in shock as she peered up at him with the very large hairdo. "You really are a skeleton."

"Hold on a minute!" The other woman, who she remembered as Nami, gained her attention. "Didn't she know what would happen?"

Ginger shrugged. "It's not like I know why she did it. I was six then."

Once Rayleigh was finished with Hachi he stood up, bringing a hand to his chin he calmly gave his beard a stroke before saying, "Rogiko Greta surrendered to the Marines, and rumor has it that she did it for her daughter's sake. They would've killed her child too if not for the fact that she pleaded with a Captain for her life." Ginger remained quiet as she folded her arms. "Greta is dead. So you must be—"

"Ginger. The name itself seems ironic. I have a feeling my mother was being a smartass when she named me." Her hand touched her hair as her fingers lightly touched the strands that framed her face. "This isn't my natural hair color, Rayleigh."

"Is it wise to be so forthcoming with information?" He asked. "A Marine being so causal with an old pirate like me."

"Wait, so she's a Marine?!" The long-nose member shouted completely surprised. "This was a trap from the beginning!"

"Be quiet!" Nami snapped.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Zoro's hand reach down to the swords at his hip. "Come to think of it now I remember you from earlier." His thumb flicked upwards as the sword slid out an inch. "But if you're a Marine..."

"Much like Rayleigh, I'm retired." Her own hand went to the knives that hung from side. "I don't have a care in the world for you or your Captain. I'm here on my own business."

Once her hand fell back in front of her so too did Zoro decide to rest his arm upon his. The tension decreased slightly, but neither he nor her kept the other out of their vicinity. Her left arm throbbed, causing her to lift it up while gritting her teeth. It hadn't pained her this much during the five days she sailed to get here. Just then she turned back the action nearly causing her to fall as she steadied herself by gripping the nearby bench.

They were gone too.

_Shit, shit, I should've been paying attention to them_.

"What's wrong?" Nami asked while following her stare to the empty seats on the far side of the auction house.

She balled her hand into a fist and slammed it on top of the bench. The sudden pain fled up her arm in short bursts, leaving her to grip it in a poor attempt to stop the searing torment.

A pair of paws were suddenly on her arm nearly causing her to shy away despite being in such pain. She found that it was the reindeer who was carefully feeling along her arm. The others watched as he furrowed his eyebrows while using the bottom of his hoof to feel around for anything wrong. The blasts from outside tore the crew's attention from them towards the entrance while shouts could be heard pouring in from the open doorway.

"Can you lift up your sleeve?" He asked, his voice characteristically high-pitched.

Ginger nodded and did so, making use of her right hand as she slowly folded up the light pink fabric of her suit jacket. He continued to use his hoof until he got closer to the middle of her arm which caused her to grunt. "Just as I suspected. Your arm is fractured that's why its swollen." It was not something she wanted to hear. She didn't know a lot about injuries but she knew that something as simple as a hairline fracture could take weeks, if not months, to heal properly. She assumed it hadn't hurt before because it was something minor, but as she thought back to the five days on the sea she realized that subconsciously she had refrained from overexerting herself.

"Is it a hairline fracture or something worse?" Ginger was afraid to ask; afraid that she might not like what she hears.

"Yeah, that's right. It's definitely a minor fracture. You'll need a cast and to support your arm for at least a month." It was then that he quickly looked up at her with those big eyes of his and added, "When did you fracture your arm?"

"Five days ago." The answer caused him to let out a surprised yell. "Is something wrong?"

"Five days without medical attention?"

She shrugged. "It didn't hurt that much until now." Pulling her arm from his grasp, he attempted to reach out for it but she stopped him. "I'll get it taken care of. We have pressing matters that need our attention right now."

His eyes went from her arm to her. "Are you sure?"

Ginger nodded again, turning to go back up the steps to where Law's crew were seated. She decided that they had better leave right away once the captains were done taking care of the Marines who had shown up. Her arm was cradled on top of her hand as she walked, mindful of what he had said. Upon reaching the benches, she saw that the bear had looked up at her. "You're the lady the captain was talking to."

"Yes," she said, "and you are?"

"Bepo." His eyes shifted from side to side. "These two are Shachi and Penguin." The two nodded at her in unison while she gently let her arm fall to her side.

"My name is Ginger. I suppose we'll be crew mates from here on out." She looked from the spot where Jax's crew had been to the doorway as the fighting from outside resumed. "Should we wait here or go outside?"

"The Captain didn't say," Shachi answered. "I guess there would be no harm in going outside."

She reached down to grab her pack before it was taken from her reach. She looked up in time to see it hanging from Bepo's paw. Quickly, he said, "Your arm looks bad. I'll carry it for you, and when the captain's done he can take care of your arm."

A smile came about her lips as she thanked him for his thoughtfulness which in turn caused him to slightly blush. It was when Ginger turned to look at the doorway again that she noticed Kid's crew standing about. Sighing, she began to walk up the steps, looking over at where one of the three Celestial Dragons laid in the rubble before turning back ahead.

She had to start over in her search for Jax's crew, and if it ended up being she couldn't find them again then perhaps she would give up for the moment, choosing instead to focus on her new crew. The idea of giving up didn't settle well with her since her arm began to throb in pain again. It would be a constant reminder, until it healed, of her failure at being a Marine.

* * *

><p>AN: Next chapter will be slightly longer! Hope you enjoyed this one though!


	9. Chapter 9

It was odd really.

Shachi sighed. "You're overdoing it, Captain."

Her eyes landed on the Marines as she stood beside Bepo outside of the auction house while Straw Hat and Kid's crews stood alongside them. To think if the disaster at Sage's Island hadn't occurred then she would be on the opposite side, firing rounds unsuccessfully at the three captains. There were perhaps hundreds of Marines surrounding the building and only a handful of them. It was odd how that event put her on this course to becoming a wanted woman among these other pirates.

The wall of rubble laid in front of the three which she had to assume were hundreds of swords and guns. Ginger felt the invisible force attempt to pluck her knives from their holster back in the building while managing to dodge the ones that came out through the doorway. Roronoa Zoro's swords had almost left their place at his hip which caused him to use both hands to pull them back.

When they began to move into position she suddenly realized what they were doing. The maneuver was familiar considering that she had done the same whenever she came across criminals who were noteworthy. Of course, these Marines were assuming that the rest of them didn't have any special skill sets.

"They're gonna attempt to break rank," she said, catching the attention of those around her. "They're going to aim for us."

Robin brought her hand to her chin. "They couldn't get a hit in on the captains so they're going to try and take us out first."

In one fierce movement the member of Kid's crew who had his face concealed behind a helmet sprinted forward, stopping a Marine from getting a hit on his captain. It was all so sudden after Kid and Luffy exchanged words. Kid's crew stepped up behind him, departing from the site, but not before getting a few strikes of their own. One Marine tried to get an attack on Law who was too preoccupied with what was going on beside him. When Ginger turned to Bepo she found that the bear was no longer standing beside her as she previously thought.

"Where did he go?" she asked Penguin.

Instead of answering her question with a response, he reached out, took her chin in his hand, and turned it up towards the sky. She quickly slapped his hand away, keeping her eyes above as she saw Bepo come crashing down on the Marine. From there, he took on others while Law walked away unfazed by the attempted attack. He came to a stop in front of a large man who was chained to the pillars of the establishment. She picked up her bag from the ground and followed Penguin and Shachi.

"I suppose he's still recruiting," Ginger observed as they came closer, ignoring the Marines who stood not far away. "But we should really be leaving this area before an admiral shows up."

Shachi looked back at her. "I agree, but it's the captain's call."

"Of course."

From where she could see the Straw Hats were making quick work of the few Marines who dared to attack them. It was still astonishing to see five of the eleven supernovas all in one place. From Monkey D. Luffy to Trafalgar Law. Even more astonishing was the fact that she willingly joined Law's crew despite knowing his past deeds and accusations of brutality. Still, she figured joining him was better than joining none and being alone. She never did enjoy being alone, often afraid that she would meet a grizzly fate with no one to mourn her. Her mother was dead, her mother's crew had gone their separate ways after the execution, and her father was no more than a distant memory. She supposed she would still have Marigold, though returning to her now would be asking for an arrest.

Her fingers brushed the strands of her hair behind her ear, frowning at the thought that she wouldn't have time to buy more black dye. She had been dyeing her hair for sometime now, ever since Marigold believed that age seven was safe for a child to color their hair. Between her and Marigold, it was no secret that Ginger dyed her hair a dark color to mask the light auburn hair she had been born with. She had gotten it from her father who Greta claimed was a pirate just like his good for nothing brother. His name was Stede and, rather than serve under his younger brother, was a subordinate under Captain Woodes Hornigold. He was probably in the New World oblivious that he had a daughter.

The large man swatted at the Marines as they charged at him before flying in different directions. She noticed he was no longer chained, assuming that Law had freed him from his confinement after agreeing to join. Bepo was back at her side while she watched the man take down more who dared to charge at him.

"He's a big guy," she commented.

Bepo looked from her to the man she was referring to. "Since you both are new that makes you guys my subordinates."

She chuckled, amused rather than annoyed. "Oh? I didn't know pirates had a ranking system too."

"Don't listen to him. He gets jealous when someone new comes along." Penguin exchanged a glance with Shachi.

Shachi turned to them. "Yeah, until he finds out they can overpower him."

The bear suddenly became depressed, hanging his head oblivious to the fact they were merely poking fun at him. "I am weak. I'm sorry." Ginger remained amused as the pair exclaimed in unison at how meek he was. The exchange reminded her of the Marines she knew back at base. They too were always striving to beat the other but remained as close as ever despite the competition. She frowned at the memory.

"Hey!" Law called to the four of them. "Hurry up! We're going to cross the bridge."

They ran behind the man while dodging the Marines who tried to stop them. Ginger placed a hand on one of her knives, brought it out, and slashed straight at them. They dodged the attack but failed to realize she meant for it to look obvious. Through the numbing pain, she lifted her left hand and curled her forefinger as a sudden strike came from above and caught them from behind. It was her signature move; a single strike that made it seem as if it would cut them from the front, but in reality would disappear before hitting them only to return from the enemy's blind spot to land the hit. Shadow Strike, she called it and depending on how much Haki she used in it, it would land an either non-critical or lethal hit.

In this case, it worked in making sure that they wouldn't come after them. Before they knew it they crossed the bridge just before the big guy smashed it. Ginger ran through the dust of the wreckage, running alongside him with Bepo on her left.

"I already mentioned it to Ginger-chan," he began, looking up at him as they ran. "You two are new so you're my subordinates." Her expression deadpanned for the umpteenth time that day.

"As long as I'm not a slave." The other man retorted.

Her eyes widened suddenly as she looked ahead to the open area. Shachi had already brought it to Law's attention as they all came to a stop. From their vantage point she could clearly see that Kid and his crew had run into trouble in the form of a familiar figure. He was tall and intimidating, face devoid of any emotion as his large form towered over everyone present. She knew him as Bartholomew Kuma - one of the Seven Warlords of the sea. One of the seven who the World Government personally handpicked, and in exchange for their services their current wanted bounty was frozen and they had free reign to do as they pleased.

"What is he doing here?" she asked, her breath heaving as she stared at the towering figure.

Ginger was frozen in place while being unable to move out of fear that he might attack if she did. The heels she wore pinched the soles of her feet but it went unnoticed. To be here so suddenly meant that the Marines decided to go all out in capturing as many pirates as they could, and since the eleven rookies were present all together on this land it made it all the more easier. Perhaps Kuma was already aware of her deeds and would attack her as well.

"I was wondering the same," Law replied, eyeing her with sudden suspicion. "I knew the Marines would surround the auction house as soon as _Straw Hat-ya_ started the commotion. But the Marines could've gotten information beforehand and called a Warlord here."

"Great theory except I don't have a Transponder Snail on me." Her voice remained calm, ignoring his suspicion as Kuma suddenly turned his attention to them. "I told you from the start that the Marines would be looking for me."

"Trafalgar Law," Kuma suddenly said, his voice devoid of any emotion.

"You know my name?" Law turned his nodachi around as his hand clamped down upon the handle.

Ginger waited, listening to see if he would mention her as well, but when he opened his mouth the beginning of a beam was forming and she leapt back just before it destroyed the hill she and Law were on. The smoke clouded around her as she lifted her arm to shield her eyes from the dust, looking to see if he had dodged the attack too. Bepo called out to him, and it wasn't until her eyes fell on Kid that she saw a form walking towards him.

"Get out of my way, Trafalgar. I got him." Whether Kid was annoyed that he survived or not remained lost on her as soon as Law came to his side.

He was eerily calm given the situation. "Didn't I tell you not to order me around?" He smirked then while holding his left arm out. "I'm running into a lot of big shots today." A sudden circle appeared from underneath his hand, spinning in an endless cycle as he kept his focus on Kuma. "I don't want to run into an admiral on top of it. I'll make you move out of the way so we can pass."

Her eyes narrowed in sudden uncertainty.

Though it had been brief she remembered meeting Bartholomew Kuma once when she was under Marigold's command. There had been meeting that day for the Seven Warlords, and yet only he and another showed up to address it. She remembered because she had been assigned to guarding the room that the two were waiting in while preparations were in order for the meeting to begin. It was vivid in terms that she recalled standing at the doorway dressed in her uniform while her peer stood across from her. Kuma was seated on a couch across from Donquixote Doflamingo, reading from a book he walked in with as they waited for Sengoku to call for them.

Doflamingo, Ginger remembered, unnerved her right down to the bone due in large part to the smile he often sported. Though his eyes were concealed behind a pair of white-rimmed purple shaded sunglasses she could tell then that he enjoyed every moment of it. Kuma, on the other hand, only spoke once asking if she was familiar with a certain verse in his book. Though his voice was just as stoic as it was now, she could sense then that he was attempting to make small talk perhaps aware that Doflamingo wanted to entice a reaction out of her. When she replied that she didn't know he merely turned back to reading right before a Marine came inside announcing that they were ready for the two.

That had been her only interaction with the man, though she couldn't say the same for his ally.

She joined the Heart Pirates in standing behind their captain as they watched while the Kid Pirates made numerous attempts at attacks. One of them blew a ball of fire, hoping to burn him to a crisp, but Kuma was resilient and merely shrugged off the attack. That was when the three Heart pirates got into position and went at Kuma with a set of furious attacks one right after the other. Bepo kicked him but suddenly fell over while clutching his leg.

Law smirked. "_Room_." Ginger tilted her head as Law's power came into view. The large blue sphere covered the vicinity like a dome, trapping them and Kuma inside. His back was to her, but with the way he moved his fingers about as he stood she could tell he was enjoying this. "_Shambles_." The man who she found was named Jean Bart was now up against Kuma while Bepo took his place in back of her and Law.

The unnerving part of this experience was the fact that Law had this kind of power. She would be lying if she said it wasn't frightening, for the thought of being on the receiving end of it was a horrible thought to have. The blue dome disappeared from over them as she saw Kid intervening with his unusual power. Being surrounded by three Devil Fruit users was more than she could handle, and she felt herself cringing when Kid used it on the unsuspecting Kuma. When the dust cleared, Kuma laid unresponsive on the ground, causing him to believe that he had won.

"It's not over, _Eustass-ya_." Law said, amused when the Warlord got himself up despite the damage it should've caused him.

Ginger was amazed at the fact that he was using his laser beams in favor of his Devil Fruit powers. She hadn't seen them first hand, but knew enough from the reports that she came across during her time as a Marine that his power was extraordinary. So far he didn't use them, and from that she didn't understand why. His impassive gaze went from Kid to Law before suddenly coming upon her. She didn't know if he remembered her or not, but from the way he focused his attention back to them seemed to indicate that he couldn't be bothered with her. She ignored the bickering between the two captains in favor of trying to understand why he wasn't attacking her.

"Ginger!" She was grabbed by her arm and pulled suddenly, forcing the air out of her lungs.

Law stood beside her on the hill behind Kuma. Before she could ask the hand that was gripping her right arm pulled her in front just as the Warlord looked behind him for a brief moment. Ginger held her breath, meeting his gaze that was hidden behind the glasses he wore. He turned forward and shot another beam at Kid.

"Just as I suspected," she looked back at Law, realizing he used her as some sort of shield. "He didn't attack you."

"That doesn't prove your theory." She shot back while he came to her side. "I'm certain the information about me hasn't reached headquarters yet. For all I know he thinks I'm a hostage."

His smirk didn't falter. "Tch, if you're not going to help then stay out of the fight. _Room_." She moved back to avoid the beam she knew would come, and as though on cue Kuma unclenched his hand and shot a beat straight for Law. He narrowly managed to avoid it, shielding his eyes from the flying chips of the tree roots that made up the ground they were on. "Can't he use anything aside from the beams?"

"He has a Devil Fruit power," Ginger replied as she took out one of her knives. "I just don't understand why he's resorting to these beams."

* * *

><p>His gaze fell on her, scrutinizing her every move as he heavily weighed each word she said. From across, Jean Bart and Bepo decided to attack Kuma head on while Killer struck a slash at his leg. Law, however, was thinking carefully over what Ginger had told him. It was possible for her to know Kuma for perhaps she had been present when he showed up for a meeting between Sengoku and the Seven Warlords. That also meant that there was a slim chance she knew of Doflamingo too.<p>

The suspicion that he had before returned as he shifted his gaze from her and back to Kuma. With a swipe of her arm she sent out what looked to be a shock wave before it dissipated, missing him altogether. Ginger then curled her forefinger and brought back the attack, hitting him from the front. The damage seemed to be minimal, but it gained his attention as he turned back again and aimed for her. Law jumped out of the way, landing in front of his crew members while Ginger slid down the hill and landed further away behind the Warlord.

"Stay out of this." Law looked to see if Eustass was speaking to him, but found that he was looking over at Ginger as she prepared another strike. "I don't care if you're part of Trafalgar's crew or not."

Ginger huffed, but resorted to keeping quiet.

Law smirked, turning his attention back to their shared target. The suspicion of Ginger's intentions grew, but the nature behind Kuma's sudden appearance on Sabaody became his primary focus. He looked like Bartholomew Kuma, but his moves didn't match up to his Warlord status. Granted, Law never witnessed him fight but surely he was a formidable opponent if he was able to be granted a Warlord status. This didn't seem like him at all; he moved within certain boundaries as noticed by Law when he didn't aim for Ginger the first time.

It seemed to play out for an eternity as they attacked at him relentlessly until Eustass used the last of his energy to send a large mass of weapons at him. The attack alone sent him up in the air, causing him to fall at a rapid pace before the ground broke his fall. Everyone shared a collective sigh of momentary relief, and yet they waited for something to go amiss.

Though Eustass declared this victory for his crew, Law thought otherwise as he watched for anything out of the ordinary. "Bartholomew Kuma wasn't any stronger than this?"

Kuma suddenly got up again, once again unfazed by the attack.

Sparks began to radiate from the cuts he received. Flesh may have covered him from head to toe, but it was obvious that mechanical parts made up the entirety of his body. He lifted his hand aiming again for Eustass. That was when Law sprang forward, using his Ope-Ope fruit to enclose the Warlord within the dome, and with a single strike he buried his nodachi in one of the openings. The entity that was Bartholomew Kuma sparked again as Law unsheathed his sword from it before leaping back. The beam disappeared as it fell back with a large thud. Out of anticipation the two groups waited again, looking to see if he would once again rise up and shrug off their attacks without so much as a grunt. But the android remained broken on the ground.

The Captain of the Kid Pirates didn't take too kindly to Law's assistance. His teeth barred as he glared at him with a look of pure frustration. "Why'd you interfere?!"

Law, meanwhile, remained passive while laying his sword back upon his shoulder. "You overestimate yourself, _Eustass-ya_." The nickname struck a cord as Eustass clicked his tongue at the causal use of his name. "Did you really think he was a Warlord?" His smirk served to only infuriate the man further.

"What do you mean?"

The sudden shouts of the Marines made Law look back as they surged toward them. "We've got some more company. We'll talk after."

* * *

><p>Her arm seemed to ache even more than it did before as she clutched it.<p>

The fight between them and Kuma had dragged on and even though Law managed to single-handedly take him down another one had suddenly appeared in his place. It was a terrifying ordeal since it charged at them without a second thought, and it also proved that something was wrong. She didn't know if the real Bartholomew Kuma was even still alive. The World Government could've easily gotten rid of him as the prototypes seemed to do an effective job of giving pirates like Law and Kid a challenge. Indeed, if they hadn't slipped past it then they could've very well ended up arrested or left for dead. She walked beside Law as they opted to remain out of the populated areas.

"You have an injury," Ginger was startled out of her thoughts at Law's observation. "When did you get it?"

She looked down at her arm as the bouts of pain shot through it. "It was back on Sage's Island. Jax was gripping my arm too tightly and I assume he broke something."

He remained quiet while looking ahead, making sure that they weren't being followed. "I'll examine it after you agree to the condition."

"What is it? We're away from any Marines now."

Law stopped as did she and the others. The area they were at was surrounded by the countless groves that made up Sabaody and the population of its residents and visitors alike were in the next part over. He smiled, though it held no warmth, and closed his eyes while the grip on his nodachi tightened. "You'll be accepted into my crew if you allow me to keep your heart." He opened his eyes then and looked at her. "It's insurance until I know for sure you're no longer in the Marines."

The reaction among their small group was nothing but silence as Ginger placed her hand over her chest. Her fingers clutched at the fabric of her white blouse, staring at him with complete and utter surprise at his supposed proposition. She didn't know how to feel about it; her emotions ranged from anger to disbelief to fear. The memory of Jax's death after Law removed his heart was the most prominent.

"You killed Jax when you did that," Her voice was shaking. "That will kill me too."

"_Jax-ya_ was already dying thanks to you. He would've died anyway even if I didn't take his heart." The way he sounded so causal about the whole ordeal put her off, yet she remembered that Trafalgar Law was mostly known for his brutality and this talk of him removing hearts was common to him. The thought of him doing such an act made Ginger cringe, knowing that he would use his Devil Fruit powers on her to carry out this procedure. She evened her breath steadily through her nostrils and looked straight at him. His eyes were the most alarming thing. They held the coldest stare she had ever seen.

"What are you going to do with it?" Ginger asked quietly.

The question made him chuckle at her apprehension. "Do you think I'll cut it open and experiment on it? If I do that, it _will_ kill you."

"Then why do you—"

The nodachi fell from his shoulder as the butt of it hit the ground with a noticeably loud thud. The brim of his white fur hat obscured his eyes again as he turned his body to face her. "How do I know you're not using the guise of being hunted by the Marines for your chance to join? Bartholomew Kuma's double didn't attack you the first time, and surely your deeds at Sage's Island would've reached Marine headquarters by now." His tone had turned just as cold as his glare. "You could be undercover, working for the Marines or someone posing as one within their ranks."

She shook her head as her calm resolve all of a sudden withdrew. "I'm not part of the Marines anymore! I called Marigold, I told her I resigned, and by then she would've reported that to someone above her." Ginger was shouting by then, and even though she wasn't close to crying or begging for her life she was still afraid of the possibilities. Having her heart taken from her was something she didn't want to hand over, and yet she knew Law could kill her if he wanted to. The proof would come with her answer. At this point he could dismiss her excuses and simply end it there by taking her life.

Law opened his mouth and said, rather impassively, "I could take your heart or your life."

Her eyes narrowed at him in anger as she clutched the fabric of her blouse tighter. "Then do it."

Before she could react he placed a hand on her shoulder as his nodachi fell to the ground, and in one swift move he brought his right arm back and slammed his hand into her chest. The action alone caused her to double over as she was certain that her life was over. A sudden sprout of pain inflamed her chest as Ginger's eyes widened and a choke was pulled from her throat. The rest of the crew remained silent though their faces revealed the shock of Law's sudden act.

Upon hearing the familiar pop he smiled. "_Scalpel_."

Ginger's heart, encased in its transparent prison, fell atop the grass. Beating steadily for all to hear.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I just want to thank those of you who took the time to review as well as those who have added this story to their favorites and alerts. It's motivating to know you're enjoying this story and I enjoy writing it just as much!


	10. Chapter 10

Sweet Smiling Aubrey's face came to her so suddenly.

Ginger was sure she was dreaming, but the fact that she was while being conscious of her surroundings meant something different. Regardless, she forced her body to relax as her mind began working.

Aubrey was the first mate of her mother's crew. She was tall and thin like a ballerina with big flat feet and shoulder-length brown hair. Ginger had always known when she was around just by the scent of the pomegranate perfume she so often wore. Much like the other crew members she too dressed with a business-like fashion sense.

Aubrey was twenty-seven when Ginger was six, and at the time she became a role model to her. Greta enjoyed teasing her own daughter and often threatened to have her thrown overboard if she kept on with her childish antics. Aubrey, who usually kept Greta in check with her sweet but threatening wit, would be the one to reprimand her captain for threatening a child. Indeed, Ginger would always get away with anything whenever Sweet Smiling Aubrey was around. The woman herself never had children, saying that her life at the moment wouldn't be so accommodating to raise any, and so due in part to Greta's stubbornness she took her daughter under her wing.

However, there was also Blonde Francie, The Fortune's cook, who made sure Ginger was always fed before anyone else, even before her own captain. Navigator Dane Ridge and her pet ferret, Toru, always made her laugh whenever the animal would climb up under Ty's pant leg while the swordsman would yell in disgust. Even though she loved them all equally it was always her mother and Aubrey who she gravitated towards more. She shared a bed with Greta, and sat beside Aubrey for each and every meal while the woman told her stories of her life back in the East Blue; being that Greta was born and raised in the North Blue (and returned there to give birth to her), Ginger never knew much of the North Blue's sisters since they returned to the seas after she turned one.

Those were simpler times then because Ginger never had to worry about her life being in constant danger, or so she thought.

_"Your mother will always love you, Little Ginger."_

She could feel her eyes squeezing together, Aubrey's voice had sounded so close.

_"She's my daughter!"_

When she opened her eyes she found herself slowly looking around to see if she was back at the base. No familiar buildings, no Marines running about, and most importantly her mother was nowhere to be found. Instead, she was in a dimly lit room with ten sets of tables in front of her which were currently occupied by people in the room with her.

She felt something hard against her back, and it was then she found that she was propped up against a flat surface. She was sitting sideways, with her legs positioned to the right. As she tried to move from her sitting position she found that her left arm was bound in a makeshift splint while her right arm was free and resting in her lap. That same hand slowly lifted up and clutched at her chest, cringing when her fingers brushed against the edges of the hole through the blouse.

Whatever he had done was over with, but it also resulted in her feeling weak. Ginger felt light-headed, her arm was in pain again, and her chest felt heavier than normal. However long he would keep her heart in his possession worried her because she didn't know the circumstances that went with having one's heart outside their body for a time.

"Ah, she's awake." Her eyes glanced up to find Shachi coming towards her. He extended a hand which she eagerly gave in return as he pulled her up from her position. "The captain said you would be up soon."

She looked around the room. "Where are we?"

Shachi followed her gaze. "In a underground tavern. We're still on Sabaody, but we had to hide for now since our submarine is still having its repairs." He looked at her then and found that she was looking down upon her arm. "Our captain is a doctor by the way. He said your arm should heal in a month, but if you keep using it then it'll turn crooked."

"Where is he now?"

"He went to get our cook."

Without warning Bepo chimed in, "Whatever you do, don't insult her cooking. She'll starve you out."

Penguin, who had been sitting at the table nearest to her, raised his head up from eating. "You would know because you said she under cooked the fish!"

The bear's eyes narrowed. "Only because she did."

Ginger smiled warmly at the trio. It had been only a few days since she felt anything aside from guilt and anger, and even though her joining the crew had come with a heavy price she was grateful in a way. Trafalgar Law was difficult to deal with, but his crew members proved to be different in their own way. She was ready to fight with and for them, taking this opportunity to share memories and earn her place among them.

"I've never seen something like that done." Her attention turned to the table Penguin was seated at, realizing that she had overlooked Jean Bart. It was hard to miss him, yet somehow she managed to do exactly that. "Did it hurt?"

Her chest felt heavy at the mention, but she answered with a smile despite it. "No, it's hard to explain. You just feel weak; your head aches, your chest feels heavy, that sort of thing."

"Are you angry, Rogiko Ginger?" He questioned, his eyes meeting hers. It was an honest question with no trace of the attitude that Law usually held.

"No."

Jean Bart grinned then, baring his teeth for her to see. "He did say you wouldn't hold a grudge."

She nodded to him who in turn did the same to her. The five of them sat at the table while the talk of the people filled the small tavern as they slid bowls of food toward her. She thanked them and relied on her right hand to feed herself. Surprisingly, the chicken was flavored well with a hint of spice as she chewed and swallowed. She never would expected a tavern to serve delicious food like this. She hadn't realized she'd been so hungry, and kept feeding herself in a rapid pace despite the amused looks her crew mates sent her. Her hand dropped the fork and reached for a bread roll before she took a bite out of it and dropped it.

"We also got you some tea," Penguin said. "This tavern is out of sake."

When he pushed the cup to her, Ginger frowned and pushed back with her free hand. "No, thank you."

"You have to drink some at least."

"I hate tea. It's disgusting. If I even take a whiff of it I'll throw up." Her mouth twisted as she pushed it farther away from her. "I'll settle with water."

Shachi intervened with a smirk. "Captain's orders." The cup was back beside her right hand. Ginger's eyes darted from him towards the cup as the unsettling feeling in her stomach began to set in. As far back as she could remember she always hated tea. The flavor of any she drank made her gag to the point she could feel the bile in her throat. Marigold always tried to get her to drink that instead of juice, but Ginger would not have it.

"If that cup touches my hand," she said quietly, the threat hanging in each word. "I'll throw it in your face." Unfazed by her remark, Shachi took the cup away and drank it.

The heavy silence fell upon them afterward, waiting patiently for Law to return with the cook. Ginger hoped in some way that perhaps the cook would be someone she could vent to. Granted, she had no problem with the others but she desperately needed a female's point of view on things. If there was time back then she was sure she would've gone to either Nico Robin or Nami despite the fact that the Straw Hats were Law's rivals. It was just that need of speaking to someone else about her problems in order to form an opinion on what to do. Perhaps the cook would be the answer to her prayers.

"Why do you have them down here?" Ginger perked her head up. "It's dark, it smells like smoke, and it looks cramped."

"That was the point. The Marines won't bother us here, _Keki-ya_."

The crone's eyes caught Ginger's from across the room and narrowed at her once she reached the bottom. Law followed soon after as they cut across the room and towards them. The old woman still held her gaze even going so far as to tap Penguin's chair once, causing him to scoot to the next seat so she might sit down. Law took the seat across from her, handing his nodachi to Bepo who in turn handled it with care as he sat on the floor near the table beside Jean Bart.

"Did our captain kidnap you?" The woman asked while the others (aside from Law) had their mouths agape at her blunt question.

Ginger raised an eyebrow. "No, why would you ask that?"

The woman lifted her hand and flicked Ginger's knee, causing her to frown at the sudden intrusion. "You're dressed too nicely to join a crew willingly."

"I like to dress this way because it's comfortable," she retorted. "I was a Marine before I turned to piracy."

"Keki-san, she asked the captain to join." Shachi interjected while rubbing the back of his head. "She helped us out against the Marines."

"Don't be so thick-headed, boy!" Keki snapped. "Not every Marine turns rogue and becomes a pirate." She turned her attention back to Ginger. "Either you're here because you were taken against your will or you have different motives and planned on being taken."

"She joined willingly." Everyone's attention turned to Law. His face was stoic, but his tone was light as he looked at Keki. "Treat her, and Jean Bart, like you would treat anyone in this crew."

It seemed she wasn't satisfied with the answer for her face fell into irritation. "What if it turns out she's someone of importance? If we'll be entering the New World we need to keep off the Government's radar, captain."

In one fluid moment Law raised his arm and turned his hand upright to reveal what he had been holding all along. The loud rhythmic thumping came from a heart encased in a transparent cube. Ginger's lips thinned into a line. "We came to an agreement."

Keki's eyes widened slightly, turning back towards her with a look of disbelief. Ginger sighed and pulled the top of her white blouse aside to reveal a square shape on the left side of her chest. The fabric fell back against her chest as she and Law exchanged glances before her eyes went back to her heart. To see it still intact relieved her, but to know that it could be weeks or perhaps even months without it also unnerved her.

The cook's lips pursed as she turned away and scratched behind her ear. "Aye, Law. Your methods are brutal sometimes."

He began bouncing the heart up and down with a lazy smirk etched onto his lips. "It was either this or kill her. You would've made a scene then."

"Yes, I would have." Keki waved his words off and turned once more to Ginger. "I'm Keki, the cook on board the submarine. Our captain says your name is Rogiko Ginger." She nodded. "Ahh, daughter to the late Rogiko Greta who was nicknamed _The Lady Pirate_."

Ginger chuckled. "I wouldn't know if she would like being called a 'lady'." She frowned then while her eyes followed the movements of her heart as it bounced up and down in Law's hand.

Bepo leaned forward in his seated position. "What was she like?"

Ginger smiled, remembering her mother fondly. "She was fierce. She was really her own person. Her crew would've followed her to death if she didn't insist that they sail off. Of course, at the time she thought I was on board too." The loud talk from around them didn't deter her from her story. "On the seas it was always us and her crew. We were a real _nakama_."

Law clutched her heart suddenly while indirectly causing her to grab her chest. When he realized what he had done he eased his hold off her heart. His face remained stoic as Keki looked at him. He then carefully placed it on the table. "It almost slipped." He didn't sound apologetic, and Ginger didn't expect him to be. His eyes, though carefully guarded, told a different story. By the way the cook looked at him she could tell that her past hit some sort of nerve within him. Perhaps he didn't mean to grab it so suddenly, forgetting that he held it at all.

His eyes turned on her as her hand fell from her chest. "Do you think I could hold onto my own heart?"

"No." His answer was blunt.

Her fist clenched in her lap as they held one another's gaze. He had every reason to distrust her she wouldn't hold it against him, but the fact that he handled her heart so carelessly said a lot about him. Trafalgar Law seemed like someone who could very well hold a grudge for a long period of time, but at the same time he also happened to be laid back and took what came at him with ease. It infuriated her, yet at the same time she was amused at that fact.

"If you're gonna have me go through hell without it then at least be careful with it."

Ginger's retort made him smirk. He didn't have to say anything else simply because there was no need as they came to an understanding. It was strange how she was reacting to the whole ordeal. Any sane person wouldn't have agreed to his little condition, but then they wouldn't be alive. Ginger understood where he was coming from and what his suspicions were founded upon. It didn't mean, however, that she wouldn't be cautious around him.

"By the way," she began. "What happened to the Straw Hats?"

Law shrugged. "They went their own way. They could've gotten away or they could be dead."

"You seem to not care either way."

He looked at her. "If you underestimate your rival then they're not worthy of the title."

Ginger said no more on the subject, taking his word of their fate. Though she hardly knew them she had hoped that they did evade the Marines.

Keki turned her gaze to Law who in turn passed her an impassive glance. "Are we just gonna stay here until the Marines leave?"

"Naturally."

"And if they don't?"

His brow furrowed at her insistence. Ginger could tell that Keki often gave him more trouble than was necessary. Finally, Law sighed while scratching his temple. "We can't leave. The submarine is still getting its repairs. If you didn't want to come here you should've stayed, _Keki-ya_."

Keki cackled at his response, but immediately became serious as she looked at Bepo. "The yeti lost the ingredients."

Bepo hung his head, becoming depressed once more at the realization that he left the bag back at the auction house. "I'm sorry."

"Don't give in so easily to her!" Shachi and Penguin shouted in unison while the cook sent a glare their way.

"I'll get the stuff for you." Everyone turned to Law. "Being down here is already losing its entertainment."

"I'll go too." The gazes switched to Ginger who promptly stood up. "I have some things I need to get." It wouldn't be the best idea to step back out when they were still trying to avoid the Marines. Law didn't seem to care for that fact, and without her uniform on the Marines couldn't very well put a name to her anyway.

They left the tavern side by side and made their way above. Ginger looked up and saw that they were back in the shopping district. For now at least she could get the things she needed as they waited to leave the island.

She fidgeted with the splint, furrowing her brow at the angle it was currently in. Having her arm free and by her side was something she was used to, and yet she had a feeling it would be a while before she got the full use of it back. As they walked among the people, side-stepping them along the way, Ginger had come to find that she was anxious to be sailing with this crew. Most of her life had been spent among the Marines it was all she had grown to know while assuming there would be no other way of life. At the time it was hard to accept it as her reality, and now she was still uncertain if this was truly what she wanted.

Law remained silent while occasionally looking around them in order to spot the store that held Keki's ingredients.

Ginger decided that she didn't like the silence as much as she thought she did. "I assume you heard what happened not that long ago."

He turned his head to the left as his eyes scanned the signs in the store windows. "About Fire-Fist Ace?" It was surprising how calm he could carry the conversation for she was almost sure he wouldn't have answered.

"Yes," she looked to the right. "I didn't believe it at first. I thought for sure he would never have gotten caught so easily. They say that they're anticipating Whitebeard's move."

"Then we're fortunate that it doesn't concern us." He then broke away from her side and walked towards the open shop as she quickly followed.

Once inside they would be away from anyone who would give them a second glance. Law went down one aisle of the shop and swiftly grabbed the jars of spices without a second glance at the labels. Either he already knew what to look for or he was grabbing anything within reach. While he was busy Ginger decided to look for hair dye on any of the shelves but found her search come to an end when she realized they only sold food here.

Opting to start another conversation she chose to point out the obvious. "So, you're a doctor." Irritation was evident in his eyes as he looked and waited for her to continue. "Or should I call you what the Marines called you?"

"Tch, it doesn't matter what you call me."

Ginger shrugged then, turning a brown jar towards her as she looked at the label. "Marines have nicknames too."

Law grabbed a small jar of ginger. "Then I assume you have one." His tone conveyed that he cared little for the small talk they were having. Perhaps because he never found an interest in it. She assumed that he was the type to get right to the point of things and not bother with the chatter.

"I didn't have enough time to earn a reputation. To the older Marines I was known as the "Little Shit" because I was my mother's daughter." Speaking of the memory didn't bother her. In fact, she found herself comfortable with the forthcoming of information to him though she kept her voice hushed all the same. "I didn't care. I had to prove myself to Marigold, not to them."

He remained focused on the task at hand. "You'll earn one soon enough as a pirate."

She smiled softly as he gave her a few jars for her to hold. "The best dressed pirate might already be taken."

To her sudden surprise he chuckled at her remark, though it was brief it sounded as if she gotten him to somewhat loosen up. She didn't expect him to immediately trust her so soon, and at the moment she still had her guard up. Certain information being said was no problem for her, but if the day were to ever come when someone would ask of her mother's execution then she wouldn't speak of it. The memory, however long ago it was, was too fresh in her mind. All she could vividly recall of that day was a six year old's mental breakdown at the execution block. It took Marigold seven months to gradually get her to talk with other people.

They paid for their items and left the store while being cautious to avoid the smaller groups of people. Having so few beris in her possession, Ginger decided to make use of them by giving up on the dye, choosing instead to buy clothes. The pack she had with her only had four sets of outfits, and it would take at least a few weeks before her seamstress's bird, Coco, would find her new location.

The clothes she wore were handmade by a woman she had met in a small village during her shore leave. She had a real knack for making the best clothes money could buy, and though Ginger was always on the move they had come to a business arrangement. Coco would deliver a set of new clothes every two months and in return Ginger would give the bird her money. When she thought that her on the constant go would prove troublesome the woman then devised a plan to have her large bird deliver the package via vivre card. That way both women would be happy. However, now that she would be living on a submarine she suppose it would be a bit difficult to receive her clothes.

"Could someone still find us underwater by way of a vivre card?" She prompted.

Law looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "It shouldn't be difficult." By his tone alone he didn't have to ask the question she was anticipating.

"I get a delivery of clothes every two months from a seamstress I know. She finds me by way of vivre card." Ginger suddenly felt like a child again under his current stare. She knew the reason why was because he didn't want anyone he didn't know keeping tabs on his current whereabouts. Granted this was her business, but considering that she was a member of _his_ crew he had final say on what would be allowed.

Out of nervousness she adjusted the splint her arm was in as she stayed quiet underneath his gaze. He blinked once then turned forward, using his left hand to rub the back of his neck as his gaze remained the same. He didn't reply at all which meant that he probably didn't care so long as it didn't endanger him or his crew.

"I'll take that as an 'okay' then," she muttered, catching his gaze once more as she quickly added, "For the record, I never did thank you back on Sage's Island, did I?" Back then the adrenaline had coursed through causing her to neglect an offer of 'thanks' for his interference. If she had spent one minute more within Jax's grip then he would've broken her arm.

It was no secret that she treated pirates the same as civilians until they did or said something that would instantly change her mind. She gave everyone the benefit of the doubt and had planned to do the same with Jax—that is until he killed her whole squad.

"Thank you." She was as sincere with her response as she was embarrassed.

Trafalgar Law turned away. His lips turned up slightly much to Ginger's displeasure as they walked to the next store, making sure to remain unseen among the busy crowd of people. Then again, perhaps she didn't need him to acknowledge her thanks by him voicing it.

They had lapsed into a comfortable silence, one that would mark the gradual beginning of a tightly knit bond.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: I meant to have this up by Friday but my internet had crapped out. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and please let me know what you think! :3


	11. Chapter 11

"You remind me of my mother's cook."

Keki paused, sending a glance Ginger's way before turning back to the meat she was currently seasoning. Her mouth was set into a small smile as she worked her magic and prepared the dinner that evening.

"Oh? What was that cook like?"

Ginger grinned, watching with a hand propped underneath her chin. "Most of the crew called her 'Blonde Francie', but aside from that she was an excellent cook and had an unusual fighting style too."

The old cook carefully placed the large slab of meat in the oven before asking, "What do you mean by that?"

"Mother never elaborated." Keki closed the door of the oven with one hand while turning to look at her, waiting for her to continue. "It was strange seeing her use it. She used water to send a dozen enemies flying through the air. I remember begging her to teach me."

"That sounds like Fishman Karate."

She shrugged, stirring the spoon inside her cup of coffee as the creamy white swirl turned her drink brown. "I suppose it was, but Francie was great at it." She sighed. "She was great at a lot of things." The memory of Blonde Francie often brought up the memories of the day when Greta surrendered. Aubrey, upon Greta's request, had locked Ginger inside the captain's cabin to prevent her from seeing the Marines fasten her mother's chains. However, thanks to most of the crew being distracted, she managed to slip out past Aubrey and Francie while making her way towards her mother. By the time Dane Ridge took over the ship it was too late to turn back once they realized she was gone.

_I wonder where Francie is now. Probably serving another crew no doubt._

The kitchen on board the submarine was silent save for Keki's occasional 'tututut' as she bent down to check the dinner cooking in the oven. The rest of the crew were off doing their own thing while Trafalgar Law was no doubt in his quarters probably tempted to cut her heart open. Just the thought of it beating still enclosed inside its transparent prison as he worked sent a shiver down her spine. It wasn't natural to live and breathe without her heart. Her hand touched her chest, feeling how heavy it felt with each deep breath she took.

Keki took a seat across from her, observing her with a frown. "I would be careful in divulging such information to just anyone. Even if it's us it doesn't matter. I'm sure not everybody would be happy to know that you're Rogiko Greta's daughter."

Ginger grimaced. "You're right. I should be careful with certain information but it's the first time I've really been able to talk about my past with someone aside from my old captain."

Much to her surprise Keki reached forward and patted the top of her hand. Just by looking upon her face she could immediately tell that the older woman was sincere in her intentions. The small action reminded her of Marigold's unwavering kindness throughout her young life. "Your mother seemed like a nice lady," she paused, "and her actions might have made her be hated by the majority, but I can tell you really adored your mother. Be wise, Ginger-chan, not everyone has good intentions."

She had only known the cook for a couple of hours and yet it seemed as though her sound advice should be taken to heart. Ginger told herself before to be wary around Law because he couldn't be trusted. Ironic, however, that he had taken her _heart_ because he couldn't trust her. She had no other intentions aside from surviving but he couldn't be sure of that. The thought of being in this crew while regarding them with suspicion began to make her question her decision. There was no going back now, however, considering that she couldn't very well get off the island unscathed.

"I said no hats in here!"

Ginger turned towards the doorway and saw Law walking in, passing a glance towards Keki who in turn waited for him to remove his hat. When he decided to instead sit at the head of table she stalked towards the oven, muttering underneath her breath all the while. Ginger smiled, taking a sip of her coffee while Law leaned forward on top of the table.

One hand was propped up against the side of his face as he turned his attention to her. "You mentioned earlier you were an infiltrator."

"I didn't put it exactly that way but, yes, I am."

Her remark went unfazed by him as he replied, "What else are you capable of?"

"Knives, and I can also use my Haki as well."

"Your swordsmanship is good but your Haki can use some improvement." Law leaned back then with his arm still resting on top of the table. "No Devil Fruit powers?"

The question caused her to shiver from the mere mention of it. It was unnatural, and perhaps her mother's reaction to Devil Fruit and their users played a part in instilling that same uneasiness into her. It was hypocritical on Greta's part solely for the fact that Dane Ridge was a Devil Fruit user herself. She had eaten the Kaze Kaze no Mi which in turn proved to be a useful power on the seas. She also had the task of being the navigator of the crew, but not even that position earned her favor from Greta. Much to Ginger's sympathy, Dane Ridge was always well aware what Greta thought of her ability, and she made no attempt to hide such a fact.

"No."

The way he stared at her made her uncomfortable. Just by his look alone it appeared as thought he was scrutinizing her down to the littlest detail.

He closed his eyes then just as Keki had reclaimed her seat. "You hold some grudge towards Devil Fruit users," his realization caused her to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "If that's the case you need to get over it."

Irritation was the first to come about as Ginger glared at him. She made sure to keep her anger in check, refusing to react in such a manner that would make him think twice about having her on board. "That's not my problem."

The way Keki looked from her to Law added further to the irritation rising inside.

"Then what is it?" He asked, opening one eye to look at her.

Her glare remained as she answered, "It's just not natural. The kind of power that comes with eating a Devil Fruit can go either way."

His sudden barrage of questions not only caught her off guard but proved challenging to answer. She had the answers, but he would determine them through her delivery. It was almost as if he was pushing her buttons to see exactly what she had to say on such matters.

Law heaved a sigh just then. "Would you feel the same to a Marine who had eaten one?"

His question plagued her thoughts, making her feel guilty almost immediately.

Ginger didn't know what it was like to be a Devil Fruit eater. Perhaps if she came close to one then she would change her mind. Dane Ridge was a special exception she supposed because she never used her ability when Ginger was around. Greta made certain of that. However, now that she thought of it, Greta's treatment of her ability was no different than how Ginger was now. Thinking back to when the feelings of uneasiness arose back on the island, she realized that it was similar to that. She was relying on her feelings, and not taking anything else into account.

"I would feel the same."

Once again a smirk came about Law's face as he propped an arm on the back of his chair. In one instant he switched his attention to Keki who had been too busy avoiding eye contact with either of them to notice his stare. Ginger was all too relieved that the talk was over, noticing at once that her irritation had dissipated. When it came to these situations she had to remember to always keep her anger in check. It was funny now that she thought about it; Greta's quick temper was something she had been cursed with.

"_Keki-ya_, she'll be bunking with you for now on."

"EH?" Keki's eyes looked from him to her.

Ginger immediately felt embarrassed at the thought of intruding in the cook's personal space. "Oh, that's really not-"

"What are you trying to do, Law?!" By this time Keki was standing upon her chair with both hands flat on the table accompanied by a look of annoyance. "There's plenty of room on this submarine!"

Law was nonchalant about her raising her voice at him, and the longer Ginger looked at him the more she found that he was completely at ease. He didn't seem threatened nor annoyed by the yelling. In a peculiar sort of way it was almost as if he enjoyed the reaction that he intentionally provoked.

Nonetheless, he gave a short laugh before flicking his hand at her. "I need someone to watch her for now. Why not have it be you?" Both women deadpanned at his remark. On Ginger's part it was mainly because he didn't bother to keep it a secret that he wanted eyes on her the whole time. She didn't care much for being watched, but this was his vessel and his word was final. Keki sat back down, scowling all the while as he continued to look at her. "What's with that look?"

"I'm not a babysitter," she growled. "I have children and grandchildren. I may think of you, and the crew, as my own but I know well enough that you don't need me to watch you."

"It's temporary until I know for sure she isn't hiding anything." Law turned to Ginger then. "Do you mind?"

It was then that Ginger found herself as the center of attention. He would no doubt be expecting her to fight him on this while Keki merely waited in anticipation for her answer. The sudden scrutiny caused her to fidget in her seat as she blurted out, "I'm fine!" Her blunt response caused Keki to laugh while Law remained cool and composed.

"So it's decided," he quickly added before Keki could protest. "She'll share your room for the time being,_ Keki-ya_."

The cook sighed in defeat as she hopped down from her chair and muttered, "Unbelievable".

As she went to check on the dinner that was being prepared Ginger slumped forward with her chin resting in the palm of her hand. Her eyes watched lazily, becoming bored suddenly at having nothing to do. She supposed she could tour the submarine to familiarize herself with it, but the thought of getting up now didn't sound pleasant. Her other hand reached down to adjust the skirt of the dress she wore, pulling it forward to cover the top of her knees. If entertainment had come to fixing her clothes then she really had hit rock bottom.

"Come with me."

It was a sudden command, and she found herself begrudgingly following him from the kitchen to wherever he was leading her. They walked down the narrow hallway and Ginger was surprised that she hadn't run into any other crew member. The heels of her shoes clicked against the floor almost in sync with Law's steps. They had passed the eighth door when Law opened the next one and went through while she followed. Ginger found herself in the medical wing of the submarine with different kinds of machines and utensils scattered about the large area.

"Hey," she turned and saw him inclining his head to where he was at. "Let's go."

When she reached him she found that he was holding a stack of papers in one hand with dozens of folders scattered across the top of a desk that was tucked away in the corner of the wing. He pulled the chair out, motioning for her to sit down as he walked around and grabbed a few more folders from beneath the desk. Ginger complied, finding herself becoming awkward at the situation. Her hands were folded neatly in her lap when Law returned with the next stack.

"Double check the names with the diagnosis. Then stick them in a folder and label them." His directions were clear and straight to the point. Nothing she couldn't handle.

It was a mundane task, but if it kept her from being bored then so be it. "Why do you keep records?"

Ginger was surprised when he sent a glance her way and answered, "I need to keep track of everything I come across. From a cut to a disease. It doesn't matter." She nodded, licking the pad of her index finger as she began separating the countless pages. "Are you gonna ask anymore obvious questions?"

"I probably will in the distant future, _captain_." She said with a smile as an amused glint passed through her gold eyes.

Rather than continue to amuse her Law instead stepped off towards the medical equipment. He adjusted a few wires here and there as she worked at a steady pace. The silence hung in the air, same as before, where it was comfortable with no words needed to be exchanged on either part. It was when she was putting together Penguin's medical records that he passed her another glance.

Just as she was about to comment on Penguin's allergic reaction to fruit he turned his hand upside down. "_Room_."

The blue sphere returned and enclosed Ginger just as she jumped from her seat from its sudden appearance. Her uneasiness began to set in, and as she looked at Law with a questioning stare she found that he had not yet moved. He too was encased in the bubble he created, eyes staring at her impassively while his arms were folded in front of him. She stayed rooted in her place, afraid to move in case he decided to do something. The papers she had been busy with laid forgotten on the desk.

"What are you doing?"

Law unfolded one arm, finger extended, as he pointed it straight at her before it quickly darted to the side. When she followed the movement she saw that the chair rolled away from the desk. "If I wanted to hurt you I wouldn't have brought you on my submarine, Ginger. Calm down."

She swallowed again. "I can't." Her words came out in a sharp hiss.

"Calm down," he repeated, the authoritative tone came once more. "You'll be seeing my devil fruit powers often if you're going to stay on board."

"That makes sense," her voice rose steadily as she forced herself to relax. The ominous sound that the sphere gave off did little to help in that regard. "Why couldn't you explain it instead of showing me?"

"It's easier this way." Somehow she doubted that. "You'll come across enemies with different devil fruit powers. You have to learn how to not let it affect you while in their company― to not lose your focus."

"You could've just eased me into it."

"They won't give you that chance." He moved the chair back in place. When he looked back at her he saw that she had still not moved. "I said I'm not going to hurt you."

Ginger's nose crinkled. "I don't know that for sure." The impassive look was still present on his face, making him appear as though he was unconvinced by her statement. Overall, he seemed unimpressed that she wasn't giving in and forcing herself to be completely relaxed around his power. How could she? Her mother stated clearly that Devil Fruit users were unnatural, and had been drilling it into the young girl's head that being one was a fate worse than death. Greta made it clear that she should never partake in the temptation of eating one. From day one it had been "evil" this and "unnatural" that up until the point where she became scared at the thought of ever coming across one.

She cleared her throat, and slowly reached up . Her eyes were narrowed, and she gulped down the lump in her throat as she went until her fingers went through the sphere. Her hand retracted back almost instantly as if it burned her. Slowly, she relaxed, watching the sphere she was encased in warily.

After a few more seconds it disappeared, leaving her completely at ease again as her eyes turned to Law. "Which fruit did you eat?" If she wanted to get over the fear of the Devil Fruit she might as well start with knowing her captain's. From the information she had gathered as a Marine she only knew him as the 'Surgeon of Death', assuming at the time he was merely some mad doctor who enjoyed doing crude experiments.

His face was devoid of any emotion. "The Ope-Ope fruit." He replied calmly, saying no more.

Ginger sat back down upon the chair while straightening out the papers that were left scattered across the desk.

Her eyes were on the task, licking the tip of her thumb, she began separating the sheets as she said, "I see you're not gonna say anymore on it."

Law went towards the doorway in four quick strides. Once he reached it, he stopped though didn't turn to look at her. The trust was not completely there yet. That much was obvious among them, and even though they were comfortable in the silence it didn't signify that they were sure of each other. It was a very chancy risk to ask her in the first place at Sage's Island, and once they were sure that deal wouldn't fall through he quickly forgot about it. When she suddenly asked him the full realization of it seemed to bother him.

The repetitive sound of paper sliding against paper met his ears as he walked out of the room, leaving Ginger alone.


	12. Chapter 12

The days came as quickly as they left on Sabaody.

That morning found Ginger walking through the halls of the submarine, charting the turns to memory as she passed them. Her hand glided across the walls as she went while the clicking of her heels reverberated off them. She asked Shachi, before he left with Law, where exactly the bathrooms were located to which he replied that they could be found on the second level. And so here she was, walking aimlessly down the halls, occasionally passing the empty doorways glances here and there.

It wasn't until she reached the last doorway that she found them. Hastily, she stepped inside and made her way towards the first available shower. She set her bag down beside the bench and reached in to remove a bottle before placing it on top. Carefully, she removed her shirt leaving her in nothing but the undershirt she wore underneath. She started the shower, waited for the water to run warm, and opened the bottle. Her fingers combed through her hair, taking the time to make sure it would cover every inch of black as she worked. The gentle feeling made her close her eyes, sighing in content as she lathered. The splint she was supposed to be wearing was no where to be found, and much to Law's mild annoyance she never did keep it on.

During her outing days before, Ginger came across a shop that sold beauty products. She was reassured by the owner that the product would do the trick. She thanked her with a smile and a friendly warning that if it didn't she would come back and demand a refund with interest.

The strange aroma filled the showers. The scent of mint with a hint of something she couldn't quite describe caused her nose to scrunch up. "If this doesn't work I'm going to burn down that store." She was thrown forward as a sudden force moved the submarine from its usual dormant place. Her face met the tiled floor of the shower, making her immediately get back up while ignoring the dye running down her back and shoulders. "What the hell?"

The steady rocking of the submarine continued as Ginger finished off by rinsing her hair underneath the water. She carefully opened her eyes, watching as the black dye merged with the water before disappearing altogether down the drain. She was relieved in a way to wash the hair color away grateful that she never had to touch another dye bottle again yet at the same time she mourned the loss.

The towel beside the bag was now upon her head as she gently massaged it through her damp hair, squeezing the strands every now and then to rid of the excess color. She walked towards the mirror that was hanging above the sink and wiped the steam from the surface. Staring back at her, with familiar gold eyes, was her own reflection though the image nearly became unrecognizable when the damp auburn strands came into view. Her mother's eyes stared back at her, but the hair that accompanied those pair most definitely belonged to her father.

Upon realizing the sudden irony she frowned.

It only took her minutes to reach the main level, and when she did she found that it was currently in disarray. The towel hung loosely over her shoulders while she gripped the bag in one hand. The crew were too busy going back and forth to notice her.

"Bepo." The bear in question scooted to a stop in front of her. At first he appeared confused but immediately recognized her when she smiled. "What's going on? I thought there were still repairs to be done?"

He blinked once. "Didn't you know? There's something going on at Marineford."

Ginger's grip on her bag tightened at his response. "What are you talking about?" Her question came out as more of a demand. "What's going on?"

Bepo looked up, scratched at his nose with one big furry paw, and said, "The Whitebeard pirates and Straw Hat showed up at Ace's execution."

As soon as he answered she suddenly spun on her heel and turned only to slam her shoulder against the wall of the hallway. A curse slipped past her lips as she rubbed it and made her way back to her shared room with Keki. She ignored Bepo calling to her, choosing instead to quicken her pace with each step. She needed to process this information alone. Once she reached her room she slammed the door shut and threw the bag upon her bed before collapsing upon it.

Things had escalated so quickly in these past days, and now that a war was likely to begin it only added to the chaos that was slowly building. All she knew was that Portgas D. Ace had been arrested and set for execution by the Marines. She didn't know anything about Whitebeard showing up to stop it until just now. It made sense in a way considering that he was known for being fiercely loyal to his crew and vise versa. This would definitely tip the balance of power, but to what side Ginger had yet to find out.

_Of course, _she thought to herself, _For someone as infamous as Ace the Marines would take every precaution to prevent his execution from being disrupted. They would call all of the Warlords, the Admirals, and every Marine available in anticipation for Whitebeard. That means— _

Marigold's face came to mind almost immediately. She wanted nothing bad to happen to her, but considering that she held the rank of Captain then perhaps she would be okay.

How irony loved to play the part of innocent in all things.

_I have to call Mari-sama, I have to..._

What exactly would she say once, if even, she got through? Would she wish her good luck? Telling her that she was safely tucked away on a submarine miles away while Marigold got to fight against Whitebeard's pirates? It was a ridiculous notion to even think Ginger would get the chance to get in touch with her. Out of everything that happened, why this? Why now? Would it be the end of Whitebeard or the end of the Marines?

The issue raised so many questions but Ginger failed to have an answer.

The sudden knock upon her door caused her to jump in surprise. "Who is it?" She hoped it wasn't Law.

"Shachi." She quickly crossed the room in two strides before opening the door and seeing him standing there waiting patiently. "Captain's waiting on you."

Her hand came to the side of her head, fingers pressing against it as she smiled yet again, noticing that he was looking at her more intently than before. "My natural hair color." The thought of explaining it to everyone on board seemed to push the migraine forward.

"Right," he said, still unsure. "Follow me, Ginger."

Reluctantly she did so, following behind him with the towel still hanging about her shoulders. In less than a minute they reached the open area that served as the living area. The rest of the Heart pirates were already there, and sitting among them on one of the couches was Law. Just as he always looked he sported a relaxed carefree smile with one leg resting upon the other. Shachi stood beside Ginger as they waited for the captain to speak.

"Are you caught up on the current events?" Law asked, directing the question at her.

"Bepo didn't specify those current events." The bear gawked at her while she avoided his gaze; no doubt certain that if she looked him in the eye she would feel guilty for throwing him under the bus. It came naturally for her to be so flippant while keeping her emotions in check. She learned to do so after his earlier interrogation and was not surprised that she managed to do it so well.

Law waited, choosing then to elaborate on the situation. "We're going to Marineford. I want to see this for myself. The Marines were broadcasting it but they ultimately control what gets shown to keep themselves in good-standing to the rest of the world. No doubt Whitebeard's test of loyalty was their doing." Ginger noticed that he was relaxed when he spoke of it. Whitebeard was naturally every pirate's enemy, but that didn't mean he wasn't respected among them. Much like Red-Haired Shanks he was a force to be reckoned with. It was almost surprising to hear that Law didn't believe whatever he had seen during the broadcast, considering that it had painted Whitebeard as some sort of traitor to his crew. "Maybe we'll see the outcome in time."

"Is that really the only reason?" she asked, noticing that the crew looked her way so suddenly. "How will we even get past the Gates of Justice?"

He clicked his tongue then as his steel grey eyes locked with hers. "You don't have a place here yet to ask those questions." His retort was harsh to say the least. Ginger didn't have to say anything to know that he was right. At the moment she was currently in limbo when it came to being in his good graces. Trust was not nonexistent, but it wasn't what they had—it was more of a civility among acquaintances who weren't exactly sure of each other.

The dull ache in her chest proved that.

Ginger cupped her left elbow, fingers tracing along the lines as she held her tongue. Smart-mouthing him now would get her no where. She wanted the mutual acknowledgement to remain between them in order to affirm herself in his crew. She was twenty-three, a grown woman who was mature enough to handle situations that didn't turn out in her favor, and she would remain so and prove to him that she had a place there.

"Captain," Keki spoke up. "Do you have a plan?"

Law's eyes snapped from her and to Keki in one move. "Ah, we won't be getting involved directly. I have something else in mind."

Her fingers slid down her elbow to gingerly grasp her arm. The ache in it confirmed her suspicions that it hadn't fully healed as of yet. Her mouth was set into a firm thin line as she listened to the details of going into Marineford. The words easily slipped into one ear before creeping out of the other, none having any effect on her as she unintentionally leaned against the door frame of the room.

Her mind once again drifted back to Marigold, wondering what she was doing at this very moment. Her alliance had shifted so easily once she went rogue and decided willingly to become a pirate. Perhaps she should've known better; perhaps if she hadn't been a coward she would have immediately went back to base and face the consequences like any noble marine would have.

_That's not me. _

Greta's blood ran thicker than she initially thought with her father's mixing in to add to it. She had been born to be a pirate from the very beginning despite what Marigold had said about changing her future. Her mother and father were pirates, the only difference that separated them was the fact that Greta was a captain while Stede served under another. In fact, Francie once mentioned that Whitebeard himself invited Greta and her crew to become apart of his to which she respectfully refused, citing that she was born to lead. What his reaction had been, Ginger never found out.

Shachi tapped her shoulder, bringing her out of her deep thought. "Everyone's wondering why you look so different."

When she looked from him to the rest of the group she found that they were closely watching her. Law, out of all them, showed little to no interest in her sudden change of appearance. "I took the black dye out of my hair." She held a strand loosely between her fingers, holding it up for them to see. "Before you ask my mother named me after my red hair." She finished flatly, not finding it amusing having to explain.

It was Bepo who begun laughing once he put two and two together. Once everyone else realized it there were collective laughs save for both Law and Jean Bart who simply appeared amused at the small fact.

"It's not even original!" she suddenly stammered when the laughter didn't die down. "She was just being a smartass!"

One of the engineers eagerly chimed in. "You have to admit, _Ginger-chan_, it's gonna be twice as funny to say your name now."

She placed her hands on her hips when the laughter eventually fell into failed hushed snickers among them. It wasn't all that funny to begin with, it really was just irony playing a cruel role in Ginger's life. It was simple really; the moment Greta saw the red hair she knew immediately that being named something close to it would serve to remind her of her parentage. It started off as being a harmless joke, but her mother had failed to even bother coming up with another name. This, Ginger heard from her herself.

All of a sudden she found herself smiling despite it all. No one in the marines knew that she had been born with red hair so the joke would've been lost on them. Now, she had nothing to hide from the Heart Pirates. She was free to be who she was. A fact that she nearly forgot.

"Keki," Ginger called, turning to the older woman. "I have a favor to ask."

* * *

><p>"All of it?"<p>

Ginger swiftly shook her head. "No, just up to here." She held a finger up to the side of her neck, tilting her head to the left in order for Keki to see. Her finger was located just an inch or so below her chin. "I want it short. Something that won't make someone think twice once they see me."

Keki unofficially held the title of hairdresser among the Heart Pirates. It was something she never sought until Ginger asked fully confident that she was the only one who could pull it off. The older woman was unsure, for her eyesight wasn't as up to par as it had been years ago. "I don't want to cut it and then find out you blame me for it."

"I won't," Ginger reassured her with a smile. "Just grab it and cut it off like I said."

"You're going to regret it."

"I'm sure you're exaggerating."

Keki snorted. "I need to tell you about the time Penguin sported an uneven haircut for a month." She took the scissors and snipped through the auburn hair, chuckling as she went while keeping her grip steady. "He begged me to cut his hair and when I did**that** was the result." The strands fell upon the floor and on Ginger's lap as she sat still, listening with a smile.

"We'll see."

Once she was done she held the mirror for her to see. Ginger took it tentatively, turning it here and there as she inspected Keki's work. She wasn't unrecognizable, but the bob hairstyle would take some getting used to. She ran her hand through one side as loose strands gathered around her fingers. Ginger smiled again. One side was slightly longer than the other but she could fixed that right after. All in all she enjoyed the new shorter hair she was sporting, finding that it would serve her new identity well.

"Thank you, Keki-san," Ginger said softly as the cook looked taken aback, "it's exactly what I wanted."

The cook said no more as she watched her comb her fingers through her hair. The shine of the auburn color glistened under the light. She continued to watch her curiously, saying nothing as she combed out the strands of hair that were loose.

The memories of what happened years before threatened to surface the longer Keki stared at her. The fleeting memory of serving the condemned woman her last meal while informing her the news of her child. The flicker of regret that passed behind the mother's gold eyes was as vivid as ever, branding the image into her mind from that day on. Keki recalled that she had a big appetite on the eve of her execution not at all bothered by the guards who watched her do so. She recounted the way her hand swiftly worked the fork to her mouth at alarming speeds, caring little of the scraps of food that covered her face.

_"I've never seen a woman eat so much and so fast at the same time."_

_Greta peered up at her. "Death has a funny way of making you hungry."_

"Keki-san?" The woman realized that Ginger was staring at her, eyes furrowed in confusion. "Are you alright?"

She quickly waved off her concern. "I'm tired." The look Ginger was giving her now showed that she didn't believe her. Keki nearly had half a mind to tell her the truth, considering that she was Greta's daughter. However, Law warned that she didn't have his full trust yet and thus they shouldn't trust her. It was a necessary precaution, one that she was going to be well aware of. "I'm tired." She repeated firmly this time.

After a few seconds Ginger shrugged. "Fine, don't tell me it's not like I can force you. I'm under _Law's_ mercy." The contempt was noticeable in her tone so much so that she immediately asked, "How can you serve under someone like him?"

"What do you mean by _someone like him_? If you think he forced us to be here you're wrong, Ginger-chan. Nobody was forced here, especially not you." Ginger quickly became embarrassed. "Our captain is a difficult man but he has something that makes us follow him on our own free will. He's confident in that he knows what he's doing. You'll see soon enough."

She stood up then with her hands raised. "All right, I see your point. I would hate to jump ship because I didn't like the captain." With that she walked out, leaving her in the room alone.

* * *

><p>The walk back to their shared room was short enough for Ginger reached the door in under thirty seconds.<p>

Loyalty was a treasured thing on the high seas, and seeing that the Heart Pirates had plenty with their captain was refreshing to see. She didn't know whether many pirate crews had it, though when she thought back to her mother and her crew she supposed it wasn't as seldom as she thought.

From two doors down she heard the steady rhythmic scratching of pen to paper. She turned then and noticed that the door was wide open with a steady stream of light pouring out into the dimly lit hallway. Thinking back to Keki's words she decided to go towards the room. Once she came to the open doorway she found that Law was busy at his desk. When her eyes gazed up she expected to find numerous hearts encased in their prisons lined up on the shelf but instead books were perched against one another.

"Expecting to find something?" His sudden question made her frown at her previous thought. "I don't keep organs in my room." Law was blunt in his response. It was the type of manner she would take some time getting used to. His eyes were focused on what he was writing down as he didn't bother to check to see if it was her. The winged tip of the pen didn't falter its movements as he continued to write. "What did you want?"

"I just wanted to know where my heart was," she admitted.

"It's somewhere safe."

"Does it have a label with my name on it?"

His eyes snapped to hers before they dropped back to the sheet of paper in front of him. He stopped, letting the pen fall from his fingers as he rested his arm on the back of the chair. His steel gaze was now completely on her while she stood against the door frame. "You knew the condition when I told you." His mouth then set into a firm line perhaps insulted that she couldn't trust him with her heart. "You're the one who can't be trusted." His tone didn't suggest as much, but she figured that he didn't care what she thought of him.

"So you remind me so delicately," Ginger folded her arms. "I'm not used to having my heart outside my body."

A light hiss passed through his teeth at her rebuttal. "Get used to it." She could tell that he would offer nothing more on the subject, but unlike Law she wasn't prepared to drop it.

"I won't die without it, right?" She asked. "I mean, there's no limit to how long it can stay out?"

One of his eyebrows raised at the question. He never had to explain to anyone about the way his power worked for most of his victims laid forgotten when he did defeat them. He supposed it couldn't hurt to answer it while remaining vague about certain aspects of it. "No. You'll be fine. Like I mentioned earlier, if I wanted to kill you I would've done it." She nodded not at all doubtful.

"I suppose you know that I can get us into Marineford." The switch of topics seemed to bother him but regardless he waited for her to continue. "I haven't seen a wanted poster for me yet and with my showing up they would have to believe I'm there to answer the call. Late as it may be." Ginger waited for a response, but all he seemed to enjoy doing was staring at her without a hint of what he was thinking. It nerved her to say the least, Law wasn't the type of person to wear his heart on his sleeve. Then again, not many did.

After a full minute of silence Ginger could hear the audible click of his tongue while his hand reached up to grab a piece of parchment from off his shelf. The paper was offered to her from in between his index and middle fingers. She grabbed it from his hand and nearly ruined it as her fingers crumpled the edges.

There, staring back at her, was a picture of her profile followed by her name and set bounty.

Law's mouth lifted up at the corner at her expression. "The Marines don't seem to think highly of you." Her eyes narrowed at the poster as she tried to ignore him. "That's a low bounty for the 'crimes' you committed."

"That's not funny."

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: _I wanna thank you guys for adding this story to your favorites and alerts, but more importantly to those that leave reviews. It makes me proud that you guys like Ginger. I've put so much thought into this story that it's nice to get any kind of recognition. I hope you enjoyed! :)_

_**Edit**: I'll reveal what her bounty is next chapter! It might seem confusing given her circumstances but you'll see what Law means by "low". :) _


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