One Piece 1. Prologue

**A/N:** Yes, I'm unorganized. No, I can't finish a story before starting another. It's a flaw I have that I've been desperately trying to get rid of. But, enough of that. I've had an idea to do something like this for quite a while, but I've always been pretty hesitant. But, seeing as there are some successful ones on Fanfiction here, I thought I'd try my own. I'll allow you all to submit your own Pirate Characters, submissions will be welcome until I decide otherwise, and I'll do my best to write them into this little Alternate Universe fan fiction of mine. There are only a few rules. You cannon have any grudges, or family relations with Canon Characters. Be original! I'll give you a template at the end of the chapter, since I don't want to make an entire chapter devoted to a template, I'm gong to write a prologue to get things started. Please, read and review. Enjoy.

**SNE121**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own One Piece or any objects or titles affiliated with it.

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**Pirates**

_Twenty years have passed since Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew found the grand treasure One Piece._

_Monkey D. Luffy was known throughout the world as King of the Pirates._

_Roronoa Zoro defeated the Legendary Hawk-Eyes Mihawk and became the World's Greatest Swordsman._

_Nami mapped the entire world, Grand Line and all,_

_And Sanji found the All Blue he'd been searching for._

_Now, Monkey D. Luffy has been executed, leaving the location of his fantastic fortune a mystery._

_However, his death did not end the Great Age of Pirates._

_Enthusiastic young men and women, adults, elderly citizens, travel the oceans once again, searching for the most amazing treasure in the world._

_One Piece._

**Prologue**

**Setting Sail on the Road to Fortune**

It was late afternoon. The sun was beginning to set on the vast ocean, changing its blue color into a vibrant red and orange, shimmering with the light of the falling sun. The orange glow illuminated the streets and mountains on the Red Line village of Fuschia. Shops were beginning to close, children rushing home after a full days play. The older kids and teenagers remained on the streets a while longer, their curfew being a bit later then those of the small children.

Sitting on a large rock on a Cliffside, watching the setting sun, a boy sat, one knee drawn upward with an arm resting upon it. He had vibrant yellowish green eyes, similar to that of a cats, and glowing with just as much mischief as one. He wore a plain white t-shirt with black pants and boots, and upon his head, covering all except short bangs that covered his eyes, was a black hat. His skin, though tinted orange from the light, was a lightly tanned pale. He was no older then sixteen years.

From behind, two other boys approached, wearing similar attire, though different in color. One looked a bit older then the boy on the rock, and the other seemed slightly younger. They looked surprisingly similar; brothers. Both were breathless, as if they'd run miles without stopping. "Chris," the younger one said with a worried excitement. "Is it true?"

"That depends entirely on what you're asking," The boy identified as Chris responded without turning. He waited until the sun had completely disappeared behind the horizon before at last turning his head. His eyes caught the last rays of sunlight and reflected, glowing like that of a cat.

"You know damn well, Chrisanthia," the older one said. Something dangerous flashed in Chris' eyes. He sighed and removed his hat, allowing short, vibrant red, wavy hair to fall across his shoulders as he rubbed his head a bit and stood.

The feminine appearance surprised most who joined Chris' imaginary pirate crew, but those who knew Chris from the years before knew very well that he was in fact a girl.

"I've told you not to call me that," she said harshly. Her voice was naturally deeper then a normal woman's, but not so deep that she sounded overly masculine. She placed the hat back upon her head and carefully tucked her hair within. "Yes, it is true,"

"You can't go, Chris," The younger boy said. Chris gazed at him and raised a brow.

"Are you giving the captain orders?" she asked playfully, obviously amused. The boy suddenly looked embarrassed, uncertain. He opened his mouth to respond, but Chris beat him to it. "You can't stop me, guys," she said with a much softer tone. She looked at the older boy. "Gray, we both knew this was coming,"

"You won't survive on your own," The older boy, Gray, said. Chris frowned at the statement.

"You doubted me in the past and you're doubting me again," She said. She shook her head a bit and approached them. "If you're so worried, then come with me,"

Gray looked away. "You know I can't," he said. "I can't leave Dagger," he put a hand on his younger brother's shoulder.

The boy, Dagger, suddenly reached beside his hip and drew a long, wooden sword. He pulled away from his brother and stepped toward Chris, holding the dull top out toward her. "I won't let you go, Chris. We need you here. The Fuschia Pirates are nothing without their captain!"

Chris gazed at the boy. "Don't be an idiot, Dagger," she said firmly. She glanced at Gray. "You've got a new captain now." Gray shifted uncomfortably, but stood tall despite that. "It's an adventure, Dagger. You don't understand,"

"No, you don't understand," Dagger said firmly. His courage was building by the minute. "You can't leave. What if you don't come back?

"I'll always come back," Chris said.

"Not if you die!" Dagger shouted. Chris stared at him silently for a few moments, then, she started laughing. She placed a hand on his head and ruffled his short brown his. His eyes widened a bit and he lowered the sword slightly.

"If I die, I die," She said with a shrug. She started passed the two boys. "The adventure's not fun if there's no risk involved,"

Dagger turned quickly and jumped in front of her, holding the sword out again. "No!" he said, tears forming in his eyes. "I'm not letting you go!"

"Dagger, enough!" Gray shouted. Before another word could be said, however, Dagger lunged at Chris, striking with the sword. The girl's eyes narrowed the slightest bit and she sidestepped, avoiding the attempt with ease. Dagger tripped over his own feet and staggered forward. She grabbed hold of his shoulder and pulled him back, then, she slammed him back into the ground. Chris reached for her belt and quickly took out a knife, with blades on either side of the handle. She held the larger side to the boy's throat. Dagger froze, shocked.

"Enough!" She said to him. "Don't be such a baby!" The boy didn't speak, only bit his lip as he attempted to stop his tears. She pulled back the knife and put it away as she rose to her feet and started walking again.

Gray instantly approached his brother and helped him to his feet. He looked at Chris. "So the old plan then?" he asked her. She stopped briefly and smiled. So he remembered.

"That's right," She said. "Leave undetected; the old Hag knows nothing, Mom and Dad know nothing. You're the only one," She looked at him over his shoulder. "You can tell them tomorrow morning. Once I'm gone."

"The boat's in the harbor," Gray said. Chris nodded and turned away.

"See ya, Gray," she said. Gray smiled.

"So long, Chrisanthia," he said, waving. Chris laughed lightly, but started walking. She'd let it slide, just this once.

By the time she reached the small harbor of Fuschia, the sunlight had completely faded, giving birth to the stars and the bright light of the moon. With a single bag packed with some food and water, she boarded the small dinghy and set sail to begin her dream.

She was going to become a pirate with a crew as famous as the Strawhats. The next title of King of the Pirates would most definitely be hers.

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**A/N:** So that was it; the prologue. Now that I've got the first chapter done, I'll give you all the template. Please, fill it out to the best of your abilities in your reviews. I'll message you if I accept or not. I will do my best to include all of the characters in one-way or another.

Name: (Full Name)

Age:

Gender:

Specialty/Position: (Thief, Marksman, Navigator, Swordsman? What is your Character good at and what would their position on the crew be?)

Race: (Please, Canon One Piece Races only)

Devil Fruit/Weapon/Attacks: (Devil Fruit are not required. Please make a list of attacks/weapons used)

Physical Appearance: (Be as descriptive as possible, please)

History: (Again, descriptive is good)

Personality: (Include positive traits, negative traits, hobbies, fears and whatever else you can think about.

Likes:

Dislikes:

Dream:

Other: (Anything else you can think to add)

And also, remember to review the story itself please. Thanks!

**SNE121**


	2. Travel to Kiri Island Part 1

**A/N:** Ok! So far so good, I suppose. I don't want to wait too long to write a chapter, so yeah. Thanks to those of you who submitted characters and are letting me use them in my story, and thanks for the reviews! Keep submitting characters, villains or allies, doesn't really matter. Now, without further adieu, I present thee with the next chapter!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own One Piece or any items affiliated with it.

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**Pirates!**

**Travel to Kiri Island Part 1**

**The Boy With the Ivory Axe**

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Simply put, Chrisanthia Hopkins was tired. It had been five days since she'd left her quiet little village, left her imaginary pirate crew behind to create a real one and travel the world. Two days ago, she'd run out of food, and failed miserably in attempts to fish. She was hungry, tired, and ultimately frustrated as she lay on the deck of her little, two person boat. There was a light breeze, gently pushing against the single sail and propelling the small boat slowly forward.

If she didn't find land soon, she doubted her chances of surviving. Sure, she knew basic navigation, and judging from the map she'd stolen from a shop back home, there should be an island somewhere nearby. The distance was much larger in reality then it appeared on a map.

"Note to self," She muttered bitterly. "Next time, pack more food then you think you'll need," she put a hand on her growling stomach in an attempt to silence it as she closed her eyes. "Ugh, I'm such an idiot…"

Suddenly, the dim glow of light beyond her eyelids that was the sun disappeared, as if a blanket had just been placed over her head. She opened her eyes and blinked. Clouds were suddenly above her. She sat up and looked around and was annoyed to find that she couldn't see three feet in front of her because of a dense fog that appeared out of nowhere. She frowned and stood, holding onto the makeshift mast holding up the sail. She would probably end up lost now, but what bothered her most was that she didn't know where it came from. It seemed to appear out of nowhere. She squinted her eyes in an attempt to see better, but ultimately, her attempts failed.

Then, she heard the sound of waves upon the sand, slowly sinking back into the ocean. She released the pole and stepped toward the bow of the ship, listening intently. With a suddenness that startled her, the boat jerked to a stop with a creak, and quickly losing her balance, Chris fell into the ocean. Water splashed up around her, and a wave suddenly crashed on top of her, pushing her forward through the fog and knocking her hat off her head. She felt sand beneath her and coughing up the salt water, she struggled to rise to her feet. After pushing her hair back, she searched the waves for her hat. "Come on, where are you?!" She asked aloud. Then, she found it, floating a few feet away. She dove for it and caught it with a relieved sigh before making her way out of the water.

When she was on the sand, she twisted the water out of her hat and placed it back atop her head, hiding her hair within it carefully. She was soaking wet, and suddenly ridiculously cold. She checked her inventory briefly; her Crescent Dagger was in her hat, and her Double Sided Knife was strapped safely to her belt. She nodded contently and started forward. She didn't know _where_ she was, but hopefully, she'd find some sort of food, if not a town.

As Chris walked further and further away from the beach, the fog thinned, allowing a wider range of vision then before. She heaved a shuddering, relieved sigh as she walked along the dirt path. She didn't know _where_ she was going, but if there was a path, there were certainly people. She followed this path for maybe ten minutes before she finally stepped onto the concrete pathway of what she identified as a small town. There were shops; all closed for some reason, on either side of the street. As she walked along the street, she gazed down alleyways and side-streets, where there were people sitting in the streets and residential areas where the citizens lived. She stopped and looked through the fog toward the end of the long street, where she saw the faint outline of a large building; what she assumed was some sort of city hall.

She continued toward it. So far, all of the restaurants and bars she'd passed were closed. Maybe further along, there'd be something open. She only took a few steps when a bit ahead of her, a rather tall being stepped out. He had a rather large weapon held loosely in his hand; a labrys Chris recognized. He was almost a full foot taller then Chris. The right eye that was visible was blue, the other covered by shoulder length chocolate brown hair. He was wearing average clothing; a tattered gray hoodie jacket, blue jeans, and sandals. Chris could see the beginning of a scar upon his neck, and through random holes in his jacket; she could see bits and pieces of the same scar. Instantly, her curiosity clouded her judgment and she found herself wondering how he got the scar.

"Identify yourself," the man said. He stepped a bit closer and lifted the labrys, pointing it at Chris in warning. Chris hesitated. Should she give her real name, or should she lie. Hunger overcame logic.

"Chris Hopkins," she said.

"Any affiliations?" the man asked. As soon as he'd said those two words, three other figures emerged. One of them behind her, holding a bow loaded with a rather sharp arrow. She turned her head a bit to look at him. He had blond hair and light gray eyes and was watching her closely. Her hand shifted down to her dagger instantly and she closed her hand around the hilt between the two blades. The other two were on either side of her, both holding sharp, rather dangerous looking Katana. They looked identical, with brown hair and eyes, though wore different outfits. Twins. She drew her weapon and at once, the four boys tensed. She heard the arrow behind her leave its bow and without a moments hesitation, she turned around. She twisted out of the way, and at the same time, sliced through the wood with her dagger.

The two boys on the side ran at her with a battle cry. Chris ducked and rolled forward as they swung at her and there was a clash of metal as the two Katana connected. She looked over her shoulder at them; they looked rather confused at what had just occurred.

Before she could make another move, the enormous axe was at her throat. Chris looked at it; it was ivory, even the blade, and looked as sharp as the diamond edges of her knives. If Chris didn't know better, she'd say they were composed completely of bone.

"Can't I have a weapon of my own out if I've got four others trained in my direction?" Chris asked the man, staring into his one visible eye. She was tired as a result of two days of starvation, and was breathing a bit heavier then normal. "No, I've got no affiliations except to myself. I got caught in the fog and ended up here."

The boy hesitated. At last, he lowered the axe and rested the handle against the ground. "Ease up, boys," he said to the others. "He's telling the truth,"

She heart two Katana being sheathed and an arrow being placed in its quiver, then, three sets of footsteps approached. "Well, you know my name. If I may be so bold, who are you?"

"Zugai Hibiware," the boy said calmly. "We call the twins Arrow and Pistol, and the archer there is Kei," Chris held out her right hand. "Well, it's a pleasure, Zugai," she said. Hesitantly, the boy took it and she squeezed firmly before releasing him.

"Do you know anywhere I can get some food?" Chris asked him. "I haven't eaten in two days and I'm starving right now,"

"Don't you want to change out of those clothes?" one of the swordsmen asked. Chris looked at him, then down at her still soaking wet clothes. She knew that it would dry on its own within a few hours, but her hair worried her. It would take ages to dry pushed into the hat, and without a doubt give her a cold. That was something she couldn't afford.

With a heavy reluctance, she took off the hat. As her hair fell to her shoulders, she heard a surprised laugh behind her from the archer. "He's a girl," he pointed out.

In front of her, Zugai raised a brow. "I'm going to guess that Chris is short for something else," he stated.

"You're a pretty good fighter for a girl," Arrow said, stepping up beside her.

"Not many of those around here," Pistol added from her other side.

"So where'd you learn?" Arrow continued. Chris blinked, surprised. They were speaking one after another, she wasn't sure what to respond to. Thankfully, she didn't have to.

"Hey, hey, give it a rest," Zugai said to them. He turned his attention to Chris. "You said you were hungry, right? Come on. Everything's open. It's the morning fog that's keeping us inside."

"That makes sense," Chris said. "This fog is ridiculous. Does it come around often?" she reached into her pocket and extracted a hair band, which she used to tie her hair into a ponytail. All she needed was about an hour and then she could put her hat back on. She followed Zugai toward one of the closer restaurants and the three others trailed behind.

"It's an every day thing," he said. "That's why we call this place Kiri island. It's a useful thing in all honesty' it keeps us hidden, but at the same time, it's a double edged sword." They entered the rather empty restaurant and took a seat at a bar. "Some breakfast please, Gato." He said quickly to the bartender. Then, to Chris, he added, "We can't see intruders approaching, so we don't know if they're pirates or just normal people like you,"

"Well, I never said I wasn't a pirate," Chris said. "I just haven't got any affiliations." She smiled lightly and leaned her elbow on the bar, propping her chin in her palm. In front of her, a cup of hot coffee was placed. She took it and thankfully drank, muttering a light thank you to the man. "I'm actually recruiting. You guys are pretty good. Want to be my first members?"

Kei, once again, started laughing. "Pirates?" he asked. "You've got to be joking. We spend our lives here fending off pirates. Why would we join them?"

"Well, why not?" Chris asked before taking a sip. When they didn't respond, she continued. "It'll be an adventure. I can't go to the Grand Line on my own now, can I?"

"Grand Line?" Zugai suddenly asked. He looked at Chris calmly. "What are you going to the Grand Line for?"

Chris grinned. "For One Piece, of course!" she said. "We know that Monkey D. Luffy left it somewhere in the Grand Line. He said so at his execution, remember? We just have to find it,"

Zugai smiled a bit. "So that's it, huh?" he asked. "You're the first pirate I've seen so far that comes talking about One Piece just for the sake of adventure,"

"Yeah, everyone else we've seen wants the fortune. King of the Pirates is one hell of a title," Arrow added in. "Zugai, she's going to the Grand Line. Now's your chance,"

Chris looked at Zugai over the rim of her cup. He was looking away, idly stroking the handle of his ivory labrys with a thumb. At last, he spoke. "I can't get her involved in something like that," he said.

"Something like what?" Chris asked as a plate of eggs, bacon, and hash browns were placed before her. She gave the man a much more enthusiastic thank you and began to eat, savoring every taste.

"I'm not originally from this village," he explained. "When I was young, I was abandoned here by a pirate crew that ravaged the village. The town took me in, despite that. It was only six years ago, when I was twelve, that I found out about this. Since then, I've been building a boat to travel the Grand Line and find them,"

"What do you plan to do when you _do _find them?" Chris asked. She had already finished her food and felt satisfyingly full. Zugai hesitated. "I don't know," he said.

Chris nodded lightly. "Well, come with me then," she said. "We'll go to the Grand Line together; find the rest of our crew along the way, and we'll definitely find those Pirates, whoever they are. You said you were making a ship right? We'll use that,"

"It's not finished yet," Zugai stated. "Besides, I don't recall saying that I agreed to your proposal,"

Chris smiled and stood up. "That doesn't matter," Chris said. "I've made up my mind. Now where's this boat of yours?"

Zugai smiled a bit. "Has anyone ever told you you're a stubborn girl?" he asked. Chris smirked.

"They have," she sad. "And you can bet I'm proud of it," She reached into her pocket and extracted some money. "Thanks for the food, old man," she said. She looked at Zugai. "Well? Let's see this boat of yours,"

"I told you it's not finished yet," he said. "I don't know how much longer it will be,"

"Oh, I can wait," Chris said. "One Piece isn't going to be found while I'm here." She smiled. "Besides, I already told you, you're coming with me," She started toward the door. "Come on, let's go!"

Zugai heaved a light sigh as he watched her exit. He looked at his friends. "Stay here and keep watch of the town," he said as he followed. "I'll be back in a bit,"

"Gotcha," Arrow and Pistol said at the same time.

"Zugai," Kei suddenly said. Zugai stopped at the door and looked at him. "She's still a Pirate. Be careful," Zugai smiled and shot his friend a half salute.

"Whatever you say, Mom," he said jokingly. Then, he disappeared through the door.

**

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A/N:

Yeah, it's starting off a little slow, but you know what, the series is pretty slow sometimes too! And I didn't just want members to join Chris' crew without some sort of story behind it. Like I said above, go ahead and keep submitting. I'm going to say now that Zugai and the three friends are a result of **YolkaEd**'s imagination. The names of the friends and the island and extras are the only characters in this chapter that I made up. Remember to Review!

**SNE121**


	3. Travel to Kiri Island Part 2

**A/N:** Like I said before, I didn't want Chris' members to join her crew without some incentive of some sort of story. Thus this chapter is born! This is where the action finally starts. It's a nice, long chapter, because I wanted it all to be just one, you know? It was a super fast upload because I just _had_ to write this chapter. I've got the next chapter written as well, but that won't go up until I get some reviews! Hope you enjoy it! Read and review! Sorry ahead of time for OOCness

SNE121

**Disclaimer:** I do not own One Piece or any items affiliated with it.

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**Pirates!**

**Travel to Kiri Island Part 2**

**Attack of the Gold Lion Pirates! Enter the First!**

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By the time Chris and Zugai reached the harbor where the boat was docked, the fog had cleared from the surrounding area, allowing clear vision, much to Chris' delight. The red haired girl held her hat loosely in her hand as she followed Zugai along the stretch of ships and Chris found herself scanning the many boats lined up along the docks.

It didn't take long for her to find the large ivory ship; a Galleon, she assumed. She wasn't told that this was in fact Zugai's ship, but she could tell without a doubt. It seemed to be made of the same substance as the labrys still rested in Zugai's hand, though the sails against the masts were a deep ebony color; a heavy contrast against the ivory. The colors reminded her of a piano.

Zugai shot a glanced in Chris' direction and a satisfied smile crossed his lips when he caught her awed expression. "Looks like you found it," he said.

"Well, it's hard to miss," Chris said. The closer they came to it, the more amazed Chris began. The entire ship was made of the ivory substance. "What's it made of?"

Zugai didn't answer. Instead, he promptly changed the subject. "So your name, it's short for something right?" he asked. Chris frowned; however, she knew she wasn't going to get an answer to her question: at east not yet. She decided to play along for the moment.

"Mhm," she said. "But I'll only tell when you officially join my crew. And I'll let you know now, you ever call me by my real name, I'll throw you over board,"

"I never said I was going with you," Zugai protested. "Why are you so set on it anyway?"

"Because I like you," Chris said simply. "Because you seem like a good companion. And from what I'm assuming, an able fighter, and from what I can see here, a fantastic shipwright! Every great pirate needs an equally great first mate, right?"

Zugai unwillingly smiled a bit and looked away to hide it. "Is flattery one of your methods?"

Chris put on a rather mischievous smile and looked at him. "Is it not working?" she asked.

"Not in the least," Zugai answered. Chris maintained her smiled and looked back at the ship. "Well, every bit of it is true," she stated.

"Christina," Zugai said suddenly. Chris looked at him and blinked in confusion. "Christina. Is that your real name?"

Chris laughed a bit. "No," she said. "I told you I'd tell you when you're my official First Mate and Shipwright,"

They reached the ship a few moments later and Chris walked right up to the hull visible above the water. It looked finished enough. She placed a hand on it; it was smooth, but at the same time, strangely rough. She suddenly felt a chill when she realized what exactly this material was. Bone. Solid bone molded together so well that it didn't even look like it. She turned to Zugai and was about to question him about it, but he beat her to it.

"I'm sure you understand now," he said. Chris didn't speak. "And I'm sure you're also wondering _how_ I did it, right?"

"Put simply, yes," Chris answered. Zugai nodded.

"I'm a Devil Fruit user," he explained. "The _Hone Hone no Mi_. The ship is made out of the bones of pirates that attack, and perish at our village." He lifted the axe. "Just like _Honehakaisha_."

Chris wasn't sure how to react. An entire boat composed of human bones? Of course, the bones that made up the ship were those of dead pirates, not living ones. But to think that his ability enabled him to do such things… it was unrealistic. Over everything, she found herself wondering one thing.

"How does it float?" she asked. Zugai raised a brow at her. He expected her to be frightened, disgusted, repulsed. Most people who learned of his power were. But this girl… she wanted to know how it floated? "Well? I know bones are too dense to float, so what are you using to make it?"

Zugai couldn't hold back his smile. "I can control the density of bones," he explained. "I just readjusted it to make them light enough to float,"

"Amazing…" Chris said. She walked the length of the boat, running a hand along the hull. She was definitely taking this boat, and Zugai was coming with her. "What's it missing though?"

"A small detail," Zugai said. He pointed toward the bow of the ship, where Chris saw a half completed wolf's head. "I only need a few more bones to complete that, then, I'll officially be able to name it and set sail comfortably,"

Before Chris could say another word, she heard what sounded like a conch shell. It echoed through the trees surrounding the docks, sending birds from their perches on the trees. She looked at Zugai uncertainly.

Zugai had a sudden worried expression on his face that was replaced instantly by rage. "What is it?" Chris asked.

"Pirates," Zugai snarled in response. Shortly after the word was spoken, there was the sound of gunfire, and the conch's baritone sound faded. Without another word, Zugai ran toward the town with a fire in his eyes that surprised Chris.

The girl hesitated for several moments, then, pushing her hat onto her head and hiding her hair, she took off after Zugai back toward the town.

(--)

What she saw upon arrival shocked her. Windows were broken, doors kicked in, people lying bleeding in agony on the floor as others desperately tried to help. Zugai stopped for the briefest of moments upon catching sight of the scene, eyes wide, frightened for his town. He ran toward the nearest person and knelt beside him. There was a bullet wound in his chest, blood pouring steadily from it. He lifted the man up a bit.

"Zugai," the man said with a pained expression.

"Shh," Zugai said softly, leaning him carefully against the nearby building wall. "Don't speak more then you need to. I'm sorry to trouble you, but who did this?"

"Pirates," the man whispered. Chris approached cautiously. There was a conch lying on the floor not far from this man. She picked it up and examined it. He must have sounded the alarm. "They ravaged the town. Arrow, Kei and Pistol tried to stop them but… there's too many,"

"Who are they?" Zugai asked. "Did you recognize their flag?"

"I didn't," the man said. Zugai nodded briefly and stood up. "Are there any other injured?" The man nodded.

"In the homes," he said. "Some broken bones. Do what you can for them, Zugai. It's too late for me," Zugai frowned as he gazed at the man's wound. It was true. He'd be dead in a few moments. Zugai stood with a nod. "I'm sorry, Gin," he said calmly, placing a gently hand on the man's shoulder. He seemed to be holding back tears. Without another word, he rushed into the house he'd leaned the man on.

Chris looked at the man and handed him the conch shell. She knelt down before him. "Where are they?" he asked gently. The man looked at Chris, surprised.

"Who are you?" he asked. He obviously hadn't seen her before. Chris smiled.

"A friend," she answered. The man seemed content with her answer. He pointed to a bar down the street. Chris nodded briefly and stood up. She started in that direction, but was stopped by a hand grabbing hold of the hem of her jeans. She turned her head and looked down at Gin.

"Be careful, stranger," he said. Chris smiled lightly.

"Gotcha, old man," she said with a half salute. That said, she ran toward the bar. She didn't know why, but there was a strange rage burning within her. She didn't know these people. They didn't know her. Yet she felt a strange urge to save every single on of them. Her anger flashed in yellow-green eyes as she stopped beside the door. She pushed it open and entered.

Within, dozens of men sat at the table, laughing and cheering. She stood, a mere silhouette in the doorway, and looked around the room. There, in the corner, bruised and bleeding, were the two of the three boys she'd met earlier. The twins, Pistol and Arrow. Kei was still standing, in the center of the room, though he seemed to be having trouble. A rather large man slammed a fist against Kei's cheek, sending the boy staggering to the side. He tried to retaliate, but failed as the opposite fist hit his other side. He gripped the bar in an attempt to remain standing, breathing heavily, bleeding from cuts scattered about his body and within his mouth. The man was about to strike again, and it was at that moment that Chris spoke.

"Hey!" She shouted. All activity stopped; the laughing subsided, and all eyes turned to her. Even Kei's gray eyes turned in her direction, and as soon as his eyes met hers, he looked away, ashamed at his condition. Almost instantly the owner of the bar, a young woman in her twenties, rushed toward Kei and pulled him away. Two men, presumably her relatives because of the similar appearance, made their way to Arrow and Pistol and took them out as well during the distraction.

Chris waited until they were gone before extracting the Double-sided dagger from her belt. There was a blade on both ends of the handle, one much smaller then the other. The main blade was about seven inches long, curving slightly. The tip was separated into two prongs, and the back of the blade was serrated halfway down, facing the handle, so that when stabbed, removing the blade would increase damage. The second blade was only about four inches long, and thin, with a light curve. Both blades had a diamond edge, capable of cutting anything. "I don't know what you think gives you the right to do this to innocent people, but don't think you're going to get away with it," she snarled.

At once, everyone in the bar exploded in an overly amused laughter. Closest to the bar, drinking from a large mug, a man stood. He resembled a Lion, with a golden beard and hair resembling a mane and amber eyes that didn't seem real. He was middle aged; perhaps thirty or forty. He carried no weapon, but beside him, an actual lion, dangerous and large, sat soundlessly gnawing on a piece of raw meat. "Are you threatening us?" the man asked. As soon as he spoke, the entire room silenced, though the grins were still apparent on his crews faces. He started toward Chris, walking tall, giving her a degrading look. "Do you know who we are? The Gold Lion Pirates; strongest in the East Blue!" the pirates cheered at the statement. "And I'm Gold Lion Leo. Their captain,"

The man identified as Leo stopped right in front of Chris. The girl stood her ground and looked up at him. "The name means nothing to me," she said firmly. "Never heard it in my life,"

"Bounty Poster!" The man shouted, holding out a single hand. Within moments, a rolled up piece of paper was placed in his hand. He held it out for Chris to see.

Gold Lion Leo. Twelve Million beli.

Chris covered her mouth and stared at the poster, shaking. "T-this is you?" She asked. Leo smiled.

"That's right," he said. "Now if you know what's good for you kid, you'll get out of here." Chris looked at the man, then back at the poster, and started laughing. Leo tilted his head, confused.

"The boy's so scared he's delirious!" one of his crewmates said. Chris looked at him and wiped tears from her eyes.

"No, no it's not that," she said. She grinned and looked at Leo. "It's just that, when I first came in here and saw him, I didn't think it was possible for him to get any uglier!" She put her hands on her hips and leaned toward the poster, squinting a bit. In front her, Leo's eye twitched and he tightened his grip around the top of the poster. "But after looking at this thing, I was obviously wrong,"

Then, with a suddenness that surprised her, an enormous club with nails protruding from the end was swiped at her head with enough force to tear it from her shoulders. She ducked, barely avoiding the attack. The man, seeing that he'd failed in his makeshift execution attempt, put a hand to Chris' throat and pushed her back against the wall. He lifted her off the ground so that her face was level with his. He was tall and round. "You really are an idiot, aren't you, boy?" the pirate snarled. His black eyes were bloodshot and his breath smelled heavily of alcohol. This pirate obviously had way to much to drink. "No one insults the captain and gets away with it!"

Chris smiled. "I believe I just did," she said. With a flash of silver, she stabbed the smaller blade of her dagger into the man's hand. There was a shout and he released her. As she fell, the dagger tore across his hand, cutting it open to the bone. The blade was stained with blood, as was Chris' hand. She frowned. She hadn't intended to do so much damage. The man screamed in agony, clutching his bleeding hand. He stared at Chris with a murderous expression and raised the club again. He swiped it at her and she again ducked to avoid it. The club swung passed her and slammed into three other pirates who had rushed to detain Chris.

Chris rushed toward the man and stabbed the larger half of the blade into his upper arm. He shouted again as she pulled it out and the serrated edge tore open his arm. Blood poured out, dripping to the floor. He reached for her and she cut his palm, then, threw a furious kick at his chest. The man gasped as he was sent sprawling back into the tables. The force of the girls kick took him off guard. He went through the wooden bar and lay on the ground unconscious.

Several of the lower ranked members stared at the short line of broken furniture where the man's body had just traveled. "I told you," Chris said to them, pushing a stray hair back into her hat. Her eyes turned to Leo and she stared murderously into his. "You're going to pay for what you've done to these people,"

Leo swallowed a lump forming in his throat and forced himself to stop shaking. He was Gold Lion Leo! He could stand up to a little boy! "Bao!" he shouted. The lion, hearing its name called, lifted his head from its half eaten slab of meat and looked at its owner. "Attack!"

The lion rose to its feet and stared at Chris with amber eyes and a deep snarl. It was enormous; easily more then half her height, and walked toward her with tense muscles. Chris stared at the lion. Sure, she could handle human men and women, but an animal… that was much more difficult. Humans were predictable. You never know what an animal will do to you. She sheathed the dagger and stepped back a bit. A slab of wood caught her attention. It was a leg of one of the tables, torn off of its host. She wondered if she'd be able to pick it up before the lion decided to attack. As the thought crossed her mind, the lion charged.

She made a split second decision. She turned and picked up the large piece of wood, then, she spun, swinging it blindly. Luckily for her, it caught the lion in the head and knocked it off course. It staggered and then fell, rolling into a cabinet. The shelves broke, dropping shards of glass all over the large creature. It rose, and was about to charge again when a rather large pan fell from the shelf onto its head. The lion staggered forward a bit, dizzy, and then, it fell.

"Bao!" Several crewmembers shouted. Chris smiled triumphantly at her victory. However, she didn't have much time to appreciate it. A slab of wood, similar to her own, slammed into her arm. She cried out from the sudden pain and dropped her weapon. Two sets of hands grabbed her arms as she reached for the wood and held her back.

Leo stood before him, a furious expression plastered to his face. He held the plank with both hands. "You're a foolish boy," he sneered. He drew back the plank briefly, then, he slammed it against her ribs. She felt a sickening crack and bit her lip hard to hold back the scream. Instead, she let out a pained groan. "Just like those other _idiots_!" Again he hit her, on the same side. She felt her breath catch as she struggled to breathe in. Every breath hurt.

Leo pulled back the plank again. "And you're going to die," he said. He slammed the plank into the side of her face. The two men holding her released her as her body twisted form the force of the blow and she crumpled to the floor. She felt blood filling her mouth from a cut in her cheek and spit it out as she rose to her hands and knees. She cringed as a spasm of pain shot through her body, originating from her ribs, and coughed. She was breathing heavily. "You think… that you can kill me?" she asked. The wood slammed into her back, knocking her down yet again.

She rolled onto her back and struggled to catch her breath. "My adventure's barely starting," she said with difficulty. She pushed herself up to her feet. "And I'll be damned if I die this early in the game," She looked at him and smirked. "You can't kill me no matter what you do,"

A crazy glint flashed in Leo's eyes as he approached her. He grabbed the front of her shirt and bent a bit to be level with her. "Watch me," he hissed. He stepped back and prepared to once again strike with the slab of wood. Chris closed her eyes and braced herself for the pain, and was surprised when it didn't come.

She heard the sound of wood hitting the ground and the splatter of blood, and opened her eyes. Zugai was standing to her left, the labrys held out and dripping with blood. Chris couldn't hold in her relieved laugh.

"So you decided to join the party?" she asked him slowly, holding her ribs in pain. Zugai looked at her and smiled a bit.

"Did I have a choice?" he asked. Suddenly, Leo screamed out of pure fear. Chris looked back at him. He was stalk white, and was holding his wrist tightly. Chris noticed at that moment that there was nothing there anymore. She looked at the ground where the mans right hand was lying limp and motionless. Her eyes widened. Zugai looked at Leo, his one visible blue eyes burning with rage. "Just sit tight now, Chris," he said. "I'll take care of the little kitty cat here,"

Leo stepped back as he hastily wrapped a piece of cloth around the bleeding stump that now resided where his hand once was. "What are you waiting for?! Kill him!" he shouted, pointing his good hand at Zugai. The higher ups rushed at Zugai without hesitation. Others ran out of the bar, screaming for their lives. Zugai knelt down and grabbed the severed hand off the floor. Chris wasn't sure how exactly he did it, but suddenly, he was holding the smaller bones; Chris couldn't identify them; in his hands. He threw them at once at the men, and half of them fell instantly, bleeding from miniscule holes in their chests. Chris' eyes widened. He used the bones as weapons? And with such precision! This boy must have had some practice! Her amazement was broken when she saw a man point a gun at him from behind.

"Zugai, watch out!" she shouted. Zugai didn't even look at her. The bullet was fired and it clearly hit him, but he didn't flinch. Instead, he turned to look at the man who shot it. He lifted his axe, twirling it a few times with the ease of a master, and approached him. When he was within range, he swung the axe, severing the arm holding the gun. The man shrieked, struck with fear, and ran out. The others followed. Zugai turned his attention to Leo, who was shaking, obviously terrified.

"This isn't over!" Zugai shouted. "We'll meet again! And I'll kill both of you when that time comes!" The man with the club had awakened, hearing the shouts and screams, gazing around at the blood, his eyes widened. He swallowed a lump in his throat.

"Kairo, let's go!" Leo said. "Get Bao!"

The man didn't even hesitate. He rose to his feet and clumsily ran toward the lion, and after heaving the creature up over his shoulder, he and his captain ran out of the bar.

Chris heaved a sigh and collapsed into a chair. Zugai looked at her as he lowered his axe. "You ok?" he asked her. Chris looked up at him.

"I'll live," she said. Zugai approached her and knelt down, placing a hand on her ribs. "They're not broken," he said, "but you definitely cracked them,"

Chris smiled. "Thanks for the info," she said.

"I saw Kei and the others," Zugai said as he stood. He walked toward an upturned, unbroken table and flipped it right-side up. "Kei said that the only reason they made it out alive was because you showed up and caught the pirate's attention,"

Chris looked away. "Have the twins regained consciousness?" she asked. Zugai nodded. Chris heaved a sigh of relief.

"Thanks," Zugai suddenly said.

"No problem," Chris said. She frowned. She couldn't take this guy away from his home. They obviously needed him. She stood and stretched (but regretted it afterward due to the sudden stab of pain), then, walked toward the door. "I'd better get going then,"

She exited the bar without another word and started down the street. She'd go off to another island and find someone else, as much as she wished she didn't have to. She was several buildings down the street when she heard, "Chris!" being called behind her. She stopped and turned.

Zugai stood there, arms crossed, holding his axe lazily as usual. She looked at him. He had a wide grin on his face. "I thought you'd made your decision to take me along. Is the offer off the table already?" he asked.

Chris looked surprised. Was he being serious? She couldn't hold back the smile that crept across her lips. "Of course not!" She said back. He walked toward her and she extended a hand. He slapped his own into it and the two held like that for several seconds, smiling. "Welcome aboard," Chris said.

* * *

**Crew Members:**

**Chrisanthia Hopkins** – 16 Years, Captain/ Thief

**Zugai Hibiware – **18 years, Shipwright/ Blacksmith

**A/N:** Ok, so I wasn't sure if Zugai would be that violent, but hey, he was pissed off right? And that completes the first! It's pretty long, and I was tempted to make it two chapters, but I didn't want this little section to drag on for too long, so I kept it as one. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and don't forget to read and review. And go ahead and keep submitting characters, good or bad! The next character will be introduced in the next chapter!

SNE121


	4. Questions

**A/N:** So I've had this chapter written for quite a while now. But I wanted to wait for reviews before posting it! There's a lot of dialogue in this chapter, because there's some explanation, and of course, the new character! I'm gonna give the usual little notes. Hope you enjoy the story, et cetera… and don't forget to leave your reviews! Characters still accepted!

**Disclaimer:** I do not One Piece in any way, shape or form.

* * *

**Pirates!**

**Questions, Answers, and… A Cooking Killer Whale?**

It wasn't long after their defeat of the Gold Lion Pirates that Chris and Zugai finally set sail on the completed ship. Two days later in fact, Zugai finished the wolf's head, and he and Chris officially named the Galleon 'Howling Ivory', as a result of it's unique color and the image of the howling wolf. Now, two days after that, after being provided with enough food to last them at least three weeks, the two set sail for their next destination (even though they didn't know where exactly that was).

Zugai watched, leaning against the railing as they drifted farther and farther away from the island on which the slowly rebuilding town resided. He could see three small specks on the docks; his three friends; watching him slowly disappear beyond the horizon. He couldn't believe that he'd finally done it; he'd finished his ship and had set sail to the Grand Line in search of those pirates. What _would_ he do when he found them? He'd never really thought about that. But then again, what were the chances of finding them? They'd left him seventeen years ago. For all he knew, they were long gone.

"What are you thinking about?" Chris suddenly asked beside him. Zugai jumped; he hadn't heard her approach. She laughed at his reaction and he shot her a mildly amused glance.

"Your first name," he lied. "You said you'd tell me if I joined your crew, didn't you?"

"So you're playing that game, eh?" Chris asked, stepping back a bit and crossing her arms as she faced him. "Alright, I'll tell you, but on one condition,"

Zugai raised a brow. "What, am I going to have to swear to secrecy or something?"

Chris considered this. "Well, that too, but─"

"Then your condition is met." He said simply. He looked away back at the ocean. Chris blinked, a bit surprised.

"Hey! That's not it!" she declared. Zugai looked back at her.

"Well, you said one condition," he explained. Chris stared at him with the angry expression of a child who had just gotten his favorite toy taken away. Zugai laughed heartily and looked away. "I'm kidding," he said. "What's your condition?"

Chris rolled her eyes and leaned against the railing. "If I tell you, you have to answer my question," she said. He glanced at her. What could she possibly want to know? She knew about his power, a portion of his past, his home, the ship… what more could she possibly want? He hesitated. "Fine,"

"Chrisanthia," Chris said without looking at him. Zugai blinked several times and looked at her.

"Like the flower?" he asked. Chris nodded stiffly. "Well why don't you go by that? It's a pretty nice name,"

"Because," Chris began, "It's embarrassing. And I've been known as Chris my entire life. If you ever call me that, like I said before, I'll have to throw you overboard," She spoke that last sentence with such a childish, sweet tone that Zugai wondered if she was being serious or not.

Regardless, Zugai nodded. Come to think of it, he really knew nothing about this girl, his Captain. "I think…" he began, uncertain of how to word it, "that it's only fair that if I'm going to join your crew, I should at least know a bit about my captain,"

Chris stepped toward him and raised a reprimanding finger at Zugai. "Uh-uh," she said. "My turn. Then, you can ask,"

Zugai heaved a sigh, but nodded. "Alright , alright," he said. "What do you want to know?"

She reached up and put a hand on the side of his neck and he stiffened. "That scar," She said, lightly touching the area in question. She stepped back and crossed her arms. "Where did you get it?"

Zugai blinked. That was it? He turned a bit red. It was honestly embarrassing. "Well, uh…" he began. "It was a little experiment for a cannon for the ship and…" he trailed off and looked away, crossing his arms. "Well, let's just say that bones and gunpowder don't mix,"

Chris raised a brow. "Boom?" she asked. Zugai looked at her briefly, then away again.

"Pretty much," he said in an undertone with a stiff nod. Chris smiled a bit, but said nothing more about it.

"Alright, I'm satisfied," she stated. "Your turn," Zugai considered his question before speaking.

"What's your story," he decided on. He leaned against the railing and crossed his arms, waiting. Chris looked at him and raised a brow.

"Not very specific, are you?" she asked. She shrugged. "There's not much to tell in all honesty. I don't have a remarkable past; I'm a normal as they come. I came from Fuschia, in the Red Line. Normal parents. Normal family. The works,"

"And yet you're the most abnormal girl I've ever met," Zugai said. Chris shrugged. "Alright new approach. Why do you dress and act like a guy?"

Something flashed in Chris' eyes as she looked away, considering. How should she answer this? There was no point in lying to him: if you couldn't trust your first mate, who could you? "To fit in, I suppose. And just because it annoyed my grandmother" she said. Zugai gave her a skeptical look. "I'm telling the truth. You don't know the old hag. It was always, dresses, and… and… dishes, and perfect little housewife. No way! I've never wanted to do that. I've always wanted to be a pirate!

"One day, I just decided, hey, I'll go hang out with the guys. They have their own little imaginary pirate crew I can join. So I dressed up as a guy and went to join them. I learned to fight, steal; hell, I was the best one there. Then, the old hag blew my cover and the guys kicked me out. To prove I was good enough to stay in their group, they had me steal a dagger; from real pirates." She reached into her hat and extracted the Crescent Dagger from its hidden sheath. Zugai raised a brow. He had no clue she had the thing. The hilt was silver and the four inch blade curled around it, almost like a crescent moon. She held the handle so that the blade curled around her fist. An extra kick to a punch.

"Woah…" Zugai muttered. He gazed at the dagger, and upon closer inspection, saw the edge shining a bit.

"Diamond edge," Chris said. Her free hand unconsciously moved to her shoulder and lightly touched it. Zugai's eyes narrowed at the action and catching his gaze, she twisted it in her hand and slipped it back into its sheath within her hat. "Obviously, I succeeded, and they accepted me again. But like I said, I wanted to be accepted. And I want to be treated fairly."

Zugai nodded briefly. "Makes sense, I guess," he stated. Still, what was with that movement; that blank stare in those few seconds of silence. What was she thinking about? Before he could inquire about it, the boat rocked dangerously.

Chris grabbed hold of the railing to avoid falling, and Zugai took several steps to catch is balance. The ship swayed from side to side for several moments, slowly calming down. Then, there was a thump, and again, the two fought to keep their balance. Chris looked over the railing for the source, eyes scanning the clear ocean.

"What the hell is that?" Zugai asked. Chris shook her head.

"I don't know," She answered. She hated using those words; it annoyed her beyond comprehension. She unsheathed her Double-Sided dagger and stepped onto the railing. "I'm gonna go check,"

"What?" Zugai asked, turning his head sharply to look at her. "Are you crazy? You can't just go in there! What if it's a Sea King?"

"What if it is?" Chris repeated nonchalantly.

"I'll go!" Zugai said. Chris looked at him and raised a brow.

"Oh, yes, because you're just going to float like a cloud in the sky, right? You're a Fruit User. You're a hammer in water, remember?" Zugai frowned, a bit embarrassed. "Just relax, I'll be fine,"

Before she could dive, a large, black figure jumped out of the water. It looked like some sort of fish; with a fin on its back and a blowhole behind its neck, but the strange thing was, it had arms and legs, and a definable head and neck. And wore a blue and yellow Hawaiian shirt and… swimming shorts? Chris noticed fins on the elbows of both arms as well. What she could see of his belly was white, as were the areas around his eyes. Webbed hands grabbed hold of the railing of the ship, rocking the boat enough to knock Chris off her railing and back on deck. Zugai stepped quickly away from the railing, obviously uncertain, as the large creature pulled itself over and onto the ship. It looked around for several moments, then, walked toward Chris.

The girl in question stared at it, dumbstruck, as it approached. It was in all honestly rather scary looking. She was about to reach for a dagger when the creature smiled and extended a hand. "Sorry about that," he said kindly.

Chris blinked several times as she stared at the creature. It just spoke to her. She took the webbed hand and allowed the thing to pull her to her feet. "Uh… it's… ok," she said. The thing turned away from her and looked around the ship. "Wow, I've never seen a ship like this before,"

"Doubt you ever will…" Chris stated.

"Uhm… who exactly are you?" Zugai asked. The fish looked at Zugai as if seeing him from the first time and walked toward him. Zugai tensed a bit nervously. The creature extended a hand.

"The name's Gonzo," he said. "I'm a Killer Whale Fishman,"

"A fishman…" Zugai said, taking Gonzo's hand nervously. "Well… that explains a lot…" He shook his head and pulled his hand away, suddenly angry. "What the hell were you doing bumping into my ship like that! You didn't damage it, did you?"

"What? Oh, no, of course not," Gonzo stated. "Your ship, huh? Are you the captain then?"

"No, I built it," Zugai said rather proudly. He nodded to Chris. "_She's_ the captain," Gonzo looked back at Chris and nodded.

"Right, sorry about that. I was swimming, wasn't paying attention, and I guess I ran into it," he explained.

"Twice…?" Chris asked skeptically. Gonzo smiled weakly at her.

"What do you want from me? I apologized, didn't I?" he asked good-naturedly. Chris sighed and smiled.

"Yeah, guess so… but" She said.

"Oh, you're right," Gonzo said suddenly. "An apology isn't enough. I could have damaged the ship, or sunk it or something,"

"Uh.. I highly doubt that…" Zugai said. It was a small stab at his pride that this man doubted the strength of his ship. Gonzo ignored him.

"I know!" he said, raising his finger in a sudden epiphany. "I'll make you two a nice meal to make up for it. You have a kitchen, don't you?"

Zugai and Chris looked at each other. This boy was very enthusiastic… it was honestly a bit obnoxious. "Uhm… yeah…" Zugai said. "It's right through that door there…"

"Perfect!" Gonzo said, clasping his hands together and rubbing them meaningfully. "Well then, I'll just get started!" he walked toward the door and turned the handle, then, he stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Wait… you're not vegetarians, are you?" he asked with a sudden venom.

Chris and Zugai hesitated for a few moments before shaking their heads. Gonzo's smile returned and he nodded. "Good!" he said. Then, he disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Zugai and Chris in complete and utter confusion. The two looked at each other.

"Did he just…" Chris began, pointing.

"Invite himself in?" Zugai continued. He looked back at the closed door and nodded. "Yeah… he did."

* * *

**A/N: **So there it is! Haha. I had fun with this chapter. Sorry again if they're out of character. Gonzo belongs to **Sam In The Dark. **Thanks for lending him to me! I just realized that for the life of me, I can't think of a crew name! I'm sorry, but I need a little help with it. Let me know of any ideas and I'll take them into consideration! Don't forget to review, and of course, keep the characters coming.


	5. A Delicious Meal

**A/N: **Alright! Next chapter!Thanks to YolkaEd for some crew name ideas. I've figured one out.

**SNE121**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own One Piece in any way, shape, or form.

* * *

**Pirates!**

**A Delicious Meal**

**Join the Crew of Dreamers: Enter the Second!**

* * *

It had been about an hour since the strange Fishman named Gonzo had entered the kitchen. Chris and Zugai had attempted to enter, first separately, then, together, but were promptly rushed out by the enthusiastic man. Now, defeated, they sat by the door, listening to the sounds of sizzling food and clanking plates and silverware.

"I can't believe we just let a stranger into our kitchen…" Chris said, her head in her hands.

"We didn't," Zugai pointed out. "He let himself in… and we just can't seem to get him out." He had one knee up, resting his elbow upon it and his chin in his palm. He looked toward the door. "If he damages anything in there, _his_ bones are going to replace it!"

Shortly after finishing that statement, the door opened. Gonzo stood in the doorway, scanning the ship for the two. "Where'd they go?" he asked himself. Chris and Zugai didn't speak. The smell of the delicious food within wafted out to them. The two looked at each other. Did this Fishman seriously spend an hour cooking?

"Wow…" Chris muttered.

"Oh, there you are!" Gonzo said, seeing them for the first time. He took each of them by the arm and pulled them through the door to the table. The table was placed in the eating area, which had a cabinet with dinnerware against one wall and a window against another. There was a large fish tank filled with saltwater for fish that they'd caught taking up an indented area near the kitchen. The kitchen was like a hallway, with counters on either side, allowing plenty of preparation space. At the end there was a combination stove and oven, where Gonzo had placed a grill attachment. There were shelves above with various spices, and a large refrigerator with their food supply. Various cooking utensils lined cabinets beneath the counters, and a large double-sided sink was near the stove. There was another window above that, which Gonzo had opened. The kitchen was spotless, with clean dished piled up neatly on the counter.

On the table were three bowls of a creamy tomato soup, finished with a swirl of cream in the center and what looked like bits of basil. On the side of each, on smaller plates, were two pieces of toast. Chris blinked several times as she gazed at the soup.

"Fresh tomato soup, drizzled with a little dab of cream and some ground shallots. The bread is sourdough, made from scratch, with mixed parsley, oregano, thyme, chives, and basil, and a pinch of crushed pepper. There's a bit of garlic in it to give it the flavor,"

"You're serious…" Chris muttered, looking at the soup and bread. It looked too perfect to eat. "You really cooked this?"

Gonzo frowned. "Is there a problem?" he asked. Chris shook her head. "Well then, dig in!" Chris and Zugai hesitantly sat down, and shortly after Gonzo did as well. He watched them pick up their spoons, dip them in the soup, and taste it. Chris' face lit up instantly and Zugai's eyebrows rose.

"This is really good," he said. He took another spoonful.

"Yeah, it is," Chris agreed. Gonzo smiled contently and started to eat his own soup. Not much later, the three were finished with both the soup, and the bread, and Gonzo promptly took away the dishes. He placed them in the sink and busied himself with the oven. A few minutes later, he made his way back toward them with three plates and placed them on the table.

Each one was packed artistically with the same thing; fried rice sprinkled with soy sauce, kabobs alternating between meat and vegetables, barbequed meat with light gravy atop, and a small side of mixed vegetables. A series of herbs littered the plate for extra flavor.

"And here's the main course; the kabobs were cooked in the oven and seasoned with salt and pepper. The meat was barbequed on a grill attachment I found for the stove. The rice has chopped green onions and corn and some carrot." Gonzo explained. He sat down at his place and watched them. "Enjoy,"

Chris picked up her fork and knife and cut a piece off of the meat. She looked at it briefly, then, popped it into her mouth and chewed. Gonzo watched her, waiting for a reaction. Chris lowered her head and put down her fork as she swallowed. Gonzo tensed a bit. That didn't look like a good reaction.

Suddenly, Chris slammed her hand on the table and stood. Zugai coughed, nearly choking on a piece of the kabob, but forced himself to swallow. "What the hell are you doing?!" he snapped at Chris.

"That's it!" Chris said. She pointed at Gonzo. "You! You've got to join my crew!"

"Isn't that a little sudden?" Zugai asked. They didn't know a thing about this fishman except that he was a fantastic cook, and Chris wanted him on the crew? Gonzo blinked several times, uncertain, then, he smiled.

"I've got things to do," he said simply. "I can't distract myself by joining another pirate crew," He put a spoonful of rice into his mouth.

"Another?" Chris asked. She sat back down. "You mean you're part of another crew?"

"I was," Gonzo corrected. "I used to be a cook on the Great White," Chris watched him silently, listening. "A while back, I fought with the new captain and lost. As a result, I was banished from the ship. I'm going to find them again, and free my old crew of Chamu's tyranny."

"Alone?" Zugai asked as he took another bite. Flavors exploded in his mouth and he savored the taste.

"I don't have much choice," Gonzo answered.

"Of course you do," Chris corrected. She looked at him, suddenly serious. "Tell you what, Gonzo. You join my crew as our cook, and we'll do everything we possibly can to help you free your former crew from this Chamu person," Zugai shot her a skeptical look. Then, he smiled and leaned back in his seat.

"I couldn't put you guys through something like that," Gonzo said.

"There's no use arguing," Zugai said. "She's made up her mind. You can't change it," he looked at Gonzo, still smiling. "We've got similar goals, you and I. Both searching for a pirate crew that betrayed us," He honestly wasn't sure if _his_ crew betrayed him; maybe there was a good reason he was left behind. But still… their goals _were_ strangely similar. They'd all finished their meals, so Zugai stood and collected the dirty dishes. Gonzo watched him briefly as he lifted the plate, then walked toward the kitchen.

"How do I know I can trust you to keep your word?" Gonzo asked, looking at Chris.

Chris frowned. "That's a good question," she said. "How _can _you trust me? Either of you?" she shrugged. "I guess you'll just have to take my word for it. I'll never turn my back on a friend," she smiled again. "Whether you believe it or not, Gonzo, we're a crew of dreamers. There's something all of us plan to accomplish before we die. I want to get One Piece and travel the entire world,"

"I want to find that Pirate crew and make the strongest weapon of bone," Zugai suddenly said. Gonzo looked at him. Zugai had been doing dishes and hadn't said a word during Chris' explanation. Now, he was looking up from the soapy water with a grin. "What's your dream, Gonzo?"

Gonzo hesitated. Then, he smiled. "To find the Prime Spice," he said. "And to free the Great White from Chamu," Chris held out a hand toward the fishman.

"Well Gonzo, what do you say?" she asked. "Join this crew of dreamers. I can guarantee you won't regret it. Besides, I don't think I can keep another meal down if it isn't cooked by you," Gonzo looked at her hand for the briefest of moments, then, smiling lightly, he took it.

"Fine," he said. "I'm happy to stay anywhere my food is appreciated,"

Chris smiled widely and shook the fishman's hand. She looked at Zugai smugly. _Told you flattery worked._ She thought. Zugai, seeming to understand the look, rolled his eyes and continued with the dishes. Chris turned her attention back to Gonzo. "Glad you said that, Gonzo," she said happily.

* * *

**Crew Members**

**Chrisanthia Hopkins - **16 Years, Captain/ Thief/ **TEMPORARY** Navigator

**Zugai Hibiware - **18 Years, Shipwright/ Blacksmith.

**Gonzo - **17 Years, Chef.

* * *

**A/N: **It's one of my shorter chapters, yes. I was going to add more, but I really liked the way this turned out. Well, I'm going to take a break from introducing crewmembers for a few chapters; time to get along with an interesting storyline for a few chapters! Don't worry, I'm still accepting characters, so keep submitting! Don't forget to review.

**SNE121**


	6. Welcome to Rose Island

**A/N:** Alright, so like I said in my last note, I'm taking a break from introducing characters to make a little adventure to get ready for my next character. The next few chapters are going to be centered on this adventure! Want to know whom I'm introducing? Well that's too bad. XP. Just kidding. You'll know at the end of this Miniature 'arc', for lack of a better word. Well, keep submitting, and definitely keep reading! A note: Since I don't know the actual value of a Beli, I'm going to be using Japanese currency as the amount. I updated two chapter at once this time because I had this one completely finished at the time I uploaded the last one, and I wanted to get started. Review both if you want, or just one of them. Don't care. Just read and enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own One Piece in any way, shape, or form.

* * *

**Pirates!**

**Welcome to Rose Island**

**Beware the Tyranny of Marines!**

* * *

Rose Island was definitely one to live up to its name. The town they'd docked at, Rose Town, was a nice little area. The houses were painted white, the restaurants and shops multi-leveled so that their owners could live above them. Off in the distance, Chris could see farming areas, and littering the entire island, were beautiful roses of every color. The three of them could see the Marine Base toward the North, with its high walls lined with barbed wire and single large building.

The three Pirates had set off on their own little expeditions. Now, Chris was sitting at a bar, holding an empty cup in one hand. The bartender approached; a white haired man in his forties, and refilled her cup with alcohol. Chris smiled and raised it a bit in thanks, then took a swig. She'd always enjoyed the taste of good ale, and this was definitely good. But the drink wasn't the reason she was here. Something was bothering her.

"Hey, old man," she said calmly. The man, who had turned away to get a rag, turned and looked at her. "Have you lived here long?"

"All my life," the man stated. "Do you want to know something, young man?" He busied himself with cleaning a glass as Chris continued.

"Has the Marine Base always been around?" she took a sip of her drink and waited for a response. The man shook his head.

"Oh, no," he said. "It's only been around for about twenty years. That entire area used to be for farming, but now, it's been isolated to just a few small areas. They put a base when they found out how many East Blue Pirates stopped here on their travels,"

"Well that doesn't make sense…" Chris muttered. "Pirates in the East Blue are generally harmless." _Except that weird Lion guy…_ she thought to herself. "Why make a base here? They've already got one in Loguetown,"

"That's true," the man said. "But you see, the Marines figured that it would be best to stop Pirates before they even got there. The earlier, the better they'd say. It's a bit of a shame, really. Pirates were our source of income. Now, they rarely come to this island,"

"I see…" Chris said. _So they're acting earlier. That could be dangerous._ "By the way, do you know where I could get a map of the Grand Line?"

The man stared at her, surprised. "The Grand Line…?" he asked. "Well why would you want to go there?"

Chris smiled a bit. "The adventure, I suppose," she said. "And I'm looking for something,"

"You're a pirate, aren't you?" another voice asked. Chris glanced to her side. Another man sat down, this one younger, maybe in his early thirties. He wore ragged clothing, his short hair dirty and matted, and he looked drunk. Chris didn't answer. "The only place around here that you'll get a Grand Line map is in the base."

Chris frowned. "Why?" she asked.

"The Marines confiscate any maps of the Grand Line," the bartender explained. "Another one of their methods. No one will try to get it in there. Especially with Captain Westfall under command. The maps are in a vault in his very own office."

Before Chris could even ask who this Captain Westfall was, the bar door slammed open. The room silenced and all eyes turned toward the entrance. Five marines entered the bar, wearing the basic Marine Uniforms. Another man entered after them, much taller and muscular then the other sailors. He wore a long sleeved black suit and a coat draped over his shoulders like a cape with the word "Justice" written on the back. He stepped in wordlessly, his arms crossed. Strapped to his waist was a rather large shotgun. His black hair was cut short, and narrowed black eyes scanned the room. Seeing the frightened, angry expressions, a wide, hyena-like smile spread across his face. "I'm sure you all know what day it is, correct?" he asked. His voice was mocking; almost reprimanding. As if on cue, the five marines walked passed him toward the various occupants of the bar.

Chris watched them, her eyes narrowed. "That's Westfall. And it's Tax time," the drunk man told her. Chris frowned. Tax?

"How much is the tax?" Chris asked.

"9,000 Beli," the old man responded. "Once a month, everyone has to pay the tax. It was a recent development when Westfall was assigned to this post five years ago,"

"And you people stand for it?" Chris asked him. The man frowned.

"We haven't got much choice, young man," she said. "It's either listen or be accused of treason and locked up in their damn prison." He stopped talking as one of the Marines approached him and reached into his pocket. He fished out the 9,000 Beli and gave it to the marine grudgingly. The marine turned to Chris shortly after and held out a hand.

"Tax," he said calmly. Chris examined the man's face. He was frowning, the brim of his hat shadowing his eyes. Was he ashamed?

"I'm not a resident," Chris stated. "I don't have to pay taxes,"

Hearing the words, Westfall turned to her. "Don't have to pay?" he asked. He walked toward her and she looked away, nonchalantly sipping her drink. The Captain stopped before her, his shadow completely covering her. "There's a visitors tax that all guests to this town have to pay. 18,000 Beli," He held out a hand and waited.

Chris looked at him incredulously. "You've got to be kidding," she said. "I'm not going to waste my money paying a tax for a town I don't live in," she went back to her drink calmly. "Hey, can I have a refill, old man?"

She stiffened a bit as she felt the cold barrel of the shotgun press against her head. She frowned unhappily, but turned to look at him. Westfall held the gun steadily between her eyes, finger on the trigger. There were several gasps from the surrounding occupants of the bar. Some ran out. They knew without a doubt that this man would kill the stupidly brave boy sitting at the bar. "Everyone pays the tax," he said.

The door opened once again, and Zugai appeared, Gonzo right behind him. Zugai didn't carry his trademark axe, or any other weapon in fact. The two were unarmed, and stopped in the doorway upon seeing the commotion. Zugai examined the room for a few moments, and when his eyes fell upon Chris, he heaved a sigh. "Can't go anywhere without getting into trouble, can you, Captain?" he asked.

Chris smiled sheepishly, but Westfall, thinking Zugai was speaking to him, turned and looked at him. "What did you say to me?"

Zugai looked at Westfall. "I wasn't talking to you, big guy. I was talking to the kid with the hat," He nodded toward Chris.

"What can I say? I'm an unlucky person," Chris said to her first mate.

"Yeah, I can see that," Zugai stated with a roll of his eyes. He turned his attention to Westfall. "Now, big guy, you'd be wise to take that gun away from my Captain,"

Westfall raised an amused brow at Zugai, and then started laughing. The shotgun shook a bit in his hand, and Chris was honestly a bit worried that he'd accidentally pull the trigger. "You think you scare me? The great Marine Captain Westfall? How amusing. But you called this boy Captain. This must mean you're pirates," he looked to Gonzo and his eyes narrowed in obvious disgust. "What a stupid question. You've got one of those vermin with you. Only a Pirate would be stupid enough to recruit a Fishman,"

Gonzo's eyes narrowed angrily. "Who are you calling a vermin, human?" he snarled. Chris stood up at that point, her hat shadowing her eyes. Westfall turned to her and pressed the gun against her head again. "Sit down!" he ordered.

Chris roughly pushed the gun aside with the palm of her hand as the Captain pulled the trigger. The large bullet crashed into the wall, blowing a hole in the wood. Chris sprang forward and jumped onto Westfall, knocking him onto his back. The shotgun fell form his grip and slid across the floor. She knelt on his chest and in a flash, the Double-Sided dagger was at his throat threateningly. The guns of five Marines were instantly trained on her still form.

Westfall looked at Chris, eyes wide in shock. "No one insults my crew," she hissed. She pressed the edge of the blade harder against his jugular, leaving a thin line of blood in its wake. She stared at Westfall and her eyes were flashing dangerously. "_No one!_"

"What are you waiting for you idiots?!" Westfall shouted, his face red. "Arrest them! All of them!"

The dagger was knocked from Chris' hand as she was tackled by thee men. She didn't struggle as they wretched her arms behind her back and handcuffed them. She looked to Zugai and Gonzo. They two were being cuffed as well, and like Chris, they weren't struggling. "Take them to the 24th Division Prison cell!" Westfall demanded. He was standing and had his shotgun slung over his shoulder. There was a small line of blood trickling down his neck and he wiped it away with the back of his hand.

Zugai and Gonzo looked back at Chris and at the same time, the three of them smiled triumphantly.

Mission accomplished.

**_Earlier that Day…_**

"Alright boys, listen up," Chris said firmly as she, Zugai, and their newest addition, Gonzo, sat at the dining table. There were three glasses of fresh squeezed orange juice; all that remained of the breakfast they'd been eating only a few minutes before. Chris had a map laid out on the table before them; a map of the East Blue made by none other then the famous Nami herself. Of course, it was just a copy, and a very small portion of her world map, but it was a map nonetheless. She'd circled the locations she'd recently traveled in red, and drawn a line traveling between them. Now, with a blue pen, she circled a rather small island to the east of Kiri Island, sitting alone in the ocean with nothing except the blue sea as its companion. She tapped the island once with her pen.

"This is our next destination. Rose Island. I did some reading about it back home; it's got a Marine Base located on the West Side called the 24th-Division. She placed an 'x' mark in red on the west side of the island, then, in blue, she did the same on the east. "This is where we're landing. It's called Rose Town, after the island of course. It's a place we can rest up a bit, get some information, but most importantly, I'm pretty sure there's a Grand Line Map here,"

Gonzo and Zugai looked at her questionably. "Are you sure?" Gonzo asked. "The base seems to be pretty close to the town,"

Chris smiled. "I've heard from Pirates that stop in my home town that Rose Island is where the maps are kept, because it's pretty far away from the Grand Line itself. Since they put in the base twenty years ago, Pirate activity has died down, so it's the safest place to put it. And what pirate crew would be brave enough to go into a Marine Base to get it?"

"Brave enough?" Zugai asked with a raised brow. "You mean stupid enough. This is suicide!"

"So you're saying you're not up for it?" Chris asked him. Zugai laughed at the statement.

"Chris, come on. Of course I'm up to it," he said with a smile. "The more dangerous it is, the better, right?"

"We've got the manpower too. Zugai has his Devil Fruit. Gonzo's got superhuman strength. And I've got a weapon that none of them know about," she tapped her head with her index finger and the two smiled. "It'll be easy. I'll go into a bar, ask the necessary questions, get some information. You guys wait outside until the time is right, and then, we'll get ourselves arrested, break out, and steal that map,"

Gonzo rubbed his head a bit uncertainly. "It's a little dangerous, but I'll trust you," he said with a sigh.

"Maybe we'll make a name for ourselves," Zugai said with a sudden excitement.

"And then, it's off to the Grand Line," Chris declared. She lifted up her Orange Juice, drank it all in one gulp, and slammed the glass down as she stood. "Well, let's move out!"

"Yosh!" the other two answered simultaneously.

* * *

**A/N:** I just _had_ to use 'Yosh' in this sometime. I couldn't help myself! Doubt I'll ever bring it back again. It was just so perfect for the situation. Read and review! Expect the next chapter soon! Maybe later today or tomorrow.


	7. Search For the Grand Line Map Part 1

**A/N: **Alright, on with the action yet again! Thanks for your reviews, ladies and gentlemen. It's really the reason I'm submitting so quickly. I look forward to more in the future, of course :D. Not much else to say except to enjoy the chapter!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own One Piece in any way, shape, or form.

* * *

**Pirates!**

**Search for the Grand Line Map Part 1**

**Escape!**

* * *

The 24th Division Marine Base was essentially a nice facility on the inside. The hallways were wide, with rooms branching off on all sides. It was at least three levels above ground, and two below. The courtyard was a large dirt drilling yard, and at every gate, there were guards. Standing atop towers, armed marksmen stood, ready to fire at any suspicious activity. Chris, Gonzo, and Zugai saw only the ground level of the base before they were escorted in chains down to the bottom level, where the jail was kept.

Unfortunately for them, that particular area wasn't as well kept as the others. They were in separate, 10 by 12 cells with iron bars surrounding the front, and solid rock walls. From her cell, Chris could see both Zugai and Gonzo, whose cells were directly beside each other. The three of them still had their cuffs on; Gonzo's were reinforced and made specifically for Fishmen. Luckily, they didn't know that Zugai was a Devil Fruit User. The two sat against the same wall in their respective cells, near the iron bars. Chris sat further back in her cell where the guards couldn't see her.

Thankfully, she'd been permitted to keep her hat. These Marines weren't very thorough. She tilted her head back and let the hat fall into her hands, then, she extracted the Crescent dagger. Her other weapon had been confiscated by Westfall. She'd have to make sure to get it back. At the moment though, she didn't have time to worry about that. She turned the knife so that the tip of the curved blade was against the metal handcuffs. When she found the keyhole, she smiled and got to work.

"That was good acting," Gonzo said from across the way. Chris looked toward him and raised a confused brow. He didn't answer for a few seconds as he tried to pull apart his own handcuffs, but failed. "When you attacked that Captain,"

Chris smiled a bit. "That wasn't acting," she said. "I was being serious." She heard a click and the cuffs sprang open. She smiled proudly and set them gently on the floor. "Hey," She said to attract their attention. The two boys looked at her as she showed them her free wrists and couldn't hide the smiles on their faces. She put her hat back on, placing her hair carefully inside, and then, she hid the dagger in its sheath. She walked toward the cell door and looked down the narrow walkway. A single guard stood at the end, a pistol on his belt. She put her hands behind her back, as if still cuffed.

"Hey," She called. The marine looked around, a bit confused. "Yeah, you. Come here for a second, would you?" The man looked hesitant for a few moments, then, with a hand on the pistol, he walked toward her. He wore the most basic uniform and looked young, early twenties maybe. The jail keys were clipped to his belt. He was obviously new, probably got stuck with his job. Chris smiled. She could take advantage of this.

"What?" the guard asked. Chris nodded her head back a bit, signaling for the guard to come closer. The young man stepped a bit closer and Chris acted. She reached out, grabbed the collar of the man's shirt, and pulled him against the metal bars. There was a loud _clunk_ as his forehead banged into the iron, and then, he crumpled to the floor.

Chris grabbed the keys quickly and patted the side of the man's face lightly. "Sorry about that, mate," she said with a smile.

"Impressive," Zugai said with a smirk. "Now, hurry up and get us out of here. This isn't exactly the most comfortable position to be in," he squirmed a bit, flexing his fingers uncomfortably.

"I'm working on it," Chris said. She took a random key and tried it in the keyhole outside her cell. No luck. She tried another with the same result. "Why do they need so many damn keys for this place?" she hissed. She tried a third and was satisfied when it turned in the keyhole. There was a click as the door unlocked and she slid it open. "Success," She said proudly.

"Good, now unlock ours," Gonzo said as Chris dragged the unconscious Marine into her cell. He groaned a bit, but remained unmoving otherwise. She locked him in and made quick work of unlocking the other cells and handcuffs.

Zugai and Gonzo rubbed their wrists as the handcuffs fell to the ground with a loud _clank_. "Alright, let's go." Chris decided. She took out her dagger again, holding it in her left hand so that it curved around her fist, and made her way to the door. As the small crew reached it, the handle turned, and the door was pushed open.

A Marine stood before them, holding a small Den-Den Mushi in his hand. He stared at the three pirates before him with wide eyes, then, regaining his composure, he turned and started back up the stairs, speaking into the receiver. "We have a break out! Repeat, a break out!"

Gonzo acted quickly. He rushed toward the guard and before the man could say a word, he attacked. "20 Gallons: Prime Rib!" he said. He slammed a closed fist into the man's face with enough force to break through solid rock. The Marine grunted and hit the wall on the side, then, collapsed, unconscious. The Den-Den Mushi rolled down the stairs as a firm voice began speaking from it. "Petty Officer," the voice shouted. "Petty Officer, are you there?"

"Wow…" Chris said, looking at the unconscious Marine. "Nice one, Gonzo," She reached down and picked up the Den-Den Mushi, where a panicked voice spoke. "Petty Officer, identify the criminals!"

"Relax," Chris said calmly into the reciever. "This is Chris Hopkins, captain of the pirates your little group arrested earlier," she said clearly. "Give your Captain my thanks for letting us in here so willingly," She heard the voice talking to others from the little snail phone and looked up at her crew as she tossed it lazily over her shoulder. "Onward to victory," She said with a rather satisfied smile. She took off ahead of them and the others followed.

"Remember, our primary objective is to find that map," She called to her crew over her shoulder. "We've got to find out where Westfall's office is, first, so once that's done, we'll make our way there,"

"Got it!" The two behind her said. Chris nodded and faced front again. At long last, they reached the top of the stairwell. Chris pushed open the closed door quickly, but quickly regretted it upon seeing at least a dozen guns pointed in her direction.

"Shit!" she hissed. She stepped back and started to close the door, but was stopped by Zugai darting passed her. Immediately, shots were fired; all hitting her first mate directly. Her eyes widened in shock.

"50 Gallons," Gonzo began. He stepped forward as well. "Swiss Cheese!" From the blowhole behind his neck, hundreds of water balls the size of baseballs shot out toward the marines. Some dodged out of the way, earning themselves, surprisingly enough, cuts from the water. Others weren't as lucky, and the water impaled them. There were surprised shouts as the Marines fell and Gonzo stopped his attack.

"Nice one!" Zugai said to Gonzo. The Fishman smirked with satisfaction.

"Thanks," he said with a thumbs up. Chris stepped toward Zugai and hit him hard across the head. Unfortunately for her, it felt like hitting a lead wall. She ignored the pain.

"Don't do that!" She scolded her first mate. "I thought for sure that killed you!"

"Hey, hey, relax," Zugai said with a light smile. "I've got the Hone Hone Fruit, remember? I can control the density of my bones. Didn't feel a thing!"

"That's not the point!" Chris said. She took a deep breath to calm herself and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I didn't know you could do that. It surprised me." _So that's what happened back at Kiri Island…_

"Well now you do," Zugai said, still smiling. "So don't worry,"

"There they are!" a males voice suddenly shouted. Chris looked up to see a large group of Marines running toward them. These carried sharp cutlasses, all drawn and ready to strike.

"Well, they're coming from there, so the staircase to the Ground Level must be that way," Gonzo concluded. Chris heaved an exasperated sigh. She'd hoped there wouldn't be too much trouble. Guess some things were inevitable.

"We don't have much choice," she said unhappily. "Zugai, take the left, Gonzo, the right, I'll get the center," Without a word, the three of them ran toward the Marines. The group looked surprised; they never expected three pirates to take on all thirty of them. Still, they pressed on.

Chris lifted her left fist as one of the Marines slashed a cutlass in her direction. The Crescent Dagger slipped around her wrist stopped the weapon in its tracks. She kicked the man's hand, sending the cutlass flying in the air, then, spun and slammed her elbow into the back of the mans head. Before he could even fall, she kicked him back into a few others behind him. She caught the cutlass in her free hand as it came spiraling down and smirked. "Who's next?" she asked.

Zugai once again increased the density of his bones as he charged into his group. He threw a hard punch at the first Marine he could reach, knocking the man off his feet, then, reached down and grabbed hold of his thigh. "Sorry about this," he said to the Marine. "Evasive Surgery: Femur Bone," The man's femur bone popped out of place and Zugai pulled it through the skin, surprisingly, without tearing it. It simply slipped through as if it were natural. The man screamed, terrified, as he gazed at the large bone in Zugai's hand.

"I'll put it back," Zugai said to him after promptly hitting him across the head with the bone. The man was knocked unconscious instantly. He turned in time to see a man strike with a cutlass and lifted the femur bone to block. "Evasive Surgery," he said again. Then, he grabbed the man's upper arm and, just like the other one, he pulled out the bone, this time the Humerus. "Humerus Bone," The man's arm went limp and he dropped his sword. He looked at Zugai with a shocked expression, and didn't have time to say anything before the bone hit him in the head. Zugai, with his two makeshift clubs, proceeded to disarm the rest.

"20 Gallons!" Gonzo shouted. "Prime Rib!" he shot his fist forward, hitting the first man in his line and knocking him back into at least two others. He ducked under a cutlass aimed at his neck. "35 Gallons!" he began, "Rump Roast!" he threw a roundhouse kick, knocking over the other half of his little group of enemies. Two remained, their cutlasses shaking in their hands, staring at their fallen comrades around them. "Boo," Gonzo said, feinting forward.

The men screamed and turned, running away, then, upon seeing their commander, skidded to a stop, then turned and charged toward Gonzo, weapons raised. Gonzo rolled his eyes and lazily grabbed both of their heads and slammed them together, knocking both out in an instant. Gonzo looked around at the others. There was blood on the floor around Chris, as well as on the blades, but upon looking at the fallen Marines around her, he knew that none of her attacks had been fatal. She dropped the cutlass with a clatter. Zugai's were essentially in a pile. He was kneeling down before two men that were sitting, knocked out against the wall, and somehow managed to reinsert the bones into their respective bodies.

There was one left; the Ensign that led the small fleet of Marines. All three of them turned and looked at the officer simultaneously. The man looked back for a few moments, shaking, then, stepped back. He was about to run, but Chris caught hold of him first. She pinned him against the wall with the dagger against his throat. "I'm not going to hurt you," she said. "But you're going to answer my question,"

"Y-y-yes, sir," The man said to her. He was so scared; she honestly felt bad for doing this. "Where is Westfall's office?"

"I can't tell you that," the Marine said. Chris pressed the blade harder against his neck, tearing the skin a bit. "Wait, wait, wait! It's… it's the third level above ground. That entire floor is his office…" He closed his eyes and gave off a frightened squeal. "Please, don't kill me," he begged. Zugai and Gonzo took off down the hallway toward the next staircase.

Chris lowered her dagger and smiled. "Thanks for your help," she said. As she stepped back, the man's legs gave out beneath him and he shrunk down the wall to the floor. "Your men aren't dead, but I'm sure they're need both physical, and mental care. Give them our apologies, will you?" She turned and began running after the others. "Oh, and by the way," she called over her shoulder. "There's a recruit in one of the jail cells. He's probably got a concussion, so you might want to get him out of there!"

Then, she was gone. The Ensign reached into his pocket and took out a miniature Den-Den Mushi. "Send the medical squads down to sub-level 2," he said into it. He looked at his fallen men. "We've got thirty men down here that need immediate attention!"

"Roger that, Ensign," a voice on the other end said. The Ensign looked down the hallway where Chris and the others had disappeared to and made a second call.

* * *

**A/N: **I'm having so much fun with this part of the story. I don't exactly know why. I added a few things; like giving a name to one of Zugai's techniques, and adding an extra attack to Gonzo. Don't forget to review, my faithful readers, though I don't need to remind any of you.


	8. Search For the Grand Line Map Part 2

**A/N:** Ok, this chapter is a LITTLE bit violent later down… just a warning.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own One Piece in any way, shape, or form.

* * *

**Pirates!**

**Search for the Grand Line Map Part 2**

**The Loyalty of a Captain**

* * *

The main control room of the 24th Division was filled to its limit with Officers. Screens lined the walls, a feed from camera's within the hallways. The three escaped pirates could be seen running through the halls, seeming to jump from one screen to another. Calls were coming in through the multiple Den-Den Mushi scattered about, all shouting the same words of panic, fear, and of course, medical needs. Commander Gremhart Jace didn't know what to make of it all. To think that three unknown pirates could be causing such a wreck of their carefully maintained order.

"Commander!" one of the men called. "Ensign Quint is reporting!" Jace stood from his seat before the screens and walked purposefully toward the lieutenant who'd addressed him.

"Speak, Ensign," Jace said firmly into the Den-Den Mushi before him.

"The Pirates are stronger then we originally anticipated, Commander," the voice said. "They're on their way to the Captain's office. Third floor,"

Jace bit his lip as he turned his attention to the second floor video screens. He pressed a button on the Den-Den Mushi, one that would transfer his voice to all of the snails carried by commanding officers. "Continue as directed," he decided.

"Understood!" a number of different voices said simultaneously.

(--)

The hallways were surprisingly empty as the Pirates made their way toward the staircase leading from the second to third floor. Separating the staircases was a smart strategy, but it didn't do much good if there was no one on the floor to guard them.

"This is too easy," Zugai said good-naturedly. There was a hint of suspicion in his tone, but overall, he sounded amused.

"I know," Chris agreed. "Did we get all of them taken care of already?" She slowed to a cautious walk as she approached the door leading to the third floor stairwell. She carefully slipped the dagger back into its sheath. Hopefully, she'd be able to get her other dagger in here.

"Well, they're just making it easier for us," Gonzo decided. "But be on the lookout,"

Chris pulled open the door and all three of them instantly went on alert, ready to strike. To their surprise, however, the stairwell was empty. Chris' eyes narrowed a bit. "Let's go," she said hesitantly. She started up the stairs, walking. At any moment, someone could pop out of the door at the top. But no one did. They reached the top safely, and Chris opened the door.

The room they were met with was enormous, with carpeted flooring and large windows overlooking the city. By the window was a wooden desk, empty except for a plaque with Westfall's name on it and two other objects.

Chris eyes narrowed upon seeing her dagger, stabbed into the table, and the Grand Line Map rolled up beside it. Now, Chris was a thief, and all good thieves knew that nothing was this easy. Especially if the target was something as valuable as a Grand Line Map. Before she could even turn to tell her crew her suspicions, Zugai was at the desk.

"Hey, wait!" Chris shouted. But it was too late. There was a loud bang as Zugai reached for the map and before the boy could even react, a large net surrounded him. He tried for several brief seconds to break free then, suddenly, he collapsed.

"What the hell… is this?" he snarled. He felt weak, dizzy, exposed.

"Zugai!" Gonzo exclaimed, surprised. He darted toward his crewmate and from above, a solid steel cage fell upon him, weighed down. He grabbed the bars to attempt to bend them apart and was met with a powerful electrical shock. He released the bars instantly and staggered back. He was trapped!

"Damn it!" Chris snarled. She stepped forward to help her crew, then heard another bang, and rolled aside as a second net flew in her direction. She watched it hit the wall and give off an electric shock, like the cage. Her eyes narrowed.

"You're a fast little rodent, aren't you?" Westfall asked. Chris turned her attention to the man and rose up from her crouched position. Westfall was holding a rather large, rocket-launcher type gun over his shoulder, pointed at Chris.

"Let them go," Chris warned. Westfall put down the net launcher and instead lifted his shotgun. He turned away from Chris and the others and walked to his large window, gazing out at the scenery below. Gonzo gripped the bars again, earning himself another electric shock, and with a shout, released them.

"Are you familiar with the term _kairoseki_?" Westfall asked at last. Chris' eyes narrowed. She'd heard the term before, knew that the Marines and World Government used it, but she didn't know exactly _what_ it was or what it did. When Chris didn't respond, Westfall raised a brow. "No?" he asked mockingly. Chris scowled. She could see that smile of his in his reflection. "It's a retardant, so to speak," Westfall turned his head a bit and gazed at Chris with a small smile. "It completely nullifies the power of a Devil Fruit User. The ropes of that net there are linked with _kairoseki_ stone. That boy is useless so long as he's in here,"

"Well, that explains a lot," Zugai muttered bitterly. "Didn't know there was something that could do that…"

"It was pretty reckless," Westfall began. He turned and faced the three pirates as he stepped toward his desk, shotgun pointed right at Chris. "to get yourselves captured, willingly, just to get this little thing," he lifted the Grand Line Map and waved it in the air. Chris eyed it for the briefest of moments, then, her gaze turned to the Double-Sided dagger. She wanted nothing more then to stab this idiot for doing this to her crew. "But don't think we didn't know what your little plan was,"

Chris pushed back her anger and crossed her arms, smiling. "You knew, did you?" she asked. "Well, if you knew, it wasn't very smart of you to let us in then. I thought you Marines were more intelligent then that,"

"I've got to admit though, Chris Hopkins, you're a good actor," Westfall put down the map and instead lifted the Double-Sided dagger, inspecting it with interest. "I mean, you really convinced my when you attacked me back at the bar. I thought you were being serious," He twirled the dagger once and dropped it. Chris winced as it hit the table. That thing wasn't easy to steal and it was damn expensive otherwise! Westfall picked the dagger back up again and dusted off the handle.

"Learn how to use a knife before you decide to be fancy with it," Chris snarled. There was a sudden bang and then, a large hole in the wall beside Chris' head. The girl closed her eyes as splinters of wood shot out, and took a deep breath.

"Watch your tone, boy," Westfall said. As he spoke, a small trickle of blood dripped out of a thin cut on her cheek. So the bullet hit her? Was that intentional? She lifted a hand and wiped the blood away.

"Oi! Don't just go shooting!" Gonzo snarled. "You could have hit her!" Westfall turned his attention to the fishman in the cage and turned the gun in his direction. Chris eyes widened. "You mean like this?" Westfall pulled the trigger. Blood sprayed, splattering to the floor, and there was a loud, pained shout. Gonzo's eyes widened as a small drop of the blood landed on his face.

"Chris!" he shouted. He grabbed the bars and shook them, screaming as electricity surged through his body yet again.

"Damn it!" Zugai snarled as he attempted to free himself form his _kairoseki_ net.

The force of the impact sent Chris staggering back a bit, but she managed to stay standing. She grimaced and gripped the bullet wound in her shoulder. Westfall looked genuinely surprised. "You think I was acting earlier? When I told you not to insult my cook?" Chris asked. She didn't look at him. She tightened her grip on her shoulder. "I warned you," she said. "I put a damn knife to your throat for insulting him, and you have the _nerve_ to threaten his life in front of me?" she looked up at him at last. Her eyes were dull, murderous. "I'm going to show you just how serious I was, you bastard!"

She reached up and took out the crescent dagger again as she charged forward, however, this time, she didn't hold it around her fist. She held it like a claw, between her middle and ring finger. Westfall aimed the gun at her again, but before he could even fire a shot, she was at his side. She reached up and stabbed the dagger into his right shoulder. The blade, once inserted, curved downward, cutting at an angle instead of a straight line. She pulled it out, creating a gaping wound the length of the daggers blade. Westfall screamed and stepped back, closer to the window. Chris kicked him into it and put a hand to his throat as shhe pushed him against the window. "I should push you out right now, you bastard and you'll die when you hit the ground," she hissed. She slammed her fist into his face.

"Chris, don't do it!" Zugai suddenly shouted. Chris didn't look at him. She only tightened her grip around the Captain's neck and pushed him harder against the glass. She was so tempted; he deserved to die for threatening Gonzo's life.

Instead, she released the Captain. She looked away from him for the briefest of moments, trying to calm herself down. The Captain gripped his injured arm. "You'd do this for a Fishman? For that vermin?" he asked, dumbfounded. Chris stiffened. If he would have just shut up, she would have left him alone. Now, she reached for her other dagger, which rested on the desk.

"No," she said. She shifted the Crescent Dagger in her hand, holding it backwards from her usual hold. She twisted a bit and stabbed both weapons into the man's cheeks, and pulled it out. It left two large, bleeding cuts down to his lips giving him an everlasting grin. He screamed and covered it with his hand, trying futilely to hold the two parts together. "I did it for my nakama,"

She sheathed her Crescent Dagger and turned away form the writhing captain toward Zugai. She knelt before the net and cut it with her Double-Sided dagger, freeing him.

"_Kairoseki_, huh?" he asked, looking down at the pieces of the net. He felt his strength returning. "Gotta watch out for that," he looked toward Gonzo. "Alright, big guy, let's get you out of here,"

Zugai searched the desk for a few moments and at last, found what he was searching for. A switch that was clearly labeled 'trap cage'. Not very smart of them to label things like these. He picked up the remote and pushed the button. "Alright, it's safe to touch,"

Gonzo nodded and the words and gingerly grabbed the bars. When no electric shock hit him, he bent the bars apart and exited through the gap. Chris busied herself with wrapping the sleeve of her shirt around the bullet wound in her shoulder. "Let's get out of here," She said. "Zugai, grab the map," she started toward the door, then stopped. "You guys are ok, right?"

"Way ahead of you," Zugai said. He waved the Grand Line Map for a few seconds before slipping it into his jacket pocket. "Yeah, we're fine. We should be asking you that, though, Chris."

"You didn't have to do that," Gonzo said to the Chris. The girl looked at him and smiled lightly.

"I won't let anything happen to my _nakama_," she said. "Regardless of the circumstances," She put on a broader smile, returning to her old self. "Besides, it's just a scratch! I'll be fine. Now, let's get out of here before we get into more trouble. We've got to find a Navigator!"

That said, she ran through the door. Gonzo looked at the dripping trail of blood the followed the girl down the staircase and gave Zugai a worried look. "Don't worry," the man said. "We'll patch her up when we get to the ship. She won't tolerate it now,"

Gonzo frowned. "Alright," he said. He looked toward the desk, where the Captain was beginning to rise from his crumpled position and reach for the Den-Den Mushi. "Let's go,"

And they left.

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**A/N:** Told you it was violent… Chris doesn't tolerate any threats to her crew, lol. Well, that concludes the Rose Island Arc. Now, on to meeting the next crew member! See ya next chapter!


	9. We're Where?

**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews, everyone! Well, now that Rose Island is complete, it's time to get back to introducing characters! I realize that I haven't updates in about two days; that's a lot longer then usual, XP. But I'm going to try to update a few chapters this weekend. I'm letting you know that starting Monday, updates will be scarce, because of school, and the play, and whatnot, but I promise I'll try to update as much as I can!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own One Piece in any way, shape or form.

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**Pirates!**

**We're Where?!**

**Travel in the South Blue?**

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"We've been drifting for days…" Chris muttered as she gazed at the East Blue map before her. She was leaning against the railing on the upper deck of the ship, occasionally looking up at the island in the distance. That didn't make sense… there were no islands to the south of their last location and they were definitely going south. "I don't even know where we are anymore…"

"Well that'll happen when you pass out from blood loss," Zugai pointed out. Chris heaved a sigh. Unfortunately for her, the shotgun had done more damage then she'd originally thought, and upon reaching the ship, she'd collapsed and was completely out for three days. Now, a week after that incident, the wound was close to healing, though she still wore a bandage around it.

Gonzo jumped out of the water suddenly carrying a large fish with elephant-like features in his arms. It flailed in an attempt to escape as he dropped it on deck. "Check out what I found!" he exclaimed.

Chris stared at the fish. She'd never seen anything like it before in her life. "What is it?" she asked.

Gonzo picked the fish back up by the tail. "This little baby just told us exactly where we were. It's a Blue-finned Elephant Tuna! A miracle ingredient for cooking and it's only found in one place in the entire world!"

Really?! So he knew where we were! That was incredible! "Where are we then, Gonzo?" she asked enthusiastically.

"The South Blue!" Gonzo declared. Chris deflated instantly. The South Blue? What?! She looked at her map, then back at the approaching island.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me…" she muttered. She released her map and it drifted down to the lower deck. This was bad. She didn't know ANYTHING about the South Blue!

"You said that was a miracle ingredient, right?" Zugai suddenly asked enthusiastically. He was walking down the small staircase to the lower deck toward Gonzo. "Well, let's cook it up then!"

"No way! I wanna save this baby!" Gonzo said as he made his way toward the kitchen. "It's going into the aquarium!"

"Aw, come on, Gonzo!" Zugai complained. "You can catch more of them!"

"We're gonna land soon! Eat lunch on the island. We've got some money!" Gonzo answered as he and Zugai disappeared into the kitchen.

In the newly acquired silence, Chris gazed at the upcoming island. "South Blue, huh?" she asked herself. She jumped over the railing onto the lower deck and picked up the East Blue Map. She rolled it up and held it loosely in one hand. "Well, let's see what you've got to offer us, Island,"

(--)

The island they landed on seemed particularly peaceful; it was quiet, the docks had a small marketplace where fish and other goods were sold. The buildings were made from wood and, from what she could see from interactions with each other, the people were pretty decent. "You sure you want to stay here, Gonzo?" Chris asked the cook. Gonzo gave her a thumbs up.

"Yeah," he said. He tilted his thumb toward the ocean. "I want to see what else I can catch here. Maybe check out what sort of food they're selling here too. Do we have money to stock up, Chris?" As he finished the statement, a small pouch filled with rolled up bills was tossed to Gonzo.

"Way ahead of you," Chris said. "There's about 9,000 Beli in there. If you need more, you know where to get it, but try not to spend more then 20,000, ok?"

"Aye-aye, Captain," Gonzo answered. He pocketed the money and approached the railing of the ship. "See ya guys in a few hours then,"

"Hey, Gonzo, make sure you keep half an eye on the ship, ok? I'm leaving Honehakaisha here," Zugai added.

"Got it," Gonzo replied before diving into the water. Chris sighed lightly and started off the ship. Zugai followed.

"Hey, you think we can get something to eat? Gonzo refused to cook that Elephant Tuna," he asked Chris. The girl looked at him briefly and smiled.

"Yeah, absolutely!" she said. "Maybe we can find out where we are while we're at it,"

They walked passed the merchants near the docks while politely denying the many offers thrown in their direction. One small, empty booth, however, caught Chris' attention. There was a book of papers resting on the table, bounty posters, and pinned against the wall were the most recent. Chris stopped in her tracks and stared, wide-eyed at the wall. Three of the posters had faces she recognized, all to well.

"Chris, you ok?" Zugai asked. He waved a hand in front of his captain's face. "Hello? Earth to Chris?"

"Z-Zugai…" Chris said. Her tone was obviously shocked, but laced with excitement. She pointed at the empty booth. Zugai followed her gaze and his eyes widened in shock. The two looked at each other and at once, they darted toward the Bounty Posters.

Wanted, Dead or Alive.

Zugai ripped his poster from the wall and stared at the picture in shock. It was himself; he was standing on his ship, smiling, excited to finally be leaving Rose Island. Of course, it was only of his face. When had this picture been taken? He looked at the name and number beneath it. Zugai the Demon's Orthopedic. 24,000,000 Beli.

He tore the second off the wall. This one showed a Fishman scowling; after Westfall had insulted him the first time, Zugai knew. Beneath his picture was the slightly lower number of 21,000,000 Beli. The name read Cascade Gonzo.

Chris stared at the last poster in complete awe. Crescent Dagger Chris Hopkins. She held the dagger from which she was named in one hand, between her middle and ring fingers, about to strike. She looked angry; furious. Could this have been taken during her fight with Westfall. But when? Then, she saw the number. 30,000,000 Beli. Her jaw dropped.

"Woah!" Zugai muttered. He tore Chris' poster from the wall and stared at it. The three posters were held out before him, like a hand of cards. "I can't believe it! We've got bounties! And to think they were sent out so quickly!"

Chris started laughing. "Oh man, this is so awesome!" Chris exclaimed. "We're known!"

"Crescent Dagger… I like the sound of that," Zugai said. "I think we've finally got a name for our crew,"

"Crescent Dagger Pirates," Chris muttered. "I like it," she grinned broadly, suddenly extremely happy. Then, something else caught her attention. Tacked where her poster was, there was another poster of a different girl. She had long golden-brown hair and piercing blue eyes with a tinge of green around the pupils. The girl's eyes were toward the left of whatever camera had taken the picture, as if keeping a look out. She took the poster from the wall and looked at the name and bounty.

Lily Void the Vicious Mind. 990,000,000 Beli. Why would they give so much for this girl? It was the highest bounty she'd ever seen. Zugai looked at the poster over her shoulder and let out a low whistle.

"That's one hell of a price," he said. "For a girl that pretty. I wonder what she did to deserve that?"

Zugai looked at Chris sternly. "What are you planning, Chris?" he asked, folding the three bounty posters and pocketing them. He definitely had to show these to Gonzo. Chris paid him no attention. She stared at the girl's eyes and knew right away where she got the first part of that nickname of hers. "Chris?"

Lily's eyes were dull, lifeless. Like an endless void of blue. Chris frowned a bit. What had this girl gone through to give her those eyes? "Chrisanthia!"

Chris looked up from her trance and stared at Zugai, shocked. Did he really just call her that? Immediately, her eyes narrowed. "Didn't I tell you _not_ to call me that?" she snapped.

Zugai smiled weakly. "Well, we're not on the ship, so I figured I'd be safe," he said lightly with a laugh. "Can't throw me over board, can you?" As he finished those words, a fist hit him hard atop the head. Of course, Chris had to jump to reach, but she still hit her mark. "Ow!"

"Next time, it'll be worse," Chris warned. She started walking away. Zugai rubbed his head and stared at her.

"Chris, you're not really mad are you?" he asked his captain. Chris waved him off with one hand and Zugai frowned. He jogged to catch up with her and put a hand on her shoulder. Chris drew her dagger and turned on Zugai, placing the blade level with his eye. The boy stopped, shocked, and stared at her.

She couldn't keep a straight face. She smiled and put away the blade. "Relax, I'm only joking,"

"You're a terrible actress," Zugai said, crossing his arms. Chris laughed a bit.

"You've never seen me act before," she looked down at the poster still clasped in her hand. "But on a more serious note, I want to find this girl," she lifted the poster of Lily long enough for him to see it.

"The name sounds dangerous," Zugai commented. "Any particular reason?" Chris looked back at the poster.

"Something about her," she decided. She folded the bounty poster and put it in her back pocket. "Well, let's go, I'm hungry," She said. She turned and was about to take a step, but was met with a girl that was a couple inches shorter then herself. She gasped and bumped into her.

"Oh, sorry!" Chris said as the girl fell backward. The girl had shorter, white-blond hair then Chris did; extending maybe passed her ears, and had bluish-purple eyes. She wore a sleeveless black shirt and white shorts, and over it all, a long grayish-black coat. Around his left wrist were three silver bracelets that caught Chris' eye in an instant. They could potentially sell for a lot of money. She extended a hand to help the girl. "Are you ok, miss?"

The girl looked at Chris and blinked. "I'm fine…" she said, taking her hand and accepting the help. Her voice sounded more masculine and Chris suddenly doubted her judgment. "But… I'm not a miss…"

Instantly, Chris turned red. "Oh, sorry about that," she said. "I didn't realize…"

"You thought I was a girl…" the boy said. Chris blinked.

"Eh… well yeah, you do look kind of feminine but… obviously, I was wrong. Sorry about that. I'm Chris,"

"I'm Jae," the boy said.

"Nice to meet you," Chris said. "Hey, by the way, can you tell me where we are? And where there's a good place to eat…" The boy suddenly brightened up.

"You're on an island called Alde Nare in the South Blue. And as for good food? Just come with me!" Jae said. He turned and walked back in the direction he came. Chris glanced at Zugai briefly, then, with a shrug, the two followed.

As they walked away, two heads poked out of the Bounty Poster booth. One was a girl, no older then nineteen, with long blond hair tied into a ponytail and intense green eyes. She had a soft face, and was considerably thin, wearing a loose black shirt, jeans, and a beanie upon her head. The other was a boy, the same age, that literally looked like a male version of the first. His blond hair was cut short and spiked up, and the same green eyes watched the two pirates and the boy named Jae leaving. The boy wore the same colored cothing as the girl, including the beanie. It was apparent at that moment that the two were twins.

In their hands, they each held a bounty poster; the girl holding Chris', the boy holding Zugai's.

"They're quite expensive, aren't they, Brother?" the girl asked, her eyes falling on the 30,000,000.

"Yes, quite, Sister," the boy continued. He looked at Zugai's bounty, then flipped to the poster he held behind it, Gonzo's. "And the fishman is pricey as well,"

"Well, we'll get the normal ones first," the girl said. "A fishman will be harder to capture. Both of us will need to combine our strength,"

"Quite right," the boy agreed with a brief nod. "Well, Sister, shall we begin the hunt?"

"Yes, Brother, let's," the girl stated. With that final statement said, the two rose from their hiding places, bounty posters in hand, and ran in the direction Chris and Zugai had gone.

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**A/N:** Alright, I cut it off here because I plan to add another chapter; hopefully today, but I doubt it. So this little part is gonna have a back story as well. Hope you enjoyed reading and please, remember to review!

SNE121


	10. The Twin Bounty Hunters

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**A/N:** Ok, so I thought it would be cool to have semi-ancient weapons for the bounty hunters. If you don't know what their weapons are or look like, you can find them on Wikipedia, once they're revealed. It's difficult to describe one of them. I realized while searching for weapons for these two that there really IS a Crescent Moon knife! Just not the one Chris has! It surprised me! So just so you know, the Deer Horn Knives (another name for the girl's weapon) that the girl uses is NOT the Crescent Dagger that Chris uses. I made that one up. A quick clarification, the fights are taking place at the same time! I just wrote them separately. Sorry for not updating in a while. I was really iffy about this chapter, and honestly, I still am, but you know, I'll deal with it. Now, without further distraction, I bring you Chapter 10!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own One Piece in any way, shape, or form.

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**Pirates!**

**The Twin Bounty Hunters**

**Enter the Third!**

Chris and Zugai followed the strange new boy into a good-sized restaurant, empty except for a few customers eating and the staff wandering. The sign outside had read Kui Ware; a strange name if Chris had ever heard one, but it sold food. Good food, she presumed. Or at least… she hoped. Jae led them to an empty table close to a window and sat with them, obviously curious.

"The usual, please Elle-san, for three." he called to a girl behind the bar. The girl had brown hair tied in a ponytail and eyes to match, and she wore a chef's outfit.

"Got it, Jae," she called back before disappearing. Jae rested his elbows against the table and placed his chin on the heel of his hands, gazing at the two pirates across from him. "So, who exactly are you two and where are you from?

"Well, I already introduced myself…" Chris muttered. She found herself wondering what 'the usual' was for this boy. He was pretty strange… she was worried for her stomach.

"I'm Zugai," Zugai stated, nodding his head. "We're from the East Blue," Jae's eyebrows rose, disappearing behind his bangs.

"Really, the East Blue?" he asked. "What are you doing here then?" Chris turned a bit red and looked away. She couldn't admit she was lost! She was formulating lies in her head, but before she could say a word, Zugai spoke.

"Oh, we got lost," he said with a rather aloof smile. "You see, we had to travel for two or three days without Chris' direction; a little incident on Rose Island, and well… Gonzo and I don't know a thing about navigation, so…"

Chris put her head in her hands. "Oh, you're a Navigator then?" Jae asked. He sat up and looked at Chris. The girl looked at him briefly, then sighed and leaned back.

"No," She answered. "I know basic Navigation; I can read a map, but I'm only familiar with the weather and currents of the East Blue…"

"So you have no idea how to get home," Jae pointed out bluntly. Chris felt the corner of her eye twitch in annoyance and before she could stop herself, she stood, reached across the table, and bonked Jae hard on the head.

"Don't say it like that!" she snapped. Jae gripped the top of his head and rubbed it with a tear in one eye.

"Hey! That hurt, Chris-san!" he said with a glare at Chris.

"That was the idea," Chris answered, crossing her arms. "And stop adding that to my name, it's too formal!" Their food was place in front of them; a plate of curry and rise that looked really good. Chris muttered a 'thanks' to the waitress as she lifted her fork.

Beside her, Zugai pinched the bridge of his nose, a bit embarrassed. "You'll have to excuse her. She's got a notoriously short temper," he said, glaring at Chris through the corner of his eyes. He picked his own silverware and smelled it briefly. "What exactly is this?"

"It's Curry," Jae said. He was already eating his, and in fact, was speaking with his mouth full. "You've never had curry before? Do you live in a box or something, Zugai-san?" Now, it was Zugai's turn to be annoyed. This boy really was too much.

"Now, now, Zugai," Chris said in a mock-reprimanding tone. "He only said one thing, no need to lose your temper," she glanced at him and smiled mischievously. Zugai rolled his eyes and kept his comments to himself, instead deciding to busy himself with his Curry.

"So it's just the two of you, and you're lost in the South Blue trying to get home…?" Jae asked. Chris looked at him and shook her head. She chewed and swallowed what was in her mouth before speaking.

"I never said I wanted to go home. I can get to Reverse Mountain from any one of the Blues. Our destination is the Grand Line," she smiled a bit. "You see, we're pirates,"

"And we've got our other crewmember back at the ship. He didn't want to come with us, so he's back there swimming around looking for fish," Zugai explained. "Hey, this stuff is really good,"

"You're never going to last in the Grand Line if you got yourselves lost in the Blues," Jae explained. Chris heaved a sigh.

"Ok, you know we're lost, can you please just stop repeating it?" she asked in frustration. "We haven't found a navigator yet. What do you expect?"

Jae shrugged and pushed aside his suddenly empty plate. Considering how scrawny he was, he was a fast eater. "Well, I'm a navigator," he said. Chris' eyes suddenly lit up.

"Really?! You can come along with us then!" she decided.

"There you go randomly inviting people," Zugai said with a sigh.

"I can't," Jae stated. "I can't leave my sister behind," Chris' smile faded as she stared at the boy.

"Come on! I know you didn't tell me you could navigate just to deny my invitation," she pressed. "What kind of person doesn't want to go on an adventure? Don't you want to sail the world?"

"Of course I do," Jae said, wrinkling his brow as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I plan to make the best maps in the world; better then Nami's even, and I'm going to take Yunae-san to every location when I'm done with them,"

"Well that's all the more reason to come along!" Zugai said. "We're going to travel the world; you can come with us, make the maps, and then come back and take that girl Yunae everywhere,"

Jae looked at Zugai. He had a good point didn't he. And Yunae would definitely _want_ him to go along. "I've got to talk to her first," he said at last. He stood up and put some money on the table to pay for the food. "Can I get back to you guys on that offer?"

Chris frowned a bit and leaned back. "Fine," she said. She took another bite of her curry. "You've got 'till sundown, then we're setting sail."

"With or without me?" Jae asked. Chris laughed a bit.

"Of course not," Zugai said. "Whether you make your decision or not, you're coming with us. We're not leaving without a Navigator,"

"Exactly," Chris confirmed with a nod. "I've made my decision. You claim to be a good Navigator; I'm going to trust your judgment. Besides, it'll be nice to have a new face along,"

Jae smiled a bit, covering his mouth with one hand in a rather feminine way. "Alright," he said. "Then I suppose, whether I want to or not, I'll see the two of you at sundown," With that said, he disappeared through the door.

"You know, Gonzo cooks better," Zugai muttered. He pushed the finished curry away, but looked far from content. The spoon fell to the ground and with an annoyed sigh, he bent down to retrieve it.

Chris shrugged. "Yeah, but beggars can't be choosers, right?" she asked. She lifted a spoonful of Curry to her mouth; the last bite in fact, but before she could eat it, a sharp dart pierced her hand. She dropped the spoon and cursed under her breath as she pulled the dart out immediately. A small drop of blood seeped from the miniscule hole the side of her hand. She stood up and looked around the room. Zugai rose and put the spoon he'd dropped on the table. He looked at Chris.

"What's up?" he asked.

"It seems you missed your target, Brother," a girls voice suddenly said. Chris and Zugai turned their attention to a dark corner of the restaurant, where a boy was sitting with a short blowgun in his hand He was resting his elbow on the table to steady it, and pointing it in Zugai's direction. However, he was facing the girl beside him.

"Well, it isn't my fault he moved," the boy argued.

"Hey!" Chris snapped. At once, the two looked at her, surprised. Chris lifted the dart angrily. "What the hell was this for?" she threw it back and it moved swiftly through the air before implanting itself in the wall right beside the boys head.

At once, the two, strangely identical, people jumped onto the table they sat at. "My name is Hikari!" the girl declared. She dropped the blowgun, but quickly pulled a Meteor Hammer, swinging one of the weights expertly as the other end hung limply

"And my name is Hikaru!" the boy added. He held a pair of Deer Horn Knives; one in each hand. The blades were shining; sharp. Chris stared at them with an immediate interest. The two turned, back to back, and spoke the next words simultaneously. "And we're the Twin Bounty Hunters!"

Chris and Zugai looked at them skeptically for a few moments. "What's with their names? They're practically identical…" Zugai asked.

"And those poses…" Chris added.

"They're obviously complete idiots…" Zugai said.

"Yeah, idiots," Chris agreed. With a suddenness that surprised both of them, one of the weights slammed into their table, completely destroying it. The two took several steps back as Hikari pulled the weight back with expert skill and it fell right back into its spinning swing.

"Enough!" she said. "We, the Twin Bounty Hunters, are going to capture both of you and claim your bounties!" She held out Zugai's Bounty Poster with a grin. "Zugai the Demon's Orthopedic!"

Hikaru lifted Chris' bounty poster as well. "And Crescent Dagger Chris Hopkins!"

"And then, once we have you two tied up and in our custody, we'll get the last one!" Hikari added, lifting the final poster. "Cascade Gonzo!"

"You've got to be kidding…" Chris muttered. She started laughing suddenly, and Zugai joined in.

"Don't be so cocky, you idiots," he said. "You really think that with those things, you can take us on?" _Even though they _are_ pretty cool…_

"Don't underestimate us, Pirates!" Hikaru snarled. "We're the best Bounty Hunters in the South Blue!"

"According to who?" Chris inquired. She shook her head and lifted a hand to silence them before they could even answer. "Never mind, don't answer that…"

"Hey!" the girl, Elle suddenly shouted. "I don't mind if you're Pirates, but don't go starting fights in my restaurant!" Chris looked at her apologetically.

"Sorry, lady," she said. She looked back at Hikari and Hikaru. "You two say you're the best bounty hunters? Well, time for a little hunt then. Zugai, let's go!"

Zugai shot a skeptical look at his captain as she ran out of the restaurant, but followed regardless.

"After them!" Hikaru said to his sister. He jumped off the table and Hikari followed the suit. That said, the bounty hunters took off after their prey.

(--)

Chris and Zugai were long gone by the time the twins exited the bar, toward a slightly forested area of the island. They stayed together, though; it was never good to separate on unfamiliar terrain. They stopped running behind a large, healthy tree to catch their breath.

"So what's your plan, Chris?" Zugai asked his captain. There had to be some sort of reason they were leading their opponents to this terrain. Chris adjusted her hat, which had fallen a bit askew during their escape, and smiled rather aloofly.

"Well, there isn't one," she said honestly. Zugai stared at her, dumbfounded. "But I didn't lead us here for no reason! I didn't want the town getting damaged!"

Zugai slapped his forehead in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me… Why do I follow you, anyway? You're such an idiot sometimes!"

"Hey, hey, there's no need to be so harsh," Chris said, raising her hands in defense. "We can take those goons without a problem."

"You're being too confident, Chris," Zugai said. "That Meteor Hammer is a really unpredictable weapon, and that girl seems to have complete control over it. And those Deer Horn Knives are really dangerous, did you see how sharp they are?"

Chris suddenly smiled, her eyes narrowing mischievously. "Are you scared, Zugai?" she asked playfully. Zugai stared at her for a few moments, holding his breath to keep in his anger.

"Of course not," he said sharply. "What a stupid thing to ask!"

"Then there's no problem!" Chris assured him. He was about to argue when the weight of the Meteor Hammer slammed into the tree they were against, breaking the bark and nearly hitting them. They jumped away, rolling and landing in a crouch a few feet away. There was the soft sound of someone landing behind them, and they turned their heads to see Hikaru, arms crossed in front of him. Beneath his beanie, his eyes shined dangerously. The two stood and took a step forward to avoid it, but failed, earning themselves a deep cut on opposite shoulders. Chris grabbed her left shoulder as blood began to seep through the wound and Zugai gripped his right.

_Damn it!_ He thought. _They're working as a team!_ Hikari jumped down in front of them and shot the Meteor Hammer out like a whip, aimed at Chris' head. That was at least a thirty-pound weight; it would crack her skull. Zugai pushed her aside and quickly hardened his bones. The weight hit him in the side of the head, sending him staggering to the side. It hurt, yes, but not as much as it should have. Now, he was seeing double. He gripped his head in both hands, trying to clear his vision. He felt the chain wrap around his left arm, and a sudden tug, and pushed his foot forward a bit to keep his balance. He wrapped it once more around his arm and grabbed the chain, then took it with his free hand as well.

"Zugai!" Chris shouted. He felt her step behind him, heard steel upon steel, and felt her back press against his. She tried to hold her ground, one-foot forward, the other slightly back. Her Double-Sided dagger was in her hand, both blades keeping the Deer Horn Knives at bay where the blades and handles connected.

"Bastard," she hissed. "Attacking while he's disorientated,"

"That attack should have killed him," Hikaru explained. "Why is he still standing?"

Zugai smirked a bit. "There's a very good reason for that," he said. He tugged on the chain, his muscles straining, and finally managed to pull Hikari into the open. He twisted, pulling the chain over his shoulder, with Hikari still holding it, and faced Hikaru and Chris. "Move!" he ordered.

Chris didn't hesitated. She saw the shadow of the girl, linked to the chain, falling, and jumped aside. Hikaru staggered forward and looked up at his sister for the briefest of moments before she fell on top of him with a shout.

Zugai quickly untangled himself from the chain and let it fall. He rubbed his arm; even the few moments the chain was wrapped around it cut off the circulation, and now, he was feeing pins and needles. Chris grabbed hold of him and pulled.

"Let's go!" she said. She pulled him away from the siblings, tangled in the chain on the floor. When she felt safe, she stopped and turned to look at Zugai. His shoulder was bleeding, and there was a trickle of blood coming from his head. "Are you ok?" she asked. She pushed his hair aside to examine the large bruise forming on his forehead. There was a thin, bleeding cut there.

Zugai closed his eyes for several moments and when he opened them his vision was clear. He heaved a sigh and nodded. "Yeah," he said as he pushed her hands away. "Those bastards fight dirty,"

"Yeah, I noticed," Chris agreed. "They fight as a team, perfectly in sync. If it was just once of us against them, we'd definitely be annihilated."

"But there's two of us," Zugai reminded her. "Why is it that every time something like this happens, I don't have Honehakaisha?" he snarled. His eyes turned to the small trail of blood from their wounds that followed. They'd be able to follow that. And when one attacked, the other wouldn't be far behind. His eyes widened and he lifted his head, struck with a sudden epiphany. He looked at Chris quickly. "I've got an idea!" he said.

(--)

"Found 'em," Hikaru muttered from his position in the trees above. He and his sister had followed the blood trail, though it was faint, to a small clearing. Hikari was below, hidden stealthily in the bushes.

Zugai stood in center of the clearing, facing the direction Hikari stood. He held no weapon, but was completely silent. Listening, watching, waiting. The boy with the hat was nowhere in sight. Hikari smirked. She looked up at her brother and he met her gaze, and with a smile, he nodded. She spun the Meteor Hammer and shot it out at Zugai.

Zugai's eyes widened upon seeing it approaching. He twisted aside, barely dodging.

Hikaru jumped down behind Zugai, looking down as he made his strike with one Deer Horn Knife. He was surprised to hear the sound of metal upon metal and looked up. Chris was smirking, holding the Double-Sided dagger out in defense with her right hand. "Surprise," Chris said with a grin. She twisted her hand, stabbing the smaller blade of the dagger into the back of Hikaru's hand. The boy shouted and dropped the Knife. Chris grabbed the handle before it could get too far and promptly slashed the Deer Horn Knife across the Bounty Hunter's chest. Hikaru's eyes widened as blood began to pour from the wound and staggered back. "You want to hunt pirates?" Chris asked. "Then be ready to lose your life," She shot a forward kick hard at his chest. He was knocked back into a tree, coughing from the force. The second knife slipped from his grasp as he slunk downward into a sitting position, his head down.

Zugai followed the length of the chain toward the bushes where Hikari was hiding. He grabbed hold of the chain and pulled her out. Her eyes were wide, frightened. He grabbed her right upper arm tightly and slammed her against a tree. She tried to retaliate with the Meteor Hammer. To stop her, Zugai lifted a foot, placing it on her hand to halt her movement. "Do you know why they call me the Demon's Orthopedic?" Zugai asked her. She stared at him, terrified. He looked back rather apologetically and tightened his grip on her arm. "Evasive Surgery," he began. Hikari screamed suddenly and passed out. Zugai raised an eyebrow skeptically, but released the girl all the same and stepped back, at which point she promptly fell to the ground.

"That was too easy…" he decided. He lowered his arm and flexed his hands in an attempt to loosen the muscles that had tensed in preparation for his 'attack' He looked at Chris. "They're good as a team, but get them separated and they're pretty pathetic…"

Chris turned her attention to Zugai and smiled. "You know, we make a pretty good team," She pointed out. She picked up one of the knives and examined it. "I want these…"

"Well then, take 'em," Zugai said lazily. "You earned them, anyway. And besides, knives as nice as that are better suited in the hands of someone who actually knows how to use them," he looked back at Hikari. "I thought she would put up more of a fight. She's such a girl…"

Zugai suddenly felt harsh eyes staring at the back of his head and stiffened. He shouldn't have said that. He hesitantly turned around. Chris was now holding both Deer Horn knives at her sides, staring at Zugai angrily. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked darkly.

Zugai swallowed the lump in his throat and turned to look at Chris with a smile, backing away. "Oh, nothing," he said. "It was just uh…" he turned away from her and ran. "Last one to Ivory does dishes!" he covered.

"Hey! Get back here, you bastard!" Chris shouted. A small smile crossed her lips, despite her annoyance with him. _Idiot_. She thought playfully. She ran after Zugai. "You cheater!"

_-A Few Hours Later-_

Chris sat on the railing of the Howling Ivory, staring at the island before them. The sun was beginning to set now, and there was still no sign of their would-be navigator. She found herself wondering if that boy really _did_ leave to talk to that girl he'd mentioned. Her eyes darted to the setting sun. It was going to be troublesome looking for him.

But beggars couldn't be choosers. And she really wanted this boy, Jae, on the ship. There was a loud splash, interrupting her musings, and Gonzo jumped out of the ocean. Over his back, he carried a net, where at least nine Blue-Finned Elephant Tuna were flopping wildly in an attempt to escape. Chris raised a brow. "Wow…"

"This place is incredible!" Gonzo said. "These babies are everywhere down there! Damn, am I going to miss the South Blue when we head off to the Grand Line!" he looked at Chris as if just noticing her. "Oh, you're back! I restocked on food, I spend 15,000 Beli. Hope you don't mind,"

"No, of course not," Chris said. "As long as the food's good, I'm fine with it!" She gave him a good hearted thumbs up.

Gonzo grinned and started to the kitchen. He stopped suddenly and turned to face Chris again. "Strange, I smell blood," he said. He stared at his captain. "Did something happen?"

Chris smiled. "I'm sure Zugai will explain it all to you. He's been waiting for you in the kitchen,"

Gonzo nodded. "Alright then." He said. He pulled the net from his shoulder and looked at the fish. "Time to make some dinner then!" That said, he disappeared into the kitchen.

Chris considered going with him; she wanted to see Gonzo's expression when he heard of his price. She swung her legs over the railing and stepped back on deck, about to go when she heard a voice from below.

"Hey, Chris-san!" Chris turned and looked down at Jae, standing there with a backpack slung over his back. She stared at him for several moments, surprised. "I've made my decision. Is there room for one more on that ship of yours?"

Chris smiled a bit and tilted her head back. "Come aboard," She said to him. Jae smiled at her and for a moment, Chris could see a flash of excitement in his eyes. He was finally going to sail the world. "And welcome to the Crescent Dagger Pirates, Jae,"

* * *

**Current Crescent Dagger Members**

**Chris Hopkins:** Captain/Spy

**Zugai Hibiware:** First Mate/ Shipwright/Blacksmith

**Gonzo:** Cook

**Jae Axia:** Navigator

* * *

**A/N:** I've noticed that a lot of people are giving me doctors; I've gotten three and I really like them all XP. And a lot of people have pets as well. Howling Ivory is going to be a zoo, I swear, lol. God knows this crew is going to get in a LOT of trouble! But here was a nice long chapter to make up for slowness.


	11. The Doctors on the Island of Hot Springs

**A/N:** Hey guys! Thanks so much for your awesome reviews! I noticed that I've been completely neglecting to give credit to the creator of Jae! So I'll do that now. Jae belongs to **DaTenshi-Lucifer**. Thanks for lending him to me! Now then, on with the next chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own One Piece in any way, shape, or form.

* * *

**Pirates!**

**The Doctors on the Island of Hot Springs**

* * *

The ocean was calm as the large ivory ship sailed soundlessly across the surface. A howling wolf's head was the signature of this particular ship, known by its crew as the Howling Ivory. Upon the large black sails, a picture of a while skull and cross bones with a hat and a bit of red hair showing, and a Crescent Dagger behind it was painted. There was a similar image on a black flag flying on the highest post, the Jolly Roger for the Crescent Dagger Pirates.

"Alright, Jae. We've been traveling for two days already and you still haven't even told us where you're taking us," Zugai pointed out. He was standing directly in front of Jae, his arms crossed over his chest expectantly. "So spill!"

Jae looked at Zugai for several moments. "But if I tell you, Zugai-san, then Chris-san will probably make me turn back," he said calmly.

"All the more reason to say it," Zugai pointed out.

"Oh, leave him alone, Zugai," Chris said lazily. She was sitting down on the deck, leaning against the railing. Her had covered her eyes, which at the moment were closed restfully. She yawned loudly. "I'm sure Jae knows exactly what he's doing,"

"What if he's leading us to some dangerous island filled with all these enormous monsters?" Zugai asked dramatically. He walked toward Chris and crouched down, lifting the hat off her head. Her hair fell down to her shoulders and she opened one annoyed eye a sliver. "What if he's going to leave us there and take the Ivory?"

"He's _not_," Chris said, reaching up to grab the hat. Zugai stood, lifting it out of her reach. "Give that back, it was blocking the sun,"

"I don't think so," Zugai said. He playfully placed it onto his own head and turned his attention to Jae. "Alright then, so how much longer until we get there, Jae?"

Jae glanced down at the compass in his hand, then at the horizon. "I'll have to check the map, but I think, judging by the speed we've been going at for the last couple of days, we'll be able to see it in about ten minutes," He smiled lightly and slipped the compass into his pocket. "You guys are going to love it there. It's so relaxing,"

"Is it, now?" Zugai asked. Chris lunged for the hat from behind and he carelessly stepped aside, holding it upon his head with one hand. The girl staggered forward before losing her balance and falling. "Give it back!" she ordered with a slight whine.

Gonzo emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray containing four clear glasses filled with what looked like lemonade. "You know, Chris, you should wear your hair down more often," he said as he held out the tray for her. "It really suits you,"

"Whatever," Chris said. She took the cup gratefully and took a drink as Gonzo turned to Jae. "Mm, delicious as usual, Gonzo," she said.

Zugai took a single large step, closing the gap between himself and Gonzo, and reached out for a glass. "Thank you very much," he said in a singsong voice as Jae said, "Thank you, Gonzo-san,"

Gonzo smiled and took his own glass before placing the tray under his arm. He took a sip. "You know, Jae, you don't have to be so formal," he pointed out. "We're all friends here."

"Sorry, it's a habit of mine," Jae explained with an embarrassed smile. He covered it up by taking a drink of lemonade. As he swallowed the sweet, yet sour drink, he pointed with his free hand at the horizon. "There it is," he said upon lowering the glass from his lips.

Chris, Zugai, and Gonzo instantly turned to look at the island. It was green, but that was essentially all they could tell about it. Chris approached the bow of the ship and leaned against the railing, looking out at the island. "So what exactly is it?" she asked, momentarily forgetting about her hat.

"It's called Bubble Island," Jae explained. "It's an island famous for its Hot Springs, supposedly a really nice place,"

"Alright, so what was the point of coming here then?" Zugai asked, leaning against the railing beside Chris. Chris glanced at him and upon noticing the hat on his head, she reached for it again, spilling some of her lemonade in the process. Unfortunately, her fingers clasped around nothing but air, for Zugai had leaned back as she made her move. He shot her an amused glance over his shoulder. Chris felt herself fuming beneath the surface. He was doing this on purpose!

"For a bit of leisure, I suppose," Gonzo said. "I can look forward to that. Sounds nice, really," he smiled a bit and finished off his lemonade.

"A little vacation won't hurt…" Chris feinted a jump at Zugai, who ducked in an attempt to dodge, at which point Chris ran by and whisked the hat off his head. "…Zugai," she finished. She placed the hat back on her head and tucked her hair inside. "So don't question it. Maybe for once, we'll be able to land without getting into some sort of trouble," _But an island of Hot Springs means that whoever is in charge has a _lot_ of money!_

"Unless of course another pair of Bounty Hunters happens to have seen our posters," Gonzo said. Zugai shot him a smile. After telling the Fishman about their battle with the strange twins, and showing him the bounty posters, Gonzo regretted going along with them to the island. "What's done is done," he had said with a rather disappointed sigh.

"How did you three get bounties anyway?" Jae suddenly asked.

"It's a really fun story, actually," Zugai said. And he proceeded to tell Jae everything that had happened on Rose Island, from their intentional capture, to the battle against Westfall. Somehow, Gonzo and Zugai managed to stretch it out with a series of rather dramatic reenactments until they finally reached the island.

Bubble Island was a considerably large place, with steam rising up in random areas from the hot spring locations. There was a city right off the coast, and in the center, there was an enormous statue of a swan, spitting water from its beak into the air; a steaming, rainbow mist. Men, woman, and children of all ages walked the streets, some wearing comfortable robes, other wearing bathing suits, but most wearing normal clothing. Shops were open, steaming with freshly cooked food, others displaying nice clothing and souvenirs. It was like a miniature resort.

Before hitting the hot springs, however, the Crescent Dagger Pirates decided to eat out (even though Gonzo's cooking was twice as good as any restaurant cooked meal). They found a small booth selling sushi within a few moments of walking and at the moment were sitting at one of the wooden table set up beneath an umbrella, eating. The large labrys was resting against the table beside Zugai. "You know, this place is really nice," Chris pointed out. "And everything's really cheap to, so it's better for me!" She gave a thumbs up, to which Zugai rolled his eyes.

"To think you're such a money fiend…" he muttered. He was about to put a piece of sushi in his mouth when a cat jumped onto their table and rather nonchalantly grabbed it from his chopsticks. Zugai stared at the creature in utter shock and obvious annoyance. It was a long haired, orange cat with bright green eyes. He looked at the cat, then at Chris, then back at the cat.

"What's up?" Gonzo asked, watching the brown haired boy with interest. "Cat got your tongue?"

Jae covered his mouth as he held in a giggle and Chris smiled around the sushi in her mouth. "No," Zugai said with a roll of his eyes. "It's got my food, but that's beside the point," he looked back at Chris, then once again at the cat. "This thing looks just like you. I feel like I'm looking at a feline version of my captain,"

"What?" Chris asked, raising a brow. "No it doesn't, that thing's huge. Look how fat it is," The cat turned to her, its green eyes glinting and with sudden venom, it hissed at Chris.

"Looks like it doesn't like you," Jae pointed out.

"Well you insulted it, of course not," Gonzo stated.

"For God's sake, it's a cat," Chris said. "It can't understand what I'm saying,"

"I'm going to name it," Zugai said calmly. "Just for the hell of it. It's probably a stray anyway," He reached out and scratched behind its ears. The anger in its eyes faded as they closed and it started to purr.

"Well, that wouldn't work out to well, seeing as she already has a name," a girl's voice suddenly said. "Don't ya, Jinx?"

The cat, hearing the name, lifted its head and looked at the one approaching. She was a bit taller then Chris, slender, with lightly tanned skin and long, strangely colored dark green hair tied into a high ponytail, yet still extending down to her waist. Her eyes were black, and in each ear were three hoop earrings. Simply put, she was extremely pretty. She wore yellow capri's, a white leather vest, and white sandals. A heavy chain was clipped around her neck, holding a silver locket with a cross engraved. Beside her there was another girl. She had long, curly brown hair with silver highlights and light, blue-gray eyes. She wore loose, comfortable looking clothing and around her neck was a pendant that was shaped like a wolf. There was a messenger bag hanging from her shoulders. Chris stared at the locket and her eyes narrowed.

It looked old. It would be worth something. Zugai, catching her expression, kicked her shin lightly under the table. She jumped and stared at him. He shook his head ever so slightly. Chris heaved a defeated sigh. No stealing today.

"Sorry, but who are you?" she asked politely.

"Oh, right, sorry," the green haired girl said. She pulled up a chair and sat down with them as if it were her every right, stroking Jinx's back lightly. The other girl sat at a table beside theirs. "My name's Ava. Ava Vincent. I live here on the Island. And this is Faith Williams," the brown haired girl waved lightly, though remained quiet. "Are you guys new? Tourists maybe? I've never seen you around."

"You could say that," Chris said calmly. "Just dropping in for a bit." _Maybe find something of value, like that necklace._ She thought. "I'm Chris," Around the table, the others introduced themselves one by one. Zugai took picked up another piece of sushi and moved it toward his open mouth. The cat eyed him and he stared daggers at it as he stuffed the sushi into his mouth.

"Jinx, stop it," Ava snapped. The cat looked at her for a few moments, meowed, and jumped elegantly off the table. It trotted away from them with its tail high in the air in search of another food source. She turned her attention to the four before her once again. "So you're just a bunch of guys wandering the ocean then?"

Jae was about to point out that there was in fact a girl with them; Chris of course, but was cut off before he could say a word by Gonzo. "That's right,"

Ava rested her elbow on the table and looked from Gonzo to Zugai to Chris. Her head tilted to one side and her brow furrowed as if deep in thought. "Something wrong?" Chris asked at last.

"It's just…" Ava began. She lifted her hand and used three fingers to point at Chris, Zugai, and Gonzo. "Now that I look, you three look familiar somehow… don't they, Faith?"

"You know, they do…" Faith agreed, speaking for the first time.

In an instant, Chris tensed. She nonchalantly stretched and let her hands rest behind her head, where she could easily draw the Crescent Dagger. "Do we?" she asked calmly. Faith was staring at her, those blue eyes boring into Chris' green ones.

"Yeah…" Ava continued. She shrugged. "Oh well, must be thinking about someone else."

A small wave of relief washed over Chris and she lowered her hands back to the table. No attack today it seemed. She reached into her jacket pocket and extracted a rolled up piece of paper. _If they're not attacking, then I can get information about this._ She decided. She unrolled the paper and smoothed it out on the table before turning it toward Ava. "Do you have any idea where I can find this girl?"

Ava gazed at the paper with a slight tilt of her head. "Lily Void the Vicious Mind…" she mused. Hearing the name, Faith's eyes widened. When Ava's eyes fell across the bounty written, they widened as well. She looked at the others once again. "Are you guys Bounty Hunters?"

"No," Gonzo said, choosing his words carefully. "We're…"

"Pirates," Chris finished. She tapped her finger on the poster. "This girl caught my interest. I wanted to recruit her, so I'm looking for her,"

"But Lily Void?" Faith asked. "She's one of the Ten Chiryuujin,"

Chris raised a brow. Ten Chiryuujin? "What's that mean?" Zugai asked for her.

"It means she's one of the most dangerous, and powerful people in the world. I hear she's number one!" Ava explained. Chris gazed at the poster. Is that why she had such a high bounty? "Why would you want a monster like that on your crew?"

Chris shrugged. "She caught my eye," she said simply. "So you don't know anything then?"

Ava shook her head. "Sorry, but I don't," she said. "And in all honesty, I don't _want_ to know!"

"I don't know either in all honesty," Faith stated.

Chris heaved a sigh. "Alright, thanks then," She said. She changed the topic. "So who runs this place anyway? I mean the hot springs?"

At the question, the two girls looked at each other, frowning. "His name's Garza," Faith explained. Then, in a hushed tone, she added, "Not the nicest guy in the world,"

"Everything else here is really cheap, but access to the Hot Springs costs about 15,000 Beri," Ava continued. Chris frowned. So much for inexpensive enjoyment. "He's in charge of the entire Island as well. Guess you could call him the mayor,"

"So he's not nice because the Hot Springs are expensive?" Jae asked.

Faith shook her head. "No, it's not that," She leaned a bit closer to the pirates. "He's a very cruel man. Anyone who gets caught talking bad about him gets taken to his mansion in the woods. Some of them come back with all these injuries, so Ava and I have to take care of them, but others just don't return,"

"Wait, you take care of them?" Gonzo asked.

"Uh-huh," Ava said. Then, rather proudly, she added, "The two of us are Doctors,"

"Really, you are?" Chris asked with a sudden interest. They needed a doctor; maybe these girls would come along. "Hey, how would you two like to come along with us?" she asked.

Ava looked at her friend in surprise, then back at Chris. "Well, we can't," she said.

Chris frowned. "Why not?" she asked.

"We can't leave the island; there's too many people getting hurt because of Garza. They need _someone_ to help them recover," Faith said. Before Chris could respond, she heard other voices nearby.

"Hey, did you hear Garza's men are searching the Pirate ship that just docked?" a man walking by said to his friend beside him. At once, the pirates and the two doctors turned their attention to the passerby's.

"You mean the nice white one?" the second man said. "Well, that's what happens when Pirates dock here. They'll be cleaned out in no time,"

In an instant, Zugai stood, his hand on his Labrys. "Hey!" he called to the men. They stopped and looked at the group. Gonzo, Chris, and Jae stood as well. "That ship that you're talking about, what does the flag look like,"

The man tilted his head. He looked at Chris and pointed. "Like that boy there," he said. "With a crescent moon thing behind it," His face suddenly turned pale and he lowered his hand. "It's not your ship, is it…?"

"Damn bastards!" Zugai suddenly hissed. He lifted Honehakaisha and ran toward the dock. "You'd better not be messing with my ship!"

"Oh no, the map!" Chris suddenly exclaimed. She'd left it in a chest in the girl's room. What if they took it?! "Thanks for the tip mister!" then, she took off after Zugai.

"Come on, Jae, we've got work to do," Gonzo said calmly as he stood. He and Jar ran after their crewmates without another word.

Faith and Ava watched the boys go a bit uncertainly. "They're going to do something stuid…" Ava commented with worry.

"I know they are," Faith agreed. She looked at her friend. "Do you think we should… help them?"

Ava nodded. "Yeah," she said. "If they mess with Garza's group, they won't make it off this island alive. As doctors, it's our duty to make sure they don't get hurt," Faith nodded briefly in agreement.

"Right then, let's go," she decided. And then, the two girls followed the pirates toward the dock.

* * *

**A/N:** Faith Williams and Ava Vincent belong to **Wolffox17** and **RusalkaHime** respectively. Thanks for letting me use them!


	12. Bubble Island Adventure Part 1

**A/N:** I'm really sorry for not posting lately. I started school last week and it's been taking up a lot of my time, especially with the play. I just realized that I made a mistake with one of the character's names! I'm so sorry! Her name is **Aya** Vincent, not Ava! That will be corrected from this chapter on! So, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own One Piece in any way, shape, or form.

* * *

**Pirates! **

**Bubble Island Adventure Part 1 **

**No One Steals From the Crescent Dagger Pirates!**

Zugai couldn't remember the last time he was this angry. He was running so quickly toward the ship that the tuft of hair that normally covered one eye was pushed back, revealing a pair of dark, furious eyes. He held Honehakaisha tightly in his right hand as he made his way toward the Howling Ivory.

His ship; if those bastards damaged it, he'd kill them! As he grew closer, he saw several people, clad in black clothing, exiting the ship. Two seemed to be carrying something between each other, disappearing quickly into the forest. Were they actually _stealing_ from Ivory?!

"Hey, you bastards!" Zugai shouted. Two of the men looked at Zugai in shock. "What the hell do you think you're doing on my ship!" he drew back Honehakaisha and threw a horizontal swipe with it. The men ducked simultaneously, barely avoiding the blow. Chris drew the Deer-Horn Knives quickly and as the men started to rise and after passing Zugai, crossed her arms in front of her and slashing both of them across the chest. There was a shout from both, and then they fell to the floor.

Bullets sounded from the deck above and both Chris and Zugai dodged in opposite directions. They looked up; there were two marksman, shooting pistols rapidly at them. From behind, they heard Gonzo's voice shout, "50 Gallons: Swiss Cheese!" Multiple balls of water hit the men and knocked them into the water. Chris placed one of her knives in her mouth and proceeded to climb up the rope ladder to the deck of the ship. Above, she saw one of the men aim a pistol down at her. She released the rope with one hand as he pulled the trigger and swung to the side to avoid the bullet. She dangled rather precariously now, hanging on with one hand. The man tilted the gun toward Chris again as she caught the ladder and regained her footing.

Before he could even pull the trigger, a thin wire pierced his wrist. He shouted and dropped the gun. Chris moved a bit and let it fall passed her into the water below and looked back up at the wire. Where was it coming from? She followed it and was surprised to see Jae holding one of his bracelets, stretched out. The wire wrapped around the man's wrist and pulled him down into the water. He fell passed Chris with a surprised shout.

"The way is clear, Chris-san, Zugai-san!" Jae called. Chris smiled and nodded as she proceeded onto the ship.

Chris jumped on deck and ran toward the cabin. If there was anything she was worried about, it was the map. She heard Zugai board right behind her, followed by Gonzo and Jae, but ignored them. She ran toward the side of the ship where the entrance to the girls' room was. _Please be there, please be there!_ She shouted desperately in her mind. She pushed open the door. The girl's room looked very similar to the boys, though there was a large king sized bed and a few hammocks hanging. Against one wall was a desk where Chris kept her Log as well as a few other things. The bed, and the desk, were all ransacked, with sheets and paper scattered across the floor. She was glad to see the Log Book lying on the floor, safe and sound, and immediately, her eyes traveled across the room toward her treasure chest filled with her money and of course the map. They widened in an instant to see that it was gone.

Gonzo ran straight into the kitchen; the one place he worried about most. Upon reaching it, he froze on the spot, his eyes wide. Pots and pans were scattered about the floor, as well as broken glasses and plates. He walked forward, picking up a large skillet, and uncomfortably made his way toward the refrigerator. His eyes widened to find that all of their food was gone.

Jae stood quietly at the door to the Navigation room, which was open before him. On the floor were his maps and navigation tools, but after taking a quick inventory, he was glad to see that nothing was missing. He got to work with cleaning it up by placing the maps in a pile and his tools in a drawer. He'd organize everything later. When he was through, he walked out back toward the deck.

Zugai checked the ship carefully, making sure everything was in tact. He tightened his grip on Honehakaisha; he was glad he'd taken the time to make that 'sheath' for it so he could carry it on his back. Otherwise, it would have been stolen. The ship seemed to be free of damage; save for the mess in the rooms, but other then that, it was fine. He heard two others board the ship and turned his attention to them. It was the girls from earlier. Why did they follow them?

"Is everything ok?" Faith asked a bit shyly. "You guys aren't hurt, are you?"

"No," Zugai answered. "The ship does't seem to be damaged, but I'm waiting for a word from the others,"

"So, you're really Pirates?" Aya asked. She was obviously interested, but was speaking cautiously because she knew this was the wrong time to be excited about something.

"Yeah," Zugai answered. He ran a hand through his hair, though the tuft covering his eye remained in place.

"And you're the captain?" Aya continued.

"No. Chris is," he answered. Behind him, he heard two doors shut.

"The maps are all there," Jae said calmly as he walked toward Zugai.

"But the food is missing," Gonzo said in annoyance as he exited the kitchen. "Those bastards really cleaned us out,"

"I'm sorry," Faith muttered. Gonzo, Jae, and Zugai looked at them in confusion. "We should have told you that Garza checks the ships…"

"It's not your fault," Zugai assured her. "We should have had someone keeping watch,"

"Besides, by the time we met you, they were probably already searching it," Gonzo added.

There was the sound of a door slamming and the group turned toward the cabin. Chris approached from the side, her eyes narrowed furiously. "Those bastards stole my treasure," she hissed. "And the map," She turned to Faith and Aya, a bit surprised to see them, but her anger quickly overcame her confusion.

"You two," she barked. They jumped at the dark tone in her voice. "Where is Garza's mansion?"

"You're not thinking of going in there after it, are you?" Aya asked. "Look, mister, it's gone. There's no way you'll get passed Garza's security,"

"I'm a pirate with a 30,000,000 beri bounty only about week and a half after leaving my little island to find One Piece." She said, pointing to herself. She pointed to her crew shortly after. "My crew and I got ourselves arrested and escaped a Marine Base to get that map. And now, that map is gone, along with all my hard earned money and our food supply! I didn't ask you for your opinion, Aya, I asked you for directions."

Aya stepped back a bit as Chris stepped toward her. She was surprised how frightening this boy, who was just laughing a few minutes before at the restaurant, could actually be when angered. She hesitated, uncertain. Faith nervously stepped in front of her.

"He lives West of here," she said, pointing in the direction indicated. "In the woods over that way. It's a huge mansion, you can't miss it,"

"Thanks," she said calmly to Faith. She started toward the ladder once again. "Zugai, Gonzo, Jae, let's go,"

"You're going to let the girl fight?" Faith asked, honestly surprised. Chris stopped and gazed at her. Faith looked down at her feet and fidgeted a bit on the spot. "I mean, I've never met a male Pirate captain who would let a female fight,"

"He's not a girl," Chris said calmly. "He may look like one, but he isn't. And I'm not a male captain, either,"

Faith turned a strange shade of red, embarrassed by her mistake. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't worry about it, it was my intention," Chris said. She let the others down first before turning her attention back to the girls. "You hate this guys a lot because of what he does, right?" she asked. The girls' hesitated, but then nodded. "So if I get rid of him, will you join my crew as our doctors?"

"Why are you getting so involved?" Aya asked with a sudden suspicion. "You don't even know us. You've got no obligation to this island. Why help us?"

Chris laughed a bit. "Because," She said. "No one steals from the Crescent Dagger Pirates," She climbed over the railing and down the ship. Aya looked at Faith for a few moments and then, at once, the girls ran toward the railing.

"Wait!" They called simultaneously. The four pirates below looked up at the girls above.

"We're coming with you," Aya said firmly. "We can't have you fight battles for our island,"

"Well, don't just stand there then," Zugai called up. "We've got work to do!" Aya and Faith smiled at each other, and in a quick motion, the two climbed down the ship with the others.

(--)

The mansion truly was hard to miss. The group only walked for about a half an hour before they found it. An enormous landscape bush acting as a wall, though above it, the actual mansion was still visible, surrounded it. It was huge, and strangely enough painted a very vibrant, obvious yellow. The Crescent Daggers and the two doctors stood behind a large brush in the forest area a few yards away, hidden from the guards walking their rounds along the wall.

"Alright, so this is what we're going to do," Chris began. "There's six of us, so we can go in pairs, or in groups of three. I'd prefer the latter, since those two girls are doctors. It's best to have one for each group. Are you two ok with that?"

"Of course," Aya said.

"Any way we can help," Faith added.

"Right then," Chris muttered. "Gonzo, you're in charge of Group K,"

"Why 'K'? That's a pretty random letter," Gonzo pointed out. Chris 'sweatdropped'.

"It stands for kitchen!" she said in a whisper. She felt them staring at her, but continued her explanation. "So group K, you guys are going to go around the back and find the kitchen. There you'll get our stores, and go ahead and steal some extra if you want. It's up to you guys. That party will consist of Gonzo, Jae, and Aya,"

The three in question nodded. "Now, the rest of us, Group M,"

"For map?" Zugai asked rather sarcastically. Chris eyed him.

"Group M," she continued, "Zugai, Faith, and I, will go looking for my Treasure Chest with the map. We'll infiltrate quietly, incapacitate the guards we have to, and kick this Garza guys' ass for stealing from us in the first place. When we're through, we'll all meet back at the Ivory, understood?" a few brief nods were her answer. "When this is through, that bastard will wish he never stole from the Crescent Dagger Pirates! Let's go!"

"Yosh!" they all said at once. Unfortunately, the sound of their combined voices attracted the attention of the guard patrolling the wall in front of them. He raised his gun, a machine gun, by the looks of it, toward the forest. He stared hard into the darkness, eyes narrowed. There was a sudden glint and a prick on the side of his neck, and he dropped the gun and fell. Aya hesitated for the briefest of moments before running from their hiding place toward him. Protruding from the man's collar, right at the pressure point, was a thin needle. There was also one on the other side, and on each knee. She extracted them with a light apology.

"Woah… what did you do?" Chris asked as she approached. Aya looked at Chris and beamed proudly.

"I hit the pressure point," she said. "He's only paralyzed though; I didn't hit him in the right place to knock him out. His movement should return soon.

"Well, let's fix that then," Chris declared. She pulled back her foot and then thrust it forward, slamming the toe into the side of the guard's head. The man grunted before closing his eyes, unconscious. "Alright, Group K, move out, Group M, let's go!"

That said, the two groups split up; Gonzo, Aya, and Jae running toward the back, and Chris, Zugai, and Faith running directly at the entrance.

The retrieval operation had begun.

* * *

**A/N:** It's not exactly what I wanted, but hey, it's pretty good all things considering. Sorry once again for not posting. I won't be able to post as quickly from now one due to school, and upcoming finals. But, I wanted to get this up for my amazing readers! Please, don't forget to review, and if you want, submit some bad guy characters as well! I'm lacking in creativity to make them up!

**SNE121**

* * *


	13. Bubble Island Adventure Part 2

**A/N: **Thanks everyone for submitting reviews! I'm trying to speed up my update time, but it's difficult with school and whatnot, so here we go! Chapter 13!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own One Piece in any way, shape, or form.

* * *

**Pirates!**

**Bubble Island Adventure Part 2**

**Breaking into the Mansion**

Gonzo gazed at the group he was to lead to the back of the mansion in search of their food supply; they consisted of three people. One was himself, 'Cascade Gonzo', a fairly powerful fishman who stumbled upon Chris crew rather by accident. The second was Jae, the extremely competent navigator of the Crescent Daggers, and the final was Aya, a native and doctor to Bubble Island. Gonzo considered his options; certainly, he would be in the front. He was the strongest by far, being a Fishman. He hadn't really seen Jae fight before, but he was aware of the Metal Metal Devil Fruit ability he possessed. Aya, it seemed, knew the human anatomy well. Perhaps it would be best for her to hang back behind them and strike from a distance with her acupuncture needles.

But hopefully, they wouldn't have to worry about fighting. If all went well, they'd stealthily sneak in, get their stores, and manage to carry it back out. Now, Gonzo was faced with the problem of who was to carry it. But that was something they'd deal with once the time came. At the current moment, he and his party stood hidden amongst the dark trees, looking at the back gate of the large mansion.

Luckily, it wasn't as heavily guarded, only two standing on either side of the gate. "This is a very interesting weapon, Aya-san" Jae suddenly said. Gonzo turned his attention back to his group. Jae was examining what looked like a whip composed of twisted metal, curled in Aya's hand. "Titanium. Light, yet very sturdy."

"How did you know that?" Aya asked, suddenly interested. Jae smiled at her.

"Well, my Devil Fruit ability involves metals. Of course, I'm going to be able to tell the difference of each kind," he explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Enough," Gonzo suddenly said, shaking his head to clear it. Sure, he was interested in the conversation, and he wanted to know more, but they had a mission to complete! They had to be on alert! "We've got to get rid of those guards,"

"Leave that to me, Gonzo-san," Jae said. He lifted his hands up, one palm facing each guard, and closed his eyes while taking a deep breath. Gonzo and Aya watched him with interest.

"What are you doing?" Aya asked.

Jae didn't answer for a while. His brow wrinkled, as deep in concentration, and finally, he opened his eyes and closed the hands into fists. There was a light gurgled gasp of surprise, and then two thuds as the guards fell. Floating in the air where they once stood were two, extremely small black balls, no larger then a penny.

"What did you do?" Gonzo asked, surprised, as Jae lowered his hands.

"Both of those men had an abundance of iron in their blood and organs," he explained. "Strange really. All I did was concentrated the iron in the heart and forced it through. It killed them, but it did it quickly, efficiently, and quietly,"

"Hemochromatosis." Aya muttered under her breath. Jae glanced at her, confused. "It's a disease, an unsafe abundance of iron that's collected over the years. Potentially life threatening. Even if you hadn't killed them, they would have died shortly anyway. In a way, you showed them mercy. Hemochromatosis can lead to very painful diseases and symptoms,"

"You really _are_ a good doctor, aren't you?" Gonzo asked as he walked forward. "To think you can remember all that…"

"Well, I have to," Aya explained. "It's my job. Who knows what sort of disease people could come in with," She stood up, away from the bodies, and looked toward the building nearby. "Let's get going,"

Entering was easy enough after disposing of those two guards, and Aya, Gonzo, and Jae were inside the building within a few minutes after the incident. They were obviously near some sort of kitchen; Gonzo could smell the food nearby. They started quietly down the white hallway toward the smell, stopping occasionally to avoid getting spotted by a waiter or waitress walking through a door with a tray in hand.

It took them no longer then ten minutes to find the kitchen and they were all surprised to find it completely empty. Gonzo stuck his head in, looked around for a few moments, and then nodded to the others. They entered silently and looked around.

The kitchen was huge, with large sinks and counters in an island in the center, and along the sides, multiple stoves and ovens. There were two refrigerators side by side farthest from the door. He pointed it out to the others.

"That's our target," he said in a hushed tone. "Our food is in one of those, but our goal right now is to get both, ok?"

"Got it," Aya said. She was about to ask another question, but Jae beat her to it.

"Gonzo-san, how are we going to carry it all?" he asked. Gonzo considered this for the briefest of moments. "Not sure yet," he said honestly. "We'll figure it out though." He started toward the refrigerators and was stopped when a butcher knife suddenly flew in his direction. His eyes widened and he watched the blade approach, seemingly in slow motion. He twisted aside as the tip whizzed passed the tip of his nose, just barely missing, and the blade actually made an extremely small cut upon it as it moved. It was so sharp that Gonzo didn't even feel it until after the knife impaled itself into the wall. He turned his attention toward where the knife had come from.

Standing there were three chefs, all clad in basic chefs uniforms, including the large chef's hat. Two were boys, one a girl. The one who had thrown the knife had a machete in his right hand. He looked rather fox-like in Gonzo's opinion, with small eyes and a broad grin. There was a woman on his left, with nails so sharp, they must have been knives attached. She had brown hair, tied in a bun behind her head. Aya, upon spotting her, instantly thought of a cat, with razor sharp claws and glowing amber eyes. The last was another man, this one with red hair and green eyes. He wasn't holding a weapon, but stood tall with his arms crossed.

"You weren't planning on stealing our food were ya?" Foxy asked with a rather playful tone. "That wouldn't be very nice, you know. We worked hard to steal that,"

"Well, unless you decide to give it back willingly," Gonzo began, "We're going to take it back and kick your asses,"

Suddenly, Kitten laughed. "Did you hear him, Chuushoku*?" she asked Foxy. "He thinks he's going to steal it from us? How funny!" she laughed again.

"Well, don't think you're going to get it without a fight," Chuushoku assured them with a smirk. "Choshoku*, are you ready?" he asked the girl.

"Oh, I was born ready," Choshoku said with a smirk. She licked the blades attached to her nails. "What about you, Yuushoku*?"

The red head grinned suddenly, a grin not unlike the Cheshire Cat. He lifted his right hand up close to his face and Jae was surprised to see that his fingers were moving in a strangely unnatural manner. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that ropes replaced his fingers. His eyes widened in shock. So this man was a Devil Fruit User? "Ready when you are," Yuushoku stated calmly.

Aya tensed instantly, cracking the whip out dangerously and letting it fall limp to the ground. Gonzo cracked his knuckles and neck patiently. Jae pushed his hair back, behind his ears, and waited calmly. "Well, if violence is the only solution…" Gonzo muttered. "Then bring it on, shit cooks,"

"Well, how rude," Chuushoku said harshly, crossing his arms. "We'll have to teach you some manners, won't we? How about we start with the first meal of the day. Cho!"

Upon hearing her name, Choshoku dashed forward with a laugh. She slashed her claws down on Gonzo and was surprised to find that a firm had gripped her wrists, halting her movements just inches from the fishman's face. Even Gonzo was surprised. Both followed the arm holding Cho and gazed at Jae. "You know, I never did like breakfast," Jae mused. "Then again, I never woke up early enough to eat it, did I?" He pushed Cho back a bit and stood between her and Gonzo. "If it's all the same to you, your opponent will be me, Choshoku-san,"

"Well, well, the little girl is eager to die, I see," Cho said with a grin. "Very well then. I hope you're ready,"

Jae's brow furrowed a bit and he grabbed of his bracelets. He reformed the metal quickly, melting it and molding it around one hand like a glove. This would be his method of defense. "Prepare yourself," In a single bound, the two started their fight.

"I'll get the Devil Fruit User. Can you handle the guy with the knife??" Gonzo asked Aya in an undertone. Aya glanced at Chuu for a few seconds and then nodded. "Good," Gonzo said. Without another word, he rushed toward Yuu. "20 Gallons: Prime Rib!" he shouted as he threw a devastating punch at Yuu. The man flipped back, barely avoiding, and Gonzo's fist slammed into the tile floor beneath them and cracked it. A rope wrapped around that wrist and tightened, cutting off circulation.

"Such brute force," Yuu observed. His entire arm had become a thick rope, stretched out and holding Gonzo. "An admirable quality. Perhaps you'll be much more dangerous then I anticipated, Fishman,"

"So it's a Paramecia," Gonzo muttered as he rose to his feet. He gazed at the rope around his wrist.

"That's right," Yuu answered. "The Tsu-Tsu no Mi*. I'm a rope man," Gonzo grinned. This wouldn't be _too_ difficult.

Aya watched the two boys begin their battles for several moments. To think they jumped in so readily; it was surprising. It wasn't until she heard the whoosh of a blade cutting through air and she snapped back into reality and cracked the whip up. She held the handle tightly in one hand and wrapped the end of the tail around the other. It dug into her hand as the Machete slammed into it, stopping only a few centimeters from her face. Aya swallowed the lump in her throat nervously. _That was too close!_

"You're quicker then I expected," Chuu stated. Aya's arms were shaking a bit as she struggled to hold the sharp weapon off. Finally, she twisted, using the whip as a cover, and jumped aside. She released the tail and reached for three of her acupuncture needles, holding them firmly between her fingers. She had to be on alert now. A slip up could cost her life.

(--)

Breaking into the front would be much more difficult then the back. There were guards everywhere, holding guns, cutlass's, weapons of all kinds. The only thing they had going for them were the shadows. "Why does he have so much security?" Chris asked. She and her group had managed to get through the gate after taking out the guards and were now hiding in the bushes within.

"He controls everything on this island," Faith explained in a whisper. "And he's got a _lot_ of money. He's really paranoid about it too. That's why whenever someone starts to talk bad about him, he has them brought here to dispose of them,"

"So he's a power hungry rich bastard," Zugai asked. He held the Labrys low beneath the bushes. Because of its ivory color, it would easily be spotted in the darkness. Faith's eyes lowered a bit uncertainly.

"I guess that about sums it up," She admitted.

"Hey, you can fight, right?" Chris suddenly asked. Faith glanced at her a bit uncertainly. "Well, I'm asking because I didn't see you carrying a weapon,"

"Well… I…" Faith began. She was hesitant. Did she really want to reveal her Devil Fruit ability to these people? All of the ridicule she'd endured throughout the years flashed through her mind. Then, Aya's image, and the image of Aya's grandfather, and the doctor that had been teaching her before she traveled to Bubble Island. Would these pirates be as kind as them? Or would they be like those kids? Before she could even give them any sort of answer, a sound caught her ears; the sound of a gun cocking. She lifted her head and her gray-blue eyes gazed around rather uncertainly. She looked at Chris and Zugai. They didn't seem to have heard it.

Then, she heard a finger on a trigger and in a instant, she pushed the two down onto their stomachs before following. A gunshot rang out and a bullet whizzed by where they once knelt, hitting the unfortunate guard patrolling the front door.

"How did you know that was coming?" Zugia asked a bit suspiciously as the three rose back to the feet. Zugai was holding his Labrys tightly.

"I have good hearing," Faith admitted. That was all she'd say for now. She heard a rustling in the bushes several yards away and turned in time to see a dark figure disappearing.

"Never mind that," Chris said. "Let's get going before the other guards realize that one is dead!" She ran toward the door, keeping within the shadows, and Zugai and Faith followed.

(--)

"Are you sure this was a good idea?" the marksman asked a bit uncertainly as she watched the three Pirates make their way into the mansion. "They could prove to be dangerous in the future. It would have been better to eliminate them,"

The marksman had long, waist-length blond hair with red tips at the end, bangs falling over her light blue eyes. She wore black shorts and a black tank top. A belt around her hips sported the holster of an expensive looking pistol and several pouches, most likely carrying bullets. Strapped to her back was a machine gun, which she hadn't touched yet.

"Exactly why I did it, Amaya," the one she'd spoken to answered. This one was a male, with silver, spiked hair and piercing black eyes. He wore a normal white t-shirt with a black dress coat unbuttoned over it and matching black dress pants. A single skull earring glinted in his left ear.

"You know Nikolai won't be happy, Captain," Amaya continued. "That pirate with the hat, she's the one who stole his dagger all those years ago,"

"Nikolai doesn't need to know," the captain assured her. "Besides, I'd like to see just how powerful the little girl has gotten since that run in on Fuschia," he smiled a bit, excited. "She and her crew, the Crescent Dagger Pirates, may prove to be a worthy adversary in the future," He watched said crew disappear into the building. "They all have great potential,"

He turned away from the entrance and started walking back toward the ports. "Let's go, Amaya,"

Amaya watched her captain leave for a few moments, hesitant. "I really hope you know what you're doing, Lance," She muttered, and then, followed him.

* * *

**A/N:** *The cook's names, Chuushoku, Choshoku, and Yuushoku mean Lunch, Breakfast, and Dinner respectively. I was pretty bored and thought, hey, it'll work! And I guess it did. *Tsuna is the Japanese word for rope, so I shortened it to Tsu. Hope you enjoyed the chapter :D.

* * *


	14. Bubble Island Adventure Part 3

**A/N:** Alright! So my play had its final performance! Woot! Maybe now, I'll have time to actually write (until I go for the musical of course, but that's not for about a month). So, I'll hopefully update more often around homework and finals.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own One Piece, unfortunately. If I did, then I couldn't write these fanfictions I love so much.

* * *

**Pirates!**

**Bubble Island Adventure Part 3**

**Group K vs. the Garza Mansion Cooks!**

* * *

There was a clash of metal upon metal as Choshoku slashed wildly at Jae. The boy in question parried it with his right hand and any chance he got, made a strike at the woman with his free hand. Jae was quick, yes, but this cook was equally as fast. That small fact put him in a bit of a jam. If he could only get one step ahead. He felt a hand slap his face and then the stinging feeling of claws raking across it and staggered, surprised.

There were three scratches now apparent on his cheek and he gingerly lifted a hand up to touch them. They were bleeding, and stung painfully upon contact. "Oh, I'm sorry," Cho said in a sarcastically apologetic voice. "Did I cut the little girl's face? How rude of me,"

Jae's brow furrowed in annoyance. "Why do you constantly insist on calling me a girl?" he asked. "I'm not you idiot, so cut it out,"

"Cut, you say?" Cho asked. "Oh with pleasure!" she darted forward with a maniacal laugh and slashed at Jae once again. The boy stared at her in annoyance and ducked to avoid the strike, then, he slammed his metal covered fist into her gut. She coughed as the breath was knocked from her lungs and then breathed in desperately in an attempt to gain it back. Jae pulled back his arm a second time and punched her hard in the face, sending her staggering aside with a splatter of blood escaping her lips.

She recovered quickly and with a ferocious growl, swiped at him again. Jae caught the hand with his own protected one and then, held his free hand, hovering over the claws. "You know, there are some benefits to the Metal Metal Fruit," he explained. Cho's eyes widened and she clenched her teeth in frustration as her fingers slowly started to close. "I can control the steel on your hands here and do this," Upon saying those words, Cho's hand clamped shut. The nails dug into her own skin, going through her palm and emerging on the back, and Jae twisted his own hand, which then twisted the metal. She screamed in the sudden pain as blood seeped from her fist. Jae focused his attention on the other hand while the girl was distracted in her own pain and curled the knives inward so they were harmless. "Are you ready to give up, Choshoku-san?"

Cho looked at him furiously. "I don't need these things to defeat you," she sneered. "You damn brat," she started toward him and Jae tilted his hand so his palm was facing her chest. Cho stopped upon feeling a sudden heaviness.

"I don't want to have to do this, Choshoku-san," he said. "But right now, I'm pulling all of the iron in your system to your heart. Of course, there isn't as much as there was in those two guards, but any injury to your heart will doubtless kill you instantly. Now, I'm sure you'd prefer to cook for another day, so I'm giving you the opportunity to surrender,"

Cho didn't answer. She pressed a hand to her heart; she could practically feel the weight increasing. Despite not being much, it was a dramatic difference to such a fragile organ. She found herself weighing her options; would she be better off dying, or surrendering and facing Garza later. That simple though helped her make the decision. She started toward Jae and on impulse, he closed his open hand into a fist. A tiny ball of iron spit out of Cho's chest and the girl gazed at him for several moments, her eyes glazing over, and was dead before she hit the ground. Jae winced a bit. _It's never pleasant to kill these people._ He mused absently. He walked toward Cho and knelt down in front of her. _But this woman… she was considering giving up. I could see it in those eyes of hers. What she just did was suicide. Could death really be preferable to facing her employer?_ As an act of respect, he closed the woman's eyes.

(--)

The rope man was much more dangerous then Gonzo had originally expected. They'd been fighting for a good ten minutes now, and Gonzo's hands were bound behind his back at the wrists. Originally, the Fishman thought that Yuushoku could only turn himself into rope; he never expected that like Hina the Black Cage, he could make rope materialize around whatever he swiped his hand _through_. Gonzo dodged aside as Yuu's rope-like arm shot toward him To Gonzo's surprised, the rope followed and wrapped tightly around his neck. He stepped back in an attempt to free himself, but ultimately failed.

"You bastard," he snarled. He wished he could break free of the ropes around his wrists, but they were extremely thick.

"Having trouble, Fishman?" Yuu asked with a rather feral smile. "Can't do much without your hands, can you?" Gonzo's eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"What gave you that idea, hmm?" he asked. "There's some pretty huge advantages to being a Fishman, you know! 500 Gallons: Popsicle Rampage!" he shouted. From the blowhole on his back, hundreds of icicles shot out, slicing, but not cutting through, the rope bound around his neck. It released him and slid back to its owner, turning back into the arm decorated with deep gashes and cuts. Gonzo grinned and stood tall. "I don't need my hands to kick your ass,"

The grin Yuu once held turned into a frustrated scowl. He charged toward Gonzo furiously, his one good arm becoming a thick rope. Gonzo flashed him a pointed tooth grin. "500,0 Gallons," he said calmly. "Special Sauce Blitz!" from his blowhole, an enormous torrent of water shot out with the strength of at least five tidal waves. It hit Yuu, dead on, and sent him sprawling backward into the wall. His head slammed against it and there was a loud crack as it connected. Over where Aya was battling, she winced, knowing just by hearing the sound that the man's skull had cracked and he was without a doubt, dead. Gonzo took a deep breath as the ropes around his wrists weakened and managed to pull his hands free at last.

"Damn bastard," he hissed unhappily as he rubbed his wrists.

(--)

They were both dead; the two cooks the pirates had fought. Aya couldn't contain the sense of dread she felt due to that simple thought. Why had they killed their opponents? Were pirates really that heartless? The two distractions earned her two different cuts; one on her left upper arm, the other on her right thigh.

But of course, her opponent, Chuushoku, wasn't without his injuries. His right arm was incapacitated with an acupuncture needle protruding from the pressure point, and there were several cuts from her whip. He made another swipe with his machete and she quickly pulled up the whip to block it. "You're quick on your feet, aren't you, little girl?"

Aya bit her lip in frustration. This guy wasn't giving her much chance to retaliate. She dodged aside, sending the man staggering forward, and then turned and gazed at his midsection. She made a careful calculation before throwing an good kick at the bottom of the man's ribcage, where the 'floating ribs' are located. He gasped, surprised, and was knocked aside. The kick would surely have disrupted the ribs, maybe cracked them, and possibly injured the kidneys. She spun and jammed her elbow at the top of the spine, where it stuck up between the shoulder blades. Chuu's eyes went wide and he fell forward, unconscious. Aya found herself hoping desperately that she didn't just force the man into a coma.

"You hold your own well," Gonzo said with a rather joyful smile. "You got that guy down in two strikes,"

"Well, knowing the human body will do that," Aya said with a slight blush. She rolled up the whip and put it away within her vest. She pushed a stray green hair behind her ears. "You guys killed your opponents, didn't you?"

Gonzo and Jae frowned a bit. "Unintentionally," they said simultaneously. Aya nodded.

"It's understandable," She said. "Your life or theirs, right?"

"Not exactly," Jae admitted. "It seems that these people, or at least my opponent, preferred death then reporting a fail to their employer, who in this case would be Garza,"

Gonzo frowned at the thought. Garza would more then likely be the opponent Chris and the others would face. He heaved a sigh and started toward the refrigerator. "Well, whatever this guy's been doing he won't be for much longer," he said. "Chris and Zugai are up there. Those two are plenty powerful. For now, we've got a job to finish. You two, help me get this food out of here and back to the ship,"

Aya looked uncertain, but she nodded.

(--)

"Let's see. If I were a rich, power hungry, stealing bastard, where would I keep my treasure?" Chris asked aloud as she, Zugai, and Faith walked the corridors. They'd calmly taken down any guards that got in their way without difficulty.

"It's this way," Faith said a bit timidly as she pointed down a hallway branching off to the left. Chris and Zugai, both a bit ahead of her, stopped, and simultaneously turned their heads to look at Faith.

"How do you know?" Zugai asked. Faith felt her stomach churn nervously. How was she supposed to explain that she recognized the scent of gold and money? That would sound completely ridiculous!

"Uh, just a hunch," she admitted. "But my hunches usually aren't wrong."

Chris shrugged and started down the hallway indicated. Zugai stared at her, shocked. "What… where the hell are you going?" he asked. She didn't even stop as she responded.

"Where she said, of course," she answered. "Giving her the benefit of the doubt,"

"You're going to trust a complete stranger?" Zugai asked. Chris stopped now and looked at him.

"Well, _you_ were a complete stranger once," she pointed out. "And now you're my first mate, second in command on my crew." She looked at Faith. "What good is a captain who can't trust her comrades?"

Faith blinked at the statement. Comrades? But she wasn't even a part of the crew. She was about to protest, but stopped when Chris turned away and continued walking. Zugai sighed and walked past Faith, following his captain. "That idiot…" he muttered to himself. "I don't know why I follow her… she's going to get us killed one day…" he looked at Faith over his shoulder as he walked. "Hey, you coming?" he asked.

The sound of Zugai speaking broke her out of her daze and she shook her head to clear it. "Oh, yeah," she said. Then, she followed the two down the corridor.

Unbeknownst to the pirates and doctor, a group of figures emerged from the shadows and followed them.

* * *

**A/N:** There it is, the next chapter! The fights were a little short. Ok, really short… but I didn't expect them to be difficult to defeat. This mission is almost done, folks. Now, I know I Asked this earlier on, but I'm in desperate need of some villains, as my imagination is running thin. So those interested, send them either in reviews, or in PM's, and I'll be happy to use them :D. Until next time.

SNE121


	15. Bubble Island Adventure Part 4

**A/N: **Wow… it's been a while since I've uploaded, eh? I'm so sorry for the wait, but this chapter has been giving me hell. It didn't end quite the way I wanted, but that's alright. So uh… lots of blood follows. Just a warning there.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own One Piece in any way, shape, or form.

* * *

**Pirates!**

**Bubble Island Adventure Part 4**

**The Power of Creation:**

**Group M vs. The Chimera**

* * *

Faith hated this feeling, the feeling of immense danger approaching. Since obtaining her ability, all of her senses were constantly on overdrive. Her hearing, her eyesight, her sense of smell, and of course, her sense of safety (or lack thereof) was enhanced. Right now, every muscle in her body was telling her to be on alert.

Of course, Chris didn't notice a thing. She was too busy gawking at the amount of gold there was in this single room. An enormous pile of it! And on top of that pile was her own treasure chest. "Hello baby," she said. Zugai could practically see the Beli symbol flashing in his captain's eyes.

"Well, let's get what we can carry and get out of here," he said. He managed to pull the treasure chest down from the top of the pile and it landed on the floor with a loud _clang_.

"That's not going to be easy," Faith said. She was facing the door they had just entered through, tense, her fists clenched. Now that their attention had been drawn to it, Chris and Zugai heard footsteps. Multiple, running footsteps that were strangely irregular.

When the figures emerged from the dark hallway, Chris couldn't hold back her surprise. They were obviously some form of hybrid monster. There were three of them, one looked to be a horribly disfigured centaur, with the upper body of a brown haired human sewn onto the torso of a rather large black horse. It carried a rather large looking sword in one hand, perhaps a Claymore. The second looked similar to a Sphinx, with the body of a golden lion and the head of a woman with long blond hair and green eyes. The last one looked most human, though with the head of a bull, and was carrying a rather large, dangerous looking axe. A Manticore. Chris froze on the spot.

"What the _hell_ are those things?!" She asked. She drew her Deer-Horn knives quickly as Zugai lifted his Labrys. The creatures stopped by the door, staring at the three strangers before them.

"So this is what he does to them…" Faith muttered, eyes wide in shock. She couldn't bring herself to move now. Just staring at those things sent chills up her spine.

"Does to who?" Zugai asked Faith. "What are those monsters?"

"They…" Faith began. "They used to be people… from the village…"

Chris' eyes widened in shock. She looked back at the monsters. "You mean…"

"That's right," a different voice said, this one male and much older then the teenagers in the room. From behind the monsters, a man stepped forward, wearing a lab coat, stained with blood, and glasses that glinted in the light above. There was a large saw in one, blood drenched hand. "These three creatures have been surgically created. I call them Chimera." He looked middle aged, with traces of gray in his black hair. Black eyes looked at each teen in turn.

"Who are you?" Chris hissed. The man's dark eyes met Chris' lighter ones and held for a few moments.

"How rude of me," the man said. "I'm known as Garza the Creator," he smiled and nodded toward the Chimera. "For… obvious reasons,"

"What did you do to these people…?" Faith asked suddenly. Garza glanced at her.

"I've modified them is all, experimented. This is what happens to those who choose to disrespect me," He noticed the dangerous expression on Faith's face, slowly becoming a feral snarl. "You're that foolish little doctor from the village, are you not? If you're concerned for the well being of the subjects, do not worry. They're quite stable. As a matter of fact, these three have survived much longer then the previous ones, a full twenty-four hours!" he was definitely too proud of that simple fact for the pirate's liking. "I think I'm quite getting the hang of this,"

"You sick, disgusting bastard!" Faith shouted. "They were… are humans! How can you do something like this?!" she gestured to the Chimera.

"It's not as difficult as you would think, really," Garza explained nonchalantly. Beside him, the Chimera were becoming restless, fidgeting uncomfortably. Garza examined the stained saw in his hand. "Especially with the gracious… support… the World Government is supplying."

He examined the three once again, and his black eyes narrowed upon falling on Chris. "Crescent Dagger Chris Hopkins," he mused. "Captain of the Crescent Dagger Pirates," he looked at Zugai and his expression lightened. "Which means _you_ must be the first mate, Zugai Hibiware the Demon's Orthopedic. Yes, I've had quite an interest in you since learning of your abilities…"

Zugai tensed upon being addressed directly by the man. "Have you now?" he asked. He wasn't too sure if this 'interest' was a good or dangerous. It unsettled him.

"Oh yes. I've heard of your Hone Hone no mi, the ability to control bones. Very interesting. They could actually be quite interesting in my field of work." Garza smiled in amusement. "You know, I can eliminate that little bounty of yours and you'll be filthy rich if you join me. The life of a pirate is an insult to such a useful ability,"

Zugai shrugged and smiled crookedly. "Work for the WG?" he laughed lightly. "So you _do_ have a sense of humor." His expression darkened and he lifted Honehakaisha, pointing it directly at Garza. "Sorry, but I'll have to decline. My alliance is to Chris,"

Garza frowned. "Such a shame…" he muttered. "Well then, I guess I'll have to kill you. Though, I'm rather curious as to how a Devil Fruit user will react with a new body," he grinned. "You can be the subject,"

When he finished speaking, the Manticore Chimera charged at Zugai, axe raised high. It struck downward upon Zugai's head and in an instant, the man lifted his own axe to parry. "Woah there," he said. "Easy does it old boy. You could have hurt me," he pushed forward on his axe, knocking the Manticore backward a few paces. He considered his statement, then shook his head. "No, no you couldn't," he corrected himself.

The other two charged forward, the Centaur holding the Claymore poised to strike in two hands and the Sphinx with claws extended. Zugai paid them no attention. _Does he not see them approaching? _Faith wondered in worry. _They're going to kill him! _Before she could stop herself, she was rushing toward the approaching Sphinx.

Chris ran in front of the Centaur's Claymore just as it was swiped sideways at Zugai. Both of her Deer-Horn knives were used to defend against the massive, extremely heavy sword. She shot her first mate a confident smile. Zugai grinned and started for the Manticore.

The Sphinx pounced at Zugai, only to be stopped by a sudden, large, wolf-like creature jumping to meet it. Chris looked at it with wide eyes. Another Chimera? Upon making a brief, but closer examination, she caught sight of the wolf pendent, and she realized that it wasn't a Chimera, but Faith.

She was a Devil Fruit User!

Faith slammed a furry hand into the Sphinx' face with the force of a large bear, forcing the creature back. She felt strangely self-conscious in her hybrid form; half wolf, half girl. She was essentially a large wolf with curly brown hair atop her head, standing on her hind paws. Her hands still had the shape of a human's, though were tipped with sharp claws. She couldn't bring herself to look at Chris or the others. They'd certainly hater her now. She was a monster. She charged again at the Sphinx, still recovering from the hit, and tackled it. The two erupted into a furious fight, using claws and teeth.

When she felt the strain of the Claymore disappear from her weapons, Chris turned her attention back to her opponent. The centaur had raised the sword once again and threw a furious swipe at Chris' neck. The girl ducked, placing a hand on her hat to keep it firmly atop her head, and charged inward. She made a strike at the creature's chest, right where the two halves connected, but was blocked by the sword and knocked back by a heavy hoof to the chest.

She landed hard on the ground with a grunt, a bit dazed. The claymore was stabbed down at her chest and Chris rolled aside, barely managing to dodge it. She used the momentum to swing herself to her feet and lifted her knives up, ready to fight. "You know, for a laboratory experiment, it's pretty powerful," she muttered before charging again.

_So that's it!_ Zugai thought with mild surprise. That explained a lot; why the girl knew when the gun was going to be fired by the mysterious, unknown marksman, why she knew exactly where the treasure was, why she could sense the approaching Chimera's before any of them even knew they existed… She was a Zoan Devil Fruit User.

He kept his gaze on her for several moments. Zoan, Inu-Inu no Mi, model, Grey Wolf by the looks of it. There was a swoosh of air and the axe was swiped down on Zugai. There was a sickening sound of the blade cutting through flesh and a squirt of blood, and Zugai managed to harden the bone the moment the axe hit it. Still, he couldn't hold in the agonized scream that rose up this throat. The Manticore pushed harder on the axe, trying in confusion to sever the bone. Zugai heard someone call his name, and with a cry of rage, swung Honehakaisha sideways at the creature's neck. Two small dark eyes watched and even widened significantly, as if it knew that its death was imminent.

The creatures head shot off from its body as Honehakaisha cut cleanly through the neck. It rolled along the floor toward Garza where it stopped before the mans foot. The human body of the Manticore fell forward and Zugai stepped back to keep it from falling on him. When he was certain he was safe, he looked down at his heavily bleeding arm. The axe had cut halfway through it, stopped at the bone thankfully, but was still pretty bad. He was losing a lot of blood; quickly. He stepped back and sat down atop Chris' treasure chest, resting Honehakaisha on the floor beside him and pressing against the wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

Chris' eyes went wide upon hearing Zugai's scream. In the weeks that she'd known him, she'd never heard him scream like that. It unsettled her. She turned and stared at the Manticore, with his enormous axe cut deep into Zugai's arm. Blood was spilling onto the floor. "Zugai!" she shouted. She was about to go to him, to help, but the Centaur stepped in front of her and swung the Claymore at her neck. She ducked. "Out of my way, you bastard!" she snarled. She pounced forward, eyes narrowed furiously, and stabbed the protruding part of her Deer Horn knife into the creature's stomach.

There was a distorted cry of pain from the Centaur, and then the Claymore was stabbed at her. She moved, just enough to avoid taking the hit, earning her a thin cut on the side of her neck. She lifted her free hand and pierced the centaur's elbow, then dragged the knife down to its wrist. Blood splattered onto her face and arm and clothes, but she paid it no attention. The Claymore fell from the Centaur's hand to the floor. The next strike would finish it.

She pulled one of the knives out and swiped it across the Centaur's throat. It stood, obviously confused for a few moments, before collapsing, eyes open.

Chris stepped back and turned her attention back to where Zugai was fighting moments before. The Manticore was lying on the ground, or at least, its body was. She followed a trail of blood to the had, which was at the moment being kicked lazily aside by an obviously furious Garza. She spotted Zugai sitting on her treasure chest and ran toward him.

"Hey, are you ok?" She asked. He looked at her, obviously a bit surprised by her sudden appearance, but nodded.

"Yeah," he answered. "It's just… I don't think I've been cut that deeply in a while. It surprised me is all..." he winced as she moved his hand aside to examine it.

"It's bleeding a lot…" She muttered. She reached into her pocket and extracted a hair band, the same one she'd used when they'd first met, and with one of her knives, cut it before tying it rather tightly to his upper arm, where the artery was. It took only a few moments for Zugai to feel the circulation being cut off. "It's not much," she said. "but at least for now, it'll slow down the bleeding until we can get you patched up,"

"Hey," Zugai suddenly said. Chris looked away from his wound and at his face. He nodded toward Faith and she turned her attention to the still fighting girl. There were cuts on her arms, her muzzle, her stomach, everywhere from the Sphinx' sharp lion claws. Yet at the same time, the Sphinx was obviously badly injured. "Do you think she'll last?" he asked.

"Yeah," Chris said after a moment's hesitation. "She's too smart to jump into a fight that she can't win,"

Zugai looked uncertain, but nodded.

The sphinx swiped a large paw at Faith's face for at least the tenth time since their battle had started, and Faith ducked below it with incredible speed. Her teeth were bared as she leapt forward and locked her jaws around the sphinx' shoulder blade. She was aiming for the throat, but the monster moved, by complete chance, and she'd missed. Faith turned so she was standing beside the Sphinx and tackled it to the ground. It clawed at her arms, trying to break free, but Faith tightened her grip. She pressed a single paw on the creature's neck and released its shoulder. It made an attempt to get at her, to knock her away, but with a ferocious snarl, Faith lunged for the throat.

The taste of blood assured her that she'd made her target. She regretfully clamped her teeth shut and could feel, as well as hear, the crunch of the Sphinx' windpipe being crushed. She held there, ears down, trying to ignore the sound of the creature slowly suffocating, and then, when it lay still, she released it and stood.

"I'm sorry…" she muttered as she changed back to her normal human form. Now that the fur was gone, the severity of the cuts was apparent; there was a deep one on the side of her neck, her face was bleeding from various scratches, as were her arms and legs. There was a claw mark across the back of her clothing, though thankfully, those weren't as deep as some of the other wounds. She staggered away from the Sphinx before falling to her knees.

"Very interesting…" Garza suddenly said. He looked around at the three fallen Chimera's and nodded slightly. "Yes, I've decided… You'll all become my next creations," Faith looked up at him and her rage suddenly returned. She found herself snarling at him, but stopped when she felt a soft hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Chris standing over her, a strangely passive expression on her face.

"Hey, don't mean to bug you, but do you think you could go patch up Zugai?" she asked with a smile. "And make sure you get yourself fixed up while you're at it, ok? I don't want my new doctor to die on me this early in the game. Besides, you've got to help us take out this treasure," Faith stared at her uncertainly. The girl was _smiling_, yet despite that Faith could sense the fury radiating from her. She allowed herself to slowly be helped to her feet and nervously made her way back.

"So the Captain wants to go first?" Garza asked, lifting the saw. Chris reached up into her hat and extracted the Crescent Dagger. She held it in its primary hold, wrapped around her fist. She answered Garza's question with a smile. Before the man could even make a move, she was at his throat, the dagger pressed against it. Garza's eyes widened and he stepped back.

"Your control over this island is over, Garza," Chris said. Her smile was gone, replaced by a serious frown and eyes that would strike fear into the bravest giant. "You're going to die now for what you did to the people who live here." She pressed the blade harder against his throat, making a small incision. "But hey, don't worry, you're not going alone,"

With a single swipe, she slit the man's throat and stepped back as he fell, the axe clattering to the ground. Blood slowly pooled around him. She looked down at him and his wide eyes stared at hers. A single hand reached out to her desperately. "The World Government is next,"

With a final gasp of air, Garza's body went limp and he lay still. Chris was surprised by how easily it was done; the only thing that made him powerful was his money, and of course, those monsters. She turned away from him to Zugai and Faith. She had wrapped a piece of cloth around his arm. She walked toward them and looked at the pile of treasure surrounding. _Guess killing the bastard was worth it_. She decided. "Alright guys," she said to the two. "Let's get this gold and get out of here,"

"Roger that," Zugai said.

"Got it!" Faith said enthusiastically. The three quickly set to work.

* * *

**A/N:** Gah. Well, at least Chris got her gold in the end, even if I didn't like the ending too much. But I wanted to get this out to you guys and end this arc. So there ya go. Please, don't forget to read and review!


	16. To the Red Line

**A/N: **This chapter is essentially going to be exposition. The transition point from this adventure to the next. Our heroes will be in the Grand Line soon enough!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own One Piece… Imagine that.

* * *

**Pirates!**

**Toward the Red Line**

**Enter the Fourth and Fifth!**

Night was slowly melding into day as the sun rose beyond the mountains to the East of Bubble Island. The mansion within the forest was quieter then it had been in years. The Hot Spring Village on Bubble Island was slowly beginning to rise in preparation for the new day.

The Crescent Dagger Pirates and the two doctors from this island were located upon the Howling Ivory. Gonzo and Jae were currently placing the food he and his group had acquired into the fridge and the non-perishables into the storage room. There was twice as much as they had before, as Gonzo, Jae, and Aya had completely cleared out the kitchen before leaving.

Chris had carried the treasure chest into her room, and taken the bags of gold down into the storage room as well, on the opposite side of the food of course. She was planning on doing a quick inventory of how much they'd made, but the amount of blood staining her bothered her. Perhaps because it wasn't her own. After completing her task, she made her way to the shower.

Zugai was sitting on the floor on deck, legs crossed, injured left arm out and leaning on a low barrel. Faith was knelt beside him, stitching up the deep wound with a rather large needle and dark string. He winced each time the needle pierced his skin. "Hey, could you be a _little_ gentler," he asked.

Aya, who was sitting beside Faith with bandages, cotton swabs, and a bottle of rubbing alcohol, patching up her friend's wounds, glared at him. "Well, we don't have anesthetics," she pointed out. "So there's nothing to numb the pain. You're a man, deal with it!" Suddenly, a rather dark, yet playful expression crossed her face. "If you want, I can _remind_ you what pain is with this," she lifted the rubbing alcohol bottle and tilted it precariously over Zugai's wound. The boy in question tensed and lifted his free hand defensively.

"Hey, hey, no need for that!" he said with a weak smile. "I can take it, no problem – ow!"

Now, Faith couldn't help but laugh and quickly covered her smile with her hand. "Sorry, that was mean of me," she said, and continued with her work. She tied the final stitch and cut the thread with her teeth before heaving a content sigh. "There, all done,"

Zugai withdrew his arm and examined the cut. "So how long will it take to heal?" he asked. Faith considered the question.

"Probably about two weeks, give or take," She answered.

"Alright, I'm done with you," Aya stated. She had wrapped bandages along Faith's back, shoulders, and cleaned the scratches on her face. Faith gave her a smile and a thank you before rising to her feet. Aya followed the suit. "Well, now that you guys are all fixed up, I guess we should head back home, right, Faith?"

"Yeah," Faith agreed. "Thank you so much for… taking care… of Garza,"

"Hey, it's our pleasure," Chris said suddenly. Faith and Aya, as well as Zugai, looked toward the cabin door. Chris stood, dressed in her usual white t-shirt and dark jeans, though she carried no knives. Her hair was down, her hat in her hand, and a towel was resting around her neck. "But you know, you definitely owe us," she smiled slyly,"

"Owe you?" Aya asked, shocked. "But… you've got all this money! And we patched up your crew. What else do you want from us?"

Chris walked toward them and crossed her arms over her chest. "I want you to join my crew," she decided. "Both of you. I got rid of Garza like I said I would, so you guys don't have any reason to stick around, right? There won't be any need for constant doctors. Besides, this is a great opportunity to see the world,"

That last statement caught the attention of both girls in an instant. Seeing the world; they both wanted that. "You know, we can't cure every type of disease if we don't travel the world and try," Aya pointed out to Faith.

"And this is the best chance we've go to see the world, isn't it?" Faith asked.

"As Pirates," Aya finished. The two smiled at each other briefly, then looked back at Chris. They were surprised to see Gonzo and Jae standing nearby.

"Well, what's the answer?" Gonzo asked.

"Is it a yes?" Jae added.

"Or a no?" Zugai finished.

Chris held out a hand to the two, waiting. "Well?" she asked with a smile. Faith and Aya nodded at each other and placed their hands atop Chris'.

"We're in!" They said simultaneously. Chris' smile widened into a rather satisfied grin. "Welcome aboard," she said to them.

(--)

With a new doctor amongst their ranks, the Crescent Dagger Pirates prepared to set off. They had waited about an hour for Faith and Aya to gather their necessities and supplies from their homes, say their goodbyes, and now, the two were back and ready to go. It was still early morning, no later then six, and the crew lowered the sails to cast off.

"Alright!" Chris said to her crew, which had gathered on deck around a wooden crate she'd placed in the center. She adjusted the hat on her head before continuing. "We've got a Shipwright, a Navigator, a Cook, two Doctors, enough food to feed a Marine Fleet, and tons of money. I think now, we're ready to set off to the Grand Line," She slammed her Grand Line map onto the table and unrolled it, laying it flat. "Jae, give us the details,"

"Right," Jae said. He leaned forward and looked at the Grand Line map before him. "Ooh, this is one of Nami-san's maps! It's so detailed! She really is as great as they say!" he said, his eyes seeming to sparkle at the sight. When he was through appreciating the map, he got to work.

"Right then, we're right about… here," he said, pointing to an island near the edge of the map. "That's Bubble Island. The Red Line is right over here," he pointed to an enormous continent of land spreading across the world. He pointed a bit to the south of the Red Line. "This is the Calm Belt. It's another way into the Grand Line, but there's no wind, no current, nothing. That, and it's a nesting ground for Sea Kings, so that's out of the question."

"How come?" Faith asked. "Isn't there a way to row the boat?"

"You've never encountered a Sea King, have you?" Chris asked. "Back on Fuschia, we have a Sea King and lives in the waters called the Lord of the Coast. They're dangerous, vicious monsters. We'll never survive in the Calm Belt. The damn Sea Kings will swallow the ship whole. So what are out options then?"

"The only other way to enter is through Reverse Mountain," Jae explained, pointing toward the Red Line.

"You serious?" Zugai asked. "How the hell are we supposed to get over a mountain?"

"It's a special type of mountain," Jae continued. "A mountain where all four of the Blues meet, and on the other side is the Grand Line. The Red Line is a Winter Island, according to Grand Line Terminology, so when the warmer waters of the blues meet the cold waters of the Grand Line, it creates a reverse current that goes _up_ the mountain as opposed to down,"

"So the Ivory is going to climb _up_ the mountain?" Gonzo asked. "That seems a little dangerous,"

"It is," Jae said calmly. "There's a lot of storms in that area. Many Pirates trying to enter die because the rough currents slam them into the Red Line's wall," A nervous clod seemed to surround the group now, though Jae remained optimistic. "But don't worry, I'm a good Navigator. Though… I've never actually tested my skills in rough waters…"

"Don't go and tell us that!" Aya snapped. Chris, meanwhile, laughed.

"Well, if we die, then we weren't meant to enter the Grand Line," Chris decided. "But I doubt that will happen. I have the fullest confidence in my Navigator! So, we've just gotta ride the current, then?"

_How could this girl be so easy-going about dying…?_ Faith and Aya asked themselves rather uncertainly. They looked at each other. _Was this a bad idea?_

"Exactly, Chris-san," Jae confirmed. "And since we're entering from the South Blue, we'll only have to control the rudder of the ship a little bit and we'll be able to slip in with little difficulty,"

"Alright then, sounds easy enough to me," Chris said, standing. "How far are we from the Red Line, then?"

Jae examined the map for a few moments. "Probably about a week or so," he said.

"Well, put us on course then," Chris said with a smile.

"Right. Chris-san, lower the sails. Gonzo-kun, raise the anchor, Zugai-kun, take the helm and set us on course to Starboard!" Jae ordered.

"Yosh!" the three addressed declared.

(--)

As the Howling Ivory set sail off the Hot Spring Resort, Bubble Island, another ship, much larger then the Ivory watched from a distance. It was floating a few miles off the island, and the crew observed intently. The black Jolly Roger flying at the top of the mast post depicted a rather menacing looking skull, with two bolts of blue lightning crossing behind it like crossbones. The same image flew on the black sail. In fact, the entire ship was a deep ebony color, and the figurehead was the image of a single, black tiger.

"They've cast off," a female, at least 22 years old said. Her brown hair was tied in pig-tails by two red ribbons, and wore a red, traditional Japanese dress with a slit up both sides. Hanging from a chain rolled up on her waist was a single, Japanese folding fan. "Shall we follow, Captain?"

"Of course," the male beside her said. He smirked, his black eyes watching the ship closely. "Time to test their strength," Lance Wright turned his attention to the cabin door, which was open, but dark beyond. "Cedric," he called calmly. Two glowing yellow eyes appeared in the door. Lance grinned. "It's time,"

* * *

**A/N: **Alright! Time for a little ocean trouble! Like I said, this chapter was mostly exposition to get things going. The next few chapters will likely be travels at sea until they reach Reverse Mountain! So, enjoy! And keep reviewing!

SNE121


	17. The Golden Eyed Boy in the Raging Storm

**A/N: **So as I began writing this, I decided to switch the story up a bit… Thanks everyone for your amazing reviews and submissions! I've almost reached 100! That's so exciting! Keep reviewing and keep reading! Sorry I haven't posted in a while by the way. It's been a long week of Finals and I've been studying like _crazy_! But I've got a three day weekend to hopefully write some of this fanfiction!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own One Piece in any way, shape, or form.

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**Pirates! **

**The Golden Eyed Boy in the Raging Storm**

**The Red Line in Sight**

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There was an aura of excitement surrounding the pirates aboard the Howling Ivory due to one simple fact. They were finally on their way to the Grand Line. They had enough food to last them for months, and enough money to keep them going for quite a while, and Jae had set them on course! A few days of traveling had sent them into several of those unpredictable storms Jae had mentioned, but this one was by far the worst.

All six of the Crescent Dagger Pirates were on deck; Zugai and Gonzo, the two strongest, were at the helm, steering the rocking boat with difficulty. One of the sails was extended to catch the raging wind pushing them onward. Jae was barking orders, standing with Chris, who stood toward the front of the Ivory, looking desperately for light at the end of the storm. Faith and Aya were at the sails, adjusting the angles as necessary to catch the wind safely.

Chris strained her eyes against the rain pouring in front of her down into the crashing waves below. She was certain she could see someone floating there, in a boat. Was it her imagination? She squinted and leaned forward a bit. "Oi, Jae," she called to the boy next to her over the wind. She pointed. "Do you see that?"

Jae squinted a bit. "See what, Chris-san?" he asked her loudly.

"That little boat in the water!" Chris answered. "Looks like there's someone in there!" Jae extracted a spyglass from his raincoat and looked through it toward the boat. It was a rowboat, and upon it was a young, light haired boy, apparently unconscious.

"Yeah, you're right," Jae confirmed. "It's a boy, doubt he's older then eight. This isn't good, Chris-san. This storm is dangerous for a boat that small," he brought the spyglass to his eye again. "He's already getting tossed about. We have to go help him,"

Chris nodded briefly. "You're right," she agreed. She turned toward the upper deck. "Zugai!" she shouted. After speaking, there was a clap of lightning and a roar of thunder and she jumped in surprise. This was getting bad! A few moments later, Zugai appeared, holding onto the upper railing and looking down at her. He was soaking wet, even with his raincoat, and Chris was fairly certain the seawater that got onto the ship wasn't helping him, or any of the other Devil Fruit users. She had to get them out of here…

"Turn the ship a little to right!" she called. Zugai looked in the direction she'd indicated and upon catching sigh of the small boat, looked back at her.

"Got it, Captain!" he called down. He turned to Gonzo and relayed the order. Within a few moments, the ship was banking right. Lightning struck the ocean surface, illuminating it for the briefest of moments, and then, instantly, a crash of thunder followed. Chris frowned uncomfortably. They seemed to be going further and further into the storm. _This is getting too dangers. We've got to get out soon!_

Instead of voicing her concern, turned her attention to Jae. "Go get me some rope!" she looked back a the small boat slowly getting closer and closer. Water was slowly starting to fill it. The boy wouldn't last much longer. "Faith and Aya, turn the sails to get more wind!" she demanded. "We've got to hurry!"

"Got it!" the two girls said simultaneously. They pulled on a rope and the sails turned the slightest bit and the ship sped up. They reached the small boat within a few minutes, and at that time, Jae returned with a long, thick rope. Chris tied the rope around her waist tightly and fastened the other end to the railing of the ship.

"What? Are you seriously going to go down there!?" Jae asked, shocked. Chris looked at him as she swung a leg over the railing.

"Everyone else is busy, and you've got a Devil Fruit, so you can't," she said. "I'll be fine. Pull me up when I tug, okay?" that said, she quickly propelled herself down.

Her feet sunk ankle deep into water when she landed on the small rowboat. The boys head, thankfully, was face up, his face barely above the surface. His eyes were closed, his hair and clothing plastered to his skin. She made quick work of checking his pulse and was relieved to feel a beat, then, she pulled him up over her shoulder. Thankfully, he was significantly light.

She heard a tired moan escape the boys lips and gazed at his head resting on her shoulder. It shifted the slightest bit, but didn't move otherwise. "Hang tight, kid," she said. She was about to tug on the rope when an enormous wave crashed over them, obliterating the ship. Chris cried out in surprise as she sank into the water. The boy fell from her shoulder, sinking further beneath the surface, and she reached out and grabbed his arm before kicking her left to get them back up.

The water was calmer beneath, and when she lifted her head above the surface, gasping, she was greeted by an enormous wave sending her under again. She held the boy close, determined not to let him go, and supported her hat on her head with her free hand. She felt the rope pulling her and managed to get back above the surface. Zugai was standing there, tugging on the rope and pulling her closer to the ship.

She managed to climb the hull, or rather walked up it with difficulty as Zugai, Gonzo and Jae pulled the rope connecting her. When she reached the top and made it over, Aya ran toward her. She took off her own jacket and wrapped it around the boy before taking him from Chris' arms and running below deck.

Chris dropped to her hands and knees, coughing. She'd swallowed a mouthful of seawater and suddenly felt sick, disorientated. Zugai knelt in front of her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Hey," he said over the wind. "You reckless idiot, are you okay?"

Chris took a few moments to catch her breath, coughed up water, and then nodded without looking up. "Jae," She said, breathing heavily. The boy in question looked at her. "Get us the hell out of this damn storm,"

(--)

The seas had calmed after another few hours of sailing, the storm passed and now behind them. Chris was sitting in the infirmary on a chair near the bed the boy had been sleeping on, wearing a fresh pair of jeans and a dark green t-shirt. Her hat, having been dried, was upon her head as usual, hiding her hair. She was sitting under a blanket, as she was still cold from the unusually freezing temperature of the water, and a cup of hot coffee was resting in her hand. Aya had locked her in with a small dose of anti-cold medicine they'd whipped up and was guarding the door, refusing to let her leave until she drank it. Stubbornly, Chris ignored it. She'd never liked medicine.

"It doesn't taste that bad, Chris, come on! Don't be such a little kid!" Faith scolded. She was beside Chris, holding the small vial out to her captain. Chris looked away and sipped her coffee.

"I'm not drinking it," Chris said firmly. "I don't need it, I never get sick!"

"Famous last words!" Faith argued. "That water was far below freezing, you'll get pneumonia!"

"I'm not going to get anything!" Chris objected.

"Stop being stubborn!" Faith said, pushing the vial to Chris' face. Chris turned her head and stuck her tongue out at Faith in a rather childish way. Faith's brow furrowed angrily and she opened her mouth to yell at the younger girl when the door opened and Zugai emerged.

"Give it a rest, guys," he said with a light smile. "If she doesn't want to take it, she doesn't have to take it," Chris gave him a thankful smile. She looked back at Faith and smiled triumphantly over the rim of her coffee. Faith glared at Chris, then at Zugai before heaving a sigh and putting the vial down.

"Fine," she muttered. "Get sick, then, Chris, but don't come crying to us when you're dying of hypothermia or something of the sort!" with that, she and Aya stormed out of the infirmary, leaving Chris alone with Zugai and the sleeping boy on the bed.

Zugai leaned against the wall beside the closed door, arms crossed and looking at Chris with a raised brow as the girl shot him a thumbs up and a grin. "I knew I could count on you!" she said happily. "Now I don't have to take that stupid medicine!

"You really should, though," Zugai said. "Things wouldn't work too well if you died, ya know," Chris shrugged and drank more of her coffee. Zugai walked toward her and pulled a chair in front of her, the back facing her, and sat, leaning his arms against the back.

Chris glared at the medicine in distaste. Zugai laughed at the expression. "Hey, just being the voice of reason," he said. "Not like I expected you to listen to me anyway," His blue eyes shifted to gaze at the sleeping boy, covered and dry beneath the blanket nearby. "You know, it was really stupid of you to jump in there,"

Chris leaned back in her chair and looked at the boy. "Well, I couldn't just leave him there…" she said. "He could have died."

"You could have died," Zugai cut in. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I don't understand what it is about you that makes me panic every time you do something reckless…" he muttered in an undertone. Chris looked at him, confused.

"Huh?" she asked, having not been able to hear him. Zugai shook his head dismissively.

"Nothing," he said. "Just do me a favor and don't do stupid things anymore, got it?" he smiled a bit. "At least not on the ocean. I can't jump in and save you if you drown,"

Chris' brow furrowed in annoyance. "Who said I'd need saving?!" she asked stubbornly. Zugai laughed at the reaction. Beside them, there was a light, tired groan. Simultaneously the two turned their heads to look at the sleeping boy. He was slowly opening golden eyes.

"Hey, so you're awake," Chris said with a light smile. "Welcome back to the world of the living,"

The boy blinked a few times, trying to understand his surroundings, and upon seeing the two sitting beside the bed, he sat up quickly. He jumped to his feet and his head hit a shelf that was perched above, filled with medicine making tools.

"Ow!" the boy exclaimed, clutching the back of his head where he'd his and falling back into a sitting position. He looked at the two boys now staring, shocked, at him, and backed away into the farthest corner of the bed. "Who are you? What am I doing here?" he demanded.

"Relax, kid," Zugai said with a smile. "You're safe. You were caught in a storm and being the kind-hearted pirates we are, we pulled you out of your little boat and saved you,"

"Pirates…" he boy muttered. His eyes widened in surprise. "You guys are pirates?"

"I believe I just said that," Zugai confirmed, still smiling. "Don't worry, we're not gonna hurt you or anything,"

"Where am I?" the boy asked.

"Somewhere in the South Blue," Chris answered. "We're actually on our way to the Red Line, but if you live somewhere in this ocean, we'll gladly take you home. After all, we can't just take a kid through Reverse Mountain,"

The boy looked from one to the other. "You mean… I'm not in the Grand Line anymore?" he asked. He suddenly looked worried. "What… how did I get here…?"

Chris blinked in mild surprise. "You mean you live in the Grand Line?" she asked. The boy nodded his response.

"Yeah, the first island after Reverse Mountain. It's called Inazuma Island…"

"Oh great…" Zugai muttered. "This'll be fun…"

"By the way… who are you people…?" the boy asked. Zugai raised a brow at him.

"Oy, shouldn't you tell your name before asking someone else's?" he asked. The boy bowed his head apologetically.

"Eh… you're right, sorry," he said, rather ashamed of himself. "I'm Ced." The name caught Chris' attention and she gazed at the boy. She'd heard that name before… but where? She couldn't place it, and ultimately, shrugged it off. When she caught the boy staring at her, she put on a smile. "I'm Chris," she said. "And this bonehead here is Zugai. Captain and First Mate respectively," Ced nodded his greeting, then shifted rather uncomfortably.

"I don't want to be a burden, Chris… but… did you mean it when you said you'd take me home?" he asked quietly. Chris glanced at Zugai for a moment and the two nodded.

"Yeah," she said. "I can't take a kid with me on my travels. Guess we'll have to take you over Reverse Mountain and drop you off."

With a suddenness that surprised her, the boy jumped forward and hugged Chris. "Thank you!" he said, almost crying. "Thank you so much for saving me!"

Chris wasn't sure how to react. She hesitated, stiffened a bit uncomfortably, and finally, patted the boys head. "You're… welcome," she said.

The door opened once again, revealing Gonzo and Jae, both looking to be in extremely good moods. "Hey, great news, guys!" Jae started, smiling broadly. At once, all three of them looked over, Ced stepping away from Chris, embarrassed. "Hey, the kid's awake…"

"Well he can come along then!" Gonzo decided. He grinned widely. "We've reached the Red Line!"

Chris' eyes widened. "Eh? Really?!" she asked.

"You serious?" Zugai added, shocked. "Awesome!"

"You've gotta come see it, it's amazing!" Jae added. "It stretches so high, I can't even see the top!"

"Really?" Ced suddenly asked. "Is it actually that big?!" he was standing on the bed again, though this time, he was careful not to hit the shelf above. "Chris, can I go?"

Chris looked at him and raised a brow. "Why are you asking me? It's your decision," she said matter-of-factly. Ced smiled and jumped off the bed before running to the door. Jae led the boy back toward the deck.

"Oi, you two coming?" Gonzo asked Chris and Zugai.

"In a minute," Zugai answered. His eyes tilted toward the medicine on the table and Gonzo smiled with a brief nod before exiting.

"Hey, wait up!" Chris exclaimed. She stood and took only a few steps before Zugai caught her arm and pulled her back. "Eh, what are you─" before she could say another word, the vial was pressed to her lips and the disgusting flavored liquid attacked her taste buds. She tried to spit it out, but Zugai held the top of her head with one hand, and her jaw with the other, clamping it shut.

"Swallow it," he ordered. Chris shook her head and attempted to break free. Zugai tilted her head back quickly, forcing the medicine down her throat, then, released her.

Chris gripped her throat and gagged dramatically as if trying to throw up the medicine. She glared accusingly at Zugai, who was now laughing at her. "Bastard!" Chris shouted angrily. "I thought I could trust you, you traitor!"

Zugai smiled and walked toward the door, stopping beside Chris. He gazed at her and she stared right back, angry. After a few moments, she looked away, her arms crossed. Zugai grinned and flicked her forehead. "You'll thank me eventually, Chrisanthia," he assured her. "Come on, let's go see it!"

Chris' eyes widened a bit and she looked back at Zugai, who was already at the door again. Her cheeks, strangely enough were a light shade of pink. Was she embarrassed? That was strange… last time he'd called her that, she was ready to murder him. She pushed back her strange embarrassment and turned to Zugai angrily. "Oi!"

Zugai looked at her over his shoulder, sticking his tongue out at her rather childishly. "Didn't I tell you not to call me that, bastard!" she drew her Crescent Dagger and started after him. Zugai laughed and ran toward the deck with the others.

It was a good day, he decided.

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**A/N:** Alright, so there it is! Again, I'm so sorry that I haven't uploaded in a while. Finals have been killing me. But this is the next chapter. I've got all weekend to write and I have the next few chapters already planned out (one of them is already written -.-), so hopefully, they'll be up sooner. No promises though! Don't forget to Read and Review!


	18. Of Dreams and Promises

**A/N: **100 Reviews! Yay, I'm so excited! Now, I've forgotten to put the crew update XP. So I'll do that at the end of this chapter! I was really iffy about making this little cameo appearance in this chapter, but hey, it's acceptable! After all, the Strawhats all had goals of their own of accomplish.

**Disclaimer: **Surprisingly (not), I don't own One Piece.

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**Pirates!**

**Of Dreams and Promises**

**Over Reverse Mountain!**

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Zugai stopped in his tracks upon seeing the immense size of the enormous red mountain before him. No… this wasn't a mountain… it was a cliff! He looked upward. He couldn't even see the top! He staggered forward a few paces when Chris crashed into him, but caught himself, and her, before either could fall. Chris pulled away from him and was about to yell at him when she saw his gaze directed somewhere else. On impulse, she followed it.

Her eyes widened in surprise. The sheer size of it was in all honesty intimidating. She found it difficult to believe that she was actually _here_. She stepped forward, toward the bow of the ship, and craned her neck back to try to see the top, but ultimately, found it impossible. "Amazing…" Chris muttered.

"Wow, it's huge!" Ced exclaimed excitedly. He had pulled himself onto the railing and was hanging on it with his feet a few inches above the deck. "How are we gonna get over?"

"Reverse Mountain is East of our current position," Jae explained. "We just go that way and hope we make it up okay," he smiled a bit. "Incredible…"

"It really is amazing…" Faith said.

"I've never seen anything like it," Aya added.

"So this is it, huh?" Gonzo asked with a grin. He held six mugs of alcohol on a tray in one hand and distributed it amongst the pirates.

"Exactly," Chris agreed. She turned to face her crew, who at once turned their attention to her. She pointed her thumb over her shoulder. "This continent, the Red Line, signifies the official beginning of our journey. When we see it again, we'll officially be halfway to accomplishing our goals," she smiled and stepped toward them. "One Piece will be mine, and I'll be the King of the Pirates (1)."

She lifted her mug, in front of the crew, grinning. Zugai smiled and lifted his own, a few inches away from hers. "I'll forge the strongest weapon of bone and find the crew that abandoned me all those years ago,"

"I'll find the Prime Spice and free my old crew from Chamu!" Gonzo added, holding his mug out.

"I'll make the best maps in the world, better then even hers!" Jae said, adding his to the others.

"To heal any disease and see the world!" Aya and Faith said simultaneously, adding their cups to the mix.

Chris grinned at their enthusiasm. "Exactly," she declared with a grin. "This toast is a promise, that by the time we reach Raftel, it'll all be done! No reluctance! No giving up! Every single one of us will accomplish our dreams! Got it?" she shouted.

"Yosh!" they all said at once. Six mugs slammed together, spilling a bit onto the deck, and the alcohol within was downed within minutes by the pirates.

Ced watched them over his shoulder, still hanging on the railing, a bit surprised. They were all entering the Grand Line with dreams. He smiled a bit and looked back at the Red Line. Then, something strange caught his attention. It looked like a steep river… but something wasn't right… "Hey," he called to the others. At once, they looked at him. He pointed. "What's that thing?"

Jae looked in the direction indicated and smiled as he took another drink. The stream was going upward, surprisingly enough, and there were what looked like gates along the firest few yards. "That's Reverse Mountain!" Jae declared. At once, the excitement among them increased.

"Alright, Zugai and Gonzo, take the helm!" Chris ordered. The two nodded and rushed to the upper deck. "Aya and Faith, raise the sails! Everyone, hold on tight! It's gonna be a bumpy ride. Jae, get us through this!"

"Got it, Chris-san!" Jae said. "Ced-chan, it might be better for you to go below deck," he said to the boy.

"I wanna watch though!" Ced objected. Chris heaved a sigh and walked toward him, taking his arm with one hand and holding the railing with another.

"Then hold on tight, you hear me?" she said. "Zugai and Gonzo, a little to the left! Let's get in the current!" she called over her shoulder. She could feel the ship banking and a sudden speeding up toward the mountain.

"Make sure we don't hit the gate, Zugai-san and Gonzo-san!" Jae called up. The shouted their affirmative and kept a close watch on the approaching gate. "A little to the right!" Jae called. They were getting closer and closer to the actual entrance to the mountain, following the current. The ship rocked momentarily, and then, started going up.

"Alright!" Chris exclaimed triumphantly. She stood a bit straighter, still holding the railing as they shot up the mountain. She turned to the two on the upper deck. "Way to go guys! We're in!" she called.

Gonzo wiped a bead of nevous sweat from his brow and released the helm. He looked at Zugai and slapped the boy a triumphant hi-five and gazed at the mountain. "It'll be smooth sailing from here, guys!" Gonzo declared. "The current should take us up an over and then we'll be in the Grand Line!"

"Really, it's that easy?!" Aya asked, surprised. "Ah, this is so awesome!"

"We'll reach the top in about ten seconds," Jae called. The ship continued onward, following the current at an extremely fast pace. When they reached the top, it seemed to soar in the air.

Aya and Faith looked downward and their eyes widened. They were in the air… and the drop was almost ninety degrees! "Uwaah!" the girls shouted, shocked.

"Everyone, grab onto something!" Zugai called. He and Gonzo took the helm, the closed thing to them, as Faith and Aya grabbed hold of the mast. Jae, Ced, and Chris held tightly onto the railing.

"I can see the Grand Line!" Chris said excitedly. "We're almost there!" then, the boat landed back in the water with a lurch. They descended the mountain much more quickly then they climbed. Chris was glad she'd ordered the closing of the sails; the amount of wind rushing passed them would have definitely slowed them down. _Almost there! Almost there!_ She thought to herself as she watched the quickly approaching ocean below.

"Not much longer, guys!" Jae called. "It's gonna be bumpy when we reach the bottom, so hold on!"

Everyone tightened their grip on what they were holding. A few moments later, they hit the bottom. The ship once again rocked dangerously, then settled into a gentle drift before coming to a complete stop. There was a light breeze blowing.

Everyone opened their eyes at once and looked around at the massive ocean surrounding. They were silent for a few uncertain moments. On their left, there was a lighthouse atop a Cliffside, with a ladder leading up. Was this the Grand Line?

"Oi, guys… we have a problem…" Jae pointed out. Chris released the railing, and Ced, and looked at the navigator. Jae smiled weakly. "The compass is broken…" he said with a light laugh. Immediately, the excitement faded.

"Whaat?!" they all asked simultaneously.

As if on cue, the ocean in front of them began to part, revealing an enormous black, dome like figure with a strange painting on the front. Chris' eyes widened.

It was a Jolly Roger with a Straw Hat upon it. This thing carried the Straw Hat Pirates insignia. But what was it? It started turning and the entire crew was surprise to see a single, enormous eye look down at them.

"It… it… it's a whale…" Ced pointed out nervously. "Wuah! It's huge! What do we do, what do we do?!" he looked frightened at Chris. "What if it eats us?!"

"Relax, relax!" Chris said to the boy quickly. The thing was too big to fight, but if it had that insignia… was there even a point of fighting it? At the moment, the entire crew was too shocked to do anything about it. Then, a laughing from the lighthouse reached their ears.

"Yohohohoho! I don't think Laboon would do that! I'm fairly certain he had plenty to eat before you arrived." it said. It was an elderly, though excited voice. Instantly, all eyes turned to the mountain. There, upon the cliff where the ladder leading up to the cliff was, there was a tall figure, wearing a black suit. His hair was black, and in an afro, and there was a top hat upon it. In one hand was a cane, though it seemed to be more for decoration then anything else, as he wasn't using it to walk. It was probably a trick of the light, but he seemed to be nothing but bones. "I believe I overheard you saying that your compass was broken? Please, come up and I will explain everything to you!" that said, the figure turned away.

The group didn't move, so as a result, the whale, identified as Laboon, pushed them toward the lighthouse. Zugai nearly lost his balance as the ship rocked dangerously. "Oi, oi, stupid whale! Don't just ram into my ship like that!" he shouted. The side of the Ivory crashed gently into the mountain and Zugai lifted his Labrys. "Gyah, you stupid whale!"

"Woah, woah!" Gonzo said quickly, grabbing Zugai and holding him back. "Relax! He's helping us, helping!" Zugai struggled against his hold.

"Stupid Whale!" Zugai snarled. "If there's _one_ scratch on the Howling Ivory, I'll cut you to shreds with this! I'll take all your bones out of your body, I swear it!"

Gonzo sweatdropped a bit uncertainly. _Eh… he's so violent when it comes to his ship…_ he thought to himself. He remembered Zugai snapping at _him_ when they'd first met, after Gonzo had bumped into the ship while swimming, and heaved a sigh.

A few minutes later, after Zugai had calmed down and the anchor had been lowered, the crew, and Ced were on the Cliffside, having climbed up the long ladder. They looked around for a few moments, then, seeing a shadow within the lighthouse, approached. Chris knocked briefly, and upon hearing an affirmative from the voice inside, opened the door and entered.

The man from before stood over a counter, pouring boiling water into a teapot. His had was no longer on his head, but rather, on a hat rack. Without even turning, he spoke. "Please, take off the hats inside,"

Chris stiffened a bit uncomfortably, but complied. The man had invited them in, the least she could do was abide to his rules. She held the hat tightly in her hands. Ced looked at her.

"You're really pretty with your hair down…" he observed. Chris shot him a look.

The man turned and walked toward them, carrying the tea pot and a tray of teacups. He set them down on a table and poured some tea into each, then picked up his cup and sipped. "Now then, first order of business…" he began. Everyone turned their attention to them and instantly, eyes widened.

Outside, it _wasn't_ a trick of the light. And each and every one of them knew who was standing before them.

"The musician of the Straw Hat Pirates…" Jae muttered, shocked.

"Humming Brook…" Chris finished, in awe.

Brook looked at the three girls and Jae (whom he had mistaken as a girl) through his empty eye sockets and seemed to be smiling. "May I see your panties?" he asked.

The girls blushed, embarrassed, for a few moments, while Jae put on a smile. "Oh, but I'm a boy," he said. Chris put on an angry expression, her eye twitching. She clenched a fist and hit it against the skeletons head at the same time Zugai hit him on the other side.

"_No_!" They both shouted simultaneously. The two looked at each other briefly as the skeleton staggered forward from the blows before falling, and then turned their attention back to him. He stood, a clutching both sides of his head.

"Oya, oya, your rejection pains my heart, though I don't have one," he said. "Because I'm just bones. Yohohohohoho!" To emphasize, he opened his coat, showing his rib cage to the group.

"This guy… is he really Humming Brook…?" Gonzo asked skeptically.

"I don't know," Jae answered. "I'm starting to have my doubts…"

"Ced? Hey, Ced, wake up!" Faith said, shaking the young boy, who had collapsed in fright upon seeing the skeleton, and was now foaming at the mouth.

"Bones… he's all bones…" Ced muttered.

(--)

When all had calmed, (about five minutes later), they all sat on the floor of the lighthouse, sipping their tea made by the skeleton in silence. Chris shifted a bit uncomfortably, occasionally pushing her hair back and trying to think of some way to hide it without use of the hat. In the end, she gave up and was the first to speak.

"So uh… Mr. Brook… why are you here?" she asked. "I mean… I understand Pirate King Monkey D. Luffy was executed five years ago, but did the crew disband?"

Brook didn't answer for a few moments. "I am still very much a Straw Hat Pirate," he began. "We've all just… gone our separate ways for a time. I am here, because I have made a promise to Laboon,"

Zugai tensed in aggrivation. "You mean that monster that pushed my ship into the Cliffside?" he asked. Brook nodded.

"Yohohohoho, he's such a helpful little whale," he said. "Though, he isn't very little anymore. Seventy years is a long time for a whale to grow," Faith's eyes widened upon hearing the age and she stared at the skeleton incredulously. "But we're not here to speak about me. You said your compass stopped working, correct?"

"Oh, right," Jae said calmly. He reached into his pocket and extracted the compass. "It just went haywire all of a sudden. Do you know how to fix it, Brook-san?" Brook looked at it, thinking hard for a few moments.

"No," he said in an embarrassed, playful tone.

"Then why did you call us up here?!" Chris snapped. She pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration and took a deep breath. "Sorry…"

"Yohoho, it's quite alright," Brook said. "Now, I may not know how to fix it, but I _do_ know a solution to your problem," he looked at Chris rather seriously and Chris looked back, waiting for an answer. "Log Pose…" he said. Then, in a much more light-hearted tone, he added, "May I see your panties now?"

"Not gonna happen!" Chris and Zugai snapped simultaneously.

Aya nudged Jae's arm briefly with her elbow and leaned toward the boy. "Oi… there's something strange going on there…" she whispered.

Jae looked at Chris and Zugai for a few moments before looking at Aya. "I think you're right, Aya-san," he said.

Gonzo gazed at Aya and Jae for a few moments, then looked back at Brook. "So what exactly is a Log Pose?" he asked. "Why don't the compasses work?"

"I don't know the answer to that," Brook said. "I'm not a navigator, but a musician and swordsman," Again, the crew seemed to deflate in dissapointment. "However, I do have something of use for you,"

He tugged on his hair and the top of his skull flipped open, much like a treasure chest would. Ced, who had just recovered from the fact that Brook was a skeleton, promptly passed out again upon seeing it. "Kyah! He opened his head!" Faith pointed out. Then, she looked at Ced. "He's passed out from fright again!"

Brook rummaged through his head for a few brief seconds before extracting a strange, spherical object attached to a band. He held it out. Jae looked at it, then reached out and gently took it from the skeletons hand. "This is a Log Pose?" he asked.

"That's right," Brook said. "The islands of the Grand Line have a very unstable magnetic field. This Log Pose will guide you on a set route from island to island until you reach the end,"

"Are you giving this to us?" Jae asked. Brook nodded.

"I have been saving it for seven years, since I returned to the Red Line and to Laboon. You are the first, upon seeing my dear friend that did not attack him. For that, I will give you the Log Pose," he stood and carried the empty tea pot to the sink. "Unfortunately, that is all I am able to tell you, unless you wish to hear of the location of the treasure,"

"No," Chris said firmly, standing as well. "Thank you for the offer, Brook, but it's not an adventure if we know the result,"

"Yohohohoh! A wise answer, miss," Brook said. He turned to look at the Pirates. "If I may ask, what is your next destination?" he asked.

"Inazuma Island," Chris answered. The rest of the crew stood as well, Faith holding the still unconscious Ced. "We've gotta take the little runt home,"

Brook nodded. "I wish you a safe and exciting voyage then," he said. Chris bowed slightly before him.

"Thank you for the advice, Brook," she said. "It was an honor meeting the Musician of the Straw Hat Pirates,"

"Yohohoho! You're making me blush!" Brook said. "Though I can't, because I'm just bones," He laughed again. "Skull joke!" Now, Chris couldn't help but laugh. What an interesting character this man was.

"Goodbye, Humming Brook," Chris said.

"Farewell!" Brook said. "I hope to meet again," Chris smiled and exited the Lighthouse. It would be night soon.

"Alright, guys, let's get out of here. Jae, how long will it take to get to that island?"

"If I remember the Grand Line Map correctly, about a day," Jae answered. He examined the Log Pose now around his wrist. "And it seems that the Log Pose is pointing straight toward it,"

"Then let's move out," Chris decided. She started toward the ladder, which half of her crew had already descended, and then stopped, gazing at a tree nearby. She put her hat back on her head, hiding her hair, and extracted the Crescent Dagger.

"Chris, come on," Zugai called. Chris looked at him. "Be right there, kay?" she answered. Zugai nodded and descended the ladder. Chris walked toward the tree and made quick work of carving their insignia into the tree. Beneath it, she wrote the name of the crew, then sheathed the dagger and stepped back with a grin.

"See ya around," she decided. Then, she walked to the ladder and descended.

When the Howling Ivory disembarked, Brook exited the lighthouse and approached the tree. He'd been watching Chris carve into it and his curiosity got the better of him. He smiled (as much as he could without a face) upon seeing the insignia. "Yohohoho," he laughed. "Crescent Dagger Pirates." He gazed at the slowly disappearing ship. "Traveling for the sake of adventure. They will be known in this world," He gazed down at three bounty posters he now held in his hand. "Perhaps they will be the ones to make it. What do you think, Luffy-san?"

Chris smiled broadly as she leaned against the railing on the bow of the ship. They were in the Grand Line. The adventure was just beginning.

* * *

**Current Crescend Dagger Members**

**Chris Hopkins: **Spy/Captain

**Zugai Hibiware:** First Mate/Shipwright/Blacksmith

**Gonzo:** Cook

**Jae Axia: **Navigator

**Faith Williams:** Doctor

**Aya Vincent: **Doctor

* * *

**A/N: **(1) Although technically, Chris would be QUEEN of the Pirates, she uses King, because it signifies the top of the line of power, and that's the term that's known.

Yes, Brook is there. Sorry if he's Out of Character. I don't normally write with him... I couldn't think of any actual _funny_ skull jokes. But it's ok… Luffy was the only one that ever laughed at them anyway, haha. And I definitely think I owed you guys an extra chapter today to make up for lack of posting before! You know, I'm tempted to do an 'SBS' thing as part of the reviews, but Idk how popular that would be. Haha. Well, I'll let you guys decide. If you like the idea, then ask questions (about the fanfiction/characters), and I'll answer them before every chapter :D. Don't ask why… I was bored… haha. Well, Read and Review!


	19. Kidnapped!

**A/N:** This chapter, during the original draft, was _much_ more violent then the final result. I think I wrote this three or four times before I became satisfied... But, I decided to save the violence for later in the story. Sam In The Dark, your questions will be answered in the ending A/N.

**Disclaimer: **If I owned One Piece, Zoro would have his shirt off more often XP.

* * *

**Pirates!**

**Kidnapped!**

**The Test of the Crew's Loyalty**

* * *

All was quiet upon the Howling Ivory on this clear night, as its crew was sleeping soundly in their cabins. Even the ship itself seemed to sleep, for it floated motionlessly on the oceans of the Grand Line. The trip over Reverse Mountain had taken a toll on all of them and the Ivory was glad to be in relatively calm waters at last.

The boys were sleeping peacefully in their room, all three upon their hammocks. Zugai's labrys rested against the wall beside his hammock, and one of his hands was stretched over the side. Gonzo was sleeping on his stomach, snoring rather loudly. Jae was on his back, one arm stretched over his eyes. Ced was on his own hammock, curled in a ball with his hands beneath the pillow resting beneath his head.

In the girls room, Aya and Faith slept on the bed, breathing gently in their relaxed sleep. Chris was lying in her hammock, gazing at the ivory ceiling above her. Her arms were crossed behind her head, which was devoid of her trademark hat at the moment. Said hat was resting on the desk, along with the rest of her knives. She seemed to be the only one who couldn't sleep.

In fact, Chris couldn't understand how the others _could_ sleep. They were finally in the Grand Line! They'd met 'Humming' Brook! They shouldn't be sleeping, they should be exploring! She heaved a heavy, rather disappointed sigh, and rolled onto her side. She closed her eyes in an attempt to sleep but ultimately failed. Eventually, she sat up, swung her legs off the hammock, and slipped into her shoes.

As quietly as she could, she stood and walked toward the door. It creaked audibly as she opened it and she winced, holding her breath, at the sound. She looked over her shoulder to make sure she hadn't disturbed the others before stepping through the door into the cold night air and exiting. She closed the door with a light click behind her.

She entered the kitchen and released the breath she'd been holding since exiting the room. Now that she was certain she wouldn't wake anyone, she could be as loud as she wanted. She walked into the kitchen and started boiling water. The sound of the door opening caught her attention and instinctively, she reached up to her head for her dagger, only to remember her hat wasn't there. "Relax, it's me," Aya said with a yawn.

Chris pushed her hair behind her ears as a cover. "Sorry, did I wake you?" she asked the girl. Aya rubbed her eyes and sat at the table.

"Sort of," she said. Her green hair wasn't in its usual ponytail and Chris was surprised by how much of it the girl actually _had_. She wouldn't be able to stand such long hair. "Couldn't sleep?"

"No," Chris said, turning toward the cupboard. "Coffee?" she asked.

"Please," Aya answered with a smile. Chris nodded and extracted two cups. "You know, if it's insomnia, I can make some medicine to fix it." Aya continued.

Chris smiled, but shook her head. "No, it's nothing like that," she said. "Just excitement. I don't want a cure for that," she said. She put a teaspoon of sugar into each cup and leaned against the counter, looking at Aya. "I don't get how you guys can sleep right now. We've just made it into the Grand Line… we're sleeping off adventures here!"

"Chris, even in the Grand Line, people sleep," Aya said with a light laugh. "I understand you're excited about this, I actually am as well, but you need to breathe. Maybe coffee isn't a good idea,"

Chris ignored her and poured the now hot water into the two cups. "I know that's the doctor side of you talking," Chris said. She walked toward Aya and placed one of the cup in front of her before sitting at the table herself and sipping her own cup. "But the teenager side of you is just as excited as I am!"

Aya picked up the cup and sipped it calmly. "Yeah, I guess you're right," she said. She rested one elbow on the table and propped her chin upon her hand, holding her coffee cup in the other. "So what are we going to do when we leave Ced on that island?"

"We go searching for One Piece, of course," Chris said with a broad smile. "And we accomplish those dreams of ours. We all made promises before entering, remember?"

"You know, part of me wants to take the runt with us," Aya mused. Chris smiled a bit.

"We can't do that," she said. "He's just a kid. We can't be babysitting,"

"But those eyes of his are sharp as a hawk," Aya continued. "He'd be a great look-out. Maybe we can teach him to be a marksman!"

Chris frowned upon mention of his eyes. Since they found him, there was something about those eyes that bothered her. That amber color wasn't natural. She'd had theories that the boy had eaten a Devil Fruit, but they could never confirm it. After all, she couldn't just throw him overboard and see if he sunk. She took another sip of her coffee. The boys name was strange as well… she felt as if she'd heard it somewhere before. Ced… Chris closed her eyes and tried to remember.

And then, it came to her like a hard slap to the face. Those golden eyes… she had seen them before. Gazing at her from behind the red skirt of a dark haired woman back home. The scar on her back tingled at the memory. That boy had been there that day she'd stolen the dagger. The name followed.

"Collette. Take Ced out of here. I don't want him to see this," Lance Wright had said. The dark haired girl, along with a blond girl, nodded and ushered the boy out.

Her eyes widened in and she dropped her coffee cup. It crashed into the floor and exploded in an array of broken glass and spilt coffee. Aya jumped at the sudden sound. "Jesus!" she hissed. Then, she saw Chris' expression. "Hey, Chris, what's wrong?" she asked. "You ok?"

"Cedric Wright…" she muttered aloud. Younger brother to the Captain of the Blue Lightning Pirates: Lance Wright. _Inazuma Island… I should have known!_ He'd been with them this entire time, probably leading them straight into a trap. She needed to get rid of him! She jumped up from her chair and bolted to the door.

"Chris, where are you going?" Aya asked as she rose from her seat. Chris opened the kitchen door and both girls were shocked to see three figures standing in their way, one a tall silver haired man, another a brown haired girl with pig-tails, and the last a small boy with golden eyes.

"C-Ced!" Aya exclaimed, surprised.

Chris cursed herself for not carrying her weapons with her. She stepped back and then threw a high kick at Lance Wright's head. The boy caught her leg with ease and with his other hand, he extracted a syringe from his pocket. "Oi, oi, no need to be so violent, Chrisanthia," Lance said. He looked at Aya, who was standing confused, unsure of how to react, and frowned. "So there's an extra…" he sighed. "How troublesome. Collette, take care of the other girl,"

The girl, Collette, nodded. "Let's see, I think a light hit should do the trick," she decided. Chris' eyes widened.

"Aya, run!" she said to the girl. "Wake the others!" Before Aya could even move, Collette was behind her. She lightly, but firmly, his the back of the girl's neck, right in the pressure point, and Aya fell forward with a gasp. "Aya!" Chris gasped. She started away from Lance, only to see Cedric standing directly in front of her, a dark expression in his Golden eyes.

"You little bastard!" She snarled. She lunged at him and Lance caught her by the back of her shirt and pulled her back. He shoved her roughly against the wall of the kitchen. He covered her mouth with one hand and extracted a syringe from his pocket with another. There was a sudden dark look in his eyes.

"Collette, take Ced to the ship," Lance said firmly. Chris' eyes widened upon hearing those words. "And take that girl with you," When he spoke, his eyes never left Chris'. He saw the fear within them. "You recognize this, don't you?" he asked. Chris didn't respond. Her hands clasped around Lance's wrist in an attempt to pull his hand away. Lance moved his hand downward, clasping it around her throat tight enough to keep her from shouting. "The only thing missing is the dangerous man with the sword, right?"

"Wh-what do you want?" Chris asked with difficulty. Lance examined the syringe filled with the strange, sickly green liquid, with interest for a few moments.

"This is a test," Lance explained. "For that crew of yours. We've been watching you guys for a while, Chrisanthia. You've proven your strength, and you've shown selflessness, which is a great asset for a captain. I thank you for saving my brother's life back there in the South Blue," He lifted the syringe and pushed the needle gently into Chris' arm. "Your crew, in the morning, will know exactly where you are. Let's see if they're as loyal to you as you are to them,"

"Leave Aya alone," Chris begged. "Take me, I don't care, but leave her,"

Lance shook his head as he pressed the plunger, injecting the green liquid into Chris' arm. "Can't do that, Chrisanthia," he said. "She's seen us," he smiled a bit, almost sympathetically. "Consider yourself lucky, Chrisanthia, that Nikolai is off training,"

Chris felt her rapid heartbeat slow to a safe, steady cadence. So he wasn't going to be there. That knowledge alone gave Chris a sense of wild relief. "Don't you dare hurt them," she said in what she'd intended to be a firm, commanding voice, though due to the sedative, it came out as a tired mumble. The room began spinning dangerously for several moments before Chris finally allowed herself to succumb to the sweet darkness.

Lance hauled the unconscious girl over his shoulder with a frown. He really didn't like hurting others, or scaring them like this, but it was necessary. "No intentions of it," he assured her, though he was certain she couldn't hear him. He glanced at the note Cedric had left on the table before exiting the kitchen and boarding his own ship, Apocalyptic Thunder, which hovered in the darkness beside the Ivory. As his ebony ship slowly drifted away from her ivory one, he watched it with mild interest. "The test has begun," he mused absently to himself. Without another word, he turned and carried the still unconscious captain below deck.

(--)

The sun was barely rising over the horizon when Gonzo woke from his peaceful slumber. It was about five A.M., he always woke at this time to ensure that a hot, delicious breakfast was ready for the rest of the crew when they awoke.

The Fishman yawned and stretched in his hammock, rubbing the sleep from his eyes with the back of his hand. He rolled off the bed and put on his normal Hawaiian shirt before quietly exiting the boys room. He took no notice of the fact that the young boy, Ced, was missing. He closed the door behind him and, as quietly as he could, he mad his way out to the deck, and then around the cabin to the kitchen. There was a light, though chilly breeze blowing through the early morning air.

"Some tea would be nice this morning…" he mused as he placed a hand on the doorknob. "With Miso and Rice, and a side of Tamagoyaki…" he nodded to himself and opened the kitchen door.

The first thing he noticed was the strangely sweet aroma of fresh coffee, mixed with a bit of sugar. The second thing, was the half full cup sitting upon the table. That was odd. As far as he knew, no one has been awake, and the crew always cleaned up after using the kitchen.

Gonzo walked toward the table, a bit frustrated at the fact that they'd left him to clean up their mess. Sure, it was _his_ kitchen, but that didn't mean he was a maid. He was a cook! As he got closer, he noticed the broken porcelain cup shattered on the floor and the puddle of coffee beneath.

Then, Gonzo noticed the slip of paper beneath the cup still resting, half full, on the table. He tilted his head and scowled in annoyance. What was this, an IOU? He lifted the cup, grabbed the paper, and unfolded it.

His eyes narrowed upon what he saw. Surely, this must be some sort of joke.

The door to the kitchen opened a few moments later, revealing a tired, worried looking Faith. She wore a loose, but comfortable looking sweater over her slim frame. Her hands were fidgeting with the wolf shaped necklace around her neck uneasily. "Gonzo…" she said nervously. "Aya and Chris are gone…" Gonzo's eyes went wide. He turned his attention back to the small note in his hand.

Written upon the note, in nice, calligraphic writing, were only a few brief lines.

'_We've got your Captain and Doctor._

You've got twenty-four hours to find them, on Inazuma Island…'

Gonzo stared at the note uneasily for several moments. He wasn't sure how to react. His captain, and one of their newest members, were missing. Finally, he looked at Faith. "Go wake up Zugai and Jae," he said. Faith didn't need to be told twice. She could sense the fear and uneasiness in the cook's voice.

Gonzo stared at the last few lines of the note nervously. His mouth was suddenly dry, and he found it a bit difficult to focus on what was written before him. To be put in such a dangerous situation right off the bat….

'…_If you do not locate them in the required time,_

_They will die.'_

_- Lance Wright; Captain of the Blue Lightning Pirates'_

* * *

**A/N: **Alright, there it was. The test has officially begun. Please, remember reviews make the world go round. :3.

(Now, the following is for **Sam In The Dark**: I had a few ideas about the new warlords myself, but pm me the charaters you had in mind and I'll take them into consideration. And please, make sure you leave me some way to contact you, ok? And yes to your second question; I'm going to need information on Chamu for later in my story (possibly much later) when they meet him.)


	20. No Questions Asked

**A/N: **Chapter 20! :D I'm glad the last chapter seemed to keep you all interested. Looks as if I've got a new reader as well! How exciting! Well, the new semester of school has started auditions are next week, and I'll probably be busy for a while, but I'll try to update at least once a week if not more whenever possible. So, here's the next chapter! Thanks everyone for the reviews and keep up the good work!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own One Piece.

* * *

**Pirates!**

**No Questions Asked.**

**Off To Inazuma Island!**

* * *

"Faith and Gonzo, whatever you woke us up for, it'd better be important," Zugai snarled in distaste as he stepped into the kitchen, Jae right behind him. He was tired, and all the smell of coffee did for him was make him hungry in his drowsy state.

"It's five in the morning Gonzo-kun," Jae pointed out. He rubbed the sleep drowsily out of his eyes. "Couldn't it wait until a more preferable hour? Say… eight?"

Gonzo looked at them seriously. The only thing he had managed to make in the amount of time it took them to get ready was the tea, which was now placed on the table Jae and Zugai took seats at. Faith sat beside him, obviously uncomfortable, obviously frightened, and obviously worried out of her mind. "No," Gonzo said firmly. "Wake your asses up, guys, we've got a situation here,"

Jae took a sip of his tea as he gazed around the table. Something wasn't right… "Hey, where are Chris-san and Aya-san?" he asked at last. Hearing those words, Zugai looked around.

"Hey, you're right… They're not here," he muttered. He looked at Faith. "Didn't you wake those bums up?" he asked playfully.

Faith looked away. "They weren't there to wake up…" she muttered. Zugai's calm, mischievous smile faded, turning into a deathly serious one. It was at that moment that Gonzo read them the note. Zugai sat there, dumbfounded for a few moments, one hand wrapped around the cup resting on the table before him. He wasn't sure how to respond.

"This is a bit troublesome, isn't it…" he muttered at last.

"Troublesome…?" Faith suddenly asked in a manner that was uncharacteristic of her calm, shy personality. "Didn't you hear him? Chris and Aya are _gone_. Taken by whoever this bastard is!" she stood and snatched the note from Gonzo's hand and slammed it down on the table in front of Jae and Zugai. "You think that's troublesome?" Tears threatened to slip from her eyes, glossy with the strain of holding them back.

"Faith-san, please, clam down…" Jae said hesitantly.

"Calm down?" Faith asked, turning on Jae. "You expect me to calm down when my best friend is on some island, waiting to die? You guys may not care, but _I_ do!"

Zugai stood up as well, slamming his palms down on the table to get her attention. He stared angrily at Faith. "What the hell makes you think we don't care?" he asked. "If we all panic, we'll never get anything done! We've got to breathe, and figure out what the hell we're going to do!"

Faith faltered slightly and the fury once present in her eyes faded back into uncertainty. Zugai took a deep breath to calm himself once again and turned toward the door. "Jae, make sure we're still on course. The rest of you, get ready. We don't know what lies ahead,"

That said, he exited the kitchen, slamming the door roughly behind him.

(--)

Aya slipped back into consciousness before her eyes allowed themselves to open. While in this incapacitated state, she tried to determine her surroundings. She knew that her arms were bound behind her back, and another rope held her against a rough surface. She was in a warm place, and the cool breeze brushing by assured her that she was outside. She could feel something similar to tall grass brushing her ankles. She came to the conclusion that the object she was restrained to was a tree. A very… uncomfortable tree.

That was strange. How did she get here?. She lifted her head and looked around groggily. The afternoon sun stung her eyes. It was at least noon, judging by the position. "Where am I…?" she muttered.

"Inazuma Island," an unfamiliar voice answered. Aya's senses went onto immediate alert upon hearing it. She turned her attention toward the direction the voice came from. A blond girl was sitting in the tall grass, almost invisible due to the blond hair matching the yellow grass. A machine gun was propped in her hand, the butt resting on the surface of the rock.

"Who are you?" Aya asked uncertainly.

"Amaya Dior," the girl answered. She smiled rather mischievously when she saw Aya discreetly attempting to free herself of the bonds. "That won't work, you know. Those knots are tied extra tight."

The words didn't stop Aya from trying. She stared at the woman for several moments, and then looked around rather uncertainly. "Where's –"

"Your captain?" Amaya interrupted. "She's somewhere else. It wouldn't be much of a test if you two were in the same place, would it?"

"Test…?" Aya muttered. Amaya turned her gaze away from Aya and focused instead on the forest surrounding the large clearing. She leaned back, obviously bored once again, and began fidgeting with the machine gun in her hand.

"A test of loyalty," Amaya said after a few moments of silence. She looked up at Aya and smiled rather sadly. "You don't know how often people will abandon those they claim to love when their own lives are at stake,"

Aya stared at this girl a bit uncertainly.

(--)

"My crew isn't like that," Chris said harshly to Lance. At the same time, she'd been having the same conversation with him, though she was inside a cave, her ankles and wrists tied tightly to prevent escape. That last statement infuriated her more then she expected. "They'll be here in no time,"

"You'd better hope so," Lance said from his spot perched upon a rock. He looked rather amused at the whole situation. "Because if they don't make it in the next fifteen hours, I'm not sure if Nikolai will let you two leave this island alive,"

In an instant, unfamiliar fear welled up in Chris' gut, not because of the idea of dying, but because of the name he'd just said.. "But… you said he was gone…"

Lance gazed at her, his black eyes as blank as usual. "Well, I said that with the assumption that your crew will make it in time," he said. "But Nikolai has a tendency to show up unexpectedly. It's a shame you don't have his dagger with you. It would save a lot of trouble if you did,"

Chris swallowed the lump in her throat and put on a stony, confident expression. Lance raised a brow at her sudden change in composure. "Well, looks like someone's confident," he said.

Chris stared at him. "Of course," she said. "I've got no reason to be afraid of Nikolai. I trust my crew with my life. They'll definitely make it in time!"

Lance scoffed a laugh and looked away. "You'd better hope so, Chrisanthia," he said. "It'll ruin my reputation to make empty threats,"

"And stop calling me that!" Chris snarled. She looked around. "Where's that little devious bastard anyway?" she asked.

"I hope you're not referring to my brother," Lance said. He gazed at Chris and there was a flash of anger across his eyes. "I don't enjoy hitting women, so don't make me do so,"

"You think you scare me?" Chris asked. She lifted her chin, holding her head high. Lance's smile returned and he looked away.

"Your confidence is admirable," he said. "But I wonder, how much of it is real?"

Chris' brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about?" she asked. Lance didn't look at her.

"You're constantly trying to prove yourself," he said. "Even that time on Fuschia, when you stole the dagger from Nikolai, it was to prove a point, wasn't it?" Chris tilted her head. What did this have to do with anything? "People with real confidence have no need to prove themselves," he explained.

Chris managed a smirk. "You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow it through, (1)" she said. "People with real confidence aren't afraid to show what they can do."

"We obviously have very different philosophies," Lance pointed out with a smile. Chris looked away from him at last and gazed into the darkness of the cave.

"Spare me the misery of hearing your voice, will you?" she said harshly.

"Don't expect this to be easy for them, Chris," Lance said suddenly. Chris looked back at him, eyes narrowed. Lance stood up and walked toward her. "I said _I _wouldn't bring them any harm," he began. Chris stiffened and clenched her fists behind her back. He bent over so he was level with her. "But that doesn't mean that I won't hire others to try and stop them,"

Chris clenched her teeth angrily and pushed her head forward, slamming her forehead into Lance's with enough force to tear the skin. The boy cried out in surprise and gripped his forehead as a small drop of blood slipped down where she'd hit. He stepped back as he removed his hand, examining the blood for a few brief moments. On Chris' own forehead, a bruise formed, with a small cut emitting a small amount of blood. "You bastard!" she shouted. "If they end up hurt, I swear I'll kill you!"

(--)

It was taking too long. Far too long. They'd already been sailing for hours; the sun was high in the sky, signaling noon, and still, they hadn't reached the island. Whoever took Chris and Aya must have had at least a few hours head start. There was a solemn silence aboard the Howling Ivory. Jae was standing at the helm, adjusting their course every so often and on occasion, fixing the angle of the sails to get the most wind. Faith had locked herself in the room. Gonzo was cooking lunch for them, (he'd insisted that despite the circumstances, he would _not_ allow the crew to miss a meal). Zugai stood in the crow's nest, searching intently for any form of land.

It angered him to no end that two of the crew had just been taken, right under his nose, and he hadn't seen anything. What good was he as a first mate if he couldn't even keep his captain safe? His labrys, Honehakaisha, was held firmly in one hand. He rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Stupid idiot…" he muttered under his breath. "Getting yourself kidnapped… didn't I tell you not to get into any more reckless situations?"

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes in an attempt to calm his nerves. Chris was perfectly capable of taking care of herself; she'd proven that multiple times. Aya… he didn't know much about the girl, but he was fairly certain that she could hold her own. Though… if they were incapacitated, it might not be so easy. Again, his anger began to rise. "I'll tear the bastard to shreds," he snarled under his breath.

And then, Zugai saw something in the distance. He straightened up and strained his eyes to see it. It was a small boat by the looks of it. Could it be those bastards coming back? Could they have taken her in such a small ship?

"Hey!" he called down to Jae. The navigator looked up at Zugai in acknowledgement. "There's a boat coming!"

Jae turned his attention toward the ocean before him. Zugai was right. The boat was approaching, and surprisingly quickly as well. The strangest thing about this ship though was that it was moving _against_ the wind. And there were no sails. "That's strange…" Jae mused. He looked behind them and caught sight of another boat, large enough to fit two people comfortably, being pushed by the wind. "Zugai-kun, don't look now, but there's another coming behind us,"

Zugai turned his gaze back. The other boat was approaching at roughly the same speed as the one coming in the opposite direction, but that was due to the small size and the wind pushing on the sails. Zugai saw a glint of something metal and his eyes narrowed uncertainly. What was it…?

He got the answer no more then a few moments later, when an extremely loud _bang_ sounded. He instinctively stepped aside and a bullet embedded itself into his left shoulder. His eyes widened in surprise as pain stabbed down his arm and was knocked back a few steps from the force of the blow. He was lucky he moved; a few inches to the right and he would have been shot in the heart.

When the shock disappeared, he gripped his bleeding shoulder tightly and ducked downward. He heard a sudden, childish giggle and turned to look down below deck.

A girl who looked no older then eight due to her height (though in reality was fifteen), stood there. Her pale skin contrasted against curly, light blue hair and vibrant pink eyes. She wore a white spaghetti strap shirt and a pink skirt with lilys drawn onto it, and red high heeled shoes. She was a rather childishly cute looking girl, with the happy-go-lucky expression on her face and the brown teddy bear in her hands hugged tightly against her chest.

"Hello~" she said in a sing-song voice to Jae. "My name's Lulu! I'm here to fight you!" She blinked a few times, gazing at Jae with interest. "You know, you're really pretty!" her expression suddenly darkened. "I don't like other women,"

Jae stared at the little girl, a bit confused. "Oh, but… I'm not─" before he could finish, she aimed the teddy bears feet at Jae.

"Grizzly Stomp!" Lulu shouted. Surprisingly, the bears legs grew much larger and stretched toward him. Before he could react, the large feet slammed into his chest, knocking him backward off his feet and sending him skidding into the railing. Faith ran from the side of the cabin, where the girl's room was, and rushed toward Jae. Gonzo slammed the kitchen door open and ran out onto the deck before the girl.

"There's another!" Zugai called from above. He vaulted himself over the safety wall around the crow's nest and slid down using the rope ladder leading up. He saw the glint of the gun aimed at him again and released the ladder when he was halfway down to avoid the bullet that was fired in his direction. He landed on the ground in a crouch, using Honehakaisha as support.

"What, two of them?" Gonzo asked quickly. He looked at Zugai as he rose to his feet. "What the hell happened to your shoulder?!"

"The other one," Zugai answered. He looked at Faith and Jae. "Jae, you alright?" he called.

"I'm fune, Zugai-kun!" Jae answered. He rubbed his chest uncomfortably. It would most certainly bruise. He stepped forward, back toward Lulu and her bear. "Faith-san and I will take care of the little girl. You and Gonzo-kun get the other one!"

"We don't have time for this, guys," Faith pointed out. Zugai nodded in agreement.

"We don't have much choice either," he said. "Let's just get rid of 'em quickly and keep going! We can't afford to spend to much time on them!"

The man who shot Zugai _pounced_ onto the deck a few moments later. He was tall, around six feet or so, and had a lanky, almost crooked physique about him. His black hair was styled in a Mohawk, and around his forehead was a black headband. He wore a brown jacket, blue pants, and black shoes, and strapped to the belt around his hips was a small bag, probably holding bullets to the two pistols holstered there.

It took Zugai a few moments to also realize that this man had fur on his body, and his eyes were a strange amber color. Two pointed ears, similar to that of an Ocelot, were upon his head. Before their eyes, he changed, becoming a normal human once again. He held a pata sword, strapped to his left hand, and holstered to the right of his neck was a kris dagger. Now that the fur was gone, Zugai could see an 'x' shaped scar on his cheek. He wondered what sort of battle gave him that wound.

"A Zoan Fruit," Gonzo pointed out with a sneer. "This may be a bit more difficult, Zugai,"

The boy nodded his acknowledgement. "Who are you?" he demanded. "What do you want?" The man looked hard at Zugai and Gonzo for several minutes without speaking. "Hey, I asked you a question!" Zugai snapped.

"Shut up," the man said. "Don't pester me, when I want to answer, I'll answer," It took him a few moments to decide that it was in fact a good time to state his name. "I am called Morte del Astuto, known as Manigordo," he said calmly. "I'm a bounty hunter, here to get the bounty of Cascade Gonzo and Zugai the Demon's Orthopedic,"

Zugai and Gonzo tensed and prepared to fight. "How did you know we were here?" he demanded. Manigordo shrugged absently.

"I got a tip," he said. "Now then, since it looks to me as if I've already wounded you, do you want to surrender yourselves peacefully or does this have to get dangerous?"

Zugai and Gonzo grinned at each other and then returned their gazes to the Bounty hunter. Zugai lofted Honehakaisha as Gonzo cracked his knuckles. "It's definitely going to get dangerous," they said simultaneously.

Manigordo heaved a frustraded sigh and drew a pistol with his free hand. He loaded it, faster then either of them could even see, and fired.

* * *

**A/N:** (1) That quote that Chris says is by Rosalynn Carter. Thought I'd give credit to it, since it's not something I made up.

Lulu is the property of **Kisdota-The Freak Gamer**. Manigordo is property of **YolkaEd**. Thanks for the submissions! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Again, I wrote it several different ways before I was satisfied .. I need to stop doing that… Well, don't forget the usual, okay! Enjoy!

SNE121


	21. Interruptions Part 1

**A/N:** Once again, I wrote this chapter several different times. It wasn't easy to decide how to do it, but ultimately, I'm pretty satisfied with the result. Hope you guys will be as well. Remember to review, okay?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own One Piece.

* * *

**Pirates!**

**Interruptions**

**Pirate Gonzo Vs. Manigordo**

* * *

The silver pistol moved impossibly quickly through the air, rising upward and pointing in the direction of 'Cascade' Gonzo and Zugai the 'Demon's Orthopedic'. The trigger was pulled, though rather then hitting one of the pirates it shot right between them into the wall behind.

Gonzo's eyes narrowed. "He missed…?" he asked uncertainly. Zugai shook his head.

"I refuse to believe that. He managed to nail a shot to my shoulder. The only reason he missed my heart is because I was quick enough to move," he said. Now that he brought up his shoulder, it started to hurt again. It occurred to him that he should probably find a way to stop the bleeding…

"No, I intentionally shot between you two," Manigordo said calmly. "You see… I couldn't decide which one of you to shoot, so I thought I'd fire a little warning shot. Are you sure you don't want to turn yourselves in?"

Gonzo scowled at the man. Was he mocking them? He reached over one shoulder and grabbed hold of an object wrapped in a large cloth. As he pulled it free from its holster, the cloth fell off, revealing a large, silver harpoon. It was simple, shaped like an arrow, though much, much larger. He held it out, pointing the razor sharp tip at Manigordo. "Does this answer your question?" he asked.

Zugai stared at the harpoon, surprised. "Where'd you get _that_?" he asked. Gonzo looked at him and grinned.

"A little something I've been saving up," he said. "You didn't honestly think that I didn't have some sort of weapon, did you?"

"Well… I never thought you'd even _need_ one…" Zugai answered.

As the two had their conversation, Manigordo adjusted the pata sword strapped to his hand. He swiped it once at the air to make sure he had a proper grip on it, and then nodded his satisfaction. While Zugai and Gonzo were distracted, Manigordo's face began to distort, spotted fur growing, his jaw extending a bit and whiskers sprouting. His normal ears were replaced with a set of ocelot ears upon his head, and a tail swooshed lightly behind him. The quicker he got this done, the sooner he could relax.

With speed much more deadly then before he bounded toward Gonzo. To them, it looked as if he'd disappeared, and would reappear right in front of them. But then, he had to remember that Cascade Gonzo was a Fishman. His senses were far more acute then Zugai's would be. Manigordo decided he'd take his chances.

He slashed horizontally with the pata sword and was surprised when he was met with the harpoon, rising to defend. The two metal weapons hit with a loud metallic _clang_ that seemed to echo across the ocean. So he was right. The Fishman was a far more worthy adversary when Zugai would be. He'd best get rid of the nuisance early on. He aimed the gun at Zugai's head and fired.

As soon as he pulled the trigger, Gonzo managed to push him back. The shot was thrown off course and instead of hitting its mark (between Zugai's eyes), it shot just above the top of his head and spiraled off into the distance. "1,000 Gallons!" Gonzo sneered. He stabbed the harpoon forward. "Meat Kabob!"

Manigordo twisted aside in time to avoid the attack and slashed again at Gonzo. Gonzo recovered quickly from his own attack and quickly moved back onto the defensive. In terms of speed, they were evenly matched. Skill however, would be another matter entirely.

Zugai stepped forward to help. He knew that he had just barely escaped death due to Gonzo, and now, he had to do something to assist his friend. "Stay back, Zugai," Gonzo suddenly said. He was grinning, his harpoon pressed against the pata sword. He seemed to be holding his own and was in a rather good mood about the entire ordeal. "You're hurt. Go get that patched up. I'll take care of the little kitty cat here,"

Zugai stared at the Fishman incredulously. "Are you _kidding_?" he asked. "I'm not going to leave you here to fend for yourself!"

"20 Gallons: Prime Rib!" Gonzo shouted. With his free hand, he threw a furious punch at the bounty hunter. The hit, thankfully, connected with its unlucky victim's jaw and knocked him back into the railing with a splatter of blood. Gonzo turned to Zugai. "Don't worry about it, I've got it covered!" He assured him. He turned in time to deflect a slash with the pata sword and retaliated with a stab of his own weapon. "Go!"

Zugai hesitated for several moments, holding Honehakaisha tightly. At last, he turned away. "Just shout if ya need help, got it?" he shot over his shoulder. Gonzo smirked.

"You got it," he answered. When Zugai disappeared around to the other side of the cabin, he turned his attention back to Manigordo. The bounty hunter charged forward and slashed once again with the pata sword. Gonzo blocked the strike, using both of his hands to defend this time.

"You're fool, deciding to fight me alone," Manigordo said. There was a noticeable grin on his cat-like face. "But this is only going to make my job easier," With his free hand, he reached up to his neck and quickly unsheathed the kris dagger. With incredible speed, he stabbed it at Gonzo's shoulder. Gonzo reacted quickly and moved to the side. He broke the defense and Manigordo staggered forward. Gonzo took advantage of the situation and tried another strike.

"1,000 Gallons: Meat Kabob!" he hissed. He stabbed the harpoon at his opponent and was surprised to see it hit nothing but empty air. _Shit, he's fast!_ He thought to himself. He looked around for several brief moments and eventually found Manigordo perched atop the cabin, standing in a very cat-like way. He rose, standing on his two feet, though his tail flicked mischievously behind him.

"Did you know that these little daggers," he indictated the kris by lifting it slightly, "are said to be alive? To have a soul of their own." He examined the dagger, lovingly stroking the blade. "This one has a particular thirst for blood,"

Gonzo scowled at him. "I don't have time for your little stories," he said. "If you want to fight, then get down here and do it,"

"Oh, I don't want to fight," Manigordo said. "It was you pirates who insisted on a physical confrontation. It would have been much easier if you would have just come along quietly like I asked in the first place,"

"50 Gallons: Swiss Cheese!" Gonzo declared. From his blowhole, dozens of baseball sized balls of water shot out, flying toward Manigordo. The bounty hunter jumped quickly to avoid; pouncing onto the mast, then behind Gonzo onto the railing of the ship. Gonzo turned and threw the harpoon at him.

"1,000 Gallons: Meat Kabob!" Manigordo twisted to the right to avoid, spinning and landing nimbly onto the deck. The harpoon flew off the ship and fell into the ocean below. Manigordo laughed for a few moments, until of course, he felt a sharp pain in his left arm. He looked at it and was surprised to see a line of blood dripping down his arm.

"Well, you hit me," he said, "Congratulations on that accomplishment. However, it seems that you've lost your weapon," He looked back at Gonzo and was surprised to see him rushing forward. "35 Gallons!" he jumped into the air and spun, delivering a furious kick to the mans head that would have made the great Black Leg Sanji proud. "Rump Roast!"

Manigordo ducked and rolled forward to avoid the blow. When he rose back to his feet, he grinned. "Missed that time!" he announced, turning and preparing to strike. It surprised him to say the least, that Gonzo was missing. "What… where'd he go…?"

He walked to the railing of the ship and looked down into the relatively calm waters below. Even his cat-like eyes couldn't see through the misty surface. However, there was one thing he _did_ see.

And that was a harpoon flying out from beneath the surface directly at his head. He jumped back and the harpoon flew into the air, and Gonzo jumped up after it. He grabbed hold of the ships railing, then jumped up and grabbed his falling Harpoon before disappearing back into the water again.

"Shit, that was close…" Manigordo hissed. He ran back to the railing and looked into the water. By this time, he'd sheathed the kris and was holding a pistol in one hand. He should have expected the Fishman to use the water to his advantage. Then, he saw a shadow swimming just below the surface. He took careful aim before firing and was pleased to see a trail of red begin following the fish man. The shadow disappeared for several moments and then, reappeared, getting larger and larger by the second. So he was rising out.

Sure enough, Gonzo jumped out of the water. There was a bullet wound in the back of his calf, but he ignored it as he glared at Manigordo. In his hand, there appeared to be a ball of water. "Take this!" Gonzo snarled. He threw the small ball at Manigordo, who stared at it, unsure of exactly what it was going to do.

The moment it hit his gut, however, he got an answer. The ball of water knocked the wind out of him and pushed him back with surprising force. The gun slipped from his fingers, as did the pata sword, and both fell with a clatter onto the wet deck of the ship. He hit the cabin behind him and certainly would have broken it were it not for the fact that it was made out of solid bone. Gonzo maneuvered in mid air and landed in a crouch on the ship, wincing uncomfortably as blood squirted out of the wound.

He charged toward the still recovering bounty hunter and wrapped a webbed hand around his throat before slamming him back against the wall. "Who sent you?" he snarled.

Manigordo instinctively reached for Gonzo's wrist and clenched it tightly, claws digging into the pirate's skin. Gonzo ignored the puncture wounds and only tightened his grip. "Come on now, it's not that difficult to answer,"

"I told you," Manigordo said through his teeth. "I got a tip,"

"Well your little tip has interrupted our mission," Gonzo assured him. Manigordo's eyes narrowed. "And if those damn Blue Lightning Pirates kill our captain because we were to busy fighting your annoying ass, you're the one who's going to pay the price!"

Now, the bounty hunters eyes widened. "Did you say Blue Lightning?" he asked. Gonzo stared at him and his grip loosened slightly.

"Yeah, what about them?" he asked.

"What do you mean, what about them?" Manigordo echoed. "The Blue Lightning Pirates are one of the most wanted crews in the Grand Line! They've got a combined bounty of 1,260,000,000 Beli!"

Now, Gonzo's eyes went wide. One billion?! Just what had these guys done to deserve such a high price?! "If you're going after them, then I'll willingly accompany you," Manigordo continued. "Their heads are worth much more then yours. And frankly, you novices won't stand a chance against a team of their caliber."

"Why should we trust you?" Gonzo asked.

"Because you need more then just the four of you on this ship to defeat the five members of the Blue Lightning Pirates," He grinned a bit. "Hell, you'd need an entire army. And I'll do anything, even team up with Pirates, to get their bounty,"

Gonzo was about to protest to the offer when he heard Zugai's voice above them. He was standing on the upper deck, leaning against the railing and looking down at the two below. His shoulder was precariously bandaged up. Faith would have to fix that afterwards. "Fine then," he said. "But you're not getting access to your weapons," He jumped from the deck, landing on his feet with ease and walked toward the fallen pata sword and pistol on the floor. He picked them up and turned his attention back to Manigordo. "You'll get them back when we get onto the island, but until then, remove them,"

Gonzo released the Bounty Hunters throat, resulting in said bounty hunter releasing Gonzo's arm, and stepped back with the tip of the harpoon against the mans throat. Manigordo sighed and reluctantly, took the gun from its holster, and handed it to Gonzo. Gonzo took it and handed it back to Zugai.

"The kris stays," Manigordo said. "I told you already, these blades have their own soul. They don't take well to being in the hands of anyone other then their master."

"Fine," Zugai said. He switched the safety on both guns. "But if you even _look_ like you're going to try something stupid, you're going overboard. I know that with that Devil Fruit Power, you can't swim,"

Manigordo put on a rather innocent smile. "Yes, yes, I understand," he assured them. Gonzo turned away and found the cloth he'd used to wrap his harpoon and got to work at putting the weapon away. Zugai stared at the bounty hunter a few moments longer before walking passed him toward the kitchen. "Come with me," he barked. Manigordo hesitated for several moments. "Both of you," Zugai continued.

Gonzo heaved a sigh and nodded to the bounty hunter, allowing the man to go first, and then followed the vice captain.

* * *

**A/N:** It's a bit on the short side this time, but it's only one battle scene. Next chapter (whenever I get around to it): Interruptions Part 2 - Pirate Faith Vs. Lulu!


	22. Interruptions Part 2

**A/N:** Ok, so obviously this is a little backtrack. While this battle is commencing, the other one is happening at the same time. Just thought I'd make that clear so you guys aren't confused or anything. Again, relatively short, but I didn't want to force it, ya know? Remember to review!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own One Piece.

* * *

**Pirates!**

**Interruptions Part 2**

**Pirate Faith Vs. Lulu**

* * *

"Sorry, did I hurt you?" the girl named Lulu asked sweetly. She was twisting a bit in her place, hugging the bear, and looked honestly sorry for what she'd just done to Jae.

"No, I'm just fine," Jae muttered absently. Faith gazed at the girl and was surprised to see her expression change from a cute and innocent smile to a rather dangerous looking grin.

"Well, I can most definitely fix that," she declared. She held onto one of the bears arms and let it hang loosely in her hand. Then, she spun, her arm outstretched. "Grizzly Claw!" She shouted. The bears arm extended, growing larger and revealing enormous claws. Faith grabbed Jae and threw him to the ground, following shortly after and covering her head with her arms. The enormous paw swiped at the empty air where they once stood before retreating back to its giggling owner.

Jae and Faith stood up and turned their attention to Lulu only to find that the girl was missing. "What? Where'd she go?" Faith asked uncertainly.

"Up here~" the familiar sing-song voice said above. The two looked up to see Lulu standing on the upper deck, leaning against the railing and holding the bear out over the edge, directly above the two pirates. "Grizzly Stomp," she said sweetly.

The bears feet extended once again, shooting down to the two pirates. Faith and Jae jumped in opposite directions to avoid the blow. The bears legs hit the deck with a loud _thump_, cracking the bone.

"Zugai's not going to be happy about that…" Faith muttered, gazing at the cracks.

"Watch out!" Jae suddenly shouted. Faith's eyes went wide when she noticed the girl standing directly in front of her, holding the bear by its sides.

"Bear Hug!" Lulu suddenly exclaimed. Both of the bears arms grew in size and moved toward Faith. Before they could close around her, however, Jae pushed her out of the way. The bears arms wrapped around him in a suffocating grip.

Faith rose to her feet in time to hear a loud _crack_ and the navigator's pained scream. "Jae!" She exclaimed. That crack could have been one of several things; either his spine snapping, but that was unlikely, as he was still trying to break free, or another bone cracking under the pressure. She transformed quickly into her wolf form, a large, silvery-gray wolf, and with a furious snarl, charged at the arms holding Jae. She jumped, closing her jaws around it and sinking her teeth through the thick fur and skin. The bear let out a pained roar and released Jae before retreating and Faith released it as she shifted back into her human form.

Jae fell to his knees, holding his ribs, his teeth clenched tightly in pain. Faith knelt beside him in worry. "Hey, are you ok?"

Jae nodded and looked at Faith with a soft smile. "I'll be fine. I think a few of my ribs broke, but it's not much,"

He started to rise and winced as a stabbing pain came from his side. "Ow…" he muttered, lowering back down to his knees.

"Just sit down for a while and relax, okay? I don't want you moving with your ribs like that." Faith said softly.

"Roger that, doc," Jae said rather reluctantly.

Faith stood up and stared angrily at the girl panicking over her bears arm. It made Faith a little uncomfortable to see blood coming out of a stuffed animal's arm, reminded her of one of those old stories about possessed dolls killing people. She shuddered and shook off the thought before speaking. "Are you _trying_ to kill him?" she snarled.

"Him?" Lulu asked, looking up from the bear to look at Faith. Her eyes turned to Jae, who had managed to move to the railing and was sitting, leaning against it, breathing heavily and holding his ribs. "You mean that's not a girl?" her eyes suddenly started to sparkle. "He's so cute!" she exclaimed.

"Oi, focus here!" Faith snapped. Jeeze, this girl was so simple minded. "You attack him for being 'pretty' and now you're practically swooning over him. What's with you?" she demanded.

Lulu looked back at Faith and crossed her arms. "I don't like other women," she said. She tilted her head back and gave Faith a smug grin. "What's with that hair of yours. Silver? You look like an old lady," Faith's face flushed in an angry embarrassment. "And that clothes is really not cute. You should try something more like mine. And dye that hair a nice solid brown, then you'd be decent looking."

Faith clenched her fists tightly and took a deep breath to calm herself. This little girl was obviously nothing more then a self obsessed little brat. None of what she said was true… right? Besides, it wasn't like she was _trying_ to be attractive! If she wanted to wear nicer clothes, she most definitely would! This just made using her ability easier.

"For your information, shorty, my hair is naturally like this!" she snapped, pointing to the silver highlights streaking her curly brown hair. "And I don't think a stupid immature brat like you with cotton candy colored hair in clothes too tight for her should be telling me anything about fashion anyway!"

Lulu's cheeks puffed up angrily and she looked down at her clothes with a rather self-conscious expression on her face. When she looked up again, her eyes were brimmed with tears. "Now you're just being plain mean! Why would you go and make someone else feel bad just to make yourself feel pretty?!" she shouted, hurt.

Faith slapped her own forehead in exasperation. "_You_ started it!" she pointed out.

"Yeah, well I'm gonna finish it!" Lulu promised. "Teddy!" the bear, upon being addressed, did nothing. Until, of course Lulu called the attack. "Grizzly Claw!" she held one of the bear's arms and swung him in front of her. The free arm shot out to Faith and the girl ducked beneath it as she charged at Lulu.

"You should really try using your own strength to attack," Faith snarled. "Instead of relying on that stupid bear!" she threw a hard punch at Lulu's face and the shorter girl jumped up, using Faith's arm as a balance for a few moment, then, stepped on the girl's head and flipped over her.

"Oof!" Faith grunted as she fell forward onto her face. A red mark appeared on her forehead where she'd hit and she rubbed it with her arm in frustration. "Well, the girl's definitely fast," she muttered. She turned, crouched slightly and using one hand as support. "But I can be fast too!"

"Grizzly Stomp!" the girl shouted from behind. Faith spun into a standing position, transforming into her hybrid form in the process. She grabbed hold of the bear feet once they hit her, though was pushed back a few inches with a light grunt. Lulu's eyes widened as the bear was wretched from her grip.

"No!" she cried. "Teddy, transform!" The bear, with a sudden roar, turned into a full sized, eight foot tall grizzly bear. It pulled free from Faith's grip and swiped a furious paw at her. Faith ducked beneath it and charged, ramming her head into the bear's gut and forcing it backward. It hit the railing and turned, managing to pin Faith against it.

While the two Zoan users fought, Lulu grinned mischievously. "Throw her over, Teddy!" she shouted. She ran toward Faith to distract her, but fell with a soft thump suddenly. She looked down at her ankles. Wrapped around them was a thick piece of metal that seemed to be welded together. She couldn't move. She looked around for the source and saw Jae, still sitting, but with a stream of metal coming out of one finger. Her eyes widened. So he was a Fruit user as well!

"That sounds like a good idea, actually," Jae said with a grin. He looked toward Faith. "Faith-san, why don't you send that teddy bear over the edge?" she asked. Faith glanced at him and grinned. Using her legs, she kicked the bear upward and over her head, into the ocean. It tried desperately to grip the railing, to stop itself, but failed, and hit the water with a splash. The moment it did, it reverted back to its original form; a teddy bear, and slowly sunk.

Lulu's eyes widened even more. "T-Teddy!" she shouted. Jae released her from the wire and let the metal slowly slide back into his fingers. Using the metal in his own blood was extremely dangerous; it was a good thing he didn't use it long. He felt strength returning as the strip of metal slowly began to maneuver back into his blood stream.

Lulu ran to the railing, passed the now human Faith, and jumped into the ocean. "I'm coming, Teddy!" she shouted. She dove under and the Howling Ivory continued on its way, leaving her behind.

"Ow, ow, ow…" Faith muttered, rubbing her arm where the bear had managed to get her with its claws. Thanks to the thick wolf skin, however, it wasn't that deep, and didn't hurt as much as she'd expected it to. She looked at Jae, was rose slowly to his feet.

"You feeling better?" she asked. Jae smiled lightly and nodded.

"And you, Faith-san? Your arm?" Jae asked. Faith looked at it. A little alcohol and it a simple bandage and it would be fine.

"Just a scratch," She assured the navigator. She heard footsteps coming from behind and turned to see Zugai, followed by the Bounty Hunter, and instantly went on alert. She was about to tell him about the man following, but he lifted a single hand, waving her off to assure her that it was fine. Her muscles loosened and she tilted her head.

"What's going on?" she asked. "What's _he_ doing here still?"

"He's gonna help us, that's what, "Gonzo said. "This man seems to know a bit about these Blue Lightning guys,"

"What about them?" Jae asked. Manigordo rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest with an exasperated sigh.

"You pirates don't know anything, do you?" he muttered under his breath.

"Oi, watch it," Zugai said sharply. He looked at Faith and Jae. "You guys look like you did a pretty good…" he trailed off upon seeing the large series of cracks in the deck and his eyes widened.

"M….my ship…" he muttered. Faith and Jae stiffened nervously as Zugai glared at them with his one visible blue eye. They could _feel _the anger (and a little bit of grief) radiating off of him. "What the hell did you guys do?!"

"Hey, hey, things happen during fights!" Gonzo said quickly, blocking Zugai's view of the crack. "You didn't expect it to end without any damage, did you? Besides, they already beat the opponent! Right?"

"Right!" Faith and Jae said simultaneously. "Let's just focus on finding Chris and Aya, okay?" Faith continued.

Zugai knew there was no question as to which was more important. But… his ship was damaged. Thankfully, it would need only slight mending; a new bone wasn't required, just the readjustment of the ones there. That was a relief. With an aggravated sigh, he turned and opened the kitchen door. "Alright, everyone in," he said. Manigordo entered first and Zugai followed. Jae, Faith, and Gonzo looked at each other nervously.

"Well, we all know how he is about his ship…" Gonzo muttered. The two nodded their agreement. None of them ever wanted to be the ones to damage the ship. That was a quick, one stop death sentence. Without another word on the subject, the three entered the kitchen.

* * *

**A/N:** Well that was definitely fun. Sort of iffy, but it's alright, I suppose. Next chapter will have a little bit of info on the Blue Lightning Pirates. Coming soon!


	23. Bounties and Abilities

**A/N:** Sorry this took FOREVER! Shame on me for slacking off so much, but my preoccupation with Musical auditions have just completely murdered my inspiration! I believe that in the last chapter I promised a bit of information on the Blue Lightning Pirates. Keep in mind that this information is from a _bounty hunter_, not the pirates themselves. Maybe later, I'll do an entire little mini 'filler' arc about them. That is, assuming you want to know about the group. Let me know if you do, and if it's wanted, I'll do it.

**Disclaimer: **I (still) don't own One Piece

* * *

**Pirates!**

**Bounties and Abilities**

**Who Are the Blue Lightning Pirates?**

* * *

Upon finishing their battles, the remaining four Crescent Dagger Pirates and the bounty hunter had entered the kitchen to discuss their next course of action. Jae had realized upon finally looking at the Log Pose on his wrist, that they'd changed direction, and with the help of Faith, they set to work getting the Howling Ivory back on course. While they did that, Gonzo set to work cleaning up the dishes from earlier. Morte, after insisting that the pirates call him by his first name rather than his nickname, made himself comfortable on the chair, resting his feet on the table and leaning back. Zugai had pushed them off of course, almost making the bounty hunter fall, claiming that it was a table, not a footstool.

It was at that moment that Faith and Jae had re-entered. "We're back on course and headed to Inazuma Island," Jae assured the others. "Judging by the Grand Line Map, if I remember correctly, we're only about three hours away now." He sat down, Faith right beside him.

"Good," Zugai answered. "That'll leave us with about… twelve hours to find Chris and Aya. It should be plenty of time,"

"We'll find 'em in no time," Gonzo stated as he dried his hands on a towel. He walked toward the table and sat down with a smirk. "It'll be a cinch. The island isn't that big according to the map, right Jae?"

"Not at all," Jae answered, smiling.

"Then we've got nothing to worry about, right?" Faith asked. The confidence of the crew was slowly growing into a metaphorical bubble of optimism above them. That is, until Morte spoke.

"You idiots really don't know anything, do you?" he asked. His words stabbed at the bubble, popping it and turning everyone's attention to him. The atmosphere in the room was slowly becoming uncertain once again. Morte heaved a sigh and leaned forward, resting his arms against the table. He reached into his jacket and extracted a pile of posters and laid them face down on the table. "The Blue Lightning Pirates aren't the type to just sit around and let you take your crew back. If they tipped me and that little girl off, then they're doing one of two things,"

"Which would be…?" Zugai encouraged.

"They're either playing around with you," Morte began, lifting one finger. He lifted a second. "Or they're testing you,"

"Testing?" Faith asked. "Why would they be testing us?"

"The Blue Lightning Pirates have established a… reputation as being a very benevolent group. They're known as Peace Main, or at least, all of them except one. But they have a tendency to go searching for worthy rivals, adversaries. They test the crew in various ways. Your battle with me and that girl was one of them." Morte explained. "Normally, they'll confront the crew directly upon entering the Grand Line, and if they crew seems strong enough to go on, they'll let them. If not, they'll 'send' them back. Guess you could say they're the Grand Line border patrol.

"What's strange though is that their tests don't normally involve the kidnapping of members of the crew. Generally, from what I've heard about this crew, they just play games with their opponents. Send Bounty hunters after them, like they did with you, trap them in storms, and the final test is a direct confrontation. My assumption is that they have some sort of previous affiliation with your captain or your doctor,"

The statement brought the crew to silence. A previous affiliation? "Well, it can't be Aya," Faith said. "I would know; Aya's like my sister."

"Then it must be Chris," Jae decided. "But that's strange… she didn't recognize that boy, Ced, and we know for sure that he had something to do with the whole thing. After all, he disappeared at the same time as they did,"

_She_? Morte asked himself. _Is Chris Hopkins really a girl_? He pushed the thought aside and continued. He'd certainly find out eventually."Ced is most likely short for Cedric Wright the 'Devil's Emissary'." Morte flipped the poster on the top of the pile, revealing a face that the four pirates recognized in an instant. It was Ced, all right, though he looked a bit younger. His silver hair was still the same, ear length style, and his golden eyes seemed to be glowing. He had his arms crossed and didn't seem to be looking at the camera, but rather at something else, off to the left. The bounty written beneath the picture read 150,000,000 beli. "Cedric is the crews youngest member, about eight years old. He's the captain's kid brother, but don't let that fool you. He may look harmless, but he's a very skilled spy. That's one of the main reasons his bounty is as high as it is. That, and his possession of a Devil's Fruit. It a Zoan Type, the Inu Inu no Mi, model Dire Wolf. It's supposedly extinct, and very rare."

"So that little runt is actually on their crew, huh…" Zugai muttered. He frowned and leaned back in his chair, unable to find a comfortable position. It was hard to be comfortable "Alright, who else is on it then?"

Morte showed the next bounty poster. It showed a girl with long brown hair and eyes to match, wearing a red dress. In her hand was an open Japanese fan, covering her angry face slightly. The picture was taken from an angle, and there was something dark on the fan. Could it be blood? The number beneath the girl's name, "Razor Fan Collette Pierce", read 200,000,000 beli. "Collette is the doctor and historian of the Blue Lightning Pirates. Due to her vast knowledge of medicine and the human body, she's extremely dangerous in battle. That fan she's holding is made out of steel and is as sharp as any katana." He flipped the next poster, revealing another girl, this one with blond hair that seemed to be posing for the camera. She held a pistol in one hand, pointed upward just beside her face and a second aiming at the camera itself. Her tongue was sticking out and one blue eye was closed in a wink. The number beneath her name read 230,000,000 beli.

"This one is Eagle Eye Amaya Dior," Morte explained. "She's an extremely skilled marksman and is also the ships cook." He suddenly silenced, staring just passed the crew absently. Instinctively, the pirates looked behind them, then, realizing the man had simply zoned out, their aggravation escalated. Faith leaned forward and snapped her fingers in the man's face, at which point he blinked and shook his head apologetically. "Oops, sorry… I have a tendency to zone out sometimes…"

"Well don't do it now!" the pirates scolded. Morte smiled weakly and lifted his hands in defense.

"Sorry, sorry! Now then, back to Amaya," he decided. He looked back at the poster. "Her aim is dead on. If she misses, she's doing it on purpose. I've heard that she can shoot a mouse between the eyes from 100 yards away. If you're going against her, make sure you're a fast mover or you'll lose your life, and your money."

He flipped over the fourth poster, revealing a man with silver hair spiked up messily. His black eyes seemed to be shining with excitement, and he had a single hand extended, the fingers at different levels, as if controlling a puppet. The number beneath his name read 360,000,000 beli. "Here's the captain, Puppet Master Lance Wright. I've heard he's really protective over his crew, especially his little brother. He's an extremely dangerous man with a very unique Devil Fruit Power that gives him the ability to control his own blood. He gets his nickname because if even a drop of his own blood mixes with yours and gets into your system, he's able to completely control you, like a puppet. He's really creative with his ability, so be careful if you face him,"

"So that's the crew then?" Gonzo asked. The bounties were ridiculously high. "Didn't you say there were five?"

"There are," Morte confirmed. "Let me finish," he flipped the final poster over, revealing a blue eyed man with black hair, longer in the front and spiked jaggedly in the back. He wore black clothing, and carried a black sword in his hand. Staining both his face, and the blade, was obviously blood. A lot of it. "Black Widow Nikolai Iman," he said calmly. The bounty beneath the man's name read 320,000,000 beli. "Don't let the fact that his bounty is lower than Lance's fool you. Nikolai is twice as dangerous, from what I've heard. The only reason that Lance's bounty is higher is because the World Government is convinced that if Lance can control a monster like Nikolai, then he must be just as dangerous. That blade he's carrying is legendary, called Tsukumo, and if I remember correctly, it contains poisons. I don't know the specifics though.

"I'm going to tell each and every one of you that at your current level, you won't stand a chance against him. You won't stand a chance against any of them actually, but if they're testing you then they'll probably go easy on you. Don't expect this operation to be a walk in the park though. The best thing to do would be to split into two groups,"

"Split up? Why?" Jae asked.

"For one, we'll cover more ground," Morte explained. "For another, they're probably not keeping them together. If we split up, our chances of finding your crew mates are higher by a long shot. Your teams should balance out your strengths, so how many of you are Devil Fruit users?"

All except Gonzo raised their hands. The Fishman, for several moments, felt a bit left out, but quickly pushed the thought aside. He didn't need a Devil Fruit anyway. Morte nodded. "I'll let you guys decide on the teams then."

"You're coming with me," Zugai said firmly. "Gonzo, you go with Faith and Jae, alright?" The others nodded in affirmative. "We'll have twelve hours to find them, guys. If the Blue Lightning Pirates are really this strong, then this is going to be one hell of a mission. But we can't fail, no matter the circumstances,"

The crew was silent around him. Normally, this was the point where Chris would say something inspirational, something to raise the spirits of the crew. But at the moment, he couldn't think of anything. His own spirit was low, worried, afraid not for himself, but for his captain. "We have to find them…" he muttered.

(--)

It was so stupid of her to do it. Chris shouldn't have head butted Lance so hard, hard enough to break the skin. She should have remembered his power. He had walked away laughing after she'd done it, wiping his own blood away as took his seat across from her. She hadn't said a word to him, though her fury was boiling over the surface.

Now, he was sitting across from her, on the other side of the cave, on a rock. One knee was drawn up, and his right arm rested on that knee, his hand hanging lazily. Chris stared at him with slight uncertainty. "Considering that you know my power," Lance began. Chris tensed. "It was pretty stupid of you to do that. My own blood most definitely made its way into your blood stream from that little cut on your forehead and by now, the cells have multiplied enough with your own to give me full control of your body," he smiled.

"They don't last longer then twenty minutes," Chris said darkly with much more confidence then she actually felt. "It's been at least that,"

"Eighteen minutes and fourty two seconds," Lance corrected calmly. His smile widened. "Are you still the same fearless little girl you used to be Chris? The idea of dying still doesn't scare you?"

"Nothing scares me," Chris snapped. Lance smiled.

"You may not think that," he said. His resting hand rose up, aimed at Chris. "But I'm sure that like every normal human the moment you're really faced with death, you'll begin to panic,"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Chris snapped.

"Freeze," was Lance's answer. Chris tilted her head. She didn't feel anything at first, and then, she suddenly felt something very strange. She looked down at her skin as it slowly began to pale. It was getting difficult for her to breath, and as a natural reaction, her heart began to beat faster. "Fear isn't something that can be controlled mentally," Lance said. "It's in a part of the brain that's considered to be unconscious. There's no way to ease it, and once your brain registers that it's afraid, there's nothing you can do to stop it. I've just completely stopped the blood flow in your body. In about thirty seconds, you're heart is going to stop, without blood pumping through it, and you're going to die,"

Chris didn't want to admit it, but he was right. The room started spinning, and she could feel her panicking heart slowly beginning to calm, slowing down. Black spots began clouding her vision. And then, as suddenly as this strange attack began, it stopped.

Chris felt a wave of relief as the warmth returned to her skin and she could almost feel the blood flowing once again. This was good. His blood will have been cleared from her system now, so as long as she didn't try to hurt him again using her own body, she'd be safe. Not that she could do anything else anyway. She took several deep breaths to calm her heart, which was now beating overtime to make up for the lost twenty seconds in which it'd been fading. She looked toward Lance, wondering what exactly had made him decide to stop. He had at least thirty seconds left to use that ability of his. He could have killed her.

It surprised her that Lance wasn't looking at her anymore, but rather he was looking toward the mouth of the cave. He looked a bit uncertain for the first time, and Chris followed his gaze. Her eyes widened and her heart once again skipped a beat at what she saw. Was this fear?

Black Widow Nikolai Iman was walking toward them.

(--)

_Well, at least they're being nice._ Aya thought bitterly to herself as she drank from a straw within a cup filled with water. The cup was being held by the brown haired girl that had knocked her out back on the ship, and she was hesitant at first, but after the blond girl had taken a drink, she thankfully accepted the water.

"Sorry we have to do this to you," the brown haired girl, Collette, said calmly. "But if we were to keep you untied, you'd run off,"

"Collette, don't be so nice to the kid," Amaya said good naturedly from her spot on the floor, eating a delicious looking sandwich. "She'll never toughen up if you constantly spoil her, you know," Aya finished her water and took a deep breath.

"Thank you," she said to Collette. The water definitely made her feel better. Collette smiled.

"It's nothing," she said. She looked at Amaya. "Do you blame me? I'm a doctor, it's natural for me to be worried about the welfare of others,"

"You're a doctor?" Aya asked with sudden interest. Collette smiled.

"I am," she confirmed. "But my true passion is History. I'm only a doctor because that's how I was raised. If I remember correctly, you are a doctor as well?"

"Yeah," Aya answered. "How did you know that?"

"We've been watching you," Collette said. "For quite some time. You are the doctor, as well as another girl, Faith. Jae is your navigator, the Fishman Gonzo is your chef, and Zugai is the first mate,"

"You're definitely a strange bunch," Amaya added. "and you're all so young too. It's pretty stupid of you to venture into the big bad Grand Line,"

Aya smiled a bit. Stupid, no. Brave, maybe. Foolish, definitely, but it was all worth the adventure. "You wouldn't understand," Aya muttered calmly.

(--)

"Uwah… Teddy… wake up…" Lulu cried nervously as she gazed at the soaking wet bear across from her. She had managed to swim back to her boat, keeping the bear on top of her head to keep it from hitting the water, but it hadn't moved since she'd gotten it from under the water. She was worried for the little stuffed animal. "Teddy~"

Finally, the bear lifted its head and looked at her. It lifted a paw and waved weakly. Lulu squealed in delight and grabbed it, hugging it tightly. "Teddy, you're alive!" she exclaimed. She released it and held it at arm's length. "That stupid woman, throwing you overboard! We'll definitely get her back for this, for sure!" she hugged Teddy once again. "But that can wait. For now, I'll make you something warm to eat. I'm sure you're really drained after falling in the water!" The teddy bear nodded its approval and Lulu smiled. As long as she had Teddy, everything was alright.

* * *

**A/N:** Alright, so that's the end of this chapter. Things'll get started in the next chapter (I hope), but that all depends on what comes to mind. Please remember to review.


	24. Inazuma Island Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I'm not even gonna say it.

* * *

**Pirates!**

**Inazuma Island Part 1**

**Let the Tests Begin!**

* * *

Arriving at the island took much longer then the crew anticipated. The ocean along their journey was dangerous, and a large storm had thrown them far of course. It was typical of those Pirates, thought Morte, that they would select an island in such an unstable area of the Grand Line. So far, they'd been traveling for more then five hours and still hadn't reached Inazuma Island. The entire crew was getting worried; what if they didn't make it in time. Their twelve hour time limit had just shrunk to ten, and they still hadn't spotted the island.

"Jae, how much farther are we?" Zugai asked tensely from the upper deck. He was rolling his shoulder, unaccustomed to the feeling of stitches, which Faith had put to close up the bullet wound. In one hand was Chris' hat, devoid of the dagger, which he'd left safely in her room. Jae looked over his shoulder at Zugai from the helm.

"The storm threw us pretty far off. I'd say we've got another hour before we even spot land," he said solemnly. He had been given a painkiller for his broken ribs, as it was the only way to really fix it. It would take at least a month to heal. Faith was extremely opposed to him fighting on the island, but there was no choice. She'd just have to keep a close eye on him.

"Don't worry, guys," Gonzo said from his position near Zugai. Around his injured leg was a bandage wrap, stained with a line of blood where the wound resided. "We'll make it. Besides, this is Chris and Aya we're talking about. Nothing's going to happen to them,"

"Yeah, they'll definitely be alright," Faith declared. Her cuts had small bandages on them, as they weren't as large as the others.

Morte made no addition to the conversation. He could have made the point that Chris and Aya were most likely in a situation where they _couldn't_ fight back. As long as Nikolai hadn't gotten to them they'd be all right, until the deadline of course. But he didn't. Instead, he sat comfortably in a chair outside, a bandage wrapped around his upper arm where Gonzo's harpoon had hit him. It was definitely nice for that doctor girl to patch _him_ up too. After all… he'd tried to kill them.

Zugai paced for a few brief steps before stopping and staring intently at the horizon. He had to find this island. There must be some sort of sign… _something_ to let them know they were getting closer. He tightened his grip on the black hat uncomfortably.

"Hey, you ok?" Gonzo suddenly asked quietly beside him. He was looking at the hat in Zugai's tense hands with a frown.

"Just fine," Zugai answered. "A little worried, but fine,"

Gonzo raised a brow at the older boy. "A little worried? You look like a nervous wreck, bud,"

"I'm going to kill that son of a bitch," Zugai said harshly. "I can't stand it when people try to hurt my friends. I swear, if he's laid one hand on her, I'm going to slice his head off,"

"Her?" Gonzo questioned. "You mean them, right?" Zugai tensed a bit.

"Of course I mean them," he said quickly. He stuffed Chris' hat into the pocket of his hoodie and hesitated before releasing it and extracting his now empty hand. Gonzo frowned a bit and turned away.

"I'll go make some lunch," he decided. "Something before we get there. Everyone's tired, we need something to boost our stamina…. Some lean meats should do the trick… maybe some noodles," he spoke more to himself at this point then Zugai.

"Alright," Zugai answered. He wasn't sure if he could actually eat though. As soon as Gonzo reached the ladder leading to the lower deck, he stopped. "Zugai," he called lightly. Zugai didn't look at the boy, but grunted in acknowledgement. "Relax, okay? If you're tense, you won't be able to perform as effectively as usual,"

Zugai's shoulders loosened slightly at the cook's words. "You're right…" he muttered. He put on a smile and turned to look at Gonzo. "Call when lunch is done, got it?"

Gonzo couldn't help but smile now. He flashed Zugai a thumbs up and started down the ladder. Zugai turned away again, looking at the horizon. _Eight hours…_he thought to himself. His hand unconsciously slipped back into his pocket, resting atop the hat. _Will that be enough time?_

(--)

Chris' eyes were wide in surprise as she stared at the black haired man approaching. Intense blue eyes glowed with the light from the small fire in the center of the cave, their complete attention on the red haired, green-eyed girl tied up on the floor. Chris swallowed the lump in her throat uncomfortably. He was the _last_ man she wanted to be near, especially tied up like this.

Lance remained calmly on his rock as Nikolai stepped into the firelight, stopping in the middle of the two pirate captains. His trademark blade, Tsukumo, was sheathed on his right hip. The handle was enormous, and where the guard met the scabbard, there was an enormous metal black widow melted with the blade. "Well, this is a pleasant surprise," Nikolai said in a deep, dangerous voice. He stared at Chris with a dark expression.

"How was your training, Nikolai?" Lance asked casually. "You're back earlier then usual, good news, I suspect?"

Nikolai, after a moment's hesitation, turned his attention away from Chris to look at his captain. He lightly tapped the spider and smirked. "New venom," he said calmly. He wrapped his hand around the handle of Tsukumo and pulled it swiftly from its scabbard with a metallic swish. Normally, Chris would have appreciated the sound; it was always something she'd enjoyed hearing, but under the circumstances…

"Now, I have a question for you, Lance," Nikolai said calmly. He lightly ran a thump along the edge of the blade and turned to look at Chris. She tensed noticeably. "What is _she_ doing here?"

Chris summoned her courage quickly and straightened up, sitting as tall as she could while bound. "The better question is what are _you_ doing here? Aren't you supposed to be out playing swordsman with that spider toy?"

With swiftness that genuinely surprised Chris, the tip of the blade was thrust effortlessly into her left foot. She couldn't hold back the shout that rose in her throat. She bit her lip hard to silence herself and pressed her head back against the wall behind her, as if trying to detach herself from the pain. Nikolai pulled out the blade, dripping a mix of blood and a strange metallic green liquid, and swung it in the air to clean it. It took only a few brief moments for the paralysis poison to completely remove feeling from her entire left leg.

Nikolai raised the blade, fading from a green glow into a faint yellow one. With his foot, he pushed her off the wall and kicked her onto her stomach, at which point he placed the tip of the blade against the back of her left shoulder. "Spider toy?" he asked calmly. He lightly traced the large scar across her shoulders, and then diagonally down to her waist, that she constantly kept hidden. She felt a strange tingle, slowly morphing into a stabbing pain, as if her body was remembering the injury. "Should I _remind_ you just how real this blade is, Chrisanthia?"

"Nikolai," Lance said calmly, though with obvious warning. He remained on his spot on the rock but was tense now, ready to move at the slightest sign of danger.

"Tell me, Chrisanthia, did you bring back the Crescent Dagger you stole from me all those years ago? I've been hoping to get it back for some time?"

Chris turned her head to look at Nikolai harshly. "Well it looks like you're shit out of luck huh?" she asked. Nikolai scowled and raised the blade dangerously. With lightning speed, Lance rose from his seat and was beside Nikolai, holding his wrist tightly to keep him from stabbing the girl lying on the floor. Nikolai stared at him in aggrivation.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill her," he snarled.

"Because," Lance began, "we didn't take her for you to kill her. This is a test for her crew. If you kill her now, then it'll be a complete waste of our time." He released Nikolai's wrist and the swordsman stepped away, staring at his captain. "She's got ten hours for her crew to get her, and if they don't…" he hesitated for a moment and looked at Chris. The girl looked up at him a bit uncertainly. Lance looked away from her back at Nikolai. "Then she's all yours,"

(--)

It had been hours since her last drink, and due to the heat, even in the approaching evening, Aya was extremely thirsty. She was extremely uncomfortable, the bark was digging into her hands and likely left deep imprints upon them. The only thing that gave her any sort of solace was the fact that the women guarding her were at least kind enough to try to keep her comfortable. Strangely enough, she felt safe around them. There didn't seem to be anything menacing at all, save for the whole kidnapping thing.

But something had been bothering Aya this entire time and at long last and after taking a grateful drink of water, she asked it. "When you and that silver haired guy originally took us, you were going after Chris, right?" She asked. Collette looked at Aya with a small frown. "Why?"

When the doctor hesitated, Amaya answered. "We've got some history with that captain of yours," she said.

"History?" Aya questioned. So Chris actually _knew_ them?

"We're not friends or anything. Far from it. Hell, our navigator wants to kill her." Amaya continued. She leaned forward, drawing up her knees and hugging them loosely, comfortably. "You know that dagger she carries around? The roundish one?"

"Her Crescent Dagger?" Aya asked. "Of course I do. It's the name of our pirate crew, as well as her bounty name. But what's that got to do with you?"

"Well, other then the fact that it isn't hers?" Amaya asked. "Your little captain in there stole it when she was a kid. Probably no older then twelve. She was stupid. Naïve. It earned her a nice little reminder on her back and a few weeks in a hospital, and before we could get it back, the Marines chased us out of the continent,"

"So you went after her to get it back?" Aya asked. Collette shook her head.

"She may have been stupid, but none of us ever expected her to survive an attack from Nikolai. Especially one of that size. But the girl's a trooper, that's for sure." She explained with a small smile. "There will be plenty of opportunities for Nikolai to get his dagger back, but that's his fight, not ours. We're just doing what we always do and making sure the newbies are ready to travel the Grand Line,"

"Hey, we're not newbies!" Aya protested. Then, she silenced herself. She'd taken that offensively when she shouldn't have. They were new at this, sure, but they were perfectly capable. They didn't need to be guided, or tested by these people. She was about to voice her opinion when a large wolf-like creature jumped from the tall grass into the clearing. Its fur was a dark brown, its eyes golden, and it shifted into a human form upon skidding to a stop. Aya's eyes narrowed angrily upon seeing Cedric standing before her.

"You little brat!" She suddenly snarled. She pulled against her bonds; she'd love to get a hold of this kid right now. He was the reason they were in this predicament. The boy merely looked at her for a few brief moments before turning his attention to the two older women.

"The ship," he said in a tone that was much more serious then Aya expected. "It's rising over the horizon. It'll be here within the hour,"

Eyes as sharp as a hawk, Aya thought. Then, her head snapped to the ocean below. Her eyes widened. "What? Really?" she scanned the horizon, but couldn't see them for a while. Then, a small dot appeared. Her eyes widened, her heart skipped a beat. They were coming!

"Guess we'd better get into position then, huh?" Amaya asked with a sigh. "How troublesome…" She stood from her spot on the ground and quickly made sure that her guns were fully loaded; the machine gun slung over her shoulder, the two pistols holstered at her hips, and of course the sniper rifle hanging loosely in one hand. "Enjoy it while it lasts, Ced, Collette," Amaya said. Then, she took a single step and seemed to disappear. The next indication of her location was a light rustle of grass and a blue jumping into the trees surrounding.

Collette gave Aya one final drink of water before cleaning up the camp and turning away. "Time to start," She said with a small smile. That said, she left as well. Cedric remained where he stood, looking at Aya with an emotionless expression on his face. The green-haired girl looked back at him harshly.

"What do you want?" She snapped. The boy didn't respond for several moments.

"You guys aren't going to survive," he said matter-of-factly. "None of you are. Your crew isn't going to rescue you in time and Nikolai is going to kill your captain, and then he's going to kill you,"

Aya tensed noticibly. Was this boy being serious? "He's not going to make it quick. Nikolai enjoys the pain. He'll probably play with you for a while. Do you have any experience with poisons?"

"Be quiet," Aya said calmly.

"I hope you're not afraid to die, Miss Aya," Cedric added. Aya scowled at him.

"I said _shut up!_" she shouted. Her anger surprised even herself, and she looked away uncomfortably. Stupid brat… he was trying to freak her out. When she looked up again, he was gone. Aya was alone.

(--)

It was just as Jae had said; another hour of sailing and it was within their sights, and another hour later, they were anchored just off the coast of Inazuma Island. Zugai, with obviously hesitance, had given Morte back his weapons, and carried his own strapped to his back. Gonzo's harpoon was wrapped in the cloth, easily accessible on his back. Jae and Faith were unarmed; they'd rely entirely on their Devil Fruit Abilities. But each and every one of them was ready.

Morte stared at the island with interest. The sand on the beach was a clean white color, and the forests surrounding it were dark and looked dangerous. There were two paths, side by side, though winding in different directions, directly in front of them. Morte followed one of them to the left with his eyes and caught sight of a mountain with a thin path winding up around it. The top seemed to be flat. The second oath seemed to sink into the darkness at a light downward slope. He calmly pointed it out to the others.

"What if it's a trap, tough?" Gonzo asked a bit uncertainly.

"There's always that chance, but keep in mind, this entire island is a trap. It's not going to be easy finding them. If my logic is correct, this is intended to split us up." Morte answered. He pointed to the left path, and as he spoke, made his way to the top of the mountain. "They won't have your captain up high. Chances are, she's at sea level or lower, so my best bet is that your doctor is up there,"

"I'm going that way then!" Faith decided instantly. "If Aya's up there, then I'm going to go get her," She looked determined, carrying an expression that wordlessly explained that nothing could change her mind.

"Alright then, we'll head that way," Gonzo agreed. "Jae?"

"I'm alright with it," the navigator said.

"Alright then, Morte and I will take the right path," Zugai decided. He stared into the darkness of the forest with an expression rivaling Faith's determination. "We've got eight hours, guys. If you find one of them, come straight back to the ship, understood?"

"Right," they all said. Zugai nodded and continued. "Be extremely careful out there. We don't know what's waiting for us. And make sure you all come back alive, got it? Chris will kill me if one of you ends up dead,"

The statement brought a small smile to the crew's faces. "Alright, let's move out!" Zugai declared.

"Yosh!" they said simultaneously, save for Morte. With that final word, the groups split up and entered Inazuma Island.

* * *

**A/N:** I debated a LOT on this chapter, and eventually, I decided on this. Between Chris's scene and Aya's scenes, there's a two-hour time gap. I made a pretty quick update to make up for lack thereof lately, (and the words are just flooding out of my mind) so I hope you enjoyed. I really want to be lazy and just get them all back together, but I've also been wanting to type up these battles. So if all goes according to plan, the Inazuma Island arc in the Blue Lightning Saga will last about... oh... 3-6 chapters. We'll see how it goes. Remember to review :].


	25. Inazuma Island Part 2

**Pirates!**

**Inazuma Island Part 2**

**Pirate Faith Vs. The Devil's Emissary **

* * *

The path to the left was easy enough to travel by, almost too easy in the opinions of the three pirates traversing it. But the sun was quickly beginning to set, and little by little, it was becoming more and more difficult to see. After about an hour of walking without difficulty, though staying on high alert, the darkness had become so thick that Jae eventually had to _follow_ the other two to know where he was going.

"This seems too easy," Faith muttered. She had her arm linked with Jae's to keep him close and make sure he didn't lose them in the darkness. She was occasionally smelling the air, trying to get some sort of hint as to where they should go, but there were so many different aromas that she couldn't wrap her head around one, and eventually, they overwhelmed her and she had to give up. Gonzo walked a few paces behind to the left, just in case someone snuck up on them.

"I'm sorry for being so inconvenient," Jae muttered with an embarrassed smile.

Gonzo glanced at him. "It's fine," he said. "A human's senses aren't as powerful as a Fishman's. The only reason Faith can see is because of her Devil Fruit ability. Just stay close and there won't be anything to worry about,"

"Alright, Gonzo-kun," Jae agreed with a light nod. He frowned a bit. "We've got seven hours left, guys… do you think we'll make it?"

"Of course we will," Faith said. She quickened her pace with sudden purpose and Jae staggered in surprise before quickly falling into an even cadence with her. "Seven hours is a lot –"

She couldn't finish her statement, because at that moment, the ground gave way beneath her. Her eyes widened and with a surprised shriek, she began to fall. Jae wrapped his hand around her wrist, stopping her for only a few moments before he began to slip himself.

"Gonzo-kun!" he shouted to the cook. Gonzo grabbed Jae's arm just as he began to fall and with his free hand, held onto one of the trees surrounding.

"What did you guys do?" he demanded.

"I don't know! The ground just sunk!" Faith called. "Pull me up, I don't want to fall!"

"I'm working on it!" Gonzo assured her. He wrapped his arm farther around the tree and started to pull himself around it, pulling Jae up in the process. When the Navigator had touched solid ground, he grabbed Faith with his other hand and pulled her out of the hole.

Faith fell to her knees on the dirt path with a relieved sigh. "Phew… that was close…" she said. She wiped a bead of nervous sweat from her brow and looked down at the hole. It seemed never ending.

"You two alright?" Gonzo asked, rubbing his raw arm. They nodded their affirmative and looked to the other side of the gap. It was no more then twelve feet wide. "I think we can jump it," Faith said. "At least, I can in hybrid form,"

"I'll go first," Gonzo said. He backed up a few feet and stared across the gap. Then, he ran toward it and jumped at the edge. He seemed to fly across before landing with a thump on the other side. Jae examined it for a few moments before nodding and taking a few steps back. Then, he mimicked with Gonzo had done. He reached it, though only just, and Gonzo had to pull him away from the ledge to keep him from falling back into it. Faith followed after, shifting back into her human form upon landing elegantly.

"I hope there aren't any more of those," Jae muttered, looking back at the pit. As he turned and took a step to continue, a rope wrapped tightly around his ankle and flipped him upside down, pulling him into the air with a surprised shout.

"Oi, what is this?!" he asked loudly. Faith and Gonzo looked up at him in shock. Another trap!

"Hang on, I'll get you down," Gonzo said. He extracted his harpoon and stepped forward to help. He felt something strange beneath his foot, almost like a wire, and as soon as he put pressure on it, an enormous branch flew at him from the side. It hit him square in the head and knocked him away with a grunt.

"What's with this forest?!" Faith exclaimed.

"Gonzo, are you alright?" Jae asked, still hanging from his tree. Gonzo rose to his feet, rubbing the bump slowly forming on his head.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he snarled. He hesitated a moment before picking up his dropped harpoon and using it to cut Jae free from the snare. The navigator hit the ground on his shoulders with a grunt.

"These are all hunting traps," Faith observed, looking down at the trip wire Gonzo had set off. "The pit, the snare, and then the Deadfall…" She frowned and stood, looking at the other two. "It's like they're trying to hunt us or something,"

"Another test?" Jae suggested as he rubbed the back of his neck. Faith shrugged.

"I don't know," She admitted. "But we've definitely got to be more careful from now on," She looked into the darkness of the path ahead and saw, at that moment, two glowing, golden eyes staring back at her. Her eyes narrowed uncertainly and then she stiffened as she heard a low growl. The eyes watching her narrowed significantly and she could see a line of large, jagged white teeth.

The others seemed to hear it as well, for they tensed and prepared to defend themselves. Then, without any warning, the thing pounced. The large body of a Dire Wolf ran directly to Gonzo, jaws open wide, lunging at the cook's throat.

Gonzo lifted the harpoon to defend himself and the dire wolf's jaws clamped tightly around it, large paws pushing against it in an attempt to get to its prey. Gonzo fell back, the wolf atop him, trying to make its way passed the steel pole. Suddenly, another body slammed into it, canine as well, and knocked it off Gonzo.

The cook took several deep breaths to calm himself and quickly rose to his feet, stepping away from the struggling wolves. At last they broke, Faith staggering toward her crew and the Dire Wolf stepping away with a snarl. Simultaneously, they transformed.

Cedric wiped a small bit of saliva from his lips and grinned, looking at Faith. "So you're a Zoan type too. I didn't know that," he admitted. He smiled regardless. "That's no problem though. You'll be easy to defeat either way,"

"Cedric…" Faith began as she caught her breath. "Why are you doing this?"

Cedric raised a brow at her, his golden eyes staring into her blue ones. "Why?" he asked. "Because my captain ordered me to, that's why. Because it's my job." He cracked his knuckles and looked at the three. "You're never going to reach Miss Aya and Chrisanthia,"

"Chrisanthia…?" Faith asked uncertainly, though her eyes were narrowed angrily.

"It's her real name," Gonzo explained. "Chris' I mean,"

"But… we saved you, Ced. From the storm. Chris risked _her_ life to drag you out of the water. Doesn't that mean _anything_ to you?" Faith continued.

Cedric considered this for a few seconds, and for a while, he actually seemed upset. "It was definitely a good thing to do," he said, his brow furrowed. "And you definitely passed that test, but you're going to fail this one." He looked up at them and smiled. "Because I'm so young, you're not regarding me as a threat. That's going to cost you all your life,"

Without another word, he turned back into the wolf. Despite his young age, he was easily the size of Faith in her animal form; due to his species. If he were the same age as Faith, he'd be much larger, and much more difficult to defeat. Cedric looked at Jae for a moment before charging toward the boy. Instead of biting, as Jae expected, Cedric rammed his head into Jae's chest, knocking him back into yet another snare. This one didn't just lift him up, but propelled him into the air and away from the others into the abyss of the forest.

"Jae!" Gonzo shouted. Cedric turned on him and repeated the process, knocking Gonzo into a different snare. It propelled him in a different direction, leaving Faith standing alone before the young pirate.

"Gonzo!" she shouted as he disappeared into the trees. "Jae!" Cedric stared at her, growling lightly, then, he changed back into his human form.

"I have a question for you, Miss Faith," Cedric said. He circled in front of her, keeping the same distance all the while. Faith tensed and followed him with her eyes. "What makes you think that they're still alive?"

Hearing this, Faith's eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat. "Wha… what do you mean?" she asked. Cedric smiled darkly.

"We're pirates, Miss Faith. The infamous Blue Lightning Pirates, one of the most dangerous crews in the sea. Maybe this entire thing was just one big trap. What evidence do you have that we didn't kill Miss Aya and Chrisanthia and throw them into the ocean other then a note signed by a pirate captain? Maybe that Bounty Hunter you're traveling with works with us,"

"No…" Faith swallowed the lump in her throat. Her mouth was dry and suddenly, her tongue felt too big for her mouth. She felt like she was suffocating. Cedric's calm smile turned into a feral, dangerous grin. Faith honestly wasn't sure if she wanted to hear his next words. However, he spoke regardless. "When you reach the top of this mountain, the only thing you're going to find is Miss Aya's mutilated corpse,"

The image unwillingly flooded into Faith's mind and she gripped the side of her head, shaking it, trying to make it go away. "No!" She shouted. She was truly afraid now. What if her best friend… her sister almost, was dead? Aya couldn't be dead. "No!" she shrieked. Without warning, and without transforming, she charged at Cedric. She drew back a single fist and launched it at the boy. He ducked, avoiding it, and in a flash, was beside him.

"Do you know why Lance chose Blue Lightning as our name?" he asked with a smile. "The color is really just as simple a thing as his favorite, but there's a reason for Lightning," Faith spun with an angry cry and launched a kick at Cedric. Again, he avoided the blow, jumping above it and slamming his foot into her chest. She grunted and staggered back. Cedric's other foot hit the side of her face and sent her spinning to the ground with a small splash of blood.

Faith knelt on all fours, catching her breath, trying to calm down. Cedric stood over her, the feral smile still apparent on his face. "Because like lightning, we move faster then the eye can see,"

Faith wiped blood from her lips with one hand, breathing heavily. She didn't look up at Cedric. She had to calm down first. Striking blindly like that would definitely cost her life. She took a deep shuddering breath. This boy was so young, but he was frighteningly strong. She closed her eyes and Aya's laughing face flashed before them. She bit her lip to keep the tears away. Aya wasn't dead. There was no way.

"Are you done already?" Cedric suddenly asked. "Have you realized that it's useless to keep trying to hard with your captain and doctor dead?"

Faith clenched her fists around the dirt beneath her. "They're more then just 'Captain' and 'Doctor'," she said harshly. She looked up as she continued. "A twisted, demented child like you just wouldn't understand the relationship between friends… between nakama," She urged herself to stand and wiped the small amount of blood that slipped between her lips as she made her way to her feet. She stared down at Cedric furiously. "Those two girls are my family. I don't care what you say, they're definitely alive,"

"Are you sure about that?" Cedric asked. His tone was so relaxed, so convincing, that for a moment, Faith doubted her judgement. Still, she held firm and her expression remained strong.

"Guess I'll have to kick your ass and prove it to you, won't I?" Faith asked. She charged at Cedric again.

The boy looked at her lazily. "Good luck with that," he said sarcastically. He started to duck beneath her strike, and was honestly surprised when Faith transformed into her animal form at the last minute. She tackled him, knocking him onto his back on the ground. Cedric reacted quickly, transforming as well. He pressed his paws against her underside and pushed her off before rising to his feet and jumping away.

The two wolves stood opposite each other, ears pricked forward, tails erect, snarling at each other. Neither of them had ever fought against animals so similar to their own. It was a strange experience.

Both crouched, knowing that the other was about to strike, and then lunged at each other simultaneously. They passed each other, claws striking at thick fur and leaving cuts on opposite sides. They landed right behind each other, tails almost touching, and to gain an upper hand, both turned to heir hybrid forms. Again, they were the same size, and both turned and their hands locked as they each made a strike.

Faith pushed against the boy's hold. He was definitely strong for his age, but she was keeping pace well enough. They pushed each other away and Faith's leg caught in a sharp metal object. She howled in pain as it clamped around her ankle, the teeth of the bear trap digging into her skin.

Cedric was put in a similar situation, stepping into the pit that had been activated before. He quickly regained his balance and jumped away before he could fall as Faith broke free from her own trap.

She knew that it was without a doubt bleeding, and there were more then likely 'tooth marks' from the bear trap. But she couldn't worry about that right now. The trail was too dangerous for them to fight on. In a single swift movement, she turned away and ran, melting into her full wolf form as she disappeared into the trees.

She ran non-stop for at least ten minutes before slowing to a trot and finally, a full stop beside a quietly running stream. She examined her surroundings briefly. Cedric had certainly given chase, but her bone structure as a wolf was much lighter then his Dire Wolf form, enabling quick movements. He would have fallen behind, which gave her time to check her ankle…

Faith changed back into her human form and lifted her now blood stained jeans. If she wasn't trained to be able to handle the sight of blood, she certainly would have passed out at this point. The trap had dug into her skin in multiple places, some of the teeth melding with the others to make a single long cut. It was bleeding profusely; that was definitely dangerous. After taking a drink of water from the stream, she gingerly put her foot into the water up to her calf. Around it, the water stained red, drifting slowly down the stream and melding with the rocks below. The coldness of it hurt, but it was cleaning it nonetheless.

She reached into her pocket and extracted a roll of bandages (which she always carried with her), and pulled her wet leg from the water. With her sleeve, she dried it off and then quickly, yet professionally, wrapped the bandage around the wound. She tied it tightly and took a deep, calming breath.

As if on cue, Cedric bounded out of the surrounding trees. Faith rolled forward into the stream and Cedric's jaws snapped shut where her throat was moments before. She transformed into her hybrid form as he turned to strike again and with a large fist she knocked him away.

Cedric barked in surprise and fell, skidding a few feet before rolling to his feet back in his human form. "You're a fast runner," he commended. "It seems that you're Devil Fruit has heightened your senses as well."

"We're equally matched here, Ced," Faith pointed out as she turned back into her human form. She lowered her fist as she gazed at the boy, breathing heavily. She was getting tired, and from what she could tell, he was as well.

"There's no such thing," Cedric protested, struggling to catch his breath. "One's always going to be stronger then the other, and right now, that's me," Without warning, he lifted a pistol out of one of his boots and aimed it at Faith. The doctor's eyes narrowed and she dodged to the side as he pulled the trigger. The bullet missed her by mere centimeters and once again, she ran.

"I may not be Miss Amaya, but I'm a pretty good shot either way," Cedric explained. He ran as well, following parallel with Faith. The gun remained trained one the girl's head. She looked at him uncertainly and when she saw his finger beginning to squeeze the trigger, she stopped moving.

Cedric wasn't expecting it, and he took another step forward before the bullet was fired. It passed several feet in front of Faith and he skidded to a stop to turn and aim again. By the time he'd lifted the gun, Faith was only a few yards away as a wolf. She shifted quickly into her hybrid form and threw a large, powerful fist at Cedric's gut.

The boy gasped as the wind was knocked from his lungs. He tried to regain his hold on the gun as it began to slide from his fingers, but before he could, Faith took it from his hands. She changed back to her human form and wrapped a leg around his ankles, tripping him, and pinning him down.

The gun was now in her hand, and she held it hard between his eyes. "Even I can be a good shot from this distance," Faith warned.

Both were breathing heavily, both staring directly into each other's eyes, waiting for something to happen in silence. Cedric's eyes showed no signs of fear. After a while, he spoke. "Well, what are you waiting for?" he asked sharply through gasps of breath.

His words startled her. She closed her mouth, willing herself to breathe through her nose, but other then that did nothing. "You want to kill me, don't you? You want me dead? Like those friends of yours?"

"Do you want to die?" Faith asked. It wasn't so much a threat as it was a sympathetic question. He was provoking her. Did he want her to pull the trigger? Cedric didn't break his gaze.

"Of course not," he said. "But right now, whether I do or don't is your decision. What's it like playing God, Miss Faith?"

Faith frowned. Playing God? Essentially, she was, she held his life in her hands, or rather, at the end of a gun. But who was she to decide when this boy's time was. She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath and threw it into the stream. It sunk to the bottom amongst the rocks with a splash. Her hands dropped to her sides and she moved off the boy.

Cedric closed his eyes as well. He had honestly thought that she was going to do it, that this girl was going to blow his head off. The fact that she didn't surprised him. That mild surprise kept him lying there on the ground for a good ten minutes after Faith had left. _She can go on_, he mused. With that final thought, he crossed his arms behind his head and slept off the fatigue.

(--)

Gonzo walked for a good twenty minutes through the dense trees of the forest. He was, essentially, completely lost. The place was huge. If only he could get some sort of vantage point. Maybe climbing a tree? As he began contemplating that idea, his mind wandered to another topic.

Was Faith alright?

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**Time Remaining:**

6** hrs, **45** mins.**

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**A/N:** I don't really know what to make of this chapter… the characters were pretty much writing their own story. I had no say in it. The little Cedric in my head was practically begging to fight against Faith. So I had to comply with this chapter… But with this, the first battle has ended, and the time limit has begun to dwindle. Gonzo's part starts at the end of Faith's battle, not at the same time as it. Look forward to the next chapter, **Pirate Gonzo Vs. The Razor Fan**. Please review. :D


	26. Inazuma Island Part 3

**Pirates**

**Inazuma Island Part 3**

**Pirate Gonzo vs. The Razor Fan!**

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"That damn trap really did a number on me…" Gonzo muttered bitterly as he walked through the trees. He had no idea where the path was, and he was fairly certain he was going in circles. His plan of tree climbing seemed to work for about ten minutes before he realized it was a no go due to the fact that there were no branches low enough for him to cling to. So he was walking aimlessly through the darkness, his frustration beginning to rise steadily.

"You're going the wrong way," a sweet, kind voice said from above. Gonzo stopped and looked up in search of the source and eventually, his dark eyes caught sight of a girl in her twenties, standing on a high branch. She held a chain in one hand and was idly spinning it. There was a thin object at the end giving it momentum. Gonzo stared at her for several moments. At last, she looked at him. The chain clanked as she caught the spinning object in her free hand and in one swift motion, flicked it open. It looked like a Chinese Fan.

The dark haired girl pointed the fan directly in front of her, which happened to be the opposite direction Gonzo had just been walking. It glinted in the moonlight, as if made of some sort of metal. "Your friend is that way, up on the mountain,"

"Collette Pierce," Gonzo identified. The girl tilted her head downward and gazed at Gonzo with her dark eyes. They seemed kind, but the intensity of the gaze was intimidating.

"So you know my name," Collette said, putting on a smile as she closed the fan. She casually stepped off the branch and fell the thirty feet down to the ground, landing like a cat on her feet. The chain was long; about twenty feet, though she held only about three between her hands. The fan again hung limply and she spun it boredly. "What else do you know?"

"You're the ships doctor," Gonzo continued, "and I hear you're a pretty good fighter. But you don't seem like a threat here,"

Collette smiled deviously and flicked the fan open again, partially covering her face with it. She gazed over the razor edge. "Looks can be deceiving, kid," she said.

Gonzo tensed uncomfortably. He wasn't sure whether to draw his weapon or not. At the moment, she didn't seem hostile… more like she was enjoying herself. He decided against the weapon for the moment. "So what exactly are your goals here?" he asked.

Collette shrugged. "I guess I'm here to see what you can do," she said sweetly. "And to see if you can pass me and make it to your friend. She's up there waiting for you, so you'd better make sure you don't lose,"

Gonzo smiled and grabbed hold of his harpoon. "Me? Lose to someone like you? Never," he said confidently. Collette's smile sweetened.

"Don't underestimate me, just because I'm a woman. I know the human body quite well and that makes me a very dangerous adversary," She said.

"Nah, I'm not underestimating you because you're a girl," Gonzo pointed out. "Chris would murder me. I just have confidence, is all," he grinned. "Something wrong with that?"

Collette lowered the fan, exposing her face. She bent her knees a bit, the fan held back behind her, above her head, her other hand holding the chain in front of her. "Hope you're ready," She said sang. "Because it's time to get started!"

The expression in her eyes changed to a sudden deathly serious one. Any light that was once present faded, her brown eyes becoming as black as Lance's. "Special Technique: Air Slicer!" She exclaimed. She spun her arm once and took a step forward, adding to the momentum, then, she swiped the fan horizontally in front of her. The energy from her movements seemed to rush forward, in a whitish-blue blur literally slicing through the air as it made its way to Gonzo.

The Fishman's eyes widened. He'd never seen anything like that before! Did she just thrust her energy through her weapon? He quickly rolled aside and the energy sliced through a tree behind him, knocking it down. Gonzo made his way to his feet and used the harpoon to catch his balance as he turned and gazed at the tree. "You've got to be kidding…" he muttered.

Collette smiled at his expression but rushed right into her next attack. She spun, using the momentum from her first strike, and then a one-handed cartwheel, landing in a crouch. She swiped the fan downward, into the earth, and the ground seemed to split in Gonzo's direction. "Special Technique: Earth Splitter!" She shouted. Gonzo ran to the side to avoid this attack. The crack continued until it hit a rock, where it finally stopped, completely shattering the hard object. Gonzo looked at Collette a bit uncertainly.

"Definitely strong…" he decided under his breath. Then louder, he added, "But I have a few attacks of my own to show you,"

As Collette rose from her crouch, Gonzo darted toward her with incredible speed. "20 Gallons: Prime Rib!" He shouted. He threw punch at Collette, who dodged with ease. Gonzo's fist instead slammed into a tree, impaling the thick trunk. He started to pull his arm back out, only to find that it was stuck…

His hand, still balled into a fist, was caught on the other end of the trunk, acting as an anchor and holding him against the tree. Gonzo snarled in annoyance and pressed his other hand against the tree in an attempt to push himself off. "Stupid tree, let go," he muttered angrily at the object.

"Do you need some help?" Collette suddenly asked, the sweetness returning to her voice. She had stepped up beside Gonzo without him even knowing and now placed the blade of the fan against his arm. Gonzo's eyes widened and he felt himself pale; not at the thought of getting injured, but at the prospect of losing a hand. He needed his hands! He was a cook!

As Collette raised the fan into the air, Gonzo's struggling increased. "Oi, oi!" he scowled at Collette nervously. "Don't even think about it!"

Collette merely smiled and sharply sliced down with the fan. At the last moment, Gonzo managed to wretch his arm out and pull back, just barely avoiding the fan. He staggered, but quickly regained his composure and delivered a dangerous roundhouse kick at Collette. "35 Gallons…" he began. But before he could say anything, else, Collette jumped up.

"Rump Roast," Collette finished with a light smile, seeming to have teleported to her perch on a low branch. Gonzo's eyes widened again and he stepped away from Collette uncertainly. She laughed mischievously at his expression.

Gonzo scowled at her amusement and prepared for his next attack. "50 Gallons: Swiss Cheese!" he shouted. From his blowhole, dozens of balls of water shot out. Flying rapidly at the doctor. Collette said the words with him as she grabbed her fan by the chain and spun it in front of her with incredible speed, using it as a shield against the attack. When it stopped, she caught it again and jumped downward.

Collette's etes were dark once again. She held one arm, the one holding the fan, crossed over her chest, poised to strike. "_Diagonale!_" she shouted harshly. She swiped the fan diagonally downward at Gonzo, who barely managed to move back to avoid it. A thin cut formed on his chest, though due to his thick skin, it wasn't major at all, nor was it bleeding.

Collette landed in a crouch, the arm holding the fan extended, touching the ground. She looked up. "_Verso_!" she shouted. She rose upward, swiping with the fan across the very same area, though seeming to move backwards, almost in reverse. She flipped back, landing skillfully on her feet.

This time, the edge of the fan was stained with a thin layer of blood. Gonzo clutched the now open wound across his chest; it most definitely wasn't deep enough to kill him, but it would slow him down. He had to act fast. "500 Gallons!" he began.

"Popsicle Rampage," Collette finished calmly. As the icicles began to fire out of Gonzo's blowhole, Collette jumped back, disappearing into the trees. There was a small drop of blood where she once stood, but Gonzo wasn't sure if it was hers, or his own dripping from the weapon.

Regardless, he scowled. This girl was finishing his attacks. Did they really know this much about him? He heard a light, chocolaty laugh coming from the dense trees. "You hit me," Collette said. Gonzo heard the sound of a chain to his right and instantly turned. Collette was standing calmly in the ray of moonlight, spinning the fan carelessly. There was a thin cut across the side of her neck, bleeding slightly. "I'm sure you're curious, aren't you?" she asked. She stepped forward and stopped several yards away from Gonzo.

Gonzo didn't respond. Instead, he lifted the harpoon threateningly. "1,000 Gallons," Collette recited. "Meat Kabob," Gonzo's stance weakened slightly, the harpoon lowering a fraction of a centimeter. Collette laughed again. "Do you think the only reason Cedric was on your ship was to capture your crew? We had much more in mind for our little spy."

The metallic rattle of the chain was starting to get on Gonzo's last nerve. His grip tightened around the harpoon. The cut across his chest seeped blood every time he moved and it was starting to make him tired. Collette smiled calmly and stopped spinning the fan, instead catching it and flipping it open. It covered her face once again and she gazed over it. "Thanks to Cedric, I know every move you have,"

She closed the fan and placed it at her hip, wrapping the chain around. Then, she extracted four extremely thin needles similar to the ones Aya used. Collette smiled darkly. "Now, Cascade Gonzo, while it's been fun, I believe it's time to end this,"

She crossed her arm in front of her, preparing to launch the needles. She stared at Gonzo for several very brief seconds, taking aim, and then, launched them. "_Rempli Gelez_!" she shouted. The needles hit Gonzo, one hitting both arms, and the others hitting his legs, all right where the pressure points on a normal human body should be. Those hits would easily immobilize him.

So needless to say, when Gonzo didn't go down, Collette was more then shocked. Gonzo, however, smiled. The smile turned into a grin, and eventually, into an extremely amused laugh. Collette's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Looks like you're the curious one now, eh?" Gonzo asked through laughing. "Considering you're supposed to be a skilled fighter and doctor, you're not very smart. Even an idiot knows that the body of a Fishman is structured differently then a human's!"

Collette scowled. She was being careless; in fact, she'd completely forgotten he was a Fishman (in the dark, he looked like nothing more then a large, dark man). "There's only a slight difference, but it's enough to keep me safe from those pressure point attacks," Gonzo continued, pulling out the needles. He grinned wider. "And don't think you know everything. There's some attacks I could never use on Zugai's ship,"

Gonzo re-placed the harpoon in its sheath on his back and cracked his knuckles. "Time for a warm up though," he stretched his legs briefly and charged at the still surprised Collette. The girl barely managed to avoid the dangerous punch that Gonzo through at her head. "25 Gallons: Prime Rib!" he shouted. As she was down, he brought his hands together, intertwining the fingers like a hammer, and forced it down on the girl. "75 Gallons: Tenderizing Mallet!" he roared.

His fists slammed into Collette's back, knocking the girl down. She grunted in surprise, coughing as the wind was knocked from her lungs, but managed to move aside in time to avoid a second similar blow aimed at her spine. She maneuvered to her feet in a crouched position.

"50 Gallons: Swiss Cheese!" he roared. Collette backed away uncertainly, using the fan as protection as the balls of water were forced in her direction. Some penetrated her defense, slicing cuts into her arms and legs.

"And now…" Gonzo began. "5,000 Gallons: Special Sauce Blitz!" he roared. From the blowhole, a huge torrent of water shot out. Colette's eyes widened, not expecting the strike, and the enormous blast of water hit her. It knocked her back, slamming her into a tree with a pained cry and knocking the weapon from her hand.

"500 Gallons: Popsicle Rampage!" Gonzo shouted. The torrent of water was replaced by dozens of sharp icicles. They cut holes in her clothes, pinning her to the tree without actually hurting her. She tried to pull free without tearing her clothing, but before she could even move to grab one of the icicles, Gonzo's harpoon hit the tree directly beside her head, missing by mere centimeters. Collette stopped moving at once. That most definitely wasn't a lucky miss, but a carefully calculated throw.

Gonzo, breathing heavily from the rush of adrenaline running through his veins, grabbd the harpoon from the tree with ease and held it against Collette's exposed throat. The girl held still, breathing heavily, tired.

Gonzo took a few moments to calm himself down. He had gotten to the point in this battle where he was no longer really aware of what exactly he was doing, like a bull chasing a red cape. "Your friend is at the top of the mountain, just north of here," Collette said, nodding in the direction. Gonzo lowered the harpoon and wrapped the cloth around it before placing it back on his back. Collette looked at him in confusion.

"Why don't you kill me?" she asked. "You've got the perfect chance right now. I've been beaten,"

Gonzo wiped the small trail of blood running down his chest with his shirt. He'd have to find a way to get rid of the stains. He looked up at Collette and shook his head. "Exactly, you've been beaten," he said. "I don't sense that you're a bad person, Collette Pierce. I don't kill people who don't deserve it. Besides, you told me where to go to find Aya.

"You should have known better then to battle a Fishman. The ice will melt in a few hours." Gonzo finished as he began to walk away. Collette looked down at the ground for several moments, then looked up.

"Hold on, Fishman," she said suddenly. Gonzo stopped and turned his head to look at her. He'd already wasted too long with her; about fifteen minutes fighting. That left them with six hours and twenty minutes, and it would take at least a few hours to reach the top of the mountain. "What?" he asked over his shoulder.

"There's something that you might need when you find that captain of yours," Collette continued. "On the necklace here,"

Gonzo turned to look at Collette uncertainly, but walked toward her regardless. "It's not a trick, I promise," Collette assured him, noticing his hesitant approach. "Take this necklace,"

Gonzo examined it. He honestly hadn't noticed it before. It was in the shape of a dagger, and looked considerably sharp. He took it hesitantly in his hand. "What is it?" he asked.

"It's an antidote," Collette explained. "It'll cure any poison that Tsukumo releases. You'll understand when you reach her,"

Gonzo pulled the necklace from Collette's neck and fastened it around his own. "Thanks, I guess," he said.

"Be careful, Gonzo," Collette called after the cook as he quickly ran from the scene. When she was alone, she looked at the icicles and pulled out of them with ease. She looked in the direction Gonzo went off to and smiled. "I don't kill people who don't deserve it', huh?" she quoted. "Sounds like they're Peace Main. That's good…" She stretched, loosening her tight, aching muscles. "I think they'll make it,"

That in mind, she turned and walked off in the opposite direction, back to the Apocalyptic Thunder.

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**A/N:** There we go. Sorry for taking so long. Gonzo's fighting scenes are always so difficult because I find myself struggling to make up new moves/move names to keep it from being repetitive. That and I keep forgetting that he's a Fishman and much stronger then a human (which is why he sustained less injuries then a normal person would have with that damn fan). Next chapter: **Pirate Zugai and Hunter Morte vs. The Puppet Master!**

**Time Remaining: **

6** hrs, **20** mins.**


	27. Inazuma Island Part 4

**A/N:** So I decided to change the title of the chapter… Sorry about that. Guess I shouldn't put chapter titles anymore eheheh…

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**Pirates!**

**Inazuma Island Part 4**

**Betrayal**

* * *

Morte never liked time limits. He enjoyed taking things slowly, relaxing, enjoying himself. But right now, it seemed worth it, as he was about to get his hands on a 360,000,000 beli bounty. That was the only reason he was helping this pirate, Zugai the Demon's Orthopedic (with an (in comparison) insignificant bounty of 24,000,000 beli) find his captain and doctor. It would all work out for him in the end.

But they'd been running for the entire first hour since they'd landed, and now, the strain of that feat was starting to get to them, forcing them to slow to a steady canter, and then a fast walk.

Zugai had lightened his bones to enable him to move quick enough to keep up with Morte's animal form, but as a result, he was much more vulnerable, dangerously so even. Now that he was walking with a now human Morte, however, he returned them to their normal density. He was sweating, breathing heavily, and all in all, completely tired. Morte wasn't in a much better condition. Even as an animal, he wasn't accustomed to running that quickly for that long.

"I think we should take a rest," Morte suggested after about forty minutes of silent walking (and occasional jogging) as he stopped. He crouched, supporting himself by resting his elbows on his knees, and placed his head between his knees as he worked to calm his breathing. Zugai, several steps ahead, stopped and turned to look at him.

"Rest?" he asked. It sounded good right now, that was certain, but he didn't have time! He'd wasted an hour following this stupid path and so far it hadn't led him anywhere but deeper into the forest. "Morte, we don't have time. Get up,"

"Shut up," Morte said lazily. He leaned back and sat, elegantly crossing his legs. "Sit down and take a break, Zugai. You're just as tired as I am. If we meet up with any of them we'll never stand a chance," _And with the luck I've had today, we'll probably end up face to face with the strongest ones…_ he added to himself bitterly. The bounty was promising, yes, but he needed strength to be able to fight Lance or Nikolai.

He could only relax for a few minutes before they heard something (what, they couldn't place) approaching in the darkness. Morte noticed it first, glancing over his shoulder casually. He looked at Zugai. "We've got company," he said calmly.

Zugai looked passed Morte, but saw nothing. The sound seemed to be a slithering creature moving through the leaves scattered on the ground, and they heard the faint sound of a hiss. It moved into their line of vision and Zugai and Morte were honestly relieved to see what the creature following them was nothing more then a small snake. It looked at them and hissed, trying to be threatening. Perhaps they'd crossed into its territory?

Zugai and Morte laughed at their paranoia for the briefest of moments and Zugai turned. "Let's keep going," he said. However, what he saw hanging from a tree was something he never expected and it stopped him in his tracks. The head was enormous; at least the size of a human's, and the long body was as thick as an elephant's leg. Zugai tensed as its forked tongue lashed out, lightly tapping the side of his face. Large, orange eyes stared at the two. It opened its mouth and hissed, much louder then the smaller one, revealing two enormous, sharp fangs.

"That's the biggest snake I've ever seen…" Zugai breathed, uncertain of how to react. Morte followed the snakes body up to the branch, then over and behind back to the smaller snake still hissing behind them. He realized with wide eyes that the two were attached.

"Don't move," he said with deliberate slowness, "this is a Boa Viper. It's extremely poisonous and extremely dangerous."

"It's a what…?" Zugai breathed. The snake moved a bit closer to him, looking at him quizzically. "You mean it's attached to that little thing?"

"The small one is its tail. It's not alive though, the tail mimics the head's movements to get its prey off guard,"

"Let me guess…" Zugai muttered as the snake began to pull back, tilting its head. "We're its prey."

"Unfortunately yes. Now duck!" Morte suddenly shouted. The snake opened its jaws wide and whipped out at Zugai, aiming for his throat. Zugai obliged to Morte's request without question, throwing himself to the ground.

Zugai was already making his way to his feet as the snake disappeared into the trees. "Get ready," he said to Morte as he helped him to his feet. Morte fastened the pata sword on to his left hand and melted into his hybrid form, keen amber eyes looking around cautiously for the snake.

"You said that thing's poisonous, right?" Zugai asked, standing just behind Morte and facing the opposite direction. He was breathing heavily still and now he wished he would have taken that break. He took hold of Honehakaisha and held it tightly in one hand. "Just what is your definition of poisonous?"

Morte considered this for several seconds. "You've got ten agonizing minutes from the time of injection to get the antivenin. Even then, chances of survival are slim. So do yourself a favor and _don't_ get bit," His brow furrowed.

He heard something rushing through the leaves above the and at once, the two looked up. The snake dove down at them, jaws wide. "Move!" Zugai shouted. He twisted one way and Morte moved in the opposite. "Pin it down!" Zugai requested.

"Right, I get the dangerous job," Morte muttered. Still, he managed to step on the snake's enormous body and pin it down just behind the head, limiting its movements. It hissed and thrashed wildly in an attempt to break free. "Hurry up!"

Zugai raised Honehakaisha high over his head and then slammed the axe down just above Morte's hands. It sliced through the snake's thick skin and severed its head from its body it a splash of blood, and the head rolled away harmlessly. The body thrashed for several more seconds before finally laying still in a puddle of its own blood. Zugai lifted Honehakaisha and swiped it at the air to clean it as Morte moved off the limp body, changing back to his human form.

"Well, that wasn't dangerous…" Zugai muttered sarcastically. He looked around. "You see what taking a break got us? Let's keep moving,"

Defeated, Morte sighed. "Guess you're right," he muttered. "Alright, let's go. It looks like we've still got a long way to go,"

Then, they heard footsteps approaching from in front of them, followed by a voice. "Yeah, you sure do," it said. The figure approaching walked calmly, relaxed, with hands in his pockets. It wasn't until he stepped into the moonlight that both Zugai and Morte realized who it was.

Lance Wright looked down at the decapitated snake lying dead on the floor with a small, amused smile. "Looks like you beat that one. Not bad," he said. He looked at Zugai and Morte pensively, his dark eyes examining first one, then the next. "And I thought that a Boa Viper would be enough to get rid of you, but I've obviously underestimated you. If you're wondering, you've got about another hour and a half of walking before you get there, but if you run, you'll make it a little faster,"

Zugai stared at Lance for a while, uncertain of how to react. Slowly, his rage began to simmer beneath the surface, beginning to boil. This was the man who took Chris and Aya. Lance Wright the Puppet Master. Zugai scowled angrily and without thinking, he charged at Lance.

"Zugai, stop!" Morte tried. Zugai ignored him and continued his approach. He put Honehakaisha back in its holder on his back and clenched a fist, hardening his bones. He was going to tear this guy apart with his bare hands.

"Son of a bitch!" he roared, throwing a furious punch at Lance. The older man lifted a single hand and caught Zugai's with ease, the sound of the collision echoing off the trees like two boulders hitting each other.

"You should really listen to your partner there," Lance said darkly. With his other hand, he threw a hard punch at Zugai's gut, hitting with ease and sending the teenager flying back. Zugai made quick work of hardening his bones as he hit the ground, skidding several feet before at last coming to a stop holding his stomach.

"You… caught it? But how?" he gasped. Lance stared at him, smiling a bit.

"Magic," he said sarcastically. He watched as Zugai rose to his feet, pulling the large labrys out once again and holding it tightly in one hand.

"Fine then, if a punch won't hurt, then maybe a blade will!" Zugai snarled. He charged again and this time swiped at Lance. Lance lifted an arm as he jumped back and Zugai felt the axe slice through the skin and scrape solid bone before sliding passed it and into the ground.

Zugai grinned. A hit. He pulled the axe out of the earth and looked at Lance with a triumphant grin. That grin disappeared, however, when he saw Lance looking at the wound, devoid of any blood.

"He ate the Chi Chi no mi," Morte explained to Zugai in an obviously frustrated voice.

"What the hell does that mean?" Zugai asked harshly.

"It means that he can control his blood!" Morte said. "Cutting him won't work!"

"Then how the hell are we supposed to beat him?" Zugai asked, turning his attention to Morte. The bounty hunter looked at him and grinned.

"You don't," he said and then extracted a gun from its holster. He pointed it at Zugai and fired a bullet.

Zugai took the hit to his leg, just above his knee, and fell with a surprised shout. Honehakaisha slipped from his grasp as his hands instinctively covered the bleeding wound. He looked up at Morte furiously as he approached, the gun trained on Zugai's head.

"It's impossible to beat Lance Wright," Morte finished. Zugai stared at him, his eyes narrowed, and then the world went black as the butt of the gun slammed against his head.

(--)

About two hours had passed since Lance left, leaving Chris alone in the cave with Nikolai. She'd spent those last two hours keeping her eyes away from the black haired, blue eyed man that was watching her in annoyance. She still couldn't feel her left leg and doubted she'd be able to unless he provided her with the antidote. The hold in her foot wasn't bleeding as badly as it had been earlier, but the loss that it left her with regardless was making her tired, and extremely nauseous.

"Welcome back," Nikolai suddenly said calmly. His voice broke through the silence, attracting Chris' attention immediately. However, she found herself strangely frightened to look up. Lance had left to go intercept her crew, right? If he was back already, that meant…

An ivory two-headed axe was dropped on the floor before her and her eyes widened. "With the two of them we'll get a bounty of about 54,000,000 beli. It's not much, compared to you two, but it's a lot. And we'll split it," an unfamiliar voice said.

"They don't have to be alive to turn them in you know," Nikolai suddenly said.

"What's with the sudden change of heart, Morte?" Lance's voice asked. Chris didn't want to look up. She didn't want her fear to be reality. Instead, she closed her eyes and convinced herself that this wasn't real. The thump on the ground wasn't Zugai being placed on the cave floor. It wasn't. The axe in front of her was an illusion as a result of the poison.

"I realized that I don't stand the slightest chance against Pirates like you," Morte explained calmly. "So here's a little peace treaty for the time being. We'll turn in the Crescent Dagger Captain and First Mate and split the bounty. That's 27,000,000 each,"

Chris knew she couldn't avoid it anymore. She closed her eyes a bit tighter for a few brief seconds, trying to resist, and slowly she lifted her head. She willed her eyes to open and take in the scene before her, and her heart seemed to stop.

It wasn't a nightmare. The figure lying prone on the floor several feet in front of her was none other then Zugai.

* * *

**Time Remaining:**

4 **hrs, **32** mins**

* * *

**A/N:** Ok, I have a reason for this. I was actually really hesitant to post it but… it's all part of another idea… That's all I'm going to say for now, but look forward to the next chapter, ok? I'll get it up as soon as possible!


	28. Inazuma Island Part 5

**Pirates!**

**Inazuma Island Part 5**

**Pirate Zugai vs. Pirate Chris?**

* * *

Lance was standing beside Nikolai and another man Chris didn't recognize, and a few feet away from her was Zugai. There was dried blood on the side of his head and face, as well as on his jeans, just above the knee, where there was a small hole she assumed to be from a bullet. She stared at him unconscious figure for several minutes, unable to pull her eyes away.

"Z-Zugai…?" she asked uncertainly. Her voice was hoarse as a result of silence for the last several hours. When she got no response, her heart rate increased dangerously. "Zugai!" she said again, louder, with more authority.

The other three looked at her, but she paid them no attention. Her eyes were on her first mate and no one else. She waited eagerly for a response from the boy. "Something wrong?" the unfamiliar man Chris didn't know asked. She had heard Lance call him Morte.

"What did you do to him?!" Chris demanded, looking at them. "If he's dead, I'm going to kill every single one of you, I swear it!"

"He's not dead," Morte said calmly, staring at the girl. "Just unconscious. No need to panic, Chris," He walked toward Chris and looked down at her in obvious amusement. "So you _are_ a girl. That's definitely interesting," He knelt down in front of her and stared into her green eyes. They were flashing dangerously and around the pupil was a small star of yellow. She was obviously furious.

Morte ignored the look and took a lock of her hair in his hand questionably. "I never would have thought… to think a girl got such a bounty after a few weeks as a Pirate…" He released the hair and let it fall back into place messily in front of her face. She pushed it back with a puff of air.

"You're not one of them," Chris pointed out angrily. "So why the hell are you helping them?"

Morte smiled at the question and took out one of his pistols. He pressed it against Chris' forehead for a few brief moments, watching her face for a reaction. She only stared at him with the same hard expression. Morte's smile broadened as he cocked the gun. "Who says I'm helping _them_?" he asked.

Everything seemed to happen very fast. With impossible speed, he spun around and fired. The loud crack of the bullet shooting out of the gun echoed off the rock walls and made Chris' ears ring. She shut her eyes instinctively. She heard the sound of dragging and then metal upon metal, and then, all was still.

Chris opened her eyes. Lance was holding one shoulder and there was a small puddle of blood beneath him, but otherwise, he'd stopped the blood flow. Nikolai was only a few feet to Morte's side, with Tsukumo drawn and pressing hard against the enormous ivory axe. Chris' eyes widened when she noticed who was holding it, and just to make sure she wasn't imagining it, she looked at the floor where the boy once was.

Zugai was standing, holding off the sharp sword with the blade of Honehakaisha with slight difficulty. He glanced at Chris and flashed a smile. "Hey there, Captain. You doing ok?"

Chris couldn't hold back her laughter. "You asshole!" she scolded. "Don't do things like that, you almost gave me a heart attack!"

Now, Zugai laughed. "Yeah, she's fine," he said. Then, with a much angrier expression he looked at Morte over his shoulder. "You couldn't be a little gentler, could you?" he asked.

Morte shrugged. "Sorry, had to be convincing, ya know,"

Lance started laughing with a suddenness that surprised both the bounty hunter, and the pirate. "The old Trojan horse, eh?" he asked. "Very good, very good. Who's idea was this anyway? Nikolai, back up for a few seconds,"

With obvious hesitance, Nikolai pulled away the blade and stepped back, placing it back into its sheath. Zugai lowered Honehakaisha and stepped (well, limped actually) back as well, closer to Chris. Morte remained standing but now had a second pistol in his hand, both pointing directly at Lance. "That would be mine," Morte said with a grin. "Now, I believe you set a time limit, and if I'm correct, we've arrived with four hours to spare. You're entitled to release _Miss_ Chris Hopkins now,"

"The Double Agent. Not bad at all." Lance said in approval. He grinned. "True, the note _did_ say that, didn't it? Right then. I'll untie her." He walked toward them and as he stepped by Morte, he quickly grabbed the Kris dagger from the sheath beside the man's neck. Morte was about to complain, but before he could say a word, Lance pushed passed Zugai and knelt in front of Chris, placing the dagger against the ropes binding her.

With a single swipe, he cut them all, freeing her. The knife nicked his finger, letting a small drop of blood escape. Chris' eyes narrowed. This was too easy. Lance was most definitely up to something, and her suspicions were confirmed when she caught the mischievous smile spread across his lips. "Fooled you," he said.

He grabbed Chris' arm and stabbed the Kris Dagger into her forearm. As soon as it was released, he dug his finger, the bleeding one, into the wound, opening it further. The pain surprised Chris and she couldn't hold back the shout.

"What the hell are you doing, you bastard!" Zugai suddenly snarled. He spun and threw a wild, furious punch at Lance. The man turned quickly and lifted a hand and suddenly, Chris was standing, directly in place of the blow. Zugai couldn't stop his fist in time, and it slammed into the side of the girl's face with a thud. She grunted and staggered before falling.

"What the hell…?" Zugai gasped. He lowered his fist, a bit uncertain, and rushed toward Chris, completely ignoring Lance, who was now stepping away from them.

"Idiot, why'd she get in the way?" Morte wondered. He watched as Chris slowly rose to her hands and knees, shaking. The Kris Dagger was held tightly in her fist and slowly, she rose up to her knees.

"Stay back!" she warned Zugai as she made her way to her feet, keeping her back to Zugai. He ignored her and placed a hand on her shoulder uncertainly, apologetically. Chris spun around and slashed dangerously with the dagger.

Zugai pulled away quickly and stepped back. "What the hell are you doing, Chris?" he demanded. He examined his hand briefly to ensure that all five fingers were in tact.

"I said stay back!" she said again. Suddenly, she stepped toward him and thrust the blade to Zugai's chest. He hardened his bones, effectively preventing the strike from injuring him.

Morte's eyes widened in sudden realization. "He's controlling her!"

"Controlling…?" Zugai echoed. He blocked a punch from his captain and looked at Morte. "What do you mean controlling? How is that possible?"

"The Devil Fruit," Lance suddenly said. Morte looked at him. One hand was extended, the fingers moving as if controlling a marionette, and Chris moved each time he did. "By injecting my own blood into hers, I'll have full control of her body for twenty minutes. I can even override the paralysis poison from Tsukumo,"

"Well stop it!" Zugai snarled angrily. In hiss moment of distraction, Chris managed to land a hit; the blade of the dagger cut into the side of Zugai's face, leaving a thin cut. "Sorry!" Chris said quickly.

Morte scowled unhappily. "Well then, we'll take out the source!" he decided. He holstered one of his guns and grabbed the pata sword before charging toward Lance. He may not be able to bleed, but a stab to the heart or the stomach would more then likely effectively kill him. He pushed the sword forward in a dangerous thrust aimed at the man's heart.

Lance didn't even try to dodge. The blade was a mere three inches away from its mark when the larger Tsukumo appeared before Lance, blocking the strike. Morte's eyes narrowed and he jumped back to avoid a slash from the same sword.

"I'll be your opponent," Nikolai declared as he stepped forward. He placed a hand on the spider and its eyes changed from a milky white to a vibrant yellow. The color extended into the blade in a thin line to the tip, where it dripped down as a liquid to the stone floor. Morte tightened his grip on the gun in his hand. This was going to be a dangerous fight.

Meanwhile, Zugai continued to block the strikes from Chris, trying with difficulty to resist the reflex to strike back. "Come on, come on!" Lance shouted in a rather amused tone. "You've got to fight back sometime, right?"

He thrust his right hand sideways and Chris charged forward, stabbing at Zugai's stomach. Zugai dodged to the side quickly; his stomach was the only part of him that he couldn't reinforce with bones. That was most definitely dangerous. Lance, spotting the weakness, grinned. "What's wrong? Can't protect yourself there?" he asked mockingly. Chris charged again and this time, Zugai went on the offensive.

"Sorry, Chris," he said quickly to his captain. He dodged the stab again and punched Chris hard in the gut with enough force to knock her back into the wall. Zugai winced empathetically as he back slammed into it and she fell to her hands and knees, coughing. He turned his attention furiously to Lance. "Can't fight your own battles, you damn coward?" he asked. He lifted Honehakaisha and ran toward Lance, swiping at the man's neck.

Lance ducked underneath and jabbed the heel of his palm against Zugai's chest. Zugai coughed, surprised, and was sent staggering back. Lance twisted to increase momentum and repeated the attack, though this time, hitting Zugai under the jaw. Zugai's head was knocked back, the Labrys falling from his hands with a clatter to the floor, and he followed soon after.

"Zugai!" Chris shouted, suddenly filled with panic. A strike that hard could easily snap his neck. She stared at him, desperately wanting to go and make sure he was alright, but Lance was holding her still on her knees near the wall she'd hit before. When she saw Zugai sit up and crack his neck, she heaved a sigh of relief.

"It's a good thing breaking my bones won't kill me…" Zugai muttered. He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the bone slightly out of place, and with a grunt, he pushed it back into position.

Lance grinned. "You're very difficult to kill, you know that?" he asked. "That's definitely admirable. You're definitely an asset to the Crescent Dagger Pirates. But everyone has a weakness," He moved his arm toward Zugai and Chris was suddenly on her feet, charging toward him. Before Zugai could even stand, she tacked him, pinning him down beneath her, and stabbed the dagger at his eye. Zugai grabbed her wrist when the blade was mere centimeters from its mark. "For example, the brain,"

"Damn it, can't you get back in control?" Zugai hissed under his breath. Chris scowled at him.

"Don't you think I'm trying?" she asked. She closed her eyes tightly and it was obviously she was trying to regain control of her own body. "It's been ten minutes so far. Don't worry about me, until his control expires, I'm the enemy. I can take it, so stop holding back!"

The knife came the slightest bit closer to the hesitant Zugai. He took a deep breath and nodded slightly, then, hardening the bones in his arms, he managed to push her arm off course. He pulled back, slamming his elbow into the side of her face and effectively knocking her off of him. She rolled once and then maneuvered into a crouched position, ready to strike, like a cat. Blood trickled from her lips down to the ground. Zugai stood and grabbed Honehakaisha and the two stared at each other, breathing heavily. This battle was tiring both of them out, and Zugai's wound wasn't helping him at all.

He briefly looked down at the bullet hole just above his knee. He could feel the blood dripping down his leg and see it staining the ground just beneath it. He didn't have time to worry about that though. Slowly, a plan was formulating in his mind. Zugai cracked his knuckles briefly and waited.

And then, Chris charged again. Zugai tensed for the briefest of moments and then sidestepped. He ducked beneath a horizontal slash and backed away from her strikes, moving in Lance's direction. Suddenly, she stabbed the blade outward, toward Zugai's stomach once again and he jumped up, landing behind Chris. Perfect. Lance was right there.

Zugai grabbed hold of her wrist from behind to keep her arm extended and pushed her forward. Lance, obviously not expecting it, didn't even try to dodge. The blade slipped between the ribs and pierced Lance's left lung.

Lance froze, eyes wide as blood began to seep from his mouth, and looked down at the blood seeping out of the wound around the blade. After a few moments, Zugai pulled Chris back. The blade slid out with ease, allowing a fountain of blood to begin pouring out of the deep gash.

Lance's focus on controlling Chris faded and the girl collapsed, the paralysis in her leg once again taking effect. Zugai caught her and gently lowered her down, kneeling beside her as he glared at Lance. The powerful captain pressed a hand against the wound, trying to focus, but couldn't seem to. Slowly, the other wounds began bleeding.

"I hope you die, you son of a bitch," Zugai snarled, breathing heavily. Lance stepped toward him, then fell forward.

"Captain!" Nikolai suddenly shouted. He lifted a foot and kicked the advancing Morte back. He sheathed his sword and ran toward Lance, turning him over onto his back. Normally, he'd kick Zugai's ass for doing this, but the injury was too dangerous. Lance was having trouble breathing. _Shit, I've got to get him out of here!_ He thought to himself. He ignored the others as he lifted Lance up onto his own back and stood. He turned his attention to the pirates and the bounty hunter. "Don't think this is over," he snarled. He looked at Chris and Zugai with murderous expressions. "I promise, this isn't the last you'll see of us,"

And then, in a flash, he was gone.

* * *

**A/N:** So I was asked where Jae was and I assure you I didn't forget about him! It's just that his chapter is a bit more difficult to write. Yes, I was lazy with Morte's fight XP. So this concludes half of the mission. I've got about two or three chapters left in this arc and then it's over! It took me a while to decide how I wanted it to go. It was the only thing on my mind for about three days, but a dream I had last night (Yeah, strange, right? I'm dreaming about the characters), convinced me that this would be best. Don't forget to review, ok?

SNE121


	29. Inazuma Island Part 6

**A/N:** So here it is, Jae's chapter at last! Sorry for taking forever! I felt like playing around with his Devil Fruit abilities… but unfortunately, this one isn't going to be very long. The arc is almost over, I think and I'm running out of ideas! So I think next up is going to be a fun little treasure hunt XP. What do you guys think? Let me know, in your reviews! A little humor/adventure would be a nice change to the violence, eh? This starts at the end of Zugai and Morte's chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I've been neglecting to add this because I didn't see it necessary after say… twenty something chapters, but here it goes for good measure. I don't own One Piece. Still…

* * *

**Pirates!**

**Inazuma Island Part 6**

**Pirate Jae vs. Eagle Eye

* * *

  
**

Two hours of walking uphill was extremely tiring. Especially when that walking began after an extremely hard fall on already injured ribs on a hard dirt surface about five miles away from the actual mountain itself. He vowed upon his rather painful landing that the next time he saw Ced, he was going to kill him and bury him six feet under. But Jae was really in no position to be complaining. He was almost to the top, and so far, he was still alive. That was always a good sign.

Jae was sweating now though. It may have been dark, but climbing was still extremely difficult, and tiring, and to cool himself down, he'd removed his grayish black coat and tied it messily around his waist. Thankfully, the moon was bright tonight, granting him enough light to see clearly where he was going. The top was only a few yards away now.

When he at last reached it, he stopped and sat down with one knee up, the other crossed, and rested one arm on his knee. He looked down to the forest below and beyond the trees, he could see the ocean in the distance. Their ship looked small on the beach, but it seemed to glow in the bright moonlight. The wolf figurehead was howling proudly at the moon, waiting eagerly for their return. "We're almost done here," Jae assured it silently.

His gaze shifted away from the distant ship to the trees and he examined them with worry. Were Gonzo and Faith alright? They hadn't met up with him yet, but then again, he was catapulted to his position. "Alright, Jae, let's go," he said to himself. He pushed himself to his feet and ran his fingers through his hair with a heavy sigh. He turned to face what lay ahead and his eyes widened.

It was a clearing, and around one end of it, there were trees. The grass was tall, overgrown, and a coppery color, burnt by the sun. However, there in the center there stood a tree, strangely out of place. Jae strained his eyes in the darkness, and shifted position to get a better view with the dim lighting of the moon and his eyes widened.

Aya was tied against the tree, her head down. She wasn't moving. Jae cupped his hands around his mouth. "Aya!" he shouted. She didn't seem to have heard him. Jae's heart skipped a beat. So he'd found her! Without another moment's hesitation, he ran across the field. That was when he heard the gunshot.

After that, he felt the impact, a stabbing and burning pain to his calf that sent a spray of blood shooting out and threw him completely off balance. He shouted, stumbled, and fell to the floor, barely breaking his fall with his forearms. He pushed himself up into a sitting position, his legs in front of him, breathing heavily again. He could feel the warm sticky blood running down his leg to his ankle and seeping into his shoes. He wiped off the blood with a hand, and then wiped that hand on the grass. This wasn't good. It was a terrible handicap. But who shot him?

The answer came a few moments later, when a figure jumped down in front of him. Her back was to the moon, so Jae had a difficult time seeing her face. But the glint of metal pointed at his head told him exactly who stood before him.

"Eagle Eye Amaya Dior," he said. There was no response, but Jae suddenly saw a flash of white; a grin spread across the girl's face.

"Bang," she said. Jae acted quickly. He grabbed the silver bracelets and pulled them over his hand, melting the metal to match its shape, then, he lifted that hand to cover his face. Amaya pulled the trigger at that exact moment and Jae felt a searing pain as the bullet pierced through the front of the armor glove, into his hand, and then stopped after leaving a dent on the other side. He bit his lip hard to hold back the pained cry and could taste blood on his tongue from the effort.

When he moved his hand, Amaya was gone. Jae took this to his advantage and hauled himself to his feet. He took a few painful steps and then threw himself into the high grass. This girl was supposedly the best shot around, but if she couldn't see him, then he'd be safe for the moment, right?

Jae put his hand to the silver casing he'd created on his hand and reformed it back into it's normal shape of three bracelets around his wrist. One of them was broken from the bullet, but if he could get his hands on some good silver, he'd be able to fix it. For the moment, he melded them into a single thick armlet and pushed it up to his upper arm.

He looked at his hand. The bullet was still lodged in, but sticking out of the back. "This might actually work to my advantage…" he muttered. He took a deep breath. Jae had most definitely never done this before, but his Devil Fruit was a Paramecia, wasn't it? His abilities were limited to the imagination of the user?

With a heavy reluctance, Jae grabbed the sleeve of his jacket and stuffed it into his mouth. Then, taking a deep breath through his nose, he put his hand gently on top of the bullet. _Here goes nothing…_ he decided. He closed his eyes tightly and _pushed_ the bullet back into the hole. The jacket sleeve in his mouth drowned out the scream that tried to escape his lips.

He opened his eyes and looked. The bullet was completely back within his hand. He covered it with his hand again and manipulated the metal to fit the shape of the wound, like a cork. When he was through, he examined it. It was searing with pain, and his entire hand was covered with blood, but it was all worth it. He tested the movement the clenching and unclenching his fist. His hand was shaky, but it would do. He hoped. He looked down at the hole in his leg; there was nothing he could do about that, it was a through and through.

He pulled the sleeve out of his mouth and rose into a crouched position; a very painful crouched position. _Alright, on three…_ He thought to himself. _One… two… three!_

Without another moment's hesitation, he rose to his feet, putting most of his weight onto his uninjured right foot. "So he finally shows himself!" Amaya's voice called from behind. He spun around as another gunshot echoed off the distant trees and down into the surrounding island below and extended his injured left hand, palm facing out. He pressed his other hand behind it for support.

_Work!_ Jae willed desperately, his brow furrowed with determination. He felt the bullet hit his hand, but this time, there was no pain. It felt like the bullet was _melting_. When the light pressure ended, he turned his hand over. A perfect circle was left in the bullet's wake. Jae stared at it in amazement.

"It worked…" Jae muttered in disbelief. To think his powers were capable of such things! Amaya cocked her head to the side, her brow furrowed. This wasn't right, why wasn't he dead?

"Hey, what happened?" she asked. "I never miss a shot, so what did you do?"

Jae looked up at Amaya. He'd honestly forgotten her in his moment of shock. Suddenly, he smirked. He had an upper hand! "I ate a Devil Fruit," he explained, "The Kin-Kin no mi, so I can control metal. In other words, your pistols won't effect me anymore,"

Amaya tilted her head and frowned. "Hmm… this is troublesome…"She muttered. She holstered the pistol at her hip and pulled a shoulder strap off, revealing a rather large, dangerous looking weapon. An enormous bullet belt dropped down and Jae noticed at that moment that there were two more strapped across her upper body. "Will a machine gun work then?"

Without waiting for an answer, Amaya lifted the gun and pointed it at Jae without much thought. Jae stared at her, dumbfounded, for a good five seconds. There the _hell_ did she get that thing?! Before he could voice his question, she began firing.

"Shit!" Jae hissed. He turned and ran to the left, wincing every time he put pressure on his left leg. Should he risk his life and test his new ability, see if it worked on a rapid fire weapon like this or should he keep moving?

"How long can you keep this up, huh?" Amaya called over the roar of gunfire. The bullets leaving the gun illuminated her face, showing her amused smile. Jae gritted his teeth in frustration. All bullets were made the same, right? Besides, he had to get closer!

He stopped. This was most definitely risking his own life, but he had to know. He focused all of his attention on the metal he'd embedded into his hand and held both of his hands out in front of him. "Shield!" He said out loud, as if the words would make it work.

There was a sudden tingling in his hand and suddenly the metal of the bullet seemed to expand, covering his entire arm. Jae's eyes widened in surprise. What was going on. He gripped his arm with his other hand and the change started on that arm as well, quickly rising up to his neck and covering his entire front with the metal. The bullets hit him and bounced off with a spark and a clang of metal on metal. Amaya's eyes widened and she stopped her fire.

Jae looked down at his body. He could still move, meaning that whatever this metal was only covered or replaced, his skin, and not his entire body. It made him feel like a suit of armor.

As he examined it, it slowly began to fade, disappearing back into his skin. He looked down at his hand; the bullet was still there, but the rest of the metal was completely gone! Amaya smirked.

"Well, you're just full of surprises, aren't you Metal boy?" she asked. She was about to start firing again in Jae's moment of distraction but a bright flash of light in the sky caught her attention. Both Jae and Amaya looked at it immediately.

It was a flare; a bright red one. The two pirates followed the trail of smoke down to the ocean where a new, pitch black ship was rested a good deal away from the beach. Amaya's eyes widened. "Shit…" she muttered. That flare was never good. Something went wrong.

She looked at Jae. "Can't play anymore, metal boy," she said calmly, putting the machine gun back over her shoulder. She looked toward Aya. "Your friend is over there, but you know that already. She's perfectly fine,"

"Wait, what's that mean?" Jae asked, nodding toward the flare as Amaya prepared to leave. Amaya glanced at it, then at him.

"It means that the games are over," she said uncomfortably. Without another word, she disappeared.

"Over…" Jae repeated with a frown. That was unsettling. What did that mean? He looked down at his own arms and body in curiosity until the flare disappeared.

"Oi, Jae!" the familiar voice of Gonzo shouted Jae looked up. Gonzo was rising over the ledge and beside him was Faith. It looked as if she'd bandaged herself up. Gonzo's chest was bandaged as well, with a thin line of blood across the white. It brought a wave of worry over Jae. Were they alright? He took a step toward them, forgetting about his injured leg, and suddenly collapsed.

"Woah!" Faith exclaimed. She rushed toward Jae with a heavy limp and knelt beside him. "What happened to you, are you ok?"

"It's just a gun," he said. "Don't worry about it, I'll be fine. Just go check on Aya," Hearing the girl's name, Faith's head snapped up. Her light eyes looked around eagerly before they finally fell on her friend. She shook her head and pulled another wrap of bandages out.

"I'm a doctor, my priority is fixing the injured," she said. "Gonzo, go untie her! Make sure she's ok, I'll be there soon!"

Gonzo smiled triumphantly and ran toward Aya without question. Faith quickly bandaged Jae's injury and then helped him to his feet with difficulty. "You be the right, I'll be the left?" She suggested. Jae smiled and complied. Carefully, using each other as support, they made their way toward Gonzo and Aya.

* * *

**A/N:** There it was! Sorry if it seems rushed, but my sis was pestering me about something to do with updating the computer or something, and I didn't want to risk losing all of this. So here it is, the finished result. Don't forget to review!


	30. Landing on Sparrow Island

**Pirates!**

**The Man With the Ice Blue Eyes **

**Landing on Sparrow Island

* * *

  
**

It was an enormous relief for every member, and non-member, of the Crescent Dagger Pirates to finally be back aboard their home ship, the Howling Ivory. By the time they'd arrived, the night was fading into morning, and the first thing any of them did after getting patched up was sleep.

Faith and Aya were curled up near the cabin door, leaning on each other to stay upright with eyes closed and breathing softly. Jae, Gonzo, and Zugai were sleeping in random places on the floor, basking in the rising sunlight. Chris leaned against the railing nearby, knees drawn up with her arms crossed over them and her head down, resting upon her arms. She'd fallen asleep immediately after being treated and before falling asleep himself, Zugai had placed her trademark hat on her head.

Morte was the only one who stayed awake, leaning against the railing and gazing at the tired crew around him. He'd failed to get his bounty and that most definitely frustrated him, but now he had three very available bounties sleeping before him. He could easily contact the Marines on the next island and turn them in.

But something told him that he wouldn't. He snorted in distaste at his own incompetence and looked away back to the ocean. He was definitely getting soft.

The Crescent Dagger's slept for an entire day before setting sail to their next destination.

**(--)Two Weeks Later…(--)**

The trip had been essentially uneventful on the way to Sparrow Island, mostly due to orders from the ships doctors, and because of the rest, their injuries were healing extremely quickly. They'd escaped every attempt at a Marine attack and only fought the most miniscule of battles against unhappy sea creatures. However, as they got closer and closer to their island, they encountered a new enemy.

The cold air.

Everyone had spent the majority of their time in doors over the last few days as the climate had very suddenly changed from warm and summery to extremely cold. Gonzo spent a great deal of time in the kitchen due to the warmer environment. Chris, Aya, and Faith were always near said kitchen, for Gonzo always had hot water boiled for warm beverages. Morte, because he couldn't go much else, spent his time inside as well, normally with a cup of coffee in his hands. Jae and Zugai had been spending a lot of their time together lately in the Navigation room, but refused to tell anyone what they were doing.

At the moment, Chris and Aya were huddled together with a single blanket wrapped around them, their knees drawn up in attempts to keep them warm. Chris, being from the East Blue, wasn't accustomed to this sort of weather, nor was Aya, coming from the warmest of the four blues, the South Blue. Aya had even began wearing her hair down in an attempt to keep her warm.

"Why the hell is it so cold…?" Chris muttered, pulling the blanket tighter around her. She was wearing long sleeved clothing and still she was freezing.

"We're approaching a Winter Island," Morte explained. He sipped his coffee jacket was zipped up to keep him warm. "You should all buy proper clothing when you get there."

Chris looked at Morte, then stared enviously at the sleeping wolf on the other side of the cabin. Faith was spending a lot of time in her wolf form lately and the fur was constantly keeping her warm. Out of all of them, she was the most comfortable. "I'm jealous of her…" she admitted. She looked at Aya. "Look at her, Ay. She looks so comfortable and warm. This is one of those times I wish I had a Devil Fruit…"

Aya gazed at Faith for several moments, considering Chris' statement. Suddenly, a mischievous grin spread across her face. "Idea!" She exclaimed suddenly. She jumped to her feet, dragging the blanket with her, and practically tackled Faith.

Faith woke up instantly and hurriedly turned back into her human form. "Aya, what the heck?!" She gasped.

"Oh, shut up and change back." Aya said. "You're warm when you have all that fur,"

"I was sleeping – let go of me!" Faith added as Aya wrapped her arms around her.

"Come on, Faith, don't be a jerk, it's freezing!"

"Yeah, I know, and you're not helping!"

"Well, just change back then and we'll both be fine!"

That was when Chris opened the door and exited. Out on deck, she rubbed her arms to try to keep in the warmth that remained. She gazed up at the clouds, then out into the foggy, silver ocean and sighed. She missed the sunlight, sure, but there was something relaxing about the sea when it was this color. The sudden numbing of her arms prompted her to continue with her original mission to go and retrieve a jacket from the girl's room.

She entered the room, searched briefly, and then quickly grabbed the jacket from her hammock before exiting once again, sliding her arms through the sleeves and buttoning it up. She walked back to the front deck of the ship and stopped.

In the minute and a half that she was back in the room, the fog had cleared enough to reveal the outline of an island not very far away. In fact, it surprised her how close it was. She turned and ran toward the cabin door and pushed it open.

"Hey, we're here!" she said quickly as she ran through the room to another door on the far left. Aya and Faith stopped arguing to look at the now empty door, then at each other, and jumped to their feet. They ran out the door, Gonzo following after, and Morte not far behind.

Chris didn't even knock on the door leading to the Navigation room. Instead, she turned the handle and pushed it open enthusiastically. Zugai and Jae were leaning over the desk and jumped in surprise upon her entrance. They made quick work of hiding whatever they were working on and glared at her.

"I see an island," Chris said with a grin. Their aggravation quickly turned into relieved expressions.

"Alright, I'll be out in a second, Chris-san" Jae said. "Just go, I've got to clean up here,"

Chris' brow furrowed as she stared at the papers Jae began to put together. There were notes sprawled over them, and even a few drawings, but Chris couldn't get a good look. Were they drawing maps? "Hey, what are you two working on, anyway?" she asked.

"Don't worry about it, Chris," Zugai said. He turned Chris around and ushered her back out the door. "You'll see soon enough, promise,"

Chris pulled away from Zugai's grip with a frown. "I can walk on my own you know. And you're not supposed to keep secrets from the captain,"

"And you're supposed to respect the wishes of your crew," Zugai retorted. He looked down at her and grinned. "Relax, Chris, it's really nothing big."

"Whatever," Chris said childishly. They were back on the deck and were now preparing to dock. "Come on, let's go help,"

"Roger that, Captain," Zugai said. And the two hurried to assist in the docking.

(--)

Being pirates, it had become habit to dock in a relatively hidden area, where they wouldn't have to worry about being seen. Jae had directed the ship to a small cove surrounded by white trees covered in snow. When they were set, the crew used the rope ladder to exit the ship down to the snowy shore below.

"It's even colder here then it is on the ship!" Aya complained. She wrapped her jacket tighter around her body.

"There's snow here, of course it is…" Chris muttered. "The best thing we can do is go to the town to get some new clothes, more suitable to this weather."

"I second that decision," Gonzo, Jae, and Zugai said simultaneously. None of them had clothing suitable for the snow.

"Well, this is where we part ways then," Morte suddenly said. None of them even took notice to the fact that the bounty hunter hadn't joined them on the snow. Now though, he jumped nimbly from the railing and landed elegantly on the shore.

Chris frowned a bit but approached Morte. They definitely owed this man a lot for helping them on Inazuma Island. "Are you sure you have to go? You're welcome to join our crew," she said.

Morte scoffed a laugh. "Join pirates? Do I look like Roronoa Zoro to you?" he shook his head. "I have no intentions of becoming a criminal. I helped you to get a bounty, and now that bounty's gone. I'm first and foremost a bounty hunter, nothing else," " He looked the crew over briefly and rubbed his neck tiredly. "We'll act as if we never worked together. It'll be better for me that way. Associations with Pirates will ruin my image,"

Chris rolled her eyes. "Got it, got it," She said, turning away. "Thanks though, Morte. For helping out,"

Morte glanced at her briefly without emotion. "It'll be Manigordo now," he said. Then, he changed into his animal form and disappeared into the trees.

And that was when they heard the gunshot. The sound startled them and sent a wave of birds out of the trees and into the air with surprised squeals. Then, there was a thump in front of them and suddenly a flash of blinding light.

"Damn, a flash bomb!" Gonzo snarled, covering his stinging eyes with a hand. The others followed suit, clenching their eyes shut against the white light. Through their blindness, they heard the sound of rapid footsteps through the snow, and then guns, lots of guns, being trained in their direction.

"What the hell?" Chris snarled. She gingerly looked over her arm and was pleased to find that the bright flash had faded, but now she was seeing spots, and surrounding here was a group of at least twenty men. "What gives?" she demanded.

Standing in front of her was a tall figure, hands clasped around a long rifle. He wore a navy blue coat, the hood covering his face, but Chris could see from his hands that he had dark brown skin, and dark gray jeans with black combat boots. "Pirates aren't welcome here," he said calmly. "So I would strongly suggest that you go back to your ship and leave,"

"We can't do that," Zugai spoke up, lowering his arm. "We're short on supplies and need to restock. We've been sailing for two weeks. You're not seriously going to make us leave are you?" He took a step, as if to challenge them, and they rose to it. Half of the guns shifted their aim to him and he stopped.

Chris' eyes darkened. She stood taller and reached up, digging the Crescent Dagger out of her hat and spinning it into its primary hold, wrapped around her fist. "We don't want trouble, buddy, but if you're going to threaten my crew like this, then you'd better be ready for a fight,"

At her words, the others drew their weapons as well, Gonzo holding his harpoon, Aya clenching her whip tightly, and Jae and Faith raising their fists defensively. Zugai made no move to pull his weapon, but silently hardened his bones to be safe. The cloaked man stared at them with interest.

"Men, prepare to fire!" A different voice said. Around them, the guns shifted as the holders adjusted their holds. In front of them, the cloaked man lowered his rifle.

"Easy," he said to the others. "They're out numbered and I highly doubt they're any threat. Besides, they look injured. Some of them are wearing bandages." As the men around them lowered their weapons, hesitantly of course, the pirates did the same.

The cloaked man gazed at Chris. "You're the captain, I'm assuming," he said. Chris, still holding her dagger loosely in her hand, nodded.

"That's right. Like I said, I've got no intentions of starting trouble. We just need to take a break, maybe rest for a few days, restock on supplies, and then we'll be on our way," The man made no signs of speaking, so she continued "Do you think you can direct us to the nearest town? My friends obviously don't have clothing for this type of weather and the last thing I need is for any of them to get sick,"

The man who'd called the first order to fire shifted uncomfortably. "The Fishman is tame, I assume?"

Gonzo scowled at him. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he demanded. "I'm not some damn animal you idiot," The venom in his voice startled the man and he stepped back uncertainly, raising the gun once more.

"You'll have to excuse Horace," the cloaked man said. At last, he lowered his hood, revealing his dark skin and chin length, curly black hair. His eyes were still covered by a pair of blue-tinted, round sunglasses, but now he was smiling lightly. "He's extremely closed minded. Please don't take offense to anything he says."

Gonzo crossed his arms in distaste and looked away from the man. Chris frowned. "I will take you to our village, it's about a mile away from here." The man continued. He turned away from them and started walking. Chris glanced at her crew and nodded, and they followed silently. Chris looked back to the gunmen, who were slowly dispersing into the trees.

Nice welcoming committee, she thought bitterly.

(--)

Nothing was ever uneventful for the Crescent Dagger Pirates. A simple mile-long walk from their ship's location to the small town turned into an all out snowball war between crewmembers: Chris, Aya, and Gonzo vs. Zugai, Faith, and Jae. In other words, Devil Fruit vs. non-Devil Fruit. Blue was effectively able to stay out of this battle, but by the time they reached the town, the entire crew were covered in snow and shaking, though not a trace of regret was apparent on their faces.

Blue stopped when they'd entered the town itself and the pirates stared in wonder at their surroundings. Some of the buildings were made of nothing but ice; enormous, two story igloos. Others were made of wood, though due to recent snow were covered in a thin layer of ice and white powder. Small children ran around, being chased by barking dogs or each other, and adults watched them with smiles on their faces. It was a calm, relaxing place, and it seemed not even the intense cold could stop these people from enjoying themselves.

"Welcome to Fourth Town," Blue said calmly, turning to the Pirates. "As you can tell, it's a relatively peaceful place, and I'd much prefer to keep it that way." He nodded toward a line of large buildings. "Those over there are shops where I hope you'll find what you need, and if you need a place to rest, there's an inn around the corner."

"Is this the only town here?" Chris asked.

"No," Blue answered. "First City is to the North, and South of here you've got Third Village. Then to the West there's Second Town,"

"All named after numbers…" Faith observed with interest. "That's odd… how interesting. Why is that?"

Blue glanced at them and shrugged. "I'm not some history teacher you know. If you want to know the semantics, then ask around town… Not that it concerns you guys anyway."

The crew was silent for a moment. That was definitely sudden change of character. Jae smiled politely and stepped forward, extending a hand. "Thank you for leading us here, Blue-san. Your help is greatly appreciated," he said, smiling.

Blue looked at the hand briefly and turned away. "Whatever kid," he said, and he walked away. "Hey, it'll be in your best interests to leave this place as soon as possible. You don't want to stick around too long," And then, he was gone without another word.

"Well he wasn't very nice…" Aya muttered, crossing her arms.

"Who cares." Zugai said with a shrug. "I'm freezing my ass off here, let's get some proper clothes, shall we?" The crew nodded and voiced their affirmatives and they set off in search of a clothing store.

As they walked into the first store they found, a tall, round man with black eyes and no hair was walking out. He wore a glove over his left hand, but high up on his upper arm, was a star shaped scar. He stopped upon seeing the pirates and did a quick double take. His eyes widened upon seeing the boy with the brown hair over his eye and the green-eyed girl with the hat.

"N-n-no way!" he stuttered. His face paled noticeably. He turned and faced the entrance, but the crew had already disappeared into the store. "I've gotta tell the captain about this!" he decided, and then he spun on his heel. He ran down the street and around the corner and disappeared.

(--)

"This is _so_ much better!" Aya said happily as the crew exited the shot about an hour later. They all had new clothing, though their normal attire was stuffed into the bags they'd gotten from purchasing the clothes. Aya was quite happy, having replaced her yellow capri's, white vest, and white sandals with similarly colored yellow pants, a white long-sleeved shirt and jacket over it, and white boots.

Faith had kept her normal clothing, though over it she wore a warm black jacket. Jae replaced his sleeveless black shirt with a long sleeved black one and his dark gray shorts with warmer, long pants of the same color. His hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, effectively keeping it out of his face and giving him a more masculine appearance. It was much more difficult to find clothing large enough for Gonzo, but eventually they'd come across a large black jacket and pants to match, and even a long sleeved t-shirt for him, with black boots. Now, he looked much more human then before, which would benefit both himself, and the others in this town.

Chris easily found a red jacket, which was really all she needed for this weather to keep her warm, and Zugai had invested in a new sweater and boots to keep his feet warm.

"You can say that again," Gonzo said, agreeing whole-heartedly with Aya's claim. "I can't even feel the cold anymore,"

"Are you sure it's not hypothermia?" Faith asked jokingly. Gonzo shot her a slightly worried look, but catching her expression laughed. She joined in shortly after.

"Alright, so we've got plenty of money left over to restock on food, supplies, and whatever else is needed," Chris said, flipping through the bills they had. She tossed the wallet to Gonzo, who caught it and extracted some money.

"Oh, good," Gonzo said. "I want to check out the markets here. We're running low on some things," he lifted the wallet a bit. "Who's next?"

Aya lifted her hand and Gonzo tossed it to her. She caught it with ease and she examined it before taking some money as well. "Faith and I are going to go looking for some medical supplies," she said. "We're running pretty low, after everything that's happened,"

She tossed the wallet to Zugai, who caught it and took out some of the bills. "Alright then, Jae and I have some things to buy too. Navigation stuff, ya know?" he handed the wallet back to Chris, who inspected it; it was nearly empty. They still had some left from Bubble Island, but it wasn't much. They'd need to find a way to make some money, and soon. She closed it and put it into her pocket.

"In the mean time, I'm going to see what information I can get and how long we'll be stuck here before the Log changes…" she looked at her crew. "I'll book us a few rooms in the inn and drop our stuff off there. We'll meet back there when we're done, got it?"

"Yup," Aya and Faith said simultaneously.

"Alright," Gonzo said.

"Gotcha, Captain," Zugai stated.

"We'll be there," Jae added. Then, the crew dispersed.

* * *

**A/N:** 200+ Reviews!!! I'm so happy! All right there it is. The start of a new arc! Blue is the creation of **RusalkaHime**. Thanks for lending him to me! This is actually two chapters in one, and I said this would probably be a treasure hunt, but I think I've changed my mind. You'll see… Now then, does anyone remember who the tall round man is? Yes, he's been mentioned before. Let's see how many of you have been paying attention. Don't forget your fantastic reviews!

SNE121


	31. The Game of Three Coins

**A/N:** Gah! I changed my mind _again_! I really have to stop doing that! So this is what I decided to do. I had something else planned but this seems so much more fun to be honest ha. So I'm letting you all know in advance that I'm grounded. Bad grades are the terror to all writes, aren't they? So I won't be able to post after this unless it's in secret (which I probably won't do) so if there's no updates for a while. Well… that's why. When my next report card comes I should be off the hook! I'm extremely sorry guys but please, please, be patient with me, as updates will be sparse.

* * *

**Pirates!**

**I Challenge You:**

**The Game of Three Coins

* * *

  
**

The bar was bustling with the activity of an entire crew's worth of men, drinking and eating the food stores. Waiters and waitresses rushed to give plates to their customers with obvious distaste and forced politeness. Feeding pirates was never fun for any of them. Especially pirates like these.

But the festivities were cut short as a tall round man burst through the door. He was breathing heavily and leaning against the door frame for support. Despite the cold weather, he was sweating. "Captain!" he shouted.

The room silenced instantly and all eyes turned to the man in the door. Only one didn't, keeping his eyes on the plate of food in front of him and placing a piece of steak in his mouth. He was sitting in a shadowed area, and his face wasn't visible. Lying beside him was a lying, resting with its head on its paws. "Captain…" the man said again, more breathless now. "You'll never believe it…"

"Spit it out," the captain said. The lion lifted its head and growled a long, tired yawn before looking at the man at the door.

"Those two boys from Kiri Island…" the man at the door continued. He took a moment to catch his breath and then looked up. "They… they're on this island!"

The room fell silent instantly, all eyes turning to the Captain. He was silent as well, the fork poised in position to enter his mouth with a slice of meat at the end. He put it down gently and wiped his mouth then, suddenly, slammed his right hand onto the table.

But it wasn't a hand. In place of it was a long, round hook, sharp to the tip, golden. It dug into the table, embedding itself into the wood. He lifted his eyes, an unnatural shade of amber that seemed to be glowing in the darkness.

"Well then, I guess it's time for a reunion," he decided.

(--)

Chris walked by that particular restaurant aimlessly, her hands stuffed into her jacket pockets. She had intentions of entering this restaurant, however, the cries of approval from within prompted her not to; it sounded full enough and she didn't want to ruin whatever party the inhabitants were having. Instead, she decided to make her way directly to the inn.

"_It'll be in your best interests to leave this place as soon as possible."_ She remembered Blue saying. The statement clawed at the edges of her mind until she finally set her mind and paid attention to them. Why exactly was that so?

"You look confused, young man," a voice said in front of her. Chris looked up and blinked. The man standing before her was elderly and had an innocent smile spread across his face. He wore a long, fur covered jacket that covered his entire body (though that wasn't saying much, as he barely reached up to Chris' waist), and a large scarf.

It took Chris a few moments to realize that this old man was talking to her, and then, she smiled. "Oh, no," she said. Then, her brow furrowed. "No, wait that's not right. I guess I am a little confused, but don't worry Gramps. I'm not lost or anything," she explained. She found herself wondering how this man was even standing. He looked at least a hundred and fifty…

"You're a foreigner, aren't you?" the old man asked. Then, he chuckled, though to Chris, it sounded a bit like he had hiccups… He turned and hobbled into a small igloo. "Come with me, boy, I'll give you a free reading,"

_Reading…? _Chris hesitated for a moment, watching the man disappear through the round door. The house was no taller then Chris was… she was tempted to just walk away, but then she'd feel bad for the rest of the day. With a defeated sigh, she crawled through the hole into the igloo.

It was a small, and in the center, there was a small fire pit, burning under a pot connected to a rig above it. Beside that there was a very small wooden table, with mats on either side of them. The floor was cleared of snow and covered with carpeted flooring. Against one side there was a small bed, made up nicely and upon it, an elderly woman was sleeping peacefully. The man had seated himself on one of the mats and was now pouring one cup of tea placed upon a saucer.

"Take a seat, boy," he said, gesturing to the mat opposite. Chris hesitantly sat down, crossing her legs awkwardly, and sighed. Divination. _What a load of crap…_she thought to herself.

"Look, Gramps, I've really…"

"Stir," Gramps said, pushing the cup toward her and handing her a spoon. "And focus on the future," Chris rolled her eyes and took the spoon, stirring the tea. Small bubbles rose up and the man hummed lightly to himself. "There is money in your future… Now drink," he said.

Chris put down the spoon, but drank the tea. She wrinkled her nose unhappily. She started to push it away, but the old man lifted a hand to stop her. "It's too strong," she said.

"Better too strong then too weak," Gramps assured her. "That suggests a new friend is coming. Now, drink until there is only a little at the bottom." Chris heaved an annoyed sigh, but complied. "Now swirl the cup three times clockwise," he said, and she did.

"Gramps, I really don't have time for this…" she insisted.

"Too late for that, you've already started," Gramps said. He nodded toward the saucer. "Now, touch the tip of the saucer with the cup and make a wish. Then turn the cup over onto the saucer," Chris hesitated, but as she touched the saucer with the cup, she found herself following the instructions. _For once, give us a peaceful landing…_ she mused. Then, she turned it over.

"And now we wait," Gramps said calmly.

Chris heaved a sigh and leaned back a bit, using her arms for support. "Alright, can I at least ask a few questions?" Chris asked.

Gramps looked at her and smiled. "The tea will answer all questions, young man," he said.

Chris rolled her eyes. "Yeah, whatever… now –"

The man shushed her with a finger and took the cup with his right hand, turning it over. He examined the leaves remaining within with interest. "I'm sorry to say that your wish will not come true, as there is no star in the cup… There is trouble approaching you, young man… very quickly it seems, but do not worry. It'll be quite easy to overcome. I also see a new friend in the future… the very near future A very long, fulfilling one with great comrades. Be extremely careful though, young man, as while it will be fulfilling, it will be extremely dangerous. There is also a challenge, a potentially dangerous one. Be wary of this boy, for this could cost you everything you've got," He paused. "This is in the immediate future, be cautious,"

Chris stared at the man skeptically, but silently. She leaned over the table and looked into the cup. "You see all that from a bunch of wet tea leaves…?" she asked.

"You have a secret, don't you?" he asked her, not looking up from the cup. Chris tensed and sat up straight, eyes narrowed. Gramps' gray eyes gazed up to look at hers, searching, though for what, Chris was uncertain. "Do not expect it to remain as such forever, boy…"

Chris stood up, almost hitting her head at the top of the igloo. She crouched to avoid it, looking down at the man. "I've got to go," she said quickly, moving toward the exit and crawling out. Gramps followed her with impossible speed, stopping outside the door as she started walking away.

"You are a very strong willed person," Gramps said. "But I can see that you are also impulsive. Acting without thought will lead to your downfall," he warned. Chris stopped and turned, crossing her arms.

"What, did you get that from your leaves too?" she asked.

"Clairvoyance tells a lot about a person… young lady," Gramps said suddenly. Chris' eyes widened, surprised, but then, her brow furrowed.

"Do I look like a girl to you?" she snapped harshly. She was done being nice to this guy, he was starting to get on her nerves. "Crazy old man. Go back to your leaves," that said, she spun on her heel and walked away without another glance. Gramps watched her until she turned the corner and disappeared from sight.

(--)

Chris was fuming as she walked toward the inn Blue had mentioned earlier. She wasn't sure why she was so angry, she didn't believe a word of anything the old man said to her. Perhaps it was that he knew… or thought he knew... that she was a girl. "Lucky guess," she muttered to herself as she at last stepped into the inn.

Faith and Aya were sitting, waiting for her on one of the couches in the lobby. When she entered, they looked up, and upon seeing them, she stopped and looked at them. Had she been with that old man for that long?

"What took you so long?" Aya asked, standing and putting her hands on her hips. On the seat beside hers were several large bags, most likely containing medical supplies. Faith had similar bags on the floor near her feet.

"Sorry," Chris said, smiling, embarrassed. "Got a little sidetracked. You haven't been waiting long, have you?"

Faith smiled lightly. Her legs were crossed, her arms resting behind her head comfortably. "Oh, of course not," she said. "We've only been here for about twenty minutes. What got you this sidetracked, huh?"

"No, it's not that," Chris said. She didn't want to say that she got sucked into some old man's imaginary tea reading. That was too embarrassing. "It's a nice place, I was just walking around, ya know? I'll get the rooms now. Two, right?"

"That makes sense," Aya agreed. "One for us and one for the guys,"

"It'll be nice to sleep somewhere other then the ship," Faith said. "Not that Ivory isn't comfortable or anything, but a solid bed that doesn't sway with the waves is a nice change,"

"I agree with that wholeheartedly," Chris agreed. The last time she slept in a bed was back home, since on the ship she gave the bed to Aya and Faith. She walked to the counter and paid the fare for two bedrooms for the night.

They waited for about an hour for the boys to arrive and when they finally did, they made their way upstairs. Gonzo had taken the food supplies back to the ship to ensure they didn't spoil, and Zugai and Jae carried their supplies in rather large paper bags. Chris had tried to find out what was in the bags, only to have her hand smacked away by both Zugai and Jae.

"Meet in our room once you guys are settled in," Chris said. "We'll see what we've found out about this place while we were out." _Not that I found anything_. After agreeing, the boys and girls separated into their designated rooms.

Chris, Faith, and Aya's room was fairly simple; it had two beds and a couch, and another door leading into the bathroom. There was also a dresser, though it would have no use for them, and a lamp beside the bed. Between the two beds was a window, and between the bathroom and one bed was a door leading to a balcony. _Not bad…_ Chris decided.

Faith placed the bags on the floor beside the bed and jumped onto it, smiling as the mattress sunk comfortably. Aya sat down on the other bed. Chris stood between the two, gazing out the window and waiting for the others to arrive. Not long after they'd gotten settled, the boys knocked on the door, and after receiving the affirmative, they entered.

Zugai, and Gonzo took their seats on the couch and Jae stood, leaning on the arm rest. Chris turned to face them. "Alright, so what do we know so far?" she asked.

"I figured out why they call these towns are numbered," Gonzo said. All eyes turned to the fishman with sudden interest. Gonzo shrugged, a bit disappointed. "It's just purely lack of imagination in my opinion. They named them in the order they were built. But it also has something to do with the general power of these cities and towns. Fourth Town is said to be the weakest."

"That would explain the rumors of Pirates that I heard…" Aya muttered. Now, attention shifted from Gonzo to her immediately. Feeling suddenly under pressure, Aya's tone changed to one of slightly more hesitance. "I heard that there was another crew here besides us. Apparently the Jolly Roger is a lion's skull with a golden mane around it and the Captain supposedly has a pet lion too. The crew is huge…"

And then, as if on cue, there was a tap on the window. It was barely audible, but being so close to it, Chris was able to hear it clearly. She looked out and below, there was a tall man with a gold beard and matching hair wrapping around his face like a mane. Beside him was a similar looking, large lion, and a tall round man stood beside him. Scattered throughout the area were at least thirty men wearing the insignia Aya had explained. The street was empty save for them.

"Hey! Kid with the hat and boy with the white axe! Come outside!" the man with the golden hair called.

"Hey, Zugai, I think we're being called…" Chris muttered. Zugai tilted his head and stood from his spot on the couch, walking toward the window. He gazed out and blinked down at the crew below.

"How do you think they know us?" he asked.

"Who knows. Your bounty posters, maybe?" Faith suggested, leaning in her bed to look out.

"Then they'd call us by our nicknames. And Gonzo would be included too," Chris explained.

"Come out now or we'll burn the whole place down!" the man shouted up. Chris heaved a sigh and looked at her first mate.

"Well, shall we?" she asked. Zugai rolled his eyes but nodded. "Wait here guys," Chris continued. The two walked toward the balcony door and opened it, stepping out onto the wood and into the cold air.

"What do you want?" Zugai asked lazily.

The crew all turned their attention to the balcony and the tall man with the golden hair scowled upon seeing them, which slowly formed into a grin. "You must remember me, of course!" he called up. "Back on Kiri Island. Didn't I promise that the next time we met I'd kill you?"

Chris and Zugai looked at each other, then back down at the man. "Do you recognize him?" Chris asked. She was honestly clueless. Zugai crossed his arms, considering.

"He _looks_ familiar…" he muttered. "Back on Kiri Island… hmm…" then, it hit him. "Oh! I remember! That cat guy! How's your hand, buddy? Still missing?" Chris couldn't help but laugh.

The round man scowled. "How dare you speak to Captain Leo like that you bastards?" he brandished a dangerous looking club, nails protruding from the end, in the air.

"It's alright, Kairo. We'll be the ones who have the last laugh," he grinned and reached into his pocket, extracting three gold coins. "We, the Gold Lion Pirates, challenge you, the Crescent Dagger Pirates!"

"Challenge…?" Chris asked. Now she was interested. "What sort of challenge?"

Leo grinned mischievously. "The Game of Three Coins!" he called. "I challenge you to an official Davy Back Fight!"


	32. Davy Back Fight Part 1

**Pirates**

**Davy Back Fight Part 1**

**The Teams are Chosen!

* * *

**

There was a brief moment of silence as Chris took in what Leo had just said to her. He was challenging her… and Chris could never turn down a challenge, no matter the circumstances. Besides, their long sailing trip to this island had been extremely uneventful. She gazed at the coins that the pirate held out and then vaulted herself over the railing. The snow crunched beneath her feet as she landed in a slight crouch to lighten the landing.

"A Davy Back Fight?" she repeated as she walked toward the pirate captain. She grinned suddenly as she stopped mere inches away from the hooked man. "I'm not the type to turn down any challenge. I accept!"

As she spoke the final words, Gonzo ran out onto the balcony above. "Chris, no!" he shouted down. "You can't accept!"

But it was too late. Leo erupted into a fit of laughter. "It's too late, Fishman!" he called up. Around them, the entire crew began laughing.

"Why?" she asked her cook. She'd never seen Gonzo so nervous about anything. It made her a bit nervous herself. Zugai was just as confused. "It's not like we can't take 'em. This guy's a wimp,"

"How do you not know what a Davy Back Fight is?" Gonzo snarled. "You're a captain! You should bring it upon yourself to know these things!"

"What's the big deal?" Zugai asked.

Leo pulled out two guns and handed one to Chris. What was this? A shoot and draw or something? Russian Roulette? She stared at the gun in his hand. "Time to seal the deal, Crescent Dagger." Leo said. "Just fire this gun into the air. You already said you accepted. Are you man enough to keep your word?"

Chris scowled and took the gun. "Of course," she said. Whatever Gonzo's reasons were, she'd hear them afterward. It was just a challenge after all. It couldn't be that bad. Simultaneously, the two captains raised the guns and pulled the triggers. The gunshots echoed through the streets of the small village and disappeared into the air.

"Then let the games begin!" Kairo, the tall round man, shouted. Around him, the crew cheered enthusiastically.

"The games will officially begin in an hour at the nearest beach," Leo said to Chris.

"You can bet we'll be there," Chris said, tossing the gun to the nearest Pirate. Leo nodded to his crew and they dispersed, leaving Chris standing alone in the snow.

Something hit Chris' head from above, bouncing off and then falling to the floor. It didn't hurt; in fact, it was extremely soft, but it attracted a startled yelp from the girl. She looked down at the pillow that rested in the snow beside her and turned to look up.

"What was that for?" Chris asked, obviously agitated as she adjusted the now lopsided hat on her head.

"For accepting, you idiot!" Gonzo called down. Aya burst through the door and grabbed the collar of her captain's shirt in her hands.

"Do you have _any_ idea what you've just done?" Aya demanded. Chris looked at Aya, a bit confused.

"What's the big deal?" she asked. She looked furious. But then again, as she gazed at her crew above, they all looked angry, except for Zugai who seemed indifferent about the situation.

Gonzo jumped down from above, landing with a loud thump, and stormed toward Chris. "A Davy Back Fight isn't just a game, Chris," he said firmly. "You've just accepted a pirate gamble! Losing a challenge isn't just a walk in the park! If you lose, then you lose one of your crew members!"

This caught Chris by surprise. Lose her crew members? She looked at the two before her, and then the ones above and took a deep breath. "We just won't lose then," she said confidently. Gonzo scowled and turned away, disappearing back into the inn. Aya hesitated for a moment, then released Chris and followed. _Yeah, they're mad at me…_ she thought to herself with a sigh before following as well. Despite her confidence, the old man's words echoed in her mind.

"_This could cost you everything you've got…_"

(--)

An hour later, the Gold Lion Pirates and the Crescent Dagger Pirates were at the beach, facing each other. The captains were in the front, their crew fanning out behind them. Leo's crew was enormous in comparison to Chris' six man crew, but the Crescent Dagger's showed no sign of worry anymore. The cold ocean was pushing lightly against the sand beside them.

The two captain's stepped forward, stopping only a foot apart. Chris crossed her arms, looking indifferently at Leo, and Leo was grinning, holding the three coins in one hand. "Here are the rules," Leo said, loud enough for both crews to hear. "We will play three games, each represented by a coin that I hold here. The winner of each game gets to choose a member from the opposing crew to join their own, or the opposing crew's flag. If the flag is chosen, then the pirates are forbidden to fly it again!

"The only way to win back a member or a flag is through a second game. If you are chosen to be part of the opposing teams crew, you are to pledge your loyalty to that crew. Understood?"

"Sounds easy enough," Chris said with a nod.

Leo frowned at her complete lack of concern, but continued. "We will play a total of three games. If you play one game, you cannot play another, so make sure you choose carefully because it can't be changed. If you lose a crew member participating in a game, then you have to play without that member." Leo snapped his fingers and one of the smaller crew members rushed forward, carrying a piece of paper and pen. Leo took them and the man retreated back into the crowd of crew members. "You will write your teams on this paper," he said, holding it out to her, "as an official record. I'm already done with mine, so make it quick, Crescent Dagger."

Chris looked at the paper without taking it. "This has enough slots for seven," Chris pointed out. "I've only got six,"

"Then it looks like you're at a disadvantage, aren't you?" Leo asked with a grin.

"No they're not," a familiar voice said. Chris turned around and Leo looked passed her. Standing just behind her crew was a tall man with dark brown skin and curly black hair. It took Chris a moment to recognize him as the man from before. Blue! "I may not approve of pirates being on this island, but I'm not going to allow an unfair game on my turf," he crossed his arms, his mind obviously made up. Chris grinned.

"Alright, fine," she said. "That's seven then." She snatched the sign up sheet and pen from Leo's hand and walked toward her crew. "We'll have our lineup in no time,"

Her expression became slightly more serious when she reached her crew and looked at Blue. "Hey, thanks for this," she said. "We would have been at a slight disadvantage if you hadn't come along, huh?"

"Don't mention it," Blue responded. "Crescent Dagger Chris Hopkins, huh? I knew you guys looked familiar. So that must be Zugai the Demon's Orthopedic. And Cascade Gonzo?" he gestured to the two boys with a nod of his head.

"That's right," Chris said. "But how'd you know that?"

Blue smiled lightly. "I'm technically a Bounty Hunter," he explained. "But don't worry, I've got no intentions of hunting you. You're rookies. You won't know anything about what I seek,"

The words confused Chris a bit, but she shrugged them off. "Well, let's do this then," she said. She held the paper out, flat, so they could all see and began their line up.

When they were through, the Captains stepped forward again, this time, with another member of Leo's crew wearing a striped jacket. Chris assumed he was some sort of referee, as he collected the sheets from them. "The teams have been chosen!" he called. "Teams, as I call your name, you will step forward and separate into your groups. We will begin with the Crescent Dagger Pirates!"

He shifted the pages so Chris' was on top and cleared his throat. "Playing the first round, the Donut Race, we've got an impressive team for the Crescent Dagger Pirates; at least two of these have bounties. Zugai, Gonzo, and Blue!" Those three stepped up now, a few yards away from the first group, and waited.

"From the Gold Lion Pirates, we've got Kairo, Kiko, and Jargan!" Hearing their own names, the members called stepped forward. Kairo of course, stood in the middle, directly in front of Zugai with a grin. On one hand was his enormous, nail tipped club. Kiko was a female and to the surprise of the others, a Fishperson; swordfish it looked like due to the length of her sharp nose. Her skin was a smooth blue color and sheathed at her side were two other extremely sharp blades. _A swordsman Swordfish…_ Chris mused absently. Strangely enough, the thought amused her. Her eyes were blue, her hair a similar color. The last one, Jargan, was much more human looking then the other two, though he carried a holster with a large pistol and a machine gun over his shoulder. He also wore glasses over his dark eyes that looked more like binoculars then anything.

"In the next round, the Dodgeball Game, will be Aya, Faith, and Jae!" the three called stepped forward and the announcer/referee glanced at them. "Three girls, not very smart for a game like this!"

"Hey," Chris scowled angrily, turning on the man. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Her voice had certain venom to it, prompting the man to step away uncertainly. "Besides, Jae's not even a girl. If you're going to announce my team, get them right at least!"

"Going against them on Gold Lion Pirates are Tsu, Fredrick, and Bolt!" the announcer continued, ignoring Chris' complaints. Hearing their names, the three directed stepped forward.

Tsu stood in the middle; a very small girl with a smile stretching across her face. She looked no older then eight or nine, and had golden blond hair and bright blue eyes. She wore a black dress with white tights and a white jacket over it, with black snow boots, and looked rather content in the cold weather. Fredrick was beside her, much taller at six and a half feet, though the only part of him visible beneath his hooded cloak was a crooked, creepy looking smile. He was fidgeting in his spot, as if he was having trouble staying still. The third one, Bolt, stood on Tsu's other side. He was extremely large with muscles so big, they seemed like they could burst at any minute. He was about the same height as Fredrick, though he had no hair and what looked to Chris like red eyes. They stood directly opposite Chris' team, staring each other down.

"And in the final round, the Captain's battle, we've got Crescent Dagger Captain Chris and Gold Lion Captain Leo!" The announcer exclaimed. Now, the two captains stepped forward again. Leo looked down at her over his nose rather smugly and Chris grinned in response. Leo lifted the three coins once again and tossed them lazily into the ocean.

"Let the games begin," he said with a grin.

**A/N: **Ungrounded! Woot! Guess actually doing my work pays off, huh? Alright, so there we go! I thought for a while on this line up and I think it works… I'm going to put it again down here so that no one forgets (including myself!) Fredrick was created by **Kisdota-The Freak Gamer.**

**Round 1:**

**Crescent Dagger:** Zugai, Gonzo, Blue

**Gold Lion:** Kairo, Kiko, Jargan

**Round 2:**

**Crescent Dagger:** Faith, Aya, Jae

**Gold Lion:** Tsu, Fredrick, Bolt

**Round 3:**

**Crescent Dagger: **Chris

**Gold Lion:** Leo


	33. Davy Back Fight Part 2

**Pirates!**

**Davy Back Fight Part 2**

**Donut Race**

**

* * *

**

The games began less than thirty minutes later, with the two teams assembled near the water opposite each other. Zugai stood with crossed arms in the center, Blue to his right, and Gonzo to his left. Across from them stood Kairo in the center, Kiko on his left, and Jargan to the right. The respective crews were behind their teams, Chris' dwarfed by Leo's massive crew. The announcer hovered nearby, closer to Leo then Chris, and started to speak.

"The first even; Donut Race, is about to commence! First, team captains shake hands!" hearing the order, Kairo shifted his club into his left hand and raised his right. Zugai lifted his own and gripped his opponent's firmly. They held for a brief moment, each fighting for strength, and then released each other. The announcer continued shortly after. "You will have three wooden barrels with which to construct your ship," as he said the words, a group of men appeared form the forest carrying six large barrels. They dropped them in two separate piles. "You are to construct your ship and then sail around the island once! Anything goes. First team to the finish line wins!"

Zugai grinned in obvious confidence. "A ship huh, this is way more then I could have asked for," he cracked his knuckles confidently and examined the three barrels, already formulating a plan of construction in his mind. "But the water's a little bit dangerous for me, isn't it…?"

Gonzo couldn't hold back his laugh; he was in a much better mood now that he knew this one was in the water. "Don't worry, buddy, I'll keep an eye on ya," he said with a grin. "You fall overboard I'll come down and getcha,"

Zugai smiled excitedly and flashed Gonzo a thumbs up. "I'm counting on you, Gonzo. My life is in your hands,"

"The challenge begins when I blow my whistle!" the announcer began. The Gold Lion pirates around them began to count down from five and the two teams prepared themselves. When the count hit one, the whistle sounded and the groups took off for their respective piles.

Zugai was already getting to work with taking them apart when Gold Lion's team reached their barrels. "Help me out," he said to Gonzo and Blue.

Gonzo ripped them apart and Zugai arranged the piles; wood, metal, and nails. When it was through he stopped and examined the pieces. He'd need a hammer for sure. He looked around briefly for anything that might suit the task then, knelt down and pulled up the leg of his jeans. "Evasive Surgery: Femur Bone," he muttered. Without paying attention, he pulled the femur bone from his thigh.

Blue raised a brow in surprise. "Well you don't see that every day," he admitted. Zugai didn't even look at him.

"Devil Fruit," he said nonchalantly. From his spot on the ground, he lifted a few pieces of wood and laid them out and then took one of the strips of metal that surrounded the barrels. He set to work nailing them together. "I can't think of a way to have a propulsion device with just these materials," he admitted.

"Don't worry about that," Blue said calmly. "Just make a sail,"

Zugai stopped hammering for a few moments and looked up at him. "A sail? But there's no wind, there's no way it can work,"

Blue smiled slightly. "Devil Fruit," he said simply.

Gonzo's eyes widened. "Logia?" he asked.

Blue smiled and nodded. "Kaze Kaze no mi," he explained.

"Alright, guess I'm babysitting the two of you, huh?" Gonzo asked, watching, with crossed arms. "Good thing I signed up for this race then,"

Zugai's confident smile returned and he got back to work. "This is just _perfect_," he said happily as he replaced the bone in his leg. He jumped to the other side of the small boat and pulled it out again, starting there. "We couldn't have picked a better team for this! Alright, we've got this set!"

The opponents boat was finished first; it seemed they had a Shipwright among them as well. It was a two-man boat with what looked like pedals that moved the makeshift propeller and a simple rudder in the back for steering. They were pushing it into the ocean as Zugai finished the final adjustments on his own boat.

"See ya at the finish line, suckers," Kairo called with a snicker. The guys ignored him.

"Alright, it's done," Zugai declared about five minutes after their departure. "All we need is a sail and – hey, what are you doing?"

The question was directed at Blue, who removed his coat and fastened it to the makeshift mast. It stretched downward and he connected it to the sides of the boat with nails. "You're gonna freeze to death," Zugai pointed out as he once again returned his bone to his leg. The man was now wearing nothing but a navy blue tank top, dark gray pants, and black combat boots.

"I'm more accustomed to this weather then you are," Blue pointed out. "It's not more then I can handle. Don't worry. Now, let's get moving," The three lifted the boat (though Gonzo could have easily done so on his own) and hurried to the water.

"And there go the Crescent Dagger pirates; running late I see. It'll take a lot for them to catch up!" the announcer declared. He had somehow obtained a Baby Den Den Mushi, which was connected to a larger one, which spoke into a microphone that amplified the sound around the cold beach. "And using a sailboat! Not a very bright idea. I guess the Crescent Dagger's Shipwright wasn't a part of that group,"

Zugai tensed hearing this but pressed on. There was no time to get annoyed at this man. Besides, a heavy thump and a pained 'ouch!' assured him that one of his crew had already gone to correct him. They gently lowered the small boat into the water and all three of them jumped in; Zugai sitting at the rudder in back to control it, Blue stood just behind the sail, his arms resting at his side, and Gonzo stood toward the front with his harpoon out. Their opponents were far in the distance already.

"Alright, let's go!" Zugai declared. "We've got to catch up!"

Without a word, Blue lifted both hands in front of him. Behind his sunglasses, his eyes closed and he took a deep breath. "Storm Warning…" he began. Around them, a light breeze started to form, ruffling Zugai's and Blue's hair. Blue pulled his arms to one side near his hip, his palms folded to make it seem as if he were accumulating some sort of energy. He opened his eyes and thrust his hands forward simultaneously. "Heavy-Gale!"

Suddenly, an enormous gust of wind slammed against the makeshift sail, coming from Blue's outstretched palms. It pushed the small boat forward as if there were some sort of motor attached to the back.

"Woah-ho!" Gonzo exclaimed excitedly, kneeling and gripping the sides of the boat for support. It was almost flying over the ocean. "It's going so fast!" The ocean seemed to split open in front of them, shooting into the air behind them before settling back down calmly.

"Aha, I've got to admit, this is definitely one hell of a ride!" Zugai declared. He shifted the rudder ever so slightly, changing their direction to move around the island. Already they were a quarter of the way there.

They were steadily getting closer to the opposing team. Soon, they were able to see the passengers upon the smaller boat; Kairo and Jargan… but where was Kiko? The question was answered mere moments later when she jumped out of the water several yards in front of them. Both of her swords were unsheathed, crossed in front of her chest. Gonzo responded by pulling out his own harpoon and by the time he had it at the ready in front of him, the ship had reached Kiko. She started to uncross her swords but was stopped by Gonzo.

"What the hell are you doing?" he snarled. "This is a race, not a battle!"

Kiko grinned. "Anything goes," she said. "And that includes sabotage," With that, she back flipped back into the ocean. A sword impaled the bottom of their little boat and when it was pulled out, water began to seep through the small hole.

"Oh no you don't!" Gonzo said. He looked over his shoulder as he prepared to jump into the ocean. "Don't fall out of the boat, you hear me? I'll catch up soon!" then, he jumped in after Kiko.

"Shit," Zugai muttered angrily as he stuffed a piece of cloth into the hole to stop it. He hardened his bones as they got closer and closer to the opposing boat and drew Honehakaisha, though kept one hand constantly on the rudder.

"I can't do much with my power without stopping this gust," Blue said to Zugai over his shoulder. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to leave the fighting to you,"

Zugai nodded. "Not a problem," he said in response. "Just focus on keeping us moving, that's the biggest part! We can't lose this!" _Not if we don't want to lose anyone…_

They were three quarters of the way around when they finally caught up and as expected, the Gold Lions attacked. They were going surprisingly fast considering they were pedaling. Jargan remained at the pedal, but Kairo jumped up from his position controlling the rudder. He lifted his spiked club and swung it at Blue.

Zugai reacted just as quickly, jumping from his seated position and using Honehakaisha to block the strike. "Hey, hey, it's not right to hit a man who can't defend himself," he said. He swung with his labrys and Kairo ducked. Zugai saw Jargan turn his head and suddenly, there was a pistol aimed at his head. Zugai pulled Honehakaisha in front of him just in time to deflect the bullet, but then, there was a loud crash and the boat rocked dangerously.

"Crap!" Zugai hissed, falling backward onto the wood. He looked toward the front; a large part of the hull was now missing and the boat was slowly decreasing in speed and sinking. "Damn it!" Zugai stepped away from the water, but it was no good; it was starting to fill the small boat. Soon, it would be completely filled with water.

"Oh, you have Devil Fruit powers, don't you?" Kairo asked. "I'm sorry about that. But there's nothing in the rules against killing the opposition, you know," a grin suddenly spread across his face and he once again slammed the club into the boat. Another large chunk came apart and Blue was forced to stop his gust to jump upward out of the water. "Wind Wings!" he shouted. He grabbed Zugai's wrist and tugged, pulling him out of the water before he could get further then waist deep and propelling both of them into the air.

"Jesus, you're heavy…" Blue muttered.

Zugai looked down at the water, hanging in Blue's grip. It was only a few yards below and the Gold Lion Pirates were quickly accelerating forward. "Sorry!" he called up. He lightened his bones to make it easier on the man, but Honehakaisha was still extremely heavy. "It's Honehakaisha, but I can't let her go!"

Blue frowned, his brow furrowed as he focused on keeping the wind steady enough to keep them afloat. "Just don't move. I can't keep us up very long, but I'll try to get us to shore…"

"Alright," Zugai said. He carefully put Honehakaisha onto his back. If they fell into the water, it would only make him sink faster, but he couldn't abandon his favorite weapon. He could feel the wind pushing them closer and closer to the icy land. In the distance, he saw Kiko jump onto the boat. But where was Gonzo?

Suddenly, he felt himself falling. It startled him, drawing a shout from his throat, and then, both he and Blue hit the water with a heavy _splash_!

And then he was sinking even as he tried to kick himself to the surface, but he was a hammer. Honehakaisha suddenly felt extremely heavy, a result of the sudden loss of his powers. The water was so cold it burned his face and hands. Slightly above him, he could see Blue, trying in vain to push himself above water but failing as well. Zugai couldn't hold his breath anymore and his lungs reflexively forced a cough, allowing the freezing water into his mouth. It burned all the way down his esophagus. He closed his mouth and covered it with a hand, kicking his legs furiously to try to get out. He couldn't see Gonzo approaching from behind.

Gonzo quickened his pace, kicking his legs with more force then before. He could see both Zugai and Blue in the dark waters ahead. That damn swordfish girl had led him on a wild goose chase beneath the ocean. He should have stayed on the boat to help rather then follow her bait. Now, if Zugai and Blue died, it would be his fault.

He wouldn't let that happen. Gonzo dove lower, increasing his speed, and then back up directly beneath the humans. He grabbed first Zugai's, then Blue's arms and tugged them with difficulty to the surface. He'd be faster swimming beneath water, but they were humans; they couldn't breath like he could. "Hang in there, guys," he said to them. The two humans struggled to stay conscious in the freezing cold water.

Finally, they broke the surface and they gasped for breath. Gonzo swam toward the shore nearby; Zugai over his shoulder, pulling Blue along. On the beach, four figures ran toward Gonzo's destination, their crewmates. "You alright?" he asked the older man. They were getting closer to the finish line, but that didn't matter. Gonzo wasn't focused on that.

Blue coughed violently before responding. "I'll survive," he admitted. He held a coat in one hand; he must have managed to save it before it could sink with the boat. "What about you, Zugai?" he added.

Zugai coughed a few times, spitting water out of his mouth. "I think so…" he gasped.

Gonzo was breathing heavily now; sure, being a Killer Whale, he was used to freezing temperatures, but carrying two humans and an axe that weighed a ton, it wasn't so easy. When he finally reached the shore, he couldn't do anything but collapse from exhaustion. He lay on his back, soaking wet in the freezing snow with Zugai lying similarly next to him. Blue was sitting, catching his breath.

Aya, Faith, Chris, and Jae skidded to a stop beside them a few moments after. Aya focused her attention on Blue as Jae went to Gonzo, who was slowly recovering from his exhaustion, and Faith knelt beside Zugai.

Chris stopped first at Gonzo, who was closest, and knelt beside him. "Hey, you alright, buddy?" she asked nervously.

Gonzo laughed. "Yeah, just tired," he said. "It ain't easy swimming with two hammers and an axe that weighs more then a damn elephant,"

"Hey, don't pick on her," Zugai said through breaths. He lifted said labrys proudly. "Honehakaisha's helped me through a lot since her creation. I couldn't abandon her,"

Chris stood up and Jae took her place, offering Gonzo a towel, which the cook took greatfully. Chris looked toward Blue, who looked to be managing quite well. Aya had supplied him with a towel and Chris found herself wondering where the hell these things came from. "That power was incredible," she said. "A Logia Fruit. I know you're only on our side for the Davy Back Fight, Blue, but what do you say about joining my crew when this is done?"

Blue hesitated. "I'll consider it," he said calmly. Chris frowned. She didn't like that answer. He was supposed to say yes. She sighed and turned to Zugai now.

"You alright?" she asked him. Zugai pushed himself into a sitting position with a towel given to him by Faith wrapped around his shoulders, shivering.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine," he said, coughing a bit more.

"Alright, all three of you need to get out of here _now_," Aya demanded. "You'll freeze to death out here in the cold!"

"No one is going anywhere," Leo suddenly said. He had appeared with his boating team beside him, grinning at the tired pirates lying on the snow. "Not until I get my new member at least,"

At once, the Crescent Dagger's tensed. Chris stood and stepped forward, placing herself protectively between her crew and the captain, as if she could shield them all behind her small body. Leo looked at her boredly for several moments, then looked past her at the six others. He lifted his good hand and pointed. "I think we both know who I want, right, Crescent Dagger?"

Chris stared at the hand and her eyes narrowed in distaste. She felt tempted to pull out her dagger and slice that hand off, but resisted. She knew exactly whom he was pointing at.

"You can't take him," Faith protested, stepping forward. "You can't take any of them; they're freezing, they need to get somewhere warm and some dry clothes!"

"I believe the rules state that I can have any crewmember I want," Leo said. "Unless you want to go against the rules…"

"It's alright," Zugai said suddenly. He shakily rose to his feet and took a few moments to catch his balance before walking forward, rubbing his arms to keep warm. He stepped past Chris, who was obviously hesitant to let him go, and stood facing Leo. He smiled suddenly. "Sorry about the hand, _Captain_," he said sarcastically. "No hard feelings, right?"

Leo scowled angrily at the comment and stuffed his good hand into his pocket where it would most likely be safe. "Kairo, escort our newest member back," he said. "I'll deal with him a little later," he stared at Zugai as he spoke his next words. "You know what they say about an eye for an eye. Though in this case…" he raised the hooked hand.

"A hand for a hand, right?" Chris suddenly said. She had her arms crossed. Leo looked at her, surprised. Suddenly, she didn't seem the least bit upset about the loss of her first mate. "Well, that can wait until later. I believe we've got two more games to finish before it's officially over,"

"That's true," Leo said, turning away. "So let's get on with them, shall we? I hope you're ready to lose another crew member, Crescent Dagger," He began to leave, Zugai following with Kairo directly beside him.

Chris smirked. "Don't be so confident, Hookie," she said. Leo tripped over his own feet and Kairo spun around.

"How dare you give the Captain such a nickname?" he demanded. Zugai grabbed the back of the man's shirt and pulled him away with a sigh.

"Come on, hothead. Let's go, your fight's over," he said absently. Then, they were out of earshot.

"Wow… he took to them real fast…" Gonzo observed.

Chris watched them go with a small frown on her face. She turned to look at Faith, Aya, and Jae. "Alright, guys, this is up to you," she said. "I don't want to pressure you or anything, but if you lose, then I'll only be able to save one of us, and I can't do that. We're not going to leave without all of us,"

Jae, Faith, and Aya looked at Chris with determined expressions. Suddenly, they all smiled. "Do your best," Chris said.

"Leave it to us, Chris," Aya said confidently.

"Yeah, we'll take care of those goons!" Faith added.

"And we'll definitely win Zugai-san back!" Jae concluded. And then, they took off toward the games.

* * *

**Davy Back Fight Scoreboard!**

**Crescent Dagger:** 0

**Gold Lion:** 1

* * *

**A/N:** Ok, so maybe it wasn't the best idea to put two Devil Fruit users into a small unstable boat in the freezing cold waters of Sparrow Island… especially when their Fishman lifejacket disappears to keep another annoying Fishwoman away… but it made it a little more fun right? Sorry for the delay! I reread/rewrote a few times to get the desired result, but writing can't be rushed right?? Not if it's intended to be good, which, judging by the positive feedback, this story is! So… yea! Review!


	34. Davy Back Fight Part 3

**Pirates!**

**Davy Back Fight Part 3**

**Dodge-ball

* * *

**

The dodge ball square was dug out in the thick snow, a large square that fit both teams, as well as plenty of moving space, easily. Faith, Aya, and Jae stood in different places around their half of the field, waiting for the sign to begin. They each wore a red bandana around their arms (provided by the opposition of course). Fredrick, Tsu, and Bolt stood on their own half of the court, wearing in golden bandanas with their crew's name written in black. The announcer from before stepped forward.

"The rules of this game are extremely strict!" he announced. He was wearing a golden bandana as well over the sleeve of his striped jacket. "There are no weapons. Cheaters will be decapitated!"

That statement made the Crescent Dagger's stagger. Jae's eyes widened. Decapitated! He looked at the others; they were obviously thinking the same thing.

"Team Captains, step forward,"

Without a moment's hesitation, Fredrick approached, stopping just before his line. "I'll jump," Faith decided. She walked forward, phasing into her hybrid form in the process. At once, the large crowd surrounded gasped in a mix of disgust and absolute awe. Fredrick seemed unfazed by the transformation. Uwee hee hee," he snickered in a voice that sounded psychotic. "An interesting transformation there, hee hee,"

"You haven't seen anything yet," Faith assured him. From this distance, Faith could see his eyes now. They were green, like Chris', though they didn't look as kind or caring as hers, rather they were maniacal, twisted. They glowed beneath he hood of his cloak.

The announcer beside them held two rubber balls roughly the shape of volleyballs. "You can't cross the line. If you get knocked out of the ring, you're out. If you get hit, you're out. If you drop the ball, you're out. Easy enough?"

"Sure," Faith said.

"Too easy, uwee hee hee," Fredrick declared.

"Right then, the game begins at my whistle," the announcer said. He stepped back and placed the whistle in his mouth as he stepped back. Faith stared at Fredrick angrily. This was of the utmost importance. If they didn't win this game and lost _another_ crewmember, Chris would only be able to save _one_ of them. She growled a low, feral growl at Fredrick in warning, but the man only laughed at her.

Then, the whistle blew and the balls went soaring into the air. Faith crouched for the briefest of moments and then vaulted herself into the air. Fredrick remained calmer, reaching into his pocket and extracting a jet-black cube. He grinned as he popped it into his mouth. "Rush Mode," he said, followed shortly by, "Rush Teleport,"

And then he was gone.

Faith, in the air, managed to grab hold of one of the balls and reached for the second one quickly. However, before she could grab it, Fredrick appeared and snatched it out of the air. _Damn, _she scowled.

The two landed on the ground simultaneously and Faith melted back into her human form, holding the ball tightly. She saw Fredrick preparing to throw and thrust her own ball into her mouth. She changed into her wolf form just as the ball went shooting past where her shoulders once were, and then spun and ran toward the crew.

The ball approached Aya with such speed, she didn't even notice it until it was inches away from her chest. She gasped as it hit her, but before it could drop, she wrapped her arms around it. The force of the hit knocked her back, but she managed to stop (on her toes) just before touching the boundary line.

On her right, her crew cheered enthusiastically and she smiled. So far, so good! She looked up to see Faith turning back into her human form, dropping the ball from her mouth into her hand. "Nice catch!" she said, flashing the girl a thumbs up.

Aya grinned and returned the gesture. "Alright, let's do this!" Faith continued. "Jae!" she tossed Jae the ball and he caught it easily with both hands. He grinned and turned, throwing it toward the opposite team. Faith smiled as she shifted into her wolf form for speed until she caught up with it, then, jumping into the air, she turned into her hybrid form and kicked the ball with all her might.

It picked up speed dramatically, going straight for the large Bolt. It was still spinning when it slammed directly into his face, knocking the man off his feet and down into the floor. Faith turned and slapped Jae a hi-five, then turned to Aya and did the same.

"Haha, the bigger they are, the harder they fall!" she announced.

"Safe!" The announcer suddenly shouted. Faith spun around and glared at the man on the sidelines.

"What do you mean safe?!" Aya shouted for her. "That was a direct hit! Look at him!" she pointed at the fallen Bolt in emphasis, who was trying to pull the ball out of his mouth.

"The face is safe!" The announcer repeated. "Bolt is still in the game!"

"That's a bunch of crap!" Aya protested.

"Just let it go, Aya-san," Jae said, trying to calm her down by putting a hand on her shoulder. Faith grabbed Aya's arm to keep her from tackling the announcer.

"It's alright, Aya, rules are rules! Don't worry, we've still got another ball!" she assured her. Hearing that, Aya looked down at the ball she still held in her hand and blinked.

"Oh, you're right…" she muttered. Suddenly, she grinned and turned toward the opposing team. "Alright, let's do this!"

"Nah-nah, nah-nah, you can't get me!" The young girl, Tsu, suddenly sang. She was dancing along the centerline, sticking her tongue out at Jae, Aya, and Faith as she chanted the phrase again and again. Aya gripped the ball tighter and ran toward the barrier.

"We'll see about that!" she decided. She skidded to a stop, but used the momentum to prepare her throw. However, just as she was about to release the ball, the little girl screamed and cowered.

"Wah! Don't hit me! It'll hurt!" she complained. Aya tripped, the momentum gone, and nearly fell in her attempts to stop the strike. The ball fell innocently and bounced on the ground on the other side of the line.

"Darn…" she muttered bitterly, standing straight.

Tsu suddenly grinned in a way that was unsuitable for her innocent looking face ,and grabbed the ball from the ground. She spun once and threw the ball directly at Aya with a cry of "Tsu Special Close Range Hit!"

The ball hit the surprised Aya square in the chest before the older girl could react. She was knocked off her feet and back, landing just outside the line in the snow, and lay there for several moments, catching her breath.

"Aya!" Faith shouted, surprised. Then, she turned her attention to the opposition. "That's gotta be cheating; she tricked her!"

"It's called strategy, uwee hee hee," Fredrick said. He was standing with his arms crossed, though his hand was twitching noticeably. Faith now turned her attention to the announcer and raised a questionable brow.

The announcer didn't even hesitate. "Aya Vincent from the Crescent Dagger team is out!" he declared.

Aya sat up and took several deep breaths, rubbing her chest where the ball hit. "Damn, that hurt…" she muttered bitterly. She stared at Tsu. "Me and my stupid soft spot for kids… little brat." She stood, picking up the ball that hit her in the process. "Faith, Jae, it's up to you!" she tossed the ball to Jae, who caught it with both hands.

Aya turned away and walked toward Chris, Gonzo, and Blue, standing at the side lines, and sat down near them in the cold snow. "Come on, you've got this guys! You can beat these guys in no time!"

Faith smiled slightly and turned back to the Gold Lion team. As soon as she was facing them, a ball hit her in the stomach. She coughed, shocked, and was knocked back, to her surprise, outside the ring on her butt. Aya winced at the sight. "Sorry!" she called. After all, it was her fault that Faith got hit.

"Oof," she grunted as she hit the snow. She looked at the ball that she held firmly in her arms and then looked up at Jae, who watched her, completely shocked. "Ow… you jerks…" she muttered under her breath.

"Faith-san, are you alright?" Jae asked her. Faith gave him a thumbs up as an affirmative and stood.

"Sorry, Jae, but you're on your own," she called, throwing the ball to the navigator. Jae caught it with his other hand and watched Faith turn and walk away toward the rest of her crew, hands in her pockets, and stood beside them.

"This is bad…" Blue decided. "You've got one member left on your team and three on theirs. The chances of winning are slim,"

At this, the rest of the crew turned their attention to Blue. "Don't doubt him," Faith said with a small smile. "Jae's a level-headed guy. He'll find a way to win this,"

Blue looked away, back to the game. "For the sake of your crew, he'd better…" he muttered.

Back on the field, Jae stood, looking at the two dodge-balls in his hands. How was he going to do this? He closed his eyes and tried to focus. Come on, come on…

"Look at him, he can't even think now," a bulky, stupid-sounding voice said. Jae assumed it was Bolt, as he'd already heard the voices of the others.

"He'll go down, just like the rest of his crew, the minute he throws the ball, uwee hee hee," Fredrick said.

"They're such weaklings," Tsu commented smugly. "I mean, if we were facing someone stronger, maybe that bone guy or the Fishman, this might be a little more fun. But these idiots can't even hit us,"

Without looking up, Jae tightened his grip on the dodge-balls.

"Come on, idiot, are you going to throw it or stand there all day?" Tsu continued. Then, she began her dance again. "Nah-nah, nah-nah, you can't hit us!" She stopped and stuck her tongue out at Jae. "Because you're an idiot. Just like your stupid crew!"

And then, with a suddenness that shocked both the players, and the group watching, a ball hit Tsu in the gut with enough force to knock her out of the field. She skidded on the snow several feet before lying still on the ground.

All eyes were turned to the girl for several moments, then, slowly, they returned to Jae. One of the navigator's arms was extended, his body poised as if he'd just thrown, and his head was down. He calmly, without a word, stepped back, standing straight, and held the second ball with two hands for several moments, gripping it tightly.

"If there's one thing I can't stand…" he began, taking a breath to calm himself. He looked up, his blue-violet eyes suddenly uncharacteristically dark and angry, and shifted the ball into one hand. "It's people bringing others down!"

He stepped forward with a cry and threw the second ball. It moved lightning quick though the air, spinning, and curved to hit Bolt in the side of the head. The large man was knocked aside and out of the ring with a cry of surprise.

On the sidelines, the Crescent Dagger's watched in shock. They'd honestly never seen Jae act like this before… it was shocking. Blue had his arms crossed. "Yeah, real level headed, I see…" he muttered sarcastically.

On the opposing side, Zugai was watching with a rather amused expression on his face. _So he really can kick some ass_. He mused with a smile. Not that he ever doubted Jae's abilities, but he'd never seen the boy fight. He adjusted the uncomfortable _kairoseki_ handcuffs around his wrists and leaned back comfortable against a tree. _I've never seen him with that expression… let's see how this ends._

"Uwee hee hee, where's this sudden burst of energy coming form?" Fredrick asked with a grin. A ball was tossed to him and with the flick of a hand, he caught it. A second was thrown to Jae (replacing the two that were outside the ring), and he caught it in both hands, staring at the man opposite him. "This is starting to get exciting. The little weaklings are coming back with a bang, uwe hee hee,"

Jae didn't respond. He shifted position, preparing to throw, and watched Fredrick closely. "Well, I hope you're ready to lose another of your pathetic crew members. There's no way you can win. You're just a little amateur, a wimp. You'll never be able to catch up with my superior devil fruit abilities and hit…" however, before he could finish, the ball hit him, square in the chest.

Like the others, the force of the hit knocked him back and sent him skidding out of the ring into the cold snow. He lay there for a few seconds, just a few feet from the still unmoving Tsu, then sat up. Jae had his arms crossed, staring at him, the dark expression in his eyes gone, and had seemingly returned to his normal self.

He pushed his hair behind his ears and grinned. "Don't you know that nothing good ever comes from monologueing?" he asked.

Cheers broke out all around, coming even from the opposition, and the Crescent Dagger's rushed onto the field. Aya and Faith jumped on Jae, nearly knocking him to the ground, hugging him tightly. "You did it!" they exclaimed excitedly.

"Where the hell did that come form?" Gonzo asked, patting the boy on the back. "I've never seen you act like that. You single handedly beat three of them without even breaking a sweat!"

Jae smiled, a bit embarrassed, and covered his face with his hand. "It was nothing," he said. "I guess I got angry,"

"Well I'm never going to get on _your_ bad side," Chris decided with a grin, slapping Jae a high five in her excitement. Then, she and the others turned their attention back to Leo, who looked absolutely furious at the result. Chris merely smiled and crossed her arms. "You know exactly who we want, 'Gold Lion'," Chris said, emphasizing the nickname with a sarcastic tone.

Leo scowled but nodded to Kairo, who reluctantly unlocked the handcuffs restraining Zugai. The shipwright rubbed his wrists and stepped away from them with a smile. "I'm pretty popular today, aren't I?" he asked good-naturedly. When he was back with his crew, he grinned, putting an arm around Jae's shoulders. "Nice one, buddy!" he congratulated. He ruffled his hair playfully, to which Jae reacted with a jab to his chest (though smiled naturally), and Zugai stepped back, laughing.

"It's not over," Leo declared with a snarl. "There's still one game left…"

"Yeah, I know," Chris said, smiling. She cracked her knuckles and adjusted her hat. "And you can bet I'm ready for it. Are you, kitty cat?"

Leo scowled at the nickname, but turned away from her. "Ready the cannon!" he shouted to his crew.

"Aye!" they all responded, and several of them disappeared into the trees.

* * *

**Davy Back Fight Scoreboard!**

**Crescent Dagger: **1

**Gold Lion:** 1

* * *

**A/N:** Yeah, this is a very predictable arc, but I'm having fun with it! I tried to make this chapter as long as I could without being repetitive (I don't think I succeeded...), but really, there's only so much you can do with a dodge-ball game... You get a ball, you throw it, you're out or your not. Come on! But aside from that, this was going to turn out very different, which is why it took me so long to write it! It was _going_ to be a loss… but that would stretch the arc to long and I didn't want to go through that… So I'm keeping it simple. Maybe in the future, when I'm done with this story I'll post up the reject chapters. Or the reject ideas. Who knows. But I'm going to end this long A/N with a quick request: Review!

SNE121


	35. Davy Back Fight Part 4

****

Pirates!

**Davy Back Fight Part 4**

**Captain's Fight**

* * *

The cannon was a standard ship cannon attached on a platform on wheels. The small group of pirates that had disappeared to go retrieve it dragged it through the snow back to their current location and placed it in between the two separated groups. The announcer stepped beside it and placed a hand on the cannon's wide barrel and patted it once.

"With this cannon, we will pick the battle field," he explained, more to Chris' team then to his own. "The two captains, step forward!"

As Leo broke from the rest of his crew, excited cries of approval rang out from the crew. Chris' crew remained relatively silent as she stepped forward, waiting patiently for the result. When both captains' were standing before him, the announcer stepped back and continued. "Captains, spin the cannon," he said.

Chris hesitated, confused, but placed a hand on the barrel of the cannon. Leo did the same and as she pushed it, he pulled, spinning the cannon on its platform. She pushed it again, harder this time, when it came around the second time, then the two captains stepped back to let it spin on its own.

"When the cannon stops naturally, the cannonball loaded will fire, and wherever it lands will be the battle field!" the announcer said.

Both crews watched the cannon beginning to slow down, holding their breath. No matter where it landed, it would be fine, right? Chris had no Devil Fruit limitations if it landed in the water, though the coldness of it would definitely be a problem. The forest wouldn't be that bad either, and directly on the beach would be ok as well.

The cannon stopped, facing the path leading toward the town in the distance, and fired. Chris' eyes went wide as she watched it rise into the air, then fall into Fourth town with a bang. "Oh no…" she muttered. Blue tensed beside Gonzo and his eyes narrowed behind the sunglasses. Leo, however, smiled.

"The battle field is chosen. The borders of the field are a fifty meter radius from the location of the cannon, meaning a circular 100 meter field! In other words, the entire town is free ground. You may use any weapons within the field, and no one except the contestants are allowed in. The area above and below is also considered to be the field,"

"So how do we win?" Chris asked uncomfortably. She wanted to get this done with as little damage as possible if any at all to the town. The announcer stared at her in aggravation.

"I was getting to that," he said before clearing his throat. "Anyway, before I was so rudely interrupted by the Crescent Dagger's captain, I was going to say that the first person to knock the opponent out of the ring is the winner! Captains, return to your crews to prepare!"

Chris frowned unhappily as she forced her eyes away from the town and returned to her friends. She was greeted with an angry glare from Blue and she looked away uncomfortably. It took her a moment to compose herself and looked back at him. "Look, I'm sorry," she said. "It's not like I intended for that to happen,"

Blue looked down at her with his arms crossed. "This is exactly why pirates aren't welcome here," he said. He turned and walked away from the group, back into the trees, and disappeared.

(--)

The ring was set up within the hour and the two opponents were standing on opposite sides of the street where the cannonball landed. They were the only two within the town, as someone had come and evacuated, but there was a Den Den Mushi beside them, connected to the announcer with the rest of the crews on the beach.

The two opponents stared at each other and Chris grabbed her Double-Sided dagger from her belt. She wished now that she would have brought her Deer Horn Knives with her, but it was her own fault for not. She spun the dagger in her left hand briefly before gripping it tightly. "This is going to be quick and easy," she assured Leo.

"That's right," Leo agreed. He lifted his hooked hand. "It won't be like it was on Kiri Island. This time, there's no one here to save you."

Chris scowled. "Who says I'll need saving?" she asked. "Besides, you should be more worried about your self,"

"Fighters prepare yourselves." the Den Den Mushi shouted. Hearing it, the two tensed. "Ready: Begin!"

Leo reached his good hand into his pocket and took something out; some sort of bomb by the looks of it. He threw it down on the ground in front of him and smoke began billowing out, rapidly filling the air between them. Chris defensively raised her dagger, her eyes narrowed as she tried to see through the dense smoke. She backed up to try to get out of it.

That was when Leo appeared in front of her. He spun on one foot, the other drawn up, and when he'd completed the spin, he lashed out with the foot, kicking Chris' defending arm. The force of the kick knocked Chris off her feet and through the door of the building behind her. The wood, surprisingly, splintered, knocking the wind out of her, and she hit the ground inside the building with a grunt.

She rolled onto her stomach and pushed herself to her knees, coughing. "Shit, that hurt,"

"Hey… mister, are you ok?" she heard in front of her. Her eyes widened and she looked up; a little girl was huddled in the corner, hugging her knees and holding a single large kitchen knife in her hand. Hiding? But the place was completely abandoned.

"I… I'm fine," Chris said, rising with slight difficulty to her feet. "Wait, what are you doing here? Are there others?"

The older girl looked at Chris terrified, but responded. "I don't know," she said.

"I see…" Chris muttered. "Look, you have to get out of here, ok? Find your parents. This place is dangerous and—"

"Behind you!" The girl shrieked. Chris caught sight of an arm wrapping around her throat and a glint of metal and lifted the Double-Sided Dagger. The large blade caught the hook just before it could touch Chris' throat and she struggled to keep it at bay.

"Stupid girl," Leo snarled at the kid on the ground. "When I'm done with him, I'll get rid of you as well,"

"Like hell you will," Chris snarled. She pushed her head backward with all her strength, slamming it into Leo's nose. With a surprised shout, Leo dropped his arm. Chris took advantage of the situation and turned around, hitting him with a spinning kick to the chest and knocking him out the door. "Get going!" she shouted over her shoulder as she ran after Leo.

"One hundred meters… it'll be hard to get him out in a field like this. But I've got to be careful myself…" She stopped outside the door and stared at Leo, lying on the ground, unmoving. Had she hit him too hard? She stepped forward cautiously and circled around to his head. His eyes were closed…

Suddenly, his hand lashed out and grabbed her ankle. He pulled it and she fell with a grunt as he rose to his feet. With a roar, he lifted her up, spun, and threw her through the air. Chris' back collided with a solid wooden wall and she crumpled into the snow.

"Ow, ow, ow…" she muttered as she started to her feet. He'd definitely gotten stronger since they'd last seen him a few months ago. She looked to Leo, who was standing, his back arched, his chest out.

"You know, Crescent Dagger, there's a reason I worked so hard to make my name 'Gold Lion'," he said. He started toward her, the snow crunching beneath his feet, and Chris raised a dagger. "Since I heard of the Devil Fruits twenty years ago, when I was fifteen, I've been hunting for one in particular. An extremely rare one at that,"

Chris was about to charge, but then she noticed something… wrong. Leo wasn't walking normally. He was staggering, and his face was beginning to change. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. He stopped, his hand twitching, distorting. "Yes, there's a very good reason I wanted to be known as Gold Lion…"

Then, she realized it. She'd seen Faith like this when she first changed in front of Chris. But back then, she'd been trying to resist the change; she hadn't wanted to change in front of others. This man… he was just showing off. Suddenly, his muscles expanded, his body growing, bones shifting. His hair lengthened, becoming wilder, and his eyes narrowed and stretched to a more feline shape. The only part of him that looked out of place was his hooked hand amidst the golden fur.

When the change was finished, Leo's golden eyes stared at Chris, the pupils shrinking to mere pinpricks. "I've spent my entire life searching for this Devil Fruit," he repeated. "And just after meeting you, I found it. The Neko Neko no Mi, Model: Lion!"

Again, Chris felt that strange sense of uncertainty she'd felt when fighting his pet lion, Bao. She had to remind himself that despite the fruit, his mind was still human. She could beat him if she stayed focused. With that in mind, she reached into her hat and took out her Crescent Dagger.

What she didn't expect was the terrified scream behind Leo, coming from the broken down door. Chris' eyes widened as she shifted her gaze to look past the lion at the little girl, shaking in the doorway. Her dark eyes were wide and she was frozen in fear at the sight of the hybrid human. Leo's rounded ear twitched and he turned his head a bit, his eyes flicking to the side to look at the girl behind him. Then, he grinned, flashing jagged white teeth. Leo turned to face the girl and started toward her.

That's when Chris acted. "Hold it right there!" She spun the Crescent Dagger into its secondary hold, the blade sticking out between her ring and middle fingers like a claw. She jumped, wrapping an arm around Leo's neck, and stabbed the blade into Leo's shoulder.

He roared in pain and stopped his advance, focusing instead on getting Chris off him. She dug the blade deeper into his thick skin and the blood speckled her face. "This is a game, Leo. The girl has nothing to do with it!" she snarled. Then, to the girl, she added, "Get going already!"

The girl didn't need to be told twice. With tears streaming down her eyes, she took off. Chris watched her until she was out of sight and that was enough of a distraction for Leo. His large hand caught her behind the neck and he pulled her over his shoulder. He slammed her down into the ground and knelt, pushing her head into the snow.

"I know," he said to her. "The rules say that you can use whatever weapons are present on the field. A distraction counts as a weapon. Though it would have been much better if I would have killed her, you would have been frozen on the spot," He pushed Chris' head deeper into the snow.

"You think that would stop me?" Chris asked, turning her head with difficulty to look up at him. "You don't know anything about me, obviously. Something like that would do nothing but piss me off!" Suddenly, she stabbed her other dagger into Leo's arm. He roared again and released her. Chris rose to her feet quickly and jumped up, gripping a handful of Leo's fur for support, and pulled her Crescent Dagger out of his shoulder. She kicked away from him, knocking him back a few paces, and flipped to land on her feet.

Leo recovered quickly and his hooked hand swiped at Chris' stomach. She stepped back to avoid it and then, she turned and ran. "Don't think you can get away, Crescent Dagger!" he shouted after her. He jumped forward, changing to his animal form in the process, and took off after her.

Chris was breathing heavily as she dashed through the snow, weaving through buildings. It was fifty meters from the center, right? They hadn't left the center, so if she ran fifty meters in any direction, she'd definitely reach the boundary of the ring. But she was only human, without the power of a Devil Fruit. She was starting to get tired.

Chris heard a roar behind her and threw herself to the ground. Leo jumped right over her, skidding to a stop in front of her, and turned to face her. She pushed herself to her feet and stared at him. He was definitely bigger than his pet lion that was for sure, but again, the hook in place where his right paw should have been looked comically out of place.

He growled briefly, then he charged again. She twisted to the side as he pounced and took off again. _Just keep going in the same direction, you'll make it._ She thought to herself. She paid no attention to the sound of crunching snow behind her and continued.

Soon enough, she could see the boundary. The corners of her lips curled into a smile and she continued a few more meters before skidding to a stop and turning. Leo changed into his hybrid form as he pounced for a third time and she dodged it quickly. She spun and with an cry, rammed her elbow into his back. He hit the snow beneath him hard. "Take this you son of a bitch!" Chris shouted. With that, she threw a kick that would have made Black Leg Sanji proud.

Leo was sent spinning along the snow, managing to stop just before the boundary line. He pushed himself to his hands and knees, coughing, his good hand holding his ribs in pain. Soon enough, a shadow stood over him and he looked up.

Chris stared down at him, sheathing her daggers. Leo started to stand, but Chris pushed him down again with her foot. A group of Leo's crew members stood a few meters away from the boundary, watching with bated breath.

"Devil Fruit or not, you're still not strong enough," Chris said calmly, trying to control her tired breathing. "Next time you make a challenge, you'd better make sure that you can win." Then, with the same foot, she pushed him out of the ring. "Get out of here before I decide to make you,"

There was a moment of silence around them, the Gold Lion Pirates shocked beyond belief. Chris looked at the announcer, who was standing silently with a Baby Den Den Mushi in his hand. "Well?"

Her voice startled him and with a shaky hand, he lifted the Baby Den Den Mushi. "The winner… of the Captain's fight is… Crescent Dagger Chris Hopkins," he said without enthusiasm.

Chris heard an excited cheer from somewhere behind her and smiled slightly. Without another word, she turned and walked away.

(--)

"Phew, that was definitely one hell of a game!" Zugai said with a wide grin as he lay on the couch in the girl's room of the inn. Jae sat on the arm of the same couch, Gonzo leaning against the wall, and Chris, Aya, and Faith sat on respective beds. (Chris was actually lying down, but that's beside the point).

The point is, a day after the games, they were tired. And each and every one of them was ready to get off this crazy island, with crazy old man fortune tellers that knew too much and could tell too much for their own good.

"Guess it was an adventure, wasn't it?" Aya agreed with a small laugh. "Nonetheless, I want to get out of here."

"Don't we all," Gonzo agreed.

A knock on the door caught their attention and at once, all of them turned their attention to it. There was a moment of silence, then, Chris called, "Come in," and the door opened. The little girl from before stood there, partially hiding behind a taller man wearing a navy blue jacket. Chris sat up in her bed and looked at them.

"Blue-san," Jae said, slightly surprised.

"And who's this?" Gonzo asked, nodding to the little girl. Her blue hair was tied in a low ponytail at the base of her neck.

"She wanted to thank you," Blue said to Chris, "for saving her yesterday," He stepped aside and the girl stepped into the room a bit, fidgeting uncomfortably.

"Oh, right," Chris said. "You're the girl from before. I never got your name,"

"Xena," the girl said nervously. She fidgeted with her dress uncomfortably, then, she bowed. "Thank you so much for saving me yesterday," she said.

Chris smiled. "It was nothing," she said. She stood up and looked at Blue. "Hey, sorry about the whole thing. I didn't think the town would get involved in it, but it ended with miniscule damage at least,"

"That's true," Blue agreed.

"Now, I gave you an offer yesterday, and it's definitely still up for grabs. That shot gun that you always carry around, you're a marksman, right? We need one on our crew,"

Blue hesitated, looking around at the others. They looked indifferent about the situation in his opinion. Was he really willing to leave and become a criminal?

"I have a goal to accomplish," he said slowly.

"We all do," Zugai interrupted. "We've got people to find,"

"Things to do," Gonzo added.

"Places to see," Jae continued.

"Lives to save," Aya and Faith said simultaneously.

"Dreams to catch," Chris concluded. "And we made a promise before entering this backwards ocean that we'd accomplish them before we reach the end. Do you want to join that promise?"

Suddenly, Blue smiled. "Why the hell not?" he asked. He took off his sunglasses, revealing his stunningly blue eyes. "Alright, I'm in,"

Chris grinned. "Alright," she said happily. "Welcome aboard, Blue!"

"Hey, Chris," Gonzo suddenly said, looking out the window. "I think we'd better get going. I can see Marine ships approaching."

Chris frowned. "What, really?" she asked unhappily. "Man, that's a bummer… alright, guess we've gotta go, huh?"

Zugai and Jae jumped to their feet and pushed passed Blue to the door, returning to their own room to get their supplies. "Hope you're ready," Zugai said, "because you're about to jump into the life of a pirate,"

Blue rolled his eyes and put his sunglasses back on. "Of course I'm ready," he said.

"Well then let's get going! We don't want to get caught before we even start, right?" Chris asked. She helped Faith and Aya collect the bags around the room and started toward the door.

Within five minutes, the crew was out the front door of the Inn, running down the street back toward their ship with their newest addition right beside them.

* * *

**Crew Members:**

**Chris Hopkins: **16 years, Spy/Captain

**Zugai Hibiware: **18 years, First Mate/Shipwright/Blacksmith

**Gonzo:** 17 years, Cook

**Jae Axia: **17 years, Navigator

**Faith Williams:** 19 years, Doctor

**Aya Vincent: **17 years, Doctor

**Blue:** 20 years, Sniper/Gunfighter

* * *

**A/N:** Alright, so we've got our next member! Took me all day to write this… different scenarios were running through my head. But I hope you enjoyed it. They've got their new crew member now! Thanks to all users who are letting me use their characters. Now, expect some 'filler chapters' until I come up with a new arc idea, since I'm completely out of ideas right now. Don't forget to read and review (and feel free to drop me some ideas…). Bye~


	36. G10 Part 1

**Pirates!**

**Marine Base G-10**

**Investigation Time

* * *

**

It was nice to be back on the ship, sailing on the ocean away from the freezing cold winter waters of Sparrow Island, three days behind them. The Crescent Dagger Pirates had managed to out run the Marines that were beginning to gather at the island due to the abundance of pirate activity and were well on their way toward their next destination.

"So where exactly are we going again?" Chris asked Jae as she tossed the Gold Loin Jolly Roger overboard into the black night waters. She'd taken the flag from the idiot, claiming that she didn't want any of his ridiculous members on her crew. Though, she was fairly certain that the loss of their lion shaped flag was more of a disappointment to Leo then losing his Nakama would have been.

Jae made a quick glance at the map laid out in front of him, then at the Log Pose on his wrist, and after making a few calculations with his navigation instruments, he said, "A place called the Box Island…"

"Box Island…?" Chris asked. She clapped her hands together to dust them off and sat cross-legged on the floor beside Jae. She looked upside down at the island Jae indicated. Even in the dim light of the lantern, she could see right away why it was named Box Island.

It was almost a perfect square, as if it had been carved into the ocean, and in the middle was a large square bay area, and on the south side was small opening leading into the bay "It's a major Marine port," Blue suddenly said. His voice made the other two jump, at which he promptly apologized.

"How do you know that, Blue-kun?" Jae asked, looking over his shoulder.

"I've been there," Blue answered. "I was a bounty hunter, remember? I turned in some of the Pirates I caught at the base."

"Is there a town at least?" Chris asked. Blue nodded and took a seat beside Jae.

"There is," he said, "but it's very small and regularly patrolled by Marines. You should know the Marines at G-10 are ruthless and very brutal to those they capture. I've heard that their holding cells are worse then some of the places at Impel Down…"

"That's not true," Chris said bluntly. "There's no way. I've heard that Impel Down is the most brutal marine hold in the world. I highly doubt that anything could be as bad as that place"

Blue shrugged. "All the same, it would be wise to avoid this particular island,"

"We can't just do that though," Jae said. "We have to wait for the Log Pose to reset to the next location. If it really is as dangerous as you say, I think it would be best to dock somewhere desolate." He gazed at the map, his eyes scanning the geography of the island. After a moment, he pressed his finger to an area on the far side of the island, away from the entrance. "I think this might work… what do you think, Blue-kun?"

Blue looked at it for a brief moment before nodding. "That area should be safe…" he decided. "How far are we from Box Island though?"

Again, Jae lifted a divider and ruler and held it, hovering above the map. "We're about… here," he said, putting one of the points on a spot in the ocean. He matched it with a ruler, angling it toward Box Island. He glanced at the Log Pose briefly to confirm his placement, then focused again on the divider. After turning it a few times until reaching the destination, he nodded. "Judging by our speed and the wind… we're about a twenty minutes away… it should be visible within the next ten.

"I'll wake the others to get ready for the docking then," he finished. He rolled up his map and tucked his instruments under his arm and carried them away to the Navigation Room below deck, leaving Chris alone with Blue. The two sat in silence opposite each other for several moments, looking at the lantern between them.

"Hey, Blue," she said suddenly, which prompted Blue to look at her. "I have a question,"

"Ask away," he said.

"You said you have a goal to accomplish. What exactly is it?"

Blue took off his sunglasses and placed them folded on his shirt as he gazed at Chris. "I grew up in a South Blue orphanage," he began. "Don't know how I got there, or where I came from. I don't know who my parents are either. All I have to guide me is this," he lifted his right hand, where on the middle finger, a ring with the initials B.L.C. were engraved. "Always wondered who my parents were, so here I am, twenty years old and my one goal is to find them. Sort of immature, I think,"

Chris smiled slightly. "Not at all," she said.

"Sounds like me," Zugai's voice suddenly said from behind. He stepped up to the two, stopping a few yards away with his arms crossed. "Abandoned on a strange island… no idea who my family is either,"

"Kindred spirits," Chris said jokingly. She looked passed Blue to Zugai and smiled. Zugai sat down to the left of Blue, forming a triangle between them, and looked expectantly at the captain and marksman.

"So what are we doing here? Ghost stories?" he asked jokingly. "Nice camp fire, but you're missing the marshmallows,"

Chris rolled her eyes and shoved his head lightly as she rose to her feet. "We're landing on a Marine Base Island," she said. "A bit of déjà vu, huh?"

Zugai smiled and laughed a bit. "Guess it is," he said. "But this time, we're not stealing a damn map, eh? Are we gonna take a look around?"

Chris looked down at him and crossed her arms. "Of course not, it's too dangerous," she said. "We're docking away from the base and the town, waiting for the Log Pose to set, then setting off,"

Zugai looked at her in obvious disappointment. "I get you," he said, nodding. Then, he stood up, followed by Blue, and the three set off toward the sails to dock.

(--)

The pirates docked in the area specified by Jae and no more then ten minutes after, they were all back in bed, asleep. (It had been made perfectly clear that there would be no leaving the ship, as it was too dangerous, though that decision had really been made by Blue and Jae, and the others unanimously agreed).

Most of them that is. It was past two in the morning when Chris, clad in black clothing, appeared on the pristine white deck of the Howling Ivory. She looked into the darkness of the island just to the right with a mischievous grin. It was a small swim, but there was a boat they could use to get there.

"Sorry, but no amount of danger is going to keep me from an adventure," Chris decided as she quietly made her way to the side of the ship, where the rowboat was held. It was attached by a rigging which could be lowered from within. She adjusted it briefly and didn't notice the shadow coming up behind her.

Needless to say, she jumped and nearly shrieked when a hand touched her shoulder, then quickly covered her mouth. "Shh, relax, it's just me!" Zugai's voice said in a harsh whisper. Chris relaxed and when he released her, she turned to look at him.

"Don't sneak up on my like that, you idiot!" she said. Then, she smiled. "I didn't think you'd caught on earlier. You looked genuinely upset."

"Please, I've been with you longest. You're so easy to read when I know what to look for." Zugai said. He didn't carry Honehakaisha, as Chris noticed, but there was a different weapon strapped to his hip.

"What is that?" she asked, nodding to it as she stepped into the boat. Zugai followed, taking hold of the rope firmly, and answered as he and Chris began to lower into the water.

When the bottom of the rowboat hit the water, Zugai unclipped it from the rigging and took the oars. "It's a new weapon I made," he said. "I've had some spare bones for a while and couldn't figure out what to do with it. I was actually saving them for repairs, but the Howling Ivory doesn't need them often…"

"Let me see," Chris said. Zugai allowed he to take the oars and took the handle of his new weapon and unsheathed it from a bone sheath.

It was a full sized, ivory katana. Everything was made out of bone, though the handle was intricately wrapped to make the standard designs on most katana. "Wow…" Chris muttered.

"I've never tried using a katana… Arrow and Pistol were pretty good with them though. Looked like fun, and it's a lot lighter then Honehakaisha. Chris, meet Honekirite,"

"Nice…" Chris muttered. The boat rocked, then wretched to a sudden stop, nearly knocking the two overboard. "Guess we're here…" Chris muttered. After sheathing Honekirite, the two exited the boat and pulled it completely out of the water onto the cold sand. Chris looked at Zugai in the darkness and flashed a grin.

"Ready for some fun?" she asked him, holding out a hand. Zugai smirked and slapped his hand into hers.

"Naturally," he said. That said the two took off into the darkness of the forest.

(--)

Back on the ship, Blue stood on the deck, watching the other two disappear into the forest. He frowned slightly and lowered his sunglasses over his eyes. "I told them it was going to be dangerous," he muttered. He heaved a sigh and turned away. "Are they always like this?"

"A little something about those two for you to remember for the future," Gonzo said from the upper deck. Blue looked up at him and waited. "She doesn't take no for an answer. And if she's is up for it, he'll follow." He smiled slightly. "If those two boneheads aren't back by morning, then we'll go after them."

"Fair enough…" Blue said. "Goodnight, Gonzo. Enjoy your shift," That said, he disappeared into the cabin.

"Yeah, I'll do that," Gonzo said sarcastically. That said, he walked to the lower deck and disappeared into his kitchen to make himself some coffee.

* * *

**A/N:** Alright, inspiration strikes! I swear, this chapter took me forever. I was gonna do other stuff, but I think I'll save those for some super special filler chapters. I'm glad I was able to jump in to the next arc. Guess Chris and Zugai aren't as sneaky as they thought they were. On a more serious note, I hope you don't mind the creation of a new weapon, YolkaEd. I liked the idea of Zugai using a katana though… strangely enough, the image wouldn't disappear. Don't worry, Honehakaisha is still his primary weapon! Just not this time. Anyway, hope you enjoyed. Don't forget your incredible reviews.


	37. G10 Part 2

**Pirates!**

**Marine Base G-10 Part 2 **

**So Far, So Good.... Or Not

* * *

**

"How do you do that?" Zugai asked in a light whisper after he walked beside Chris on the nearly invisible path for about twenty minutes. It was difficult to see in the darkness and he was frequently running into low branches filled with leaves. Not to mention he was certain his footsteps could be heard a mile away. Chris wasn't having any problems with the movement; her movements were stealthy and quiet, the only thing that would have given her away would be the way her eyes seemed to glow in the darkness.

"Do what?" Chris asked quietly.

"You're not making a sound. It's like walking next to a cat," Zugai answered.

"I'm a thief," Chris explained. "Stealth and silence are all part of the trade. It also helps to be average height… you're abnormally tall for your age,"

"Did you ever think that you're just short?" Zugai asked indignantly. He followed Chris' gaze ahead toward a few buildings; they'd reached the town.

"So that's it, huh?" Chris muttered. "Come on, let's go see what they've got to offer," With that, she took off in a light-footed jog toward the buildings. Zugai followed after her, lightening his bones to make his stride a bit quieter (which seemed to work quite well). They slowed down uncertainly as they approached the edge of the building, leading into the street, and gingerly, Chris looked around it.

There were Marines _everywhere_. At every corner, there were at least two, not including the pairs patrolling the area. "Pretty high security for such a quiet little town…" Chris mused. "Wonder what they're guarding?"

"Maybe they're just being civilized Marines and protecting the citizens," Zugai suggested. It was always a possibility, but such high security was overkill in such a situation.

"Hey, you two!" A voice suddenly said. Chris and Zugai jumped. They'd been so focused on their conversation that they didn't notice the two Marines approach from the street. "What are you doing outside?" Chris staggered. She couldn't think of a response.

"Are we not supposed to be?" Zugai asked innocently. The second marine, the one who hadn't spoken, looked at Zugai with narrowed eyes.

"Who are you two? I've never seen you around town," he said, stepping into their little alley. His partner followed, hand on the handle of a sword at his hip.

"We're visiting," Chris said. That part wasn't really a lie… they _were_ visiting after all. "Our cousin lives right up the street. We got in a little late… they never told us about a curfew or anything,"

"Wait a second…" the first one said. "I recognize those two. Their bounties are fairly new, but they're pirates!"

The second looked at them for several moments and suddenly his eyes widened. "Crescent Dagger and Demon's Orthopedic!" he said with sudden realization. However, before he could do another thing, Zugai was behind him.

"Sorry about this but we don't want any trouble," he said. He hit the man in the back of the neck and he collapsed with a grunt. The first started to draw his sword but before he could even free it from its scabbard, Chris threw a furious punch to his face. It was messier then Zugai's method, but it worked effectively. He fell to the ground with a thud and Chris rubbed her hand.

"Jeeze, it was like punching solid stone…" Chris muttered. "He didn't look that strong though…"

"Well we can't worry about that right now," Zugai said. He heaved the marine he knocked out onto his shoulder and started back to the forest. "Let's find out what they're trying to hide…"

(--)

"What's this rank?" Chris asked as she examined the uniform she now wore. The white and blue marine jacket and navy blue pants were slightly big on her, but it wasn't that big of a deal. She'd hidden her hat within the jacket and replaced it with a white baseball cap emblazoned with the word MARINES on the front.

Zugai had a similar outfit, though his had a different rank on it. It fit him perfectly; luckily, the man was roughly his size. "I don't know, do I look like a Marine?" he asked.

Chris raised a brow at him. "I don't know, take a look at yourself and tell me," she said. Zugai glanced down at the uniform and his face reddened slightly. Chris laughed quietly.

"Oh, just shut up, ok?" Zugai snapped. "Let's just get going before…"

"You two!" they heard once again. Chris stiffened turned around. There was only one man standing before them now, but something about him radiated authority (he was a Lieutenant), and Chris and Zugia snapped to attention. The man suddenly smiled. "Relax. Your shift is up, get outta here,""

"Oh… yes sir!" Chris said. She saluted on impulse (Marines do that, don't they?) before walking passed the man.

"Hold on a second, Chief Warrant Officer," The Lieutenant said suddenly. Zugai and Chris stopped and faced him and the Lieutenant looked at Chris in confusion. "I said Chief Warrant, not Petty Officer," he told her.

"Oh, right…" Chris muttered. "Sorry," she turned away and started walking again, suddenly childishly angry. So Zugai _was_ a higher rank then she was! He must have known all along!

"Uh… yes sir?" Zugai asked uncertainly. The lieutenant stepped toward him and looked him over briefly before falling on the sword at his hip. "Where did you get that weapon?"

Zugai looked down at Honekirite. He should have hidden it or something, this was most obviously not a standard military weapon. He racked his mind for some sort of logical answer but found that none could come forth. "Is it a prototype from the base?" the lieutenant continued.

"Yeah," Zugai said a bit to quickly.

"Oh, I get it," the lieutenant said, seeming to catch on. "Code of secrecy, right. You know that doesn't apply to your commanding officer," Zugai smiled, trying to match the man's upbeat personality.

"Right. Well, if you don't mind, I'm tired. Long shift. Goodnight, sir," Zugai said. Then, he turned and jogged to catch up to Chris. She glanced at him briefly. "Phew, I thought I was caught for a minute there." He said. "So since when do Marines have a 'Code of Secrecy'?"

Chris looked over her shoulder at the Lieutenant who was now walking away. "Don't know," she said. "But that just confirms that these people are hiding something…"

The two walked in relative silence toward the enormous base at the edge of the town. The streets were quiet, not even the Marines standing guard were making a sound. It was eerie… like walking through a ghost town. Lights were off and it didn't look like there were any inhabitants in the buildings. It unsettled the two. They reached the gate leading into the base and stopped.

"Name and rank," a man standing in a tower above called down. Chris said the first name, or rather word, which came to mind.

"Pretty Officer Stone," she said.

"Chief Warrant Officer Westfall," Zugai said. Chris stiffened. Couldn't he be a _little_ more creative? She shot him a harsh glare, but he ignored her, smiling confidently.

The man in the tower wrote the names down on a clipboard and nodded. "Alright, come on in," he said. He pushed a button and the gate slowly began to rise. The two were inside before it could open halfway.

"We're in," Zugai said with a sigh as soon as they were out of earshot of the guard. "You know, we've got to be the only pirates in this era crazy enough to walk right into a marine base… twice,"

"Just goes to show you how good we are," Chris added with a confident smile. She looked around at the clean white walls of the hallway and the numerous doors surrounding. "Now, let's see what they've got to offer,"

She opened the first door she came to and stopped in her tracks. The door led into a long hallway, which was filled with cells on both sides and a single door at the end. Within the cells, she could see people, all of which shied away upon seeing the two pirates clad in Marine uniforms. Chris stepped in uncertainly.

"What… what is this place?" she asked. Zugai lightly took hold of her arm.

"I don't think we should go in there," he said. "Something doesn't feel right," As if on cue, on the left, there was a furious growl, then a roar as an animal threw itself against the bars. Zugai drew Honekirite automatically as Chris jumped in surprise and stepped away, staring at it. It was a large leopard, but there was something strange about its eyes, something knowledgeable… almost human.

Behind her, a human arm reached out and grabbed hold of the collar of her Marine coat. It pulled her against the bars. "Please… get us out of here…" it begged. Chris pulled away and turned to face it as she moved into the center of the hallway, away from any hands or claws. The human was a man, but covering his skin was fur, his face elongated slightly. It was something straight out of a horror movie.

"What the hell is that?" Zugai asked, tightening his grip on his katana. As he spoke, others came toward the front of their cages, animals and humans, all distorted. They began chorusing the first creature's words, and the animals paced and roared furiously.

"Shh, shh!" Chris said quickly. "Quiet down, you'll draw too much…" before she could finish, the door behind them, and far ahead of them, both slammed open. Marines of all ranks flooded through the doors and every gun was pointed at the two pirates between them. "Attention…" Chris finished with a sigh. Even in their disguises, this was obviously somewhere they shouldn't have been.

* * *

**A/N:** Alright… this seemed like a good place to stop. Sorry it's so short... I'm going to be honest when I tell you that I have _no_ idea where I'm going with this… I'm just writing what Chris tells me to write (hypothetically of course). Sorry for taking so long. Uhm… I guess normal message here. Make sure you review. And just for the benefit of the doubt...

**Disclaimer:** I don't own One Piece.


	38. G10 Part 3

**Pirates!**

**Marine Base G-10 Part 3**

**Untitled

* * *

**

The interrogation room was just as Chris and her friends back home had imagined it; a small… very small square room with white walls, a single table in the center, and a bright fluorescent light above. Chris and Zugai were sitting together on one side of the table with handcuffs around their wrists, staring directly at the two people opposite them.

One was a man with graying black hair and square glasses that, due to the glare of the light, hid his eyes. He looked strangely familiar to Chris, but it couldn't be possible… the man he reminded her of was dead. The second was a woman with blond hair tied in a high bun behind her head and light blue eyes. Both wore a black turtleneck and black pants beneath their white lab coats.

The girl tapped her fingers against the top of the wooden table, looking from Chris to Zugai in silence. The man just leaned back comfortably in his chair with his arms crossed. At last, Chris spoke. "I don't understand what we did wrong," she said. "We're new here, how are we supposed to know that some rooms are off limits…"

"I don't believe you," the woman said casually. "This facility is highly confidential. Only a select group of soldiers and World Government scientists are permitted to enter the base. Only a select few actually know about what goes on in here. There is no way that a new recruit would be sent without my or my partner's knowledge,"

"What about all of those Marines out there?" Zugai asked, referencing to the guards in the town.

"Completely oblivious," Eris said. "Some of them contain enhancements: strength boosts, mind boosts, but the majority have no idea what goes on in here,"

"So this is what you're going to do," the man added in. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and placing intertwining his fingers, then placing his chin upon his hands. "You're going to tell us who sent you,"

"No one sent us," Zugai said.

"You're lying," the woman stated. "Was it Admiral Garp? That annoying old bastard is always trying to figure out what's going on in here, but so far, he's been quite unsuccessful. Or maybe Vice Admiral Smoker. Commodore Tashigi?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Chris said calmly. _So some of the higher ups don't know about this. How strange…_ "We already told you, no one sent us,"

"And we already told you, you're lying," the man said.

"Who are you two anyway? If the Marine Admirals don't know what you're doing, then why are you in a Marine base?" Zugai asked.

"We weren't hired by the Marines. We were hired by the higher ups of the World Government." The woman said. "I am known only as Eris,"

"And I as Hades," the man said. "Our true names are not important. But while we're on the topic of names, I'm interested in knowing yours,"

"Our names aren't important," Chris said mockingly. She was surprised when Hades' open hand suddenly struck her across the face with such force that it knocked her out of her chair and onto the floor.

"Watch your tone, kid," Hades snarled.

Zugai rose quickly to his feet with a snarl, but stopped upon seeing a gun trained on his head in the steady hand of Eris, still sitting in her chair. "You will sit down now," she said firmly.

Zugai hesitated. A gun wasn't going to kill him, especially with his Devil Fruit power. He could easily kick Hades' ass right now. A movement to his left caught his attention and he turned his head to look at Chris, now standing. There was a red mark on the side of her face, but she ignored it as she sat. "Put the gun down," she said to the woman. "He's not going to do anything. What _can_ he do? He's in handcuffs for god's sake…" she shot Zugai a quick glance.

Zugai frowned and sat back down, staring at Hades furiously. Eris lowered the gun and placed it back into her lab coat. "Now, what are your names?"

The two remained silent. Eris leaned forward slightly, resting her arms on the table and staring at Chris and Zugai. "I'll let you know now that we have much more… persuasive methods of making our captives talk," she said. "And believe me, after a while, _everyone_ talks,"

"There's nothing to talk about," Zugai said. "You're walking to a dead end. What do you want us to tell you?"

"Do you know what that creature was?" Hades suddenly asked. Zugai looked at him venomously. "It was a modified human, injected with canine genes. We call them…"

"Chimera," Chris muttered. Suddenly, it all made sense to her. The leopard with human like eyes… the human with the hair… all those people in there… she'd seen something like that. "You're continuing Garza's work,"

Zugai looked at Chris, eyes wide. "Garza…?" he muttered. Just thinking about what that man did to those innocent people on Bubble Island still pissed him off.

Eris looked genuinely surprised at the statement. "You're familiar with Garza the Creator?" she asked.

"Ours are much more advanced then Garza's creations. Ours are much more stable. The Marines at this facility have been modified as well. Strength boosts, intelligence boosts. Simple injections can go a very long way," Hades said.

"But what's the point of it?" Chris asked. She was trying to keep her anger under control, but so far was failing. "Why?"

"Curiosity," Eris answered with a smile. "It's very nice to play God every once in a while,"

At this, Chris rose to her feet. Before she could stop herself, she jumped over the table and tackled Eris. She was at an obvious disadvantage with the handcuffs, but it wouldn't stop her from trying to strangle the woman.

"Chris, no!" Zugai shouted. He stood once again and was about to try to stop his captain when Hades stepped in front of him and gripped his neck tightly. Zugai was surprised by how much strength the shorter man had, as he was pushed against the wall faster then he could blink.

Eris had managed to gain the upper hand in a matter of seconds, pinning Chris down on her stomach, and her hands under her. Eris pressed Chris' head against the tile floor, sitting on her back to keep her down.

"Chris?" Eris asked, staring at Chris angrily. "So that's your name, eh?"

"And yours?" Hades asked Zugai, tightening his grip on the teenager's neck. Zugai tilted his head back in an attempt to open his airway. "Well, Eris, I see no problem in killing a couple of no name kids, do you?"

"None at all," Eris answered.

"You want to know who we are?" Zugai asked with difficulty. He shot a glance at Chris and put on a cocky smile. Enough playing pretend. "We're the only damn pirates stupid enough to walk into a Marine Base,"

Hades' grip loosened the slightest bit, but that was more then enough for Zugai. He hardened the bones in his arms and pulled against the handcuffs and in a matter of moments, he broke free of their lock. With one hand, he slammed an open palm into Hades' chest. The man released him as he staggered back and then fell, winded.

Eris pulled the gun from her lab coat and aimed it at Zugai as he ran for his katana. Chris took advantage of her distraction and twisted her arms, managing to ram one elbow into the woman's leg with all her strength. Eris reflexively put a hand to the spot, shifting her weight, and Chris managed to push her off and stand. Eris reached up to grab Chris' arm and pull her back down, but before she could, Chris delivered a powerful kick to the woman's ribs.

"Son of a bitch," Hades snarled. He reached into his coat and extracted his own gun, aiming it at Zugai. Chris charged at him at full speed and just before he fired the gun, she kicked his hand upward. The bullet spiraled above and embedded itself into the ceiling. She raised her cuffed hands and hammered them into the top of Hades' head. With a cry, Hades fell.

Chris spun around as Zugai reached her, Honekirite drawn upward, and in a single motion, he slashed down, right between her wrists where the handcuffs held. She moved her arms experimentally for several moments, then, quickly replaced the Marine hat with her normal black one. She extracted the Crescent Dagger and the two pirates stepped away as Hades and Eris started to stand again.

"Where did this strength come from?" Eris snarled. She was holding her ribs in pain, standing lopsided.

"Who exactly are you?" Hades continued.

Chris and Zugai looked at each other and grinned.

"Zugai Hibiware the Demon's Orthopedic," Zugai said, sheathing Honekirite and pulling off his Marine Jacket, revealing his torn up one beneath.

"Crescent Dagger Chris Hopkins," Chris added, taking off her own jacket and revealing her black clothing beneath. She raised the dagger in emphasis as she tossed the Marine jacket to the ground.

"First mate and Captain of the Crescent Dagger Pirates," Zugai continued.

"Remember it!" the two said simultaneously. Then, they turned and ran from the room.

Eris staggered toward Hades and pulled him to his feet with difficulty, then holstered her gun. Hades reached into his pocket and extracted a Baby Den Den Mushi, which he spoke into immediately. "Attention, we have a break out in the East Wing!" he said. "All forces, report! Capture those damned pirates. Alive!"

He waited for a chorus of the affirmative "Right!" before putting the shell phone back into his pocket. "Crescent Dagger and the Demon's Orthopedic…"

"Their adventure will come to an end before it can begin," Eris promised. Then, the two ran out of the interrogation room.

(--)

Chris and Zugai, now wearing their normal clothing again (having abandoned the marine attire) ran through the white hallways of the Marine Base. They couldn't hide the smiles on their faces as they maneuvered through the twists and turns of this labyrinth of a Marine base.

"Those people in the cages," Chris began, "they were from the town! The scientists at this base are using the citizens of the nearby town for their experiments. That's why there are so many Marines. That's why no one's allowed outside after dark! I think that's when they get taken!"

"This must be an experimental facility," Zugai added. "It's the only thing that makes sense. They thought my Honekirite was a prototype... They're creating human weapons, like the cyborg Pacifista,"

"Well then, if Justice can't be held in a Marine base, I guess it's time for the pirates to deliver their own justice, do you agree?" Chris asked.

"You there, stop!" They heard behind them. Zugai looked over his shoulder to see a crowd of Marines chasing after them, some holding cutlasses, others carrying nothing. Suddenly, three of them appeared in front of them, moving with lightning fast speed. One of the enhancements, perhaps.

Zugai and Chris didn't stop. Instead, they increased their speed, Zugai grabbing the handle of his katana, Chris unsheathing her Double-Sided Dagger. Chris jumped, swiping the Crescent Dagger across one's chest, then turning and stabbing the second in the leg. Neither strike was enough to kill the men, but it definitely knocked them down. Zugai slashed a the man's neck using the back of his sword, knocking the marine to the side and onto the ground. The two Pirates ran passed them without a second thought.

"This way!" Chris called to Zugai, nodding to an approaching turn. The marines chasing them continued running down the hallway, passed their hiding spot. Chris and Zugai were about to continue, hiding their laughter, when they spotted what they recognized as a Swordfish Fishman. His skin was blue, his hair black and long, his narrow eyes looking at the two like a predator watching its prey. He wore a ragged Marine coat which reminded Chris of Zugai's torn hoodie, and while he had the muscles and height of a Fishman, he was noticeably leaner then the other Fishmen they'd seen. A single Hanger sword was strapped to his hip.

Suddenly, his hand was on the Hanger's sheath, the other gripping the handle, and with a lightning fast movement, he pulled it out and pulled it to his side, both hands gripping it with the blade facing the two pirates.

"Selachi Torpedo!" he growled. He pushed the sword forward with both hands in a powerful thrust, aimed at Chris. Zugai pushed her out of the way and unsheathed Honekirite, holding it in a defensive position and blocking the strike. However, the force of the attack still knocked him back through the wall behind them.

"Zugai!" Chris shouted, eye wide. She pushed herself to her feet and turned her attention to the Fishman. "Bastard!" She growled. She slashed at him with her Double-Sided Dagger, which he blocked easily with his Hanger. He parried, knocking the Double-Sided dagger out of her hand, then, with one hand, he grabbed her shoulder and pushed her roughly to the ground.

He raised the Hanger above his head, pointed at Chris' chest below. "Selachi Harpoon!" he shouted. He forced the blade down with all of his strength and Chris barely managed to move in time. She rolled into a crouched position and grabbed her Double-Sided Dagger, then turned and faced the man.

He made to strike again, and that was when Zugai appeared. He held his Katana with one hand, the other pressed against the top of the hilt, and he pushed the blade forward at the man's abdomen. The Marine blocked with his own blade, and having failed, Zugai jumped back.

"Commodore Thorpe!" Hades and Eris suddenly exclaimed. Chris turned to face them and the two pirates stood back to back uncertainly, their weapons raised defensively. "What are you doing here, sir? We weren't expecting you for at least another week for your inspection!"

"I decided that I should stop by early, since I was in the area. Is that a problem, Doctor?" Thorpe asked conversationally. Then, his eyes narrowed. "And it's a good thing I did. Looks to me like you've got an intruder problem. Some security this base has…"

"But Admiral Garp didn't alert us about an inspection." Eris said. She was stiff, her hands clenched at her sides. "We haven't had adequate time to prepare and…"

"Admiral Garp isn't obligated to alert you about my inspections," Thorpe said. "A Marine should be ready at any moment. Expect the unexpected,"

For a moment, Chris thought that in the midst of the conversation, the marines had forgotten about Zugai and herself. "Now, I'm wondering just how a couple of pirates got into a highly confidential Marine base. And furthermore, why the Marines here haven't caught them yet,"

"Because, these two pirates have an entire crew with them!" a voice, familiar to the pirates, though not to the marines, declared. The three not facing the hallway (Zugai, Eris, and Hades), turned to look toward the voice. Gonzo appeared in the opening, his harpoon out, followed by Faith and Jae, weaponless, Aya with her whip, and Blue with his rifle.

"What are you guys doing here?" Chris asked in obvious surprise, though she couldn't hide the smile that crept across her lips.

"It's not smart to sneak out of a ship when it's not your watch," Blue said calmly. "At first, we were going to wait, but then we heard some sort of uproar all the way at the ship."

"And we couldn't just let you two have all the fun," Gonzo added. "Where's the fairness in that, eh?"

"I've gotta say, as far as Marines go, these guys are ridiculously strong! Took forever to take care of the guys blocking us in the town," Aya said.

"But at least the townsfolk were happy about it," Faith added. "I was scared that they'd be mad at us or something. After all, it seemed like the Marines were protecting the town,"

"Now that we've found them, I think it would be a good idea to get out before that Commodore remembers that we're the bad guys," Blue pointed out.

Chris frowned. Blue was definitely right… but those poor people. However, she had to think of her crew; in here, they were all at risk. She turned back to Thorpe, a suddenly determined expression on her face. "Sorry I can't show you myself, guy, but take a better look around this place," she said. "I can guarantee that you'll find more then just weapon prototypes,"

Thorpe tilted his head in confusion. What was this boy talking about. He lifted his Hanger as she started running, Zugai right behind her. "Hold it right there!" he shouted.

Gonzo and Faith easily took out the two scientists, clearing the way for Zugai and Chris, and as soon as the two were in the clear, they all followed. Blue stayed behind, facing the approaching Marine with a small smile on his face.

"So strange to be back here as the enemy rather then the ally," he mused. "I would believe what Chris says, Commodore. I'm fairly certain it has some sort of meaning," He held out a hand, pointed at the approaching Fishman. "Divine Wind Blast!" he said. From his hand, a huge gust of wind shot out, knocking Thorpe back through a wall far behind. When he was through, he turned and followed the rest of the crew toward the exit.

* * *

**A/N:** I re-wrote this damn chapter so many freakin' times… I'm just completely fed up with the entire arc! Sorry about the mediocrity, (I couldn't even come up with a title!) But this is the type of ending that comes when I go off on a whim in the midst of writers block. The arc started going off in a completely different direction then it ended up, then halfway through, changed direction again. Commodore Saber Thorpe belongs to **Shinobi-dono**. Thanks for the submission. I think I'll bring him in again later…

But until the next chapter, I hope you enjoyed this miniature arc. Let's call it a not-so-fulfilling-filler, shall we? (because nothing makes any damn sense…)


	39. Wine Island Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own One Piece... yet...

**Pirates!**

**Wine Island Part 1**

**The Seekers

* * *

**

About four days have passed since the Crescent Dagger Pirates landed and snuck into the Marine Base G-10 on Box Island, and now, the Howling Ivory was docked at a new island which Jae identified as Wine Island (Chris liked the name already). It was early in the morning, or late at night depending on how the concept is viewed, and the crew aboard the ship was asleep. All except one, the current guard, who just happened to be the ships captain. The ships very, very bored captain.

Chris sat in the Crow's Nest high above the deck of the ivory ship, leaning her back against the surrounding wall. She held her Double-Sided Dagger in her hand, twirling it absently in attempts to keep herself entertained, as well as awake. At the moment, she was failing in both.

Until, that is, she heard a soft thump come from below. She flipped the dagger into her other hand and stood, looking out on the deck. What could that sound have been? Her green eyes narrowed as she looked around the deck, searching for the source, and then she spotted it. What looked like a roll of papers was resting on the upper deck, just below her current position. She leaned slightly further out to get a better look when suddenly a pigeon flew upward, almost hitting her face.

She gasped and stepped back and the bird circled above before landing on the wall of the Crow's Nest, holding out a wing with a pouch attached expectantly. Chris raised a brow and looked at it. It nodded its beak toward the pouch, then looked back at Chris.

"What do you want?" Chris asked it. Strangely enough, she saw its expression change and it pecked its beak against the pouch, which jingled and crumpled with the sound of money.

"Oh, money?" Chris asked. She nodded in understanding and reached into her pocket, extracting a beli note. She put it into the birds pouch and when she was through, she put her hand into her jacket pocket. "There ya go, now get out of here," she said.

The pigeon cooed its thanks and then took off into the evening sky. Chris waited until it was gone before extracting her hand from her pocket and looking at the roll of beli's she taken from the pouch. "Stupid bird. You really think I'm gonna give you money?" she asked aloud. She put it back into her pocket and looked over the wall onto the deck again. "Well, I'd better check it out," she decided, placing the dagger into her mouth.

Chris jumped over the low wall and grabbed onto the thin rope ladder leading down. She held the edges, sliding down without using the footholds, and a few feet from the bottom she jumped. She bent down and picked up the papers and with the dagger, she cut the string holding it together.

It was a newspaper. Must have been some island thing, she assumed. She sat down and placed the now unrolled paper on the floor and examined the front page.

**LOCAL SCIENTISTS UNDER ARREST FOR UNETHICAL EXPERIMENTATION!**

Chris smiled at the sight. She picked up the paper to read the article, but as she did, another packet of papers fell out. She recognized the yellowed parchment as bounty posters and took hold of them. Time to see who was on the list.

The usual Blue Lightning Pirates were there, each with their own respective bounties, and Chris pushed them aside in distaste. She didn't want to see any of their faces, even in a poster. Gold Lion Leo, Sword-master Kiko, Lily Void the Vicious Mind, **Pandaman**, Buggy the Clown… she stopped.

She flipped back two pages and stared at a picture she'd seen earlier on her journey. Lily Void the Vicious Mind. The girl's blue-green eyes were looking to the left just as she remembered, and were just as empty. She stared at the picture for a few moments. She'd almost forgotten about this girl. The last poster she'd had had gotten stolen at Bubble Island and she hadn't gotten a new one. She folded the poster up and placed it into her jacket pocket, next to the money she'd stolen from the bird.

Chris turned her attention back to the posters, skimming through them again. Same old, same old. Nothing new. Chris sighed in disappointment. She was honestly hoping for something… anything. With a defeated frown, she climbed back up to the Crow's Nest and sat back down, reading the paper to keep herself awake.

(--)

The pigeon from before flew toward the top of a high mountain on the small island, wings beating furiously. At the top, standing at the edge of a cliff jutting out of the side was a large black panther. It stood stone still, like a statue. The only things making it stand out in the darkness were the glowing green eyes, the fact that it seemed to be wearing a dagger sheath around its hind leg, and the two dresses hanging in its mouth.

The pigeon landed directly in front of the jaguar and suddenly, it transformed. It was a young girl, no older then seven, with shoulder length brown hair, holding the small pouch in one hand. She put it in her mouth as she took one of the dresses from the panther; a white one, and put it on. After a brief moment, she opened the money pouch and frowned.

"Empty," she told the panther.

The panther growled slightly, green eyes narrowing, ears flattening against its head. Then, it transformed, similarly to the pigeon girl, though her human form was much taller, and older then the younger one. She was in her late twenties, early thirties, with silky, flowing black hair down to her knees and a row of bangs just above crystal clear green eyes. She took the dress out of her mouth and put it on, hers a midnight blue. She took the pouch from the younger girl and examined it. The only thing remaining was a single coin.

"Have you verified their identities?" the panther woman asked, sliding the empty pouch into the front of her shirt where it would be safe. The child nodded.

"The captain was a boy with red hair, green eyes. Just like his picture. It was Crescent Dagger Chris Hopkins," she said.

"Which means that the others are there as well," the woman said calmly. "Alert the rest of the Tribe. We're going hunting,"

The young girl nodded and transformed into a strange combination of girl and pigeon; wings and feathers growing around her arms, a beak extending, feathers forming on exposed skin, though her hair was still there. She jumped off the cliff for momentum, then swerved and disappeared into the trees behind the panther woman.

The green eyed woman gazed down at the ocean, where the ivory ship rested quietly, relaxed. "Enjoy the peace while you can, pirates," she said calmly. "Because soon, it will fade into chaos."

With that final word, she turned and walked calmly into the trees.

(--)

The sun rose slowly over the horizon in the east, illuminating the ocean and the black night sky into a glorious light morning one. Gonzo, as usual, was in the kitchen, placing the final batch of eggs onto a plate. Aya took the plate and put it on the table, mingled in with various other breakfast foods, including buttered toast, bacon, sausages, hash browns, waffles, coffee, and orange juice.

Faith was with him, placing empty plates, knives, and forks in front of the chairs, waiting to be filled by the hungry crew mates aboard the Ivory. She put down a final napkin and the two pirates stepped back to examine their work.

"Ok, it's done," Gonzo said with a smile. He took his apron off and placed it on the kitchen counter before washing his hands in the sink. "Call the others, it's time for breakfast,"

"Roger that!" Faith said with a half salute before walking toward the door.

"Hmm… so what do I make for lunch now?" Gonzo asked himself. He opened the large refrigerator and looked inside. "How about barbeque chicken. What do you think, Aya?"

"Mmm, sounds good, Gonzo," Aya answered. She took a seat in one of the chair around the table, leaning on the back so she was facing Gonzo. "You gonna make the special sauce?"

Gonzo grinned. "Naturally," he said. "I'm glad none of you are vegetarians. We wouldn't get along so well if you were,"

Aya tilted her head, a bit confused. "How come?" she asked him. Gonzo dried his hands on a towel and walked toward the table, looking at the set up satisfactorily.

"Can't stand vegetarians," he answered. "The captain of my old crew was one. Couldn't stand my barbequing,"

"What? Was he crazy? No one can cook better then you!" Aya protested.

Gonzo smiled, embarrassed. "Hey, you give me too much credit," he said. "I'm definitely sure Black Leg Sanji was a way better cook then I am, but thanks for the compliment!"

The door opened at that moment, revealing Zugai and Jae. Zugai looked like he had something in his hoodie pocket, and both of them looked strangely tired.

"Thank god, there's coffee," Zugai said as he sat down beside Aya. Jae sat opposite him, beside Gonzo, as Zugai picked up the coffee pot and poured it into his cup. He poured some for Jae as well, then drank greedily from his own.

"Thanks, Zugai-kun," Jae said, sipping his coffee lightly. He heaved a relieved sigh afterward and leaned back.

Gonzo and Aya looked at each other briefly, then at Jae and Zugai. "You guys have been spending a lot of time together for a while…" Aya pointed out, "What are you up to?"

Zugai and Jae looked at each other and smirked. "You'll see," they said simultaneously.

"After breakfast though," Jae added. Gonzo rolled his eyes at the two and started to serve his plate. Aya, Zugai, and Jae followed suit, filling their plates with the various entrées. Blue walked through the open galley door and sat down on Gonzo's other side and began to fill his own plate. He stopped, spotting the cup of orange juice with ice in it, and with a frown, picked up his fork and began scooping it out.

Zugai stopped eating and looked at him quizzically. "Uh… what are you doing?" he asked the sniper. Blue didn't look up as he responded, but continued carefully picking out the ice and placing it on a napkin.

"I don't like ice," he said. He paused briefly, considering his words, added, "Actually, hate would be a more accurate word for it," before picking out the final cube.

"Huh…" Gonzo mused. "Sorry 'bout that, I'll remember that from now on," he promised.

It was at that moment that Faith and Chris walked in. Chris yawned, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she walked across the room to the head of the table near Zugai and Jae, and Faith sat beside Aya. "Morning," Chris muttered.

"Took ya long enough," Aya said playfully, watching the two girls serve themselves food. Already, almost all of it was gone.

Jae, meanwhile, was working on piling, of all things, hot sauce, all over his food. Zugai look at _him_ now. "Ok, so what are _you_ doing? That's complete disgusting,"

Jae looked at him and placed the hot sauce bottle back on the table. "I like spicy food," Jae explained, "but I've never tried hot sauce on breakfast, so I thought I'd give it a try,"

"You forgot the orange juice," Zugai said sarcastically. Jae considered this for a moment, then, picked up the hot sauce again and moved to pour some into the drink. Chris and Zugai reached over simultaneously to stop him.

"I was kidding, you idiot!" Zugai shouted, grabbing the hot sauce.

"Don't ruin perfectly good orange juice with that!" Chris snapped, taking hold of the juice. Jae looked at the two uncertainly for a few moments before cautiously putting the hot sauce down. Chris hesitated, then gave him back his juice. Around them, Gonzo, Aya, Faith, and Blue laughed.

(--)

Breakfast was finished about an hour after beginning, every bit of food eaten (Gonzo had gotten very good and making just the right amount to satisfy everyone). The dishes were left to Chris and Blue, with Chris washing and Blue drying. Zugai and Jae cleaned off the table, and Faith, Aya, and Gonzo picked up the kitchen.

"Alright guys, listen up," Zugai suddenly said. He'd finished his chore and was now standing, a hand in his hoodie pocket. Chris and Blue looked over their shoulders at him and Gonzo, Faith, and Aya put away the remaining items before turning and approaching the table. Zugai took the object out of his pocket and placed it on the dining table.

It was a small white box, no bigger then six inches long and four inches deep. Obviously, it was made of bone. "Something I made a long time ago," Zugai explained when asked about it. "But it's not the box you need to see. It's what's inside,"

This caught the attention of the five other pirates in the room. Chris turned off the water and placed the dish she was currently washing back in the sink before taking a towel, drying her hands, and walking toward the table. She tossed the towel to Blue, who followed suit and joined her.

Zugai opened the box and reached in, extracting what looked to Chris like a silver necklace locket. On the cover of the locket were two letters, engraved within the metal, melding into each other in intricate calligraphy. C.H.

Jae held it out to Chris. "What?" she asked him.

"Yours," Jae answered. Chris hesitated, then took it. Jae reached into the box and took out six others, giving them to their respective owners based on the initials carved onto the locket.

"Oh, it's so pretty!" Aya said happily. She held it up toward the window, examining the shine in the light. "Wow, it's got my initials too! What is it?"

"They're a little something Jae and I have been working on since the incident on Inazuma Island." Zugai explained. "Open them,"

The others did as they were told, pressing the clip to release the lock, and the covers swung open on its hinges. Within, there was what looked like a compass rose, with a single needle pointing, in each locket, anywhere but North. They tilted their lockets uncertainly.

"So this is what you've been working on," Blue mused absently. "Very interesting…"

"But what are you?" Chris asked.

"We call them Seekers," Jae explained. "They work similarly to the Eternal Pose. Each Seeker is permanently attracted to the magnetic signature of another Seeker, and they won't get messed up by the strange magnetic force of the Grand Line,"

"In other words, if we get separated again, like on Inazuma, then these Seekers have us on a set path to find one another," Zugai stated.

"Chris, yours connects with Zugai's, whose connects to Gonzo's, whose is attracted to mine. Mine connects to Faith, and Faith's connects to Aya's, whose connects to Blue's. Blue, your attracts to one of the extras here in this box, so well always be able to find the ship," Jae finished.

"Woah…" Chris mused. "So this is what you've been working on! This is a great idea, guys!" She fastened her Seeker around her neck and gazed at it. Her eyes narrowed slightly, staring at the inside cover of the locket, then, she cracked a smile. On it was her Jolly Roger.

The others noticed their Jolly Roger's as well. Zugai's was a skull with a tuft of hair covering one eye, and a labrys crossing behind it. Gonzo's was a fishman's skull with a spatula and a harpoon crossing in an 'x' behind it. Jae's was a grinning skull with the four directions surrounding it. Aya's consisted of a plain skull with a medical cross behind it, as well as a snake like whip twisting around it. Faith's was a wolf's head, howling, with a cross behind it. Blue's was a skull with crosshairs behind it and a rifle crossing horizontally beneath it.

"So from now on, if we ever get separated, just follow these," Jae said. "Then, we'll always find our way back to the ship,"

"Back to Howling Ivory," Zugai added.

"Back home," Chris concluded. She grinned. "Everyone, from this day forward, you're forbidden to ever go _anywhere_ without your seeker! This'll be one of the trademarks of the Crescent Dagger Pirates!"

"Yosh!" they agreed, fastening the lockets around their necks.

"Now, you've got dishes to finish, Chris," Gonzo reminded her. Chris frowned briefly, then nodded, her usual smile on her face.

"Right, right, I know," she said. She turned back toward the sink, grabbing hold of Blue's arm as she started toward it. "Come on, Blue, you're not getting out of it," she said.

"Hey, I never ever tried to," Blue insisted, frowning. When the two began to finish their chore, the others exited the kitchen into the fresh air outside.

* * *

**A/N:** So I realized something… no one _ever_ references Pandaman! In any fanfiction I've ever read! So this poor, neglected, yet mildly important minor character has made his first fanfiction debut in **Pirates! **So I have a favor to ask the users whose characters are currently part of the Crescent Dagger Pirates (except Gonzo and Zugai). I need bounty names for your characters! Don't tell me to make it up… I'm not that creative right now… I hope you don't mind the Jolly Rogers I made up for the characters on the Seekers. I've had them in my head for a LONG time. Well, that's it. Don't forget your reviews!

**SNE121**


	40. Wine Island Part 2

**Pirates!**

**Wine Island Part 2**

**Enter the Illusionist

* * *

**

"Pirates! Pirates at the port! Everyone, inside!" Those words were repeated in various areas of the large city on Wine Island by a number of different people, teens, children, and adults alike.

Vendors and customers looked up from what they were doing with sudden fear stricken expressions for the briefest moments before scattering to hiding places. Shops were closed, windows shut and doors locked. Curtains were drawn and within moments, the once busy streets were empty.

(--)

"This place is like a ghost town," Chris complained in distaste as she looked around the empty street. "It's so big, but there's no one here. What fun is that?"

Walking beside her was Zugai, his visible brow raised inquisitively. "Well, we are pirates," he reasoned.

"I don't understand why you're so surprised, Captain." Blue added, standing beside Zugai. He held a backpack slung over his shoulder, where he had originally intended to place purchases for his guns. "Normal people hide from Pirates. It's not as if you expected to be welcomed with open arms,"

Chris crossed her arms over her chest. "Well no, but, I didn't expect them to flat out run. It's not like we're dangerous, right?"

Blue considered the statement, eyes examining the various closed windows from behind his mirror like sunglasses. "I wonder if maybe… they've had some bad experiences," he mused.

"Well, if that really is the case," Zugai began before heaving a disappointed sigh, "then it's a good thing everyone else decided to stay." Blue nodded his agreement, but Chris' frown only deepened. She stopped suddenly, arms crossed over her chest, then, she cupped her hands around her mouth.

"Hey!" she shouted. Her voice echoed off the empty street. "Anyone here!" Zugai and Blue stared at her, shocked. Did she really think that was going to get anyone's attention? There was a moment of absolute silence when the echo of Chris' voice faded.

The silence was followed by the sound of some sort of elastic releasing, then a swish through the still air. Chris leaned back a fraction and the object flew right in front of her face and embedded itself into one of the concrete walls on the side.

Chris turned her head to the left, where the object had come from, then walked in the opposite direction. The projectile was sticking out of the wall, some sort of metal from the looks of it. She grabbed it firmly in one hand and tugged it out of the concrete with a jerk of the hand.

"An arrow…" She muttered. Chris turned it in her hand, examining it from all sides. Zugai approached and she handed it to him.

"Feels like iron," he said, weighing it in one hand. "It's heavy enough for it. Whoever shot this must be pretty good for it to be able to fly like that when it's so heavy,"

Another one was shot their way and Chris and Zugai didn't even flinch. Blue lifted a hand, manipulating the wind to push the arrow off course and sent it spiraling through an alley. "It looks like someone doesn't want us here," he said calmly. He lifted his hand to his glasses and tilted them downward, gazing over the rims to examine the area.

"Get out of here, Pirates!" A woman's voice called. "You're not welcome on this island!"

Hearing those words, Blue, Chris, and Zugai looked around. Chris couldn't hold back the grin that spread across her face. "You know, lady, we're pirates. Do you think we care if we're welcome or not?" she asked.

Her question earned her a light smack to the back of the head from Zugai. Her hat nearly toppled, but she caught it in time to keep it safely on her head and looked up at Zugai angrily. "What was that for?" she asked.

"Saying stupid things like that is only going to make these people dislike us more," he said, resting his arm on Honekirite's sheath. (He'd decided, since the island looked so populated, that he wouldn't need the large Honehakaisha.)

"I don't care if you care if you're welcome or not," the voice retorted. Chris raised a brow at the slightly confusing statement and cracked a smile as she looked at the other two. It was at that moment that the voice was given a face.

A girl, no older then Chris stepped out of the shadows of a thin side street between two buildings. Her brown hair was long, stretching to her waist, and her eyes were a strange shade of green, almost perfectly matching Chris'. She wore a short, dark gray skirt and a dark red tank top and sandals. All in all, she was a pretty girl. In her hand, however, was a large black katana. "Get out of here before we make you!"

Chris looked at the girl calmly. She carried a sword… this obviously wasn't the one who'd shot at them. "Blue," she said. The marksman nodded.

"Way ahead of you, Captain," he said. From behind the blue-tinted sunglasses, Chris could see his eyes darting around, searching. He held his rifle idly over his shoulder, the finger on the trigger.

"It won't take long for my sniper to find yours," Chris said calmly to the girl. "It's not too late to think back on your plan. We're really not here to hurt anyone,"

The girl scoffed a laugh, her hand tightening on the katana. "Are you underestimating me?" she asked. "Don't think I'll be easy to beat, just because I'm a girl. I'll let you know I'm the best swordsman on this island,"

"I wouldn't doubt it," Zugai responded with a shrug. He kept a calm hand on the handle of his own katana, waiting. "Look, girl, it's like my captain said. We don't want to fight. Just passing through until the Log sets,"

Beside him, Blue tilted the rifle into position, holding it with one hand up at one of the windows. "Found her," he said calmly.

The brown haired girl tensed. "Look," Chris began. "If we _were_ going to attack, which we're not, then don't you think we would have brought our entire crew with us?" the girl's stance shifted slightly, calming. Then, she shook her head. Her defensive stance shifted to offensive, her feet pivoting beneath her.

"I'm not gonna let you psych me out! You think I'm stupid or something?" then, she charged, spinning the blade in one hand at her side. "Get out of here, you stupid pirates!"

Chris reached for her double-sided dagger, but before she could do a thing, Zugai stepped forward. He pulled Honekirite from its sheath and held it out, just as the other girl slashed with her own blade.

The two fought for the upper hand for several moments before the girl slid her own sword along the blade of Zugai's releasing it, then, shifting it's position, she slashed again, this time from the side. Zugai lifted the sword, clumsily blocking the strike.

"Stop it, would you? I'm not a swordsman, you know!" he protested. The girl managed to knock the sword out of Zugai's hands, leaving his chest wide open, and with a grin, she slashed.

Chris reflexively stepped forward, both her Double-Sided, and Crescent Dagger's out. She held them so they crossed, blocking the strike with the sword. "Hey, relax, you maniac! Are you trying to kill someone?" She lifted a foot and kicked the girl back. She staggered slightly but recovered in an instant. With a shout, she charged again. Chris waited, twisting the Crescent Dagger between her middle and ring fingers and spun the double-sided dagger in her other hand to a more convenient position.

"Charlie, what the hell are you doing?" A different voice called, this one from above. The girl, now identified as Charlie, staggered and turned, looking up to the high roof above. The three pirates followed suit, surprised.

A girl stood there, her hands on her hips. Her light hair was cut halfway down her neck with orange tips lining the edges matching the orange shirt she wore beneath a black vest. Her dark green pants were tucked into black boots, and around her left wrist there was a glint of metal, a silver bracelet by the looks of it. The girl, without a moment's hesitation, stepped off the edge.

"Hey, wait!" Chris shouted.

"Don't jump idiot!" Zugai called. Blue was about to step forward and use his powers to break her fall, but before he could, a giant, colorful balloon inflated on the ground, stopping him in his tracks. The girl bounced on the balloon once, then slid down it to the ground. It disappeared behind her as she ran to Charlie, seemingly worried, then, when she was within range, she planted a hard hit on the back of her head, suddenly furious.

"What part of 'stay hidden', don't you understand? The Tribe specifically told us all to stay in our houses!" the girl scolded. She looked around briefly. "Sophie, wherever you are, get down here _now_! The game's over!"

"Up there…" Blue muttered, nodding his head at the window above. He was holding his rifle over his shoulder again, a bit confused about everything that was going on. The girl looked at him for a brief moment, her eyes were an impossible shade of pink, but still furious. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to calm herself, then opened them again. Chris could swear on her life that they'd changed color… because now they were purple. But was that even possible?

"Sorry about them," she said. "Look, I know you're pirates, but you shouldn't be out here. Come with me," she grabbed Charlie's arm and took off down the alley again. "Sophie, you too! We've got to go before the Tribe shows up!"

Chris hesitated, looking at Zugai and Blue. A door in the building in front of them opened, revealing a young girl with short brown hair, holding a bow in one hand. She stared at the three for several moments, then ran after Charlie and the new girl.

"Should we… follow?" Zugai asked. This entire thing confused him. Chris stared at the now empty alley way for several moments.

"I think so," she said. "I want to know what's going on. And who this 'tribe' is…" She started running after them. "Come on, let's go," she called over her shoulder.

Blue looked at Zugai. "You know, I've noticed that every time you follow her, there's some sort of danger…" he mused. Zugai heaved a sigh and shook his head.

"That's my captain, for ya," he said. "A magnet for trouble." He grinned. "But you know, it makes this adventure all the more fun," then, he followed. Blue couldn't hold back the smile that spread across his lips.

"Guess so," he said. He looked around again, slightly uncomfortable. A light gust of wind sifted through his hair as he stepped forward, as if trying to push him back, and he stopped. A bad omen? He smirked and shrugged it off before following. He was never the superstitious type anyway.

(--)

"Alright, first thing's first, boys" the light haired girl said as she took a seat on the arm of a old couch. The other girl, Charlie, was sitting on the actual cushion of the couch, the younger girl Sophie beside her. They were in what seemed like the living room of an old abandoned house. The furniture was worn out, but seemed to work. Off to the right was an open kitchen with a dirty fridge and a series of pots and pans on the stove. All in all, it was a considerably messy place. "What are your names?"

Chris looked at the girl and raised a brow. She was standing in the middle of the room, gazing at the girls before her. "Don't you think you should introduce yourselves first? Who attacked whom?" she asked.

The girl rose to the challenge. "Who invited you into their home?" she asked. Chris smiled. Good point. She was starting to like this girl.

"Point taken," she said. "My name's Chris Hopkins. This is Zugai, and the one leaning on the wall there is Blue,"

"They're pirates," Charlie said in disgust.

"You know, that's not such a bad thing," Chris retorted. Charlie responded by sticking her tongue out and Chris returned the gesture, adding another one involving a certain finger. Zugai put a hand on her shoulder tightly, as if warning her, and she calmed down, stuffing her hands into her pockets and looking away from Charlie.

"So you know our names. What are yours?" he said calmly.

"My name's Ash. Ash Nogue, but everyone around here calls me Aven," she said. Chris looked at her. Were her eyes a different color again? She could have _sworn_ they were purple earlier, and now they were dark blue. "The girl with the sword is Charlotte Peyton, but we all call her Charlie, and the little one there is Sophie. There's two more; Logan and Wyatt, but they're somewhere else right now,"

"You all live here alone?" Blue asked suddenly. Aven looked at him and tensed slightly, but remained calm.

"Guess so, yeah," she said. Then, with a bit more sadness in her voice as she inclined her head, she added, "We're all orphans. Fend for ourselves, you know?"

Blue and Zugai nodded in understanding, but Chris couldn't do as much. Instead, she remained silent. She was never an orphan. Both of her parents (as far as she knew now) were still alive back in the East Blue and frankly, she couldn't imagine life without them.

"But it's not that bad," Charlie said, her voice much softer then before. "We've got each other. You don't have to be blood to be family."

That was something Chris understood. She smiled now and nodded in agreement when her two older Nakama did. Beside Charlie, Aven giggled.

"There you go again with your weird statements," she said. Now that she was looking up, her eyes were a different color; orange.

"What's with your eyes?" Chris asked suddenly, unable to contain her curiosity. "I swear, every time I look at them, they're a different color! But that's not even possible,"

"Anything's possible, Pirate," Charlie said smugly, leaning back comfortably. She crossed one leg over the other and did the same with her arms over her chest, gazing at Chris.

"You know, I didn't come to fight, but if it's a fight you want, I'll gladly provide it!" Chris snarled, stepping forward. Charlie rose from her seat and stepped toward Chris, releasing the katana from its scabbard and holding it out at the ready.

"Any time, Pirate, bring it on," Charlie answered. The two stared daggers at each other through matching green eyes, both ready to tear the other apart.

"For God's sake…" Aven muttered in annoyance. "Charlie, do you have to fight about _everything_?" She stared at the girl in aggravation. "Animal Tricks: Snake," she said. What happened next startled Chris enough to step back with a gasp.

The sword in the girl's hand suddenly started moving and eventually became a cobra. It turned and lashed at Charlie, who dropped it with a scream and stepped away. As soon as it hit the dirty wood floor, it hissed, then faded back into its solid form as a sword. Zugai and Blue were equally surprised by the occurrence and immediately, they looked from the sword to Aven.

"Did you… did you really just turn that katana into a snake?" Blue asked Aven. He'd never, in his twenty years, seen anything like it. Aven suddenly grinned.

"Illusion," she said. "Elemental Trick: Fire," she said, and in her hand, a small flame appeared, hovering inches above her open palm. The flame gave off light, but no heat. "It's the same reason my eyes change color too; they're all illusions. I ate the Illu Illu no Mi and became and Illusionist,"

"Incredible…" Chris muttered. She was about to pick up the katana, but Charlie beat her to it, snatching it of the ground and returning it to its sheath. Chris stared at her briefly, then looked at Aven. "And you can make _anything_?" she asked.

The flame disappeared from Aven's hand and she tilted her head. "Well not _anything_ per say…" Chris grinned. That didn't matter. This girl was completely awesome; she was definitely going to join her crew! She opened her mouth to make the proposal, but stopped then the door slammed open. A young boy with short black hair stood in the doorway, breathing heavily, his clothes sticking to his sweaty skin.

"Wyatt?" Charlie asked, standing at once. She bolted across the room to the boy, no older then the girl Sophie. Her smug and angry attitude was suddenly shifted into a motherly, protective tone. "What happened? Why were you running?"

The boy shrank to his knees the moment Charlie's hands took his shoulders and Charlie fell with him, kneeling in front of the shaking, tired boy. "Logan…" he said between gasps. "The Tribe caught us outside… thought we were working with the pirates…" his voice cracked and he choked slightly. He wiped his eyes, however, it was unsuccessful, as when he looked up, tears were streaming down his face. "They took Logan, Charlie!"

Then, he exploded into tears, his arms wrapping around the older girl's waist. Charlotte put her arms around him gently, holding him for several moments, then, she lifted him up and turned. She walked to the couch and set him down still crying. "Shh, it's ok," she assured him. "We'll get him back,"

"What's the Tribe?" Zugai asked. This was at least the third time he'd heard the word in the last half hour. Aven opened her mouth to respond, but Charlie beat he to it, staring angrily at the three pirates standing awkwardly in the room.

"They're a group of assassin bounty hunters," she said harshly, "that come around to get wanted pirates in the port. When they tell you to stay inside, you stay inside, because they'll kill anyone they find on the street,"

She stood, stepping away from the crying boy and standing directly in front of the taller Zugai. She stabbed a finger into his chest accusingly. "It's _your_ fault this happened! Pirates don't bring anything but misery! So get that through your thick skull and get the hell out of this city!" she shoved him back. "Get off this island!"

And then, she was out the door, her brown hair swirling behind her as she sprinted into the street. "Charlie!" Aven called after her. She cursed under her breath and stood from her spot on the arm of the couch. She ran to the door, but stopped on the threshold, turning and looking at Chris, Zugai, and Blue. "You'd better leave," she told them. "The Tribe is searching for wanted pirates, and apparently, if they've taken the first person they found on the street, you're wanted. For the better of your crew, you'd better get out of here,"

Then, she disappeared after the girl. Blue, Zugai, and Chris looked at each other, then at the children sitting on the couch. The little boy was crying into a pillow, the girl holding him with a single arm trying to comfort him silently.

"I think it's safe to assume that we aren't leaving," Zugai said matter of factly. Chris stared at the Wyatt and took a deep breath.

"Something in my conscience won't let me leave knowing that we're the reason this little boy is crying like that," she said.

"Magnet for trouble," Blue muttered under his breath. "Well, if we're going to do this, then we'd better go after them before they all get killed,"

The other two nodded. Chris glanced at Sophie and Wyatt briefly. "Stay here, ok? We'll fix what we started," Then, they ran out of the house.

In the forest, four shadows ran through the trees, heading toward the shore where the Howling Ivory was docked.

(--)

Standing on the same cliff as before was the black haired woman, holding a stack of papers in her hand. Behind her, a boy was tied to a stake in the ground, struggling against the ropes without success. "I don't work with the stupid pirates! Why are you holding me here?" he demanded. His black hair fell into his face and he blew it out of his black eyes.

She shuffled through the papers briefly and then turned, holding the stack out so the boy could see the first one. A girl he recognized was visible, smiling as usual, holding out a peace sign. Behind here, as if the picture were taken on a back drop, were strange little flowers with faces on them, illusions no doubt. The name written at the bottom clarified that the girl in this picture was in fact the girl Logan knew.

Aven the Demonic Illusionist; 60,000,000 beli.

* * *

**A/N:** Phew. Well, here it is. Ash Nogue, AKA Aven, is property of **Blu-Calling**. If you're wondering why Aven's eyes change color? Well, I thought it would be cool! (And I didn't get a solid eye color… lol) Anyway, look forward to some action, fighting, angry people, etc, etc., in the coming chapters! Until then, remember, as always, to review!


	41. Wine Island Part 3

**Pirates!**

**Wine Island Part 3**

**Bounties For All**

Aven couldn't believe how fast Charlie really was, even holding that sword of hers. She'd lost sight of her immediately, most likely due to the fact she stopped to tell those pirates to leave. Now, she was regretting that decision. Sure, Aven knew exactly where Charlie was, but what concerned her was whether or not she would make it in time.

She clenched her fists tightly as she ran at full speed down the paved street. Her eyes, normally a fluctuation of different colors, was suddenly back to her normal light green. She didn't have the time to focus on the minute things like that; all her attention was on catching Charlie. "You idiot…" she muttered under her breath.

_A younger Aven, no longer then five years old stood beside the bed in her parent's room, where her mother lay completely still, her skin pale, her eyes closed. Aven stared at the woman, her head tilted to the side. "Daddy…?" she asked the man holding her. She held her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist for support. "Daddy, what's wrong with Mommy?"_

_Her father tensed slightly and planted a light kiss on Aven's forehead. "Mommy's going to sleep for a long time, Ash," he said to her. Aven frowned and looked back at her mother. _

"_Maybe one of my animal tricks will wake her up. They always make everything better, don't they, Daddy?" Aven asked._

_She could hear her father's voice crack upon speaking the next words. "They won't help this time, hun," he said. "Not this time…"_

_At that time, Death was nothing but a whisper for Aven._

Aven slowed to a walk, then finally, a complete stop. She covered her eyes with her hands, taking a deep breath.

"_Can you read the scripture?" her father asked her. They were sitting in their basement with the ancient script of a Poneglyph written on a paper on a table. Aven, now twelve, read it fluently to her father. He smiled proudly. "That's my girl," he said._

_Suddenly, the basement door slammed open. Aven jumped and immediately, her father tipped the candle providing them with light, burning the writing. Aven gasped. "What are you doing!?" she demanded. Then, she heard the abundance of footsteps, and then upon hearing a voice, she turned. There were at least ten guns pointed in their direction, held by individual Marines._

"_Nogue, you are hereby being summoned by the World Government," the woman in the front said. All Aven could see where her brown eyes and her red-orange hair. She was looking at nothing else._

"_You can't take him!" Aven said suddenly. She stepped forward, using her illusions to make her eyes red like the dangerous demons in ancient scriptures. "He already told you he didn't want to go, so you can't force him!"_

_The woman didn't even look at Aven. Instead, she stepped forward, handcuffs raised. Aven's father clenched his fists tightly. Suddenly, Aven stepped forward._

"_I said __**no**__!" she shouted. She held out her hands, her eyes narrowing. "Elemental Tricks: Fire!" she shouted. Around the room, flames sprouted from the wooden floor of the basement. Several marines gasped in shock and retreated out the door. Even the leading woman recoiled. Aven grabbed her father's hand and tugged. "Dad, let's go!" she said. She pulled him through the flames to the second exit, leading straight to the street._

"_Stop them!" The woman shrieked. "I don't care how, just stop them!"_

_Aven closed her eyes and pressed on, dragging her father behind her. "Hurry up, Dad!" she ordered. Suddenly, a group of Marines appeared in front of them and she stopped, lifting her hands._

"_Aven, get back!" her father warned._

"_Don't worry, I'll make a shield!" she said. She focused, trying to make one, and luckily, one appeared in front of her. Yes! She smiled broadly and turned to look at her dad proudly. Then, there was the crack of a bullet, and a splash of red blood, and her father fell back onto the ground._

_Aven's content grin flipped into a horrified frown, her eyes widening. "Dad!" She shrieked. The shield didn't work! Why? She turned, kneeling beside her bleeding father desperately. "Dad, hang in there!" she said._

"_Ash, go," he gasped. He hadn't used her real name since she was five. "You've got to leave, it's too late for me." He raised a hand to the bullet wound in his stomach. "They'll come after you. You're the only other one who can read the Poneglyphs. You've got to run!" He coughed violently, spilling blood._

_Aven shook her head, tears streaming from her eyes. "I can't leave you!" she said firmly. She took her father's hand in her own, squeezing tightly. He held it for a moment, then, his eyes closed, and his hand released hers. Aven stared at him, trying to get his grip again, and when she realized it wasn't going to return, she stood._

_She staggered back, her breathing coming out in desperate gasps. This couldn't be happening. There was no way. _

_There was another gunshot, grazing her shoulder and pulling her out of her stupor. She winced and looked at the Marine holding the gun, then, turned and ran in the opposite direction, tears streaming from her eyes._

_That moment, Aven stared Death straight in the eyes._

Aven felt a light hand on her shoulder, and then the presence of two others. She felt her body shaking, fighting back the tears. "I don't know what you've gone through," the familiar voice of that red haired pirate suddenly said, "but whatever it is, it's in the past,"

Aven's hands closed as she pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes. "I can't lose anyone else…" She said suddenly. She lowered her hands and turned to look at Chris, Zugai, and Blue. "I'm sorry, I don't even know you but… I need your help. I can't bring them back alone,"

Chris smiled, adjusting the hat slightly before holding out a hand. "You don't even have to ask," she said. Aven wiped the tears out of her eyes and forced a smile.

"Thank you…" she said, taking the hand. "Thank you so much,"

(--)

"Chris-san, Zugai-kun, and Blue-kun have been gone for a while," Jae said absently. He was sitting down on the deck, watching the Log Pose for any sort of change. His gaze turned toward the Seeker around his neck, but that wouldn't help. His was set to locate Faith's, not Zugai's, or Chris's, or Blue's. He stared at it, wondering if there would be a way to reset the magnetic attraction…

"You're right," Faith agreed. She was absently tossing a ball of paper to Aya, who tossed it right back. "I thought they were going in to ask about the log and leave. I wonder what happened?"

"I'm sure they're just fine," Gonzo said with a shrug. He was laying down on the deck, relaxing in the warm sun. "Chris, Zugai, and Blue are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves. They're probably just out enjoying themselves.

Aya set down the paper ball she caught and lifted the small locket of the Seeker. She opened it and gazed at the arrow. It wasn't pointing to the town, as they'd expect, but rather to the forest, and was quickly moving further east. "Whatever's going on guys, they're definitely in a hurry," Aya said.

Gonzo opened one eye and looked at Aya. With a defeated sigh, he rose into a sitting position. "Maybe we should go find them then," he suggested. He started to rise, but before he could even raise onto a knee, something slammed into him knocking him back down.

The others rose to their feet immediately, Aya drawing her whip as Jae morphed his bracelets to cover his fist in a silver glove, and Faith shifting into her hybrid form. Before anyone could move, there were a series of small explosions in front of them and smoke rose up around the deck.

"Shit, I can't see!" Aya snarled. She looked around, trying to see through the thick smoke of the smoke bombs. She was about to speak again, check if the others were alright, but before she could a female silhouette appeared in front of her, wielding what looked like a large cutlass. It slashed down at her and she lifted her whip, holding it with both hands, and blocked.

Faith tried to find her way out of the thick smoke, but it burned her nose as she attempted to find Gonzo's scent, and she quickly changed back into her human form. "Damn it…." She muttered, covering his nose with her hand. The sensitivity definitely had its weaknesses. She tried to focus on something other then the burning pain in her nostrils, and that was when she saw the extremely tall silhouette rapidly approaching her. It looked like a male. "No you don't," she snarled. She drew back her fist and, stepping forward tor momentum, she jumped slammed it against the figure's face.

"Standing Tall!" The figure suddenly shouted. The wind from Faith's fist pushed the smoke away, revealing the man's face just as her fist collided with it. She cried out in pain; it felt like hitting steel.

"Easy does it, girly!" The man said. He had red, spiky hair with matching eyes and pale skin. Faith felt her feet connect with the deck of the ship again and gripped her own bruised fist tightly. What was this guy?

Jae looked around anxiously, searching nervously for some sort of opponent. He could hear the sound of fighting already, it was only a matter of time until his opponent appeared. "Come on out already…" he said calmly, clenching his fist.

"If you want," a different, males voice said. It sounded younger then the others, maybe his own age if not slightly younger. He appeared swiftly through the cloud of smoke, wielding a cutlass, and slashed downward on Jae. Jae lifted his metal encased hand up, literally catching the blade., and bent it with ease.

Gonzo didn't respond; the man atop him pressed a solid, strong hand against his throat, cutting off his windpipe. "Get… off me…" he snarled. He grabbed hold of the arm tightly; the man was no more then a silhouette in the smoke.

"Hello there, Cascade Gonzo," the voice said. It was extremely calm, as if he were talking to the Fishman during a walk in the park. "I hope you're ready to be turned in. Keep in mind it'll make my job much easier if you don't resist,"

"Like hell I won't," he snarled. He tightened his hold on the man's arm into a bone crushing grip and with a surprised cry, the man released him. He pushed himself to his feet and pulled his harpoon, staring through the smoke at the silhouette.

"Who the hell are you?" all four crewmembers asked simultaneously. The smoke cleared at that moment, revealing the four opponents they were facing. Gonzo's spoke first.

"Archy the Anarchist," he said with a large grin. His red hair and red eyes made him look almost like a twin of the older man before Faith, though this one was obviously much younger, and there was something about his eyes that didn't settle right with Gonzo. Hew ore a brown leather hide jacket with a fur lined collar and green army pants, as well as black boots. On his back was a brown sled bag, and in his hand, between his fingers, were four round balls. With his free hand, he reached into the pocket of his jacket and extracted a bounty poster, sowing a new picture of Gonzo in the most recent Marine Base, preparing to throw his harpoon. The bounty beneath it was no longer the 21,000,000 it used to be, but had risen to 48,000,000. "Cascade Gonzo,"

Gonzo stared at the bounty in absolute shock. It went _up_! Suddenly, a grin spread across his face and he lifted his harpoon.

Faith's opponent spoke next, identifying himself as "Sam the Geta Axe Man, thank you very much," He was extremely tall at an astounding ten feet, and very skinny with extremely long legs. His feet were covered with socks and white geta sandals, and he wore a large plaid design wool sweater with black leather pants. He extracted his poster next, showing it to Faith. She was in her human form, though it was obvious by the feral expression on her face that she'd only recently returned to that form. The number beneath her bounty name read 42,000,000 "Canis Moon Faith," Faith stared at the poster, unsure of whether to be excited or completely dumbfounded.

"Slicing Gabriela," Aya's opponent said. The girl had short hair blonde cut into the peter pan style and dark brown eyes. What Aya had mistaken as a cutlass were actually enormous blades attached to the ends of her fingers; she seemed to be wearing pair of chainmail gloves to go with them. She stepped away from the whip and delicately reached one of the clawed hands into her pocket jeans pocket, extracting Aya's poster and holding it up with one blade through the top. Aya stood, her whip out, about to lash at the opponent, and her needles ready to be thrown in her free hand. The bounty below the name was surprisingly high at 32,000,000 beli. "Needle Master Aya" Aya stared at the poster with a similar reaction at Faith's. However, she was much more ecstatic about the idea, and that was apparent in her eyes.

"Teriuz 'Copy Cat' Sykes," Jae's opponent declared, discarding the bent cutlass. He seemed slightly more bored about the whole thing, as if he had no interest in it. His skin was light brown, his hair orange and wild, with similarly colored eyes to match. He wore a black hoodie with orange trims and buttons, which remained unbuttoned, with a plain jolly roger printed on the back. Beneath the sweater was an orange shirt, complimented by baggy black shorts with orange trim around the pockets, and black sandals. Around his neck ere a pair of goggles and a necklace with a shark tooth attached. HE reached into his hoodie's pocket and pulled another poster, this one displaying Jae bending the metal blade of a marine's sword with his bare hand. The bounty beneath read 39,000,000. "Jae 'Metarionette' Axia,"

"As a Hunter of the Tribe, I will claim your bounty!" The four hunters declared simultaneously, preparing to fight. With excited glances at one another, the four Crescent Dagger's followed suit.

"No chance!" they responded in unison. Then, the fighting began.

(--)

"You've got to be extremely careful when fighting the Tribe," Aven explained, running a few paces ahead of the three pirates. "Like we said, they're a group of Assassin Bounty Hunters, and they're extremely dangerous. I hear they've got headquarters all over the Grand Line," she looked around briefly, searching for at race of an enemy. "They've got a lot of Devil Fruit Users, so watch your back!"

"Don't worry," Zugai said with a small smile. He wasn't the least bit worried, but now he found himself wishing he would have brought Honehakaisha rather then Honekirite. "We've got three Devil Fruit users here and a skilled fighter, not to mention an extraordinary crew back on the ship. We can handle whatever this 'Tribe' sends after us,"

A small smile played at the corners of Aven's lips, comforted by the words, however, she pushed it back. She wasn't going to relax until she caught up with Charlie and saved Logan. _I'll be there soon, guys_. She thought confidently to herself. However, her thoughts were cut short at the sight of Chris suddenly appearing directly beside her. She looked at the girl, jogging in pace with her and staring her with a stern, concentrating expression. It made her uncomfortable.

"What?" she asked. Chris suddenly grinned.

"I'm just picturing how awesome things are going to be when you're travelling the ocean with us," she said. The words caught Aven off guard and she staggered, nearly falling, then coming to a stop. The three pirates passed her by a few yards, then stopped and turned to face her.

Aven stared at Chris, dumbfounded. That statement was so sudden, and most definitely at the most inopportune of times. "Are you kidding?" she asked.

Chris raised a brow. "Well I wouldn't ask if I was kidding," she said matter-of-factly. Aven stared at her, searching for some sort of a joke. A glint in the eye, a twisted smile, _something_. But there was nothing there. Aven tilted her head to one side, considering the offer displayed before her. But these three were men… and the one with the rifle was at least three years older then herself. If there was anything Aven feared, it was older men. But… she couldn't just say that. These boys were helping her. She bit her lip, the fingers of her right hand toying with the bracelet around her left wrist.

"What's the matter?" Blue's voice made Aven jump in surprise and the fluctuation of her own energy caused her eyes to change color; a bright fuchsia, before returning to their normal green again. Did he read her mind or something? "You look tense all of a sudden," Blue clarified.

"Oh, no!" Aven said, shaking her head and raising her hands in defense. "It's nothing like that I just…"

"Think about it," Chris said, cutting her off. She turned away, smiling slightly, and continued forward.

"It's good for you to know that she doesn't take no for an answer," Zugai stated. Chris turned on him sharply, her eyes narrowed. Again, Aven tilted her head. She looked at Chris.

"She…?" she asked.

"You idiot! Haven't you learned to keep your mouth shut about that?" Chris snapped, shaking him roughly by the shoulders. Suddenly, she stopped and looked down with a defeated expression. She removed her hands from Zugai's shoulders and he staggered back dizzily into Blue, who held him up with an amused smile on his face. Chris turned to Aven and removed the hat, allowing her hair to fall to her shoulders. "I was going to wait until you were part of my crew; I don't tell many people, but this bonehead felt the need to blurt it out," she explained. "Yeah, I'm a girl, nice to meet you,"

Aven stared at Chris, shocked. "That's… unexpected…" she said. She suddenly felt much more comfortable around this strange little band. "What's it short for? Your name, I mean,"

"Anyway, let's keep moving," Chris said quickly. She put the hat back on, pushing her hair back in to conceal her gender yet again, and pressed forward, fuming. Aven turned to Zugai and Blue with a 'Do you know the answer?' expression.

The two shook their heads. "Not saying anything," Zugai said. "She'll murder me if I do. I'm lucky I'm still alive now," he smiled slightly in amusement. "But I can guarantee you won't have a boring day as a Crescent Dagger Pirate,"

"Take it into consideration," Blue said, "Now I think we should press on,"

Ahead of them, Chris shouted; a mixture of pain and surprise, followed by a violent shouted curse "Son of a bitch!" The three others looked at each other briefly, then they rushed forward. When they passed the bushes blocking them, they saw Chris against one of the large trees, facing it and by the looks of it, trying to pull something out. What startled the others was the line of blood sliding down the light brown bark and staining the dirt and grass below.

"Chris!" Zugai exclaimed. He started forward, but stopped as an arrow whizzed by directly in front of his face. He stepped back and pulled Honekirite from its scabbard, holding it defensively.

"Watch out!" Chris called, turning to face them. Now, they could see the arrow that had impaled her palm, pinning her against the wood; a stagnant target. "Some stupid bastard has arrows and he's damn good with them!" She hissed in a spasm of pain as she pulled the arrow out at last, opening the wound even more and dripping more blood into the small puddle at her feet.

Aven stared at the arrow in Chris' had, eyes wide. It was familiar, terrifyingly familiar. She ran toward Chris and snatched the arrow out of her hand, turning the blood stained metal to examine it closer. "No…" she muttered. "This can't be…"

Another arrow followed, but this time Chris was ready. With a snarl, she stepped forward, pulling out her Double-Sided dagger with her right hand, and slashed down on the metal just before it could hit Aven. It fell to the ground with a thud, the pointed edge buried beneath the dirt. Another arrow was shot, this one at Blue, and he easily phased out into his element; wind, to let it pass through him harmlessly. He heard, as well as felt, the impact of an explosion a few yards back, and the loud crack of a tree falling.

"This could get dangerous," he said. "We've got two different archers… two different weapons…"

"Shit…" Zugai muttered. He hardened his bones as he ran the short distance to Chris and grabbed her injured left hand, examining it briefly. The bones were split; he'd be able to fix that with some slight mending to fix that, but the rest would be up to Faith or Aya. "You need to cover it," he told her.

"I know," Chris answered. She cut off the long sleeve of her white undershirt with her dagger and after opening it to its full length, she wrapped it around her hand, tightening the not with her teeth. Already, it began to stain with red. "That bastard. Whoever it is, they're gonna pay for it!"

"There's more coming, I'm sure," Aven said. She held the metal arrow tightly in one hand. "They work in groups of four. The chances of the next two being archers are slim, so be ready for anything,"

"Got it," The three pirates said simultaneously. Chris sheathed the Double Sided Dagger and replaced it with her Crescent Dagger, wrapped comfortably around her good fist.

In the trees, both archers pulled back their bows, and two others prepared to strike with hand-held weapons. "Don't kill them," A voice ordered into what seemed to be some sort of communication device. Her words were transmitted to the four assailants instantly. "Their bounties are all fairly high, they're to valuable. Incapacitate them and bring them back alive,"

"Yes Ma'am," they all said. And then, they rushed in to attack.

(--)

Back on the cliff, the panther woman was sitting on a tree branch, filing through the three remaining bounty posters in her possession.

Divine Wind Blue was the top one, showing Blue's face with his hand held out, his blue eyes visible above the blue tinted sunglasses. He was smiling, and a breeze seemed to be ruffling his hair, despite the fact that he was within the marine base G-10. The number beneath his bounty name read 54,000,000.

She looked at the next one, Zugai the Demon's Orthopedic. In the new picture, Zugai was thrusting the blade forward at Thorpe in G-10, thought the Fishman wasn't included in the image. He looked absolutely furious, with a small trail of blood on his forehead sliding down the side of his face. The number beneath his name read 62,000,000.

The last one was Crescent Dagger Chris Hopkins; she was crouched, her Double-Sided Dagger in hand and ready to strike. He expression was one of undying hatred and incredible fury, her hair standing on end. The number beneath her name read 65,000,000.

"Yes, the entire crew is worth quite a lot," the Panther woman said to herself. She looked toward Logan and a new person tied up next to him; a girl with brown hair and eyes, looking defeated, furious, embarrassed for losing. "I hope you're happy that you're leading this group to their demise," she called.

Charlie looked up at her from her bounds, her green eyes dim, but said nothing.

**A/N:** I'm SOOOO sorry this took me forever! I had slight writers block, and I decided this is where I wanted all of the new bounties to show up, so here they are. I added Aven's past in here because it seemed to fit… I don't normally do that… huh… I've got to add everyone else's past as well. But for now, this is what you get: a nice long chapter that's hopefully satisfactory. Don't forget to review.

SNE121


	42. Wine Island Part 4

**A/N:** It's come to my attention that I've forgotten to add credit to these characters! So I'll do it here. Teriuz Sykes belongs to **Reccaofthewind**, Archy the Anarchist belongs to **Nezumimaru**, and Sam belongs to **Kisdota-The Freak Gamer.** Thanks for your submissions and I apologize for neglecting to give you credit! And I also apologize for once again taking a long time. I've been sick, studying for AP exams, not to mention doing work for the musical at school. I'm a busy person. But once summer hits next month, I'll be free as a bird! I was in kind of a bad mood when I wrote this… so I'm being kinda cruel to these characters…

**Disclaimer:** While I'm here, well why not? I don't own One Piece.

* * *

**Pirates!**

**Wine Island Part 4 **

**Battle Aboard the Howling Ivory: The Power of the Tribe!

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**

Despite the fact that each member of the Crescent Dagger Pirate crew was a good fighter, sometimes, things got extremely difficult. The group had raised their weapons and fists to defend as their opponents seemed to rush at them with their own weapons, so needless to say the crew was surprised to find that they disappeared into thin air. Gonzo, Jae, Faith, and Aya looked at each other with obvious uncertainty for several brief moments, tense, listening, waiting.

And then there was a _bang_. The sound originated from just behind Faith and she staggered forward with a surprised shout. Several others followed, exploding all around the pirates and pushing them into a tight circle in the center of the deck. They stood facing outward in different directions.

That was when Sam appeared on the upper deck, watching through the fading smoke left behind from the bombs. (Thankfully, they hadn't done too much damage to the ship other then a few cracks in the floor). He remained silent for several moments, his reddish eyes serious. Suddenly, he grinned. "I hope you don't mind sticking around for a while," he inquired. "Sandal Sellout!"

Faith made a move to jump at him, fists clenched, and was surprised when her legs were tugged and she fell forward awkwardly on her knees. She looked down at her feet. What looked like sandals made out of bone and attached to the deck of the ship were wrapped around her feet. Upon closer examination, she noticed the same sandals binding all the others.

"What the hell is this?" she demanded furiously as she managed to push herself to her feet (with some help from Aya).

"It's a little handicap," Gabriela said suddenly. She was running toward the pirates, her gloved hands drawn back and ready to slash with the long blades. "You don't _mind_, do you?"

"Get down!" Aya ordered as Gabriela swiped with the blades. At once, all four pirates dropped to their knees, Faith changing form in the process. Now in her wolf form, she was able to easily slip out of the sandals binding her and ram into Gabriela. The woman grunted in shock as she was knocked back and Faith changed back into her human form, holding down the woman's arms.

"Zoan users aren't so easy to keep down," she called up to Sam. "You should try a different tactic next time!"

Sam stared at her, his expression suddenly furious. "Outsmarted me, eh?" he asked. "You think you're so clever? Well, let's see how you stand up to this!" He jumped onto the railing, then toward Faith, thrusting his feet at her. "Equality Kick!"

"No you don't!" Aya suddenly said. Needless to say, Sam was surprised when a whip wrapped around his legs and pulled him away from Faith. He was pulled through the air, then slammed down on the deck before the whip released him.

"Jae!" she said quickly to the Navigator. Jae gave a brief nod, then knelt down and repeatedly slammed his metal encased fist into the bone. It cracked several times after each hit before at last shattering enough for him to pull free. Now, all that remained in the bounds were Aya and Gonzo.

"Go!" Gonzo shouted to Jae. "We can fight stationary, you take care of that sandal bastard!"

Jae hesitated for the slightest moment, and then nodded. "Got it!" he said, then, he rushed toward the still fallen Sam. He was cut off, however, by the boy from before, Teriuz Sykes, who threw a hard punch at Jae's face. The shot hit him directly in the jaw, knocking him off his feet and sending him flying into the railing of the ship. "I believe your opponent was me," the bounty hunter said, straightening up and flexing his hand.

Jae took a few moments to recompose himself as he slowly rose to his feet, shifting his jaw uncomfortably until it popped in a satisfactory position. "That was a good hit," he observed as he wiped a drop of blood that seeped from his cut lip. "I could have sworn you were a swordsman,"

"I am a swordsman," Teriuz said. "And a marksman, and a hand to hand fighter. I can use any style I want just by watching it," he explained. "Now, I really don't want to have to hurt you. Personally, I dislike violence, so do me a favor and just come along, will you?"

Jae looked at Teriuz for several thoughtful seconds, almost as if considering the offer. "No," he said bluntly. "As long as the others are still willing to fight, I'm not giving up either," Teriuz frowned at his answer and heaved a defeated sigh.

"So be it then," he muttered. Then, he charged at the navigator.

More bombs exploded around the two remaining pirates in the bonds, raising smoke and debris from the bone ship. Bits and pieces of the bone cut into Gonzo and Aya's skin. "Fight stationary, sure," Aya muttered in frustration, trying to pull free of the sandals. "Not a problem, if you're suicidal. This is one of those days I wish I had a Devil Fruit,"

Behind her, Gonzo laughed heartily. "Don't worry, Aya, we can do this no problem," he assured her. "A few cuts and bruises aren't gonna kill you," Aya turned her head to look at him inquisitively.

"Well if you want to speak medically then…" Gonzo rolled his eyes. This was obviously a battle he wasn't going to win.

"Just shut up and focus," he interrupted in attempts to hold off the lecture. However, the moment he spoke those words, he caught sight of a shadow rushing toward him in the smoke. Gonzo unsteadily reached for his harpoon and held it out in preparation to skewer whoever was approaching and was surprised to find that the person seemed to vanish…

That is, until he heard Aya's surprised scream just behind him. His reflexive response was to turn, which he attempted to do, resulting in him falling awkwardly at his side. He scowled at the sandals binding him in frustration. "Aya, are you alright?" He called.

"Get away from me, you creep!" Aya shouted angrily. She made an effort to pull away from the large hands holding her wrists together and as a response, the owners lifted hers high above her head, enough to lift her off the ground were she not bound by the sandals. The figure was bent over slightly to see eye to eye with the smaller girl, a malicious glint in his red eyes.

"I've always had a soft spot for women," Sam said with a snicker. "Long hair, slender frame, the dark, intense eyes of a fighter," he grinned and lifted her chin upward with his free hand. "I may just keep you for myself when this is all over,"

"20 Gallons: Prime Rib!" Gonzo suddenly shouted. There was an enormous crash; the sound of the bone sandals breaking, and then, Gonzo twisted around to face Sam and Aya. "35 Gallons: Rump Roast!" he added. He spun into a roundhouse kick, hitting Sam straight in the jaw and forcing him to release Aya. He was sent sprawling across the deck before at last crashing to a stop at the bow.

Aya fell backward when he released her, her grip tightening on the whip in her hands. "You couldn't do that _before_?" Aya asked him angrily. Gonzo shrugged with a sheepish smile.

"I forgot," he said innocently. "Sorry,"

"Well, forget it," Aya muttered. "Just get me out of these stupid things!"

"Got it, got it," Gonzo replied. He repeated his previous attack and freed Aya from the sandals. He pulled her to her feet and she dusted off her clothing before taking a deep breath.

"Perverted Son of a Bitch…" she muttered angrily, staring in the direction Sam flew. She could see the sandal man crawling to his feet.

"There's one more you know," Archy said suddenly, making his presence known once again. It was the first time he'd spoken since the battle began, and now, he was standing above them on the upper deck, holding a round object in one hand.

"He's a ranged fighter," Aya pointed out. "So am I. I'll take care of the bomber, you get the perverted sandal guy," She glanced at Gonzo for confirmation. "Sound good?"

Gonzo shrugged. "Fine with me," he answered, cracking his knuckles. "Watch your back, the bomber's fast,"

Aya nodded and the two separated toward their respective opponents.

(--)

Faith staggered back with a grunt as the large claw-like blades on Gabriela's gloved hands slashed across her back, leaving a row of four long bleeding scratches diagonally along its length. She staggered forward and fell to her knees, biting back the spasm of pain. The cuts weren't that deep; she could take them! Her acute hearing caught the sound of the knives cutting through the air and she rolled aside in time to avoid a deadly slash aimed at her neck with enough force to sever her head.

Faith maneuvered into a crouched position, satisfied with herself for a few brief moments; until of course she felt a small trickle of blood seep from a thin cut on her cheek. She put a hand to it, surprised, and examined the warm red substance on her fingers. Strange… she was certain she'd dodged it.

Gabriela laughed as she pulled her 'claws' out of the bone with a metallic swish. "You're too slow, little wolf," she said mockingly. She closed her hands halfway into a fist so that the claws crossed each other, almost like a pair of scissors. "Too slow to get away from the hunter." Faith growled and straightened, her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles were turning white, her arms shaking from the force. Her blue-gray eyes adopted a feral shimmer, though she remained firm in her human form. "Are you scared?" Gabriela asked with mock kindness before bursting into another fit of laughter.

Suddenly, she bounded forward. Her feet seemed to leave the ground and it was almost as if she was flying. Faith's eyes narrowed and she tensed in preparation to dodge or block, even counter attack. She was fastest in her animal form, but strongest in her hybrid form…

As Gabriela thrust her hand forward, Faith ducked and melted into her animal form. With a growl, she jumped forward, transforming once again straight into her hybrid form, and aimed the heel of her palm at Gabriela's chest. The woman acted quickly, dodging to the side and thrusting her free hand at Faith's stomach. Faith twisted aside, barely missing the blow, though still earning herself another streak of cuts along her side. She staggered back, gingerly putting a hand on the open wounds. In Faith's moment of weakness, Gabriela stepped toward her and thrust the knives into her right thigh.

Faith couldn't hold back the pained scream as the five blades pierced her skin and stabbed all the way through her leg. Gabriela grinned as she pulled them out, now completely covered in the pirate's blood, and watched as Faith fell to one knee, holding her injured leg as blood seeped down. She changed back into her human form to better see the wound through her torn up jeans.

"Oops, I'm sorry," Gabriela said with a small smile. She swiped her hand through the air, cleaning the blood off of the knives. "Did I hurt you?"

In response, Faith rose to her feet, struggling. The pressure on her right leg sent a spasm of pain through her, but she ignored it. At the moment, her main focus was trying to keep the world from spinning. _Come on, Faith… you've got this…_ she thought to herself. She tried to take a step forward, but found that for some reason, she couldn't. She looked down; no sandals… her body just wasn't responding due to blood loss. "No, don't do this now…" she muttered under her breath.

"What's that, little wolf?" Gabriela asked. "Having trouble moving?" she lifted a hand, the razor sharp claws glinting in the light. "Well, allow me to put you out of your misery," That said, she jumped toward Faith. The pirate's blurred eyes gave the illusion that there was more then one hunter coming toward her and she struggled to pick out the real one. She aimed for the one on the right, confident that it was the real one, and was surprised to feel her fist hit nothing except empty air.

Faith remained completely still, her fist still outstretched, leaning against Gabriela. She heard blood dripping into a growing puddle, could feel it running down her abdomen and back. She looked down to see all five blades stabbed into her abdomen, then felt her body jerk as they were pulled out. Faintly, she heard someone shouting her name. Faith struggled to remain standing as the world around her slowly began do darken and eventually succumbed to the exhaustion plaguing her.

Gabriela stepped back and swiped her hand through the air to clean off the blades, then removed the gloves as Faith collapsed into the pool of blood. "One down," she said with a grin.

(--)

"FAITH!" Aya screamed desperately as she watched the blades being pulled out of her best friend's body. She started to run toward the girl, her whip tight in her hands, but before she could even get close, a bomb exploded in front of her. The force of the explosion knocked her backward, the whip slipping from her grasp. She pushed herself to her feet and coughed, wiping a line of blood running down her forehead from a piece of the exploded object.

She looked toward Faith, unmoving in a pool of her own blood, and started forward again. The world was starting to spin; the sound of the explosion had thrown off her depth perception and she struggled to keep steady as she staggered toward her fallen friend. She could see Gabriela lifting Faith up and slinging her over a shoulder and felt a sudden burst of rage.

"Put her down, you bitch!" She shouted angrily, though it didn't sound very loud to her. She put a hand to her aching ears and upon feeling a wet sticky substance, pulled it away. Blood stained her fingers. _Shit!_

Suddenly, Archy appeared in front of her, grinning as usual. Though this time, he wore a gas mask on his face. "Ever hear of the Domino Effect?" he asked her suddenly. Aya looked at him in confusion for a few moments and then, suddenly, he stepped back. "Boom," he said.

Immediately, a bomb erupted in front of him, followed by another and another, all surrounding Aya, each setting off the next. She covered her ears with her palms desperately to prevent further damage as smoke erupted around her. Gonzo and Jae turned away from their battles to look in shock.

"Aya-san! Faith-san!" Jae shouted.

"Damn it!" Gonzo sneered. He turned back around as Sam threw a powerful kick at his head and ducked beneath it before retaliating with a punch of his own.

The smoke cleared and Aya stood in the same place, her hands still over her ears, unmoving. She was breathing heavily, bleeding from the bits of shrapnel that were shot out of the bombs. She lowered her hands slowly, trying desperately to catch her breath. For a moment she didn't move. Then, she took a deep breath, and her breathing seemed to calm before she collapsed in a crumpled heap, unconscious.

"Pfft," Archy muttered. "That was definitely too easy for my liking," he looked at her briefly, then looked around at the others. "Hey, new guy!" he called. Teriuz, after delivering a powerful punch at Jae and knocking him away, turned his orange eyes to Archy. "I don't feel like carrying her, you do it for me, yeah?"

Teriuz frowned slightly, but didn't respond. "Superior's orders, come on, we don't have all day! Grab her and let's fall out," Teriuz, without protest, walked forward and carefully lifted Aya up, holding her against his back. Archy ran toward the bow of the ship and jumped, followed shortly by Gabriela carrying Faith, then Sam, who gave himself an opening when he kicked Gonzo hard enough, and far enough, to escape.

Teriuz was the only one who remained, for the briefest of moments, watching the two pirates rise. He glanced at the unconscious Aya on his back, then turned away. Without a word, he followed the others.

"What about the other two?" Sam asked, running quickly beside Archy. The bomber shrugged absently.

"They'll come and rescue their partners and we'll get them there," he said. "They can't beat us when we've got the rest of the Tribe on our side,"

(--)

"Shit!" Gonzo snarled angrily as he pushed himself to his feet. He looked around at the damaged, bloody ship in frustration. "Jae, are you alright?" he called.

"Fine," Jae answered, rubbing his jaw unhappily. "They're definitely good… they took Aya and Faith," he walked toward Aya's whip and picked it up off the ground. The metal felt cool and natural in his hands and he placed it in one of the belt loops of his pants. His silver bracelets returned to their previous shape around his wrist and he flexed his hand experimentally.

"Yeah, I know…" Gonzo muttered. "Damn it, this place it a mess… but we'll have to worry about that later. We have to go after them,"

"Way ahead of you," Jae said, opening his Seeker and gazing at the arrow. He turned until he was facing the direction the needle pointed, then nodded. "They went this way,"

Gonzo nodded in response and started forward, placing his harpoon on his back in the process. "Well then, let's get going!" he declared. Without another word, the two jumped off the ship and took off after the Bounty Hunters.

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**A/N:** Sorry again for taking forever! I'll try to upload quicker now! Please, read and review and thank you so much for your amazing patience!


	43. Wine Island Part 5

**Pirates!**

**Wine Island Part 5**

**Battles in the Forest  


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**

All was still around Chris and her group as they stood amongst the trees in the dense forest. After the explosion of the last arrow, all assault seemed to stop, which immediately struck the group as peculiar. They moved away from each other; the last thing they wanted was to be cornered; and readied themselves for a fight.

Chris held her Crescent Dagger firmly in one hand, her injured hand limp at her side. The makeshift bandage she'd wrapped around it was already drenched, and blood was now dripping down her fingers into a small puddle beneath her. Zugai drew his sword quickly and held it in front of him with both hands, all senses alert, his bones hardened to their strongest density. Blue held his shotgun diagonally in front of him with both hands, eyes searching the trees for the enemy with a finger on the trigger.

Aven extended a hand forward, palm open and facing in front of her. "Weapon Tricks," she said calmly. "Bow!" Immediately, a large metal bow materialized, hovering in front of her hand. She took hold of it and spun it briefly before grabbing the bow string with her other hand. "Arrow," She said, and as she pulled back the string, a metal arrow, similar to the one she'd been holding moments before, materialized.

Chris stared at it and couldn't conceal her excited smile. "Hey, does it really work?" she asked with enthusiastic curiosity. Nearby, Zugai grinned as well, and even Blue cracked a smile. Aven looked at her and blinked, the serious atmosphere shifting into a much lighter one.

"Well…" before she could say another word, a round metal ball attached to a chain wrapped around the arm holding the arrow from behind and was tugged back. Aven gasped in surprise, the distraction causing her weapon to lose its solidity. Her hand phased through it before it disappeared, leaving her un-armed. She turned around quickly and tugged at the chain, trying to get it off.

"Watch out!" Chris shouted. Aven looked up in time to see a man clad in black rushing toward her, a Kama attached to the other end of the chain held firmly in one hand and drawn back to strike. He swiped down with the weapon and Aven closed her eyes, waiting for the piercing pain. Instead, however, the sound of metal clashing echoed in her ears and she opened her eyes.

Chris stood in front of her, the Crescent Dagger held up against the blade of the kama. One foot was elevated and pressed against the assailant's chest, keeping him at bay. "Sorry, I didn't know we were in Ninja country," she said. The man didn't respond, but rather jumped back. The chain unraveled itself from Aven's arm and returned, spinning into the man's free hand. "I've never seen a weapon like this before," Chris admitted. "What the hell is it?"

"It's a _Kusarigama_," Blue said suddenly. His rifle was aimed at the man with the spinning weapon, finger hovering over the trigger. "Wielders of this weapon use the chain to bind or incapacitate their enemies, then strike with the sharp sickle at the opposite end,"

Chris tilted her head upon hearing the explanation. "Sounds like too much work for my liking," She muttered. Then, she grinned. "Well, you're in way over your head! There's no way a ninja can beat a pirate!"

"Don't get too cocky, pirate," a familiar female's voice said. Behind the group, the ninja fell to his knees, his head bowed low to the ground, and a second person clad in similar clothing followed suit directly next to him. Aven froze on the spot as the three pirates turned calmly in the direction of the speaker. The illusionist closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It's not her. It can't be her. Slowly, she turned to face the girl who'd spoken and opened her eyes. They widened instantly.

Standing near a tree was a girl with shoulder length brown hair, a bow aimed carefully in Aven's direction with an iron arrow loaded on the string. "Sophie…" Aven muttered, surprised. A moment later, a black haired boy, about the same age as Sophie stepped out, holding a different bow in his hands. The arrow loaded into this weapon had a red tip, and in the quiver on his back, there were multiple others, tipped with different colors. "You too, Wyatt?"

"Wait a second, I'm confused," Zugai said suddenly. "What the hell is going on here? Aren't these two your Nakama?" he nodded toward Sophie and Wyatt, who didn't so much as glance in his direction.

"I… what…" Aven tried. She stopped when her words didn't work, closed her eyes and bit her lip. Focus. Relax. She opened her eyes. "What's going on here, guys?" she asked. She took a step forward and immediately, the two released their arrows. Were it not for the quick gust of wind Blue sent in her direction, they would have impaled her. Wyatt's arrow exploded upon coming in contact with a solid surface nearby.

"I know you're not that stupid, big sis," Sophie said calmly. She loaded another arrow with such a natural fluid motion that Chris would have missed it if she would have so much as blinked. The boy did the same, though he was much more clumsy. Chris turned her attention to Aven, who was standing stock still with a confused, hurt look on her face.

"You've had a bounty since you came to this island, big sis," Wyatt said calmly. "Sophie and I, being a part of the Tribe, well we had to get you eventually," he frowned slightly. "After a while, we didn't want to, but with the Crescent Dagger Pirates here as well, we may as well kill two birds with one stone,"

Beside him, Sophie coughed indignantly and he muttered a light, "No offense," in her direction. Aven found herself unable to speak. "So you and Sophie… and Logan and Charlie too?"

Another arrow shot by, though this one managed to leave a thin cut on the side of Aven's cheek. "Enough talk," Sophie said. She held the bow loosely in one hand now, her free hand opening and closing as the muscles within began to shift. Before their eyes, she transformed into a strange looking, pigeon-human hybrid. Feathers appeared on her bare skin and her dress stretched to accommodate her new form.

"Chris," Aven said suddenly. "Zugai, Blue, I need you to do me a favor," at once, the three pirates looked at Aven briefly. "Go on ahead, please? Find Charlie and Logan. I'll take care of these two," Chris turned in place to look at her, her green eyes narrowed slightly.

"We're not leaving you alone with psycho ninja and two archers," she said indignantly. "Blue,"

"Roger that, Captain," Blue said. He walked forward and stood beside Aven, facing the two still bowing ninja.

"Alright then, with that done, Zugai, let's go get Charlie," Chris added. Without a word, she started running. Zugai followed beside her, a hand on his sword.

"Where do you think you're going? Jiro, Kaisa!" Sophie called to the two ninja. The jumped to their feet and with lightning speed, bounded toward the two running pirates.

"Animal Tricks," Aven began, lifting her hands. "Bats!" There was a sudden screeching sound and an enormous group of bats flew down from the trees on the ninja's, stopping them in their tracks. The one from before, Jiro, swung the weight of his Kusarigama and each hit destroyed a bat, while the second, Kaisa, swiped with small kunai knives.

"I've got to do everything myself," Sophie snarled. She took a running start after the pirates, then flapped her large wings to get into the air. She flew in a circle, then, dove down toward Chris and Zugai. "You're not going to escape!" she warned.

That was when she felt something collide with her side; what felt like a large rock, and it knocked her off course slightly. She struggled to remain airborn for a few seconds before the thing that hit her suddenly exploded.

With a shout, she fell, crashing to the ground with a loud thump. "Sophie!" Wyatt yelled. He turned furiously toward the culprit, Blue, who stood with his rifle extended. "You jerk, you'll pay for doing that!" He loaded his bow and fired a red tipped arrow in Blue's direction.

Blue didn't even look at the oncoming arrow, but rather faded away into his element and disappeared, gun and all. Wyatt's eyes narrowed suspiciously and he reloaded his bow with another arrow, this one with a blue tip. He looked around intently. "Sophie!" he called.

"I'm fine…" Sophie answered. She was rising to her feet, back in her human form and holding her side tightly. "I'm not an officer for nothing. I'll take more then just that to get me down,"

(--)

"Tricks: Vines!" Aven called, holding her hands out toward the Ninja. They were subordinates, they'd be relatively easy to defeat, as opposed to Sophie and Wyatt ,who Aven knew were skilled fighters. She'd be best off getting rid of the soldiers before tackling the leaders. From beneath the oncoming ninja, vines appeared, tripping them and sending them sprawling to the ground.

"Wind Wings," Blue's voice suddenly said. He materialized beside the ninja, lifting them up with a light gust of wind and knocking them together against a tree. "I think one of your illusions should be able to finish things off, Aven," he told her.

Aven nodded in determination and held out her hands toward the ninja, who were struggling to push away from the tree. The gust of wind holding them there kept them at bay. "Weapon Tricks: Giant Hammer!" Aven shouted.

In her extended hand, an enormous hammer appeared with the words '5 Ton' written on the metal head. She took hold of the heavy object with both hands and swung it at the two Ninja. "Take this!" she yelled. The hammer slammed into the two, sending them through the trunk of the tree and flying into the midst of the forest. The hammer faded as the tree slowly began to fall.

Blue looked at her and raised a brow. "Nice," he complimented with a small smile. Aven rubbed the back of her head slightly with an embarrassed smile.

"Ehehe, thanks," She said. And then, suddenly, she collapsed, falling forward onto the dirt ground. Blue's eyes widened in surprise and he jumped over the fallen tree toward her.

"Hey, you ok?" he asked her, kneeling and shaking her shoulder. He rolled her onto her back and was surprised to see her smiling, breathing softly, even snoring lightly. He froze on the spot and stared. "You're not… sleeping are you?" he asked uncertainly. He started shaking her again. "Hey, bad time, wake up, kid!"

A light prick on the side of his neck made him hiss in sudden pain and he lifted a hand to it. A sharp, metal object was lodged into his neck and carefully, he pulled it out: a needle, similar to the ones Aya used. But something was different… he stared at the needle for several moment and his eyes widened.

Dripping from the end was a clear liquid. "What the hell…?" he asked himself uncertainly. Then it hit him. Poison. He stood up and held out his rifle, his sharp eyes looking around carefully.

From his right, as well as his left, the two ninja's reappeared, and coming from his front and rear were Wyatt and Sophie. His eyes narrowed and he tightened his grip on his rifle. It wouldn't do him any good with four different targets.

Instead he slung the rifle over his shoulder using the shoulder strap and spun in place for a few seconds until a light cyclone formed. "Thousand Piercing Devil!" he shouted. The cyclone picked up dirt and rocks and twigs from the ground, becoming a dust devil, and released the objects to the opponents. Blue crouched down over Aven to protect her from the potentially dangerous attack.

The two ninja were knocked down by large rocks that slammed into the sides of their heads and twigs that cut into their bodies, but Sophie and Wyatt continued forward, bows loaded.

Blue tried to focus on his next attack, but found that he couldn't. He was starting to get tired now, dizzy. "Damn it… Aven, come on!" he snarled angrily. "Of all the stupid moments, wake up!"

"Ready!" Sophie and Wyatt called simultaneously. "They pulled back the strings, preparing the strike. It was at that moment that Aven opened her eyes. "Explosion!"

Blue did the first thing he could think of. He grabbed hold of Aven's arm and hauled her to her feet, then, using all of his strength, he threw her. He managed to move in time to avoid the two arrows, which crashed into each other and exploded. The force of the blast knocked Blue forward, spinning into a large tree before he collapsed to his knees.

There was a small stream of blood flowing down the side of his face from his forehead and the blast had left him burns on his arms. His breathing was heavy as he struggled dizzily to his feet. Sophie and Wyatt stood several yards away, arrows loaded and ready.

"You look tired," Wyatt called with a small smile. "Guess the poison's starting to catch up with you,"

"Don't worry, it won't kill you," Sophie added. "It's just a sedative. But if you fight it too much, it might leave you with some nasty side effects. You're best off just giving up,"

Blue scowled at the two children. _They've got a point… if it weren't for the poison, they'd already be down for the count, but I've got a handicap._ He loaded his rifle with a large bullet and aimed it at the two. _I got careless…_

"Blue!" Aven called suddenly. She was quite a distance away from when she'd been thrown and was staring at Blue nervously. Blue glanced at her briefly, his expression serious.

"Get going!" he called. "Don't worry about me, I'll only slow you down. Catch up with Chris and Zugai!" _We've underestimated these guys._

"But— "

"We'll end up in the same place, now GO!" Blue ordered. Then, he pulled the trigger. The enormous bullet shot out, but rather then firing toward the two bounty hunters, it exploded in an enormous flash of light. Aven had to cover her eyes against the intense light and hesitantly, she stepped back.

"Illusion Tricks: Chameleon!" Aven said. As she turned away, her body seemed to change color to match with her surroundings. The only evidence that she was even there was the rustle of leaves as she ran.

Wyatt and Sophie opened their eyes as the bright light faded and stared at Blue, now lying facedown on the ground. Sophie stepped forward cautiously and nudged him onto his back with a foot.

Blue's eyes were closed peacefully, his breathing heavy from the fatigue of fighting the sedative, but none the less, he was out. She nodded toward Wyatt, who stepped forward, placing the bow in his mouth and suddenly changing shape. His hands became paws, black fur growing on his visible skin, and he increased in size into a Black Bear- Human Hybrid. He grabbed Blue and slung him over his shoulder, then picked up the rifle.

"The others got away," Wyatt said through the bow in his mouth.

"It's fine," Sopie answered. She changed into her animal form, the small pigeon, and flew up onto Wyatt's back. "They're going straight toward Alexa, and I'm certain that the others are on their way also," She looked at the unconscious Blue. "How these Pirates got their bounties, I'll never know. This one was supposed to be the oldest and we beat him without difficulty."

"That's because we're the Tribe," Wyatt explained calmly. Sophie nodded.

"I'll go report to Alexa. I'll meet you at base," she said. Then, she jumped off Wyatt's shoulder and flew off. Wyatt watched her for a few moments before looking at Blue with a small frown.

"Sorry about this, mister," he said to the unconscious pirate as he started forward.

(--)

Zugai and Chris ran quickly up the hill toward the cliff side above. Neither had spoken a word to each other during their track, but merely ran as fast as they could. Zugai grabbed hold of the Seeker around his neck and opened it, gazing at the ever moving arrow, then stopped. Chris stopped several paces ahead of him and looked back. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Gonzo…" Zugai muttered, turning to look in the direction they'd just come. "He's coming this way… something must have happened,"

"You think they got the others?" Chris asked Zugai uncertainly.

"I don't see any other reason for him to be coming if they didn't," Zugai answered. He looked ahead. They still had a while to go.

"Then let's get moving," Chris said, trying to remain calm. She was only able to take a single step when she felt him grab her hand and pull her back. "What are you…" she stopped as a wave of nausea washed over her and she found herself struggling to remain standing, "…doing?"

"Relax," Zugai said, pulling her onto his back securely. "I lightened your bones to make you lighter, we'll move faster like this," he explained. "You feeling ok?"

"Honestly, no," Chris answered.

"It's alright, nausea is a side effect if you're not used to it,"

"You're not lightening your own bones too, are you?" Chris asked uncertainly. Zugai looked at her over his shoulder and flashed her an innocent smile. Chris' eyes widened. "Ok, this is dangerous! What if you crash into something?" She asked.

"Are you scared?" Zugai asked her. Chris straightened up and shook her head indignantly, though she wished she hadn't afterward, as the world began spinning.

"Of course I'm not!" Chris answered. "I'm not afraid of anything! I'm concerned about the well being of my first mate is all,"

"Yeah, yeah," Zugai said, rolling his eyes. "Just hold on tight," and then, with impossible speed, he ran forward. Chris reflexively wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on as tight as she could to avoid falling. It was fun, without a doubt, but the nausea was overcoming her enjoyment. Zugai, meanwhile, couldn't hold back his grin.

(--)

"There was recently a fight here," Jae said, stopping beside a knocked down tree. He examined the trunk briefly, then looked around.

"I can smell the blood…" Gonzo said with a frown. He walked toward the two dead ninja, bleeding from large gashes in the sides of their heads, and frowned. "I'm not sure who won and who didn't, but some of the blood smells familiar…"

"Well, whatever it was, we're too late," Jae said unhappily. He stared forward again. "We've got to move on, Gonzo-kun. Whoever is still standing may need our help." He frowned and stopped. "It's easy to misjudge your mortality when you're with Chris, isn't it?" Jae asked. "She's so fearless, jumping in to the most dangerous situations, and we follow and always make it out," Gonzo glanced at Jae curiously and Jae looked at him, clenching his fists at his sides. "I'm not too confident that we'll make it out of this one, Gonzo-kun,"

Gonzo smiled softly and walked toward Jae. "Don't say such stupid things," he said, crossing his arms. "We're the Crescent Dagger Pirates. Our journey has just began and we have too much to accomplish to be knocked out of the game this early. If Chris heard you doubting your own strength, your Nakama, she'd kill you herself.

"The game is never over until every one of us is dead, and I'll be damned if I let that happen, so snap out of it, you hear me?"

Jae managed a smile, confident now, and nodded. "Good," Gonzo said. "Now, let's keep moving!" that said, he charged forward.

"Yosh!" Jae answered, following after him.

* * *

**A/N:** Phew, there it is. So I've got an idea planned out for the next arc, but it may be a little weird and I probably won't do it until I get the idea developed further. This arc is almost over, I think unless the characters decide to twist my mind up on me and make it longer then they originally planned… This chapter changed around a LOT… Well, I guess I'll tell you not to forget to review! See ya (hopefully) soon!

SNE121


	44. Wine Island Part 6

**A/N:** Chapter written to various Linkin Park songs... just thought I'd put that out there. Read and Review :]

* * *

**Pirates!**

**Wine Island Part 6**

**The Hunters and the Hunted**

* * *

The panther woman stood at the cliff side as usual, her black hair flowing slightly in the light breeze that blew past her face. Her green eyes stared down at the forest below, listening to the sound of the wind. She heard disturbance in the air; the sound of wings, and waited patiently as the pigeon made its way to the top, then, in mid air, transformed into the young form of Sophie and landed gracefully at the edge on her feet.

Sophie bowed low for the briefest of moments before standing straight and beginning. "We've captured one of the four pirates in the forest, Alexa," she said calmly. Crescent Dagger and the Demon's Orthopedic escaped, as did Aven, but we did manage to get their marksman."

Alexa's jaw clenched slightly in frustration, but she nodded. "And do you know the locations of the others?" she asked.

A nod. "They're on their way up as we speak," Sophie explained. "The Captain and First Mate are traveling together, as for Aven, I don't expect her to arrive for a while, but she's using one of her illusions to mask herself. What about Gabriela's group?"

For a moment, Alexa made no motion to indicate that she was even paying attention. Then, she spoke. "Gabriela's group failed, just like yours did," she said calmly. "However, she did manage to capture the two doctors, one of which is in critical but stable condition but if she's watched, she'll survive. I want you to make sure that one stays alive. Our reward will be cut in third if she dies and if that happens, then none of you will get a portion.

"Now, with the capture of the marksman, that makes three of their members. We've almost cut their numbers in half," Behind her, Sophie watched as the others emerged: Gabriela, Sam, Archy, and Teriuz. Shortly after, Wyatt appeared, in his human form, Blue missing from his shoulder. Alexa smiled. "And when they arrive, they'll be completely outnumbered. The bounties are as good as ours,"

(--)

Charlie wasn't sure what to make of it all. She was tied to the post with Logan behind her, both of them safe and unharmed save for a few scrapes and bruises, and around here, there were three others in far worse condition. Two of them, one of them a dark skinned man and the other a green haired girl. Both were burned, bruised, with dried blood on their faces and clothes and arms. They weren't moving, but were breathing heavily. They were bound to separate posts in the ground (there were nine posts, not including the one she and Logan were tied to), and looked like they weren't going to last much longer.

But the one in the worst condition was the brown haired girl on a blanket spread out on the floor. Her hands were tied in front of her, covering the huge amount of bandages wrapped around her abdomen, and she was the most still of them all. The only reason Charlie could tell she was still alive was because of the small rise and fall of her chest. Were all of these people pirates?

"These bastards are going to pay," Logan said behind her. His voice startled her, snapping her out of her thoughts. She turned her head slightly. She could feel him trying to wriggle out of the ropes binding the two together and frowned.

"There's nothing we can do," Charlie stated. She looked toward her sword, leaning against a tree a few yards away. Logan's bow staff was there as well, both lying harmlessly out of their reach. "As much as I'd like to get loose and kick their asses, we can't," she clenched her fists beside her, closing her eyes tightly to hold back the frustrated tears that threatened to escape. "We're stuck here and there's nothing we can do…"

"You can say please," an annoyingly familiar male's voice said. Charlie lifted her head and looked to her left. The pirate from before, Zugai, was standing there, letting the red haired boy, Chris, off his back.

Chris grabbed hold of Zugai's arm to keep from falling over, taking several deep breaths to push back the vomit that rose in her throat. He placed a hand on her wrist and Chris could feel herself returning to normal and the nausea fading. "Thanks…" she muttered with light sarcasm as she released his arm and stood on her own.

When Zugai didn't comment back, she looked up at him. His visible blue eye was wide, staring straight forward, and after a moment, Chris followed his gaze. Her eyes went wide. She stepped forward slowly, carefully. She stopped suddenly, closed her eyes and counted to ten. When she opened them, the scene would be gone. She took a breath and opened her eyes.

Everything was still there. Her breath caught in her throat and without a moment's hesitation, she ran forward. "Guys!" she shouted. Zugai followed.

Chris stopped first at Aya, lightly taking the girl's face in her hands and lifting it to look at it. "Aya… Aya, wake up!" she said quickly. When she didn't get a response, she turned to Blue, examining him. "Blue, hey! Come on, wake up! Come on!"

"Chris!" Zugai called from behind her. Chris hesitated, almost afraid to turn around. However, she did. Zugai was kneeling on the ground beside Faith, a hand on the bandages wrapped around her stomach. Chris stepped forward and knelt down, hands hovering over the girl, afraid to touch her. Zugai placed his ear against her chest and heaved a relieved sigh.

"She's alive," he assured her. Chris lowered her hands and sighed. That small bit of information was enough to make her content for now. She stood and walked to Charlie and Logan, unsheathing her Crescent Dagger from her hat and cutting through the ropes holding them, then turned away and drew her Double-Sided Dagger.

"Get your weapons," she told them through the Crescent Dagger in her mouth. "Get ready to fight," As she turned away, she untied the bandage wrapped around her left hand a bit, then placed the Double-Sided dagger within it. Then, she tied the bandage again and closed her hand into a fist around the weapon, wincing slightly. She placed her Crescent Dagger in her free hand in the primary hold, the blade wrapping around her fist.

Charlie walked toward her sword and placed it in the loop on her belt where it belonged. The weight of the black Kurohisaki was comforting on her right hip. She turned to face Chris, standing tall, her hand on the sword. "Who says we're going to help you?" she asked indignantly. If there was one thing she hated, it was taking orders, especially from a pirate.

Chris stopped walking, all of the muscles in her body were stiff, and she turned her head to look at Charlie. Her own green eyes stared into the matching eyes of the swordsman and then two held that that for a few moments.

"This isn't about helping me," Chris said firmly, turning to face Charlie. "This isn't about me being a pirate. This is about kicking this Tribe's ass for doing this to my family." She gestured to the three unconscious pirates. "You don't want to help me, fine. But keep in mind that Aven is in trouble too,"

This made Charlie stagger. She loosened her grip on her sword and shot a glance at Logan uncertainly. He was holding his bo staff loosely in one hand. "Guess that got your attention then," Chris muttered. "Good, then get ready. This might get dangerous if it's just the four of us right now. Reinforcements are on their way. Zugai, help me untie them,"

Zugai, upon being summoned, walked toward Blue and pulled out Honekirite. With a carefully calculated swipe, he cut the bonds and Blue started falling forward. Chris caught him carefully and gently lowered him to the ground onto his back. They repeated the process with Aya, then cut Faith's bonds.

"Hang in there, guys," Chris said, standing beside her three crew members. "We'll take care of these assholes and get you back home to the Howling Ivory,"

"I'm sorry to say that we can't allow that," a female's voice said. Chris looked up to see Charlie unsheathing her sword, Logan raising his bo staff, and a group of people emerging from all sides. Two of them, Chris recognized as Wyatt and Sophie, but the other five were new faces to her. She lifted her daggers, and she could hear Zugai unsheathe his sword beside her.

There were four of them and seven of the enemy. They could all take one, she and Zugai could probably take two each, but that left one more person. Chris stared at each one in turn. Two of them had red hair, one of which looked much more wild and much younger then the other. Two of them were girls, one with short blond hair and the other with extremely long, knee length black hair. The other unfamiliar one had light brown skin with wild orange hair and eyes to match. Sophie and Wyatt stood amongst the group. They were all positioned in a large circle around Chris, Zugai, Logan, and Charlie.

"What do you mean you can't allow it?" Chris asked. "I don't recall ever asking for permission,"

The black haired woman smiled slightly and drew the long sword holstered at her hip. "You should really learn to respect your superiors," she said. "You can't take these three because if you do, we'll skip out on their bounty,"

Chris tightened her grip on her knife with a scowl. "You're the ones who did this to them, then," she stated. The black haired woman's smile widened.

"That's exactly right," she answered. "And you and your remaining members are next," With speed that surprised Charlie and Logan, Chris charged toward the woman and slashed at her throat with the Double-Sided dagger. With matching speed, the woman lifted her sword, stopping the dagger with ease mere inches away from her neck.

"Now now, no need to be so violent," she said calmly. Her eyes darted to the left where the blond girl, Gabriela, stood. The woman grinned and in a flash, she had on her gloves and charged toward Chris.

Chris' eyes narrowed and she stepped away from the leader to face Gabriela. The blades on the gloves were too large for her to defend with just her small knives, so she dove to the side quickly to avoid the thrust of the girl's hand directed at her chest.

"Oops, I missed," Gabriela said with a disappointed frown. She straightened up and looked at Chris. "You know, you should never attack Leader Alexa. It's just asking to die, and really, I'm not supposed to kill you," she charged at Chris again, hitting her across the face with the back of her hand and knocking her to the ground, then stabbing the blades into the ground around her, just barely missing Chris' body. "But sometimes, I just can't control myself," She raised her free hand, blades together to form a single tip, and started to thrust it down to Chris' chest once again.

Zugai stepped in at that moment, throwing a furious kick to the woman's head that was hard enough to knock her off of Chris and send her flying. "Hey, hey, that was dangerous," Zugai said with a strangely calm voice. Chris pushed herself to her feet. She was being clumsy, what was wrong with her? She looked at Zugai. He was staring at the rising Gabriela with a look of pure hatred. "You almost killed my Captain there,"

Gabriela laughed and wiped a bit of blood from her forehead. "Oops, I'm sorry," she said sarcastically. "I suppose you'd like to go first?" She held her palm upward, the blades attached to her fingers stretching into the air. Zugai lifted his own single sword.

"I've got no intentions of being captured," he assured her. "Or dying for that matter," Gabriela's grin widened.

"Well, that's not your decision!" she explained, then she ran at Zugai. The orange haired boy, Teriuz followed her and Chris ran forward to meet him, swiping with the dagger. He twisted aside, avoiding the majority of the intended damage but still earning himself a cut on the side of his face. He reacted be reeling his elbow at the side of Chris' face. The pirate ducked beneath the blow and rammed into Teriuz's stomach, sending both of them sprawling on the ground.

"Time to act!" Sophie decided. She changed into her hybrid form and ran at Zugai and Gabriela. Before she could get too far, however, Logan slammed the bo staff into her chest hard enough to send her flying back.

"Sophie!" Wyatt called desperately. He ran toward the girl and helped her to her feet, then looked at Logan. "You asshole, you'll hurt her!"

"Both of you, huh?" Logan asked calmly, spinning the staff in one hand. "I'm not surprised about Sophie. There was always something strange about her, but when did you join, Wyatt?" Wyatt tensed and raised his bow, loading an arrow quickly and aiming at Logan. He was shaking now, hesitant, afraid. "Don't think you can use those against me, I'm the one who helped you develop them. I remember how much you were begging for some sort of weapon so you could train to be strong," a sad smile crossed Logan's lips. "Remember that, kid?"

"Be quiet," Wyatt demanded. He pulled the arrow back further, preparing to release it.

"You just wouldn't be quiet about it, so finally, I made you the arrows. We stole the bow from a store down the street,"

"I said to be quiet!" Wyatt shouted. He released the arrow and it flew swiftly through the air toward Logan. The older boy turned aside and with a spin of his staff, knocked the arrow into the ground. He stared at Wyatt in surprise for the briefest of moments, then sighed.

"I'm sorry it's come to this, kid," he said sadly. Then, he charged.

(--)

Sophie recovered quickly and stared angrily at the approaching Logan. She didn't need her arrow; she had her power as a Zoan user. She ran at Logan, prepared to take the boy out, and was surprised when the world around her suddenly started spinning. She staggered to a stop, holding her head with closed eyes, trying to regain her balance. When she felt comfortable, she opened her eyes and was surprised to find smiling, dancing flowers circling her and laughing and singing.

And then, the flowers distorted, raising off of the ground and flying in circles around her. A dense fog clouded her vision, allowing her to see only the silhouettes of the newly formed objects. She realized with a sinking dread that the creatures swimming around her were sharks.

When one of them dove at her, she threw herself to the ground, changing back to her normal human form and covering her head with her hands. "Stop, stop, stop!" she begged.

"Stop?" the familiar voice of Aven asked. Sophie looked up gingerly and spotted Aven a few feet away, her arms resting loosely at her sides. Her eyes, however, were their usual green, as she was focusing all of her energy on this particular illusion. "After what you did to my friends… after you tricked me, you expect me to stop?" her eyes narrowed and the sharks all spun and swam to Sophie. "There's no mercy in my heart for you anymore,"

Sophie screamed as the sharks tackled her.

(--)

Standing on the sidelines, Archy and Sam watched the beginnings of the battles, from the children to the pirates, with varying degrees of interest. They turned their gaze to Alexa and immediately, they knew what they had to do.

Focus on the bounty heads.

"I'll take the captain," Archy decided calmly, watching Teriuz and Chris fighting hand to hand.

"Then I've got the Demon's Orthopedic," Sam agreed. He looked at Gabriela, trying in vain to cut Zugai with her knives. The two nodded briefly to one another and ran toward their opponents. Sam, however, was cut off by a black sword swiping at his quickly moving legs. He threw himself into the air to avoid it, though his velocity pushed him forward and he skidded to a stop as he turned. Immediately, Charlie was before him, slashing her sword downward at the man. He lifted a single foot to block it.

"Well, I get the pretty one, huh?" he asked with a grin. "This might be fun after all. How about we have some fun, baby," With his free foot, he aimed a kick at Charlotte, which she avoided by jumping back.

Charlotte wrinkled her nose in disgust and held her sword in front of her. "Get a life, asshole," she snarled.

(--)

Alexa watched the various battles with interest. Friends against friends in one corner, pirates against bounty hunters in another. It was intriguing. Upon hearing Sophie's scream, her eyes turned in the direction of the fight, or lack thereof. From the looks of it, Sophie was panicking about absolutely nothing. However, Aven stood before her, silently, calmly, not moving.

Of course, illusions. She drew her sword once again and started toward the girl. "Time to end this," she said quietly.

(--)

Gonzo and Jae kept a steady, fast pace as they ran toward the top of the cliff. They were getting close; already they could hear the sounds of battle above. They would be there in no time. "Chris and the others must be there already," Jae pointed out.

"Then we'd better hurry up, huh?" Gonzo asked. "We've gotta help 'em out,"

With those words said, Gonzo and Jae quickened their pace into the depths of the forest.

* * *

**A/N:** Not much happened here… I debated making it longer, but I'm not going to have time to write tomorrow and I wanted to get you something today. So, here it is. Now, I got a question about Aya's cat, Jinx. Well… I forgot to write her into the initial chapter when Aya and Faith started traveling with the Crescent Dagger Pirates, and it would seem weird for her to suddenly jump in. But don't worry; it's not the last we've seen of the little kitty. I think I have something planned in the future for her to join the crew, because we all know that Aya regrets leaving her pet on the island!


	45. Wine Island Part 7

**A/N:** Chapter written to Linkin Park, Rise Against, and Evanescence...

* * *

**Pirates!**

**Wine Island Part 7**

**Against All Odds!: Enter the Eighth!**

* * *

Zugai kept a firm hold of his sword, defending no other part of himself except his vulnerable stomach. The long blades attached to Gabriela's gloves left only miniscule scratches on his skin due to the hardened density of his bones. He was almost completely invulnerable. Their weapons collided briefly; all of Gabriela's claws coming together and being held at bay by Zugai's sword a mere few inches away from his torso.

They pushed each other back, skidding on the dirt to a stop several yards away from each other, both breathing heavily. Neither of them, so far, had sustained any damage. "You're a difficult one, aren't you?" Gabriela asked. She straightened up after catching her breath and carefully adjusted her gloves. "There's not many who can survive a fight against my claws. Look at your little wolf friend over there,"

She nodded toward Faith, still unmoving on the ground not to far away. Zugai glanced at her for the briefest of moments and his eyes narrowed, his anger growing. "But then again, these claws belonged to the great Captain Kuro of the Black Cat Pirates," Gabriela continued. "I don't think anyone except the Straw Hats ever survived a fight against these babies. Well, the Strawhats and of course myself once I turned him in for his former bounty,"

She opened her mouth to continue, but stopped when she caught sight of Zugai, suddenly directly in front of her, slashing his sword. She lifted one clawed hand to block it and stared at him angrily. "I don't care," Zugai said darkly. "Your weapons origins don't matter to me. It's not my problem. My only problem is you,"

He pulled back and then stepped into a thrust and she twisted aside quickly and swiped at him. Zugai lifted the sword clumsily to block the claws from striking his face and neck. "Well, if I'm such a problem, why don't you let me put you out of your misery," Gabriela asked. With her free hand, she slashed at him. Zugai managed to step back enough to avoid the worst of the strike, however, three lines ripped through his sweater at his stomach, staining it with blood and he staggered, pressing a hand to the wound.

_Relax!_ He told himself quickly. _It's not that deep, you're fine!_ Before he could recover, something exploded in front of him. A blinding flash. He closed his eyes with a surprised shout, covering them with his forearm. He couldn't see. "Damn it!" he snarled.

Suddenly, he felt a pair of arms latch onto him, hooking under his arms and holding him still. The sword fell from his hand. He tried to pull away, but the grip held firm, preventing all movement. "Let me go!" he growled. He felt the arms release him and staggered forward, surprised, directly into Gabriela's claws.

He felt them penetrate his skin and as quickly as he could, he hardened his bones. There was a dull screech, like nails on a chalkboard, as the claws scraped against the bone and he cringed at the sound. Only the slightest amount of blood seeped through the thin cuts. Zugai took a moment to recompose himself before grabbing Gabriela's wrist tightly with one hand. The girl gasped in surprised and slashed with her other hand, and with his free hand, Zugai stopped it, linking his fingers with hers to avoid the blades. He looked up at her with a grin on her face as he tightened his grip.

"What the hell… are you?" Gabriela asked in surprise. She was obviously trying to push through his chest, unsuccessfully, and Zugai's smile widened, becoming more friendly then threatening.

"There's a reason, you know," he said. His eyes darkened, smile fading. "A reason they call me the Demon's Orthopedic,"

At that moment, he moved his hand upward to the center of her forearm and tightened his grip. "Evasive Surgery!" he said. Then, he pulled. "Radius and Ulna!" The two bones of Gabriela's lower arm were suddenly wrenched out of place into his hand. Gabriela's arm went limp, the glove pulling out of Zugai's chest and sliding to the ground uselessly. The girl screamed as she looked at her arm.

"G-Gabriela?" Archy, the one who had held him, asked uncertainly from behind. Zugai spun around and using the two bones in his hand, he swung at Archy, hitting him square in the side of the head. "Gotcha," Zugai said with a smile. The man staggered and fell, clutching the side of his head in pain.

There was a furious scream from behind him and Zugai turned quickly to find Gabriela charging at him with her good arm. He stepped aside at the last minute and grabbed her limp upper arm. "Evasive Surgery: Humerus!" he shouted. With a quick jerk, he pulled the bone out, but this time, Gabriela managed to ignore it.

"Forget the bounty, I'm going to slice you to pieces!" she shouted angrily. She slashed again, but due to the sudden imbalance, she was sluggish and Zugai was easily able to avoid it. Zugai spun behind her and grabbed her by the back of the neck. She froze on the spot, eyes wide.

"I'm sure you understand," Zugai began, "that if you make any sudden movements, I can kill you right now," he adjusted and tightened his grip. "I'm holding your cervical, your life is literally in my hands. One tug and I'll end it." He could feel her body stiffen and could sense the sudden fear radiating from her and with a frown, he released her. Then, with the humerus bone in his hand, he hit her across the back of the head with enough force to knock her out.

Zugai looked at the bone in his hand before picking up the other two bones he'd dropped. He stepped toward the fallen Gabriela and pressed the bones back into her arm, but removed the gloves. "These are too dangerous," he said absently. He tossed them away and then turned to pick up his sword.

As he knelt down to grab it, he heard something stir behind him and stopped, his hand hovering inches above the handle of Honekirite. He heard rustling and slowly, he closed his hand around the hilt. "Don't think I'm through yet," Archy said. "It takes a lot more then that to get me down: Fire Bomb!"

Zugai spun around, lifting Honekirite quickly. Before he could stop himself, he swung downward, slicing through a glass bottle with a burning wick attached to the stopper. His eyes widened briefly and then, the spray of liquid gasoline within the bottle exploded. He quickly protected his face with his arms, earning himself a few burns, and stepped back away from the burning gasoline. "Napalm Splash!" Archy shouted. He moved in a fast circle around Zugai, surrounding him with the substance.

A smile crossed the Bounty Hunter's lips as he reached into his bag, extracted a handful of tennis ball sized bombs. "And now… Tennis Ball Barrage!" He threw them rapidly at Zugai and they ignited the napalm as they exploded around the pirate. Even over the sound of the explosion, Zugai's cries were audible.

(--)

"I've heard some good things about you, Crescent Dagger," Teriuz said, standing several feet away from Chris. The two had managed to break from their brief struggle on the ground once she'd tackled him and now, they were facing each other, Chris holding up her daggers, Teriuz holding up his own hands in a similar fashion. "You and your crew, but I've got to say, I'm disappointed by what I've seen,"

"Who asked for your opinion?" Chris asked harshly, staring angrily at the boy. No, she wasn't staring at _him_. She wasn't even seeing him, she was seeing red. And all that flashed in front of her eyes were the unconscious bodies of her crewmates, her family.

Teriuz held up his hands defensively and shrugged. "Sorry about that, guess you have a point," he said. During that moment, Chris made her move. She bounded forward, arms crossed and prepared to strike, and when she came within range, she slashed at Teriuz in an 'x' shape with her knives.

Teriuz leaned back enough to avoid it, then dropped down to his hands and pushed upward, kicking Chris square in the jaw. She grunted and staggered back, taking a moment to regain her composure, then stepped forward again. She spun, slashing with her Double-Sided dagger and when her attack missed, she followed up with a kick. This time, she connected with Teriuz' ribs, the force of the kick sending him off his feet and flying to the side.

Teriuz recovered quickly, flipping in mid-air and landing on his feet skillfully. He watched Chris rapidly rushing toward him, watching her movements carefully, reading them. An explosion nearby slipped through one ear and out the other, he was used to those things, but Chris' sudden jerking stop pulled him out of his trance. The red haired captain wasn't looking at Teriuz anymore, but rather off to the side, with wide, frightened eyes.

"ZUGAI!" Chris shouted. She watched Zugai's burning form fall to all fours, trying desperately to push himself back up. The fear vanished just as soon as it had appeared and was replaced by pure fury. Chris' pupils seemed to dilate as she turned her attention to Archy. "You son of a bitch!" she shouted. Then, she ran at him.

"Wait!" Teriuz shouted at her. He chased after her and dove, wrapping his arms around her ankles and tripping her. She fell with a grunt, the Crescent Dagger falling from her hands and spinning on the ground several feet away.

"Get off!" She shouted, kicking free. She reached for the Crescent Dagger and was surprised when Teriuz knocked her down again, pinning her to the ground. She managed to cut the side of his face with her Double Sided dagger before he managed to hold down her arms.

"Stop it!" he shouted. She ignored him, trying to pull away and he only tightened his grip. "Listen to me, damn it! I'm saving your life! If you go now, Archy will kill you!"

Chris stopped now and looked at Teriuz angrily, but her eyes softened when they met his orange ones. There was something different about them, something lucid, perhaps? "Look," he said.

Hesitantly, she turned her head. Zugai was still on fire, but he was standing now, Honekirite in his hands tightly. She stared at him, trying to catch her breath. He was alive. He was standing, but he was still burning. He was getting hurt. She had to do something!

Zugai's eyes met hers for the briefest of moments. "Hane," he muttered. Then, with such speed that the only thing she could see was a trail of flames, he charged at Archy. "Nenshou Honekai!" he shouted.

And then, he was behind the bounty hunter, arm extended to his side. The flames surrounded him were gone and the fire on the sword was slowly fading. Behind him, there was a magnificent explosion at the explosives in Archy's backpack burst from the flames. "Teijou," he said under his breath. Then, he fell forward.

It was at that moment that Gonzo appeared from the trees, catching the shipwright before he could touch the ground. He knelt down and examined Zugai briefly and from Chris' perspective, he seemed to be laughing. That was always a good sign. Teriuz released her and stood, stepping back and hesitantly, she rose as well, staring at him suspiciously.

"What was that about?" she demanded. He looked at her, frowning slightly.

"It feels wrong to hunt one of my own," he muttered. "Even though I've only just started, this…" he gestured to the other fighting Tribe members around him, "this isn't me," He looked back at her and suddenly, he seemed confused. "This entire thing is wrong. This isn't what I want,"

Chris tilted her head and lowered her daggers. What was this boy talking about? One of his own? Did that mean… "You…" Chris muttered, eyes wide. "You're a pirate?"

Teriuz looked at her for a moment, about to answer, but before a word could escape his lips, a shout interrupted. "Sandal Offer!" Teriuz's eyes widened.

"Move!" He shouted. But it was too late. Chris' feet were suddenly covered with dirt morphed into the shape of sandals and hardening, pinning her to the ground. She tried to move, but failed, her eyes narrowed in frustration.

"What the hell is this?" She growled.

"Skipping Stone," The voice continued, and suddenly, Sam was right behind Chris, an enormous axe drawn back like a baseball bat. Chris turned her head to look at him and he shot her a grin. "Red Sandal," he said in a quiet tone, then, he swung the axe at Chris. He twisted it at the last minute, hitting her with the flat side as opposed to the blade, and the force broke the sandals and sent her flying.

She lay on the ground for a few moments, coughing. The force of the hit hand knocked the wind out of her and she had to admit, it hurt like hell. She pushed herself onto her hands and knees, breathing heavily as she rested her forehead on her arms, her hair covering her face.

_Wait a second…_ She thought to herself. She lifted her head and was surprised to see waves of red. Her hat was gone. _No, no, no!_ She started to push herself up but was stopped by a foot stepping on her back, knocking her back down. "Well, this is definitely interesting," Sam said. "So the rookie Crescent Dagger is a girl, eh?" he nudged her onto her back with a foot and looked at her, grinning. "This is a pleasant surprise,"

Chris scowled and reached her left hand over, stabbing the large side Double Sided Dagger into Sam's foot. He shouted in pain as she pulled it out, the large serrations increasing the size of the wound. Chris pushed herself to her feet and clasped her hands together to form a club, then, she spun and knocked them into the side of Sam's head. He twisted aside and fell as blood spurt from his lips. Chris ran passed him and picked up her Crescent Dagger, holding it firmly in one hand. Now all that was left was her hat.

"Chris-san," Jae's voice said, startling Chris. She looked around briefly and finally spotted him beside Sam, who was now tied up with thin metal wires and writhing in attempts to get free on the floor. Jae held the black hat in one hand and held it out to her with a smile. Chris stepped forward and took it. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," Chris said. She placed the Crescent Dagger into its hidden sheath and then placed the hat on her head, concealing her hair once again. She looked around. Logan was standing over the younger Wyatt, the bo staff pointed downward. Wyatt was back in his human form, shivering, seeming to be crying as he was before when Chris had first met him, and Logan seemed to be in a similar shape.

Charlotte was rising to a crouch, breathing heavily with an equal sign shaped bruise apparent on her stomach. She was looking toward the cliff side and Chris followed her gaze.

Aven was standing before Sophie, who seemed to be cowering in fear, but the off thing about it was the black haired woman approaching them, sword drawn. Chris' eyes widened. Aven wasn't paying attention. All of her attention was on the illusions.

Chris was about to say something, but Charlotte beat her to it. "Aven!" the girl shouted. She pushed herself to her feet and ran toward the older girl.

(--)

"I'm sorry it's come to this, little Sophie," Aven said sadly. The young girl in question was now on her knees, waving her arms in attempts to keep away the illusions of sharks.

"Make them go away! Please, Aven, stop!" Sophie shouted desperately. Tears were streaming down her face; sharks were the one thing she was afraid of, and even though she knew they weren't real, something inside wouldn't let her regain her composure.

Aven stiffened and for a moment, some of the illusions faded. "Stop…" she whispered under her breath. What was she doing? She stepped back, suddenly uncertain. Was she doing too much? This wasn't like her. Slowly, she let the illusion fade. She'd never seen Sophie so frightened; once the sharks had vanished, she'd stopped flailing and now knelt on the ground, shaking, eyes wide, hands gripping her hair. Cautiously, she stepped forward.

"Sophie…" she said quietly.

That was when the blade was thrust at her stomach. Aven's eyes widened; she didn't have time to avoid it. She prepared herself to take the hit when another figure slammed into her, knocking her to the side, then, there was a clash of metal upon metal. Aven looked up to see Charlie, breathing deeply, an equal sign bruised onto her stomach, but nonetheless she was holding her sword, Kurohisaki, firmly in defense against Alexa's longer sword. The lead bounty hunter looked at Charlie curiously, though without uncertainty.

And then, with a swift push of her sword, she knocked Charlotte back. The swordsman in question staggered, surprised, and was kept from falling by Chris, who'd rushed to their aid.

"Charlie!" Aven shouted. She turned to look at Alexa furiously and barely managed to avoid a slash to the neck by ducking low. "Weapon Tricks: Shield!" She said firmly. A steel shield appeared, strapped to her arm, and she used it to defend against another attack. "Elemental Tricks: Lightning!" she added. She raised her free hand into the air, palm facing upward, and from a group of newly formed clouds, bolts of lightning shot downward toward Alexa. The woman ignored them and advanced, striking once again at the girl.

"Don't think your silly illusions frighten me, girl," Alexa said with a smirk. "I know all of your tricks. Sophie and Wyatt have told me much through the last couple years. You elements are not by any means real, so there is no reason to avoid them,"

Aven stepped back as Alexa advanced, trying desperately to keep in control of her illusion. Every strike, was slowly weakening the illusion, making it more and more fragile. She wouldn't be able to hold out much longer. As if on cue. Alexa slashed downward, cutting straight through the illusion like it was a wisp of smoke. The blade cut into Aven's arm and with a surprised shout. Aven fell back.

"You're really no fun at all," Alexa said, standing over Aven. She whipped the sword out, stopping the tip mere centimeters from Aven's throat. "Show me why you're called the Demonic Illusionist,"

"Get away from her!" Charlotte shouted. The sword aimed at Alexa's extended arm was blocked by the sword, which had been moved with impossible speed. Alexa looked at Charlie and her eyes anrrowed in annoyance. "So the pest wants to die?" she asked. "Very well then, as you wish,"

Alexa turned away from Aven and instead faced Charlie and the two engaged in a furious sword fight, Alexa slowly pushing Charlie back. Chris, meanwhile, approached Aven, kneeling beside her. "Hey, are you ok?" she asked, looking at the injured arm. Aven watched Charlie nervously; she'd never seen the girl being bested.

"I'm fine," Aven said quickly. "Just a cut," she was surprised to see Chris wrapping something around it; part of her own bandage, a clean part that was used to tie the knife in place. Now, the dagger in question was in the pirate's mouth as she tied the cloth around the deep cut. When she was through, she tied it and stood as she removed the dagger from her mouth.

"Chris!" Gonzo said suddenly. Chris turned her head to see the Fishman approaching. Zugai was no longer with him. She was about to ask, but he answered before she had a chance to. "Zugai went to help the sword girl. Don't worry, he'll be alright. But in the mean time, we've gotta get Blue, Aven, and Faith back to the ship and get the hell outta here before these hunters get loose."

"Get loose? What are you-"

"I've taken care of them, Captain-san!" Jae said suddenly. A thread of metal was spinning into his fingers after he'd cut it from tying up the claw woman, Gabriela. "Blue-kun is waking up. I guess that Logia fruit increases his healing speed, but he can't do much,"

"Alright, well get them out of here then," Chris said. She heard a shout and another clang and turned her head back to the fight. Alexa and Charlotte were now by the cliff, the sword knocked from Charlotte's hands and now protruding from the ground. Zugai was running forward, his bones obviously lightened due to the rapid speed at which he was moving. Alexa slashed the sword and Charlotte stepped back to avoid it. The heel of her foot inched over the edge and in a sudden spark of fear, she leaned back and lost her balance.

With a terrified shout, Charlie fell over the edge and Zugai followed, skidding shortly after. She only fell for a few moments before she felt a strong hand grasp her wrist tightly, stopping her descent. She looked up to see Zugai, one hand holding her and the other holding on to the edge of the cliff with difficulty. "Grab on, idiot! I can't hold you on my own!"

Charlotte reached her other hand up and grasped Zugai's wrist tightly. She saw Alexa standing above, an annoyed expression on her face. "And the flies continue to come," Alexa scowled. Then, she pressed her foot against Zugai's hand.

Zugai grimaced but held on. From the wound on his stomach, small drops of blood began to fall into the depths of the forest far below. _Just hang on, you've got this!_

"Tricks: Fog!" Aven suddenly shouted. Above them, a thick fog formed, clouding Alexa from view. The pressure on his hand vanished and was replaced with something else, another hand grasping his wrist. He caught sight of Jae's light eyes through the fog and grinned.

"I'll pull you up, Zugai-kun," Jae assured him. Another hand grasped onto him and from Jae's fingers, strings of metal began to wrap around Zugai's arm. "Just hold on to the girl, ok?"

"You got it, bud," Zugai answered.

Above, Gonzo, Chris, and Aven were acting. Aven kept her focus on the mist as Gonzo and Chris made their way through to Alexa. Chris made it first, seeming to materialize in the mist directly in front of Alexa. She made a strike with her Double-Sided dagger at the woman's chest but it was blocked with ease by the sword. Alexa retaliated with a quick strike and Chris jumped up to avoid it, actually stepping on the blade of the sword and using it to propel herself behind the woman. She slashed again with the dagger, this time managing to cut deeply into the arm holding the sword. It fell from Alexa's hand as she gasped from the stabbing pain and Chris grinned. Perfect!

Suddenly, Alexa's body convulsed violently before her. Her face began to change shape, her body hunching over as black fur grew and suddenly. Long claws grew on her hands and her feet turned into enormous paws. Her green eyes glowed dangerously as she stared at Chris through the fog. Chris tensed for the briefest of moments, preparing to defend whatever she could against the suddenly enormous creature before her, and just as Alexa started forward, a gust of wind surrounded her in a funnel, stopping her.

Chris turned her head and saw Blue emerge beside him, his hands held out. He looked at her. The burns on his dark skin were beginning to fade, but he was obviously still struggling. "Thought to might need some help," he suggested with a small smile. Chris smiled back at him and turned back to Alexa.

"Jae, are you clear?" Chris called through the mist. From somewhere behind, she heard an affirmative "Yes, Chris-san!" and grinned. "Alright, Gonzo, let's do it!"

The panther woman growled ferociously. "500,000 Gallons!" Gonzo suddenly shouted from behind. Chris and Blue moved aside quickly and Blue dropped the tunnel of wind holding back Alexa. Gonzo stepped forward. "Special Sauce Blitz!" An enormous torrent of water shot out of the blowhole on his back, slamming into Alexa and knocking her back. The woman didn't even stand a chance, and the enormous wave pushed her toward the ledge and over, a waterfall following above her. When it was through, the mist faded, revealing Aven on her knees, drained from the excess amount of power use. Zugai and Charlie were sitting on the ground near Jae, both breathing heavily; the experience of hanging over a ledge had obviously made them a bit nervous and they were recovering from the experience. Jae was smiling slightly at the three pirates standing side by side near the ledge and glashed them a thumbs up. All around, bounty hunters were tied up with wire on the ground, except for Wyatt and Logan, who were sitting together, Wyatt crying into Logan's chest apologetically. The only ones missing were Sophie and the other one, Teriuz.

Regardless, Chris returned the gesture to Jae, smiling. "We did it," She said triumphantly. She looked to her two other crew mates. Aya was sitting up now, holding her head and wincing unhappily. Faith, however, was still out.

"Ugh… what happened?" Aya muttered, rubbing her eyes. She looked to her injured crew and her eyes widened as she jumped to her feet. "Guys!" She exclaimed. She instantly regretted her actions, because a spasm of pain coursed through her and she fell again, laying on the ground and breathing deeply. "Ugh…" She groaned.

Chris couldn't hold back her laughter. "We'll be alright," she assured Aya. "She walked toward her, Gonzo following behind, and helped her up as Gonzo carefully lifted Faith onto her back. "Let's get out of here though,"

Around her, the group gave their affirmatives and together, the group made their way back down the mountain.

(--)

Back in the town, in the house from before, the seven pirates and the others were sitting in different areas, some on the floor, some at the kitchen table, others on the couch, as Gonzo had cooked up a quick meal. They'd have to leave soon, that was for sure. They'd move off the shore of the island and wait for the log to set. Staying docked was too dangerous.

Now, they were all eating the meal, even Wyatt, who never left Logan's side. Sophie, it seemed, was the only real traitor. Charlotte sat near Zugai and Chris sat nearby, glancing in their direction every so often as she drank her orange juice.

"I never thanked you, did I?" Charlotte asked Zugai suddenly. Zugai looked at her as he swallowed the piece of barbeque meat in his mouth.

"Thank me?" he asked. "For what?"

Charlotte looked away, obviously embarrassed. "For saving me back there. I would have died if you hadn't caught me," Zugai smiled and laughed slightly.

"Oh, that. It was nothing!" he said.

"You should come back sometime," Charlotte said suddenly. Zugai looked at her, surprised and Charlotte looked away again. She gazed around the room quickly before grabbing her sword and showing it to Zugai. "Then I could uh, show you how to use that sword!" she declared.

Zugai considered this for a few moments, then looked at Chris. The captain looked away the instant their eyes met and hurriedly pushed food into her mouth. "Or maybe… you can stay?" Charlotte suggested.

That did it. Chris slammed her fork into the table and stood. "That's completely out of the question!" She declared. Charlotte looked at her, suddenly angry. "Besides, what the hell happened to your rant about pirates, huh?"

"Keep out of this, cross dresser!" Charlotte growled, standing. Chris' eyes narrowed.

"What did you just call me?" she growled. She grabbed her double-sided dagger and started forward as Charlotte unsheathed her sword.

"You heard me!" Charlotte answered. The two locked weapons, both trying to overcome the other angrily.

"Charlie! Chris, stop it!" Aven said quickly. She grabbed hold of Charlotte and pulled her away as Jae grabbed Chris. The two girls fought against their captors in attempts to get to one another, shouting at each other angrily.

"Oh, forget it!" Charlie said suddenly. "Why am I wasting my time on you when my question has nothing to do with you?" She turned back to Zugai. "Well, what do you say?"

Zugai looked at her for the briefest of moments and for a while, Chris thought he was honestly considering complying. Her face fell and she stared at her first mate for a few seconds. Then, Zugai smiled and put a hand on Charlotte's shoulder. "Sorry," he said. "But I've got my own goals to accomplish. Besides," he glanced at Chris. "I can't leave my captain."

Chris smiled softly at first, then triumphantly as Charlotte looked at her. She stuck her tongue out childishly at the girl, which prompted the sword to be drawn again and Logan to grab hold of her this time. "Stop it, Charlie!" he said firmly.

"Stupid pirate, giving me that look! I'll cut you up!"

Around them, the rest of the crew laughed.

(--)

The forest was dark due to the setting of the sun several hours before and at the bottom of the cliff, a woman say with a young girl beside her, unconscious. Bright green eyes looked up the enormous cliff from which she'd just fallen, then looked down at the girl. Were it not for Sophie, she'd be dead.

"Crescent Dagger Pirates," Alexa muttered, lightly stroking Sophie's short hair. Around her, the other bounty hunters emerged, beaten up, but still standing nonetheless. Alexa didn't look at them as she spoke. "I want them eliminated," she said firmly. Her sword was placed before her by Gabriela and she reached out and grabbed it, pulling it close. "Follow them, wherever they go, and find a way to destroy them,"

"Understood," the group said simultaneously.

(--)

On a marine ship near Wine Island, a man black haired, brown eyed man sat at a desk, filling out papers before him. A young boy sat at a desk nearby, a younger boy, no older then nineteen with blond hair tied in a ponytail and blue eyes sat, assisting the older man. On the desk before the older man, a Den-Den Mushi rang and he picked it up.

"Vice Admiral Fonedrid Markus," he said casually. He listened quietly to the other line for a few moments, frowning, then nodded. From his seat, the boy looked up quizzically. When the call had finished, he hung up the large snail phone and looked at the boy. "Reese," he said. "Call Lottie,"

Reese's brow furrowed unhappily at the mention of the name. "For what, if I may ask, sir?" he asked.

Markus looked at him calmly and frowned. "We've received a tip," he answered. "About the location of not only Aven the Demonic Illusionist, but also of a crew of pirates with bounties," Reese tensed at the mention of this and stood from his desk. "The Demonic Illusionist is Rinocci Lotti's case. Call her, then report to the navigator to change course to Wine Island,"

"Yes, sir," Reese said quickly. Then, he ran out of the room. Markus looked at the door for a few moments, then back down at his paperwork. "What a bother…" he muttered unhappily.

(--)

Back on the Howling Ivory, the Crescent Dagger Pirates were preparing to set off. Faith had been placed in the medical ward to sleep and Aya had taken some time to properly bandage the wounds from the earlier battle. Chris was leaning against the railing, looking off into the city.

"Where is she?" She asked impatiently. Behind her, she heard a laugh.

"Be patient," Zugai told her. "She'll come." He leaned against the railing beside her. "You've got to remember, these people are her family," Hearing those words, Chris frowned slightly.

"Good point," she said. She looked at Zugai. "Hey, you weren't really considering staying, right?" she asked. She'd never questioned her crew's decision, and constantly told herself that she wouldn't protested if he had decided to stay, but Zugai had been her first nakama. For some reason, it would be harder to let him go. She didn't like to think about it.

Zugai looked down at her and couldn't keep the smile from his lips. "Of course not, idiot," he said. He put an arm around her shoulder into a light friendly hug. "I've already said, my alliance is to you only," he nodded behind him to the others. "Just like theirs."

Chris smiled and looked back to the city. She jumped in surprise when a small, glowing, flying person appeared in front of her. A fairy? It waved at her, then pointed behind her before disappearing. Chris looked where it had gestured and grinned.

Aven stood, a bag over her shoulder, near the cabin. "Ready to set off?" She asked with a grin. Chris smirked.

"Yeah!" she declared. "Alright, guys, let's cast off!"

"Yosh!" the crew declared. They lowered the sails and allowed the wind to catch it, pushing the ship along into the ocean.

* * *

**Crew Members:**

**Chris Hopkins: **16 years, Spy/Captain

**Zugai Hibiware: **18 years, First Mate/Shipwright/Blacksmith

**Gonzo:** 17 years, Cook

**Jae Axia: **17 years, Navigator

**Faith Williams:** 19 years, Doctor

**Aya Vincent: **17 years, Doctor

**Blue:** 20 years, Sniper/Gunfighter

**Ash 'Aven' Nogue: **17 years, Historian/Information Gatherer

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**A/N:** My GOD that took me FOREVER! I'm sorry for the delay, but here's a nice long chapter to make up for it! Thanks for reading and don't forget to review~!


	46. What Are You Doing Here!

**Pirates!**

**What are you Doing Here?!**

**Stowaway on the Howling Ivory!

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**

It was late in the evening, two days after casting off from Wine Island into the large ocean of the Grand Ling. The Howling Ivory was sailing smoothly through the water with the aid of a light gust of wind pushing it gently along, cutting through the small waves flapping against the hull.

High above the ship in the Crow's Nest, Blue sat against the side wall, holding out a single hand toward the sail and ejecting a constant, steady stream of wind directly at it. He'd been pushing them in the same direction ever since he'd traded his watch with Jae for the second quarter of the night. It was now two in the morning.

As he sat, staring at the full moon high in the sky, a light song escaped his lips. So soft, it was almost like a lullaby. Singing was one of his favorite things to do, and at night, during his watch, was one of the only times he could do it, since during the day, the ship was bustling with activity. If there was one thing Blue didn't enjoy it was excess attention.

He closed his eyes and leaned back slightly, supporting himself by holding on to the wall on either side of him. His singing faded into a gently hum.

"You have a nice voice,"

The sudden words startled Blue and he nearly fell back, but quickly caught himself and jumped to his feet. He looked out to the ocean, then turned around and was surprised to see Aven with her arms crossed on the Crow's nest wall, her chin propped atop them. Her dark, orange tipped hair barely stretched passed the edge due to its shortness and her green eyes watched him closely. She was smiling. "Sorry, did I startle you?" she asked.

"A little," Blue admitted. Then, he tilted his head. "What are you standing on? There shouldn't be anything beneath you except empty air,"

Aven's smile broadened. "You wanna see?" She asked. Then, she pushed away from the railing and surprisingly, began moving up in a spiral pattern around the crow's nest. Blue watched her, honestly shocked, until she was completely above the low wall and standing at the top of a colorful, spiral staircase.

She jumped off the staircase into the crow's nest and leaned against the side. "Pretty cool huh?" she asked happily. Blue stared at the staircase as it slowly faded in a spiral up to the top, each stair popping individually like a bubble.

"I'll have to say yes," Blue said. He turned his attention to Aven. "Question number two: why are you up at this hour? It's not your watch tonight,"

Aven shrugged and jumped off the side. Blue was about to stop her, but was surprised when the staircase re-materialized and a step appeared beneath her. "Just wandering, I guess. I've only just joined the crew a few days ago. Getting a feel of the ship," She lightly stroked the crow's nest. "Solid bone, huh? You've got to admit, that's awesome,"

"Again, I agree," Blue said with a smile. Then, he made a quick scan, his eyes searching the deck of the ship for anything out of the ordinary. Nothing seemed very out of place…

Except for the strange glow coming from the window in the dining room door. His eyes narrowed and after a moment. Aven followed his gaze. "Uh oh," She said calmly. "That doesn't look right. No one else was awake when I came out, as far as I know,"

"No one has approached the ship… I've been out here the entire time. But we'd better go check it out, just to be safe," Blue said. He put a hand on the wall and vaulted himself over. As he fell, he muttered "Wind wings," and allowed the wind to catch him and drift slowly downward. Aven, meanwhile, was skipping down her spiral staircase, reaching the deck shortly after Blue. This time, the staircase disappeared without a sound.

Blue placed a finger to his lips to ensure that Aven stayed silent and the girl nodded her response. She put a hand to her lips and made as if to zip them shut, and strangely enough, it appeared as if she actually did. However, when she dropped her hand, the zipper faded and Blue found himself struggling to restrain his laughter. This girl was certainly a character.

As the pair got closer and closer to the door, they could hear movement inside; someone walking, rustling through the refrigerator and the cabinets. Blue reached for one of the holsters at his side and pulled out a revolver, spinning it expertly in one hand before grasping it firmly. Aven held out a hand and with a whisper of "Weapon Tricks: Bat," formed a wooden bat in her hand. She gasped it firmly with both hands as Blue reached out to open the door.

The door opened before he could even touch it and Blue was suddenly face to face with an orange haired, orange eyed boy, no older then his captain, holding a water bottle. The two stared at each other for several moments, contemplating each other. Then, the boy smiled and raised a single hand in greeting.

"Uh, hiya?" he said uncertainly.

Aven looked passed Blue and her eyes widened upon seeing the boy. "You!" She exclaimed. Then, suddenly, she tackled the boy, sending them crashing back into the dining area.

"Woah, woah!" Teriuz exclaimed. It took him a few moments to read Aven's movements and turn the tables, pinning her down on the ground beneath him. "Slow down, chick! It's not what you think!"

"Not what I think? You're that damn bounty hunter guy!" Aven pointed out, struggling to push him away. "Get off of me!"

Teriuz frowned at her. "I don't really feel safe doing that. Something tells me you're going to attack me the minute I do," As he finished those words, a hand grabbed him the by back of his shirt and pulled him off, holding him several inches above the ground. He turned his head to see Blue, a confused, and honestly annoyed expression on his face.

Before another word could be said, a tired Chris walked in, rubbing her eyes and yawning before pushing her red hair behind her ears. It was too early to be worrying about the hat, especially around her own Nakama. "What's going on?" She asked. Aya entered shortly after, wearing a warm, comfortable robe and slippers, and after her, Faith.

Aven crawled to her feet and dusted herself off, staring furiously at Teriuz. "We have a stowaway it seems" Blue said. He let Teriuz go and the boy, not expecting it, fell onto his butt on the hard floor.

Chris stared at him for the briefest of moments, then, her eyes widened. "Oh, it's you!" She said, more surprised then angry.

"Yeah…" Teriuz said uncomfortable as he pushed himself to his feet. "Ow, ow, ow… not the most comfortable way to land," he looked at Blue, then the four girls before his gaze fell on Faith. "Hey, so you're ok! That's good, I was worried for a while!"

Faith blinked at him briefly, then, she stepped back uncomfortably. She wasn't afraid or anything, but it just occurred to her that he was one of the bounty hunters involved in the attack several days before. Her blue eyes narrowed slightly and her senses went on full alert.

"Worried?" Aven repeated. "You're part of the reason she ended up in that condition, idiot!"

"Aven," Chris said suddenly, calmly. "Faith, Aya, go back to bed, ok? You too, Blue,"

"I'm still on watch, Captain," Blue protested.

"It's fine," Chris answered. She looked at him. "I'll take over for a while, I'm wide awake," Blue stared at her for a moment through his sunglasses before giving her a brief nod and exiting. The other three hesitated for the briefest of moments before following suit. Teriuz waited until they were gone before heaving a relieved sigh.

"Phew, for a second there, I thought they were going to throw me overboard or something," He looked at Chris. "Thanks a lot, Crescent Dagger," he said as he started toward the door.

Chris stepped in front of him, pressing a hand against his chest to stop him. With her free hand, she closed the door and looked at Teriuz. They were the same height, seeing eye to eye. "What are you doing here?" She asked in a much colder voice then before.

Teriuz hesitated for a few seconds. "Hitching a ride?" he suggested.

"You're a bounty hunter,"

"I'm a pirate at heart,"

"Who do you think you are, Roronoa Zoro?"

"In reverse, maybe," There was a moment of silence amongst the two, then Teriuz continued. "Look, when your crew landed on Wine Island, I'd only been part of the Tribe for a couple of weeks,"

Chris raised an eyebrow. "And that's supposed to mean what exactly?" she asked.

"I'm not the bad guy," Teriuz explained. "You just caught me at a bad time, ok? I was in a confusing situation… when you guys took out Alexa and the others, I knew that it was my chance to escape," he looked passed Chris, at the door, "of course, she's probably going to be out to kill me for betraying her, but that's not the point I'm trying to make,"

"Well get on with it, because I'm starting to lose my patience," Chris said.

Teriuz sighed. "Look, I just need you guys to give me a ride to the nearest island. I had no intentions of getting caught, but that storage room of yours isn't exactly a hotel suite. I'll get a boat there and set off on my own,"

"Why should I let you stay on this ship after what you were involved in?" Chris asked, stepping forward. Teriuz took a step back as she advanced. "I should just throw you overboard now and leave you to drown. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't?"

Teriuz looked at her nervously. Was she being serious? He smiled uncomfortably. "Well, I can give you a few" he said. "First of all, I can't swim, second, from what I can tell, you're not that kind of person, and third, I helped you back on that island. Or at least… tried to…"

Chris stopped. He was right. Despite it all, in the end, he did try to help her. Until of course that sandal bastard came around. But could she actually trust this boy? _'This isn't me… this isn't what I want…'_

Behind Chris, the door opened. Chris turned around to see Zugai standing there, wearing his usual hoodie with his arms crossed over his chest. He stared at Teriuz as he entered and closed the door behind him. "You're in here alone with a bounty hunter?" he asked Chris. "Since when is that a good idea?"

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you very much," Chris protested. She looked back at Teriuz. _It feels wrong to hunt one of my own…_

She pressed her thumb and forefinger against her eyes, heaving a tired, frustrated sigh, then, she looked at the boy before her. "Fine," She said. "I'm allowing you to stay on this ship, but only until we reach the next island. After that, you're gone,"

Teriuz smiled broadly and stepped toward Chris, taking her hand and shaking it. "Thanks!" he said happily. Chris grabbed his hand tightly and he winced slightly at the pressure.

"If you so much as think about hurting anyone on this ship, I will personally slit your throat. You hear me?" she warned. As Teriuz watched her eyes, he had a sinking feeling that she wasn't kidding.

"Wouldn't dream of it," he said. He picked up the water bottle that he'd dropped earlier off the floor and walked to the door. "Guess I'll go back to my storage room then," and without another word, he was gone.

Zugai stared at the door until it closed from his spot leaning against the wall and then looked at Chris. "Is this really a good idea?" he asked her.

Chris sat down heavily on one of the chairs and put her head in her hands. "I really hope so," She said. She lifted her head, propping her chin where her forehead once was and gazed at Zugai. "I don't sense anything bad coming from him, and to be honest, he seems sincere. Besides, it's only until we reach the next island,"

Zugai sat down across from Chris, leaning back comfortably in his chair. "Well, I trust your judgment," he said calmly. "I won't question your decisions any more then necessary,"

Chris smiled half-heartedly at his statement rubbed her eyes with the heel of her left hand. A bandage was still tied tightly around the stitches holding the open wound together. Zugai had managed to mend the bones and put them back into place after the arrow had impaled it and Aya sewed it closed. The bandage no longer bled when it was changed and now it was no more then a cover.

"Your hand any better?" Zugai asked conversationally. Chris looked at it absently; she'd forgotten about the bandage.

"Yeah, doesn't even hurt," She said, she put it on the table and winced. "Ow… unless of course I do something like that," Zugai took the hand and examined it briefly, checking it.

"The bones are still set," he observed calmly. "That's a good sign. Guess I did a better job on that then expected," he turned her hand over so that her palm was facing upward and his fingers lightly traced the area of the wound. "Good on this end too," he said. He released it and she self-consciously put her hands under the table.

"Of course you did a good job, idiot," Chris said. "It's your devil fruit, bones, remember? I'd be a little worried if you couldn't fix up something like that. I mean, you can take out entire arms if you have to," She yawned suddenly and again rubbed her eyes as she stood.

"Go to bed, Captain," Zugai said softly. "You're half asleep out here. "I'll cover the watch,"

"No, don't worry," Chris said. "I've got it, I said I would. Besides, I've got to keep an eye on Teriuz and you need your rest,"

"I don't think you've slept more then a few hours in the last two days," Zugai interrupted. He was suddenly in front of her, blocking the door. "Get some rest, you need it. I'll keep an eye on the reverse Roronoa Zoro down there,"

Chris stepped once to the side, then quickly in the opposite direction in an attempt to fake him out. He read her movements and as she reached for the door, he caught her wrist and pulled her away from it, lightly shoving her against the wall and holding her by the shoulders. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized just how close he was. "I don't have the energy for this, Zugai, stop being annoying," Chris said in frustration.

"Then stop being stubborn and go to sleep," Zugai answered. "Look at yourself, your eyes are half closed. Whatever adrenaline rush you had when you were talking to that kid is gone, so go back to sleep," He lifted a hand, lifting a lock of her hair slightly. "Besides, what if some Marine or Pirate ship comes around and see Chris Hopkins without her hat. There goes your secret,"

Chris frowned. He was right. Maybe she was being stubborn. And in all honesty, she hadn't slept much lately. "Fine," She said. "But wake me up in a few hours and I'll take over,"

Zugai released her and stepped back. She moved away from the wall toward the door and opened it. "Chris," her first mate said. She stopped and looked at him. He was leaning against the wall once again.

"Hmm?" she asked. He hesitated for a moment, then looked away. "Night," he said. Chris stared at him. She had a strange feeing that he wanted to say something else, but couldn't quite place what it was. She wanted to ask, but instead, all that escaped her lips was a soft, "Goodnight," in return. Then, she exited and closed the door behind her.

Zugai remained in his place for a few moments, taking a breath. He put a hand to his chest. Strangely enough, his heart was pounding.

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**A/N: **Yay for the quick updates! Yes, that's right, I've updated a chapter in less then a week! Amazing isn't it? It's short, but that's fine. I stayed up till 4 AM writing this because the damn idea wouldn't leave me alone. So I figured I'd get it out and into the open. There's not much to add in terms of storyline… there's no lead in or anything, but it was a meaningless bit that needed to be written for Teriuz to join the gang for a bit. But that's all I've got for you for right now. A nice little filler. Please, don't forget to review.


	47. Travel on the Open Seas

**Pirates!**

**Travel on the Open Seas**

**

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**

The morning sun was coming slowly over the horizon, too slowly for the insomnious captain of the Crescent Dagger Pirates. She was lying quietly in the comfortable hammock, her arms crossed behind her head on her pillow, gazing at the wall. After a moment, she looked around.

Sleeping on the medium sized bed was Faith, with Aya on the opposite end. When they'd joined the crew, Chris had allowed them to have the bed and instead taken the hammock for herself. After all, she never used the bed anyway. The boys slept in the hammocks, she could as well. Aven was sleeping on another hammock above Chris'. The air was too still, as if everyone was trying too hard to keep from moving. Chris could tell right away that no one was asleep.

She heaved a sigh. Obviously, no one was going to move unless another person did, so she may as well take the initiation. A nice midnight snack would be nice anyway. Was Gonzo awake? She took her hat and put it on, neglecting to push in her hair, then walked to the door. "Hey, where are you going?" Aven asked.

Chris stopped with her hand on the doorknob and turned around. Aven was sitting up in the hammock, her legs hanging off the end, and Aya and Faith were sitting up in bed. "Kitchen," Chris answered. She looked at the girls and stuffed her hands into her jacket pocket. "Want to join me?"

In response, the three stood from their beds (Aven jumping from the hammock). Like Chris, they were still in their normal clothing. "Some hot chocolate sounds good," Aya mused as she slipped a sweater over her white vest and put on her sandals. She tied her extremely long hair, which she'd taken down to go to sleep, in a low ponytail. Aven put on an orange jacket. That done, the girls exited the room and climbed the stairs to the main door, which led into the deck. They walked around the cabin toward the front, where the kitchen door was.

"Maybe some cookies too?" she suggested. The thought of it made her smile. "Or eggnog. Do we have eggnog?"

"I'm sure Gonzo can make some," Faith said confidently. "Gonzo can make anything!"

"Assuming he's awake that is," Chris said, laughing lightly. Aya walked passed her and pushed the kitchen door open and at once, all four girls stopped.

Sitting at the table were the boys, Jae, Zugai, Blue, and even Teriuz had joined them. All of them had a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Gonzo turned his head from his place at the kitchen counter and smiled slightly. "Guess we're not the only ones, eh?" he asked. "Take a seat, ladies. I assume hot chocolate will suffice?"

"That's exactly what we came for," Faith explained. She sat down lightly beside Blue, keeping her distance from Teriuz, who was sitting on a barrel against a wall quietly sipping his drink. Aya sat across from her, right next to Jae, and Aven took a seat next to her. Chris sat down on Blue's other side, across the table from Zugai. It took Gonzo no more then a few minutes to get all four cups in front of them before he sat down himself.

"How far are we from the next island, Jae?" Gonzo asked before taking a sip of his coffee. Jae produced a map from his coat, the bracelets on his wrist clanking as they hit each other. He unrolled it and laid it on the table. After examining it for a few brief moments, he pointed to a spot in the middle of the ocean a few inches away from a small island.

"We're right here," he said, "and this," he trailed his finger along the ocean to the small island, "is Zargott (1). It's a lot smaller then Wine Island, and because of its isolation, it supplies its own crops and food," he pointed to an area near the coast. "Right here is where they've got the crops and farms. Only a few people run them, then they transfer the food to the main village here in the center,"

"So I guess we can't restock there, huh?" Zugai muttered thoughtfully. "I wouldn't feel right getting supplies from such a small place…"

"We'll just relax until the log sets then," Chris said. "We've got plenty in storage anyway, right?"

"Sure do," Gonzo confirmed. "We've got enough food and water to last us a bit more then one month,"

"So, exactly how far away are we from this… Zargott Island, Jae?" Aven asked. "I miss solid ground."

Jae smiled slightly. "If my calculations are correct, we should land by tomorrow night, send a couple of people in to get information about the Log Pose, and just wait out the time,"

"Well, who wants to head out this time, then?" Chris asked. "Last time it was Zugai, Blue and I, so let's rotate a bit!"

"I wouldn't mind going," Jae admitted. "It'll give me a good opportunity to understand the topography of the island and draw a nice map,"

"I'll go too," Faith decided. "Some fresh air and exercise is just what I need. Besides, I want to look around for some medicinal herbs,"

"Me too then!" Aven exclaimed happily. "My first island with you guys, I think it's fair, right?"

"I wanted to go," Aya complained, leaning her elbow on the table and propping her chin in her hand as she looked at the group.

" Three is more then enough, Aya," Blue said calmly. "Send in too many of us and it'll cause a mass panic,"

"Blue-san is right," Jae said. "Well, Chris-san, are you ok with the results?"

"Stop calling me that, already," Chris said. "I have no problems with the selection, you guys have some fun." She finished her cup and yawned as she stood up, going toward the sink. She placed her cup in and washed it before turning back to the others. "Well, I'm off to bed. Thanks for the cocoa, Gonzo,"

"Any time, Captain," Gonzo said with a half salute. She returned it tiredly before leaving the room.

"I'm off to bed too," Aven said.

"Ditto." Aya agreed. The two girls stood up and started out.

"Wait up!" Faith said quickly. She jumped up and pushed in her chair before jogging briefly to catch up with the others. "Night guys!" she called over her shoulder as she exited.

There was a moment of silence as the boy sat, finishing their own drinks. Suddenly, Blue spoke. "I'll take care of dishes," he said.

"Hmm? You sure?" Gonzo asked.

"Of course. You're the one who cooked, it's only fair that I clean up. "The rest of you, go to bed,"

"Well, I'm on watch," Jae said, standing. "So if you need me, I'll be up in the Crow's Nest,"

"Got it," the others said as Jae left. Zugai and Gonzo stood up and stretched before heading to the door. "Thanks, Blue," Zugai called over his shoulder.

"No problem," Blue said with a smile. And then, he was alone. Or at least, almost alone. Teriuz was still sitting on the barrel, staring quietly at his hot chocolate. The others had certainly forgotten that the boy was there, but Blue had been observing him quietly. HE put the cups in an easy to access place before sitting back down to finish his drink

"You seem upset," Blue said cautiously. "Something wrong?" Teriuz didn't look up from his drink. "They'll loosen up around you in time, I'm sure. That's the thing with our Captain. She acts tough, but deep down, she really has a soft heart," The ex-bounty hunter shifted slightly, bringing the rim of the warm cup closer to his lips. "She may not fully trust you right now, but she trusts your sincerity enough to let you on this ship. That in itself is an accomplishment,"

"Is it?" he asked thoughtfully. Finally, he took a sip of his drink. The warmth of the rich chocolate drink filled him and already his mood felt lighter.

"Wait and see, Captain!" Teriuz declared. "I'll find great Nakama and build my own Pirate Crew! My name will be known around the world! The next time we meet, Captain, I'll be a full fledged Pirate and I'll be the one telling the fantastic stories!"

"You seem to me, to be a kind person. Definitely with a sense of right and wrong, so I'm curious," he put down his cup and something in his eyes flickered; an intense curiosity. "Why join a Bounty Hunting Organization such as The Tribe?" Teriuz didn't answer for a few moments.

"_It'd be a shame to waste your Devil Fruit Powers," Alexa said calmly. "Join me, and I can assure you that whatever your past may hide, we will assist you in finding it," _

He finished his drink in a single gulp and stood, walking toward the table and setting it down. Without a word, he walked toward the door, the, with his hand hovering over the handle, he stopped. "Desperation," he stated. He opened it. "Thanks for the drink," he added before walking out.

However, instead of returning to the storage room, (which Chris had asked Zugai to equip with an extra hammock for Teriuz to sleep on), he walked toward the bow of the ship and leaned on the railing, staring out into the black ocean, gazed at the reflection of the moon, where his own dark reflection was cast.

"_Your next mission: assassination…" A figure told a much younger Teriuz. The man's back was facing the moon, casting his body as a silhouetted shadow._

"_Understood, Sy-," The young boy said with a curt nod. Then, turning on his heel, he walked out of the room into the bright sunlight._

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he rubbed his forehead. Another memory flash, this one triggered by simply looking at the ocean. He put his elbows on the railing and held his head in his hands in frustration. Assassination? What exactly was he in the past? "Sy… Sy what…?" he muttered quietly. He had a feeling that all he had to do was remember that shadow's name. Then, he'd understand everything.

Teriuz turned away from the railing and sat down on deck, his back leaning against it. He drew up his knees and crossed his arms over them, then lay his head on top, drifting to sleep by the gentle rocking of the ship.

(--)

Alexa stood impatiently near the shadows of a large tree near the town. She was much better off now then she was before, and was able to carry her sword on her hip again without any difficulty. Her eyes were never set on a single spot, but rather searching the bases of the trees and nearby buildings for something.

Sure enough, that something appeared. One of the shadows seemed to flicker to life, dancing slightly, then, a figure rose out of it, nothing more then a blacks silhouette. When it was fully formed in the shape of a woman, it stepped into the sun.

"Alexa." Rinocci Lotti said. She had reddish orange hair and brown eyes and wore a long coat over light jeans and a tight halter-top.

"Lotti." Alexa replied with a light nod. She watched Lotti approach.

"You have information for me, I understand," Lotti continued. Again, Alexa nodded. The two women stood directly in front of one another, both the same height. "Do tell,"

"The Demonic Illusionist was in this city," Alexa said calmly. "A couple of days ago, she withdrew with the Crescent Dagger pirates going east. If they're following the Log Pose from this island, their next destination will most definitely be Zargott,"

"Zargott," Lotti repeated thoughtfully. "It might be difficult capturing her there, I might have to wait some more. Anything else?"

"I know that she isn't your mission, but there's also been whispering within the Tribe factions about the location of Lily Void,"

Lotti considered this for a moment before shaking her head. "Your Tribe can take care of the Void," she said calmly. "The girl is not my concern," She lightly stroked the whip curled at her side. "Now, I have one more question, Alexa," Alexa stood quietly, waiting. "Exactly… how long has Aven been here, on this island?"

Alexa took a moment to consider this. "About five months," She said. Lotti nodded.

"Five months…" she repeated. Then, with suddenness that surprised even Alexa, Lotti wrapped a strong hand around the bounty hunter's throat and pushed her back. The woman's back slammed into the tree behind her. She quickly attempted to transform, but before she could make a single move, she felt a sharp stab of pain in her side and a sudden weakness. Her eyes shifted downward, to where the tip of Lotti's whip was lodged into her side. Kairouseki. "Five months, Alexa." Lotti repeated. "And you decided that it would be better to wait until the girl left before telling me? Do you know how long I've been after this annoying little girl?"

Alexa didn't respond. In reality, she couldn't, as Lotti tightened her grip around her throat. "_Four years_," Lotti said. Her face remained calm, but her voice sounded furious. "Four long years chasing after her. Following her around the world, getting knocked back by that last infuriating group of pirates, and now, you've allowed her to join another crew. This is my longest running mission and I could have ended it five months ago if you would have just called earlier. You know, Alexa, you're really making my job difficult,"

She released Alexa's throat and the woman gasped desperately for breath. However, that breath only lasted a brief moment, because immediately, she felt a stabbing pain between her ribs, and then, she couldn't breath. "And I really don't enjoy losing my targets, especially due to the stupidity of The Tribe,"

Lotti pulled the knife out of Alexa's lung and wiped it on the woman's dark dress before re-sheathing it. Alexa remained completely still for the briefest of moments. Desperately, she reached for her own weapon, but before she could even draw the long sword, she staggered and fell forward, a pool of blood filling beneath her. Lotti stepped back into the shadows again and faded into the dark silhouette again before slowly sinking into the shadow. "So long, Queen of Spades," She said before completely disappearing.

(--)

Markus waited calmly in the office of his ship, still filling out the massive amount of paperwork on his desk. Again, Reese was at the smaller desk to the side, assisting his superior as much as he could. The shadows in the corner shifted and simultaneously, Markus and Reese looked up. Lotti stepped out, looking mildly irritated.

"Was she there?" Reese asked. Lotti flicked her eyes toward him.

"Are you stupid? Of course she wasn't there, if she was, she'd be here," she said curtly. Reese tensed slightly in annoyance and suddenly, from his pocket, a little white mouse jumped out. It looked around briefly as it hopped around his desk, then, upon spotting Lotti, it squeaked and jumped back into Reese's hands. He caught it carefully and gently placed it back in his pocket, giving it a small crumb of bread.

"It's alright, Chikiro," he said. He looked at Lotti. "Well excuse me for asking," he snapped.

Lotti ignored him. "The Illusionist is headed for Zargott," she said. Markus frowned.

"We can't go to Zargott," he said. "They're on quarantine. No Marine ships in or out,"

"Quarantine?" Lotti asked incredulously. "Who cares about a quarantine?"

"I do," Markus said firmly. "I will not jeopardize the safety of my men so you can capture one little girl. You'll have to wait until they go to their next island,"

Lotti stared at him for a few brief moments. She considered arguing, but doing so would only escalate too far. She was already irritated. She approached his desk and slammed her hands down upon it. "Four years, Markus," She growled. "I'm not going to lose this opportunity!"

"Then go by yourself," Markus said, standing. As Lotti grabbed her whip, he pulled out his Jitte and held it against Lotti's chest. Reese appeared out of nowhere, holding a small, yet extremely sharp knife that appeared to be made out of clay against Lotti's throat. No one moved for a few moments, then, Lotti released the whip. She had no way of getting there.

She pushed Reese back roughly and spun on her heel. "The next island then," She snarled. She couldn't stand Markus, or his Ensign. But that didn't matter. She'd capture Aven eventually. Without another word, she disappeared into the shadows.

Markus looked at Reese and raised a brow for the briefest of moments. Reese stepped back uncertainly as he molded the red clay into a sphere and stuffed it into his pocket. As he did so, Chikiro crawled into his hand and up his arm onto his shoulder, where he sat down and continued munching on the bread.

"Sorry, sir," Reese said quickly. "That was unacceptable,"

Suddenly, Markus smiled. "Why are you apologizing, eh?" he asked. "It's a Marine's job to protect others. That's exactly what you did, Reese," he sat back down in his chair, resting the jitte against the desk. "Now, let's just get back to work…"

Reese smiled and saluted. "Yes, sir!" he said. Then, he returned to his desk and set to work on the papers.

* * *

**A/N:** (1) Zargott is pronounced zar-GO. So tomorrow is my first day of Finals and after Wednesday, I'm free for summer vacation! Which means more time to write! Sorry if this seems rushed, but I wanted to get it out, you know? Please remember to review!


	48. The Quarantined Island Zargott Part 1

**Pirates!**

**The Quarantined Island Zargott -**

**An Incurable Disease!? **

**Meeting Lord Dios**

* * *

The sunrise was always Aven's favorite part of the day. Back when she used to travel, she made sure to wake up extra early every morning, just to watch it. Now, she was sitting on the side railing, staring at the sun rising over the horizon to the right. A sketch pad was in her hand and her backpack, balanced carefully next to her, was open. She reached in and took out three pens: Orange, yellow, and pink, and with a glance at the sun before her, she began to draw.

"Hey, you're pretty good," the familiar voice of Zugai suddenly said. Aven jumped, knocking her bag over.

"Ah! No!" She gasped. She reached down to catch it and was surprised when she suddenly slid as well. She felt herself falling toward the ocean below for the briefest of moments before she felt a strong had grab her wrist tightly. She threw her backpack and sketchbook up where it would be safe and grabbed Zugai's arm, with her free hand, trying to pull herself up.

"Jesus, if I would have known that you were going to freak out, I wouldn't have said anything!" Zugai said. "Stop squirming, damn it, you're gonna drag us both ove-augh!"

The two hit the water with a loud splash and for a moment, both managed to rise above the surface, Aven latching onto Zugai desperately. "I can't swim!" she exclaimed. Zugai was pushed beneath water for the briefest of moments before he managed to push himself back up.

"Idiot! Neither can I!" She started to sink, followed shortly by Zugai, who grabbed her arm and tried to push her back upward above the surface. But his attempts were in vain, as shortly after, they sunk deeper from the surface. The two held their breath, Zugai closing his eyes tightly.

Suddenly, two loud splashed sounded dully in his ears. He opened his eyes and looked up to see Gonzo quickly swimming toward him, his speed inhuman in the water. A strong hand grabbed his upper arm and suddenly, he was being pulled upward. When his head broke the surface, he gasped desperately for air, coughing, one arm slung around Gonzo's shoulder for support. "Hey, you alright, buddy?" Gonzo asked.

Zugai nodded. "Y-yeah, just fine," he answered. Somewhere nearby, he heard another series of gasps and turned his head to see Chris reaching for her floating hat, supporting Aven above the water, who was breathing heavily.

"Blue, throw down the ladder, would you?" she called up. Immediately, a rope ladder with bone rungs was pushed over the bulwark, attached at the very top of it. Chris and Gonzo swam forward, pulling their catches with them.

(--)

Zugai and Aven sat on the deck of the Howling Ivory, breathing heavily as water dripped from their hair and clothes. Chris and Gonzo stood before them, dripping wet. Gonzo had his arms crossed over his chest as Chris twisted the water out of her hat and hair.

"What part of hammer do you guys have trouble understanding?" Chris scolded.

"S-sorry…" Aven said weakly. "I was drawing and then… he snuck up on me!" she pointed at Zugai.

"Don't blame me! You're the one who dove to grab those stupid pens of yours!" Zugai said defensively.

"Take that back! Those pens aren't stupid, they're my treasure!" Aven growled, shifting onto her hands and knees and facing Zugai angrily.

"Well next time don't put your treasure in such a dangerous place!" Zugai said, turning his head slightly to stare at her.

"Ok, ok, whatever!" Chris said sharply, putting the wet hat on her head. "My god, you're like children…"

"Says the youngest," Zugai said smugly.

"What was that?" Chris stepped forward, but Gonzo stepped between them.

"Alright, enough already," he said quickly. Chris crossed her arms and stepped back slightly, looking away. "Now, if you look to your right, I think we might have a problem on our approaching island,"

At once, all three of them turned their heads in the direction indicated. The island was closer then before, but what caught their attention was the large black sign with red writing. The largest word was visible even from their distance.

"Quarantine…" Blue read. His keen eyes narrowed and he leaned over the railing slightly. "It says something else. I'll go check," he stepped onto the railing and with a powerful push, launched himself off the bulwark. Slowly, his body began to fade, from the bottom up, and eventually, he disappeared completely.

Aven looked at Zugai as she twisted the water out of her hair. "So why did you sneak up on me anyway?" she asked. Zugai blinked, as if suddenly remembering something, and reached into his hoodie pocket.

"Oh, right!" he said. "I wanted to give you something. I just finished it late last night," he hesitated. "Or maybe it's early this morning? Well, whatever. Here." He held out a silver Seeker by the chain. The front was emblazoned with the initials 'A.N.'. "Sorry it took so long, but I had some trouble designing your personal Jolly Roger," Aven stared at it uncertainly for a few moments. "Well, what are you waiting for? Take it,"

At last, she reached out and grabbed hold of the object. She stared at it for a few seconds before carefully opening it by pressing the small clip on the side. It popped open, pointing toward the cabin. On the inside of the cover was a skull and directly behind it, were strange characters. Small stars were etched all around it.

"These letters are ancient…" Aven muttered. She lightly placed a finger on the writing. "'History'… but how did you know about these?"

"Actually, Teriuz helped me out," Zugai admitted. "He's travelled a lot apparently and the historian on his last crew had this tattooed to his arm. He's got a good memory, so he was able to write it on a piece of paper for me to inscribe,"

"Incredible…" Aven muttered. "But this arrow isn't pointing North," she explained.

"Intentional," Chris said. "It's not a compass, it's a guide. We call them Seekers. If we ever get separated, this is how we find each other," She lifted her own from behind her shirt as the other two did the same. "That locket makes you an official Crescent Dagger pirate,"

Aven couldn't hold back the wide smile that spread across her lips. She looked down at the necklace after clipping it around her neck and lightly stroked it. "Official, huh?" she asked. Suddenly, she wiped her eyes and when she looked up, she seemed on the verge of tears. "Thanks, guys," She said.

Atop the wolf head's nose, Blue reappeared, a serious expression on his face. Chris looked up at him and her smile faded. "What happened?" she asked.

Blue jumped off of the wolf, landing lightly on his feet. "The island is on quarantine… because of a deadly illness that's plaguing the villagers," Hearing those words, eyes widened in surprised. An illness? "The quarantine is issued by the Marines. No one goes in…" he glanced back toward the island. "And no one comes out,"

(--)

The streets of the Joule City were completely empty in the morning light of the new day. Windows were drawn, shops closed and counters dusty from lack of use. Suddenly, a door slammed open, revealing a young man carrying a woman in his arms. She was shivering, though her pale skin was shining with sweat. Her eyes had dark rings beneath them.

He ran down the street, holding the woman close to his chest, until he came upon another, large, two story building. He kicked it several times, and after the third, it was pulled open. He stepped in, passed the doctor with a white coat, and lay the girl down on the first bed he found.

"There's another one!" he said, his voice panicking. He turned to the doctor and grabbed his shoulders. "Please, Doc, you have to save her! She can't die!"

Doc grabbed hold of the boy's wrists and lightly pushed him away. "Calm down, Quil," he said firmly from behind the surgical mask. "You already know that there's nothing we can do for Sally." He said with a frown. "I'm sorry… we're trying as hard as we can to develop a cure, but it doesn't seem possible,"

"Anything is possible," A different voice said. Simultaneously, Doc and Quil looked up. At the top of the wooden staircase there stood a man with slicked back blond hair and light gray eyes. He was wearing a red dress shirt with a black suit and black dress shoes. At once, both men fell to their knees, pressing their heads to the ground in a low, respectful bow.

"Lord Dios," Quil said. "I… I'm sorry, I had no idea you were here," The man identified as Dios descended the stairs and stopped before the two men.

"Rise," he told them. At once, they stood, and with a soft smile, he looked at Doc. "There is no need for you to bow to me within your own domain. There are patients to attend to," he turned toward the sleeping girl, whose breathing had become gasps. "Do what you can for Sally. I promise that this plague will come to an end soon," he smiled as he looked back at them, his eyes twinkling. "The Goddesses have arrived,"

Quil's eyes widened in surprise. "The… Goddesses…?" he repeated. Suddenly, his desperate expression became one filled with hope. "So… Sally…"

"Will survive, yes. You have my word…" Dios told him. He placed his hands on the shaking man's shoulders. "…as your God,"

(--)

"What do you mean quarantine?" Faith asked uncertainly. The crew was sitting in a circle on the deck, the ship anchored on the docks of the island.

"Marine issued. The sign says that no one is allowed to come or leave," Blue said. "It's obviously an airborne virus,"

"In other words, it's too dangerous to land on an island like that," Chris said. "We've got to wait for the Log to set, so I think it's best to avoid going in to check it out. I don't want to risk anyone getting this sickness,"

"Chris, I have to go," Faith said suddenly, standing. She was looking away from her crew, to the empty island.

"I just said no," Chris replied.

"I'm a doctor, Chris," Faith answered quickly. "I can't just turn around while there are people dying nearby, especially with an incurable disease. It's unforgivable!"

"I can't turn the other way either," Aya said. She stood up beside her best friend and linked an arm with hers. "As doctors, it's against our code. We've got to do something to help!"

"You guys, this is way too dangerous," Chris said, standing. "It's not that I'm afraid or anything, so don't get the wrong idea, but I don't want anyone getting this… thing,"

"I promise that I'll help you accomplish your dreams," Faith said with a sudden anger in her voice. The words surprised Chris and her eyes widened. "You said that Chris, and here you are restricting it! Was it just a lie to get us to join you?"

Chris' eyes narrowed angrily. "What the hell are you talking about? Of course it wasn't a lie!"

"Then if it wasn't a lie, you can't stop us," Aya defended. "We've got to cure every disease in the world, the two of us. This is something we can't pass by,"

For a moment, all was silent except the light breeze blowing by. Chris stared at the two doctors, torn between their safety and their dream. But then again, if someone tried to keep her from getting One Piece, she'd turn around and leave anyway. And she _did _make a promise. She looked away, her eyes downcast. "Fine," she said at last. Aya and Faith's eyes brightened and they looked at each other with broad smiles. It was at that moment that she caught sight of Teriuz with his backpack slung over his shoulder. She looked at him, startled. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"You said the next island," Teriuz answered, a bit confused. "So I'm leaving,"

"No, you're not," Chris said, shaking her head. "You're staying here. This place is on quarantine, I'm not leaving you on an island like this,"

From the dock below, a voice suddenly called up to them, "You there!" The sound startled the pirates. Teriuz was the first to look over, being closest to the bulwark. "I must speak to the Captain of this ship immediately!".

"For you, Chris" Teriuz said over his shoulder. Chris made a quick adjustment to her hat, to ensure it was properly covering her hair, and then stepped up beside Teriuz. By this time, the rest of the crew was standing. "Stay here," Chris told them. She put a hand on the bulwark and vaulted over it, landing skillfully on her feet on the dock in front of the man.

He had blond hair, slicked back, and light gray eyes that seemed to glow. His skin was pale, and he wore a long sleeved maroon shirt and black pants with black shoes. From what Chris could see, he had a very fit, muscular body. He was no older then twenty one. "Are you the captain?" he asked.

"I am," Chris answered. "Chris Hopkins," she introduced.

"I am known simply as Dios," the man answered. He took hold of Chris' hands firmly. "And you must listen to me. This place, it is very dangerous! You must leave immediately!"

Chris bit her lip. "We're not leaving…" she said cautiously with a quick glance at the two doctors above, "until we manage to find a cure for this plague,"

Dios followed Chris' gaze to the doctors. He looked at them for the briefest of moments before shifting his eyes to two other positions and then, something in his eyes changed. Chris saw the flash of excitement for only a moment before it disappeared. He looked back at Chris at last, once again looking nervous, unhappy.

"Very well then," he said. "If you are all planning to stay, then at the very least, I will provide you with a safe environment. My home is large enough to fit all of you comfortably. But we must move quickly! Every moment you are exposed to the air, you are becoming more and more likely to develop this sickness,"

"Thank you for your courtesy," Chris said. She turned her attention back up to the ship. "Faith, Aya, get what you need!" she called. "We're leaving the ship here. Everyone is coming with us,"

"Everyone? But then who's going to guard Howling Ivory?" Zugai asked.

"There is no need to guard your ship on this island, sir," Dios said. "I promise you, it will be perfectly safe,"

"Just grab your things, let's get going," Chris said. Without another word, the crew obliged.

(--)

The house really was larger; large then the others at least. It was two floors with enormous rooms, the house of a wealthy man. The door was opened by an elderly butler who didn't say a word to them as they entered. In fact, he didn't even look at them. All he did was bow low to Dios before closing the door behind them.

"You are welcome to whatever rooms you wish, whether you decide to share or otherwise,"

"Where are the patients being held?" Faith asked. She carried a backpack over her shoulder with a red cross on it, filled with her medical supplies. Aya carried a similar bag.

"And where can we set up?" she added.

"There is a room in the basement you can use. As for the patients, they are in the hospital down the street," Dios explained.

Faith nodded and turned to Aya. "Go set up. I'll go to the hospital and check things up, ok?"

"Got it," Aya answered with a nod. She turned away as Dios spoke to his butler, who nodded and led the younger doctor away. Chris watched her for a few moments, slightly uncomfortably. "Gonzo, go with her, please," she said.

Gonzo glanced at his captain for a moment before nodding and going in the direction Aya had gone. "Now, Miss Faith, if you'll come with me, I'll lead you to the hospital," Dios said. As they started to leave, Chris stepped forward.

"I'm going with you guys," She said. She turned to Zugai. "Keep an eye on everyone here, ok? Get settled in. We'll be back,"

Dios frowned, obviously unhappy with the decision, regardless, he nodded. "Alright then," he said calmly. "Very well, let's go," Without another word, the three exited the house into the city.

* * *

**A/N:** Alright, so here's the deal. This arc idea was submitted by Blu-Calling, thank you very much for it. I'm tweaking it a bit… IDEA!. Anyway, if you have any more information about it, send it to me via PM. Sorry for the delay, but here's the next chapter at last. The ending is a little rushed because I wanted to get it up…. Please don't forget to review!


	49. The Quarantined Island Zargott Part 2

**Pirates!**

**The Quarantined Island Zargott Part 2**

**The Illness Discovered-**

**A Dangerous Situation!

* * *

**

It was obvious to both Chris and Faith that Joule City was at one time a bustling, happy environment. Evidence of that was all around; the numerous kiosks, the colorfully painted homes, the roses and flowers and nice, well tended lawns. But now, everything faded. Colors seemed to be in shades of gray, tarps covered kiosks closed for business. The streets were completely empty.

"This is terrible…" Faith muttered, looking around the abandoned city. She held her backpack close to her chest uncomfortably. She kept close to Chris, who remained silent, her hands stuffed into the pockets of her jacket. The group walked without another word until they reached the hospital, and the moment they stepped through the door, Faith's eyes widened.

There were beds even in the entryway, occupied by coughing, sleeping people in obvious discomfort. Through nearby doors, Faith could see blankets covering bodies of the deceased. Nurses were running frantically everywhere, checking on patients, and each and every one of them wore a surgical mask.

For a moment, Faith didn't move. It wasn't until she heard a violent cough that she sprang into action. She ran toward the first person she could, reaching into her bag simultaneously to take out a stethoscope. The person she approached was a young girl, no older then ten. She put the stethoscope around her neck before lightly putting a hand on the girl's forehead. The fever was so high that Faith drew back her hand, surprised.

"High fever. No lower then 103, I think…" she muttered to herself. She placed the stethoscope in her ears and pressed the other end beneath the girl's shirt, right over her lungs. She listened for a few moments before frowning. "Pneumonia…" She said quietly. "But this isn't what's killing her… this is because of a weakened immune system; her body is so busy fighting a bigger infection that it's not paying attention to things like this," she put the stethoscope back around her neck and reached into her bag again, extracting a needle.

"Do you need help with anything?" Chris asked suddenly. She'd never really seen Faith so frantic, even when cleaning up her own crew. Right now, the girl was tying a rubber band around the young girl's upper arm. When it was tied, she extended the arm and pressed a needle into it at the crook of the elbow. As she pulled back the plunger of the empty syringe, it began to fill with a deep red liquid

She put a red top at the end of the needle to seal it and reached back, handing it to Chris. "Take this," She told the girl. "Don't drop it, be extremely careful. I'm taking the sample back to Aya for analysis."

"Oh, right," Chris said, taking it from Faith's hands. The doctor in question began cleaning the small hole with antiseptic and then covered it with a bandage.

Faith turned to move toward another patient, but stopped upon nearly crashing into a man taller then herself wearing a white coat. Like the nurses, he had a surgical mask covering his mouth for protection. The two stared at each other for a moment, the doctor with wide eyes that briefly turned to Dios, then back to Faith.

With sudden enthusiasm, he extended his gloved hand and took hold of Faith's, shaking them. "Welcome to Zargott! It's a pleasure to see you!" he said excitedly. Faith blinked, a bit confused.

"Under different circumstances, I would agree," she said, "but right now, we can't focus on things like this. I need you to tell me everything you know about this illness. When did it first begin?"

The doctor seemed surprise by her tone, but immediately put on a much more serious façade. "About two months ago," he said quickly. "the symptoms we've seen so far include lightheadedness and shortness of breath in the early stages. As the disease escalates, it develops flu-like symptoms; nausea, fever, coughing. At first, it took days for the disease to develop, but it seems to have mutated. Now, the effects take place in a matter of hours,"

Faith frowned. Mutations were never good; it made it much more difficult to cure things like these. And for it to have escalated so much in only two months… this was more dangerous then she thought. "How long do they survive?" she asked.

"Unfortunately, no one has lasted more then three days," the doctor said sadly, before quickly adding, "Miss, you should be wearing a mask. Even someone such as you is prone to this illness,"

The words confused Faith, and it was obvious as she looked at him with a dumbfounded expression, "Someone… such as me?"

"He means a doctor," Dios explained suddenly, stepping forward. Chris stared at the man for a moment, suspicion apparent in her eyes. "All outsiders seem to think that they're immune to this plague, but in reality, they are not. We are only looking out for the best interest of our guests," he added.

Faith glanced at her captain and was surprised when Dios stepped into her line of sight. She looked away quickly and turned her attention back to the room. "I need blood samples of an adult female and an adult male patient," She told the other doctor. I also need a sample from one or two healthy citizens for comparison if that would be possible,"

"Take some of mine," Chris said, holding out her arm. "It's accessible, it's healthy, we already know that," Faith nodded and gave three syringes to the doctor, then walked toward Chris.

"Get me those samples now please," Faith told him. The doctor nodded and distributed the syringes to nurses, who quickly ran in different directions to collect the samples. "Alright, so don't move, ok?"

"Got it," Chris said. She pushed up her sleeve and extended her arm, balling her hand into a tight fist to expose the vein. Faith took only a moment to find her mark before inserting the needle and extracting blood. Chris didn't even feel it, even after it was finished. Chris lowered her sleeve before Faith could apply a bandage, watching as Faith wrote a letter 'C' on the side of the syringe in marker. Moments later, the other samples arrived, and Faith took them from the doctor. Each was marked with different letters and numbers.

"Thank you," she told him with a soft smile. "I'll go back and analyze them with my partner and I'll bring you the results as soon as possible," She slung her now closed backpack back over her shoulder and turned toward the door.

"Thank you very much, milady!" The doctor exclaimed enthusiastically. He bowed to Faith, who didn't see it as she was already gone. Chris glanced at Dios briefly.

"Aren't you coming?" She asked the older man. He looked at her and smiled kindly.

"I'll catch up, you go on ahead," he told them. He patted her arm lightly and after shrugging him off, Chris turned and ran after Faith. When she was gone, Dios turned back to the doctor.

"The girl with the brown hair… she has silver within it. She is no doubt the Goddess Maylem," the doctor said confidently. "Lord Dios, I never once doubted you, but to think that this is actually happening… that we are actually being saved…"

"It is a lot to take in, I understand," Dios said.

"But… the other two? I saw only one. The red haired boy can't possibly be a Goddess. Could he be a guardian? An angel sent to watch over the Goddesses?"

Dios shook his head. "No, the boy is nothing of the sort," he said. His eyes flashed dangerously, "In fact, that boy is the Devil's advocate. He does not know that he is in the company of the Goddesses, but if he finds out, then he will take them away," Doc's eyes went wide with sudden fright. "You have nothing to fear. I will hold them in my home. They will not touch the Goddesses as long as I am around,"

"As expected from our God," Doc said, bowing low. "My lord, I must ask to be excused. There are patients in need of tending," Dios nodded and waved the man away. Doc spun on his heel and jogged into one of the rooms where a dangerous, racking cough was heard.

Dios took a final glance around the room before turning and exiting.

(--)

"Have you applied the stain to the sample?" Faith asked Aya as she sat, looking through a microscope spread out on a table. The syringes filled with the blood samples were separated into several holders. Aya was leaning carefully over a blood smear before her, examining it quietly.

"Yeah," she said at last, "But I can't see anything like this. Take a look?" She passed the sample to Faith, who took it carefully and placed it beneath the microscope lens. She looked it, adjusting the clarity before finally becoming satisfied with the result. She stared for a few moments before leaning back and looking at Aya.

"Ay…" She muttered. "What does this look like to you?"

Aya cautiously stepped forward. She didn't like the way Faith was looking at her. She approached the microscope and looked through. The blood cells were individually displayed thanks to the stain, but what startled her was what was in and around some of the cells. A small, dark purple colored parasite.

"Plasmodium…" She muttered. She examined the slide. "It's infected a lot of these blood cells and still moving at an alarming rate…"

"That's exactly what I thought," Faith said. "And the symptoms explained fit. Anemic symptoms, flu-like symptoms. I think… I think we might have figured out what we're dealing with,"

Aya shook her head, "This is much more advanced then the normal parasite though. It's moving so quickly… and apparently it travels through the air? How is that even possible? Malaria is only passed through mosquito bites, infected needles, blood transfusions, plus it normally takes months for the symptoms to occur."

"All of which are possible here," Faith agreed, "But then again, you're right. This can't be Malaria, it's much more advanced. It's not natural…what sample is this?"

Aya stepped away briefly to examine the syringe from which the blood smear had come. "Uh… it says 'C'," she stated. Faith, who had looked back into the microscope, froze on the spot. Slowly, she lifted her head and stared at Aya.

"Wh… what did you just say?" she asked. Aya repeated the label and Faith looked back at the sample. She quickly changed it with a different one, then back. She put both samples down carefully and fell into a nearby chair.

"Faith? What's the matter?" Aya asked nervously.

"There's no way the parasite could have infected so much so quickly…" Faith muttered. "We've been here for no longer then three or four hours, it's not possible…" Aya knelt in front of Faith, putting her hands on the girl's shoulders and shaking her.

"Faith! What's wrong?" She repeated. Faith looked at her and something in those blue eyes made Aya uncertain. Suddenly, she didn't want to hear the answer.

(--)

"Something just isn't right about this guy," Chris said. She was sitting on a couch in the living area; Dios hadn't arrived yet and she was taking the opportunity to talk with her crew, or at least, those that were in there. Gonzo was in the kitchen, helping the butler cook up a meal and Jae said that he was going to check on Faith and Aya. So Chris was left speaking with Zugai, Blue, Aven, and Teriuz.

"I think I get what you mean," Teriuz agreed. "There's something… strange… about him. I personally don't like him,"

"I'm sure you're just not used to him," Zugai said with a shrug. "He doesn't seem to bad. He gave us a place to stay, a nice comfortable environment, it's fine," A smirk spread across his lips, "I think you're just being dramatic personally,"

His expression changed as he looked at Chris, who was holding her head in her hands. He raised a brow and looked at her. "Hey, you ok?" he asked her. She didn't respond for a few seconds, and Zugai sat up in his seat, "Chris?" he asked.

"I'm fine," She answered suddenly, lifting her head slowly. "Just a headache is all…" She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and was surprised to find that she was sweating. Slowly, she pushed herself to her feet and simultaneously, Blue and Zugai rose as well.

"Stay here," Zugai ordered, "Blue, go down and get Faith and Aya," he told the marksman. With a nod, Blue took a single step, then faded into his element; he'd move much quicker that way.

"You're being stupid," Chris told Zugai. She took a step, then stopped when the world suddenly started spinning. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, resulting in a harsh dry cough. She started forward, toward the kitchen. "I just need some water, don't worry. It's probably the… the heat or something,"

The three remaining watched Chris closely as she walked, or rather stumbled toward the entryway of the kitchen. Before her eyes, everything began to distort, and she rubbed them in an attempt to clear her vision. When that didn't work, she stopped, taking a moment to catch her breath by leaning against the wall. Strange, why was she so tired?

"Just… need water," she muttered, "water…" She heard a shout behind her, took another step, felt herself falling, desperately reached for the wall, anything to grab onto, and then, before she even hit the ground, the world went black.

* * *

**A/N:** Well… this was a bit unexpected… So you all know what the disease is! But… it's a highly mutated form…. Isn't that incredible! As if Malaria wasn't deadly enough? Creative, right (sarcastically)? Well, research isn't my thing, so I did what I could and made some crap up XP. It's a little short, but it's about 1:30 in the morning, and I'm tired. Partied all day. So, I'm going to leave you with this nice little chapter! Please, don't forget your reviews!


	50. The Quarantined Island Zargott Part 3

**Pirates!**

**The Quarantined Island Zargott Part 3**

**The Three Goddesses!**

**True Intentions of a God!

* * *

**

Blue had barely reached the basement door when suddenly, it slammed open, revealing Faith. Had he been in his solid form, he would have been knocked away, but thankfully, he wasn't and the only damage the heavy door really did was scatter him around a bit.

Blue quickly regained his composure and returned to solidity directly in front of her. "I was just coming to get you." he said, "Something's up with Chris,"

"Where is she?" Faith barked. Blue looked at her quizzically for a moment; why was she panicking? Then, he pointed his thumb over his shoulder toward the living room. Faith darted past him in the direction indicated before Blue could question her.

She reached the open doorway and plowed through, stopping upon spotting a staggering Chris heading toward the closed kitchen door. Faith took a moment to catch her panicked breath before shouting, "Someone, grab her quick!" to the three others in the room.

Chris stopped in the doorway upon hearing the shouting and turned her head to look at them. Faith could see her eyes were half closed, her bangs sticking to her face and her skin shining with sweat. Her hands groped desperately for something to grab onto and then, she fell.

Teriuz suddenly appeared, down on his knees, and caught the girl before she could touch the ground. She lay limp in his arms and for a moment, no one moved. No one breathed. Not even Gonzo, who stood only a few feet away after coming to investigate the yelling. Teriuz gingerly placed a hand to her forehead and instantly drew back. "She's burning up," he said quickly. It was at that moment that Faith sprang into action.

"Gonzo, get a bowl of cold water and a wash cloth!" she ordered. She ran toward Teriuz and Chris and knelt down, briefly checking her temperature, then her pulse. "She seems stable for now… Teiruz, take her down stairs, quickly!"

Without hesitation, Teriuz pushed himself to his feet, holding Chris close against his chest and leaning back slightly to avoid dropping her. He quickly made his way across the room and out the door toward the basement. Faith started after him, but was stopped by Aven suddenly appearing in front of her.

"Don't tell me she caught that disease," She said nervously. Faith looked away briefly, biting her lip, then, upon looking back at Aven, she nodded.

"Do you know how to cure it?" Blue asked, reappearing in the doorway.

"No," Faith said. "This disease, it's similar to Malaria, but the parasites move much quicker. An antitoxin won't work against this,"

"What the hell do you mean 'won't work'?" Zugai asked suddenly. "How long does she have?" Faith looked away again and muttered something under her breath, eyes downcast. "I can't hear you," Zugai said in frustration.

Faith looked up, suddenly annoyed, "Three days!" She shouted. She instantly regretted it, as the boy's visible eyes widened as his face paled. He looked at Aven, who was frozen on the spot, and even Blue was speechless. Faith's eyes narrowed slightly and she looked down once again. "I'll do everything I can to save her and everyone else in town. I promise," she said. She spotted Gonzo entering the room with the bowl and cloth and quickly ushered him downstairs.

Blue was the first to recover and taking a breath, he looked at the other two, "Are you ok?" he asked them.

"Three days…" Zugai muttered. He took a few steps back and fell into a chair, his head in his hands.

"Three days is plenty of time!" Aven said with sudden optimism. She was suddenly smiling, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Faith and Aya, they'll do it! She's not dead yet guys and she won't be in three days! Don't get so beat up!"

"Besides, our Captain's a fighter," Gonzo's voice suddenly said. Zugai looked up to see the Fishman standing in the doorway, leaning against it with his arms crossed. "She'll stretch it out as long as it takes,"

"You're right," Zugai said suddenly, smiling confidently. "But Aya and Faith are gonna need all the help we can get! The doctors back in town have got to know_ something_!" He pushed himself to his feet and ran out of the room into the foyer, toward the front door. As he pushed it open, he stopped in his tracks upon nearly crashing into a figure standing before him.

(--)

"There's got to be something!" Aya muttered as she looked through one of the many books she'd carried with her. She glanced over her shoulder at Jae, who was sitting beside Chris, waiting for any sort of instructions from the two doctors. Faith sat beside Aya, searching another book and Teriuz stood beside the door, waiting for orders as well. He may as well help while traveling with the pirates.

"Of course there's something," Faith assured her. "Remember what your grandfather always told us, Aya. Nothing is incurable," she turned the page in her book and then slammed it shut in frustration. "But that doesn't mean it's not difficult to find…"

She stood up and looked at her Captain for a few moments. "I'm going into town," she said. "We've got patients there that need our attention too. Besides, I might find some sort of clue as to what will cure them," She grabbed a backpack resting on the table and started toward the door.

"Wait! I'll go with you," Aya said. She started to follow, but Faith shook her head.

"No. You stay here and take care of Chris. Try to keep her comfortable. It's our fault she's like this. We insisted on coming,"

For a moment, everyone was silent. There was truth in Faith's words. Aya nodded. "Teriuz, get me that other sample," she called to the boy by the door. Without hesitation, he nodded and walked toward the sample.

"Then I'll go with you, Faith-san," Jae suddenly declared. He stood from his stool beside Chris and walked toward Faith. "Don't try to tell me no, I'm coming with you. No questions asked,"

Faith frowned. There was no arguing with Jae; she knew that. "Fine," she said reluctantly.

(--)

"Where are you going?" Dios asked. He was about to enter his home when the door was suddenly pulled open and the pirate boy was standing there.

"Oh, sorry," Zugai said quickly. "I almost ran into you didn't I, guess I should be more careful," he smiled half-heartedly. "Actually, I was just going into town to get some information from the doctors. Our captain is sick and we need all the info we can get,"

Dios' eyes narrowed for the briefest of moments, "Your captain is sick as well?" he asked. "I'm sorry, young man, but I'm afraid I can't let you go,"

Zugai stared at Dios, surprised. "What? What are you talking about, why not?"

"Think logically. If your captain is sick, that means that you are all susceptible to the disease. Going there now would be suicide," the man explained. "For your safety, it would be best for all of you to stay within,"

"I'm sorry, sir, but we can't do that," Faith said suddenly. She was standing near the foyer entrance, Jae beside her carrying her backpack. Aven and Gonzo had joined them, with Blue standing off to the side. Faith stepped forward and Jae followed.

"We appreciate your concern, Dios, but our doctors have a job to do. And we as a crew have a duty to our Captain," Jae said firmly.

Dios frowned unhappily, looking at each pirate in turn. They were all determined to do whatever it took to fix this. To eliminate this disease. They were even willing to risk their own lives. With a defeated sigh, Dios entered his home and closed the door. "Alright, but I will only allow three of you," he declared. "Faith and Jae may go, and one other," he fished a whistle out of his pocket and blew a brief musical tune through it. Moments later, the butler from before arrived. "Get me our masks, please," he said. The man nodded, then turned away. Dios looked back at the crew, "It may be of use for you to know that women are less prone to the illness,"

Hearing this, Jae's eyes narrowed. Faith opened her mouth to say something, but he lightly touched a hand to hers to get her attention. She glanced at him. Without saying a word, Jae shook his head. "I'll go," Aven decided. She stepped forward beside Faith and Jae. "With my illusions, I may be able to give them some peace of mind,"

"Alright," Faith said with a nod. Then, she looked to the three boys remaining. "Stay here. Keep an eye on things. If any of you start feeling dizzy of nauseas, go to Aya right away, understand?"

"Got it," They replied. The butler returned with the surgical masks and handed them to Dios.

"Very well then, let's go," Dios said. Then, he turned and opened up the door, waiting for the three pirates to exit before following behind them.

The three boys remaining stared at the door for a few moments, then looked at each other. "Jae is a boy," Blue pointed out calmly.

Zugai nodded. "I think Chris was right," he said. "Something _is_ going on here,"

"I think…" Gonzo said quietly, a sudden mischievous glint in his eyes, "that it's time for us to conduct a little investigation. Do you guys agree?" Blue and Zugai looked at each other and slowly, they smiled as well. They looked at Gonzo and nodded. Then, they separated within the house.

(--)

"So you say it's Malaria?" Teriuz asked, watching as Aya carefully mixed a plant mixture with a blood sample. She looked through a microscope and frowned, then pushed the sample and the mixture aside.

"It's very similar," Aya explained. She shifted her attention to an open book and shook her head as she turned the page. "That parasite Plasmodium is what causes the infection, but this is a mutation. It moves much faster then the original parasite, which means it'll be much harder to cure. I've tried every treatment for it that I know, but it doesn't seem to be possible,"

"So it's incurable then," Teriuz said. That seemed to be what she was saying. He looked toward the sleeping girl on the bed nearby, frowned, then looked back at Aya. The doctor held her head in her hands as she skimmed through the writing in the book.

"I… I hope not," she said quietly. She was surprised when a small ball of paper bounced off her head and angrily, she looked at Teriuz. "What was that for?" she asked.

"For being so pessimistic," Teriuz answered. He had his arms crossed, his orange eyes intense and determined. "You talk like that, you'll never get anything you want done. You have to say, 'of course it's not incurable, are you stupid?' not that you hope not! Where's your confidence!"

Aya stared at him, shocked. Even Teriuz was surprised by his own words, because he quickly looked away and stifled an embarrassed cough behind his hand. "Sorry. That was out of place,"

Suddenly, Aya smiled with a sudden determination, "No," she said, "You're right. I don't know what I was thinking," she said. "Thanks, Teriuz,"

Teriuz stared at her, eyes wide. Then, his expression softened and he smiled. "Not a problem," he declared with a thumbs up.

(--)

"You are going to be surprised by what you see," Dios said quietly as he walked several paces ahead of Aven, Jae, and Faith. They were getting closer to Joule, and Aven even more uncomfortable with each step. When they finally reached the city's boundary though, the pirates stopped in their tracks.

There were bodies lying on the ground, white blankets covering them, lined up along the street with children, wives, husbands, parents, all crying for the lost. Faith's eyes widened in shock.

"There… so many…" she muttered uncertainly. Jae stared at the bodies, his eyes wide.

"How is this possible?" he asked.

Dios frowned as he looked toward the line. "They got the illness three days ago," he explained, "There are more expected where they came from, but unfortunately, we haven't had time to dig proper graves, to make a proper burial. And our morgue's are full. So, as much as we dislike it, we must leave the bodies outside until we can tend to them,"

"That's terrible…" Aven muttered.

"Damn it," Faith growled under her breath. She clenched her fists tightly at her side and stopped, closing her eyes tightly. Jae stepped up beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "They're dying… they're dying everywhere and I can't do anything about it…"

"It's not your fault, Faith," Jae assured her quietly. "This was happening before we got here. You have to focus on those who are still alive rather then the dead or you'll be too distracted to continue,"

"You can open your eyes, Faith," Aven said calmly. "It's ok," Hesitantly, Faith opened her blue-gray eyes and looked around. The bodies were suddenly gone. She looked to Aven; the girl's eyes were intense with concentration; she'd placed an illusion to hide the bodies.

"Thank you," Faith muttered. Aven smiled. "Any time," she said.

"Come, we must make haste," Dios suddenly said. He started walking again and the pirates followed. They entered the hospital; it was empty save for the sick and the nurses. They stopped as a figure stood in front of them, then fell to his knees, his head bowed. His hair was light brown, his skin pale. For a haunting moment, Faith thought that this man had also come down with the illness, until he pressed his hands together, fingers against his forehead, and spoke.

"Goddess Maylem of the Body, Yale of the Mind, Cath of the Soul," he said quietly, almost praying, "Allies to our God Dios, I beg of you, from the bottom of my soul, with my very being, please, you must heal my fiancé,"

"Goddess…?" Aven repeated, confused. She looked at Dios, who looked ready to murder the man. "Is he… talking to us?"

The man kneeling looked up, brown eyes filled with tears, though determined. "I will sacrifice my very life if you save her! Will that satisfy you? Is that what you require to cure this disease! If that is the case then by all means, take my life!" He spread out his arms, still kneeling, staring at the three shocked pirates.

"What… what are you talking about?" Jae asked, shocked. Goddess? Take his life? Was offering himself as a sacrifice?

The man turned to Aven, desperately grabbing her wrists tightly. "You must save her!" A sudden wave of panic ran through her; her fear of men rising to the surface, and with a shout, she pushed the man away, harder then intended. She stepped behind Faith nervously, her heart pounding. The man pushed himself to his feet, though there was a scrape on his hands where he'd caught himself.

"Quil, you fool!" Dios growled suddenly. He grabbed the man roughly by the arm and pulled him away from the pirates, across the room. He pushed open a door, one of the few empty rooms in the building, and pushed the man through. "You dare lay a hand on our Saviors?" his grip tightened on Quil's arm and his other hand grabbed hold of Quil's hand, the one with the scrape. "If you wish so desperately to become a sacrifice, then a sacrifice you shall be," Faith, Aven, and Jae ran after him, following through the door just as Dios pushed it closed with his foot.

"Stop!" Faith shouted desperately as she watched the man before her begin to pale. He began coughing violently as Dios released him and staggered back, gripping his throat in an attempt to stop the racking coughs. He dropped to his hands and knees and tried to cover his mouth as he vomited the contents of his stomach, eyes wide.

He tried to stand, but failed and instead collapsed, face down on the wooden ground. Aven stepped back, eyes wide with shock as Faith immediately rushed toward him and knelt down, turning him onto his back. She checked his pulse briefly, checked his heart beat. There was nothing.

The man was dead.

* * *

**A/N:** Well… this took me a LONG time. It didn't end up the way I really wanted to, and it all pretty much happened at once... And here I've gone and dug myself into another hole because I'm not sure where to go with this! Sorry for not posting! I had writers block for this and had to try to get rid of it by focusing on some original pieces, a book I'm writing actually that will most likely never get published or even finished for that matter, and now, I've got a block for that and the words for this one are starting to flow, slowly, but steadily. In this case, too much at once, lol, because the original draft was much longer! So sorry for the delay. Sorry this seems rushed.

But this is a pretty special chapter too! Number fifty! I honestly never thought I'd ever write a story this long and it's not even close to completion (I hope!) This is halfway to 100 and I've got almost 400 reviews! This is so exciting! My faithful readers who have been with me from the start, I have to thank you for keeping it up and reviewing! You're the reason I've come this far! And now I'll end this ridiculously long Author's Note and get started on the next chapter!!! Happy Independence Day!


	51. The Quarantined Island Zargott Part 4

**Pirates!**

**The Quarantined Island Zargott Part 4**

**A Mystery Is Solved!**

**A Cure is Discovered?**

**

* * *

**

Zugai couldn't believe how big this house really was. Of course, it was expected. Dios was the wealthiest man in Joule City. He'd checked several of the rooms already, all empty guest rooms, and nothing of value had come up. Nothing useful. He took a final sweep around the guest room he was currently standing in, then turned and exited. There was one more room in his hallway. He was tempted to leave it alone, but something compelled him to enter.

Taking a quick look down the hallway, Zugai took the handle and tried to open the door, surprised when it didn't turn in his hands. He looked at the door closely. It would be relative easy to pick. He turned to start walking and stopped, jumping in shock upon coming face to face with the butler. His pale eyes stared suspiciously down at Zugai, as he was a few inches taller.

"Can I help you with something?" The man asked. His voice startled Zugai; the butler _looked_ elderly, however, he _sounded_ middle aged, maybe younger.

"I, uh, got lost," Zugai said quickly. "Looking for the bathroom. Is this it? It's got a lock and everything," For good measure, he fidgeted with the doorknob, only to have a firm hand grip his shoulder tightly.

"That is Lord Dios' private quarters," the man said, "and it would be unwise to enter that room under any circumstances. The restroom, young man, is in this room here," he turned Zugai and pointed to a door down the hallway.

"Oh, thanks, buddy!" Zugai said enthusiastically. As he walked by, he patted the man on the shoulder. He could feel the pale eyes boring into his back and after briefly knocking on the bathroom door he entered and locked it behind him.

He stood against the door, eyes narrowed, listening to the sounds of the old man's footsteps against the carpeted floor of the hallway. They passed the door and slowly faded. "Unwise, huh?" Zugai muttered briefly, "That's the only locked room in the house. What have you got to hide, Dios?"

He'd already checked the bathroom; there was really nothing to find here.. Slowly, he unlocked the door and opened it a crack, looking out into the hallway, then, confident that it was clear, he stepped out. "Now then, where are the other two?" he asked himself quietly. If he wanted to get into that room, he'd need a diversion. Then, hands in his pockets, he walked toward the staircase and descended.

(--)

"Maybe… it's something obvious?" Teriuz suggested as he walked around the large basement. There were shelves everywhere, littered with old trinkets, preservative foods, and some books. Chris was sleeping on an old bed against the wall and Aya had set up her supplies on a large table in the center of the room. It was almost as if this was anticipated.

He took a book off of a shelf and flipped through it briefly before putting it back down. "What do you mean?" Aya asked. She'd taken a liking to Teriuz, his company was reassuring, with his constant optimism and good mood. She was honestly surprised that someone such as himself was ever a part of that Tribe group.

"Like, something right in front of your nose. Something so out there, but so obvious, that you wouldn't think of it," Teriuz elaborated, flipping a rod he'd found expertly in his hand. Aya lifted her head from her book, her eyes wide. She turned her head and stared at Teriuz, who stopped flipping the rod and looked at her uncertainly. "What…?" he asked.

"Homeopathy…" Aya muttered slowly. "My God, I can't believe I didn't think of it before! Teriuz, you're a genius!"

Teriuz grinned, tossing the rod into the air and catching it, "Yeah, I've been told," he stopped, blinked, and looked at the girl, "but… what exactly did I do?"

"It's been so obvious this entire time! Homeopathy!" She glimpsed a confused expression and sighed in exasperation as she searched another book, "Like cures like! Come here, listen to this," she beckoned him with one hand and flipped through the pages of her book with the other, stopping on a page titled 'Homeopathy', and Teriuz stepped up behind her.

"The curative power of medicines depends on their symptoms, similar to the disease but superior to it in strength so that each individual case of disease is most sure, radically, rapidly, and permanently annihilated and removed only by a medicine capable of producing in the most similar and complete manner the totality of its symptoms, which at the same time are stronger than the disease [1]," She looked at Teriuz excitedly, only to be deflated slightly be his blank expression, "In other words, something that causes symptoms similar to malaria in a healthy person will strengthen the immune system to _fight_ the infection already inside the body! Like cures like!"

"Oh, I get it!" Teriuz said, nodding in understanding. He gazed at Aya, "So what's similar to this Malaria?"

Aven pushed the book aside and took another one 'Plants and Foliage' from her pile. She opened it, skimming through it, and then stopped on a page displaying an image of tiny pink flowers. "Cinchona bark," she said simply.

(--)

Blue, Gonzo, and Zugai were sitting on the floor of one of the spare bedrooms in a tight circle, Zugai speaking in a voice so low, that it was difficult even for the two with him to hear. "Cover?" Gonzo asked, tilting his head to one side. As usual, he spoke loudly and was quickly shushed by Zugai. Gonzo covered his own mouth and dipped his head a bit. "What do you need us to cover you for?"

"There's this room," Zugai said quietly, "upstairs at the end of the hall. It's the only locked door in the entire house. And to top it off, the butler guy was really specific about not going in there."

"You got caught?" Blue asked, raising a brow. "You're just not good at these things, are you Zugai?"

"Spy work isn't my thing," Zugai said indignantly. "But that's not the point. The point is, they're hiding something and it's up to us to find out what!" He pressed his fist into his palm with a determined expression on his face. Leaning toward his friends, he lowered his voice slightly more, "I think that this guy, Dios, is the reason Chris is sick,"

"That's a heavy assumption," Gonzo said suddenly, "Sure, I don't like the guy, but to say something like that? How can you be sure?"

Zugai frowned, his expression passive, but serious. "He said women are less prone to the illness, and yet Chris, a girl, got it, and he took Jae, a boy, into the infected city. You can't tell me you don't see a connection,"

Suddenly, Gonzo's eyes widened. "Chris looks like a boy…"

"And Jae looks like a girl," Blue finished. Suddenly, both of them understood. "Which means…"

Sudenly, a door slamming caught their attention, followed by a voice. It was coming form the living room.

"Zugai, Blue, Gonzo!" Aya's shouted as soon as she stepped through the basement door. She stopped upon coming to an empty room and frowned, confused. "Where are they?"

"Maybe lying down?" Teriuz suggested. "Hello?" he called. One of the doors down the hallway opened, revealing the three boys. "Oh, there," he pointed to Aya.

The girl spun around and upon sighting the three, her smile widened. Before she could speak, Zugai ushered her over with a quick jerk of the hand. Aya tilted her head, confused, and approached. "Come on," she shot over her shoulder at Teriuz, who had remained behind. Uncertainly, the boy followed the doctor and the minute they reached the other three pirates, they were pulled into the room, the door closed behind them.

"Hey, what's going on?" Aya asked, pulling out of Gonzo's grip. She was surprised by their actions, until of course Zugai began explaining. Aya's eyes narrowed slightly as she listened. It all made sense. "So he's causing it…" she muttered.

"Exactly," Zugai interrupted with a knowing smile.

"But why? How?" Aya continued. "It can't be from food because if that were the case, by this time all of us would have it, and if this disease really _was_ airborne, then even he would have caught it,"

"Devil Fruit…" Teriuz said suddenly, causing the four pirates to look at him with surprise. He looked up, his eyes meeting each of their gazes before falling on Zugai, second in command. "It's the only explanation. He has some sort of Devil Fruit. It has to be Paramecia,"

Gonzo tilted his head to one side. "How do you know that?" he asked. Teriuz looked at him as he responded.

"It can't be a Logia unless it's a Poison Devil Fruit, but I already know that that one is taken already by one of the World Government's dogs. It can't be a Zoan because if it were, it wouldn't keep him from getting infected. So it has to be some sort of Paramecia, either a Germ fruit of something protecting his body," Suddenly, he smiled, "and if that's the case, then I'll be able to fix her."

"Very thoughtful," Blue observed, his blue eyes widened with surprise. "I would have never thought of something like this. But… how exactly would you be able to fix Chris?"

"I have a Devil Fruit myself," Teriuz explained. Noticing their skepticism and surprise, he explained, "The Mozou Mozou no mi. Because of it I'm able to mimic the Devil Fruit powers of those around me in about a fifty yard radius, as well as mimic attack styles [2]." He frowned. "But in order for me to do that, it's got to be Paramecia and I have to know what type I'm dealing with otherwise I won't know how to activate the ability,"

"Wait, so you're saying you can copy Paramecia type Devil Fruit?" Zugai asked skeptically, to which Teriuz nodded. "Prove it. Hone Hone no Mi,"

Part of Zugai didn't trust the boy, and he told himself that the only way to prove that it wasn't Teriuz who did this to his captain was to get some proof of this power. However, deeper in his consciousness, he was completely ecstatic to see an ability like this; to be able to mimic every Paramecia Fruit in a fifty yard radius would be awesome!

"Alright…" Teriuz said, slightly uncomfortable. He closed his eyes and took hold of his right forearm with his left hand. Then, tightening his grip slightly, he literally pulled the bone out of place, his right arm going completely limp. He looked at the bone briefly, obviously uncomfortable, then lifted it to show Zugai. "S-see?"

Zugai was speechless, so Gonzo spoke for all of them with a quiet, "I'll be damned…"

"But uh…" Teriuz said a bit nervously, looking at the white bone in his hand. "I uh… I don't exactly know how to put it back," he laughed bitterly and the shock on the others faces faded into dumbfounded expressions.

Finally, Zugai heaved a sigh, smiled, and held out a hand. "Give it here," he said. Teriuz smiled sheepishly in return and handed the bone to Zugai. After the boy had placed it firmly in place back in Teriuz' forearm, they returned to the topic at hand.

"So we need to find out this Devil Fruit," Blue summarized, "and I'm fairly certain that the only way to do that is to search the room Zugai told us about,"

"And we have to tell Faith and the others what's going on," Teriuz added.

"I'm sure they already know. Faith's a smart girl, and Jae I'm sure read through this right away." Aya pointed out, "But speaking of Faith, I figured out how to cure it! But We're going to have to find a specific plant, and since I can't leave Chris, we'll have to wait until Faith gets back to do so,"

Zugai nodded. "Alright, that makes sense," he said. At least they were getting closer to curing Chris. "For now, let's get into that room and try to figure out this Devil Fruit!" Zugai said, "I can pick that lock easily. It's child's play, but like I said before, I need you guys to keep the creepy butler away. So Gonzo, Blue, that's your job. Aya, you go back down stairs and keep and eye on Chris. Teriuz, you search with me, got it?"

"Got it," They said simultaneously. And with that, the five Crescent Dagger pirates dispersed.

Zugai and Teriuz quickly made their way out of the room and into the living room, taking seats across from each other on the couches and talking inconspicuously. Aya quickly rushed down to the basement to continue her research; what would be the most effective way to administer the bark? Gonzo and Blue, meanwhile, made their way into the kitchen, side by side, cheerfully. They stepped through the doorway just as the butler was about to exit and quickly blocked it.

"Oh, there you are!" Gonzo said in his usual, loud voice to the old man. "We were just looking for you," However, he trailed off, as _why_ they were looking for him had never crossed his mind. Thankfully, Blue covered for him.

"We were wondering if you could make us some of this island's delicious tea. Gonzo, as great a cook as he is, just doesn't make it quite like you do. Would you mind?" Blue asked. Gonzo shot him a disappointed look.

"Certainly," said the butler, turning on his heel back toward the stove.

"Hey, if you wouldn't mind, could you teach me how it's done?" he asked as Blue took a seat at the table.

"If you would like sir, yes," the butler answered. Gonzo looked at Blue and smiled triumphantly, which Blue mirrored and returned. Time start.

(--)

Zugai waited a few moments on the couch after Gonzo and Blue entered the kitchen and when they didn't return, he took that as his cue to get moving. He quietly stood up and moved quickly toward the staircase, followed by Teriuz, and once they'd reached the top, he stopped.

"Stay here," he said quietly, "until I open the door. Keep an eye out. If you see the butler coming, give me a signal," Teriuz nodded and leaned casually against the railing as Zugai moved quickly down the hall to the door. He took a quick look around, then set to work. He examined the doorknob, taking it in his hand and trying first to twist the door open. As expected, that failed.

Ideally, he'd need a piece of wire to do this, it was one of those moments where he wished Jae with his powers to manipulate metal, were around. But for now, he'd have to make due without the boy.

From his position at the stairs, Teriuz couldn't see exactly what Zugai was doing, however, when he heard a click behind him, followed by his own name being called, and knew that the blacksmith had opened the door. _Impressive._ He thought to himself, turning away from the stairs toward the door. When he entered, Zugia was already searching.

The room was exceptionally tidy and looked very similar to a large hotel suite. On one side, there was an enormous bed with comfortable looking blankets and large pillows, with rather expensive looking carpet underneath it. Bookshelves surrounded the walls and on the opposite side of the room was a desk, facing away from a large window behind it.

"Alright, if I were a freaky rich guy with a secret, where would I hide it?" Zugai asked himself as he scanned the shelves of books around the room. Every so often, he'd take the cover off of some sort of container, only to close it right back up again. Teriuz walked toward the desk and took a seat at the comfortable arm chair before it, looking at the neat wooden surface. There were pens and a few slips of paper with writing on them and upon closer inspection, he realized they were nothing more then letters.

He checked the drawers, carefully sifting through orderly papers until finally, he reached the last drawer, which seemed smaller then it really appeared. His eyes narrowed and he pressed his hand to the bottom and was surprised to feel it shift slightly. He reached up, grabbed an pencil, and slipped it in the edge of the drawer's bottom. Sure enough, upon tilting the pencil, the bottom lifted up.

"A false bottom…" he muttered, surprised. He reached passed the wooden plank acting as the bottom of the drawer and felt something; a book. He took hold of it and placed it on the desk before closing the drawer back up. "Zugai, come here!" he called.

Zugai, who was currently searching under the bed, pushed himself to his feet and approached the younger boy with interest. The book on the desk was black, devoid of any title, however, upon opening it, the pages were littered with neat, small handwriting.

"It's a journal," Zugai pointed out. He watched as Teriuz searched the pages, catching glimpses of entries that made this man, Dios, seem like an extremely religious person. It wasn't until Teriuz stopped that he finally managed to read an entire entry.

"_The Lord has spared my life. He has not destroyed me for the consumption of that Devil Fruit, but rather has provided me with abilities that give me powers of nothing less then a God. I cannot be killed by any disease, by any injury, for they heal as quickly as they come. He must have some higher purpose for me. Or perhaps He has chosen me as His successor. If that is the case, them I must fulfill His wishes and spread His teachings throughout the world, presenting only those who deserve such a prize as eternal life with my gift. I will start with the island of Zargott_…[3]"

"Disease and injury, heal as quickly as they come…" Teriuz said, frowning, rereading the entry once again. "You know more about the body then I do I'm sure, so what do you think?" he asked, looking at Zugai.

"Aya may be better suited to make a judgment on this then I am, but I think I know. The reason he isn't getting sick… think about it, Teriuz. What exactly prompts our bodies to cure our illnesses. What can't we survive without?" Zugai asked, staring at the boy. Teriuz took a moment to consider it, then, his eyes widened.

"The Immune System," he muttered. And that was when they heard the front door open down stairs.

* * *

**A/N:** [1]. Ok, so that was a passage taken from an online article. Just thought I'd give it credit. [2]. It was supposed to be I think 500, but that's like…. Five football fields. At least with 50 it's a little more limited, I guess. Hope you don't mind the change! [3]. You're probably wondering why He and His was capitalized. Well, Dios was referring to a God, therefore, it is capitalized. Now, away from these little notes, I've been neglectful as an author. Forgive me, my readers! So yeah, this is it. It's a little iffy because I sort of forced it so I could get it out to you guys and some of it may be a little confusing since I've been writing it over the span of more then a week as you all know. But… now we understand what's going on. Next chapter coming up.


	52. The Quarantined Island Zargott Part 5

**The Quarantined Island Zargott Part 5**

**The Ideals of a Corrupt God

* * *

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Aven couldn't believe her eyes. The man lying dead on the floor before them was only moments ago healthy and kneeling at their feet, begging them to help, calling Faith, Jae, and herself 'Goddesses'. And now, after only a touch from Dios, he was dead. The dimness in his eyes startled her to the point that she was frozen, her breath caught in her chest, her eyes wide. She was completely unable to move. Was it her fault that he was dead? After all, she had panicked when he'd taken her hand. Did Dios kill him for that reason?

Faith was in a similar state; she had spent the last few futile minutes attempting to resurrect the man in every way she knew how, but in the end, her attempts were useless. Now, she knelt helplessly on the ground, staring at the pale face of the dead man, at the dull brown eyes and with a single hand, she closed them.

Jae took only a few moments to compose himself and turned his attention to Dios. His bluish purple eyes were dim, furious, the pupils shrunk to mere pinpricks. "What did you just do?" he demanded as metal began to form around his hand.

Dios looked at him calmly. "I exorcised my judgment," he explained. He looked down at Faith, "It's no use, Goddess Maylem. His immune system has been shut down. There is no way to revive him."

His voice pulled Faith out of her stupor growled furiously and pushed herself to her feet, staring at Dios with a sudden feral look to her normally passive blue-gray eyes. "Reverse it!" she ordered. Dios shook his head.

"That is not possible," he explained. "the infection and bacteria of the disease has already traveled into his system. As we speak, his organs are being shut down, unprotected. Even by boosting the immune system he will die. It is too late to fight the infection now that his heart and mind has given out on him," He spoke with no remorse. No compassion.

"Why would you do something like this to your own people?" Jae shouted angrily. Dios turned his gaze to him and smiled. It wasn't his usual compassionate smile, but rather it was maniacal, sadistic.

"I have been chosen," he answered simply. His entire demeanor seemed to change now. He stood taller, his light gray eyes seemed a shade darker then before, and strands of his slicked back hair fell into his face over his eyes as he turned and gazed out the window. "The Lord has allowed my survival despite the consumption of one of those wretched Devil Fruits. He has given me the ability to control the lives of those around me. He has graced me with the powers of the God and chosen me as his successor!" He laughed and turned to face the three pirates once again, "Oh and yes, you have been chosen as well. I know all about you three, survivors of the Devil Fruit; Canis Moon Faith, Jae Metarrionette, Aven the Demonic Illusionist. Or shall I call you by your true names?

"Maylem of the Body, with silver hair, Yale of the Mind with white, and Cath of the Soul with orange. By consuming those Devil Fruit and surviving through the Devil's temptations, you have been chosen by the Lord as my followers and together we shall spread our knowledge throughout the entire world. We shall control it all as the God and Goddesses!"

He raised his arms to symbolize the enormous, impossible feat and laughed once again. He was stopped short, however, when he suddenly felt chains appear on his arms, pulling them down and behind his back where they tightened into a strong hold. He was knocked off his feet by a sudden large wolf, who stood atop him to keep him down until a sharp piece of metal that seemed to be attached to an arm pressed against his throat.

Aven had her hand extended, closed into a fist to keep the illusionary chains tight. Faith stepped off Dios and returned to her human form as Jae maneuvered into a kneeling position beside Dios, his hand encased in metal and fused with what were once his bracelets, but was now a sharp looking blade.

"I can see that my actions displease you," Dios said, still smiling, "No matter, it becomes easier in time. And I have the utmost confidence that my Goddesses will be able to cure this illness,"

"We're not your Goddesses!" Faith shouted. Then, she put a hand to her face to try to calm herself as she turned away from Dios. _Three deep breaths. _She turned back around and looked down at Dios. "What caused the disease?"

Dios grinned. "It is not my place to tell you that, as the Goddesses, you must solve the riddle for yourself," He winced as the chains tightened around his wrists.

"Malaria is typically not an airborne illness. You will tell me right now how to cure them or I swear I will kill you," Faith snarled, "The ultimate sacrifice is to die for your people, would you like to be one of those Gods?"

"You will not kill me," Dios said calmly, "because you require my assistance in curing this illness. Whatever remedy you produce will do you no good if I do not repair the immune system to its former healthy state. I may have made these people more susceptible to the disease, and that may have strengthened its activity, made it more prominent in all ages, but I am not the cure of the disease itself.

"So it is just Malaria," Jae said calmly, "An airborne mutation that would be absolutely harmless if you hadn't messed with their bodies,"

"No, something like this wouldn't be completely harmless. It would pass right over children and adults, yeah, but elderly citizens and babies would be infected, and while the mortality rate wouldn't be as high, it can still be deadly if not treated." Faith explained, "And this son of a bitch came to a place where they have no idea how to cure it and took advantage of their desperation to become powerful,"

"Filling their minds with lies that you'll save them? How could you be so sure that we'd be able to do it, huh?" Aven asked furiously.

Dios smiled. "Because you have been chosen," he said, as if that explained everything. "But do you really have time to be discussing things such as this? Your captain's life is hanging on the balance and I have a feeling he won't last as long as the others,"

Jae's eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of Chris and he pressed the makeshift blade harder against Dios' throat. "What the hell do you mean?" he demanded.

"A Devil fighting against the powers of a God will not survive very long." Dios explained, but that seemed to be all he offered on the subject. "I suggest you release me and we go on as if this never happened." His eyes darkened, "You will do exactly as I say, because remember, with a simple touch, I can destroy everyone you hold dear,"

Aven tensed slightly and looked from Faith to Jae, waiting for consent. Hesitantly, the navigator drew back his arm, returning the bracelets to their normal size and allowing the metal to melt into his body once again as he rose to his feet. He stepped back, beside Faith, and Aven released the chains.

Dios pushed himself to his feet and looked at the dead body lying on the floor. "You have the powers of illusion, correct Cath?" he asked Aven.

Aven glanced at Faith, who looked back and nodded. _Go along with it for now_. "Yes," she told Dios. She watched as he picked up the body and carried it over one shoulder to a closet. He put the body within and shut it tightly, then moved a cabinet in front of it to cover it. "Very good. You will stay here and use your abilities to ensure that no one finds out about his death. Go on, right now, create a replica,"

Aven hesitated briefly, then closed her eyes. She quickly got the image of the man in her head and taking a deep breath, she said, "Tricks: Man,". The figure of Quil faded into existence, with his dark hair and eyes, smiling pleasantly. "He isn't solid, so he can't touch anything, and he can't be touched," she explained to Dios.

"No matter, you will stay here and make sure no one does so," Dios said. He looked at Faith and Jae, "You will return with me, back to my home to see if anything has been discovered as of yet,"

The two nodded and followed Dios out of the room, leaving Aven alone with her illusion. She looked at it and it looked right back sadly. It was as if it knew that its image was dead. She looked toward the closet and took another deep breath, "I'm sorry about this," she whispered. Then, she turned and exited. The illusion followed, then, once out in the open with the other doctors and nurses, it made its way directly to a woman's bed and sat down in a chair beside it. Aven followed and took her seat beside him, staring at the young, once beautiful woman sleeping before her.

She would be devastated to learn that her love has died.

(--)

"Shit!" Zugai growled, hearing the door downstairs open. He quickly closed the desk drawer with his foot as Teriuz slammed the journal shut and simultaneously, the two boys ran toward and out the door, closing it behind them. They ran toward the stairs and upon reaching the landing looked down at the front door to see Faith and Jae entering.

Which meant Dios wasn't far behind. The practically flew down the stairs, jumping the last few just as Dios entered. "Hey, any luck?" Zugai asked cheerfully. That is of course until he noticed the sullen expressions on his friends' faces. "Something wrong?" he asked.

"Of course not," Dios answered for them cheerfully, "There was no new information at the hospital, we are hoping that you have different results here?"

"Aya found something, but she's been waiting for you to get back for a second opinion," Teriuz said, speaking only to Faith and Jae. Faith simply nodded and started for the basement. "Uh, there's tea in the kitchen, I think. Gonzo and the butler made it, you look like you could use some,"

Zugai put an arm around Jae's shoulder and ushered him toward the kitchen where already they could hear Gonzo and Blue talking. Teriuz hesitated in front of the staircase for a moment as Dios stepped passed him. As the older man passed, he placed a hand on Teriuz's shoulder and for a moment, the boy felt a strange spark. "You are all doing very well," Dios said confidently. Then, he continued up the stairs.

Teriuz pressed a hand to his head and leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths.

_A younger, injured Teriuz knelt on the floor before the throne of a shadowed man, out of breath, his head down, eyes looking everywhere but directly at his superior. He heard footsteps approaching and was certain he was going to be killed for failing._

_Then, he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see the man from the throne standing before him, "You are all doing very well," he told Teriuz, "Don't let one failed mission, a single loss, stop you from excelling,"_

_Then, he walked passed the boy and exited into the light outside._

When the images faded, Teriuz opened his eyes and lowered his hand. It was the same man as always. Sy…something. He took a few seconds to catch his breath and looked around. He was alone. No one had seen it; that was for the better. He looked up the staircase where Dios had disappeared to and frowned. "Teriuz," a voice behind him called, startling him and causing him to jump. He turned around to see Zugai standing in the kitchen doorway, "Something wrong?"

It took Teriuz a few moments to register the words and once he did, he shook his head, "No, nothing," he said.

"Well come on then. We should wait for Faith and Aya as a group, that way they can tell us what we have to do all at once," Zugai continued. Teriuz smiled and nodded again, which prompted Zugai to return to the others. Teriuz shot a final glance over his shoulder toward the second floor and smirked.

Now he knew how to activate that power.

(--)

"So what have you got?" Faith asked Aya as she made her way to Chris' bed. She desperately wanted to tell the girl what she knew, but she couldn't risk their lives. She made a quick check of her captain's temperature; as expected it was extremely high, almost dangerously so. She seemed to be having trouble breathing, and was actually gasping now more then anything. It was progressing extremely quickly.

"Cinchona bark," Aya answered. She walked toward Chris with a cold rag and pressed it lightly against her forehead. It seemed to ease the girl's tension a bit, as her breathing seemed to calm even the slightest bit. Faith looked at her, surprised. _Why didn't I think of that before…?_

"Aya, you're a genius!" Faith exclaimed suddenly.

"I never would have thought of it if it weren't for Teriuz," Aya continued cautiously. He saw Faith's expression change and her hand move to her stomach where she'd been stabbed not long before. Her wounds had almost completely healed, but they were still there. Sure, Teriuz hadn't been directly the cause of them, but he had been involved and that in itself made Faith distrustful of the boy.

But if he did anything to save their captain, then he was alright in her book. She smiled softly and turned her attention back to Chris. "You should take off the hat, it's not going to help much," she pointed out.

"Well, I didn't think she'd appreciate it-"

"Who cares if she appreciates it or not. It's not going to help her fever to have something like this on her head," Faith interrupted. She reached for the hat and was surprised when a hand grabbed her wrist weakly. She looked down at the girl and was surprised to see those brilliant green eyes partially open.

"Leave… it," Chris said, her voice barely above a whisper. The strain of speaking those two words took all of her breath and she inhaled deeply to regain it. Faith hesitated for a moment, then nodded and drew back her hand. Chris' arm fell to her side. "We'll have your cure soon, Chris, I promise,"

A small smile played at the corners of Chris' lips and she closed her eyes once again, "That's good," she muttered. Then, she drifted back into unconsciousness. Faith smiled and adjusted the cold cloth on Chris' forehead, then stepped away from her toward Aya, who by this time had moved back to her work table.

"Faith, there's something I have to tell you," Aya said quietly. Faith looked at her, however, just as she was about to continue, they heard footsteps descending the basement stairs. Aya glanced at the door, then quickly looked away to continue her work.

"Have you found anything?" Dios asked as he approached Chris' bed.

"Don't get too close to Chris please, Dios," Faith said, trying with difficulty to restrain her disgust with the man.

"My apologies," Dios said, stepping away from the bed. He looked toward Faith and Aya, "So, is there anything we can help you with?"

"This is a tropical island from what we can tell, so we need to know if you know the location of a plant by the name of Cinchona," Aya said quickly.

Dios took a few moments to consider this question before shaking his head, "I do not know the exact location, however, I am aware that it is somewhere in the jungle area,"

"Do you remember how to prepare the infusion?" Faith asked Aya. It was something they'd learned long ago, when they were barely starting their careers as doctors. Aya looked at her and tilted her head.

"Why can't we just use a tincture?" she asked.

"Because, although they work faster, we don't have that kind of time. It takes at least a week to make it, so we'll have to make an infusion, which means we'll need to get a lot of Cinchona," Faith explained.

"Well, we'll have to collect it from the right specimen, then let the bark dry. After crushing the bark into powder, it'll have to steep for about thirty minutes in boiling water, then the infusion should be ready to administer. Three times a day, I think." Aya summed up.

Faith nodded. That sounded about right, "Ok, I'll stay with Chris. Make sure you get enough Cinchona for the entire town, not just for Chris, and take Jae with you. Take these bottles too," she handed Aya three large empty bottles that she'd found on the shelves, "Give them to Gonzo and Blue and send them out to find a lake and collect some." Aya nodded and turned away from the table, stopping upon coming face to face with Dios. She stared at him for the briefest of moments, then lowered her head and slipped passed him, running toward the staircase and up.

Dios waited until Aya was gone before looking at Faith, who was already setting up. "You have said nothing I hope," he said to her as she walked passed him to the shelves, searching for something. When she found it; a large pot; she quickly cleared a space with one hand and set it down on the table. She reached across the table for a hot plate, which she'd brought along from the ship. She didn't speak until she'd finished her preparations, which involved placing a clean white cloth over the top of the pot.

"No," she assured him. "Haven't said a word,"

(--)

"You just need us to collect water?" Gonzo asked Aya curiously as the two of them with Jae walked in the thick forest. Blue had flown upward using the wind in order to make the search for water quicker, leaving Gonzo to carry all three large bottles.

"Yeah," Aya answered, "But you have to get them as quickly as possible and get them back to Faith so she can get started. It needs to be purified and properly boiled to make the infusion,"

"And how long will it take to make this infusion?" Jae asked.

"About a day to allow the materials to dry unless we get lucky," Aya answered.

Blue returned at that moment, landing without a sound in front of them and stopping them in their tracks. His hands were the last to reform from the wind transformation and as soon as they had, he spoke, "There's a small stream over that way that we can collect from," he said, pointing to his left. "And I saw some tall trees that looked similar to evergreens over in that direction," he pointed right, "you said these Cinchona were Evergreens, correct?"

"Thanks, Blue," Aya said with sudden confidence. "Let's go, Jae. And remember you two, get back as soon as possible!" she added to Gonzo and Blue.

"Got it," Gonzo said as Aya and Jae disappeared down the path. He turned his attention to Blue and tossed a bottle at him, which he caught with a single hand. "Well, let's get to work, buddy!"

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**A/N:** I've had this written for about two days and I can't resist keeping it from you anymore. Underwent a LOT of revisions before I was satisfied, haha! So it is the fault of that last chapter that I have been moving so slow and now, hopefully, I'll be up and going with my next few chapters! This arc will soon come to a close as you all know, maybe another two chapters at the most. Now the words are flowing. I'm writing. And let's all hope it keeps up!


	53. The Quarantined Island Zargott Part 6

**The Quarantined Island Zargott Part 6**

**The Cure Put to Action**

**Zugai and Gonzo vs. Dios and the Butler**

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The kitchen was extremely quiet without the company of the rest of the crew. Dios, as far as they knew, was downstairs with Faith and Chris (a thought that deeply unsettled the two young men sitting a the kitchen table drinking the remnants of their tea), and the strange old butler was somewhere else in the house, possibly cleaning or doing other butler activities.

Teriuz and Zugai had sat in relative silence the entire time, uncertain of whether or not it was even safe to speak as well as completely at a loss as to what to say to one another. The house was so quiet save for the soft hum of the refrigerator that they feared even the slightest sound would travel to Dios himself.

Still, after a while, the silence became too much for them. Zugai, extremely quietly in a voice barely above a whisper asked, "So what happened in there with you and Dios?"

Teriuz tightened his grip on his cup. Had Zugai seen him in the midst of his strange memory flash? To give himself time, he brought the cup to his lips and took the final gulp of the warm sweet tasting liquid and Zugai took that as in invitation to continue, "I mean, I saw you leaning against that wall, I thought for a second you were going to pass out, that maybe he tried to weaken your immune system too,"

"It's nothing like that," Teriuz said quietly, his mind already thinking of an excuse, "It was simply the transference of power. When he touched me, it re-sequenced my blood to match his, which in turn gave me his ability," Of course, it wasn't completely a lie; by being touched by Dios, his blood had re-sequenced itself to mimic his power,"

"So that's how it works?" Zugai asked. Teriuz nodded and smiled, relieved that the boy didn't look into it any further, "Then once we give her the medicine, your immunity boost will heal her faster, right?"

"In theory," Teriuz answered, "I think that I can boost it about as high as Dios which, judging by his journal entry, is enough to speed up his healing process so that it's almost instantaneous," he glanced cautiously at the door, "but he must remain within fifty yards of my location in order for it to work, so if he decides to leave back to the city when the cure is complete, then I won't be able to do it,"

"What you're saying all we have to do for you is keep him in your general vicinity at all times?" Zugai asked, to which Teriuz nodded. Zugai crossed his arms behind his head and leaned back in his chair. "Sounds simple enough,"

Outside the kitchen doorway, the elderly butler stood, pressed against the wall. Pale eyes stared impassively ahead into the air and his keen ears listened closely to every word the boys within said. Without speaking, he stepped away from the wall and headed upstairs. He'd most definitely tell his Master about this.

(--)

Gonzo and Blue entered as the butler turned down the upstairs hallway and immediately made their way down to the basement, the three large once empty bottles now filled to the top with cool spring water. Upon seeing them, Faith brightened and waved them over.

"Thanks guys!" She said enthusiastically as she turned on the hot place with the large pot atop it. She held the towel firmly with both hands against the top of the pot, "Ok, pour the water through here to filter it so it can start boiling," the boys did as they were told, slowly pouring all three bottles into the pot. Faith removed the cloth and allowed the water to boil.

"How's she doing?" Gonzo asked suddenly, shooting a glance at Chris.

"She's definitely a fighter. She actually managed to wake up just before I sent you guys off. Complaining about trying to take her hat off," Faith said with a light laugh.

"Well, that's Chris for you," Gonzo said with a broad smile. "Least we know she's ok if she has the energy to complain about that!"

"All pleasantries aside, there's something important we must discuss with you, Faith," Blue said quickly and quietly. Faith looked at him as she leaned against the table, her light eyes impassive. "He has a Devil Fruit,"

Her eyes widened noticibly upon hearing Blue's statement. She was under the impression that they didn't know. Could this be what Aya tried to tell her before? She shot a quick glance up at the door, then quickly put a finger to her lips.

"You're not supposed to know that," she said fiercely, "how did you find out?"

"That's not important," Gonzo said, "What is important is that we can cure Chris and the others without Dios' help, as long as he stays in the viscinity,"

Faith shook her head indignantly, "No, that's impossible," she said, "The only way to cure it is to re-boost her immune system. Dios is the only one capable of doing that,"

"Or so we thought," Blue said mysteriously with a knowing smile. "You see, we have a secret weapon," Faith looked at him, confused, but before he could elaborate, they heard rapid footsteps rushing down the stairs. At once, they looked up.

Aya and Jae had returned, dragging behind them enormous amounts of bark tied together with thin, yet strong wires. "We got it!" Aya exclaimed happily. She took a good sized piece off of the top of the large pile and showed it to Faith. "And to top it off, we found a few dry pieces already away from the bark! We can get started right away!"

Faith's spirits suddenly leapt. They wouldn't have to wait for it to dry, and that could've take ages!

"Excellent! Aya, start grounding it into powder. The water should be finished in about ten minutes and then we can use it. Gonzo, go upstairs and get a teapot and a cup!" Faith said quickly.

Gonzo didn't wait to hear another word as he quickly bounded back up the stairs toward the kitchen. His sudden appearance startled Teriuz and Zugai and the two jumped out of their chairs.

"Where's the fire?" Zugai asked. For a moment, he was worried, then, he saw the grin on Gonzo's face as the Fishman searched shelves. He ignored them even after pulling a large glass teapot and cup from the cabinet. He started back to the door and stopped when Zugai grabbed his shoulder. "Gonzo!"

"Oh, didn't see ya!" Gonzo said joyously. "We're making the cure right now, Zugai! Teriuz, we'll need you down there!" he called to the other boy still standing at the table. However, before Teriuz could move, a powerful fist slammed into Gonzo, knocking him and Zugai, who was directly behind him, away from the doorframe and crashing back into the table. Teriuz jumped back in surprise to avoid being hit by the two with surprise.

Gonzo groaned as he pushed himself to his feet, rubbing his aching chest with one hand. Zugai, who had been pinned beneath the large Fishman, rose slightly slower, shaking the dizziness out of his head. "Damn, Gonzo, what the hell was that?" he asked in frustraion, rubbing his soar shoulder.

Gonzo stared at the door, his eyes narrowed, waiting. What could have hit him hard enough to knock him away like that? He shot a quick glance at the teapot and cup and was pleased to find they were unharmed.

Zugai's question was answered as Dios stepped through the frame, standing tall as usual, his arms crossed behind his back. His butler followed shortly after, cracking his knuckles. It was obvious that it had been the old man that hit Gonzo due to the slight redness of his right fist.

"You outsiders seem to enjoy meddling in affairs that are none of your concern," Dios said rather calmly. He watched as Teriuz moved toward Gonzo and Zugai, not for protection, but to support the already tense boys. "I can tell by your stances that you know exactly why I'm here,"

From behind his back, he produced a thick black journal and flipped through it absently, his silver eyes not reading, but just looking at the pages. "This little book here contains my most dangerous secrets. My deepest desires. A truth that cannot be told to human ears," he suddenly snapped it shut extremely loudly and lifted a hand. "and you have all learned a bit too much then I can allow," and then, he snapped his fingers.

The butler suddenly charged at them and for the first time, they noticed just how muscular the tall man was. Gonzo shoved the glass items into Teriuz's hands and rushed forward to meet the butler. The man aimed a punch at Gonzo, which he caught with his left hand and with his right, Gonzo threw a jab at him. However, that fist was caught and the two were locked together, trying to overcome each other.

"Go!" Gonzo called to Teriuz. "Take those downstairs to Faith! I'll take care of this guy!" The momentary distraction of speaking was enough for the butler to pull out of Gonzo's grip and ram his elbow into the Fishman's face. Gonzo staggered briefly, but responded with a sharp punch to the gut with enough force to knock the butler away and over the table, which splintered under his weight. He lay unmoving amongst the shards of wood.

Teriuz didn't hesitate. Holding the glass teapot and cup close, he ran toward the door frame. From the corners of his eyes, he saw Dios rushing forward to cut him off but Teriuz ignored it. Dios reached for him, just as Teriuz made it through the frame into the living room and it was at that moment that Zugai, his bones hardened, slammed into Dios' gut, knocking him back. The man gasped in shock as he staggered back and in a fluid motion, Zugai kicked Dios with all of his might in the chest.

The force of the blow and the density of his bones sent Dios flying backward, crashing into the cabinets holding expensive fine china before falling in a crumpled heap on the ground, facedown with glass falling all around him. Zugai looked out the kitchen doorway just in time to see Teriuz disappear down the basement staircase.

Zugai stepped back a bit to meet Gonzo and for a few seconds the two stood almost back to back, watching their opponents. The butler was the first to rise, ignoring the cuts that the sharp splinters of wood had caused and Dios rose shortly after in a similar state, holding his chest and wheezing.

The two pirates watched as the wounds healed before their eyes.

"This is the power of the Eeisei-Eisei no mi," Dios said calmly. He looked at his arms, as the cuts quickly became enflamed, then began to scar over to stop the bleeding before finally healing completely, "I've increased the immune system of my servant to its maximum potential. He will heal just as quickly as I will if not quicker," he shook out his arms absently and dusted off his clothing, then pushed back a stray hair, "You, unfortunately, are not so blessed. Prepare to die at the hands of your God,"

"My God?" Gonzo asked, raising a brow. "Last I checked I don't worship a human God. Keep your judgment to yourself,"

"So you can heal cuts and bruises, huh?" Zugai asked, stretching his arms, then, he rolled his neck, cracking it. "Well you definitely can't heal missing limbs now, can you?" He glanced outside the door, where he spotted Honehakaisha in the living room, just where he'd left it against the wall. Until he could get to it, he'd have to improvise. "We'll just have to tear you apart,"

Simultaneously, Gonzo and Zugai charged at their respective opponents.

(--)

The force of the battle above shook the house, rattling the shelves in the basement as loud bangs sounded from the kitchen. Faith and Aya were working with the Cinchona bark, waiting for it to infuse with the boiled water. It would take at least a half an hour and so far, only about ten minutes had passed.

There was another loud bang and the shelves shook dangerously. Blue and Jae held them up to keep the trinkets from falling. "Whatever they're doing up there, it doesn't sound pleasant," Jae muttered, looking up at the dark ceiling. "Do you think Zugai-kun and Gonzo-kun are enough for them?"

Blue frowned slightly as he gazed up at the ceiling as well. "I really hope so," he muttered.

Teriuz turned his attention to the girls, "How much longer?" he asked.

Aya glanced at a clock on the wall and frowned, "Fifteen minutes," she said.

Teriuz stepped beside Chris and frowned, uncertain. Sure, he knew how to activate this ability, but how to use it… that was a different story. "Faith," he called over his shoulder. "When Dios used this ability, did he do anything in particular?"

Faith glanced at Teriuz and frowned. Had he done anything in particular? She wasn't sure. It was Jae who answered, however,

"An open wound," he said. "When he killed a man in Joule City, he grabbed a cut hand, which the man used to break a fall when Aven shoved him back. Apparently, that gives him access to the body."

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Blue. "Speaking of Aven, where is she?" he asked.

"She stayed back at the village," Faith answered absently, "On Dios' orders. But if Dios has already figured out that you guys know about him, then there's no point keeping her there," she turned her head to look at Jae and Blue, "Would you two mind going over there and checking up on her? Keep an eye on her. Teriuz, Aya, and I will be fine here,"

Blue hesitated for a moment, then stepped away from the shelves. "No problem," Jae said, nodding. He looked at Blue, "Let's go!" he said, then, he ran up the stairs. Blue followed behind.

The three were in silence for another ten minutes, listening to the battle above before Faith spoke, "Let's get started!" she declared. "Teriuz, get to work!"

An open wound. Teriuz looked at Chris and spotted her Double Sided dagger in its leather sheath at her waist. Carefully, he took hold of the handle between the two blades and pulled it from its case. It truly was an admirable blade; he'd never seen anything quite like it. He pressed the tip of the smaller blade against her arm and was surprised by how easily it cut. Chris winced ever so slightly, her calm face tensing momentarily, then relaxing again. "Sorry about this," he muttered. He quickly pulled it back as blood began to seep from the small puncture caused by the blade and after wiping it on the sheets, Teriuz replaced it to its case.

Then, he pressed his hand against the wound. "Please work…" he muttered. He closed his eyes and concentrated, certain without a fiber of doubt that he was in fact using this power. He opened his eyes. Everything was the same.

And then suddenly, it wasn't. A bit of color returned to Chris' face, and just as quickly, her cheeks became red with a fever. The wound on her arm healed extremely quickly, becoming nothing more than a faint scar. Her entire body tensed. Then, her eyes opened. "Hey, something's happening!" he called to the others behind him.

Aya ran forward, holding a bucket in hand. She lifted Chris up as the girl began to cough violently. "Faith, hurry up!" Aya shouted as Chris grabbed the top of the bucket, lowering her head to it and vomiting into it. Teriuz wasn't sure how to react as Faith rushed passed him, holding the teacup in hand. When Chris was through with the bucket, Faith quickly put the cup to the girl's lips and Chris drank gratefully. However, the taste was enough to make her want to throw up again.

"Hold it down," Faith ordered sternly. Chris swallowed the bile rising in her throat and took several gasping breaths, coughing every so often. She felt her muscles tense, her entire body felt like it was on fire.

Another set of coughs shook Chris' body before finally, she lay back on the pillow, breathing heavily, her face twisted with pain, "My entire body hurts…" she muttered weakly.

Faith noticed the girl's discomfort and smiled reassuringly, "You're fine. You're body is finally fighting the infection. Though I never expected it to work this quickly. It's a bit much for your system to handle for now, but it'll pass, I promise," Aya wet a few towels in the water and tossed them to Faith, who put one on Chris forehead, one on her stomach, and one behind her neck. "That'll help your fever. Now you need to rest,"

"What's going on upstairs?" Chris asked upon hearing a loud crash and several small thumps.

"Don't worry about that, Zugai and Gonzo have it under control," Faith assured her. I hope… "Now just relax,"

"You did it!" Aya exclaimed, looking at the still uncertain Teriuz. It took a few moments for those words to sink in. At first, he'd thought that he'd done it wrong, made her weaker as opposed to stronger. But he hadn't. He did it.

(--)

Despite the hardened density of his bones, Zugai was sure he felt something crack as his body was sent shooting through the wall into one of the guest bedrooms. He skidded across the ground onto a bookshelf and the contents fell upon him, one particularly thick book hitting him atop the head. He shook it off and pushed himself to his feet, using Honehakaisha as support.

Dios was surprisingly quick (Zugai couldn't get him with Honehakaisha), and most definitely surprisingly strong. And Zugai had to give him credit for his creativity; not many people would think to use an ashtray as a weapon. Now, unfortunately, as the man approached, he carried a set of very sharp kitchen knives that Gonzo would have given his right hand (Well maybe not his hand, after all he needed that… maybe his leg?) to get his hands on.

"You're a slippery little devil," Dios said. Suddenly, he threw two of the knives, leaving him with three more.

"I can say the same for you," Zugai answered as he lifted Honehakaisha to block them. They fell harmlessly to the ground with a thump. "Guess I'll just have to speed up a bit more, huh? No problem,"

Dios watched him cautiously for a few moments and then, when Zugai prepared Honehakaisha, he threw the remaining knives. They crashed into the bookshelf which Zugai was standing in front of moments ago; the boy was gone! A hand suddenly grabbed onto Dios' right shoulder and the man quickly turned his head. Zugai was standing behind him, holding the enormous labrys over his shoulder and grinning. "Evasive Surgery: Humerus!" He lowered his hand to Dios' upper arm, tightened his grip and tore the bone from Dios' body. His entire right arm went limp with the absence of the bone.

"Can't regrow bones can you?" Zugai asked cheerfully, tossing the humerus into his other hand, "Now, let's make sure you can't make use of that Devil Fruit ability, shall we?" He grabbed the other arm and repeated the previous process. Dios attempted to knock him away with a kick and Zugai dropped the humerus bones and Honehakaisha and grabbed hold of the leg, "Oh, you want to eliminate walking too?" he asked, pulling Dios' right femur out. "Good idea,"

Zugai pushed Dios back and struggling to keep balance with one leg, Dios fell. He couldn't move his arms or one leg; he was completely helpless. He watched Zugai absently toss the bone over his shoulder with the other two as he walked forward and crouched in front of Dios. "Normally, I'd put the bones back," he said. "But you? You're a special case. I can't kill you because Teriuz needs your power. But once we cure the city, then I'll let my Captain decide what to do with you."

Their conversation was interrupted by a crash coming from the room behind them and Zugai turned his head. "Sounds like Gonzo's still at it," he mused absently as he sat down before Dios. All he had to do now was wait it out.

Gonzo looked through the hole in the wall as Zugai approached the fallen Dios and smirked. _So you're all done, huh?_ He asked himself. His attention was brought back to the battle at hand when the butler swung at him with a rather large shovel (where he'd gotten it, Gonzo had no idea). Regardless of the confusion, Gonzo acted quickly, grabbing his harpoon and using it to block the flat spade from hitting him. While he was busy defending, the butler managed to knock him back, sending him crashing into a couch, which broke under the force.

He rolled aside just as the butler stabbed the shovel down at him; the edge was sharp enough to cut his head off! "I'll be done here soon," he assured no one in particular. He spun to face the butler, who was trying to pull the shovel out of the wooden floor. "Idiot…" Gonzo said with a shake of his head. "Hey, big guy, turn around!"

The butler abandoned the shovel and turned to face Gonzo in time to see a large fist crash into the side of his face, "20 Gallons: Prime Rib!" Gonzo shouted. The devastating punch sent the butler flying back through the living room wall into the back yard, but Gonzo still didn't stop. He followed the man through the large hole, his once closed fist now opened, "100 Gallons: Cut the Cake!" he shouted. He swung his arm horizontally in a powerful karate chop to the man's gut. The butler gasped, the breath knocked from his lungs, and was again sent flying backward. Gonzo passed him quickly, standing tall, the harpoon ready.

"Game over," he growled. "10,000 Gallons: Meat Kabob!" he shouted. He grabbed the man by the throat, stopping him mid flight, and plunged the harpoon into his stomach. For a moment, the man's body stiffened, and when Gonzo pulled the harpoon out and released him, he even managed to remain standing. Slowly though, a drop of blood seeped from the butler's lips, his wide pale eyes seemed to dim, and he fell forward, a pool of blood forming beneath him.

Gonzo stabbed the harpoon into the ground and sat down, his legs crossed, catching his breath. Thirty minutes of non-stop fighting. It definitely tired a guy out. For a moment, he was silent, then, cupping his hands around his mouth, he shouted, "Finished!" toward the house.

Inside, Zugai smiled slightly and stood, grabbing Honehakaisha and holding it over his shoulder. "You don't go anywhere, got it?" he said to Dios, despite the fact that even if he wanted to, Dios _couldn't_ move. Zugai turned away and walked into the destroyed living room as Gonzo returned through the hole in the wall.

At that moment, Aya and Teriuz appeared, carrying a large pot with a cover on top. They stopped, shocked upon seeing how much damage the house had sustained, and carefully set the pot in a clean spot on the ground. Aya ran toward the two and made a quick examination of their injuries.

"Hey, we're fine," Gonzo assured her as she checked a rather large cut on his arm. He shook her off and nodded toward the pot, "How are things down below?"

"Oh, right," Aya said, stepping back. She still looked unhappy with their injuries, but she'd take care of them alter. "Teriuz did it! He boosted Chris' immune system. Of course, it had a little bit of a bad side effect, but it's working much quicker then we ever imagined! She's awake already, talking, trying to get up of course, but we're keeping her down,"

Those words brought a wave of relief to Zugai and Gonzo and the two grinned triumphantly. "Now, Blue and Jae went to the town to check on Aven and tell them that we've made a cure. We've got to go take this to them and bring Dios with us so that Teriuz can use the power,"

"No problem," Zugai said. He turned and disappeared back into the room Dios was in.

"Once the town is cured, I suggest we get out of here," Aya continued, returning to the pot.

She wasn't surprised to see Chris standing there, leaning against the door frame. She looked out of breath from climbing the stairs; her body was already doing enough to try to clear out that parasite, but she made a quick survey around the room, her gaze falling on Gonzo.

"You ok?" she asked him calmly.

"I should be asking you that, Captain," Gonzo said, raising his eyebrows. Faith appeared behind Chris, holding hers and Aya's backpacks over her shoulder.

"I'm taking her back to the ship," she informed them.

"Because she doesn't think I can make it to the city," Chris muttered unhappily. "But I don't want to stay here any longer then necessary. As soon as you guys are done in there, come back to the ship and we're leaving. No questions asked,"

"What about this one?" Zugai asked, appearing in the doorway and dragging Dios, who he'd tied up with a rope, behind him. Chris glanced at the man furiously for a few moments, then looked away.

"Leave his fate to the people of Zargott," she decided at last. "After all, I'm sure they'll believe their 'Saviors' over their corrupt God, don't you think?"

"Roger that," Zugai said, nodding. "Well, you go rest on the Howling Ivory. She probably misses us; it's been about a day by now since we landed,"

"Yeah, yeah," Chris said absently, interrupting him. She stepped away from the wall and walked, with Faith directly beside her in case she needed help, toward the door. "You guys be careful, ok? In an out,"

That said, the two groups left the destroyed house.

* * *

**A/N:** So this is it :]. The next chapter will be leading into if not beginning the new arc. Boy have I learned a lot writing this. I've learned a cure/treatment to malaria, how to purify water, different bones of the human body, how the body reacts to certain illnesses/injuries, how to take blood samples, how to make an infusion and a Tincture… the list is endless! All for this single arc! This entire story has been nothing but research because I'm trying to be accurate (Though in some places, it's obvious that I've been lazy). This is really why this entire arc has taken so damn long! By the way, Eisei, roughly translates into health or immortality. I couldn't find a translation for immune or immunity, so that's what we got :].

But it's over :]. I've never been happier to finish a part of a story. Now, onto the next part!

SNE121


	54. The Island that Never Sleeps Part 1

**Pirates!**

**The Island That Never Sleeps**

**Enter the Ninth**

* * *

The waning moon was bright in the black night sky, illuminating a crescent of light into the black oceans below. A single figure stood upon the deck of the large Marine battle ship, holding a newspaper in her hand. Her red-orange hair was pushed behind her ears as her brown eyes scanned the headline before her.

'_Quarantine on Zargott Lifted! Illness Mysteriously Cured!'_

The article itself spoke of the large religious island's inhabitants speaking of their Goddess saviors coming to rescue them, though it was obvious that it was simply a group of extremely skilled doctors. The supposed God, Dios, was left in the hospital, crippled and strangely enough missing the bones in his upper arms and his thigh, and had been conatained by the town due to his known Devil Fruit power that had made the illness dangerous in the first place. The bones were found in his destroyed house.

Of course, the missing bones told the woman exactly who had been on that island, for there was only one pirate on the Grand Line who could remove bones, and he was part of the crew that her target was upon: The Crescent Dagger Pirates.

She heaved an aggravated sigh for not having captured her target already. It was her longest running mission. This was going to ruin her reputation. She crumpled up the newspaper in her frustration and dropped it into the ocean below. They were quickly approaching Yule Island. Soon, it would no longer be her problem. Soon she'd have the wretched girl in her clutches.

That simple thought warmed her icy heart and brought a wry smile to her lips. She rested her elbow on the ship's bulwark and propped her chin in her hand, watching the approaching island. "Your magic tricks won't help you anymore, little girl," the woman drawled. She laughed lightly.

Soon, very soon, Rinocci Lottie's longest running mission would come to a close.

(--)**Two Days Later**(--)

"Hoist the sails!" Jae called from his position at the ship's helm. He was navigating the ship carefully into a small bay in the rear of the island, carefully slipping behind a rock cover, which was extremely difficult in the dark. Zugai and Chris pulled the lines to raise the sails, stopping the wind from pushing them further along. Gonzo ran toward the anchor just as Jae ordered to lower it and turned the crank to drop it into the shallow water.

Blue jumped down from his perch in the crow's nest; due to his keen eyes, he was the unofficial lookout, and landed elegantly on the ground, breaking his fall with a brief gust of wind. He joined the others on the deck, who were speaking with Teriuz.

"You're really leaving?" Aya asked, surprised, "After everything you've done?"

"It was an agreement I made with your captain. I was supposed to leave on the last island, but she refused, so this is where I go," Teriuz explained with a shrug.

"Who cares about that!" Faith said. Her opinion of the boy had changed radically since the occurances at Zargott. She honestly didn't want to see him go.

"Yeah, you can't just leave!" Aven added. She caught sight of Blue and grinned, linking an arm with his, "We'll go talk to Chris, right Blue?"

The man in question raised a brow and pulled his arm away gently. "It's the captain's decision," he said calmly, "I have no business trying to sway her. Though I'll have to admit, I'll be sad to see you go as well,"

"What's there to be sad about?" Chris suddenly asked. She startled them and the girls jumped. Blue turned his head slightly to look at her. Zugai, Jae, and Gonzo were with her. Chris had her arms crossed, staring at Teriuz with obvious annoyance. "We did make an agreement after leaving Wine Island. And I've got to give him props for honoring it." She stepped toward Teriuz and Aven and the others moved out of the way to allow her to pass. She held a hand up slightly and Zugai tossed something into it.

"But you're a complete idiot if you think I'm letting you leave this crew," Chris finished firmly. She took Teriuz' hand and placed the object in it, then closed his fingers around it. "We're nakama now. I don't abandon my nakama regardless of the circumstances,"

Teriuz said nothing. Instead, he stared down at his closed hand. Slowly, he opened it to view the object within. It was a locket, with the initials T.S engraved on the front. He opened it and gazed at the compass, which was pointing toward the ships cabin. On the opposite side he saw a Jolly Roger, with a question mark behind it in symbolism of his unpredictable powers. "With this, you're an official Crescent Dagger,"

Teriuz closed the Seeker and closed his fist around it again, looking up at Chris. "I can tell that you won't take no for an answer," he said at last with a small smile. "Alright then, I accept," he put the Seeker around his neck and concealed it beneath his shirt. "I'll join a pirate crew again,"

"Alright, time to celebrate!" Gonzo declared. "Jae says this island's like party heaven, so let's see what it's got to offer!"

"Yeah!" the others chorused, except Faith and Jae.

"I'll stay here," Faith said, "keep watch, you know?"

"And I'll accompany her. Find out when the log sets and let me know when you get back so I can start plotting our course," Jae added.

"Alright," Zugai said slowly. "Enjoy yourselves, guys," With that, the pirates set out for the island.

(--)

When Jae said party heaven, he wasn't kidding. The actual city on Yule Island was filled with flashing lights. It seemed the entire population was awake, walking the streets, playing slots and card games, ushering their guests into spas.

Chris stared around at all of the machines and tables and it seemed that her eyes changed to beli symbols. Gambling meant rich people. Rich people meant money. Money was good! "Hey Aven, you ever play poker?" she asked the green eyed girl beside her. Aven looked at her for a moment and considered this.

"No," she answered. She was a but uncertain when Chris started pulling her toward the table.

"Well you and your illusions are gonna make me a lot of money!" She said with a broad grin. Aven smiled weakly. "Uh… ok…" she replied weakly.

Zugai smiled lightly and shook his head at his captain's antics. "Little cheater," he said under his breath.

"Zugai, hurry up, we're gonna get a few drinks!" Gonzo called to the shipwright. Zugai was surprised to see that they had already walked away; Aya and Teriuz were already sitting at the bar and Blue was nearing the stool beside them. Zugai rolled his eyes and laughed as he followed the Fishman across the casino and took a seat with his friends.

(--)

The Marine Ship docked at the port was bustling with activity as the crew cleaned and made their rounds. One young Marine was running through the hallways below deck, a small mouse poking its head out of his jacket pocket. His blond hair was tied in a small ponytail at the base of his neck, his blue eyes determined.

He ran to an open door at the end of the hall and stopped just outside, knocking as he gasped, "Permission to enter, sir!"

The man to whom he spoke was standing at the small window looking out into the ocean waters, watching small fish swim by. However, when he heard the urgency in the young man's voice, he turned around and looked at him. His black hair was extremely short, though his bangs were slightly longer and spikier then the rest of it. "Granted," he said. Then with more concern, he added, "everything alright, Reese?"

Reese approached the desk briskly and saluted the man. His mouse jumped out of his pocket and copied him down to the expression. The man saluted in return and Reese dropped his salute, using the hand to allow the mouse, Chikiro, to hope (very much like a frog) up onto his shoulder. "Vice Admiral Markus, there are reports of Pirates on the island!" he said.

Markus looked at his Ensign thoughtfully, his arms crossed over his chest. "Have they been identified?" he asked.

"The citizens claim that the Jolly Roger is a skull and cross bones with red hair wearing a hat and a crescent shape behind it," Reese explained, "If I remember correctly, that's the sign of those rookies the Crescent Dagger Pirates. And according to reports, the ship is pure white, like bone,"

"That definitely sounds like them," Markus agreed. "Have there been reports of vandalism or theft from the island?"

Reese frowned slightly, loosening. "No, sir," he said, "But-"

"Did someone say 'Crescent Dagger'?" A different voice, this one female, asked. Reese's expression darkened upon hearing it and Chikiro hurriedly jumped down into his jacket pocket. Markus' dark eyes looked just passed his ensign to the open door, where Rinocci Lottie stood, leaning against the door frame. "That means my slippery little bird is there,"

She stepped into the room and crossed her arms as she stood beside Reese. The boy tensed uncomfortably in her presence but stood his ground. "Well, aren't you going to send in some of your men, Fonedrid?" Lottie asked.

Markus stared at the woman for a few moments. "This island lives for pirates. They're not going to give up the location of this crew, especially if they're gambling and spending money here. There's no point sending in a group tonight. The disturbance will scare the pirates away and the people here already dislike the marines. I don't want to make matters worse,"

"Of course," Lottie said with mocking sympathy, "Thinking of the better of the marines, how noble of you," she scoffed a laugh and crossed her arms over her chest, "You're a fool, Markus. It's a wonder you made it to your position,"

"Take that back!" Reese growled suddenly. Lottie looked at him out of the corner of her eye and smirked.

"I'm sorry, did I upset the little fledgling?" she asked sarcastically. "You would do well to mind your own business, Reese, one of these days your little outbursts are going to get you hurt,"

"That's enough, Lottie," Markus said firmly. "Either state your business or go back to doing whatever it is you do on this ship because God knows you haven't been doing your job these last few years,"

Something in Lottie's eyes changed when Markus said that and she stared at him furiously. Her hand hovered above her whip and she found herself once again tempted to wrap it around this mans neck and strangle him to death.

Instead, she smiled at him. A dangerous, frightening smile. "Don't worry, _Vice Admiral_," she said, "I'll have my target by dawn." She spun on her heel and walked toward the door, then stopped, looking at a painting of the ocean Markus had placed on the wall there. She gazed at it and touched it gently, "Though, I can't claim responsibility for any collateral damage that's inflicted in the process," she pressed on the bottom of the frame, releasing it from its hold on the nail and it fell, the glass shattering when it hit the ground. She looked at Markus. "After all, accidents happen,"

With that, she left. Her footsteps echoed only halfway down the hall before she melted into the shadows and disappeared.

Reese looked after her, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. "Relax," Markus said to him. Reese's fingers loosened and he put them in his pockets. Chikiro stuck his head out and then jumped onto Markus' desk as the older man sat down. He hopped across the desk and Markus stroked him with a finger. "We'll have to keep an eye on Lottie. Send a squad into the city to patrol. They have permission to attempt arrest if the pirates are spotted,"

Reese saluted with a quick, "Yes, sir!" before turning on his heel and running out of the room. Chikiro squeaked and jumped away from Markus, hopping off the desk and following his master. Markus stood up and turned away from the door, looking back out at the ocean. A colorful angelfish swam up to the window, staring at him with interest for a moment, then, bored, swam away.

There was a great chance that things could get messy on this island and Markus didn't like it.

* * *

**Crescent Dagger Members**

**Chris Hopkins:**16 years, Spy/Captain

**Zugai Hibiware:**18 years, First Mate/Shipwright/Blacksmith

**Gonzo:** 17 years, Cook

**Jae Axia:**17 years, Navigator

**Faith Williams:** 19 years, Doctor

**Aya Vincent:**17 years, Doctor

**Blue:** 20 years, Sniper/Gunfighter

**Ash 'Aven' Nogue:**17 years, Historian/Information Gatherer

**Teriuz Sykes: **16 years, Fighter

* * *

**A/N:** Alright, there it is. Sorry for taking so long. I think we all know what I based this island on, right? Yes, Teriuz joined. That wasn't predictable (sarcasm!). I know some of you expected another scene on Zargott, but I didn't think it was necessary...Well, I hope you enjoyed the beginning of this new arc, even though its a bit on the short side. Don't forget to Review!


	55. The Island that Never Sleeps Part 2

**Pirates!**

**The Island that Never Sleeps Part 2**

**Of Gambling and Money**

**Enter the Shadow Assassin!**

**

* * *

**

It was rare for the Crescent Dagger Pirates to enjoy themselves without something happening, so needless to say, they were making the most of the time they had. Gonzo was enjoying a shot as Aya sipped on a fruit flavored mixed drink. Blue was sipping warm sake slowly, he didn't like iced drinks. Zugai and Teriuz were drinking from large mugs of alcohol, having moved away from the bar to the slots and were attempting to win some money.

Back at the poker table, Chris held a hand of five cards, a sly grin spread across her face. In front of her was money – lots of it, piled high from her winnings. She examined the cards, five random numbers, and looked at Aven briefly, "What do you think? All in?" she asked.

Aven smiled and nodded, "Absolutely," she said, giving her friend a thumbs up. Chris nodded, put the cards down facedown, and pushed all of her money into the center of the table. The others around the table looked hesitant for a moment, all thinking the same thing.

This strange boy had won almost every hand since he sat down. Would he win this one? Or was he bluffing? All but one of them threw down their cards, folding, and others pushed their money to the center. "There ain't no way he can win another game," one man said, "the lad's bluffing," He showed his hand, a straight flush. "Can't beat that, can yeh?"

Chris frowned and lifted her cards again, shaking her head. "Wow, impressive," She said quietly. She looked up at the man, her green eyes shining with excitement, "Unfortunately, it isn't enough," she put down her cards, displaying a Royal Flush, and of spades no less. A hand that was as impossible to get as it was impossible to defeat.

Chris reached across the table and pulled the now doubled pile of cash toward her. The man scowled and stood, walking away from the table. Chris laughed, "Oh, come on, don't be a poor sport!" she said. "You win some; you lose some, am I right?" She looked at the money, her eyes once again seemed to have changed into the beli symbol as she smiled blissfully, "There must be about a three hundred thousand or more here!"

She handed Aven the mug with a grin, "Take a drink, Aven, you deserve it!" she said.

"Oh, I can't drink alcohol," Aven said, but Chris ignored her.

"We're having a party, come on, enjoy yourself!" she urged. Aven hesitated for a moment, but the reassuring smile on her captain's face persuaded her to take the drink. She took a cautious sip, then, enjoying the taste, downed the entire cup and slammed it on the table, already drunk.

"Alright, new hand!" she exclaimed. "Let's go!"

"That's the spirit!" Chris said, laughing, "Hey, bring us some more over here!" She called to a waiter. She rubbed her hands together and pushed a few bills into the table, "Bring on the money!"

Zugai pulled the lever for the slot machine and waited, watching as the slots spun rapidly. _Come on, come on! Give me something!_ He urged. He watched as the first landed on seven, then the second, and the third… a cherry. He groaned and pressed his head against the glass. "Come on, you stupid machine!" he heard an excited shout; Aven and Chris; from across the room and glanced at them out of the corner of his eyes.

"It's definitely easy when you're cheating, isn't it?" Teriuz asked, following Zugai's gaze.

"Well, we know they're gonna bring home a lot of money," Zugai said, looking back at the machine. "But you know, I'd like to win just once," he placed a coin into the slot and pulled the lever, waiting. "What are the chances though, huh?"

Suddenly, his machine lit up and began ringing. He looked at it, surprised, as the 'Jackpot' sign began flashing. He was in too much shock to really do anything about it as money began to pour out except think to himself, _I'm dreaming._ Teriuz acted for him. "Hey, idiot, don't just stand there doing nothing! Get something to grab this!" he said, trying to gather as much of it as he could.

"Ah, right!" Zugai said suddenly, looking around. He caught sight of a bin and grabbed it, placing it under the machine and he and Teriuz began scooping the coins into it.

"Can I interest you in another drink, miss?" the barkeep, an older man graying brown hair and dark eyes, asked Aya as she finished the one she had. Aya considered this; she'd had about three already, and though the alcohol content wasn't very high, the last thing she wanted was to get drunk.

She was about to politely refuse when Gonzo loudly declared, "I'll take one!" and down the shot glass. The bartender refilled it, obviously preferring to serve the ladies and Gonzo lifted it to his lips, drinking it in one swig. "Thanks, buddy! Haha, looks like Zugai and Teriuz got lucky!" He jumped from his stool and made his way to the slots to help his friends take the coins to the exchange booth, leaving Aya and Blue alone at the bar.

"Excuse me," Blue said calmly to the barkeeper. He'd been nursing a bottle of Sake since they'd arrived, drinking slowly, refilling his glass every so often. The man looked at him as he dried off a glass, "Can you tell us how long it takes for the Log to change?" Aya was silently thankful that someone the sense to remember about the log.

It took the barkeep a moment to consider this. "About twenty four hours," he said. "Tomorrow night, you can set out," he glanced at Chris' table and scowled, "but if you want to leave earlier, I ain't complaining. That boy you came with is definitely a lucky one."

Blue looked over his shoulder at Chris, who had just won another hand and was cheering with a red faced, obviously drunk Aven. He looked to Aya, who was watching with a weak smile on her face. They'd already been there for a few hours; Chris had made plenty of money and to top it off, Zugai got lucky on the slot machine. They were set for a while.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Aya asked, glancing at Blue. The man heaved a sigh and nodded as he stood, taking a final drink of the Sake, then placing some money on the table. Aya pushed out of her stool and walked toward Chris and Aven.

"Thanks, sir," Blue said before leaving toward the boys. They met outside, the entire group, and walked carrying bags of their winnings back to the ship, Aya supporting the stumbling Aven over her shoulder.

"How much did you let her drink?" she asked Chris accusingly. Chris hung her bags over her shoulder and shrugged.

"Only a couple," she said defensively, though she really didn't know, "But hey, it's alright for her to get a little drunk! It's not gonna kill her! Besides, she deserved those drinks after all the money she won me," she added gleefully.

"Well some of us won our money the right way," Zugai said, indicating the bags he carried, "Without the help of illusions,"

"Well I'm a thief," Chris said, "Thieves don't play by the rules,"

"Well, we know that we've got enough to last us a while," Gonzo said. The cool night air seemed to be sobering him up as they walked down the forest trail toward the bay where their ship was docked. "It might not be smart to go in a second time; we probably won't get this luck again,"

"We've only got one day anyway," Blue added, "The log will set tomorrow night, so we won't be here very long,"

The shadows near the pirates flickered slightly and Aven stopped suddenly, almost tripping Aya. She stared at the shadows, her green eyes narrowed slightly. "What is it?" Aya asked as the others pressed onward.

"The shadows are dancing," Aven said in a confused tone. Aya sighed and urged the girl forward.

"It's just your imagination, Aven," she assured the girl, "Come on,"

When the pirates had gone, the shadows flickered again, and moments later, a figure emerged. Lottie stared in the direction they'd gone with a small smile, "Just your imagination," She echoed with a small laugh. Then she took a step in their direction and faded into the darkness again, he laughter echoing with a ghostlike quality in the still air.

(--)

Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork. It was a constant with this damn job. It was also one of the only things Markus disliked about Vice Admiral. Constant paperwork. Reports, complaints. It was frustrating. And without the assistance of his Ensign, who had gone into the city to patrol, it was all being pushed on him.

He heaved an annoyed sigh as he scribbled a few words on a sheet of paper, however, he was interrupted when the Den Den Mushi sitting on his desk began to hum. A bit too enthusiastically, he put down the pen and reached across the desk for the receiver. "Vice Admiral Fonedrid Markus," he said professionally.

The snail's usually sleepy expression changed into a very serious one as it began to speak, "Rinocci Lottie has informed us that there are pirates on Yule Island,"

Markus frowned slightly, "That's correct," he said. Damn that Lottie, contacting headquarters for such trivial matters. "The Crescent Dagger Pirates; they haven't caused trouble, and I've already sent a squad in to investigate,"

"You haven't arrested them because they haven't cause trouble?" the voice asked, "Are you aware, Vice Admiral, that every known member of that crew has a bounty?"

"Yes, sir, but they are not a threat," Markus explained.

"We thought the same thing of the Strawhat Pirates and look at the trouble they've caused us," the voice retorted, "I don't care what you believe, Vice Admiral, they are pirates and pirates are to be arrested. This is not debatable." And then, with a click, the Den Den Mushi closed its eyes again. Markus didn't move for a few brief moments, holding the receiver up. Then, with a frown, he placed it back on the snail and heaved a sigh. Reese should be back by now. He stood, grabbed the Jitte leaning against his desk, and made his way to the door.

He opened the door to see Reese standing there, a fist extended and about to knock. The moment he saw Markus, he snapped to attention and saluted and on his shoulder, Chikiro did the same. Seeing his superiors unhappy expression, however, his strict expression softened uncertainly.

"What did you find?" Markus asked. Silently, he hoped that the boy didn't get any useful information.

"The pirates are docked in a bay on the other side of the island," Reese explained. Then, with a much more sour expression, he added, "Lottie is already moving in to capture the Illusionist,"

Markus hesitated for the briefest of moments, staring at the boy, and then he walked around him down the hallway. "Very well. Weight anchor and set off toward the bay,"

(--)

Mapmaking was painstakingly precise work; Jae couldn't even count how many sheets of good paper he'd thrown away because of a single mess up. At the moment, he was mapping out their last location; Zargott, using the Grand Line map as a base and making it more detailed based on what he'd seen. It was still at the sketch phase, but it was going well.

There was a light knock on the navigation room door and he lowered his pen and looked up, looking toward it. "Yes?" he asked.

The door opened, revealing Faith, "Hey, the others are coming back," she said, "looks like they've got some stuff. Let's go check it out?"

Jae adjusted the paper weights holding the parchment down. Then, he placed the cap on the ink and stood, turning off the desk lamp. "Wonder what they brought," he mused as he made his way to the door. Faith stepped back to let him out and closed it behind them. By the time they'd climbed above deck, the others had already made their way up.

"Hey, guys!" Chris said, rushing right passed them and heading below deck to the storage room where their treasure chest was with Zugai right behind her with his own bags. The grin on her face was unmistakable; something had definitely gone her way today. And judging by the sound of jingling coming from the bag, it had something to do with money.

"Aven, hey! Wake up!" Aya shouted frantically, pulling Jae's attention away from his captain just as she closed the door behind her. He looked toward Aya, who was struggling to keep Aven supported with a single arm and was obviously failing. With a cry, Aya fell, Aven on top of her, breathing evenly with a light smile spread across her lips, her cheeks tinted a faint red

Jae felt a sympathetic smile cross his lips as he looked at the uncomfortable Aya. "We have to make sure we don't let her drink from now on," he said, however, he made no move to help the girl. Realizing she was trapped with the girl resting in her lap, Aya heaved a defeated sigh and lay back on the deck, gazing up at the stars.

"Tell Chris that if you can get through to her," she grumbled. Faith took a seat next to Aya, leaning back on her hands and looking at the sleeping girl.

"She's got to be narcoleptic," she mused, leaning forward a bit to examine Aven's face. "This is the second time it's happened, from what I hear. We've got to keep an eye on that,"

"She'll be fine," Gonzo said, rubbing his eyes to try to clear his head from the light buzz. He heaved a sigh and turned toward the railing, stepping onto it. Then, in a single fluid motion, he dove off the ship. He hit the water below with a splash and disappeared beneath the surface.

"Guess you had fun," Jae said with a small smile. "So… how exactly did Zugai and Chris win all of that money?"

Teriuz answered eagerly, "Zugai won at the slots by pure luck. It was amazing!" he explained enthusiastically, "Chris on the other hand was at the poker tables, using Aven to win every hand. It's a wonder these people didn't notice!"

"It's even more a wonder they didn't kick us out for winning so much money," Blue added. During their other conversation he had sneaked off into the kitchen and returned with a cup of tea, sipping it slowly. "By the way, the log sets the in about a day,"

"Oh, you remembered!" Jae said with a confused excitement. "I thought for sure you guys would forget, thanks!"

Before anything else could be said, the door leading to the storage below deck opened, revealing Chris and Zugai, and the two walked on deck. "We're loaded!" Chris said happily, "This'll last us for months! We've gotta go back and win some more!"

"That's not going to happen tonight," Aya interrupted, "Aven's out like a light, so unless you want to try your own luck…" Chris frowned in a very child like pout and crossed her arms as she looked at the girl sleeping in Aya's lap.

"Tomorrow then!" Chris declared.

Gonzo appeared, grabbing hold of the railing of the ship and pulling himself on deck. He was soaking wet, but he looked more awake and that most definitely sobered him up. "Well, it's getting late, isn't it? Who's on first watch tonight?"

"It's _supposed_ to be Aven," Aya said, eying Chris, "but a certain captain of ours decided to let her drink too much,"

"It's alright, I'll take it," Gonzo said, "I'm wide awake anyway."

So with that decided, Aya, with the help of Faith, pulled Aven to her feet and the two carried her into the girl's cabin below. Gonzo made his way up to the crow's nest, climbing the rope ladder with ease and surprising speed considering his size. The remaining boys left to the opposite side of the cabin to the doorway leading down to their room.

When they were all gone, Chris took a final look around. It was nice to have a peaceful vacation for once. She turned and disappeared below deck into the girl's room.

In the shadows near the trees below the ship, Lottie stood, hidden amongst the darkness, gazing at the white ship. The entire crew was off to bed, except for the Fishman, but she could easily slip around him, especially if he was so high up.

She looked down at a watch strapped around her wrist and smirked. Her call had most certainly been made to that fool Markus and soon enough, the large marine battleship would attack. But she'd best make her move first.

Quietly, very snakelike, she slipped back into the shadows and slithered amongst them, following the trail along the ground toward the ship. Then, slowly, she traveled _up_ the ship's hull. Without reforming on the deck, she made her way across toward the cabin, following the direction her target had gone.

She reformed within the door, in the dark staircase leading down to a second door, which she was sure led into the room. She melted into the shadows once again and slipped beneath the crack at the bottom, carefully reforming in a dark corner.

Lottie walked quietly to the hammocks, inspecting the sleeping bodies within. There was a green haired one she recognized as the needle user, another above her. Lottie knew without a doubt that it wasn't her target, after all Aven didn't have red hair unless she used illusions and in that case, she'd have to be awake. She caught a glimpse of brown hair in another hammock, but upon inspecting it, found that it was only the wolf girl.

She scowled unhappily upon seeing that the other hammocks were empty, then, turning, she caught sight of the large bed pressed against the opposite wall. Orange tipped brown hair was visible beneath the blanket, which covered the girl's head. She was taking up the entire bed for herself (the others had decided that she'd need it when she woke up with a ranging headache). Lottie smiled. They'd made it all too easy.

She quietly made her way toward the bed, her whip in hand. As long as the tip was touching the young girl, she'd be unable to use her Devil Fruit powers and Lottie would be able to take her without difficulty.

As she prepared to restrain the girl with the whip, she felt a presence approaching behind her. Had Lottie not been as well trained as she was, she wouldn't have noticed, however, she managed to lift her hand and grab the wrist holding a large double-sided dagger just before the blade could touch her throat. Ever so slightly, she turned her head, looking out of the corners of her eyes at the red haired boy wearing a hat behind her. His green eyes were angry, suspicious, but other than that, he looked relatively calm. Lottie recognized him instantly from the bounty posters.

"Who are you and how did you get in here?" Chris asked in a steady, quiet voice. Lottie didn't respond. She just stared at the pirate behind her out of the corners of her eyes. "I'd rather not wake the others, so I'll give you this one opportunity to leave before I decide to get rid of you myself,"

A smile played at the corners of Lottie's lips and she laughed quietly, "You're as cocky as they say, Crescent Dagger," she said.

* * *

**A/N:** god, I wish I could draw so I could make this a comic instead! But alas, I can't. My creativity lies with words, not lines. Mostly exposition here really. Hope you enjoy it. The next chapter should be up soon :]

SNE121


	56. The Island that Never Sleeps Part 3

**Pirates!**

**The Island that Never Sleeps Part 3**

**Marines and Hunters!**

**Crescent Dagger Pirates on the Run!**

* * *

"You're as cocky as they say, Crescent Dagger," the strange orange haired woman said with a smile on her face. She still held Chris' wrist tightly, keeping the pressing knife at bay. "and I can see that you have a lot of potential, but unfortunately for you, I'm not one to exercise restraint when it comes to my targets," she glanced at Aven, "Especially this one,"

She fiercely tightened her grip on Chris' wrist, twisting it, and the pirate hissed in pain. She wrenched her wrist out of Lottie's grip, unwillingly dropping the knife in the process.

She shook that off and reached for the knife on the ground. However, before she could even take a step forward, a thin leather chord wrapped around her neck so tight that it was cutting into her skin. She grabbed it, trying to pull it off as she struggled to breathe, but her efforts were halted when she was forced onto her back on the ground soundlessly, through it all holding the hat atop her head.

The woman knelt above her, holding the other end of the chord high above her head, tightening its hold, using her other hand to press down Chris' shoulder. It took Chris' instinctively frenzied mind a few moments to recognize the chord as a whip. A choking gasp escaped as she tried to loosen the whip even in the slightest. Black dots were starting to cloud the corners of her vision.

The woman's brown eyes stared into Chris' green ones, cold, but obviously amused. She leaned toward Chris slightly, her voice barely above a whisper, "So this is what 65,000,000 is worth?" she scoffed. Then, she laughed, "What a joke. The military is really lowering their standards. But don't worry. Even the greatest have fallen at the hands of the class S hunter, Rinocci Lottie,"

Chris released the whip and instead lifted her good hand, her right hand, behind her head. Lottie raised a questioning brow. "Giving up?" she asked. Then, she grinned, tightening her grip, "It's too late for that, boy,"

Suddenly, Chris lashed out with the hand and Lottie was surprised when a deep cut appeared on the hand holding Chris' shoulder. She pulled away with a hiss of pain and Chris used the opportunity, lifting a knee up and then kicking out at Lottie's stomach. She was pleased when the blow connected, knocking the woman off of her onto the ground with a loud thud.

Chris heard the others wake with a start as the whip pulled free from around her neck and she pushed herself into a sitting position, breathing in so deeply that is stung her lungs, forcing a heavy cough.

"Elemental Tricks: Fire!" Aven shouted suddenly. The entire room was suddenly engulfed in bright orange flames and automatically, Faith and Aya shouted and tried to move away from them. Even Chris was startled by the sudden illumination.

They saw a woman running through the flames, completely unphased by them, and heard the door slam open. Chris spun on her heel, bending and scooping up the Double-Sided Dagger in her free hand in the process, and bolted for the door. She could hear the footsteps rising and saw the door at the top of the stairs open. The silhouette of the orange haired woman stopped and looked down at Chris and flashed a grin before running again.

Chris sprinted up the stairs three at a time, reaching the top in seconds and turned, chasing the woman toward the front deck. She heard a thud on the upper deck and knew that Gonzo had seen the woman. "Gonzo, cut her off!" she ordered.

The Fishman didn't need to be told twice. He ran toward the upper deck's railing and kicked off of it, landing directly in front of the running woman, harpoon at the ready. Lottie skidded to a stop and backed up, staring at Gonzo rather uncertainly. Chris came to a stop several feet behind, holding up the Crescent Dagger. "You're trapped!" she said.

"Looks like you've got me," Lottie said, raising her arms above her head, the whip still in hand. Suddenly, she smirked. With a flick of the hand, the whip lashed out, wrapping around the harpoon and wrenching it out of Gonzo's firm grip. His attempt to keep hold of it forced him several staggering paces forward and Lottie ran toward him. She jumped, grabbing Gonzo's shoulder with one hand, and as she landed, pulled him down roughly with her. He hit the ground hard and she landed in a crouch behind him. As Chris ran forward, Lottie kicked off into a run, then jumped onto the nose of the wolf and turned as Chris crouched beside Gonzo and helped him to his feet, her double-sided dagger sheathed to free up a hand.

"But they say looks can be deceiving," Lottie added. Chris stared at her and it seemed that as she said those words, she stared right back at the pirate captain. "Don't worry, I'll be back. I have no intentions of losing my target,"

Then, she jumped onto the shore. Chris ran toward the bulwark at the bow of the ship and looked into the darkness below.

Lottie was gone.

"Who the hell was that?" Gonzo asked, rubbing his shoulder. The woman's grip was so tight that he wouldn't be surprised if it left a bruise, even on his tough skin. He walked toward his harpoon and picked it up off the ground. He looked at Chris as he fastened the harpoon to his back.

"We've got to go after her," Chris said simply. She started to climb over the railing, but Aven's voice stopped her.

"That's not a good idea," Aven said. Chris stopped, one leg propped on top of the bulwark, and looked at Aven. Faith and Aya were beside her; the girl seemed frightened.

"You know who that is?" she asked. Hesitantly, Aven nodded. Chris frowned slightly and walked toward her. "Then you know why she was here," Again, Aven nodded, however, she said nothing else. She was shaking, her green eyes downcast. Chris turned away from the railing and walked toward her, putting her hands firmly on the illusionist's shoulders, "What the hell is going on here, Aven? Why was that woman coming after you?"

"I was afraid to tell you before…" Aven said slowly, "I mean, I was so excited to join another crew, to be part of something again," she took a breath and Chris released her shoulders, stepping back and tilter her head to the side. "I have… I have a bounty,"

Gonzo frowned, "We all do," he assured her, "Except Teriuz, I think, but why is that such a big secret? If that's why she's after you, she'd be after all of us,"

"No," Aven said, shaking her head, "My bounty, it's for a different reason. You see… when I was young, my father taught me how to read these ancient scriptures called Poneglyphs," Seeing their confused expressions, she explained, "They're banned by the World Government. I've had a bounty since I ran away from home when I was twelve; it started at 30,000,000. After I joined my last Pirate Crew, being with them through the years eventually bumped it up to my current 60,000,000. I settled down on Wine Island about six months before you showed up, trying to be inconspicuous. But that woman that was in our room, Rinocci Lottie, has been hunting me since that day when I was twelve,"

"Why didn't you tell us this before?" Aya asked, surprised. Aven frowned.

"I… I didn't want you guys to kick me out or something," she told her. She looked at Chris and the red haired girl looked back with an expression Aven couldn't read, "It's my fault that Lottie hurt you. This is my battle and it was wrong of me to bring it to you guys. I'll understand if you want me to leave for putting the crew in danger,"

"Don't be silly, Aven. She's not -" Faith began.

"This is unacceptable," Chris interrupted. Aven looked away. Though there was no reprimanding tone, she was still guilty. "You think you can just go around acting like everything's ok when the World Government is going after you? Do you think you can just push something like that away? I know you're not stupid, Ash, so what the hell were you thinking?"

Aven looked at Chris, her eyes wide. That was the first time she'd been called by her real name since her father that day five years ago. She found herself unable to respond, so Chris continued, "What's happened in the past is in the past, Aven, but that doesn't mean you can run away from it. Especially something like this. So far you've been running away, from place to place, trying to disappear, to make your _past_ disappear but you can't. You've got to face it. You're never going to get stronger if you don't turn around and fight."

Aven clenched her fists at her side, her head downcast with her eyes closed. Chris was right. She'd spent her life running, and whenever her past got to close to those she cared about, she ran away to find another persona. Just like with her old crew.

"So we're going to fight now, Aven." Chris said after a moment of silent observation. Aven looked at her once again, her eyes falling on the extended hand. Did she say… we? "Together, because the Crescent Dagger Pirates don't run away. And when one of us is in trouble, we'll do whatever we can to make sure they sure they make it out alive,"

Aven hesitated, loosening her tight fist, and then extended her right hand to grasp her captain's. She could feel her own eyes starting to water and hastily, she wiped them with the back of her hand.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt, but I think we've got a problem," Aya said. Chris glanced at her, seeing her pointing toward the ocean, and turned her own head to look. Her eyes narrowed in frustration.

Marines.

(--)

"Sir, we've spotted the ship!" a marine said as he saluted to the taller Markus on deck. He'd seen the small (compared to his own at least) white ship long before the recruit had informed him. It hadn't moved since he'd spotted it and in this time, he doubted if it would move at all. It was late, the pirates were surely asleep.

It felt wrong capturing them like this. Yes, they were Pirates. Yes, they were criminals, but everyone deserved a chance to protect themselves. Especially considering how largely outnumbered the pirate crew was. In the deepest part of his mind, Markus was hoping that the crew would somehow wake up and escape. He turned away, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath of the evening air.

"Vice-Admiral, the ship, it's moving!" the same marine shouted suddenly. Markus opened his eyes, surprised. There was no way. He spun on his heel and took the few steps to the very front of the bow, leaning over the edge to get a better view. Sure enough, black sails were lowered, showing the enlarged version of the Jolly Roger of the Crescent Dagger Pirates, and the ship was moving away from the shore.

A small smile played at the corners of Markus' lips for the briefest of moments. The moment of guild faded; now there was valid reason to be chasing these pirates. They were evading arrest and running from a Marine Vessel. He turned to his men, "After them!" he ordered. "Don't let them escape!"

(--)

"That's a Marine Battleship," Zugai said, staring at the ship pursuing their smaller one from his spot at the helm. "It's most likely packed with artillery that we can't match. Any chances we can leave the island, Jae?"

"Not yet, Zugai-kun," Jae answered. He'd been giving the shipwright directions and was standing on the upper deck, watching the ocean closely, "The log hasn't readjusted, we can't just travel blindly through the ocean, especially this one," He scanned the island and caught sight of a cave set into the side of the bay on the opposite end. "Zugai-kun, head thirty degrees left! Toward that cave!"

"Are you serious? We can't get through there, there's rocks and sandbars everywhere!" Zugai protested. "I'm not sure if she can make it!"

"Trust me," Jae said. "I know what I'm doing, just follow my orders,"

Zugai looked at Jae hesitantly for a few moments, but reluctantly nodded. "Alright, I'm counting on you to get us through that unscathed, Jae,"

"They've got a Vice Admiral leading them," Blue called from the Crow's Nest. He held his rifle firmly, aimed steadily toward the ship, and looked through the attached scope. "It's not gonna be easy getting away from these guys, that's for sure,"

"That'll be Markus Fonedrid," Aven said. "He travels with Lottie. The two can't stand each other, but since he's his only mode of transportation, she's got no choice but to stick with him. I should have know that they'd be here as well. They'll find a way to follow us in,"

"Not if they can't see us…" Faith muttered, "Aven, do you think you can do something to make the ship invisible?"

Aven considered this for a few moments. "I don't have much to work with, but I think I might be able to make an illusion with the moonlight," she assured them.

"They already know where we're going, it's not going to work unless we set a decoy," Zugai pointed out.

"Then I'll take care of that," Teriuz said quickly, stepping forward.

(--)

Markus watched as the ship suddenly changed direction and his eyes narrowed slightly. He'd never seen a ship move so swiftly. Then again, he'd never seen a ship that looked like that in all of his years as a Marine. But it's pure white color made it a beacon in the darkness, impossible to miss.

"Sir, permission to fire the cannons!" A marine asked, saluting. Markus watched the pirate ship for a few moments, and then nodded at his men.

"Fire the cannons," he confirmed. The marine who'd questioned him turned and repeated the order much louder so the entire deck was able to hear and in various places around the battleship, the order was echoed.

"It looks like they're going around, back to the town," Reese said as he watched the ship move toward the curve of the island. Markus didn't respond. He kept his dark eyes locked on the ship as the cannon shot from their own ship toward it. It was in range, it would definitely hit.

Needless to say, he was more then surprised when it didn't. In fact, the cannon went straight _through_ the white ship. His eyes widened as it faded and disappeared, as if it were never there and beside him, Reese gasped.

Both of them had travelled with Lottie long enough to know exactly who had caused this.

Aven.

Markus spun around, suddenly annoyed. Those pirates were definitely clever. "Dock the ship wherever it's safe and all squads, enter the forest and city! Find those pirates!"

"Yes, sir!" the marines shouted in unison before scrambling to follow orders.

(--)

"I can't believe it actually worked!" Chris exclaimed as she watched the Marines sail passed their hiding place. "Those marines really are gullible, huh? Some Vice Admiral he is,"

The Howling Ivory had been carefully maneuvered into the cave and the anchor had been lowered. As soon as they'd entered, Teriuz had lost his concentration and the illusion he'd casted had broken, and Aven had released her own illusion. Now, the pirates were exiting the ship onto the dirt ground on the side of the cave. "Are we really just going to leave her here…?" Zugai asked uncertainly.

"It's safest," Jae answered. "The Marines won't attack an empty ship. And they can't get their ship in here, it's too big. They'll never find her." Catching his friend's skeptical look, he added, "Don't worry, Zugai-kun, it'll be fine,"

"We're stuck here until the Log Pose readjusts, right? So we've just got to survive until then. Shouldn't be too hard, right?" Gonzo asked.

Around him, all of the Crescent Dagger Pirates were thinking the same thing.

_I hope._

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry for taking so long! I kept re-writing it, but I'm content with this result. Thanks for reading and remember to review!

SNE121


	57. The Island that Never Sleeps Part 4

**Pirates!**

**The Island that Never Sleeps Part 4**

**Untitled

* * *

**

"Let's split up, they said. It'll be safer, they said," Gonzo growled as he slammed his fist into yet another Marine's face. "We'll be less likely to be caught, they said," He heard one approaching behind him, followed by a gunshot and knew that Blue had taken care of that particular one. He took off running, Blue following close behind with Faith on their tail as a wolf, "Because no one's gonna notice a man with black and white skin and fins standing at almost seven feet tall, right?"

"Jae and Chris were thinking in the best interests of the crew," Blue insisted. He reloaded his rifle and fired at a group of Marines approaching. At first, nothing happened, but after five seconds, it exploded, knocking them away. Citizens frantically ran from the explosion, retreating into their homes and into other areas of the city, away from the fighting. "And really, it's our own fault. After all, we're leaving a paper trail of destruction behind us. I doubt these people will be very welcoming of us again,"

A few stragglers that weren't knocked out by the explosion continued forward and this time, Faith rushed forward, shifting into her hybrid form and slamming an enormous fist into the line, knocking them away. She returned to human and turned to look at the others. "We've just got to find a place we can hide out and we'll be fine!" she insisted. "Just keep moving!"

She returned to her wolf form and continued running. Gonzo spun around to face the hoard of oncoming Marines and grinned. "Sorry, road's blocked!" he announced. "100 Gallons: Cut the Cake!" he slammed the side of his hand in a ferocious karate chop into the ground, splitting it and cracking it. Blue, running backward, fired another explosive bullet into the advancing crack, sending large chunks of concrete and rock flying and a dust cloud into the air, making something similar to a wall.

"That'll distract them," Blue said, "Now let's go!" he spun and continued forward after the waiting Faith and Gonzo followed behind.

(--)

"I think we lost 'em," Aya said breathlessly as she stood with Jae and Zugai amongst an enormous crowd gathered at the square. Jae was bent over, supporting himself with his knees as she caught his breath from constant running the moment they entered the city.

Zugai scanned above the heads of the crowd, being tall enough to do so, and smirked, "I disagree," he said. Yes, this was dangerous, but in all honesty, it was exciting. Excitement was always good. He looked down at Jae and Aya, "But if we keep moving, we'll be safe. They won't strike in a crowd this big,"

Suddenly, Jae's eyes narrowed and he reached up with one hand to grab Zugai's shoulder, pulling him forward and accidently to the ground. The other, he extended outward, suddenly encased in a thick sheet of metal, and there was a spark and a clank as something crashed into his palm and he winced.

"Are you so sure?" Jae asked, looking at his palm. The bullet had pierced through the armor and as Jae pulled it out, blood began to seep from the metal encasing. He quickly manipulated the metal to cover and fill the wound and effectively stop the bleeding before looking upward toward the tops of the buildings. Whoever shot that had exceptional confidence in their marksman abilities.

"Thanks, Jae," Zugai said as Aya helped him to his feet. He never expected the bullet, which mean he wouldn't have been able to protect himself from it with is bones. "I owe you one. But how far away were they for us to not hear them?"

"Who knows," Aya said, "But let's not stick around and find out," She reached into her bag and extracted a handful of her needles, then, with a swift motion, threw them expertly at the oncoming Marines. The needles hit the pressure points and the men fell, incapacitated. "If there's a marksman, then we have to go somewhere indoors where he can't get us. Away from windows,"

"Casino," Zugai finished, looking at the large one they'd been in almost hours before. He looked over the many heads once again and caught sight of another wave of Marines. _God, they're never ending!_ He thought to himself. Then, he started pushing his way through the crowd, "Come on!" he called over his shoulder at his companions.

Jae and Aya followed without hesitation.

(--)

"Aah, I knew this was a bad idea!" Aven exclaimed as she ran, beside Chris and Teriuz,. The people in the road cleared the way for them, as behind them, a large group of Marines chased them. "How the hell did they catch up to us so quickly?"

"Hell if I know," Chris answered. "I hope the others are fairing better then we are though," Her eyes narrowed as she caught sight of another group running forward from in front of them. She cursed under her breath and skidded to a stop. They started in the opposite direction before remembering the group on that end to. They paused briefly and drew their weapons, Chris with her crescent shaped Deer-horn knives and Teriuz with Honekirite, which Zugai had lent him before leaving.

Aven stood between them with a smirk. "Elemental Tricks!" She said, extending a singly hand in front of her, palm extended. Then, she lifted it upward quickly and shouted, "LIGHTNING!"

The cloudless sky was suddenly filled with electricity, roaring with thunder. The electricity escalated, stopping the confused soldiers in their tracks, then, suddenly, it crashed down in front of both groups. The marines jumped back, terrified, unaware that it was only an illusion.

Aven lifted her free hand out to her side, "Tricks: Wall!" she shouted. Around them, three walls emerged, blocking out the Marines, and the path behind them and leaving only a path leading to an alleyway. Aven lowered her arms, focusing on keeping the wall illusion up, and ran toward the alley, followed quickly by Chris and Teriuz. When they were all safely out of the area, she allowed her focus to drop, and leaned tiredly against the wall.

"Aven, you're incredible!" Chris exclaimed, hooking her knives on the Double-sided dagger's sheath on her belt. The girl smiled weakly in return and suddenly started sliding down the wall in a sitting position, her head down. Chris' eyes widened in surprise and she knelt down next to the illusionist, Teriuz right beside her.

"Hey, Aven?" Teriuz questioned. Then, he heard the light breathing and saw the relaxed expression on the girl's face and smiled slightly. "She's only asleep," he assured Chris, which prompted a relieved sigh from the captain, followed by a laugh.

"Great timing," she said sarcastically, though with humor. She turned her head to look down the dark alley. So far, they were safe, but it would be unsafe to stay in one place for too long. She turned back to Aven and was surprised to find that the girl was gone.

"I've got her," Teriuz said, laughing at his captain's shocked expression. He was standing, carrying Aven on his back, the sword now sheathed once again. "We've got to keep moving and find somewhere safe, right?"

(--)

He was disliked. Most obviously disliked. Markus could tell that without even looking at the citizens clearing the way for him and his ensign as they walked down the street. He could feel their intense gazes, their contempt. His men were invading their city and they disapproved.

One man suddenly stepped in their path and both Markus and Reese stopped. The man was young, probably no older then eighteen, and held a sword in his hand. A sword held in such an awkward way that it was obvious this man would be no trouble to the Vice Admiral and ensign. His hair was blond, his eyes blue.

"Get lost!" the man shouted, raising the sword in front of him. Markus looked at him calmly, quietly, but said nothing. It was Reese that stepped forward.

"Raising a weapon to the Marines is against the law of the World Government," Reese said, "As a Marine, it is my duty to inform you that if you do not step down now, I will have to restrain you,"

The man seemed to falter briefly, then straightened once again. Reese heaved a sigh and crouched down, putting his hand in the soft dirt beneath, digging his fingers in, and then suddenly, his entire fist disappeared beneath the earth. When he pulled his hand out, with it, he pulled a brown sword composed of compacted dirt.

"Easy, Reese," Markus said quietly, "Don't hurt the man,"

Reese didn't respond, not even so much as a nod. He just darted forward with surprising speed and before the man with the sword could even react, Reese was in front of him. He slashed the sword horizontally at the man's stomach. Around them, the others gasped as the man was knocked away by the force of the blow, sent skidding on the ground to the sidelines. A group encircled him to check his condition, surely that attack would kill him.

And they were surprised when the man stood up, holding his stomach in pain of course, but still standing. Reese looked at the sword and carefully pushed it back into the dirt, combining it with the earth once again. He looked over his shoulder at the man calmly. "Marines do not fight to hurt the innocent," he said, "You are a fool for trying to stop us when we are trying to enforce Justice. I promise you that when we find out targets, we will leave your city,"

Markus was by his side by the time Reese finished the speech. "I ask anyone who spots the Crescent Dagger pirates to report it to myself of one of my troops," Markus called to the quiet crowd, "We will attempt to detain them while causing the least damage possible to your homes. We thank you for your cooperation."

That said, the two Marines left the main square of the city to search the less prominent areas. It was there, in a near empty street, that Lottie showed herself, sliding out of the shadows to their left. "How _noble_ of you," she said. She disappeared again and suddenly rematerialized, directly in front of Reese, "Going easy on that young man and knocking him away with the back of your little dirt sculpture," she disappeared before Reese could react and appeared again, behind Markus, leaning against him, "And you," she used his arm as support and swung around him, stepping directly in front of the Vice Admiral, "You know, Markus, it isn't right to make promises you can't keep,"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Markus said firmly, staring down at Lottie. The woman stepped back, stroking the whip she held in her hand absently, gazing at the leather.

"Sometimes, I get so caught up in the heat of the hunt that I just go blind. I can't help it if a few people get caught in the crossfire," She told them. She looked up at them with what looked like an upset, sorry expression. She suddenly smiled that devious smile of hers and started stepping back, "Sometimes… I just can't control myself,"

"Lottie, if you do anything to harm these people, I swear I will have your status revoked," Markus growled, his eyes narrowed as he reached for the Jitte.

Lottie's smile flickered slightly, and then broadened mischievously. "By the way, I've located my target," she said, "She's with Crescent Dagger and another young man. I understand you want the pirates alive, but I can give you no guarantees," she said. She looked at her hand, which had a bandage wrapped around it, and clenched it into a fist, "If that red haired boy gets in my way again, the only piece you'll get is his head if that much is left," Then, she melted into the shadows behind her and disappeared.

Markus looked at Reese with a frown as he released his Jitte. "We'll cover more ground if we split up," he told his ensign, "Search the southern side of the city, I'll search the northern. If you find those Pirates, capture them alive,"

"Yes, Sir!" Reese said, saluting. He turned and started to run. However, he was stopped by Markus calling his name.

"Reese," Reese turned to look at his commanding officer, "Try not to cause any damage,"

Reese nodded and took off, his mouse clinging to his shoulder to avoid falling off, and Markus turned and walked in the opposite direction.

(--)

"This should be far enough," Teriuz said, slowing to a walk, then a stop. Ahead of him, Chris stopped and looked over her shoulder. They were on a dark, secluded street, as most of the festivities were taking place in the crowded city square. Chris would have preferred to go on, but Teriuz looked tired.

Gently, he lowered Aven down against a building and then sat beside her with a huff. Chris approached them silently and leaned against the wall opposite them.

A high pitched whistle reached their ears and both Chris and Teriuz looked up, watching a cloudy streak fly up into the sky, then explode in a flash of colors. Even marines invading wouldn't stop the party on this island. The shadows danced with the sudden change in illumination.

"It's nice," Teriuz observed quietly, "I haven't seen fireworks in years,"

"Same here," Chris answered as another exploded into an array of sparks. She stepped toward Aven and shook the girl's shoulder. "Hey, Aven, wake up," she said in a hushed tone. The girl stirred and slowly, her eyes fluttered open. "Morning, sleepyhead. Take a look at the sky,"

Aven heave a loud, wide yawn and stretched before turning her sleepy green eyes up to the illuminated sky. Instantly, they widened and she jumped to her feet. "Wow!" she exclaimed, her sleepiness gone as if it were never there.

"Such a beautiful sight to see, isn't it?" A different voice, this one female, asked, "I used to love them when I was a child," Chris and Teriuz turned to face the voice, Teriuz rising quickly to his feet and grabbing hold of Honekirite. Lottie stepped forward, the shadowy silhouette becoming a solid figure, those brown eyes looking from Teriuz, to Chris, and finally to Aven, who turned her head last, almost as if afraid to look.

Chris grabbed hold of the Deer-horn knives quickly, holding one in front of her and the second beside her own chin in an easily maneuverable stance. Teriuz drew the sword and held it at the ready, slightly behind and above his head in a stance he'd seen years before and the two stepped in front of their sleeping friend.

"No!" Aven shouted, stepping quickly in front of her friends, pushing them back, "we don't stand a chance against her. We have to run! Tricks: Clone!"

Suddenly, there were two Aven's in front of them and for the briefest of moments, Lottie looked confused. Her eyes narrowed, trying to identify her real target. "This way!" one Aven shouted. Teriuz looked at Chris briefly, then ran after that Aven. The second one grabbed Chris' hand and pulled her captain away, running in the opposite direction.

It was at that moment that Lottie knew which one was which. Without hesitation, she took off after Chris and Aven.

* * *

**A/N:** Well that didn't take long, did it? After all, if you think about it, time doesn't really exist. For all we know, this week+ long debate was only a day! Ha. Ha ha…. Ok, not so much. But an update is an update, right? Even if it's shortish and not really the best… .…. But I'm gonna stop blabbing. Don't forget to review.


	58. The Island that Never Sleeps Part 5

**Pirates!**

**The Island that Never Sleeps Part 5**

**The Crescent Dagger's in Trouble?**

**Fights Begin!

* * *

**

Running wasn't something Chris enjoyed doing; in her opinion, it had always been a sign of weakness. But this was necessary. Was running ok when the lives of your Nakama were at stake?

She was following Aven, drawing closer and closer to the slowly fading sounds of the city's party; under normal circumstances, she would have done everything possible to _avoid_ such places. But in this case, it was necessary.

It seemed Chris was doing a lot of necessary things that she didn't approve of. Another crack of fire works exploded in the sky, showering it in light and causing the shadows to flicker.

In front of her, Aven made a sharp left and Chris followed, almost crashing into the girl when she skidded to a stop suddenly. Chris twisted to avoid hitting her, instead ramming her shoulder into the wall to stop her own momentum. Suddenly, Aven began backing up, and it took Chris a few moments to realize why.

Lottie had just emerged from the shadows, whip at the ready. Chris tensed and without even drawing a knife, charged at the woman, her fists clenched. She threw a furious punch and Lottie ducked beneath it, reaching up to grab Chris' arm. Without so much as a sound, she twisted her body, throwing Chris into the wall with enough force to crack the brick.

"I haven't time to waste on you, boy," Lottie growled and Chris slid to the ground, knocking over a few trashcans that were set there. The crash of the metal falling echoed through the small street but Lottie ignored it. She disappeared back into the shadows and reappeared directly in front of Aven. The girl seemed frozen in shock, "Your human illusions aren't tangible, so it wasn't the smartest idea to grab your captain before running," She said, "Now, you damn girl, five long years of searching is finally going to come to an end,"

She reached to grab Aven, but was surprised when her hand slid right through the girl's body, as if she were a ghost. Lottie's eyes widened, surprised, and she tried again, only to fail again. "What sort of illusion is this?" She growled.

Aven suddenly grinned and stuck her tongue out at Lottie before disappearing as if she were never there. Lottie stood in the spot dumbfounded, her hand extended in front of her. "I…impossible…" She muttered. She clenched her fist tightly, "You were able to touch your captain! You pulled him through the streets! How is this possible?!"

Behind her, she heard a soft laughter and turned to see that the captain in question was standing. The hat was shading her eyes, but her grin was clearly visible even in the darkness. Chris lifted her head, pushing the hat back slightly to reveal her bright green eyes. Another round of fireworks exploded, illuminating them with sparks of red and yellow amidst the cat-like green. "You really aren't as good as you say, are you?" Chris asked.

Lottie stared at Chris, dumbfounded for the briefest of moments, "It's no wonder you've been searching for five years. You're a terrible hunter. You should really find a new hobby," she laughed again, louder this time, mocking the woman before her.

"She touched you," Lottie repeated, "How is this possible, her human illusions are not tangible! This must be some sort of trick!"

"Exactly, a trick," Chris confirmed, "And you fell for it," She suddenly jerked to one side, as if being pulled, "Alright, Aven, slow down, I'm coming!" she said, sounding and looking as if the other girl were actually there pulling her. She turned and looked at Lottie again, "Not that hard to go along with something like that you know. But of course, if you were as good a hunter as you say, you would have noticed the deception right off the bat,"

Lottie clenched her fists tightly and she put on a straight face, her brown eyes dark and malicious. "That's twice you've gotten in my way, Crescent Dagger," She said in her usual tone. "You've really become quite an annoying thorn in my side,"

She suddenly vanished and appeared in front of Chris, grabbing the girl by the neck and slamming her back against the wall. Chris grabbed Lottie's wrist, still smiling, "What's the matter?" Chris asked mockingly, "Is the Military's little dog upset? Did I get in the way of your reward? Sorry,"

The assassin's grip tightened and Chris coughed, choking, closing her eyes briefly. _No! Don't give her the satisfaction of seeing you having trouble!_ She opened her eyes and with difficulty, she said, "I-I'm sure there's others y-you can go after. Go on, girl! F-fetch!"

Lottie released Chris' neck and stepped away for a few moments, leaving Chris gasping for breath. However, shortly after, she slammed a fist into the captain's stomach, knocking out the air she'd just received and forcing her to her knees. "I honestly considered letting you live, Crescent Dagger," Lottie said, looking down at the struggling captain. She pulled back a foot and then thrust it forward in a ferocious kick to Chris' side, sending her sprawling down the alley. Lottie followed, walking, shortly after, "But you've interrupted my mission too many times for my liking,"

She cracked the whip out and lashed it down against Chris. Chris spun into a sitting position, grabbing the whip and wrapping it around her own arm tightly. "You've gone after my Nakama too many times for my liking," she growled, rising to her feet. There was a sudden feral expression in her eyes, a raw fury that startled Lottie.

Chris grabbed the whip with her other hand as well and pulled, lifting Lottie over her head and slamming her into the ground behind her. Chris turned to face the woman as Lottie melted into the shadows around her, disappearing from sight.

Chris tensed and grabbed her Deer-horn knives. She could hear laughter around her, an echo, almost like a ghost. "So you _can_ fight, eh?" Lottie asked. She reappeared, several feet behind Chris. "I must say, I'm actually getting excited here,"

Chris tossed the deer-horn knives into the air, then grabbed her Double-Sided dagger from its sheath. She spun, throwing the knife expertly toward Lottie, aimed at the woman's heart. However, instead of stabbing her, it phased right through her, as her body had become shadow the moment it reached her. Chris watched her knife embed itself into a wall across from the alley as she caught her deer-horn knives and ran toward Lottie.

She crossed the knives across her chest, then uncrossed them in an 'x' across Lottie's chest. The hunter lifted her whip at the last minute, holding it with both hands to catch the knives before they could uncross and holding them at bay.

Chris pressed harder with the knives; they weren't diamond edge like her other two, and the blades actually touching the whip, but the crook where the blade and handle met were. Lottie knew exactly how to deal with this weapon.

_Damn it,_ Chris growled in frustration. This knife wouldn't work. She'd need something smaller, easier to maneuver. She kicked off the ground, flipping over Lottie to free her knives, and then ran for the double-sided dagger embedded in the wall nearby.

Lottie spun around and took off after Chris, running for only a few moments before disappearing into shadows.

Chris shifted her deer-horn knives to one hand and reached out for her Double-sided dagger. The smaller end was sticking out of the wall, the huge hook-like serrations shimmering in the dim moonlight. She reached for the knife and was about to close her hand around the handle in the center when a hand appeared from the shadows on the wall, grabbing her wrist.

The hand was quickly followed by an arm, then an entire body, and Lottie grabbed Chris' other wrist, forcing the girl to drop the knives. "Children shouldn't play with knives…" Lottie said, turning Chris so her back was facing the wall. Then, releasing one wrist and moving her hand to Chris' shoulder, she pressed her against it. _No!_ "They have a tendency to bite," Lottie finished with a smirk.

Chris' eyes widened as the knife embedded itself into her own back.

(--)

"Aargh, it never ends!" Faith shouted in frustration after returning to her human form once again. She'd just taken down a rather large Marine and regrouped with Gonzo. Blue had taken to the air, using his wind powers to help him fly, and was shooting down the Marines that Gonzo's blind charging missed.

"Tell me about it," Gonzo responded after knocking away a large group with a powerful karate chop that split the ground. He looked at Faith. The girl was starting to get in pretty mad shape; a few swords had gotten her, cutting some long tears in her clothing and skin. A particularly nasty looking cut was bleeding across her cheek. But Gonzo wasn't in much better condition; yes, none of their physical strength could match his, but their swords and bullets had been more then capable of cutting through his thick skin.

He looked up to Blue. The marksman seemed in the best condition in terms of overall injuries; he'd sustained only a few bullet wounds because he was so focused on shooting other marksmen that he wasn't focusing on using his power as a reflex.

"Gonzo, watch out!" Faith suddenly shouted. Gonzo looked at the girl again, then over his shoulder in time to catch a fist to the face strong enough to send him flying. His body crashed through a building, sending a group of people running for cover as rubble crashed down around the Fishman.

"Gonzo!" Blue shouted from above. The distraction was enough to get another bullet in him; this one in his thigh. He winced but otherwise ignored it, aiming his rifle down at the man below.

Faith morphed into her hybrid form and stood in front of the pile of ruble beneath which Gonzo was buried, facing the man who'd punched him. How strong could he be to knock back _Gonzo_ of all people? "Who the hell are you?" she asked the tall, black haired man before him.

"My name is Vice Admiral Fonedrid Markus," the man answered, looking at Faith. The girl's eyes widened in surprised and she took an involuntary step back.

_A Vice Admiral?! Why the hell is _he _here? _Blue lowered himself to the ground beside Faith. Blood spilled out of the bullet wounds in his legs under the pressure but he cast the pain aside and ran toward the mountain of bricks and concrete. Using his powers, he started to remove the larger ones before Gonzo managed to pull himself up, rubbing his head and wiping blood from his eyes.

"Are you alright?" Blue asked. Gonzo shook his head to clear the stars and pushed himself to his feet, dusting off the dirt and blood.

"I'll be fine," he answered, "But damn does he pack a powerful punch,"

"You've all caused enough destruction as it is and I don't approve of excess violence." Markus said, "so I'm giving you all the opportunity right now to surrender yourselves peacefully,"

Gonzo, Blue, and Faith looked at one another. "Sorry, but that isn't going to happen," Gonzo said.

(--)

"I think we're ok," Aya said as she and the others stood within the emptying room. It was getting late and with all of the fighting, the smart people that weren't addicting to the gambling were leaving for somewhere safe.

They weren't able to bask in the safety for long though, because almost as soon as Aya said those words, something thick and sharp embedded into her upper arm. She cried out, surprised, her voice attracting the attention of the boys.

"What happened?" Jae asked, however, his question was answered when he caught sight of the densely packed dirt in the shape of a solid dagger in Aya's arm. The girl hesitated for the briefest of moments before pulling the weapon out, causing a burst of blood to spray from the wound before running down her arm and dripping off the tips of her fingers.

"Where the hell did that come from?" Zugai asked, taking the knife from Aya. It crumbled in his hands as he closed his fist around it, returning to its natural grainy substance.

"From me," A voice ahead said. The pirates turned their attention toward the figure; he was a blond boy, not much older then themselves, with his hair tied in a ponytail. His light eyes were angry and in his hand, he held a single sword made of the same densely packed substance as the knife, though obviously much sturdier.

"My name is Reese Mitcol, Ensign under Vice Admiral Fonedrid Markus." The boy said, staring at the pirates, "I've been sent to apprehend the Pirates raiding this city and I have every intention of doing so."

"Raiding…?" Jae repeated. "We aren't raiding, we're relaxing. You're the ones who attacked."

"I'd prefer it if you come quietly, this city has already suffered enough," Reese continued as if Jae hadn't spoken.

Aya stepped forward, ignoring the blood dripping down her arm, "Sorry, but we can't do that," She told him.

Then, although neither knew, both groups said the same words simultaneously to their opponents, "Captain's orders!"

(--)

**Earlier...  
**

_"Guys, hold on," Chris said as her crew began to disperse. They stopped and looked at her. She seemed tense, worried even, but her voice didn't show it as she spoke to her crew with the confidence of a captain, "Every single one of you is going to make it out of this you hear me? Under no circumstances are you to give in. And I'm not giving any of you permission to die. We're all going to get out of here together, in one piece, no matter what," she paused, observing her crew, "Captain's order. Is that understood?" She added._

_The crew suddenly smiled confidently. "Right!" They told her simultaneously. Then, they dispersed.

* * *

_

**A/N:** Sorry this took forever, but here it is! A nice little chapter completed. Now, I have a little note on Markus and Reese. I'm referring to Markus as 'Fonedrid Markus (Last, First)' and Reese as 'Reese Mitcol (First, Last' because they sound better then the opposites. Markus' fist name is Markus, and Reese's first name is Reese. (Mitcol Reese and Markus Fonedrid didn't sound as cool when introducing them, so I mixed it up). That aside, I hope you enjoyed. Now, it's one fifteen, I've gotta be up at about six thirty, so this is your bedtime present (Or mine?), I guess lol. See you next chapter (hopefully soon)!

**SNE121**


	59. The Island that Never Sleeps Part 6

**Pirates!**

**The Island that Never Sleeps Part 6**

**The Justice of the Marines - **

**The Cruelty of an Assassin

* * *

**

Vice Admiral Fonedrid Markus stared at the three pirates across from him with a small frown. He'd calmly requested that they surrender without issue, but they'd refused. Now, he had no choice. He made a mental scan of the group silently.

The dark skinned man was most obviously a Devil Fruit user judging by the fact that he was flying, but what fruit it was, Markus didn't know. He also seemed to be an able marksman, shooting at targets that were so far that Markus couldn't see them.

The blue-eyed woman was obviously a Zoan user; he could see that immediately due to the fact that she was still standing in her larger hybrid form, her body covered with grayish fur, her face elongated to form a snout, long ears protruding from the top of her head, and a tail swishing behind her.

The final one, Markus identified immediately as a Fishman. The black and white color and the fins gave that away immediately. He was surprised to see the Fishman in a primarily human crew; they must be very open-minded and trusting to allow that particular man to travel with them. For that, Markus respected them to a certain extent, because due to that, he knew a bit about them.

They were not absolutely black, because they held no prejudice and refrained from needless destruction (those in his crew who were injured were merely knocked out, not seriously in trouble), but nor were they purely white, for they were pirates. They were a strange shade of gray, and although Markus couldn't quite identify it, he knew it was somewhere closer to the light then the dark.

"If you do not wish to surrender," Markus said calmly. He cracked his knuckles and his neck. "I'm afraid I'll have to arrest you the hard way," The pirates tensed. They were up against a Vice Admiral, every one of them knew that. This wasn't going to be an easy battle.

It seemed that all they did was blink and suddenly, Markus was gone. Faith's senses went on full alert, the erect ears atop her head straightening as she growled instinctively. Luckily, the area was now devoid of people; even the fireworks had ended now that the severity of the situation had been realized, so she was able to hear clearly.

Something stirred to her left and she immediately turned her head to meet it, her fists clenched into tight fists. She prepared to throw a punch, but Markus beat her to it, jabbing his fist into her ribs with what looked like no force at all, but was actually enough to send her flying _through_ the wall of a building. The family inside instantly ran out the front door to escape the danger zone as Faith lay motionless in the concrete rubble.

"Faith!" Gonzo shouted. He turned to Markus, and as he did so, he lifted his foot in a roundhouse kick, "35 Gallons: Rump Roast!" he shouted.

But a single arm raised up to block the powerful kick, just before it could hit the Vice Admiral. Markus twisted the arm so that he was gripping Gonzo's ankle, then with a single hand, he tugged and threw him in the opposite direction as Faith, sending him smashing into another building.

Blue watched the scene in complete shock; to think that this man was strong enough to throw Gonzo with a single hand was surreal. He lifted his rifle and didn't even take a moment to aim before pulling the trigger of the large bullet and sending it flying to Markus. _There's no way he can dodge this!_

Blue was wrong. Markus managed to move aside at the last minute and grabbed hold of his Jitte, charging at Blue. The marksman managed to jump back and to the side as Markus jabbed at him with its sharp point and felt a sudden weakness when the object got _near_ him.

He quickly jumped away, using the wind to gain some distance, and put the rifle over his shoulder using the strap and replaced it with the quicker pair of revolvers, aiming both at Markus. "That weapon," he said, "its got _Kairoseki_," he said. He knew the effects of that rock well; even getting close to it weakened his ability to control wind. But if it touched him…

"Very good, Blue-chan," Markus' words surprised him; why the sudden formality? "I'm aware that you contain the abilities of the Kaze Kaze no Mi and became a Wind Man. Normally, I prefer not to use this weapon, but seeing as you're a Logia user, it's the quickest and most efficient way to finish this,"

He started to take a step forward when a human Faith suddenly jumped on his back, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck in an attempt to choke him. He was much taller then she was, so without proper footing, it wasn't very efficient.

However, he _did_ stagger. "GONZO!" Faith shouted, tightening her grip on Markus as she felt his strong hands grab hold of her arms.

"50 Gallons: Swiss Cheese!" Gonao shouted. He had risen from the rubble and now shot a vast number of baseball-sized balls of water from his blowhole at a quick pace toward the distracted Markus. He tried to avoid hitting Faith, but they both knew that in her position, she was in the line of fire.

Markus tightened his grip on Faith's arms and finally managed to wrench them apart as the water reached him. He was surprised that those that grazed his skin left deep gashes as they flew by, then stabbed through the building walls and created enormous holes in their wake.

He pulled Faith off of his back and wrapped an arm around her neck, holding her in a death grip tight enough to cut off her breathing. She choked a gasp and tried to pull free. "Sorry about this. If you stop struggling, it'll end sooner," Markus assured her as she changed to her hybrid form, then her animal form before returning back to her human form as he adjusted accordingly.

"Let her go, you asshole, she can't breathe!" Gonzo shouted. Both he and Blue were unable to attack at the moment; Faith was too close. "You'll kill her.

Markus looked at him calmly and shook his head, "No, I won't," he said, "I understand restraint, Gonzo-chan. I know when to stop," He could feel Faith's struggling becoming less and less prominent and he looked down at her as she stopped moving. He released the grip and gently lowered her to the ground, "Now then, that's one down, two to go," he said, looking to Gonzo and Blue.

(--)

Reese didn't even hesitate to run toward the group before him, his sword pulled to the side and ready to strike. He recognized each of them from the posters; the blond haired one looked like a female, though was in fact male. His nickname, Metarrionette, which Reese guessed had something to do with metal abilities. A Devil Fruit. The second boy, the taller one, was called the Demon's Orthopedic. He knew that orthopedics dealt with bones, so he was either a doctor or a Devil Fruit user. As for the green-haired girl… she didn't seem like much of a threat. Needle Master was her name. He decided to take her down first so he could focus on the others.

He clashed downward on Aya and the girl quickly pulled out her metal whip, holding it with both hands to block the powerful sword. He pressed harder, trying to push passed, but was surprised by the strength of her arms. He couldn't budge an inch and she was injured.

"You're strong for a girl," He pulled away and jumped back, then tried a different approach; a stab. The whip could certainly stop a downward or horizontal strike, but a straight jab would be nearly impossible.

The others seemed to know this, because simultaneously, they stepped forward. Jae ran forward and grabbed Aya, pulling her away as Zugai with lightning speed extended Honehakaisha, using the flat side as a shield. The sword crashed into the solid bone and shook violently.

"Oi, you should really watch what you say," Zugai said. "Our captain really dislikes people who judge others based on their gender,"

"Tsch," Reese hissed as he pulled away briefly. Then, he charged again, slashing this time at Zugai, "I don't care what you pirates think. All pirates are criminals and all criminals must be put behind bars!"

"Zugai-kun, we've got to go somewhere else! It'll cause too much damage to fight here," Jae pointed out. Zugai parried the sword as he shot a glance at Jae. The boy was right. HE hesitated for a moment, and then knocked Reese away with a powerful push on Honehakaisha. He spun on his heel and nudged Jae and Aya.

"Well then, let's go!" He said quickly. He looked over his shoulder at Reese, who by this time had managed to regain his footing and was already running after them.

They made their way outside, running quickly down the now empty street. Only Marines were patrolling now and the moment they caught sight of the pirates, they too started after them.

Aya reached into her bag with one arm for one of her many needles and threw them expertly at a gang of oncoming marines, hitting them in all the right spots to make them drop their weapons. She skidded her stop, lashing out her metal whip and wrapping it around one of the marine's arms, then pulled harshly, lifting him into the air and slamming him into his partners.

Jae quickly produced a group of strong thin wires from his hands, holding them tightly. He jumped, pressing a hand on a marine's shoulder and vaulting over them, then, he reached back with the wire and wrapped it around the man's neck. Like Aya, he pulled, though instead of throwing the man, he knocked him down, then repeated a similar process with others and pressed on.

"You're not going to escape, pirates!" Reese suddenly shouted. Zugai turned his head in time to see the man slashing down at him and quickly spun and raised Honehakaisha again. "I'll be _damned_ if I let a bunch of criminals get away from me,"

His strength surprised Zugai, but then again, this man _was_ Ensign under a Vice Admiral. Suddenly, Reese smirked, "Besides, you're on my turf now,"

Zugai's eyes narrowed in confusion. He was about to question the marine, but before he could, Reese slammed a foot into the ground, which in turn caused a thin, yet compact pillar of Earth to rise up and slam into his chin hard enough to knock his head back. He staggered back but was stopped as directly behind him, another pillar rose.

Reese knelt down and dug his fingers into the earth. Suddenly, all around Zugai, small bar-like pillars of earth rose up, towering high over him. From all of those pillars, horizontal ones formed, making a checkered pattern much like a cage as the top closed off as well.

"Welcome to my Earth Coffin," Reese said as the dirt began to fill in the small holes. Zugai's eyes widened and he slammed his hands against the cage. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you don't suffocate," Reese assured him before the dirt completely hid Zugai from sight, leaving only a small rectangle at the very top for air. From within, he could hear the muffled sound of crashing.

"My dirt is as strong as steel," Reese stated as he pressed his entire fist into the ground, then pulled it out holding a second sword identical to his first, "I promise, you'll never get out. But don't worry, your cage will be upgraded to a nicer one on the ship,"

He tapped the side of the box, which prompted a furious _bang_ from within, and smirked as he looked at the other two, finishing off the marines that were before them. "And then there were two," he said. Then, he leisurely walked toward them.

(--)

The strange thing about the situation was that Chris didn't even feel the knife. She knew she probably wouldn't; not until it was ripped out of her and the serrations tore open the wound. She knew it would hurt, but she was willing to risk some pain for her Nakama, right? After all, it hadn't hit a vital organ.

Then why the _hell_ couldn't she get herself to move?

_This is too familiar…_ She thought to herself. The knife was embedded just to the right of her right shoulder blade in a spot that was painfully familiar to Chris. She found herself unable to speak as well, but slowly, she prepared herself to take a step. To pull it out.

"You know, they say, when you're stabbed, to make sure you _don't_ removed the object penetrating the skin," Lottie said conversationally. She was still holding Chris' shoulder with one hand and she moved that hand down to Chris' upper arm, then tugged hard.

Chris was forced forward and the knife ripped open the wound. She clenched her teeth tightly and screamed inwardly, but kept her mouth shut, muffling it into a groan. Now she could feel it; the burning and stinging at the same time, the warm blood slipping down her back, just like that time…

"I've never followed the doctors orders though," Lottie finished with a smirk, pushing Chris away from the wall and reaching to grab the bloodied knife. She closed her hand around the handle separating the two different blades and with a simple light tug, pulled it from the concrete before turning to Chris.

Chris took a few breaths to calm herself as she staggered forward, catching her balance. _Relax. It's not like before. You're fine_. She assured herself. _But to think that it got me in the _same_ place…_

She turned to look at Lottie, standing tall and ignoring the strange numbness in her shoulder. A wave of chills suddenly shook her entire back; her body, not just her mind, seemed to recognize the wound and was already preparing itself for the worst.

"You look a bit nervous, hon," Lottie said, walking toward Chris with the knife. Chris reached for her Deer Horn Knives but was surprised to find that they weren't where she'd left them. "Oh, missing something?" Lottie reached into the shadows of a wall and pulled out Chris' knives, showing them to her, "Sorry, but as an adult, it's my duty to confiscate dangerous things from children,"

"Give them to me," Chris ordered firmly. Lottie stopped walking and twirled the Double-Sided Dagger in one hand as she examined the Deer-Horn knives in her other hand.

"Or what?" She asked slowly, mockingly. "Do you think you scare me, Crescent Dagger? You? An amateur pirate against a high class hunter such as myself, this fight is almost embarrassing."

"Shouldn't judge a book by its cover," Chris said, opening and closing her fists tensely, "Didn't your parents ever teach you that? Oh wait, monsters don't have families, do they?"

"Cute, very cute," Lottie said. "But you call me a monster because you are afraid of me,"

"I'm not afraid of anything," Chris protested firmly. Lottie raised a brow at her as she hooked the Deer-Horn knives with her whip on her waist.

"Oh, everyone's afraid of _something_," Lottie said. She put a finger to her lips and looked away from Chris as she explored her own thoughts, "Hmm, am I going to have to figure yours out? This might be fun,"

Her expression darkened as she brought Chris' knife down in time to block the strike from another knife, a third one, that Lottie wasn't expecting. Chris held the Crescent Dagger like a hook between her middle and ring fingers and had intended to cut the woman, however, that obviously failed, as the bloody side of the knife had blocked it with ease. "You're going to be looking for a long time then," Chris said, "Because there's nothing I'm afraid of,"

"You know," Lottie said conversationally, "They say the shadow is an extension of ones soul," She looked away from Chris' burning green eyes down to the stretched out form of her shadow cast by a light lit on one of the houses. She extended her other hand toward Chris to knock her away but Chris met her half way with her own, clasping it in Lottie's to keep it at bay.

Chris held for a moment before releasing it and rolling to the side as Lottie pressed forward where she once stood. Chris pushed herself to her feet and backed away from Lottie to give herself more space. "I've experimented with that idea. Played around with my other targets. And I've learned something,"

She watched Chris as she herself moved closer and closer to the source of the light, which effectively increased the size of her own shadow. "Yes, I've learned something quite interesting,"

Lottie a single arm and her shadow followed suit, then, suddenly, it detatched itself off the Lottie's body and walked across the light toward Chris. "And it isn't just limited to my _own_ shadow," Lottie said. Chris watched as Lottie's shadow approached, stopping directly beside her own, which was still attached to her own body, "I'll bet you wish you would've stayed with your group,"

"There's a problem with your theory, Lottie," Chris said confidently with a smirk, "You say the shadow is an extension of the soul, right? Well, my shadow won't attack me then!"

Lottie suddenly burst into laughter, which proved to effectively confuse Chris. "Oh, you naïve child. The shadow isn't meant to attack you! It's meant for another purpose…" she trailed off and looked at her own shadow, which turned to Chris' and suddenly grabbed its arm.

Chris' eyes widened as she felt a sudden strong pressure on her upper arm, as if something was wrapped around it. She started struggling, trying to pull away, and when she looked at her shadow, she saw it mimicking her. Then, Lottie's shadow stabbed into Chris' shadows arm.

What happened next surprised Chris. The arm that was stabbed on her shadow suddenly experienced a searing pain and a deep cut emerged, bleeding immediately down her arm. She stared at the wound in shock. "Now you understand, you're completely trapped," Lottie said, laughing.

Chris pulled back, swiping at the strange pressure where the shadow held hers as if it would somehow push it away. But it proved ineffective. "I always enjoy seeing criminals in pain, especially those who get in the way of my goals," Another stab, though Chris felt this one on her thigh. It didn't tear her jeans, but rather only cut the skin, leaving a stain of blood beneath them a few inches above the knees.

Suddenly, she felt something pres against her throat and looked up from the wound. Lottie held the Double-Sided knife hard against it. Chris tried to move, but couldn't, and when she looked down, she saw Lottie's shadow holding hers firmly in place. "Let's see how long the tough little pirate will last,"

* * *

**A/N:** Eugh… this chapter took me hours to write. But at least I'm getting back in the groove! Anything to avoid last minute summer homework, haha. So, this one was kinda tough, but it's only the beginning! I feel kinda bad for writing this one though . I'm so mean to characters... And don't worry, I haven't forgotten about Aven and Teriuz :]. Now, _you _don't forget to review and those of you who haven't already, add this story to your alerts! Remember, reviews are a writers best friend!

SNE121


	60. The Island that Never Sleeps Part 7

**Pirates!**

**The Island That Never Sleeps Part 7**

**The World isn't Black and White;**

**Usually

* * *

**

"Let me _out_ of here!" Zugai shouted. He slammed his fists into the sturdy dirt wall for the umpteenth time in an attempt to break free of the makeshift prison Reese had created. _I can't believe I actually got trapped in here. How stupid can I get?_ He asked himself in his frustration. He'd even tried using Honehakiasha, but nothing seemed to be working against this stupid thing.

"I'll have you out soon, Zugai-kun," Jae's voice suddenly said from above. Zugai looked up to see the boy looking through the small rectangle that Reese had left and stared at him. _How the hell did he get up there?_

Jae smiled at Zugai's confused and shocked expression and gave him a thumbs up before he was forced to jump down as a result of a large column of sharpened earth stabbing toward him. He kicked off the box and back flipped, landing expertly on his feet a few yards away and looking to Reese. He had paused briefly from his fighting with Aya to do that and now, the girl was taking advantage of the distraction.

She'd gained some distance while he attacked Jae and now reached for her needles. However, Reese closed the distance between them instantly and slashed bother swords at her. She quickly moved aside by performing a one handed cartwheel and with her other hand, she threw the needles. Reese used one of his swords to instantly knock them away and turned to Aya again.

Aya lifted her whip, holding the handle with one hand and the tail with the other and blocked the swords quickly, "You're no pushover, huh?" she asked, "But why the hell are you attacking us? We haven't done anything wrong!"

"You people are criminals of the worst kind," Reese answered, pulling back one sword and slashing horizontally at Aya. The girl was forced to step back and barely managed to protect herself from another onslaught from the young marine, "You're murderers! Pillagers! Destroying everything and everyone in sight with no regard to the possibility that people have friends or families!" he slashed again and this time, Aya couldn't dodge. The blade cut a thin gash into the side of her arm and she staggered back, losing her balance and falling as she instinctively clutched the wound. "You're pirates! There's no other reason than that to take each and every one of you down!"

He slashed his sword down on Aya, but rather then hit her, it collided with something else; a pair of what looked like metal hands. Jae tensed as Reese pressed harder on the blade and automatically tried to warm them, change their shape. But because they weren't metal, he couldn't. "You're horribly misguided," he said to Reese, "Not all pirates are the same, especially this crew,"

"Typical of a Pirate to say something like that," Reese scoffed. "You think you're the first to tell me that? I've heard it a thousand times, but it never makes a difference. It's always a ploy, always deception! All pirates are the same!"

He slashed with his second sword and Jae removed one hand from the first to catch that one. His feet skidded slightly but he managed to hold his ground as he braced himself. He lifted a foot and kicked Reese harshly in the ribs, knocking him aside.

"I don't know what you've been through but your attitude is really starting to piss me off!" Aya growled suddenly. She was on her feet again, ignoring the blood running down her arm from the wound. She approached Reese as he rose to his feet, wiping the dust off of his clothing. When she was within range, she threw a powerful punch at the man, sending him staggering back several steps. She quickly caught up with him and grabbed him by the shirt, "You marines are always so busy catching pirates that you fail to catch the corruption within your own factions! You're so caught up with your stupid, 'absolute justice' that you've completely erased the line between right and wrong!

"You're falsely reprimanding Pirates killing everyone they see yet you don't care when the marines execute a twelve year old girl's parents for doing their job as doctors and helping the 'wrong' group!" by now, tears were streaming from Aya's eyes. Her fists tightened on the collar of Reese's shirt. "It's people like you - ignorant people like you, who make me hate the World Government! You can all go to hell!" She punched him again, much harder than before, and released him, sending him sprawling on to his back.

Reese didn't move for a few moments, ignoring the throbbing in his cheek from the punch. His eyes were wide in shock as he finally sat up and stared at Aya. Jae was standing beside her, one arm freed of the cold metal and wrapped around the crying girl's shoulders.

"_Marines are meant to be pure and pirates to be evil. That's what they teach us, Reese." Markus had said the day Reese met him, "But if you really want to follow the path of Justice, then you've got to remember that both pirates _and_ marines have their good and evil. As a warrior of Justice, you've got to eliminate your past prejudices and see the good, as well as the bad, in everyone. Rarely is there ever a true instance of black and white," _

"_I understand, sir," Reese had responded._

But now, he truly seemed to understand. He watched Aya, crying into Jae's chest and knew immediately that she understood his hatred, but in reverse. The two were one in the same. Both hated each other because they'd suffered a loss at the hands of their opposing kind.

Reese pushed himself to his feet and dusted himself off. Briefly, he put a hand in his pocket to check on Chikiro and upon feeling a light nibble on his finger, he pulled it back out.

Holding a sword in both hands, he approached Jae and Aya. Jae stepped protectively in front of his friend, the metal encasing forming around his arms once again as he stared fiercely at the approaching marine.

But Reese stepped right passed them. Jae relaxed, a bit confused, and turned to face Reese. "What are you doing?"

"I'm not really sure," Reese said slowly, stopping, but not turning, "Somehow, you've made me understand something I'd previously underestimated. I can't attack someone who's given me such clarity at such a ludicrous idea, Pirates being good…" he laughed at the thought. "But then again, maybe I've interpreted Justice completely wrong…

"Either way, I'm letting you all go for now. I hope I don't get into trouble for this…" Reese finished, and without another word, he was gone.

Jae looked in the direction the marine had gone with obvious confusion. "What's he talking about?" he asked curiously. He looked back at Aya, who seemed to have regained her composure, but refused to look at him, "Want to talk about it?" he asked.

She shook her head abruptly, "Maybe later," she said. "I just want to go back to the Ivory…"

"Hey! Not to interrupt on some friendly bonding or anything, but you guys aren't leaving me in this god forsaken thing!" Zugai's voice called, "Can someone get me the hell out of here?!"

His impatience prompted a laugh from both Aya and Jae as the two approached the block of earth that trapped Zugai.

(--)

Blue and Gonzo stared uncertainly at Faith's motionless body, lying on her back on the ground beside Markus' feet. Faith was a strong girl; it normally took much more to take her out, and Markus had taken care of her with ease. He'd thrown Gonzo with one hand into a building, and he'd evaded Blue's expert marksmanship. Just who exactly were they dealing with here?

Blue's eyes narrowed behind his tinted sunglasses and without hesitation, he began firing the bullets in his revolvers. Six shots each, a total of twelve. This time, Markus didn't even both to dodge. Instead, he took them head on and charged forward, the bullets grazing his skin in various places.

"If you plan to use a gun, Blue-chan, you must shoot to kill," Markus said, suddenly directly in front of the startled marksman. He reached out to grab Blue but his hand passed through air as Blue phased into his element to get out of range.

Gonzo tackled Markus before he could right himself, knocking both of them to the ground. They rolled a few times before Markus managed to gain the upper hand and pin Gonzo beneath him. He pulled back a fist and threw a hard punch at Gonzo's face.

"Divine Wind Blast!" Blue suddenly shouted. He was back on the ground, both hands extended in front of him as from his palms, a powerful gust of wind crashed into Markus and pushed him off Gonzo. "You should really watch out for wind storms, they tend to be unpredictable," Blue said. He spun several times until a funnel of wind surrounded him and then stopped, pushing it toward Markus, "Thousand Piercing Devil!" He shouted.

As the twisted advanced toward Markus, it picked up bits of rocks and rubble that was left on the ground. Markus watched it approach with a passive expression as he rose to his feet with his Jitte in front of him.

He did nothing more then cross the Jitte in front of him, and then slash at the twister just before it touched him. That simple action cut the rotation of the wind, thus eliminating the entire small tornado. Bits of rock and dirt fell with a clatter around him.

Blue could only watch, dumbstruck, as Markus approached calmly through the falling rubble. "That could be a potentially deadly attack if executed correctly," Markus said, "But against an opponent such as myself, it's not enough,"

He thrust the Jitte forward with incredible speed and before Blue could even react, the sharp point penetrated his skin, just above the knee. His eyes widened as the pain surged through him and a sudden weakness overcame his body. Involuntarily, he fell to his knees.

"People who consume the Devil Fruit never seem to understand that they are akin to a double edged sword," Markus said. He watched as Blue's power slowly drained as fatigue overcame the young man's body, "While they grant awesome power, they also have very dangerous weaknesses; the touch of _kairoseki_ or ocean water will completely obliterate their power and, in the case of a Logia user, render them immovable because the fruits power is their entire being,"

"You bastard…" Blue growled. He made the mistake of touching the Jitte and that only served to quicken the drain of his power and he quickly lowered his hands again. Suddenly, he began laughing. Markus raised a brow in question.

"No matter what weakness this Devil Fruit has, I've got another advantage," Blue said quietly. Suddenly, he was holding the rifle at Markus, loaded in the blink of an eye with a bullet, "I'm first and foremost a gunfighter!"

He pulled the trigger and Markus covered his eyes as a flash of light erupted from the barrel. He released the Jitte and stepped back with a surprised shout. "35 Gallons: Rump Roast!" he heard the Fishman yell, then, he felt a strong pressure against his stomach and was thrown backward by the force.

Behind Gonzo, the shotgun fell with a clatter as Blue's strength finally gave in and Gonzo turned to face him. "Hey, hang in there," he told the marksman. He grabbed hold of the heavy Jitte with both hands, "Brace yourself, this might hurt," he added, then, he tugged on the weapon and pulled it from Blue.

Blue grunted in pain but quickly pressed against his leg, just above the wound to cut off the circulation. Already, his strength was returning to him. "Thanks," he said with more strength then earlier.

"Anytime, bud," Gonzo replied, dropping the Jitte. He turned his head to look at Markus slowly starting to rise again, "At our current strength, we can't take 'im. I think we're best off leaving now before one of us gets caught,"

"You're right," Blue said grudgingly. He rose to his feet and took a few breaths. "I can do something that'll definitely get rid of him, but I need time to regain my strength and it's incredibly destructive. Take Faith and go, I'll catch up,"

"No chance in hell," Gonzo said instantly. "You need time to warm up? Alright, I'll give ya that time!" then, he spun on his heel and ran toward Markus.

"You may be just as strong as a Fishman, but you aren't one!" Gonzo growled. "100 Gallons: Cut the Cake!" he shouted. He slammed his hand down in a karate chop at the ground, splitting it toward Markus, who elegantly jumped to aside to avoid the onslaught. Gonzo quickly caught up with him, crouching low and throwing a kick at his legs to trip him.

Markus fell back, but caught himself with one hand and performed a backhand spring that didn't seem possible for someone of his size. As he flipped, his foot caught Gonzo under the chin, knocking the cook away.

Gonzo skidded briefly before readjusting onto his feet and crouching, "500 Gallons: Popsicle Rampage!" he shouted. Dozens of icicles shot out of his blowhole toward Markus, who ran sideways to avoid them, slowly making his way to the Jitte. Gonzo halted the onslaught and ran to meet him, grabbing his Harpoon in the process.

"1,000 Gallons: Meat Kabob!" he shouted. He threw the harpoon where Markus was about to step, forcing the marine to stop short and take several steps back. Then, as quickly as he'd retreated, he stepped forward and grabbed the cloth which the harpoon was attached to and tugged, pulling Gonzo toward him.

"Woah!" Gonzo gasped, surprised. He ducked under a high kick and rammed into Markus' stomach to force him to release the cloth, then pulled the harpoon back and held it firmly in his hands.

"Gonzo, now!" Blue shouted. Gonzo looked over his shoulder to see Blue standing with his arms extended in the air and above him, a massive swirl of wind and even clouds that had been caught whirled. Gonzo only just noticed the furious gust of wind.

"Uh oh!" Gonzo said and he quickly retreated toward Faith, wrapping the harpoon's point in the process. He placed it on his back as he reached the girl and pulled him up over his shoulder, holding her with one arm and then ran to Blue.

"Storm Warning," Blue shouted when the two were safely behind him. He threw his arms forward and the storm followed, leaving his hands as he shouted, "Certain Death Hurricane!"

Markus could only watch as the enormous storm approached.

When Blue finally cleared it before too much destruction could be made, Markus, and his Jitte, were nowhere to be seen.

"Haha! You did it!" Gonzo shouted enthusiastically, patting Blue on the back harder then he'd anticipated. Blue smiled weakly before falling forward, eyes closed, fast asleep.

(--)

Throughout the enthusiastic city on Yule Island, crashes and bangs rang out from the ferocious battles taking place. Every so often, gunshots could be heard. It was these sounds, these indications of danger, which prompted the usually partying citizens to seek refuge in the hopeful safety of their homes.

One family in particular was huddled on a large bed, a mother and father, a teenage girl holding a gun, and a young boy, crying into his father's chest in fright. They heard a bang outside their wall and the girl tightened her grip on the gun, cocking it in preparation. Another bang followed, causing a crack to form, and then, on the third, a segment of the wall actually shattered and a figure was knocked through amongst the rubble, skidding briefly on the ground before stopping at the foot of the bed.

The family retreated, moving off the bed to the corner of their small room with the girl in the front, pointing the gun toward the bed. They watched as a hand, reached up and pressed against the bed, using it as support to pull the figure to which it belonged to its knees. It crossed its arms on the bed and rested its head atop it, breathing heavily. It took the family a few moments to realize that the strange darkness on the figure's skin was actually blood; a lot of it. The young boy squealed in surprise and the father quickly covered his mouth.

The figure looked up quickly and a pair of bright green eyes was the most vibrant feature, standing out even in the darkness. They looked tired, and obviously in some sort of pain, however, when they spotted the family, they softened slightly. "Sorry," Chris said quietly in a strained voice.

Another figure appeared, and unlike the other, which they assumed was male, this one was obviously the opposite, female. "Still alive?" The woman asked as she stepped into the house and walked toward the fallen figure, "You're a lot tougher then you look. By this time, they beg me to kill them, but you… you just don't want to die,"

"I've got a lot to live for," Chris answered as the woman knelt down before her. She grabbed hold of the front of the Chris' shirt with one hand and pulled her to her feet and with the other, lifted a knife.

"Well, everyone can be broken," Lottie said. She stabbed the knife into the side of the girl's abdomen, avoiding the vital organs. The sound of blood falling to the floor startled the family; the young boy screamed in terror and the girl pulled the trigger of the gun.

It was completely off course, but the attempt didn't go unnoticed. Lottie looked away from her victim and stared at the family angrily. She pulled the knife out and released the Chris and with difficulty, Chris managed to remain standing, staggering to a wall for support as she clutched her bleeding side.

"You should know better than to shoot at people you don't know," Lottie growled, "and if you try to shoot _me_, you should kill me on the first shot because you will _not_ get a second chance,"

She only managed to take a single step toward them when Chris threw herself at Lottie, stopping her and making her eyes widen. Then, Chris stepped away slightly and using what little strength she still had, she lifted a foot and kicked hard at Lottie's side, spurting blood and knocking the startled woman off balance. The family stared at the now bloody crescent shaped knife in the pirate's hand and all eyes turned to the hunter.

Lottie was holding her side tightly as blood began to slip from the stab wound between her fingers, staring at Chris furiously. "You don't have time to focus on them," Chris said in a voice much stronger than before. She was even standing straight, but her breathing was still heavy, tired. She started at Lottie again and slashed with the knife, now wrapped around her fist, and Lottie parried with her own knife.

"You need to die, you son of a bitch," Lottie snarled, easily knocking back Chris' arm. She moved in for another strike, this one finally aimed at the pirate's heart, but Chris lifted her arm to block it. The knife stabbed into her left forearm, spilling another puddle of blood onto the wooden floor.

Using her other hand, she cut deeply into the side of Lottie's hand, enough to see the bloody whiteness of the bone. Lottie hissed in pain and pulled back, bringing the knife with her, and Chris kicked high at her head, hitting directly. However, with the depleted strength, it did nothing more the knock her aside a few paces.

Chris ran passed Lottie, and then turned at the hole she'd created earlier with a smirk. "Sorry about the trouble," she told the family, then, to Lottie, she added, "You want to kill me? Well then, come and get me," before she turned and disappeared outside.

Lottie didn't even hesitate to follow into the darkness outside, but by the time she got there, the pirate was gone. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as she looked around, "Where are you, little pirate?" she asked aloud. Then, she spotted something on the ground. It was faint in the darkness, but the moon cast its reflection on it and it was due to that that Lottie could see the trail of blood that led into an alley not far off.

"Shadow, fetch," Lottie said, holding her bleeding side as she followed the trail. Her shadow detached itself from her body and danced through the darkness toward the alley. "It's time to end this,"

Chris staggered down the alley, struggling to remain standing as her vision spun rapidly. Her body was screaming for her to stop and sit down, but she couldn't allow that. She had to walk it off that was all.

It wasn't until she lost her footing and fell to her knees that she realized just how bad her situation was. She's been stabbed so many times; she was covered in blood, and she'd already lost way too much moving around and getting away from that startled family. She wasn't too sure how much longer she'd be able to stay awake.

She lowered her head down onto the ground, breathing deeply as she closed her eyes to try to clear her vision. It wasn't until she felt something grab the back of her shirt and tug upward that she opened them again and lifted her head. There was no one there, but she could see very faintly a shadow moving on its own accord.

She tried again to swipe the non-existent hand away, but failed, resulting in her losing her balance. She would have fallen forward were it not for the tug on her shirt that instead pulled her back so she was instead sitting with her back against the wall. _Damn shadow!_

Footsteps appeared shortly after the pulling disappeared and Chris looked down to see Lottie approaching. She didn't have the energy to stand anymore. She couldn't even lift the knife to defend herself as Lottie knelt down directly in front of her.

"Finally giving up?" Lottie asked, grabbing Chris' jaw and tilting her head back so she could see her eyes. "Such a shame. You were a fun one too. It's not often I get to spend so much time on a single criminal. But all good things come to an end, as they say," She released Chris and the pirate forced herself to keep her head up, resting it against the wall behind her for support.

"Once I'm through with you, I'll finally be able to eliminate my original target without interruption," Lottie added smugly. A sudden weak laughter in front of her wiped the smile from her face and instead her eyes narrowed, "What are you laughing at?" She asked, "You're about to die, you should be terrified,"

"I wasn't lying when I said I'm not afraid of anything," Chris said, "But you're never going to get Aven. Even if I couldn't stop you, I've definitely bought them enough time to get away, to get to the others. You may have beaten me, but you'll never defeat the rest of my crew and I can guarantee, they won't go down without a fight," Suddenly, Chris' head dropped and she lay still.

"I've had enough of your attitude," Lottie growled. She lifted the knife, preparing for the final strike, but before she could even bring it down on Chris, a light shone on her from above.

She looked up, startled, and a second light shone, followed by another and another until the entire dark alley was filled with them. She tried to retreat, but was shocked to find that there were no shadows to fade into. Even her own shadow and Chris' shadow were gone due to the intense brightness and number of lights. "What is this?" she snarled.

A male figure jumped down in front of Lottie, carrying a pure white sword, and slammed the handle of the sword into Lottie's stomach hard enough to knock her away from Chris. He pulled the sword fully from its sheath and followed Lottie stabbing the sword first through her shoulder, then into the wall behind her and pinning her there. Blood slid down her arm as she gritted her teeth in pain.

"Oops, did I do that?" Teriuz asked with a smirk.

"We shouldn't have left her alone," another voice, this one female said. Lottie looked passed Teriuz's head to see Aven kneeling next to Chris. She looked worried, almost afraid to touch her now unconscious captain, "My god, there's so much blood… Teriuz, we don't have time to loiter here. We've got to get her to Aya or Faith, I don't know how much longer she can last,"

"You're not going _anywhere_," Lottie shouted. She grabbed the blade of the sword, ignoring the cut that formed in her palm, and forced it out of her own shoulder with a spray of blood. She dropped the knife and wrenched the sword out of Teriuz' hands and slammed the handle into his side, knocking him away. As she pulled her whip, the Deer-Horn knives fell to the ground with a clatter.

"I've waited five years to get you, and I'm not letting you escape. Not now! These lights, they're nothing but illusions. Illusions that will be destroyed once this whip touches you,"

"You've taken my father from me, Lottie, you've forced me away from my last crew. I'll be damned if I let you get either my captain or me now or ever," Aven said. Her normally uncertain nature around this woman was completely gone and replaced with a sudden fierce courage. Her eyes became red, a result of her own illusion, as she stared at the approaching hunter.

She lifted a hand, forming a bow and then she brought her other hand to it, instantly creating an arrow in the pulled back string.

She released the arrow and it flew at Lottie. The hunter didn't even bother to dodge, she was expecting the arrow to phase right through her, but she was surprised when it stabbed into her leg. Aven had intentionally aimed downward, she had no intentions of killing Lottie, just stopping her, but regardless the woman was shocked. "With so much light, you can't make your body into shadows," Aven said.

Suddenly, Lottie felt a strange pressure in her back, and when she looked down, she spotted a white sword, stained with blood, sticking out from her stomach. Her eyes widened in surprise as she stared down at the sword and uncertainly, she reached a hand down to touch it.

"A good hunter not only knows how to track their target, but when to give up," Teriuz said firmly, "Without your Devil Fruit, you're completely helpless, so unless you have a deathwish, I'd suggest you leave. _Now_."

He pulled out the sword, allowing the blood to flow from the wound in Lottie's stomach.

Aven's eyes were wide as she watched Teriuz pull the sword out of Lottie's stomach. Lottie staggered forward briefly, then back, uncertain of which way to go. Teriuz swiped the sword at the air, cleaning it, and then sheathed it. He allowed the lights he'd created to fade, casting shadows once again, and Lottie quickly let herself fall into one as blood began to slip from her mouth.

"This isn't over, I swear it," Lottie growled before she completely disappeared in the shadow.

"Fix the lights, get rid of the shadows," Teriuz said to Aven, and she quickly oblidged.

He stepped passed Aven and knelt down next to Chris quietly. He pressed two fingers against her neck and was pleased to feel a pulse; she really was strong, but how long would she be able to hold on with this much blood? Using Aven's powers, he produced a bandage wrap and tightly tied a strip around her upper arm in a makeshift tourniquet.

"We shouldn't have run," Aven said, shaking her head, "We shouldn't have left her alone, it was so _stupid_,"

"Now's not the time to think about that," Teriuz snapped as he finished the second tourniquet on her other arm. Already, the bleeding in the many stab wounds in her arms was stopping as the circulation was cut. But she still had them on her legs, her abdomen, her back…

"If one of us had been with her this wouldn't have happened. If we hadn't come back to help, Lottie would have killed her,"

"The important thing is that she didn't," Teriuz said sharply, standing and looking at Aven, "Lottie's nothing to worry about now, ok? Chris is alive and that's all that matters. Now stop freaking out and help me. We've got to get her back to the ship. We're all supposed to meet there once it's clear and as far as I'm concerned it's clear,"

Aven took a few deep breaths to regain her composure before nodding.

* * *

**A/N:** Phew! This took me a while! Teriuz was a bit different in the original draft of this chapter, but it's ok. I think I put enough violence and fighting and blood in this chapter. So this concludes the battles. Coming next: Ihavenoidea! Hahaha. Well, I'll come up with _something_ I'm sure! (hopefully). But either way, please, throw me some ideas in your reviews because I really need them! Just for the record, I've known since I introduced her how I was going to beat Lottie with the lights. So with this flashy conclusion, we end the Shadow Hunter Saga! Don't forget to review!

SNE121


	61. Departing Yule Island

**Pirates!**

**Uncertainties and Aggravations**

**Departing Yule Island**

* * *

"They're still not back yet," Aya said for the umpteenth time since their arrival ten minutes ago. Zugai was sitting calmly against the bulwark, polishing Honehakaisha absently as Jae checked on the Log Pose. Their trek in the city had given it enough time to readjust itself and it was now slowly working on pointing to the next island.

"Don't worry, Aya," Faith said gently as she carefully stitched up the still sleeping Blue's wound. Aya would have been helping as well, but her hands were too unsteady to hold a needle and thread due to the stitches in her arms, so she was focusing more on bandaging and tending to minor cuts and bruises. She sighed in frustration and took to pacing across the deck.

"Aya-san, just sit down and relax," Jae said gently to the antsy girl.

"I can't," Aya said quickly, "I mean, we were up against that jerk of an ensign Reese, and Faith, Gonzo, and Blue were fighting that Vice Admiral, which means that Aven, Chris, and Teriuz got that hunter lady! What if something happened? We should go look for them!"

"Nothing happened," Zugai said easily as he set Honehakaisha down, "Even if they _did_ end up fighting against Lottie, they'll be fine. Teriuz can copy powers and Aven has her illusions, not to mention Chris is more then capable of taking care of herself,"

"They'll be back soon and I'm sure they'll be just fine," Gonzo said, suddenly appearing out of they galley holding a tray with cups of hot tea. He went first to Aya and handed her a cup and with a halfhearted smile, she accepted it and muttered a thanks. He'd reached Zugai and was halfway to giving it to him when suddenly, he straightened.

Zugai's extended hand closed around empty air where the cup once was and in confusion, he looked up, "What's wrong?" he asked the Fishman. He nearly dropped the tray as Gonzo shoved it into his arms and ran walked briskly toward the portside railing of the ship, sniffing the air.

"There's no doubt about it…" Gonzo muttered. He sniffed the air once more, then turned and jogged to the bow. Faith finished her stitch and tied the knot, then looked at Gonzo.

"The smell is too potent to be coming from this ship," She pointed out as she stood and walked toward Gonzo.

"What are you guys talking about?" Jae asked curiously as he sipped his tea.

"Yeah, not all of us have the super animalistic noses," Aya added as she finished wrapped the bandage around Blue's stitches.

"Why are you two so tense?" Zugai asked, watching their two crewmembers stiffen at the sight of something below. Before he could inquire further, Faith dropped her cup and spun quickly on her heel and ran toward the cabin.

"Aya, help me prepare the infirmary!" She ordered. Aya stood and without question ran after Faith toward the side of the cabin and through the door leading to the infirmary below.

"Shit," Gonzo growled under his breath as he vaulted over the railing to the ground below. Now Zugai set aside the tray quickly and pushed himself to his feet, walking quickly toward the bow of the ship. Jae followed close behind.

Before either of them could reach it, a colorful spiral staircase rose above the height of the ship and Teriuz appeared at the top, his entire front covered in blood. Now he too could smell it; the metallic scent of fresh blood. His eyes widened slightly.

Teriuz stepped onto the railing and extended a hand down to help another figure up; this one was Aven and she too was covered in redness. But both of them were standing, walking, moving. That much blood couldn't have been coming from them.

What followed Aven's ascent stopped Zugai in his tracks, eyes wide in shock. Gonzo seemed to be running in slow motion across the deck, carrying a motionless person in his arms. But he wasn't looking at Gonzo; he was looking at the line of red that stained the pure whiteness of the ship. It wasn't until Gonzo ran directly in front of him and passed him that he caught a glimpse of his captain.

His heart skipped a beat.

Jae too stared for the briefest of moments as Gonzo carried Chris down to the infirmary, but as soon as he was out of sight, he ran to Aven and Teriuz. "What happened?" he asked calmly as the spiral staircase disappeared in a series of pops.

"It was all our fault," Aven said quickly, panicky, "We ran into Lottie and then… Chris told us to separate, so we did… We didn't think Lottie would go after her and… and…"

"You left her _alone_?!" Zugai's furious voice suddenly growled. The sound made Aven wince and retreat slightly as he advanced toward them. "With that woman? What the hell were you thinking?"

"It was her decision," Teriuz said firmly, "Captain's orders,"

"Who gives a damn about captain's orders?" Zugai asked Teriuz furiously.

"Wow, the model crewmate! Every captain wants their First Mate to say that!" Teriuz said with icy sarcasm.

"You should know as a crewmember that some orders have to be ignored!" Zugai answered. He pushed passed Jae and stood directly in front of the shorter Teriuz, but Teriuz didn't back down.

"Guys, please, stop fighting," Aven said timidly. She cautiously stepped beside the two, though not quite between them. Jae, on the other hand, didn't hesitate to stand in front of Zugai and push him back, away from Teriuz. Zugai staggered but caught himself.

"Enough!" he said firmly, standing sideways with his arms spread out to prevent the two from approaching one another, "Arguing isn't going to help anything! You guys need to get away from each other and blow off some steam!"

"But – "

"Walk away, Zugai!" Jae said with much more authority, dropping the formalities he normally used. Zugai straightened, surprised, then, shooting a final glare at Teriuz, he turned and walked toward the other side of the ship. As he stormed passed Blue, the sleeping pirate woke, rubbing his eyes with a yawn and stretching his cramped muscles.

"Woah…" Blue muttered, watching Zugai disappear behind the cabin, "What's he so pissed about? Did I miss something?" He looked to Jae, Aven, and Teriuz, who completely ignored him. "Something tells me I did…"

"Where is she now?" Jae asked Teriuz and Aven. Teriuz took a few deep breaths to calm himself down and then focused on Jae.

"We let her go," he said, "She wasn't completely unscathed, Chris got her a few times and Aven and I got a few blows in too, but as far as we know, she's gone,"

Jae frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "Uhm…" Aven started quietly. Jae turned his head to look at her and although his gaze was gentle, she shifted uncomfortably. "Is she… is she going to be alright?"

"It's hard to say," Jae responded, "Chris will willingly risk her life for someone she cares about and she had every intention of doing that for you today. Whether she makes it is completely up to her and no one else. You can't blame yourself for what she did because like Teriuz-san said, it was her own decision," suddenly, he smiled, "But she's a fighter. We all know that," he turned away and glanced at the Log Pose before looking outside the mouth of the cave. The sun was starting to rise. "We're stuck here until this evening, so until then, you all need to find a way to keep yourselves occupied, _without_ worrying,"

That said, Jae walked toward then cabin and disappeared into his navigation room.

(--)

The pile of concrete and foliage in the center of the town square was enormous and was slowly being cleared away by the citizens after the enormous battle had finally come to a close. There was a lot of rebuilding to be done, a lot of repairs to be made, and it would surely cost thousands of beris.

Even the Marines were assisting the reluctant city, carrying larger blocks and accumulating them into a separate pile of objects that were quite possible reusable. As they cleared away a rather large rock, one marine spotted something strange; a weapon by the looks of it.

The marine grabbed it and tugged briefly, but failed a pulling it out of the rubble. "Hey!" he called over his shoulder, "We've got something here, help me out!" Another marine promptly made her way toward him and grabbed the weapon just beneath the first marine's hands. "Ok, one, two, three, pull!" he ordered. Simultaneously, they did.

The weapon slipped out and the two Marines fell back as the heavy stone Jitte fell atop them. "Hey, this belongs to the Vice Admiral!" the woman said.

"Woah, no kidding!" The male responded, looking at the Jitte, "But where is he?"

A rumble in front of them caught their attention and the two looked at the pile from which the Jitte had just been pulled. A hand appeared, pushing aside the rocks, followed by an arm, then another arm before an entire upper body appeared with a deep gasp.

"Phew!" Markus sighed as he inhaled the fresh morning air, "That definitely surprised me. Who would've guessed those pirates would have so much power!" He looked at the pair that were staring dumbfounded at him and after a few brief moments, the two scrambled to their feet and saluted.

"Sir!" they said simultaneously. Markus waved a hand at them.

"At ease, soldiers," he said, pushing the rocks off his legs and rising. He dusted off his uniform and cracked his stiff neck, "They definitely put up one hell of a fight at the end. Did that hurricane really throw me all the way across town? Guess Windy-chan knows how to use his powers after all," He stepped off the mound of rubble and lifted his Jitte off the ground, then placed it in its carrier on his back.

"Vice Admiral, you're alright!" Reese's familiar voice shouted enthusiastically. Markus turned his attention toward the voice as the ensign ran toward him. He saluted briefly and when Markus returned it, he dropped it.

"Of course I'm alright. You think a band of pirates will take me down?" he asked with a hearty laugh. "What do you have to report, Reese?" he asked.

Reese shifted slightly, uncomfortable. He didn't look up at Markus. "Sir, I…"

"Could you leave us please," Markus asked the two listening Marines. At once, they straightened, a bit embarrassed, then saluted and ran off to assist the others. Markus turned his attention back to Reese and crossed his arms, waiting. Reese regained his composure and looked levelly up at Markus.

"Sir, I let them go," he said at last. Markus blinked, surprised by the ensign's words and Reese tensed, bracing himself for some sort of punishment; a demotion, an order for pushups, something!

"Do you think, Reese, that by doing that you were following the Justice code of the World Government?" Markus asked with a serious expression. Reese's gaze didn't falter.

"No, sir," he admitted, "I was following my own code. A code which states that not all criminals deserve to be imprisoned. Because the world isn't black and white. Right, sir?"

Suddenly, Markus smiled. He put a hand on the tense Reese's shoulder. "That's right, Reese-chan," he said cheerfully. He bent slightly so he could speak into Reese's ear and in a quieter tonje, he said, "But let's report this as an escape, shall we?"

Reese smiled slightly as Markus stood straight and nodded, "Yes, sir!" he said with a smile.

Markus grinned and turned his attention to the Marines around him, raising his voice to address each and every one of them, "Ladies and Gentlemen, seeing as we've caused this destruction, none of us are leaving this island until it is all cleaned up and taken care of!" he decided, "As Marines, it's our duty to ensure that the people of this world are well off, so let's make sure we do just that!"

"Yes, sir!" The marines replied enthusiastically. Then, with much more vigor then before, they set back to work.

"Now, I'm going to go make this report and I'll be back to help you," he assured them as he walked toward the harbor.

(--)

Lottie kept herself hidden in the shadows of two buildings, holding her bleeding stomach. In her free hand she held a Baby Den-Den Mushi and had a very irritated expression on her face. "What's the status, Lottie?" the voice asked. It was transmitting from another larger snail on the ship, which was receiving the signal from the World Government itself.

"She got away again," Lottie replied grudgingly, "But I can assure you, next time – "

"There's always a next time, Lottie," the voice interrupted sharply, "You've failed us for five years. The mission is being terminated, as is your position,"

Lottie opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out. She just stared at the snail, "Wh-what?" She stammered, dumbfounded.

"I didn't stutter, Lottie," the voice repeated, "You have failed us for too long. You are no longer our burden," Then, with that, the line went dead. Again, Lottie just stared at the Den-Den Mushi. Then, slowly, her hand closed tighter around the poor little snail and she crushed it in her fist as she screamed in fury.

She pushed herself to her feet and dropped the remains of the Den-Den Mushi, ignoring the blood that dripped from her wounds. "I don't care if I'm working for them or not," She growled. "I've been after her for far too long and I have some unfinished business with that crew of hers. No one makes a fool of me!"

"My, my, someone's unhappy," a different, males voice said. Lottie looked around in search of the source, then turned her head upward when it said, "Above you,"

The figure that had spoken jumped from the top of the low building and landed in a crouch in front of Lottie. She focused on the male; he was tall, with lean muscles and wore a red t-shirt with a long, black sleeveless overcoat. His blue jeans partially concealed his black dress shoes. Amber eyes stared at Lottie as he pushed back short dark brown hair with one hand.

As a hunter, Lottie recognized this man immediately, "Gunslinger Renvont," she snarled. "I don't have time to deal with you," She spun on her heel and started toward the street but was stopped when suddenly, the man was directly in front of her.

"The Tribe received word that the Queen of Spades was with you before she died, Rinocci Lottie. Would you happen to know anything about that?" Renvont asked. He pulled his handguns and spun them around his fingers expertly, waiting for a reply.

"Are you here to kill me, Dominic?" Lottie asked calmly, looking not at the guns, but directly at the gunman's eyes.

"Oh no," Dominic responded, catching his guns and examining one of them, "Just giving Cerberus and Anubis some air. No, I wasn't sent to kill you. Rather... I've been ordered to pass on a message. Still, to think that you were bested by a group of amateur pirates is incredibly amusing. Must be murder on your pride, am I wrong?"

Every moment Lottie stayed standing hurt her wound more and more, but she refused to show it, "You did not come here to mock me, Gunslinger. If you have a message, spit it out. I've got business to attend to," She growled, annoyed.

"No, I didn't. But it's still fun. Now, for the message," Dominic smiled slightly and holstered his guns. "The Tribe doesn't forget and we most certainly do not forgive," he said cheerfully. Then, he spun on his heel and left. Lottie stood motionless for a few moments. She was certain that that was more a threat then a warning, but she wasn't concerned. She was no weaker now as a common assassin then she was as an official one. She was more then capable of handling the joke that was The Tribe.

Markus surely knew of her termination, so there was no need to return to him. Her main concern at the moment was finding a proper doctor. Keeping her frustrations in check, she began her search amongst the wrecked city.

(--)

Darkness overcame the cave once again as the sun slowly set behind the mountain, and it was at that time that Jae decided it was time to go. "Everyone who can, get on deck!" he called. His voice echoed in the empty cave, travelling into the darkness within. Gonzo was the first to appear from the kitchen, followed by Teriuz, Aven, and Blue. Jae began giving orders immediately. Faith and Aya had been below deck in the infirmary for most of the day, leaving only for short bits of time before returning and Zugai hadn't left his smithing room where he'd taken residence hours before.

"Gonzo-kun, reel in the anchor," Jae said as he made his way up the stairs leading to the upper deck where the helm was located, "Aven-san and Teriuz-san, lower the sails. Blue-san, we're going to need you to provide a wind to get us out of this cave,"

"Wind Wings," Blue said. He formed a gust of wind beneath him the raised him up into the air until he was level with the sails, "Just tell me when, Jae,"

"Will do," Jae called up. He waited until the sails were lowered and secured and the anchor safely on deck before pointing up at Blue and shouting, "Now!"

"Storm Warning," Blue began, pushing both hands back to gather the energy. Then, he thrust them forward, shooting a gust of wind as he shouted, "Light Squall!" The wind pushed hard against the sails, propelling the ship forward as Jae directed it safely out of the cave.

"Keep it up until we get into open water, Blue-san!" Jae called, carefully maneuvering the ship through the sand bars and rocks littering the shallow water.

Gonzo stepped away from the anchor and looked around at the crew. There were five of them, five out of the usual nine. It seemed strangely empty. He walked toward the cabin and to the right-hand side, where the door leading below deck to the storage. "Jae, if you need anything, just give a shout, ok?" he called to the upper deck.

"Ok," Jae responded as Gonzo entered and closed the door. The Fishman descended the stairs with surprising stealth, despite the empty space that should have echoed his footsteps. He reached the storage area at the bottom and stepped passed the boxes of gunpowder, cannonballs, and supplies, and made his way to a door at the very end. A key was needed to open this door, from both the inside, and the outside, so Gonzo, not wanting to destroy the door by knocking it down, had no choice but to knock.

"Busy," Zugai's voice called from within. Gonzo frowned and knocked again much harder. "I said I'm busy," Zugai growled, obviously much more annoyed.

"Open the door, we need to talk," Gonzo called back as if he hadn't heard.

He heard the sound of a key turning the deadbolt locking the door, then the knob turned and the door swung open. Zugai looked both annoyed and frustrated, "What do you want?"

"You should be up there helping out," Gonzo said firmly, "Jae's taking control of the ship. It's your job to do that,"

"No, it's the captain's job," Zugai countered. He was about to close the door but Gonzo stopped him, pressing a strong hand against it and holding it open.

"The Captain, whether you like it or not, is out of commission. So as first mate, it's your responsibility to take control, not Jae's," he snapped, "The two of us have been with Chris from the very start, so I know how you feel, but there's nothing we can do about it and you know it. We've just got to trust Aya and Faith and that's that,"

For a moment, Zugai said nothing and in the time Gonzo had known him, he'd never seen the boy so uncertain, "What happens if she dies?" he asked.

Gonzo felt a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach at that question, however, he pushed it down and said in a strong, authoritative voice, "That's not something we have to take into consideration. She made us a promise, didn't she? That she'd help us accomplish our dreams. We both know Chris isn't the type to say something like that and then go and die on us," He grinned and extended a fist to Zugai, "So toughen up, buddy. Chris wouldn't be too happy if she saw you so crestfallen because of her,"

Zugai smiled slightly and tapped his fist lightly against Gonzo's. Gonzo spun and walked across the storage room back to the stairs. "Now, let's get up there and say goodbye to this stupid island,"

"Sounds like a plan," Zugai said. He grabbed Honehakaisha and exited his workshop to follow his friend to the deck.

* * *

**A/N: **I was having trouble deciding what to do with Lottie, since Blu-Calling said she was intended as Aven's main antagonist and then she'd be gone… but she doesn't seem the type to just stop after such an obsessive chase for so long… so I'm keeping her for a bit longer. For what, I'm not too certain… but… we'll see. Don't forget to review, ladies and gents!


	62. Floating Toward the Next Island

**Pirates!**

**A Sense of Weakness – **

**Floating Toward the Next Island**

The lights of the infirmary were dimmed to a relaxing glow, providing just enough light to read the papers, but not enough to interrupt the steadily breathing red-haired girl who had yet to awaken. Faith stood by the desk, where the single desk lamp illuminated the paper in front of her. Aya stood at Chris' bed, checking things as Faith listed them.

"Heart Rate?"

"Normal,"

"Blood Pressure?"

"Normal,"

"Temperature?"

A moment of hesitation, "38.9 Celcius. It's gone down since we last checked it, it, she's slowly getting better," Aya said. Faith wrote the number in the paper with a nod. Then, she put down the pen and with a sigh, walked toward Chris and Aya.

Their captain was bandaged around the abdomen, the arms, and even the legs. In a much more lighthearted situation, they'd compare her very much to a mummy, though her head was clean of the many bandages. The shoulder length red hair was tied in a high ponytail to keep it away from her face and neck in an attempt to lower the fever. "The bandages will reinforce the stitches and allow her to move around, but we can't let her do too much. She's definitely going to hurt when she wakes up,"

"How much longer do you think she'll be out?" Aya asked, "I mean… it's been three days already,"

"It's expected with the extent of her injuries," Faith answered, "Her body needs time to recuperate. I wouldn't be surprised if she stayed out for the remainder of the week. If she doesn't wake up by tomorrow though, we'll have to ask Gonzo to make some liquid food to get into her system,"

"You don't give me enough credit," A quiet, almost inaudible voice suddenly said. Faith and Aya's eyes widened in surprise and simultaneously, they looked at Chris, only to find her eyes still closed. Had Chris been the one to speak? She was out of breath… it was possible… One of her arms moved and then her entire body stiffened as a pained hiss escaped between her clenched teeth, followed by a single eye opening slightly as the other remained clenched tightly shut as a reflex of the pain. "Ow, ow, ow… that hurts…"

For a moment, Aya and Faith were in shock. They looked at each other, then back at Chris as if they'd never seen anything like her. When the pain passed, Chris managed to open both of her eyes half way, tiredly, to look at the doctors. She smiled, and then slowly, almost breathlessly, she asked, "Hey, any chance I… could get something to eat? I'm starving,"

Aya jumped to her feet with a broad grin and ran across the room toward the door, "I'll get Gonzo on it right away!" She said with glee. She pulled open the door and as she ran up the stairs, even through the closing door, she heard, "Guys! Hey, she's awake!"

Faith laughed heartily and looked down at Chris again as she leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest, "Mission accomplished!" she said.

Chris smiled in return, "Hey, you saved me, then. Just what I'd expect from the best doctors in the world," A small blush rose to Faith's cheeks at the compliment and she looked away with a sheepish smile.

"If you weren't as stubborn as you are, you probably wouldn't have made it," Faith said. Chris laughed, ignoring the pain in her abdomen as she did, "You're going to have a few scars, barely visible though and they'll fade with time,"

"That's no big deal, I can handle that," Chris answered, "But Aven and Teriuz… they're the last thing I remember before blacking out. What happened? And Lottie?"

"They're fine and Lottie was taken care of," Faith said, "Teriuz got rid of her; she's still alive, but I don't think she'll be a problem for us. We definitely got away. You've been out for three days, but you didn't miss much,"

"That's good," Chris said, "Wouldn't want to miss anything exciting, right? So, any chance my stubbornness will get me up on my feet anytime soon?"

Faith's happy expression suddenly became stearn, "No," she said in avery authoritative, doctor-like voice, "Knowing you, you'll be able to walk even like this. The stab wounds were deep, but they missed major arteries and they weren't very wide, even with the damage of your Double-Sided Dagger. I'll be able to take the stitches out in about a week, but even after that, you aren't permitted to do any strenuous activities, such as training, wrestling, lifting heavy things…"

"I get it, I get it," Chris said quickly. She pushed herself to a sitting position slowly; she was starting to get used to the pain, though it still hurt, and speaking was becoming easier for her. Faith leaned to a table nearby and tossed her a clean button-up shirt (the bandages had covered her beforehand and Faith and Aya hadn't allowed anyone in anyway) and Chris hurriedly put it on and buttoned it, almost to the top. "Don't do anything fun, right? I understand. Hey, is it hot in here?"

"No, you've got a fever," Faith answered, "But it's cooler in here then it is on deck, so you're staying. We gave you some medicine a while ago that's slowly been bringing it down,"

Chris nodded in recognition. "Great," she said with a smile, "Then I should be ok. You know, I know you haven't left this room in the last few days, Faith, so why don't you go on deck for a while. Get some fresh air, enjoy yourself. I'll be fine here, I' just going to rest for a bit,"

"No, I have to keep an eye on you," Faith protested.

"Captain's orders!" Chris retorted with a serious expression.

"That doesn't apply here!" Faith argued indignantly.

"Says who?" Chris replied, "I'm the captain, remember? What I say goes," Then, she smiled softly, "Really, Faith. Just go, I'll be fine down here. You need some light, you're pale as a ghost,"

Faith hesitated, looking at Chris skeptically, "You're sure you'll be ok?" Chris rolled her eyes and nodded and hesitantly, Faith turned for the door, "Fine… but shout if you need anything,"

"Roger," she said as Faith exited. The door was almost close when she called the girl's name and Faith returned to the room, "Hey, would you mind making sure no one comes down here?"

"Sure," Faith said with a small smile. Then, she closed the door and Chris was alone.

Chris heaved a sigh and looked up at the ceiling. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

_She could stand, pinned to the ground by a large black sword pierced through her shoulder. "It's not proper to steal things that don't belong to you," The blade moved left across her back toward her left shoulder, "Now give it back if you want to survive."_

_"No, I can't give it back!" the younger Chris protested, fighting back tears, "I need this dagger! Leave me alone!" She could hear shouting, distant shouting. Most likely her father, who owned the bar, but there was also another voice; a younger one, who was shouting for the black haired swordsman to stop. Adrenaline was pumping through her; she didn't even feel the pain of the massive wound across the back of her shoulders after the sword was pulled out._

_She could feel the blood dripping down her back as she ran toward the door, but she didn't get far before she felt the pain again; a slicing, burning pain from her left shoulder down to the right side of her waist and this time, she couldn't hold back the scream._

_People inside the bar rushed toward them, passed Chris, tackling the swordsman to the ground. Chris stuffed the knife into her hat as she struggled to maintain her consciousness, staggering toward the door, but it wasn't long before the world around her blackened._

Chris opened her eyes quickly, her back suddenly burning with a phantom pain at the memory. She sat up and bit her lip as the same pain as that day rushed through the scar on her back and grabbed the blanket tightly and clenched her eyes shut, her jaw clamped painfully tight. It would fade. It would fade.

But it was still a constant reminder. Chris didn't lose very often, in fact, the only times she'd ever truly lost were on that day, five years ago, to Nikolai Iman, and a few days ago, against Rinocci Lottie.

The pain finally faded and she fell back onto the pillow, breathing heavily with a cold sweat on her forehead. "Unacceptable," She muttered, closing her eyes again, "I can't just sit around and do nothing for two weeks. I've got to get stronger, there's no question about it," She started to sit up again, but the pain in her current wounds prevented her from doing so and she lay back down with a frustrated shout.

She closed her eyes again and she saw a splatter of blood behind the closed lids; the vision was haunting her and she couldn't eliminate it. She lifted her hands and pressed them against her eyes until it was completely dark, without the tint of light slipping though, and even then the images didn't fade. If I don't get stronger, how the hell am I going to be a captain…? She asked herself. How am I going to be able to protect my friends?

She couldn't get herself to go back to sleep, so she just sat there until Aya returned with the food.

(--)

"It's about time she's awake!" Gonzo said after handing Aya a tray filled with food that would be easy on Chris' stomach; after sleeping for several days, she'd need light meals. Nothing too heavy, and he'd provided just that. Zugai, Jae, Aven, Teruiz and Blue were in the galley with him, sitting at the table, "Last time she slept this long was when we drifted to the South Blue; good thing we have a navigator this time around, eh?" he laughed cheerfully.

Zugai, meanwhile, cringed. That was not a pleasant experience. They'd unintentionally traveled to the Calm Belt during the night and been pushed onward by Sea Kings swimming beneath them; creating a small current to push them through; thankfully, the Sea Kings had seen the bone ship and thought it was merely a useless carcass drifting through their waters, so Zugai and Gonzo were able to safely spend two days rowing the boat through extremely slowly and carefully. They were two days Zugai never wanted to remember.

"Let's not discuss that," he said quickly with a small smile. He was in a much more cheerful mood then he was a few days ago and his brief anger toward Teriuz had quickly faded.

"Wait, how'd you end up in the Calm Belt?" Blue asked, "Couldn't you have just gone back the way you came?"

"Well, Chris was our navigator back then and she was out of commission, kind of like now," Gonzo explained, "And we didn't exactly know what direction we'd come from, so when we woke up the next day in the middle of the Calm Belt, boy were we surprised!"

Realizing there was no way to avoid it, Zugai added, "We were rowing, so every time a Sea King came to investigate, we had to stay completely still so it wouldn't notice us. Surprisingly, it worked. But man, I thought we were going to die in that hellish ocean,"

"Even in the beginning, the Crescent Dagger Pirates were strong!" Aven exclaimed in her usual hyper attitude. Stars and fireworks erupted around Gonzo and Zugai and then expanded to the entire room as she stood up on her chair with a fist in the air and declared, "And now we're completely indestructible!" A flag pushed by a light breeze from Blue suddenly appeared behind Aven, bearing the Jolly Roger of the Crescent Dagger Pirates.

The display brought forth a fit of laughter to the upbeat crew sitting in the galley. Gonzo rose from his seat and made his way to the fridge as Faith and Aya entered, spotting the illusions and joining in with the laughter. A few moments later, Gonzo returned with eight cups and a few bottles of alcohol, setting the cups down and filling them. The crew all reached across the table for a mug and Gonzo held his up.

"To a healthy recovery for our captain!" he declared, "And to the Crescent Dagger Pirates!" He pressed his cup forward and was met by seven others, all of their owners shouting, "Cheers!" before downing their drinks in one gulp.

**A/N: **Please bear with the long A/N And be sure you read it all! Alright, new chapter. School's started guys, so updates may be scarce. Now, there's something I've got to say that has me worried, which is why I updates such a short chapter. Someone reported this fanfiction because apparently it doesn't follow the rules of fanfiction since I allow people to submit characters. I'm not sure what's going to happen, but if it comes down to this story being removed (Which I desperately hope it won't be, I've been writing it for almost a year already…) I'll put up all of the chapters and continue it on DeviantART. But this is only if fanfiction does take it off (I've never had a story reported, so I'm not sure about how things work. My DeviantART account name will now be on my fanfiction profile, just in case. Like I said, this is just a heads up. So if this story disappears, it'll be on DeviantArt, but let's hope this doesn't happen!


	63. The Mysterious Canine

**Pirates!**

**The Mysterious Canine – **

**Faith Captured?!

* * *

**

It was a few hours passed midnight on the small Nile Island and the entire city was quiet with sleep. Even the small Marine building, located on the south-most point was mostly relaxed, with the few awake Marines playing a game of cards at a table in the entry room. The building was in reality nothing more then a two story house, where only a few low ranking Marines had been stationed, as the island had always been relatively peaceful.

However, on this particular night, there was chaos – within the Marines' small base. Within one of the rooms, there was a Marine guarding a particularly special container which had only stopped on this particular island briefly on its way to the Marine Headquarters in Mariejois. This container was a medium sized cage, too small for the animal contained within, yet it still managed to pace back and forth restlessly.

It was a large wolf-looking dog with light blue fur along the length of its back and tail, and white fur on his belly and underside. His left paw had a sock of blue on it while the back right one was more of a stocking, mixing in with the white. The only part of him that wasn't these two colors was his face, which was lined with black fur. Around its neck was a thick metal collar. Its claws made a small clicking sound on the steel cage with each step it took and its long tail swished slightly in its anticipation.

Suddenly, it growled and lunged at the bars, revealing razor sharp white teeth as its jaws locked around one of them and furiously chewed at it. One of the Marines turned around and quickly kicked the side of the cage, forcing the dog to retreat briefly before snapping at the foot.

"Mangy mutt," the Marine growled as he quickly pulled his foot against the cage, just barely avoiding the canine's strong jaws, "I don't know why _we_ have to watch it. Can't they just send it straight to Headquarters?" He watched the dog begin pacing again, light eyes staring at the Marine.

"The last ship had to go back, so another one is coming to pick it up in about three days," a second Marine said as he entered. He held a bowl in his hand filled with some rather unpleasant looking, mushed up food. "Just open the cage so we can feed it already,"

The first Marine heaved a sigh and stepped toward the cage again. The dog immediately turned on him, snarling with its tail lifted, its ears pricked forward and crouched in a very aggressive pose. "Back!" the Marine ordered. The dog refused to obey. "Get back!" The Marine said again. When the dog still didn't obey, the Marine reached into his pocket and extracted square remote with a red button and a dial on it set to '1'.

He pressed the button, activating the shock collar on the dog and with a yelp, the dog retreated to the corner of the cage, which wasn't that far, with his tail between his legs and his ears back. The second Marine opened the door as the first kept the button compressed in a constant shock to the canine.

However, the shock wasn't enough. With a growl, the dog leapt forward, tacking the Marine with the bowl and pinning him to the ground. Without hesitation, it locked its jaws around the man's throat and tore, killing him instantly in a spray of blood. The fur on his chest and face became speckled with red and he turned to the first Marine.

The man tried to run, dropping the remote, but the dog easily caught up with him. It jumped, crashing into the man's back and knocking him down before pushing passed him, spinning to face him again, and waiting with a growl.

The man slowly started to rise and it was at that moment that the dog charged again. It skidded to a before the man, who was by this time frozen with fear, and ripped at his throat, killing him instantly.

The dog stepped back to examine his work, blood dripping from his jaws, then, licking his lips, he ran passed the marines, stepping in the blood and leaving a trail of pawprints, before jumping through the second floor window into the darkness of the outside world below and disappearing into the night.

It wouldn't be until morning that the dog was discovered missing.

(--)

"New island, new island!" Aven sang cheerfully as she danced enthusiastically around the deck of the Howling Ivory. She stopped her spinning at the bow, leaning out and looking at the island before them. They were already docked and Gonzo was just lowering the anchor to keep them in place as Zugai pulled up the sails. "Finally, after more then a week of sailing we made it! I'm so excited to be back on solid ground again, what about you guys!"

"You have no idea," Chris said. She had been up on her feet for a couple of days now, often getting in trouble with Faith and Aya for doing what they described as 'strenuous activities'. Though Chris was certain that sweeping the deck wasn't strenuous, but there really was no arguing with those girls.

"I've never heard of this island before," Jae said, "It's really small, I'm surprised. There's only one city and the rest of it is all farmland and orcutts,"

"That's a good thing through, we're running short on food stores." Gonzo said, wiping his brow after securing the anchor, "We didn't exactly shop on the last island, so I took some money to do some food shopping. Anyone want to tag along?"

"I'll go," Aya replied, "Do you mind stopping for some medical supplies while we're out?"

"Course not," Gonzo replied as the two of them left the ship.

"I'm going to head out for some smithing tools," Zugai said, "I'm running low on materials too, and I might get lucky and find something here,"

"I'll go with you, I've got to get some ammunition and some supplies for my guns," Blue called, "Maybe even pick up a new one while we're out," He walked toward Zugai and the two used the rope ladder to descend the ship before making their way toward the nearby city together, talking.

Jae was the next to leave, though he was by himself. "I'm going to go explore for a bit. Maybe I'll be able to find a map of the island and get some map-making supplies," That was expected; surely Jae was running short. After all, he'd redrawn the maps of each location they'd stopped at so far with much greater detail.

"Explore, that sounds fun…" Aven mused. As Jae left, Teriuz appeared from the galley, having finally finished doing the dishes that were assigned to him, and Aven called to him immediately, "Teriuz! Let's go explore! I wanna get off the ship!" she called. Then, she vaulted over the side of the ship. Teriuz looked at her for a moment before shrugging with a grin.

"Alright, sure!" he responded, "sounds fun, I'll go!" He ran toward the railing and jumped, using Blue's powers to elevate him toward the dock where Aven stood waiting. He looked up to the ship, where Chris stood leaning on the railing as she watched the others leave with a rather crestfallen expression, "Hey, Chris, you want to come?"

Chris' expression brightened and she stood straight, "Sure!" she answered. She was about to jump down to meet them, after all it wasn't that high and she did it often, but was stopped by a hand grabbing hold of the back of her shirt and pulling her off the railing.

"Oh no you don't!" Faith scolded, "You're not going anywhere! You may be able to walk and we may have been able to take the bandages off of the less serious wounds, but you can't move around too much!"

Chris crossed her arms and looked at Faith, "I'm fine! See, moving fine," She stretched in emphasis and even jumped a few times, "So are you going to let me go?"

"No," Faith answered. Then, to Teriuz and Aven, she called, "you two go on ahead!"

"Okay!" Aven called up with a strangely cheerful expression, and the two made their way into the city. As Faith turned back around to find Chris, she was shocked to find that the girl was disappeared, "Chris?" She asked uncertainly.

She turned back around to see Aven and Teriuz running toward the orcutts with a third figure wearing a hat between them and smiled weakly, "Did she really… just sneak away?" she asked herself. She heaved a sigh and sat down. "How frustrating…" she grumbled, "What's the point of a doctor if you're not gonna listen, huh?"

She looked around the empty ship. She'd been left to watch before but normally, she'd had something to read. Now, she didn't have that – she'd already finished all of their books. She pushed herself to her feet and looked at city, "Nile Island huh?" she asked, "I should have told Aya to buy some books while she's out,"

She smiled. It was nice to have money to buy things and although there'd been a lot of problems on Yule Island, they'd gotten away with quite a lot of money because of Zugai, Blue, Chris, and Aven's gambling. Something caught her attention on the ground out of the corner of her eye and immediately she glanced over to look at it. She immediately recognized it as a dog – a rather large male dog at that was gingerly approaching the waves hissing gently on the shore. It stepped into the water and pressed its snout to it, letting its tongue lap up a mouthful before coughing and stepping back. The red substance that had covered its muzzle was gone due to the water.

"Oh, poor thing!" Faith exclaimed, "if it's trying to drink ocean water, it must be lost!" She looked around – there wouldn't an attack on an island this peaceful – and then ran to the ladder and descended. The dog was still coughing as she approached it but the minute it spotted her, it stopped and stared at her.

Faith stopped as well as the dog crouched, ears forward, tail erect, snarling. She recognized that pose; being a wolf hybrid for so long, it was something her body automatically did when she was preparing to attack. "Easy, boy," she said slowly to the dog, "I won't hurt you, promise,"

She extended a hand and the dog crouched lower, preparing to strike. Normally, people would try to get away at this point, but Faith had always had a soft spot for animals – perhaps because she believed that she was now one of them. She wanted this dog to trust her. "Hey, it's ok," she assured him, "See, watch,"

And she allowed herself to transform into her animal form. Her clothes today were tighter then usual so they clung to her changed body much like a second skin, which was much more convenient for her. The dog's ears straightened and he lifted his head, looking at Faith in surprise. Then, he spoke.

"Are you human or wolf?" he asked. This surprised Faith. Normally, she was unable to understand animals while in this form, nor was she able to speak to them, but what was peculiar about this dog was that its mouth and lips moved as it spoke, like a human or something. She wasn't sure how to answer the question either, though she was of course capable of speaking in this form.

"I am…" she paused, "A bit of both…" she said, "But I'm not going to hurt you. This is to show you that you can trust me," she stepped toward the dog and it instantly went on alert again.

"I do not trust humans," the dog said quickly, "Humans cause animals nothing but pain and suffering. It's unforgivable,"

That statement instantly eliminated the possibility that he was a Zoan user, "I understand where you come from," Faith said, "But not all humans are like that,"

Again, the dog seemed to relax, straightening and tilting his head to one side, "I have not met a human who wasn't," he said.

"You've just met the wrong ones," Faith replied. She noticed the collar around his neck and stepped forward slowly to inspect it. This time, the dog let her approach. She changed back to her human form and inspected it and the dog didn't move, "What's your name? Do you have a home?"

"No," he replied, "This collar is a sign of imprisonment, not of a home. I have recently escaped. But the humans - " he said the word with a sneer, "who held me called me 'David',"

Faith frowned. "Escaped?" She asked. "From where?"

Before the dog could answer her, a large net suddenly crashed into him, sending him sprawling onto his side with a surprised yelp. His body hit the soft waves, sending up enormous splashes as he briefly thrashed about before lying still within the net.

Faith ran toward the dog quickly and reached for the net to try to drag it away from the waves. However, the minute she touched it, she suddenly felt a drain in her body, as if all of her strength and energy were suddenly zapped, and she quickly released it and stepped back. _Kairouseki!_

"David!" She said uncertainly. The dog was still awake, but it looked tired, like it was ready to sleep. So it was weakened by the _Kairouseki_as well. He must be a Devil Fruit user after all! And there was only one group of people that had a net like this.

She stood up in the ankle deep water and spun around to face a small group of three Marines standing there, holding what looked like a bazooka which was most likely equipped with the nets, "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

The marines looked at her with surprise, a bit confused. One of them flipped open a Baby Den-Den Mushi attached to his wrist and spoke into it, "Ma'am, we've captured the Canine, but there's a girl here. She seems to have seen and spoken to it,"

Faith's sensitive ears picked up the quick response of, "Bring her with you," before the snail phone hung itself up and she instantly tensed. She couldn't just leave this dog – something in her conscience wouldn't allow that. She had to help it, to fight these people off. Then afterward, she'd find Gonzo, or Aya or someone who could take off the net! I

In the midst of her thoughts, she didn't hear or notice the explosion of the bazooka firing the net until the _Kairouseki_ bound rope made contact with her skin. She couldn't struggle in the slightest as the net drained her energy and her legs gave out beneath her. She fell, keeping herself in a sitting position with her legs tucked under her by using her hands as support. Her body would soon adjust and she'd be able to stand again.

"Let us go!" Faith demanded as a Marine approached and tied the end of the net with a rope. He held onto it from a safe distance away, obviously deciding this girl was dangerous, and waited until David was also pulled away from the water before proceeding to drag Faith across the sand toward the trees. "Hey! Are you listening to me? You're going to regret this, you know! When I get out of here, I'm going to show you what happens when you mess with me!"

But they paid her no attention as they pulled her through the forest and to the back entry of a house. She watched carefully where they were going as they took her down into the basement (rather bumpily), the dog right behind her, and left her somewhere in the darkness.

Normally, her animal eyes would be able to see, but with the Kairouseki, she was as good as a normal human. She clenched her fists as she squinted to try to see, "David?" She asked, "You in here?"

"Got to escape," the dog said. It obviously wasn't his Devil Fruit that enabled him to talk, and Faith couldn't help but wonder what exactly was doing it.

"Escape isn't possible this time around," A female voice said in amusement through the darkness. As if on cue, the lights turned on, revealing a grey room with a woman in a white lab coat standing before them. Faith stared at her.

The woman had long blond hair extending down to her mid waist and was tied in a high ponytail behind her head. Her eyes were unable to be seen, as the bright lights caused a glare on square glasses, but she had a smile on her face as she stepped around Faith to David.

"You've been a bad dog," she said to the weak animal lying in the net, "You know what happens when you're bad, David,"

The dog managed to muster an indignant growl as the woman reached into a pocket in her lab coat and Faith tilted her head as the woman pulled out a remote, "I don't enjoy having to come out to inconvenient places to put you in your place," she pressed the red button on the remote and the dog howled in pain as a visible electric shock surged through his body.

Faith's eyes widened, "Stop!" She shouted, "Stop it, you're hurting him!"

"Oh, I'm very well aware of that," the woman said, "This is his punishment for killing two of the Marine's soldiers and escaping. He knew what he had coming,"

"You have no right!" Faith shouted furiously. The dog was writhing in pain, his body twisting into unnatural positions as if he were attempting to push away from the pain. His large paws clawed desperately at the collar, "Stop it already! STOP IT!"

At last, the woman released the button and looked at Faith curiously, but the pirate's eyes were locked on the panting, shaken dog in the net. The collar must have done that. The woman suddenly stepped into Faith's line of vision and knelt before her.

"I think I recognize you," the woman said, "You're Canis Moon Faith, the doctor of the Crescent Dagger Pirates," she grinned, "And if I remember the reports correctly, you're a Zoan Devil Fruit user!" she said it with such joyous enthusiasm that Faith thought she was going to be sick, "What fun! Such a rare opportunity! Tell me, what fruit did you eat?"

Faith scowled at the woman but remained silent, "Oh, it doesn't matter. I'll figure it out," she insisted. She turned toward a Den-Den Mushi attached to a wall and quickly spoke into it, transmitting a message to the floor above, "I need someone to bring down two cages for the girl and the dog, please!" She said. A quick "Yes Ma'am," was the reply and the woman turned to Faith and David.

"What are you going to do?" Faith asked. She was feeling a bit nervous, but it was nothing she couldn't handle.

"Devil Fruit are among the most mysterious anomalies in our world, girl," the woman said, "and as a Scientist, I cannot let such a rare opportunity, to investigate an experienced Zoan user… it's thrilling," She grinned, "I hope you don't plan on returning to any family any time soon, because we're going to be together for a long time,"

Faith swallowed a lump in her throat and forced herself to put on an uncaring expression. She looked toward David, who was slowly catching his breath. He'd even managed to crookedly stand up in the net. Faith lifted a hand automatically to her Wolf pendant necklace; an artifact that always gave her comfort, then lowered it to her chest, where she could feel the cold metal of the Seeker hidden beneath her shirt.

She looked toward David as two cages no more then a few feet long and high were brought in and set down in a corner by a small group of Marines. The dog was forcefully pushed inside the cage and as soon as the Sea Stone was released, he started growling and made to escape, but the steel bars of the cage closed before he could.

They moved to Faith next, disentangling her from the net and grabbing her arms to hold her still. She tried to pull away, but found that their grips were stronger then expected, "Let me go!" She demanded in what she hoped would be a threatening voice. However, her confidence faltered when she felt something cold wrap around her neck and clamp into place.

A collar!

A new wave of fury washed over Faith and she struggled harder against the Marines. "I am NOT an animal!" She shouted. Suddenly, she transformed into her hybrid form, pulling free from the marines and hopefully breaking out of the collar, but the thick metal, being loose in her human form, fit her tightly and was ridiculously strong. She returned to her human form before it could choke her, then tried her animal form.

But before she could make a single move, she felt an intense electrical shock surge through her body. She returned to her human form and grabbed the collar, trying to rip it off, but the shock only intensified. "Hurry up and contain her!" The woman in the coat demanded. She was the one doing this – she had that remote in her hands, pressing that button. Faith ran toward her with a shout, ignoring the electricity the best she could.

Her efforts were stopped when she felt something pierce her thigh and she looked down. The electricity was numbing, and now, she was starting to feel drowsy. A tranquilizer…

Faith managed a few more steps toward the woman, her hand extended in an attempt to grab her, then, she fell forward, knocked out by the powerful sedative.

* * *

**A/N:** So I watch Cats and Dogs today and I felt inspired to bring in this character! David (I keep wanting to call him Dave) belongs to the ever-creative **Kisdota-The Freak Gamer**! This chapter was changed around a lot before I finally decided on it and it took me forever to come up with the idea too .. Obviously Faith will be the central character for this little arc! I'm going to try to do this for all of the characters on the crew. Thank you everyone for your support! It's good to know that I have loyal readers who enjoy my work :]. Until next time!

SNE121


	64. In Captivity

**Pirates!**

**In Captivity – **

**Introducing a Familiar Face

* * *

**

Aya and Faith had a very strong bond, and everyone on the Crescent Dagger Pirate crew knew that. The two were nearly inseparable, and when one was missing or in danger, the other stopped at nothing to return them. Over time, that same sisterly love, that close bond, had travelled to the others of the crew as well. However, this strange bond prompted Aya to suddenly freeze and look around anxiously in the process of inspecting a medical herb, as a strange chill had suddenly run up the length of her spine.

Gonzo, who was busying himself with looking at some objects that could quite possibly be used for cooking, looked at Aya quizzically upon spotting her strange expression, "Something wrong?" he asked. It took a few moments for the words to reach Aya's conscience and when they did, she turned her head to look at him.

"I… don't know," she muttered, "Something… doesn't feel right. I can't quite say what but…" she trailed off, looking over her shoulder, then back at the herb. She put it down and turned to something else, "Never mind. It must have been my imagination," However, even as she said those words, the sense of uneasiness didn't leave her.

Gonzo watched her for a few moments more, skeptical of her final statement. "Aya," he said slowly, his normally cheerful and loud demeanor suppressed to show a much more serious and concerned character. She looked up at him. She was smiling, but there was a strange sense of panic in her eyes that normally wasn't there. Gonzo knew, without a doubt, that something was indeed wrong.

"Let's go back," he said, "We'll go make sure Faith's okay and when we see that she is, we'll come back,"

Aya looked at him with a small smile. She was sure the Fishman still wanted to shop, but he was willing to cut off some time for her 'gut feeling', which was probably just nothing. "Thank you," she said. She set down another herb and turned toward the door and began running. Gonzo gathered the few shopping bags they had and followed.

(--)

Jae hated small spaces, and perhaps that was what led to his love for navigation and mapmaking. He was able to explore, to see the world as it was and not as a small room which he'd been accustomed to in the beginning of his life. When he was travelling to make his maps, he was free.

The land on this island was relatively flat, with few hills which were preserved for grazing animals. He made a mental note of the location of everything, already drawing his topographical map in his mind. He wasn't exactly sure what prompted him to stop in the center of a cherry tree field and look down at the silver seeker attached to a necklace around his neck, but he did. And he opened it.

What he saw startled him – he knew his Seeker directed toward Faith, but Faith was supposed to be guarding the ship, which was east of his position. But the arrow leading to her was facing South, toward the town. Had she left and gone for a walk?

That was doubtful. With a small frown, he turned to face the direction it pointed. She never left the ship when she was supposed to be guarding it, and especially with Chris still on lockdown (though he didn't know the girl had managed to escape).

Jae tilted his head slightly as he stared at the town. Although he didn't know for the same reason Aya did, something most definitely wasn't right. Without another moment's hesitation, he started walking toward the town, following the arrow of the Seeker.

(--)

Sedatives tended to have some nasty effects when a person was waking from a particularly large dose, and although Faith was barely conscious enough to understand anything, her doctor mind told her that she'd been given far to much of whatever it was. She was awake, yes, but the world was spinning, figures walking by the strange gray lines before here were nothing but blurs. She really had no idea where she was, nor could she remember why she was there.

There was a strange coldness around her neck that she couldn't explain and with the small amount of muscle control she possessed, she lifted her fingers, which were rested under her head in her sleep, to her neck and felt the cold metal of something strange… a collar?

"Where am I…?" she asked aloud in a weak voice. She couldn't remember, but something in her consciousness, buried beneath the dizziness and sleepiness, told her that she had to get out. She managed to reach out, but was stopped by the strange gray lines in front of her. Were they… bars? A figure approached her, the blur becoming a slightly clearer figure wearing a white coat. It knelt down in front of her and Faith was able to make out the features of a face.

"You're much more tolerant then we expected," the person said, and Faith managed to identify the voice as female, "The amount of tranquilizer we injected would have knocked out a full grown bear for days. But you've woken within a few hours… could it be the power of that Fruit of yours?"

"What are you talking about…?" Faith asked. Slowly, everything was becoming clear to her. She pushed herself up into a sitting position and put a hand to her head. The lights in this place were too bright. She tried to stand, but yelped in surprise when her head hit a solid surface and lowered back down to sit, leaning against the bars and moving her hand to the top of her head where it'd hit.

"What the hell?" she grumbled. She looked around – the fuzziness was slowly clearing but still present and Faith was able to make out her position. The moment she realized she was in a cage, everything came back to her. "David!" she exclaimed. At least, she thought she did, but in fact, her voice was slow, quiet, and very tired sounding. She turned her head quickly to face the other cage and instantly regretted it as the world spun. She moved too quickly for her brain to process it.

Faith clamped her eyes shut and pressed her hands tight against them, "Damn it!" She shouted, lowering her hands and throwing them against the bars, gripping them tightly and trying to pry them away. "Let me out of here!"

"For your own safety, I cannot," the woman in the lab coat said. She was standing now, looking down at Faith's small cage with a small smile, "Releasing you with the sedatives will be condemning you to death. Though, even without them, I've no intentions of releasing you until I've had a chance to study you correctly,"

"What do I look like, a lab rat?" Faith asked. She mentally thanked her own consciousness that she was able to focus enough to argue, "I'm a human being! I shouldn't be in this cage! Neither should David for that matter, it's cruel! Release us!"

"Human?" the woman asked. She knelt down again to level herself with Faith, "My dear girl, the moment you ate that Devil Fruit, you surrendered your humanity. You are not human, nor are you animal. You are something in between. A hybrid. Do you know what you are?"

If looks could kill, this woman would have dropped dead. Faith stared at her with as much icy coldness as she possibly could in her semi-conscious state. The woman didn't smile, she didn't even bat an eye, but put a hand against the side of the cage as she said, "You are nothing but a monster,"

Those words hit Faith harder then Faith ever expected. She stared at the woman, her eyes wide in shock at the statement. She released the bars and closed her eyes, pressing her hands to her forehead and shaking her head quickly.

"_It's the wolf girl!"_

"_Get her out of here!"_

"_Monster, monster, monster!"_

"NO!" Faith shouted with a sudden ferocity. She changed into her wolf form and snapped at the woman's hand, catching the back of it across her razor sharp teeth before the doctor could pull away. Blood stained the floor beneath them and before Faith could try to do anything else, the electrical shock erupted around her neck, travelling through her body. She returned to her human form and instinctively clawed at the cold metal but as expected, found that she couldn't remove it. The intensity of the shock was much more powerful then before, then she ever expected, and it wasn't long before she found herself submitting.

"That's right, just sleep," the woman said, "Because you've got a busy evening. Tonight, we are moving you and the other canine to the World Government for examination," The electricity stopped and the woman left the room.

(--)

"This can't be right…" Jae said aloud to himself as he looked up at the two level building before him. It was not unlike the other houses around – in fact, the only difference was the Marine flag flying in a flagpole high above. That's what didn't set right with him – Faith wasn't the type to be captured. Maybe the flag was to keep away pirates? Without a second thought, Jae concealed the Seeker within his shirt and entered the building.

Surprisingly enough, it was relatively empty. There was a single Marine sitting at a desk at the front that didn't even look up as Jae entered. The pirate decided immediately that it was for the best – he looked around. The Seeker was pointing to a door to his left and he quietly walked toward it as if he belonged here. It wasn't until he hand was on the knob that the marine on the desk finally spoke up.

"Oi! You there!" Jae turned his head. The man was standing up, his hand hovering over a sword at his waist. However, seeing Jae's face, he relaxed. Everything about JAe, from his physical appearance to his speech to even his gentle, flowing movements was feminine, so of course, this man automatically assumed the most logical explanation, "Miss, this area is off limits!"

Jae's bluish-purple eyes blinked slightly as he stared at the man and he quickly took advantage of the situation, "I'm an associate," he said. His naturally quiet, calm voice was easily mistaken for a female's. "They've summoned me and requested my assistance down below,"

"Do you have identification?" the marine asked. By this time, he'd stepped around the desk and was approaching Jae. Jae turned around to face him, pushing the stray hair that had fallen into his face behind his ears.

"I'm sorry," he said with a smile, "But I seem to have forgotten it,"

The marine stopped directly in front of Jae, looking down at him with an elbow resting on his sword. His eyes fell on the shining Seeker around JAe's neck and he reached out to grab it.

"What's this? A new prototype?" he asked. However, before his hands could even close around the soft metal, Jae grabbed the man's wrist with surprising (to the marine at least) strength.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't touch that," he said, "That's a personal item and not your concern," He released the marine with a quick shove.

"Why you…" the marine growled. He drew his sword and slashed it at Jae. Jae lifted an arm, already surrounding it with metal, but to the untrained eye, it looked as if he were trying to protect himself with only his flesh. But the defense was useless, because before the sword could even _touch_ him, the marine was knocked away by an enormous fist and sent crashing into the wall beyond. Jae stared at him in shock as he slid down the wall unconscious.

Then, slowly, Jea's eyes turned to his 'savior'. The man was enormous, wearing loose pants and an unbuttoned button up shirt, revealing the muscles on his chest, stomach, and oversized arms. He didn't seem to be wearing shoes, but atop his head there was a large pink hat with a white 'x' mark. Around his neck was some sort of fur collar of sorts. But however, the strangest thing about this man was the blue nose. For a few moments, Jae considered whether or not this man… or thing… was a gorilla.

And then, suddenly, the enormous human was gone, replaced by a normal sized one with fur? He blinked, confused. Now, the man was no taller then himself, but in particularly good shape, and although the pink hat remained on his head, now, large antlers (one of which had a thick metal plate around it) were extending from two holes that seem to have appeared spontaneously on the side, and there was fur all over him. Some sort of hybrid? "Are you alright?" the man asked.

"Z-zoan?" Jae questioned. It took him a few moments to gather his thoughts. This man looked strangely familiar for some reason...

And then it hit him. The antlers, the enormous size, but most of all the hat and the blue nose. "Y…you can't be!"

The man tilted his head, then smiled, "Oh, I'm sorry, my transformation must have surprised you!" he said. His voice was adult like, though not unnecessarily deep.

Suddenly, more marines exploded into the room – there weren't too many, no more then twenty and Jae could most certainly handle it, but the man had other plans. He transformed back into the other larger form and scooped Jae up over his shoulder.

"Hey, wait!" he tried to protest.

"No time!" The deer-man said. He charged straight at the wall as bullets began to erupt and crashed straight through it using his free shoulder. "Walk Point!" he shouted. Suddenly, he transformed into some sort of animal form – a deer? – and began to run with Jae haphazardly slung over his back. The pirate quickly righted himself, grabbing onto the antlers to avoid falling.

They were moving with incredible speed through the city, all the way into the orchards where trees of different kinds could hide them, before they finally came to a stop. Jae slid off the reindeer's back just before it could transform back into its hybrid form and crossed his arms. "I've got to go back," he said.

"Alone? That's not going to happen, it's too dangerous," The man said, His breathing was slightly labored from carrying the added weight of Jae at that speed and he quickly looked over his shoulder to see if he'd been followed, "Especially for a girl as small as you,"

"I'm not a girl," Jae said at last, "And my friend is in there, somewhere beyond that door! I've got to go back and get her!" Now, the man turned his attention back to Jae, surprised.

"Your friend is down there?" he asked, to which Jae nodded. The sudden tense expression on the man's face unsettled Jae, "What's your name?" the man asked.

"Jae Axia," Jae responded, "You don't have to introduce yourself. I know exactly who you are," He hesitated, as if afraid to speak the name, but at the same time excited, "The doctor of the Straw Hat Pirates – Tony Tony Chopper!"

* * *

**A/N:** YES! I brought him in! I was debating between two characters in this chapter, just like with my other crossover story that I'm writing, but this seemed perfect (As it centers around Faith). Now, about his appearance, I was very tempted to keep him cute and cuddly, but this is twenty years into the future… so I couldn't. If it helps, Chopper, in this universe, is now about thirty five years old… so I made his hybrid appearance seem older as opposed to the big headed, fluffy current one. Hope you all like him! Now, I'll have the next chapter posted as soon as possible (I hope). See ya!

SNE121


	65. Regroup

**Pirates!**

**The Crescent Dagger Pirates Regroup!**

* * *

"Woah! This is some ship you've got here!" The reindeer-man said in a strangely excited voice as soon as he'd boarded the _Howling Ivory._ Jae was still having trouble believing that this was _the_ Tony-Tony Chopper from the Strawhat Pirates. His appearance was so random, so unexpected. Was he really seeing it? Could he possibly still be asleep in bed, drifting along the ocean approaching the next island. To check, he pinched his upper arm as hard as he could, and upon feeling the pain, he sighed.

It wasn't a dream!

However, it wasn't relief that he felt, for this situation was a double-edged sword. Sure, he was in the presence of one the if not _the_ best doctor in the world, but Faith was still somewhere in that base, according to the Seeker. And this doctor, Tony-Tony Chopper, had dragged him away before he could even get close to rescuing her!

He watched as said reindeer walked around the deck – even in his partial human form he had hooves and it was honestly a bit strange. The only difference between this form and his reindeer form was the slight decrease in antler size and bipedalism. He still had a reindeer nose (albeit a blue one…) and face shape, still had the ears, the fur... but then again, he _was_ originally animal.

Still, Jae couldn't have him standing on this ship looking like that – not if there were Marines nearby. He heaved a sigh and started toward the galley, "Come with me please, Chopper-sama," he said. Chopper turned his attention to Jae and quickly fell into step behind him, the hooves clanking on the bone deck. Jae pushed open the galley door and gestured inside. Chopper looked at him quizzically and Jae hastily, almost embarrassingly, explained.

"I'm sorry, it's just that someone so famous as yourself aboard the ship could cause some problems. If the Marines were to see and recognize you, they'd most likely attack and Zugai-kun wouldn't be too happy if something happened to the ship. It's gone through enough already,"

Chopper nodded in understanding, "Good idea," he stated. He entered the room and made himself comfortable in a chair at the table. "Hey, where are you going?" he asked the now leaving Jae.

"To find you something to try to disguise you," he answered, "I think there should be a sheet or something that we can use as some sort of mantle. Please, wait here for a few moments. Help yourself to something in the fridge," then, he exited.

For a moment, Chopper remained in the chair, slightly uncomfortable, then, he stood to examine the ship. It really _was_ very finely built – he knew immediately, because he was a reindeer, that it was bone. But to think that it could be crafted and combined so well… if he _wasn't_ a reindeer, he would have assumed it was some sort of wood painted white.

He walked to the refrigerator – Jae had said to help himself, right? – and examined it. IT was

very clean, surely it could pass even an inspection from the Head Chef of the Baratie, but it was small compared to the one he'd grown so accustomed to so long ago. He opened the fridge at the end of the narrow kitchen and frowned in disappointment – it was nearly empty. Of course, that was to be expected. Perhaps they were here to restock?

He felt wrong taking the little supplies they had, despite his thirst, and as a result, he closed the door, just as the Galley door opened. He turned cheerfully, expecting Jae, but was shocked to see two completely different figures.

One was a large black and white person – obviously a Fishman – and the other was a girl with long, dark green hair. The trio stared at each other in silence for a few moments, all completely shocked to see the other.

Then, without thinking, Gonzo charged forward. He didn't care who this man… person… _thing_ was, all that mattered was that it was in his kitchen and he had to get rid of it. "30 Gallons: Rump Roast!" he shouted. He twisted, aiming the roundhouse kick directly at the reindeer, who dodged with surprising speed, thus causing Gonzo's leg to slam into the counter with enough force to crack it.

Aya was quick to react – she drew her whip quickly and lashed out, catching Chopper around the arm and effectively trapping him. He tugged slightly, but Aya held her grip firmly as she pulled a handful of needles from her bag. "Who the hell are you?" she demanded.

Chopper was about to answer, but Gonzo interrupted, "Who cares who he is," he growled, "What the hell are you doing here?"

Again, Chopper tried to answer, but a different voice interrupted him, "What are you two doing?" Simultaneously, all three heads turned toward the door, where Jae stood with what looked like a large black table cloth in hand. His eyes widened upon seeing the position and he quickly ran forward, "Are you crazy? Do you have any idea who this _is?_" he asked.

Aya and Gonzo looked at each other quizzically, their angry, confident expressions faltering. They looked at Jae, then at Chopper, then back at Jae and shook their heads. Jae heaved an exasperated sigh as he snatched the whip from Aya's hand, giving it enough slack to disentangle itself from Chopper's arm, then, he pointed. "Take a good look at him!" Noticing their still apparent confusion, he explained, "Strawhat Doctor: Tony-Tony Chopper!"

If it was possible for Gonzo's black skin to go white, he would have. His eyes widened as he stared at the man he'd practically just tried to kill. The color drained from Aya's face for the briefest of moments, then filled with an embarrassed redness.

"Ch-Chopper? _THE_ Chopper? The greatest doctor in the world?" She sputtered. In front of them, Chopper grinned gleefully.

"Your compliments don't make me happy, bastard!" he said, though it was obvious that he was indeed happy. Through the years, it seemed his reaction to compliments hadn't changed.

"Oh my god…" Aya muttered, shocked, "Faith is going to _freak out_ when she sees you!" However, upon saying the name, the excitement in her face faded. "Faith… Faith, she isn't here! I've got to go find her!"

She spun on her heel, heading for the still open door, but a hand grabbed hold of her wrist, stopping her, "Hold on," Gonzo said firmly, "We don't even know where she is, so don't just go running into the town without at least knowing that,"

"Actually…" Jae began, removing the Seeker from around his neck. He stepped toward the others and held it out and open, showing them the needle pointing toward the town, "I know exactly where she is. But before I could get down and get her, Chopper-sama showed up and stopped me," He paused as the others glanced at Chopper and when they looked back at the Seeker, he continued, "Faith-san is in a small Marine building in the Town Square,"

"If it's small, then infiltration will be easy, won't it?" Gonzo asked, "The three of us should be enough…"

"No," Chopper interrupted. His hooves clanked as he walked toward them, "There's a Marine Ship near the back of the island, so the villagers don't see it. I overheard something about moving some valuable merchandise to the World Government Headquarters, but I'm not exactly sure what it was, so I went to check it out. That's when I ran into Jae, here."

"What are you doing here anyway, Sir?" Aya asked Chopper. Chopper's smiled slightly at the title.

"Don't call me sir, it makes me feel old," he said quickly, "But I'm here because I heard that some of the food was getting people sick, so I came to check it out. It was just salmonella, something that I easily fixed, but that's beside the point. The 'valuable merchandise' that I heard about might have something to do with your friend… Faith, you said, right?"

Aya nodded.

"If I remember correctly, they're moving out this evening, under the cover of the darkness. How you choose to move is up to you," Chopper finished, "And as a fellow Pirate, while I'll do what I can to help you along the way,"

"Thank you," Aya said with a smile.

(--)

David lay quietly on the cold metal floor of his cage, his head resting on his large paws, light eyes staring into the darkness around him. The lights in the lab had been turned off and he and Faith had been left alone in their respective cages. David was used to captivity – living a life like his, it was hard not to be. He'd been with these Marines for his entire life, this was nothing new to him.

_He couldn't understand the voices, couldn't even see them clearly with the bright light flooding his eyes. All he knew was that he was lying, being held down by something… human hands? He growled, tried to pull away, but there was a tight muzzle around his snout and he couldn't even open his mouth to bite the hand that held down his head._

_Then, the muzzle was removed, and David took full advantage of it as he spotted a hand approaching – it must not have known. He snapped at it, his jaws closing around something that didn't feel quite like the human flesh he'd normally bitten, but was much softer. Bitter. The liquid that filled his mouth wasn't blood, but some sort of juice. He tried to cough, spit it out, but his mouth was clamped shut and he was forced to swallow. Then the hand covering his head shifted and his sensitive ears picked up a voice._

"_He's eaten the fruit,"_

_Now, there was a feeling of intense weakness that he couldn't explain, and then, something sharp pressed into his head. Then, the bright light faded into blackness._

_(--)_

_He could hear the whimpers, the cries, the meows, the howls, but until very recently, they meant nothing to him. They were just sounds of amongst sounds. But now, he understood meanings. He understood emotion._

_Fear. Terror. Pain. Uncertainty. It disgusted him. He'd never been disgusted by these sounds, these cries, before. He realized that when the animals left and didn't come back, it wasn't good as he'd originally intended. Those who were removed were no longer useful. They were killed by the people who experimented on them. _

_David paced in his cage, growling slightly as he listened to the cries of the only other creature left besides him – another dog. He could smell the blood, the tears. He could see a long needle being pressed into the dog's head, the dog's wide, terrified eyes, the howl of pain, and he himself barked furiously to stop it._

_Then, something strange happened. During his barks, his growls, something else escaped his lips – a word, "Enough!"_

_Everything stopped and all eyes had turned to David. "Human speech…?" one human asked uncertainly. "Is that possible?"_

"_That just goes to show you that the experimentation worked," a female doctor said. She pulled the needle from the dog before her, "Exterminate this one," she said, nodding to the dog as she walked to David's cage. She knelt before it and David growled at her. He knew her. She was the cause of his pain. She was the reason he was here, why they were all dying. She needed to die too._

"_Time to send _this_ one to Headquarters," she said. Then, she grinned and stood, walking away, "Pack him up," she barked over her shoulder before disappearing out a door._

He lifted his head and looked toward the cage beside his own – Faith had been shocked into submission by the collar while she was still in her wolf form, so naturally, she remained as such in her sleep. She was used to freedom – she had never been contained in a cage. She shouldn't be here. His ears flattened against his head as he realized just how vulnerable she was.

He pushed himself to his feet and struggled to turn in his small cage to look at Faith better, and sat again, "Wolf girl," he said quietly. Part of him was afraid that she too would die, that he would be alone in this place again. Her ears twitched, but she didn't reply. He tried again, a bit louder, "Wolf girl,"

Now, Faith's eyes opened, extremely slowly. Her ears were pressed back against her head, and Dave was surprised to see that the freedom that was once apparent in those blue eyes of hers was slowly starting to fade. They were already breaking her. "We are alone. Don't worry," David said reassuringly. Faith slowly sat up into a sitting position, then shifted back into her human form, sitting with her back pressed against the cage so she was facing the large dog beside her.

She lifted a hand to the collar around her neck and tugged, but it only served to deliver another, much less powerful, shock and she released it quickly. "Damn it…" she muttered.

"I'm sorry I dragged you into this," David said quietly. Faith shook her head.

"Don't be stupid. It's my own fault for getting caught. Besides, I should be the one apologizing for being so useless…" a small smile crossed her lips as she reached for her neck again, though this time, she took hold of a silver chain. She showed it to the dog – the Seeker. "But don't worry. It won't be long before someone comes to help us. We've just got to stick it out until then,"

"Are you able to, Wolf girl?" David asked in what appeared to be a concerned tone. Faith laughed.

"My name is Faith," She said, "And don't worry about me. I'll be ok," She turned the Seeker over in her hand and opened it, looking at the needle. She remembered, when she'd checked earlier, that it was pointing in the opposite direction as it was now – back at the ship. Aya would certainly know she was missing and come searching. It truly was just a matter of time. She closed the Seeker and leaned back with her eyes closed.

(--)

"She's going to kill you, you know," Aven said matter-of-factly as she, Teriuz, and Chris approached the Howling Ivory. She shot a look at her captain, who had a sheepish grin across her lips.

"She expected it," Chris said, "I mean, I'm a restless person. I can't stand just sitting around doing nothing and that's all I've done. I needed to get some exercise!" She punched a fist into the air, but instantly regretted it as a phantom of pain attacked her side. She lowered her arm and lightly clutched the spot. "Ow…"

"That's exactly why she wanted you to stay," Teriuz stated matter-of-factly. Chris responded with a sharp hit to the back of his head, which prompted Teriuz to stumble and hold his head with tears in his eyes.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" he asked.

"For being a smart ass," Chris replied simply. Beside them, Aven began laughing.

"Oi," A different, males voice suddenly said. The trio recognized it instantly as the familiar voice of Zugai and simultaneously, they turned their heads, then turned completely to face him. Zugai approached with Blue beside him, both carrying bags with smithing supplies and ammunition. The two stopped directly in front of Chris, Teriuz, and Aven and Zugai looked down at his captain suspiciously, "Didn't Faith say that you couldn't leave?"

Chris groaned and turned around, walking away from the group. "You too? God, you're supposed to be on _my_ side! Some first mate you are!" she complained, "It's not like the world's ending because I didn't listen to doctor's orders,"

She stopped at the base of the ship, one hand on the ladder, but before she could begin her ascent, someone jumped down to meet her – Jae. The suddenness of his appearance startled her and she staggered back, would have fallen into the water were it not for the boy's quick reflexes. Jae caught her wrist and pulled her forward to regain her footing.

"We've been waiting for you," he said to Chris. Then, he looked to the others, "All of you. There's a bit of a problem…"

* * *

**A/N: **I have a few things to apologize for here: One is for the amount of time it took me to update. All of my time and creativity has been focused on Theatre at school lately, so I have had no inspiration, or time to write this chapter. Second because it's fairly unfulfilling. I tried to put a bit of David's history, I apologize if it isn't accurate. I wanted to give you guys something for now. Again, sorry for being so slow! I'll try to be quicker next chapter!


	66. The Rescue Begins

**Pirates!**

**The Rescue Begins – **

**Entering the Marine Building!**

* * *

Chris stared at Jae with a mixture of confusion and annoyance from her position standing before the rest of her crew. Aven was sitting on the floor, her legs crossed, looking around at the others uncertainly. Teriuz, leaning against the bulwark with Gonzo nearby, looked silently from Jae, to Aya, to Chris, then back to Jae, but said nothing. Zugai stood leaning against the wall of the cabin while Blue sat on the railing of the upper deck. Gonzo, Aya, and Jae watched Chris silently for some sort of reaction. They'd just informed her of the situation. Or at least, the beginning of it.

"What do you mean 'Faith's gone'?" Chris asked slowly. It wasn't that she didn't understood, but for some reason, she found it hard to believe, "Gone as in, gone for a walk? Gone as in missing?"

"Gone as in taken," Aya cut in quickly. She sounded antsy, which was completely understandable given the circumstances.

Chris frowned, crossing her arms with her fists clenched as she asked, "Do we know her location?" she asked.

Jae nodded, "My Seeker is connected with hers – she's in a small Marine facility in town."

"What the hell are the Marines doing here?" Zugai asked, "This is a farming town, isn't it? I heard from the townsfolk that they come the first week of each month, but that's already passed," he fidgeted with the handle of Honehakaisha, which he held head down beside him.

"They're transporting 'merchandise' according to… a source," Gonzo explained.

"But that means that they would have been here before we got here, right?" Blue asked calmly, "Maybe they kidnapped her as bait to draw us in,"

"Well, if that's the case, then it's working," Aven muttered.

The sound of the Galley door opening caught everyone attention and simultaneously, they look turned their heads to look. A figure wearing a long cloak emerged and Zugai, being closest, reached for Honehakaisha, startled.

"Woah, calm down!" Gonzo said quickly to Zugai, "Easy does it, buddy, he's on our side," Hesitantly, Zugai allowed himself to relax, but he kept his hand on the large labrys. To the figure, Gonzo added, "You can take off the hood. They're ok,"

A pair of hands reached up for the hood covering the figure and pulled the hood away from its head, exposing it. The large pink hat was the first thing that caught everyone's attention, followed immediately by the blue nose. Zugai stared, dumbfounded at the man and Blue straightened on the upper deck, removing his sunglasses to get a better view. Chris' eyes widened.

"Guys, this is Tony-Tony Chopper," Jae said slowly, "Chopper-sama, these are the rest of our crew, Blue, Zugai, and our captain, Chris."

Chopper nodded to the others before walking across the deck toward the hat-wearing captain. She was forced to look up at him as he got nearer, so he quickly changed to his hybrid form, which was much shorter then his human form, but still taller then Chris. He extended a hand, "A pleasure," he said.

However, if Chris was in any way amazed by this sudden transformation, or the fact that Tony Tony Chopper was offering to shake her hand, she didn't show it. She extended a hand in a very professional manner and gripped Chopper's in a firm, strong hold, "The pleasure is mine," she said casually.

"But we don't have time for pleasantries, unfortunately," Chris continued, releasing Chopper's hand. "Do you have any idea where they're taking Faith…" she trailed off, uncertain of how to address the man before her, and Chopper quickly cut in.

"Chopper," he said, "Just Chopper's fine. I believe they're moving to the World Government Headquarters on Mariejois. But that's a long way off. I'm assuming this is one of their many rest stops along the way,"

Chris frowned slightly. "The World Government," she growled, "Do you by any chance know if this has anything to do with Chimera?"

Suddenly, Chopper's eyes widened and he stared at Chris in shock. Zugai tilted his head slightly and frowned, "You can't be serious," he said, "We read in the paper a while ago that they shut that down,"

"But that was only on one island," Chris said, "We shut it down on Bubble Island ourselves and that Commodore Fishman guy shut it down on Box Island, but that doesn't mean that it was shut down all over the world. Remember, the Government is funding it. For all we know, the base of operation could be at Mariejois,"

"How do you know about that?" Chopper asked, having regained his voice.

"We saw them ourselves," Zugai responded, "Twice. Once with Faith, once on our own back on Box Island,"

"So that's what you meant," Blue suddenly spoke up, "Back on Box Island in that base, you told Commodore Thorpe to take a look around. Is that what he was supposed to find?"

Chris nodded. "What are you two talking about?" Aven asked curiously. "What's a Chimera?" Chris looked at her briefly, then toward the other confused faces around her. She completely forgot that they didn't know.

Chopper answered for her, "They're strange creatures created scientists as part of something called the 'Chimera Project'. They're pretty much the World Government's attempt at creating secret weapons. They've got weapons, enhanced humans, but the beings known as Chimera have to be the worst of them all." He paused and shuddered. The mere thought of it gave him the chills.

"They take apart the humans," he continued, "and animals as well, and mix them together. I heard that they're trying to create Zoan Devil Fruit effects, but that's just a rumor. I've never seen the Chimera myself, so I couldn't tell you if it works,"

"They're grotesque," Chris said, shaking her head, "Horrifying. Humans with the head of a bull, leopards with the intelligence and brains of a human… they're nothing like Zoan Devil Fruits. They're monsters,"

"You don't think…" Aya muttered, drawing all attention toward her, "You don't think they're going to do it to Faith? Turn her into one of those… things?"

"If that's their plan, it's not gonna happen," Chris assured Aya, "Because we're going in to get her back. But we can't all go. If it's a trap, we've got to be careful. If they want to keep it undercover, chances are that the Marines won't move in until night, so we've got to move right away. This is what we're going to do…"

(--)

Guard duty was always boring – specifically when the guard didn't know what in the world he was supposed to be guarding! He'd had the weekend off, but now that he was back on duty for the afternoon, they'd stationed him at the door in the main room of a building that no one ever came into except for officials, to make sure that people didn't go into the basement because of some stupid dog. He was young, no older then eighteen and still a low rank, and extremely bored.

He looked toward the desk, where the only other man on the floor for the time (Everyone else was out on break) was sitting, idly looking through some papers. He was older then the young marine, probably in his thirties. Ever since the dog attacked and killed two Marines in charge of taking care of it, (both of which were friends of the young Marine), they'd been nervous about going into the basement and thankfully, they weren't allowed to anyway.

Inside there were two more Marines, guarding the door from the inside, and down stairs were at least two more to protect the strange, (yet undeniably good looking) doctor that periodically came to check up on the subject below. Upstairs, other Marines were relaxing in their dorms until their shifts began, while others cleaned or did typical chore-boy work that those of low ranks were ordered to do.

It seemed it would be yet another uneventful day.

Until the door suddenly slammed open, revealing a very worried looking sixteen year old girl. The girl wore a black sundress and had bright red, wavy hair extending down to her shoulders with bangs cut just above peculiarly colored yellowish green eyes. "You've got to help!" She shouted desperately. Seeing their startled expressions, she rushed across the room to the man at the door, grabbing his shirt and using it to hold her shaking legs up. "There's a fight outside – bandits started attacking the villagers! My brother, he's going to be killed! Please!"

The man at the desk stood up immediately and moved around his desk, grabbing his sword before running toward the door, "Come on, Wes!" he said, "Let's go!"

"Yes, sir!" The young man, Wes, replied. The red-head collapsed to her knees, tears streaming from her eyes and she quickly covered them with her hands. Wes knelt down before her and placed his hands on her shoulders, causing her to look up at him tearfully. He gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry miss. We'll take care of it, your brother will be fine. You just stay here where it's safe,"

The girl bit her lip briefly, trying to hold back tears, then, she threw her arms around the man's neck, hugging him tightly, "Thank you so much!" she said to the startled man with a choking sob. The man gently unwrapped her arms from his neck and she pressed her hands to the floor to support himself. Wes stood and, unsheathing his sword, ran out the door. "Stay here!" he said again over his shoulder.

The girl waited until the door was closed before standing up and wiping her eyes. She looked around cautiously before pressing her ear against the door, listening. She could hear people talking within, no more then two? She nodded to herself and turned away, making her way across the room toward a side door where they trash was taken out, and knocked twice.

A knock was returned – twice in succession, a pause, then three more rapid knocks. She opened the door to reveal Jae, Chopper, Aya, and Aven. They slipped into the room quietly and closed the door behind them.

Aven giggled as she spotted the red head, "You know, Chris, the dress really looks good on you," She said, prompting a small laugh from Aya.

"Shut up," Chris grumbled. "There's two men on the other side of the door that I could hear, but there might be more down there, so be careful."

"Leave them to me," Aven said. She ran quietly to the door and placed her hand on the knob before turning to the others and putting a finger to her lips to make sure they remained silent. When they nodded, she pulled open the door, which almost made Chopper shout out for her to stop, but Chris quickly jumped and covered his mouth.

One of the two guards at the door turned around, startled, then looked at his partner beside him, "Did you hear the door open?" he asked.

The other man looked directly at Aven, "Must be your imagination. The door's still closed," he said simply, looking back in front of him.

"Hmm, must be," the first man agreed, before going back to looking straight ahead.

Aven turned to the others and gave them a triumphant thumbs up. She pointed to Aya and Chopper, then threw a thumb over her shoulder at the men and Aya and Chopper both nodded, moving slowly, quietly forward and reaching into their pockets to pull out what looked like a rag.

Each stood behind one of the men and after looking at each other for confirmation, they nodded and made their move. Chopper wrapped a long arm around his marine at the same time as Aya and before the men could shout, the cloths were placed over their noses and mouths. It took only a few moments for them to slowly stop struggling finally lose consciousness. Chopper gave his rag to Aya and took the two men over his shoulders to Jae, who immediately set to work with tying them up with strong metal wires he produced from his hands. When the job was done, they took the two men to a nearby closet and placed them in, effectively hiding them.

"There's a few more down there," Chopper said quietly, "And a lot upstairs as well. I can smell them,"

"Well what are you waiting for? Get down there!" Chris ordered.

Aya, Jae, and Chopper immediately made their way down the stairs and Aven closed the door behind them, leaving them alone in the room. Chris sighed and leaned against the closet door hiding the two marines, her arms crossed.

"God, this thing is so uncomfortable…" Chris grumbled, pulling up the tank-top sleeve of the dress briefly before releasing it, "It reminds me of when I was a kid… I want to take it off and put my hat on, but if those guys come back and see me as Chris the Pirate, I'm screwed…" Aven looked at her with a grin on her face.

Chris tilted her head to one side, "What?" she asked uncertainly. Aven giggled.

"I think you should keep it, you look so cute!" she said. Chris felt her face flush bright red and she looked away from Aven.

"Sh-shut up!" She said quickly. The reaction only prompted another stifled laugh from Aven. "You know what to do now, right?"

Aven nodded, "Yup," she said cheerfully. She looked toward the door and without even blinking, managed to conjure up the image of a man in a Marine uniform. She repeated the process at the desk, producing another, older man who was working on paperwork, "They're not identical, since I only got a brief glance, but it'll do the job as long as no one tries talking to them. Unfortunately, since they're just illusions, they're fairly mindless!"

"It's fine, all we need is the mask," Chris assured her. She frowned and let herself shrink down the wall, sitting with her legs tucked beneath her, "I feel like I should be in there helping out."

"You can't," Aven said, "You've still got injuries, remember? If they manage to hit you in a soft spot, you'll be down for the count. Besides, Jae, Aya, and Chopper are _more_ then enough,"

Chris' frown deepened and she looked toward the door, "You're right," she said quietly, "Like this… I'll just end up slowing them down…"

Aven tilted her head slightly hearing those words. "What do you mean?" she asked. It wasn't like Chris to say something like that and Aven had a feeling she wasn't just talking about the injuries and the clothes. The red-head suddenly smiled and looked back at Aven, however, the illusionist noticed that the smile didn't quite reach her captain's eyes.

"Nothing," Chris said.

* * *

**A/N:** Phew! I think I'm finally getting back into the groove. I figured this would be a good place to stop. It was going to be longer, but I'm getting kicked off the computer so this'll do. I'll write the next chapter on paper in the mean time! Don't forget to review! Thanks for reading! :D

**SNE121**


	67. An Unexpected Development

**Pirates!**

**The Cover Blown?**

**An Unexpected Development!**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own One Piece or any characters that the readers recognize as their own.

* * *

Thus far, things were running smoothly. Chris had managed to empty the lobby by using Zugai, Teriuz, Blue, and Gonzo as a distraction somewhere in the city, Aven had created the illusion that not only enabled them to get into the basement, but also make it appear as if the two missing guards were actually there, and now, Aya, Jae, and Chopper were slowly making their way down the stairs.

Chopper was in the lead, in Heavy Point so as not to make too much noise. He stopped near the bottom, holding out his arm to stop the two behind him. He turned his head to look at them and put a finger to his lips and the two silently nodded in acknowledgement. Jae quietly took another step down, maneuvering in front of Chopper and poking his head around the wall hiding the staircase to examine the scene.

The basement wasn't very large, but it was obviously some sort of lab – there was a large metal surgical table in the center, counters against the walls and shelves above them with strange, painful looking instruments. Two men were sitting at the surgical table on stools, playing with a deck of cards, completely oblivious to the pirates watching them.

Jae retreated behind the wall again and looked to Chopper and Aya, holding up two fingers and mouthing the number he was signaling. Aya nodded and stepped forward, extracting a few needles from her bag in the process and holding them between the fingers of her right hand. Jae pressed himself against the wall to allow her to pass and without hesitation, she stepped into the open.

The two men jumped to their feet the minute they say her, but before they could grab their guns, before they could even make a sound, Aya threw the needles, getting both of them in the pressure points of both arms and rendering them unusable.

Chopper was next, practically melting into Walk Point as he jumped around the wall and charged toward the men. They looked at him in utter shock, recognizing him instantly, but unable to move their arms, they could do nothing to stop Chopper's approach. Chopper returned to Heavy Point at the last minute and grabbed the men's heads, knocking them together hard enough to knock them out, but not hard enough to damage them too much. The marines grunted, dizzy, before slumping onto the table, then sliding off to the ground with a _thump_.

He heard a ferocious growl behind him and quickly, he spun around, prepared to strike again, but when he realized that the source was behind bars, he relaxed. There were three cages, but only two of them were filled, a small one, which contained a dog that was too large for the space it was given, and in the other, slightly large cage was a girl. Both of them wore thick collars around their necks.

"Don't worry, we're not here to hurt you," Chopper assured the growling dog, approaching slowly, "We're here to help,"

Aya didn't even try to speak to the dog, - she ran straight to Faith's cage and skidded to a stop beside it, falling to her knees and grabbing the bars and trying to pry them apart. "Faith," she said nervously, her voice cracking. She reached through the bars and took Faith's shoulder, shaking it slightly, "Faith, wake up, come on!"

"Leave her be, human," Growled David, much to Aya's surprise. It shocked her so much that she pulled back her arm and stared at the dog, and Jae looked at it with a similar expression. Did it just…

"He said 'Leave her be, human'," Chopper repeated in translation. Aya looked over her shoulder at him and shook her head.

"I know what he said," she stated, "that's why I'm so surprised,"

Now it was Chopper's turn to be startled, "You understand him?" he asked, "How is that possible? No humans can understand animals,"

"Because he spoke in human speech. English," Jae said, amazed. He walked toward the cage. "I've never seen anything like this… Are you a human with some sort of Zoan Devil Fruit?" he asked.

David backed away from them nervously, his ears forward, his teeth bared, but said nothing more. "Never mind," Aya said, focusing on Faith again, "We've got to get Faith out of here before we run out of time. There's only so long that they can keep up a diversion for us! Jae, can you separate these bars?"

"Let me see," Jae responded. He crouched down before Faith's cage and took hold of the bars firmly with both hands, closing his eyes for a moment, "I can't identify this metal… it's not something I've ever touched or experienced before, and if I don't know what sort of metal I'm dealing with, I can't do anything with it…"

"Could it be _Kairouseki?_" Aya asked. Jae shook his head.

"_Kairouseki _is rock. Besides, if it were, my powers would have been instantly drained," he said. Chopper stepped forward at the point, taking hold of the bars as well.

"Let me try," he suggested, then he began to tug, but to no avail. _Zoro would be able to slice through this without a problem…_ He thought to himself bitterly before trying again.

"We need to pick the lock then," Chopper said. He released the bars and stood up, turning on his heel and running toward the stairs, "Maybe Chris can do it. You said she's a thief, right?"

"No wait, Chopper!" Aya said in a harsh whisper, but it was too late. Chopper was already going up the stairs.

(--)

"Everything's alright, ladies," Wes said to Chris and Aven as the two looked at their four male crewmates before them. The two girls were startled – beyond startled – completely _shocked_. Because the boys before them were riddled with cuts, bruises, blood seeping from wounds. "But which one's your brother?"

Chris took a quick moment to re-gather her thoughts – that's right, one of them was her brother! She looked first at Zugai, about to say it was him, but just as quickly as that thought crossed her mind it faded and she ran toward Teriuz, who was right beside him.

"Little Brother!" She shouted in a very convincing, worried sister voice as she hugged the cut and bleeding, very startled, orange haired boy before her, "I'm so glad your ok!" She pulled away, one arm still around the boy's shoulders, but she turned her tear-streaked eyes toward the Marines. She was thankful beyond reasonable doubt that Aven had acted quickly enough to eliminate the illusory clones before the men came in and made it appear as if she weren't even there with an illusion. "Thank you so much, gentlemen!" she wiped the tears from her eyes.

However, when the basement door slammed open, all eyes, including the six pirates, turned toward it to see Chopper standing there, "Chris, the lock, we need you!" he said. Then, he froze, a rather comically shocked expression on his face, which wasn't hidden by the makeshift cloak. "Oops…"

Simultaneously, the pirates thought the exact same thing. _IDIOT!_

The marines stared at Chopper for a few moments, completely silent and entirely unsure of what to make of the situation. Of course, they recognized him instantly - Chopper was the doctor of the Second Pirate King, it was hard _not_ to recognize him! They looked at the other pirates, then at each other before quickly separating.

"PIRATES!" The younger one, Wes, shouted, running toward Chris and Teriuz and grabbing both of them before they could react, "Come on, we've got to get you out of here! These guys are dangerous!" AS he proceeded to pull them toward the side door, the old man reached his desk, vaulting over it and pressing a button that rested behind, which set off an alarm that rang throughout the entire small building. Over the siren, Chris could hear the sound of footsteps pounding above.

Zugai watched with an amused expression as his captain and Teriuz were pulled out of the building. "Wow, that guy sure is an idiot..." he mumbled, before someone suddenly hit the back of his head hard. "Ow!" he complained, turning to see Aven as he rubbed the top of his head, "What was that for?"

"Who's the idiot?! Chris and Teriuz can't come back because they're in disguise, remember? Chris will die if he finds out who she really is!" Aven said quickly, but in an undertone. She reached into her backpack for a hat and a t-shirt, and then thrust them into Zugai's hands, "There are her things! Go!"

"What the hell am I supposed to do?" Zugai asked, fumbling with the items and looking at Aven.

"I don't know, make something up! Pretend to kidnap them or _something_! Do whatever you did when you were pretending to be a bandit. After all, those injuries definitely look convincing. And hurry up, we need her for the lock!" she replied.

"Oh, right!" Zugai said. He clutched the hat and shirt in one hand and ran toward the door, only to be cut off by the older Marine.

"Oh no you don't Pirate!" he growled, "Like hell you're going after that innocent family again!"

"Like hell you're gonna get in his way!" Blue replied suddenly. There was the sound of gunfire and then what looked like a densely packed sand bag slammed into the side of the man so hard, it knocked him aside and out of Zugai's way. He shouted a quick thanks as he passed and exited, just as the rest of the marines appeared from the staircase.

"Damn, there's a lot of 'em," Gonzo growled, grabbing his harpoon and holding it in front of him. "We've got to guard the door - keep them from going down there! Aven, I'll cover you!"

"I'm on it!" Aven replied. "Chopper, move forward and close the door!" Chopper didn't hesitate to comply as Aven held her arms out in front of them, palms facing the ground, "Elemental Tricks: Fire!" she shouted, throwing her arms up and causing a wall of flames to crackle around the door. Chopper was distracted in amazement at the sight.

"Woah, incredible!" he exclaimed. "It's fire! What sort of power do you have?" He straightened suddenly, his amazed expression becoming serious as he felt a presence approaching behind him. His eyes narrowed, he dove to the side, changing into Walk Point just as a hail of bullets cut through the fire and embedded themselves into the door where he once stood. Chopper turned toward the group of marines who'd just tried to kill him, "Oi! What the hell was that!?" he shouted angrily, prompting a stiffened, frightened stance from the Marines.

"Brain Point!" Chopper said, returning to his hybrid form. He let the cloak fall from his body as he reached into his pocket for a round orange pill and he held it up in one hoof. "There's too many of them to take with just my normal forms. I'll get rid of them in no time with this," he placed the pill between his teeth and chomped down, "Rumble!" he said as he swallowed the contents. The moment he said that word, another hail of bullets erupted in his direction. However, this time, he didn't move.

"Guard Point!" he said. Immediately, the fur surrounding his body thickened and he returned to his four-legged form. The bullets seemed to bounce off his fur, as if it were made of rubber. The frightened marines continued their fire - that is, until Blue fired back. He pulled the trigger of his shotgun, aiming at the ground, and the bullet fired with a bang and crashed into the ground beside the group of Marines shooting.

"Let's even the odds," he suggested, "Three, two, one," The bullet suddenly exploded with a deafening crash that send the marines flying into their allies, knocking a huge group of them down at once.

"Hey, how about evening them up over here?" Gonzo called toward Blue as he struggled to fight off several sword-wielding Marines. Blue hesitated, watching the Marines that flooded out of the stairwell approaching Chopper.

"Jumping Point!" Chopper shouted. The fur on his body faded and he grew in height, his legs remaining like a reindeer while the rest of his body was human, "Leave that to me!" Chopper said, and Blue hesitantly nodded and traded places with Chopper to guard the door. Chopper moved forward and watched the men approach him and a small smile crossed his lips. Suddenly, he jumped upward, over the group of marines and landed behind them. "Horn Point!" he said, his smile widening into a grin as the muscles on his arms grew and his horns grew to a dramatically large size. "_Roseo Colonnade_!"

He rammed his head against the marines, catching a group of them in his horns and throwing them in the air. They landed back on the ground, flipped upside down with their heads embedded into the wood, their legs sticking straight up into the air. Chopper turned around toward Gonzo and Aven. "Arm Point!" he said. The muscles in his arms expanded to enormous proportions and he drew both hands to his left side, the heels of his palms touching. He ran toward the marines and when he was within range, he thrust his hands outward, "_Kokutei Roseo Micheiri_!" he shouted. His hooves hit a single marine first, knocking him away, but he didn't stop there. He hit the marines with a barrage strikes so fast, that it appeared to be a single hit. What appeared to be pink sakura petals floated around his hooves and the opponents as Chopper came to a stop, his arms still outstretched, and watched the marines fall.

Gonzo stared, awestruck at how easily the man had just taken out the hoard of marines. Even Aven was surprised, so shocked her illusion almost let up. Chopper looked at them and smiled. Behind them, Blue took out the remaining marines with a powerful gust of wind, knocking them into the pile that Chopper had just created. "Well, that was easier then I thought," Aven said, letting the firewall fade.

"Brain Point," Chopper said. His arms shrunk to their normal size and he stretched them absently as he yawned, "That was definitely a work out, eh?" he asked. He looked at the devastation both his, Blue's and Gonzo's fighting had caused and smiled sheepishly, "Looks like we did some damage though. Oops,"

"Who cares about that?! That was so awesome! Was that the Rumble Ball I've heard so much about! Incredible! You're as awesome as they say!" Aven exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. Chopper grinned and crossed his arms indignantly.

"Praising me won't make me happy! Idiot!" he said despite the obviously cheerfully embarrassed expression on his face. Gonzo, Blue, and Aven smiled weakly at his antics.

"Oh! Didn't you say you needed Chris?" Gonzo asked Chopper, pulling him out of his daze. Chopper blinked momentarily before hitting a fist to his palm in realization.

"Oh, that's right! The cage holding Faith is too strong for any of us to open. Jae says he can't identify the metal, so Aya suggested that Chris pick the lock," he explained.

"But Chris got taken by that Marine," Blue pointed out, "Teriuz too... thinking they were civilians..."

"Don't worry, they'll be back soon," Aven said. "Zugai went to go get them,"

(--)

Chris had to admit, she was getting tired. The running was hurting the wounds still unhealed in her abdomen, shoulder, and leg, and the Marine, Wes, showed no signs of stopping as he pulled Chris and Teriuz further and further into the city, away from the base. Normally, a run like this would be simple. Hell, she'd be moving _faster_ and with much more grace and agility then she was now, but she was weakened, and she hadn't had any time to train or keep her strength up with the constant eyes watching her on the ship. She knew without a doubt that she wasn't nearly as strong as she had been before fighting Lottie and that simple fact bugged her enough to try to hide her fatigue.

"Hey, mister, I think we've gone far enough," Teriuz said suddenly, looking at Chris out of the corner of his eye. He was fairly certain others wouldn't notice the fatigue she was hiding so well, but Teriuz knew her normal running pattern. Her expression, the way she moved, he remembered everything like that about everyone on the crew, so of course he noticed the very slight limp in his captain's step, the slightly heavy breathing coming from her nose as she forced herself to keep her mouth shut. The strained look in her eyes. All subtle clues that only the most perceptive of eyes would notice.

The Marine slowed to a walk, then finally a full stop before at last releasing Chris and Teriuz's hands and the two instantly backed away from him. Chris subtly put a hand on her stomach, where the stitched up wound from Lottie resided and bit her lower lip from the brief stabbing pain that ran through the healing cut. "Sorry about that, I guess you're right," Wes said. "Are you two ok? You must not be used to running this far like that, I should have considered it,"

"Not wearing this, I'm not..." Chris grumbled. The marine looked at her questioningly, as she spoke too quiet for him to hear.

"Sorry?" he asked.

"No, nothing," Chris replied, "We're fine. We race all the time, so we're used to running. Right, Little brother?" she asked Teriuz with a suddenly cheerful expression. All signs of pain faded from her face and the way she carried herself and she was once again back to playing her part. It took Teriuz a few moments to realize she was talking to him.

"Oh, yeah." he said when he had. Then, with a mischievous grin, he added, "But I always beat her. She's just too slow for me," He glanced at his Captain and smiled weakly under the scrutinizing glare she gave him. However, the look quickly became a cheerful one once again as she walked toward Teriuz and gave him an extremely hard, painful pat on the back, prompting a choked cough from the boy's longs.

"Well, little bro, looks like we'll have to test that when we get home. Won't we?" she asked with a strange venom in her voice. Teriuz laughed slightly.

"Ahaha, I guess we will, sis," he said a bit nervously.

"Speaking of home, where do you two live? I'll escort you," Wes smiled, "After all, I can't leave such a pretty young lady to fend for herself with Pirates on the island,"

Chris felt a blush rise in her cheeks and she hastily looked away, "Oh, don't worry," she said to him, "That's not necessary,"

"No, it isn't," a familiar voice said from above. Chris lifted her head to see Zugai standing on the roof of the single story home beside them, holding Honehakaisha over his shoulder and looking down at them with his one visible blue eyes, "Because that 'pretty young lady' doesn't need an escort, thank you very much," he glanced at Chris and Teriuz with an evil-looking grin and then looked back at the Marine, "Because they aren't going to go home,"

Chris could barely hide the grin that spread across her lips at the sight of Zugai. Wes, luckily, didn't notice that change. He quickly stepped in front of Chris and Teriuz, drawing his sword, "You get out of here! I'll take care of this goon!" he said. Chris blinked and smiled slightly. _This guy's an idiot..._ she decided, _he has good intentions, but he's still an idiot..._

Zugai didn't have a chance to strike. He didn't even have a chance to jump from the roof before the man's sword suddenly fell with a clatter and he followed soon after, unconscious. The two pirates blinked in confusion for a few moments before looking at Teriuz, who had his hand open where the man's neck would have been if he were standing. "What?" Teriuz asked, "You distracted him and this was a lot less messy, wouldn't you agree?"

Chris rolled her eyes and Zugai laughed as he jumped off the roof and landed softly on the dirt ground beneath. Holding Honehakaisha ith one hand, he reached the other into his hoody pocket and took out the folded hat and shirt, then tossed it to his captain. "A gift from Aven," he said.

Chris caught the clothing and smiled, "Awesome, finally!" She said. She quickly put the hat in her mouth before pulling off the dress, revealing the knee-length shorts and tanktop she wore beneath. She was wearing her normal shoes, so all she had to do was slip the shirt on over her undershirt and then put the hat on her head, hiding her hair within it once again. "Ahh, much better!" She said cheerfully with a cat-like smile as she put the dress on her shoulder to hold it.

She looked down at the unconscious marine, "You know, I feel sorta bad for him," she admitted, "He was a bit overzealous, sure, but he was doing his job better then a lot of marines I've seen lately." She walked toward Wes and knelt beside him, pulling his arm around her shoulder and proceeding to drag him out of the middle of the road and lean him against the wall. She patted his shoulder with a smile, "No hard feelings, right, buddy?"

She waited a brief moment, and although no answer came, she smiled and said, "Good," before turning to Zugai and Teriuz, "Now that that's taken care of, 'Little Brother', 'Mr. Bandit', shall we go back and get Faith and make sure the others are alright?"

"I would think so," Zugai said, "Because the only way to get Faith out is for you to pick the lock. The bars are too strong to break apparently. Think you can do that, Master Thief?"

Chris grinned, "Picking a lock? Childsplay," she said, shrugging it off, "Let's get going! We've got work to do, you know?" she said, then, she started running, slipping straight passed Teriuz and Zugai, who watched her briefly before following.

As they turned the corner, Wes lifted his head, however, his eyes were different. The irises were gone, showing nothing but the whites, and an uncharacteristic manic grin was spread across his lips. He stood up rather rigidly, then looked in the direction the pirates had just disappeared to. Without a word, he took a step, moving at such a high speed in their direction that he seemed to vanish into thin air.

(--)

The sounds of fighting above caught Aya and Jae's attention immediately and they looked up with heavy sighs. The dog in the cage looked startled, his fur standing on end, eyes narrowed as he crouched low in a corner, defensively.

"Should we go up and help?" Aya asked hesitantly as she looked down at Jae. The navigator kept his gaze on the ceiling until he heard a devastating crash and then he shook his head.

"Nah, they've got it covered," he said. They heard a light groan and turned to see Faith was moving, stretching her arms in the tight space before opening her eyes. She spotted Aya and Jae and her eyes widened.

With a sudden animation, she jumped to her knees, grabbing the bars with both hands with an excited expression, "Aya! Jae!" she gasped.

"Faith! You're ok!" Aya responded, kneeling beside her friend and taking her hands excitedly. "Don't worry, once Chris gets here, she'll pick the lock and we'll have you out in no time!"

"And David too?" Faith asked. Aya looked at her quizzically and she nodded toward the dog, "Him, right there. I can't leave without him!"

"You can't leave at all," a voice that Aya and Jae didn't recognize, but Faith and David did. Faith's eyes widened, her face lost all color, and then, an electrical current coursed through hers and David's bodies.

"FAITH!" Aya screamed, trying to reach her friend as Faith backed away, screaming. In the cage beside her, David began howling, the electricity much more intense then usual. Jae, rather then approach his friend, hastily stepped back.

An image flashed through his mind: _A younger version of himself, two shadowy adults in front of him, an some sort of electrifying device._ "Stop it," Jae said quietly. _Moving closer, closer, before finally touching his skin, sending a burst of electricity through his body His older sisters shouting for the parents to stop as Jae screamed…. _Jae put his hands to his head, trying to force out the image, "STOP IT!" he shouted.

And just like that, the electricity stopped, Faith's screams stopped, the dog's howling stopped, and all was still except for the choked sobs coming from Aya, fearing for her friend, who was now lying on the floor of her cage, breathing heavily. Jae took a few moments to compose himself before slowly lowering his hands from his head and looking at Faith. He turned around, spotting a woman standing on the other side of the basement, seeming to have come from another door that they hadn't seen before.

She was smiling, her dark eyes obviously annoyed at the appearance of two intruders. She had a pair of glasses pushed up atop her head, holding back her hair, and in one hand, she held a remote control. Jae stared at the woman and his eyes narrowed. "Was it you?" he asked in a cold voice. "That did this to them?"

The woman looked at him and smiled, and that was all the answer Jae needed. He cracked his neck, then his fingers and started forward. "You're going to pay for that," he said, still calm. Then, he darted forward quickly, not bothering to use his Devil Fruit Powers, but rather throwing a furious punch at the woman's face. She sidestepped, letting Jae's momentum send him passed her, then she spun and grabbed the back of his head, slamming him face first into the ground and holding him there.

"I don't appreciate intruders in my laboratory," she growled, digging her knee into Jae's back and pushing his face further into the white floor, "Especially coming so close to my subjects,"

"You're going to pay," Jae repeated, trying to pull free, but the woman grabbed one of his arms with her free hand, wrenching it behind his back and forcing a startled cry from the boy.

"If you think the others are going to come down to help you, you're sadly mistaken," the woman said, "Every Marine on this base has been enhanced via the Chimera Project, giving them incredible strength or intellect or speed. You and your crew won't stand a chance,"

"You bitch!" Aya suddenly shouted from behind. The woman turned her head to look at the doctor in time to see a whip shooting in her direction. She released Jae's head and lifted that hand, letting the whip wrap around it and clutching it tightly.

"Foul language isn't appreciated either," The woman said. She tugged on the whip, pulling Aya off her feet, and spun it, releasing it and sending Aya flying into a nearby wall with a loud crash. "Just don't struggle and I'll make sure your deaths are less painful then your friends…"

(--)

The sound of a crash caught the attention of the group on the ground floor and immediately, all eyes turned toward the door. "What the hell is going on down there?" Gonzo asked, startled. He started toward the door, but was knocked aside by a strong fist slamming into the side of his face with enough force to send him flying through the wooden wall.

"Gonzo!" Aven gasped, surprised. She ran to help him, but was stopped by a hand grabbing her ankle from below. She looked down to see one of the marines looking up at him, his eyes completely white, the muscles in his arms bulging. He stood up, pulling Aven head over heels and holding her upside down in the air, then, he threw her into the desk. She slid on the top and disappeared on the other side, knocking down the chair as she landed on the ground with a grunt.

"Oi!" Blue growled, lifting the rifle to shoot at that particular Marine. He was surprised to see someone suddenly appear in front of him and kick the gun upward, sending the explosive round into the ceiling. Five seconds later, it burst, sending bits of wood and concrete crashing down upon Blue.

"Guys!" Chopper shouted, eyes wide. What was going on? Just a moment ago, they were all unconscious! How could they have recovered, especially from _his_ attack, so quickly? "This isn't good…" Chopper mumbled as the marines slowly began to pick themselves up.

* * *

**A/N:** :D Two chapters in a week! That's more like it! Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I'm not sure how much longer this arc is going to last, but at the rate I'm going… hmm… lol. Well, we'll see. I'm having fun with this though. Anyway, don't forget to leave your reviews! Let me know what you think and what you'd like to see next!


	68. Special Combination Attack

**Pirates!**

**Special Combination Attack!**

**Chimera Marines Defeated!**

* * *

"Heavy Gong!" Chopper, now in Heavy Point, shouted as he thrust his enormous fist into the face of an approaching marine. He turned, kicking out with a roundhouse kick and wiping out a line of Marines, "Heavy Sweep!"

He felt a stinging pan on his left arm and turned to see a stream of blood fall to the floor, coming from an open gash in his arm. He gripped it tightly -the marine who had hit him was only centimeters away from hitting the artery. That meant they either knew the anatomy extremely well or were _actually_ striking to kill.

Chopper had a sinking feeling it was the latter.

He quickly changed to arm point, reeling his fist back briefly, then launching it toward the white-eyed Marine, "Kokutei Roseo!" he exclaimed. His hoof hit the marine with such force that it sent the man flying back into his allies, leaving a hoof print on his chest.

"300 Gallons: Standing Rib Roast!" Gonzo suddenly shouted. He ran forward with inhuman speed and threw a series of seven strong punches, each one hitting a different Marine and sending them sprawling. He straightened and cracked his neck, looking over at the injured Chopper, "You ok there, sir?" he asked.

Chopper looked at Gonzo, the serious expression on his face softening as he allowed a smile to grace his features, "Fine," he said, "Thanks for that. And don't call me sir! It's plain Chopper!"

"I don't think I can get used to something like that, but ok," Gonzo said, "Chopper it is then!"

"Gonzo, behind you!" Chopper suddenly shouted. Gonzo spun around, coming face to face with a large, buff marine carrying the _desk_ over his head with both hands with relative ease.

"Tricks: 10,000 Pound Mallet!" Aven's voice suddenly shouted. There was a loud thud, followed by a crack, and the Marine fell, the desk falling atop him. Aven stood where he once was, an impossibly large metal mallet with the words '5 TON' written in big red letters held firmly in both hands, as if she'd just swung it like a bat. Chopper stared at it for a moment, shocked, a momentary flashback of a frightened, yet confident voice shouting 'USOPP POUND!' echoing in the back of his mind.

He shook the thought out of his mind as Aven let the mallet fall to the ground, causing a large crack and actually splitting through the floor into the basement below. She looked down at it, shocked, then looked up with an embarrassed smile. "Oops, sorry," she said with a nervous laugh at the shocked expressions on Gonzo's and Chopper's faces.

There was a rustle of wood and debris near the door and simultaneously the group looked toward it to see the pile shaking and shifting. Then, suddenly, there was an enormous gust of wind from within and the debris was forced away, spiraling through the air at anyone who got in its way. "Tricks: Barrier!" Aven shouted, holding out her hands quickly. A clear bubble appeared around Chopper, Gonzo, and herself, protecting them from the sharp and large pieces of rock and wood, which then slammed into the other standing Marines.

Without even speaking, he shouldered the rifle with the strap and instead pulled his revolvers, holding one in each hand. He didn't even bother to aim as he fired at the once again rising marines, manipulating the wind to make the bullets move to his will, hitting twelve of the Marines that had been modified for speed through the leg and effectively immobilizing them.

"This is getting tedious," Blue said calmly, blowing the smoke from the guns and spinning them on his index fingers expertly and letting them fall into their holsters.

"I agree," Gonzo said with a nod, watching as the marines that they'd just knocked down rose once again to their feet. There was obvious weakness in their stances – the speed ones were standing in place, leaning against objects or each other, the strong ones were slouched over, obviously pushed beyond their limits, and the intelligent ones remained behind the others, uninjured. "These bastards just don't know when to quit,"

"Not really. There's a handful missing. Must've had the sense to run off," Aven said, "But still, what do we do with the handful we've got here? Every time we hit them, they get right back up again,"

"That's because we're going about it all wrong," Chopper suddenly said. "They're taking the force of our attacks separately and that's exactly the problem!" The three younger pirates looked at him, confused. It was Blue who understood first.

"You're saying we've go to attack all at once," he suggested. Chopper's grin was all the confirmation he needed. He nodded and looked at Gonzo. "You up for it?"

"A combination attack with the great Tony-Tony Chopper? Is that a question?" he asked Blue with an excited laugh.

"But we've got to get them all together first." Chopper added, "Aven, can you round 'em up?"

"Sure!" Aven replied. She turned her attention to the Marines and lifted her hands and suddenly, all around her, a group of large, growling tigers appeared. They spread out, surrounding the zombie-like marines and advancing on them. "Animal Tricks: Tigers!" Luckily, the marines had enough sense to back away from the dangerous animals, but not enough to understand that they were merely illusions into a jumbled group.

"Blue, Gonzo, let's do this!" Chopper said quickly to the two boys as Aven herded the marines. "My Rumble Ball will remain in effect for two more minutes, since I used a low dose that only powered me up for ten minutes, so let's make this fast. Arm Point!"

Gonzo rubbed his hands together, grinning, then cracked his knuckles, "Let's see, 10,000 isn't enough for an attack like this. After all, something like this is once in a lifetime, so let's go with 100,000!" He crouched down, linking his hands together and allowing Chopper to stand on them. Blue stood behind Chopper, his hands extended, his blue eyes peering over the rims of his sunglasses with a small smile playing across his lips. In front of his hands, wind began to accumulate. "Storm Warning," Blue began.

"100,000 Gallon…" Gonzo added, his arms tensing, muscles bulging. Suddenly, he threw Chopper forward, like a torpedo. Blue threw the wind toward Chopper, letting it surround him and causing the reindeer to rapidly spin. The tigers around the marines vanished and Aven shielded herself against the intense wind.

"Roseo…" Chopper growled, reeling a fisted hoof back.

"TWISTER!" The three boys shouted simultaneously. Due to Chopper's spinning, his hoof connected with not one, but multiple marines, and the wind surrounding became engulfed in a strange, sakura-petal like glow before expanding and blasting away the marines into and through the surrounding walls.

When it was over, Chopper landed skillfully on his feet, and all that remained was a light breeze that left through the holes in the building and the windows. The marines were lying sprawled around the room, all unconscious after that final display of power.

Chopper allowed himself to return to his regular hybrid form, looking around at the unconscious marines, then at the three young pirates that had helped to defeat them. His serious expression suddenly melted into a grin and he made the best version of a thumbs up that he could with hooves.

Blue, Gonzo, and Aven returned it and laughed. They'd just performed a combination attack with one of the most famous pirates in the world. It just couldn't get better!

(--)

Chris couldn't even begin to explain how much better she felt now that she no longer wore the dress. Of course, she still held it over her shoulder – it belonged to Aya, so she couldn't just throw it away. But as much as she hated how things were back home, the entire situation was strangely nostalgic. Running with the guys, playing pirates, but this time, it wasn't a game. It was real.

The small smile on her face quickly faded as she felt a stabbing pain in her thigh, where the stitches held together the almost-healed wound, and for the briefest instant, her leg began to give out on her. She tried to catch herself, but stumbled and had to grab onto Zugai's arm to keep from completely falling.

Zugai stopped quickly, turning and grabbing her arm and Teriuz took hold of her other arm to keep her up, "Hey, you ok?" Zugai asked with a concerned voice. His captain stared at the ground for a few moments, breathing heavily, and for a moment, he thought her grip on his arm tightened, but when she looked up, she was back to normal, the grip loosened, and she was smiling.

"I'm fine," She lied, keeping face as each she let go of Zugai and straightened, shrugging them both off. "Tripped is all, almost fell!" She looked over her shoulder at the ground, "They really need to fix this road, huh?"

Teriuz looked passed behind him at the dirt road they'd been following back to the building, which was now just around the corner, and was surprised to see that it was perfectly smooth. "Chris, the path is flawless," he said.

Chris blinked and turned around to look before laughing, "Well, I must be clumsy, then! My bad!" She continued in the direction they'd been going, and Zugai and Teriuz watched her uncertainly.

"Chris, hold on," Zugai said, reaching out and taking her arm. She quickly pulled away and spun around, her eyes angry.

"I'm fine!" She repeated in annoyance, "When I say I'm fine, I'm fine!"

Zugai was about to respond, but Teriuz quickly placed himself between the two, pushing them away from each other, "Now's not the time to be arguing," he pointed out, trying to make peace. He glanced at Chris out of the corner of his eye, "We've got somewhere to be, remember? Things to do. Or did that slip your mind?"

"Tsch," Chris said, rolling her eyes as she turned away. She took only a single step when she noticed a group standing a few yards away and stopped again, startled. They looked like Marines, but they were standing so still, like a group of statues. She found herself wondering if they were real or not.

Zugai stuffed his hands into the pocket of his hoodie, his visible blue eye staring impassively at the marines across. Teriuz rested an arm on the handle of Honekirite, but made no move to grab onto it or unsheathe it.

Chris heard movement behind them and turned slightly so that her side was facing the group of marines – she'd prefer not to have her back to them. She turned her head to look behind Zugai and Teriuz while her two crewmembers kept their gaze locked on the group, having not noticed, and she was surprised to see another figure standing there, this one she recognized.

It was the Marine Teriuz had knocked out before – Wes. But something was most definitely different. He walked toward them with what appeared to be deliberate slowness, his eyes and head downcast, before finally coming to a stop. Then he lifted his head, showing a grin and whitened eyes, and suddenly, he rushed forward, heading straight for Teriuz.

Chris's eyes widened with a sudden fury at the thought of this man attacking her nakama from behind and quickly, she slipped between the two boys, drawing her Double-Sided dagger and Crescent Dagger with lightning speed and letting the dress she carried fall to the ground. She held the Crescent Dagger in its third hold, like a hook. She lifted it, putting the larger blade of the Double-Sided dagger against it, and used them combined to stop the sword that slashed down at Teriuz's back.

"Faster then I thought," Chris said. A trickle of blood ran down from a small cut on the outside side of her hand, where she wasn't able to protect with her combination of knives. She stared at Wes, confused, "What happened to the nice guy from before, huh? I'm sure you don't want to keep me from saving my friends, right?" She got no response except for an increase in pressure on the sword.

A series of shouts came from the group of Marines as they rushed toward the pirates. "We've got them, Captain," Teriuz said, drawing Honekirite as Zugai pulled his own bone weapon. Simultaneously, the two boys ran forward to meet the marines.

"Make it fast, guys!" Chris called behind her,, pushing on the blades and forcing Wes back a few paces. "We don't have time to spend fighting here. We've got to get back and free Faith and help the others!"

"Got it!" Zugai replied, pushing a marine away from him. He looked at Teriuz, "Watch out! I'll take care of this half, you take the others!" he said.

Teriuz nodded and separated from Zugai, attracting about half of the zombie-like group. The bulkier, muscular ones moved slowly while the smaller ones moved quicker. Two of them completely ignored the two boys and made their way toward Chris, each holding an axe.

Zugai lifted Honehakaisha quickly as the marines moved toward him from all sides. He held it out to his side, extending it to its full length, flat side out. Zugai lightened the bones in his body and making Honehakaisha heavier, and swung Honehakaisha in front of him, using the velocity to continue the spin into a rapid, tornado-like speed. "_Honehakaisha Teikiatsu_!" he shouted. The flat side of the labrys slammed into anyone who came within range, knocking them away once again. Zugai began to slowly harden his bones again, slowing down the spinning, then pressed the bottom of Honehakaisha's handle to the ground to finally stop himself completely. A slight breeze spun around him for a few moments, rustling his hair and stirring the dirt, but soon faded.

Around him, the marines that had neared him were lying in various places around the ground and after seeing this, Zugai let his cool-guy act drop, putting a hand to his head and staggering dizzily before finally leaning on Honehakaisha. "Woah, maybe that was a little too fast," he said. "Gotta work on that move…"

Teriuz had seen Zugai's attack and looked down at his own bone weapon as he waved in and out of then marines near him. At the moment, he was evading attacks, getting a feel for their movements. Already, he was able to read them. Their zombie-like state made them sluggish and predictable, but it was the faster ones he was having trouble with.

"Let me give that one a try," Teriuz said. He jumped away from the marines into a free space and held out his sword. It was much lighter then Honehakaisha, which meant that he'd most likely move much quicker if he could figure out exactly _how_ Zugai had done it. He experimented at first, throwing the sword forward and spinning only once before stopping.

That wasn't right… Maybe the weapon was heavier. Using Zugai's power, he increased the weight of the sword, but he over did it and made it so heavy that the blade crashed into the ground. "Gah!"

Zugai watched him with interest, "What are you doing?" he asked curiously from his spot.

"Trying to figure out how _you_ did it," Teriuz said. Zugai opened his mouth, but Teriuz interrupted as he again dodged a swing, lightening the sword once again, "No, don't tell me, I'll figure it out,"

Zugai rolled his eyes and turned his attention to Chris. He hadn't noticed the two men with axes approaching her, and she seemed to be distracted by Wes, fighting off the sword expertly with her knives. His eyes narrowed and he lifted Honehakaisha, about to stop the marines that raised the axes to strike, but Chris reacted first.

She managed to trap Wes' blade with her two knives and while she held it in place, she lifted a foot and kicked forward, knocking him back and twisting the knives in the process to wrench the swords from his grip. Wes stumbled, tripping over his own feet stupidly, and fell.

Chris turn to face the men with the axe and jumped back as they swung the axes down on her, "What the hell is with you marines and fighting dirty?" she asked. Before they could dislodge the axes from the dirt, she stepped on the handles, reaching up and grabbing the marine's heads. "Say goodnight!" she said. Then, she slammed their heads together with a loud thump.

The two fell, unconscious, their white eyes open. Chris dusted off her hands and sheathed her knives. "Well, that was easy," she said, moving the axes away from them as a precaution.

She looked toward Teriuz, who was swinging the sword hard enough to spin, then stopping, and tilted her head. She looked to Zugai, pointing at Teriuz questionably.

"He says he's trying to figure out how I did my attack," he said to his captain, "I don't know, but it's definitely entertaining. Behind you,"

Chris didn't even turn around – simply lifted a fist over her shoulder and hit Wes, who had risen once again, square in the nose. A trickle of blood came out and he smiled stupidly before finally falling like the others, unconscious, "Yeah, entertaining," she agreed.

Teriuz heard the two talking and his eyes twitched slightly at their amusement, "I've almost got it, ok?" He called indignantly. He dodged a sword stabbing at his throat and then, with a ferocious punch, he knocked the marine who attacked back, "Give me some space, damn it!" he shouted, prompting Chris and Zugai to start laughing at his annoyance.

Teriuz ignored them and focused on what he'd tried already. He'd made the sword heavier, then lighter, made the bones in his arm heavier, made himself lighter… what was he missing? Then, it dawned on him. A combination of the two!

"I've got it!" he suddenly exclaimed excitedly. He held the sword out and hardened it slightly as he lightened all of the bones in his body except his arm. "Come get me, Marines!" he said confidently.

As if responding to his order, they all rushed at him from all sides, and it was at that moment that Teriuz swung the sword. As he wanted, the weight of the sword gave his lightened body the momentum to begin to spin just like Zugai, though a bit slower. "_Honekirite Teikiatsu_!" he shouted, copying the name, but changing the weapon. Like Zugai's attack, the marines that came within range were not only knocked away by the force of the hit, but also cut by the blade of the sword.

Zugai's eyes widened in surprise, "Wow, he actually copied it!" he said. That impressed shock faded, immediately, however, at what he saw.

Even after all of the Marines had been defeated, Teriuz continued spinning, prompting a confused reaction from Chris and Zugai. "Why… isn't he stopping?" Chris asked.

"I don't think… he can…" Zugai replied, smiling weakly. They watched as Teriuz spun toward a building and both of them winced sympathetically as he crashed into it, the sword shattering the wood. It wasn't until his body actually hit it that he finally came to a stop and fell, lying, unmoving on the ground.

Chris and Zugai ran toward him quickly, standing over him as he stared blankly at the sky above, his eyes spinning. "Hey, you ok?" Chris asked him.

"Y-yeah," Teriuz sputtered, sitting up. He wiped the nervous sweat from his forehead with a whistle, then grinned. "That was fun!" he said, laughing. "Phew! So how am I supposed to stop? Use the sword as an anchor?"

"You're supposed to harden your bones," Zugai replied, "And make the weapon lighter, _then_ use the sword as an anchor, otherwise you'll break it!" he picked up the fallen Honekirite. Because it had been hardened, it wasn't damaged. He handed it to Zugai, "Be more careful with that thing. It can be really brittle at times,"

"Yeah, I know," Teriuz replied, standing and dusting himself off. "Well, let's move on?"

"Oh, right!" Chris said. "We've got to hurt to the building! Let's go!" then, without another word, she ran forward with a new burst of energy, Zugai and Teriuz behind.

* * *

**A/N:** There it is! I'm so sorry for the long delay, but this chapter could have been done so many ways, and for some strange reason, Fanfiction hasn't been letting me log in. I was going to add Aya and Jae's battle in here, but decided against it. But don't worry, that'll come next. Anyway, I hope you all liked that attack that I included in Chopper, Blue, Aven, and Gonzo's fight! Full name: _Storm Warning: 100,000 Gallon Roseo Twister_! A once in a lifetime thing there! Anyway, thank you so much for your patience! Feedback, as always, is appreciated!


	69. The Rescue Completed

**Pirates!**

**Aya and Jae vs. Echo**

**The Rescue Completed**

* * *

Aya rose from behind the desk, subbing her soar shoulder. When that scientist had thrown her using her own whip, it had pulled hard against it, almost popping it out of place, but thankfully, it hadn't. She pushed a string of dark green hair out of her face and pushed herself to her feet, reaching for a few of her needles.

Jae tried to turn his head under the woman's hold and as he managed to glance at Aya, she could see the dark red substance on his forehead, staining his light hair. Had he been slammed into the ground that hard? His bluish eyes were furious and he managed to twist out of her grip, elbowing her hard in the ribs and effectively knocking her off before rising. He protectively moved toward Faith's cage, blocking it from the woman's sight as she began to stand, seemingly unharmed. "Damn it..." he growled under his breath.

"Don't be angry, dear, it's not easy to defeat me," the scientist said, "After all, there are high qualifications to be involved in the Chimera Project. Not just anyone can do it," A grin spread across her lips, "It requires extensive knowledge, a thirst to understand, and of course, a bit of insanity.

"I understand you're a Devil Fruit user," the woman continued, "Jae Axia... Metarionette was your nickname, I believe. Navigator of the Crescent Dagger Pirates, age 17, from an island in the South Blue. Alde Nare, I think it was called,"

Jae's eyes widened in surprise. Before he could even ask a question, the woman turned her attention to Aya, "Needle Master Aya Vincent, age 17, Doctor of the Crescent Dagger Pirates," She recited the information as if reading it from some sort of profile paper, almost sounding bored as she spoke. However, their shock brought another smile to her lips.

"Yes, I know all about you," She said, "All of you. The Crescent Dagger Pirates are quite the topic of interest for the Chimera Project members. Since I know all about you, it's only fair that you should know who I am," she paused, reaching into her lab coat and extracting what looked like a revolver, "I am called Echo, lead professor of the Chimera Project here on Nile Island,"

Aya tensed where she stood, preparing to immobilize the woman with a throw of her needles. _What else does she know about us?_ She asked herself uncertainly. However, Jae was the first to speak.

"What exactly is the Chimera Project?" he asked, "And just what do you want with Faith and that other dog?" He looked surprisingly calm so soon after the fury present in his eyes moments ago.

Echo looked at him with a look of mock surprise, "You mean you don't know?" she gasped, "And to think I thought all this time Chris Hopkins was open with his crew. Surely he told you about it, he's known since he killed Garza the Creator. He even managed to shut down another of our facilities. No?" she shrugged, "Well, if you really want to know, you can ask him. Assuming you ever see him again, that is."

Her speech was cut short, however, by the sound of cracking above. Simultaneously, all three of them looked up. The ceiling was beginning to crack, and then after a moment, a large chunk of it fell, followed by what looked like an enormous hammer of some sort. "Oops, sorry," the nervous voice of Aven suddenly said.

Then, the sounds of the battle above reached them and Aya and Jae snapped out of their momentary startled paralysis. "Aya-san, let's take this woman down," Jae said, lowering into a stance. He extended a hand, allowing a few strong wires emerge from his fingers, then he grasped them with both hands.

"Yeah," Aya agreed. She threw her needles at the distracted Echo, then pulled out her whip as Jae ran forward, pulling the wires taut. Echo paid them no attention as she looked up in annoyance at the broken ceiling.

"Those idiots..." she grumbled, "Can't they dispose of a few pirates without destroying the place?" Without looking at Jae and Aya, she leaned to one side to avoid the needles and sidestepped to avoid Jae's advance. "I have to do everything myself, don't I?"

She crouched, and was about to jump upward when she felt something wrap around her ankle. She looked down, spotting Aya's metal whip, and blinked in surprise. She looked to Aya, who had a confident grin on her face.

"Hey, pay attention to us," she said. She tugged on the whip, pulling Echo's feet from beneath her and causing her to fall backward. She caught herself with her hands, but it proved a waste of time because shortly after, Jae managed to hit the woman with the fallen hammer, knocking her back into a wall, which cracked upon the impact.

"Woah, this is heavy..." Jae said, dropping it with a loud crash. It disappeared shortly after and frankly, Jae was surprised it lasted that long. He looked at Aya over her shoulder and flashed a thumbs up, which she returned with a smile. However, their cheerful expressions faded at the sound of laughter coming from Echo.

The woman pushed herself out of the imprint left in the wall and cracked her neck as she clicked her tongue, the way an adult would do so to a misbehaving child. "I told you, I'm not that easy to kill," she said. A maniacal smile spread across her lips, "But you are,"

She raised the Revolver and pointed it at Jae, firing it before the boy could react. However, what came out wasn't a bullet, but something akin to a tranquilizer dart. The needle-like point embedded itself into his thigh and he hissed in pain as he hastily reached down and pulled it out. However, the action was futile. Already he could feel the effects of the tranquilizer flowing through his veins.

"Shit..." he growled in frustration as his vision began to blur. He quickly found it impossibly to stay standing without swaying and let himself fall to his knees, putting a hand over his eyes and clamping them shut.

"Jae!" Aya called. She ran toward him, skidding to a stop beside him and kneeling down, "Jae, are you ok? Talk to me!"

Jae didn't respond. He could almost feel her hands on his shoulders, but it was a very distant sensation. To think a tranquilizer could work so quickly...

His body suddenly went limp and he fell forward against Aya, who caught him with difficulty and shook him. "Jae? Jae!" she tried. When he didn't respond, she gently laid him down on the floor and checked his heartbeat. Steady. So the drug wasn't affecting that. He'd be fine in a few hours. "Just sit tight," she told him. She stood up, turning to face Echo.

"One down," Echo said. She fired the gun a second time, but was surprised to hear the crack of a whip, followed by the shatter of the glass dart. The girl had stopped it.

"You've pissed off the wrong girl," Aya growled. She reached into her bag and took out a needle, which she threw toward Echo with expert precision aiming for the woman's throat. However, Echo dodged it easily and was about to fire another dart, but was surprised that when she looked back toward Aya and Jae, Aya was gone.

"What the..." she began. She was cut off when she felt the whip wrap around her wrist and tug it back, forcing he to involuntarily fire another dart into the air and into the ceiling. She turned in time to see Aya holding the whip taught above her head, while in the other hand she held a handful of needles. Echo reacted quickly, jumping and stepping on the whip's tail.

Aya fell forward, catching herself with the hand holding the needles. She released the whip from Echo's wrist and pulled it back, but as she looked up, she saw the woman running toward her. Before she could even react, Echo kicked her hard in the chin, forcing her from all fours onto her knees, her head tilted back. She recovered in time, however, to block another kick aimed at her neck, using a single arm to do so.

She grabbed the leg discarding the needles and jabbing her hand, fingers together, at three pressure points around the knee. She released the leg and as soon as Echo tried to step onto it, it gave out beneath her, causing her to fall to one knee.

Aya didn't stop her assault there. She hit another one just below the elbow of the arm holding the gun, then two more right above it. The arm went limp and she repeated the process with the other arm for good measure. She grabbed hold of Echo's shoulder tightly, holding her still and thrusting her hand toward the woman's chest, stopping just before hitting the region just at the base of the neck.

"Pressure points are vital areas of the body," Aya said calmly, "Hitting them can cause significant damage. Immobilization. Sometimes even death. I know all of these pressure points better then any doctor in my home village, even better then Faith and my mentor. The areas I've hit you in have rendered your limbs immobile." she moved her hand to the points she'd just hit in the leg. "Shitsugan, ryokyu, and kekkai, have given you a sensation known commonly as 'Dead Leg'." she said, then moved to the arms, "Gori, churyo, and sanri around the elbows make it impossible to move the joint, therefore immobilizing your arm,"

She moved her hand back to where it was moments before, "and right here it Tentosu," she said, "an area that can be deadly if I hit in the right place and to be honest, you're the first person to make me want to miss," she paused, waiting for a reaction in the dark eyes before her.

"Then do it," Echo said, "You want to kill don't you? You'll always be weak if you're not willing to kill,"

"I'm a doctor," Aya said. "My job is to save lives, not take them. Just be thankful Chris isn't here. My captain wouldn't be as merciful," She twisted the hand holding the woman's shoulder, jabbing her thumb hard into a pressure point where the neck and shoulder met and immediately knocking the doctor out. She released her, letting her fall, and then reached across for the revolver. She was sure that her strike would keep Echo knocked out for at least a few hours, but this was an extra precaution, for good measure. She pressed the barrel against Echo's neck and pulled the trigger, releasing the dart with a hiss of air. Then, she dropped the gun and stood up, rubbing her jaw, which was starting to ache from the kick before.

"Faith?" She called. She could no longer see her friend's cage from this position, and wondered if Faith could see her.

"I'm fine," Faith called back. She sounded tired, though. "What about you?"

"Same," Aya replied. She quickly searched the doctor's clothing for the key, but found nothing that looked like it. With a sigh, she walked toward Jae, kneeling beside him, "I can't find the key," she called to Faith, "The doctor doesn't have it..."

"What about Jae? I saw him get hit... then he fell.. .is he..."

"Unconscious," Aya finished for him, "Don't worry, he's fine. Should come to in a few hours..."

"Hey!" A voice from above called. Aya tilted her head back to see the rest of the crew looking down through the hole above. It was Gonzo, "you ok?"

Aya nodded and it was after that that the circle looked away from the hole to something else above. For a moment, Aya feared it was more Marines. However, she was met with the faces of Chris, Zugai, and Teriuz, who appeared out of breath upon their arrival.

Chris didn't hesitate to jump down into the hole, landing in a crouch and hesitating for a moment in that position, holding her side before standing and looking at Aya. "What are you still doing down here?" She asked Aya. She glanced at Echo, as if to make sure the woman was really unconscious, then looked up again, "Gonzo, can you come get Jae and bring him upstairs? Aya too. I'll take care of Faith!"

"Roger that, Captain!" Gonzo replied. Rather then jump, as Chris had, he made his way to the door.

"Here, let me help," Aya said quickly, but Chris shook her head as she walked toward the cages.

"No, I've got it," Chris said. The tone left no room for argument, and even if Aya wanted to, she couldn't. Gonzo appeared and heaved Jae onto his shoulder, then ushered Aya out, following behind.

Chris made her way to the cage where Faith was contained, reaching into her pocket for a paperclip in the process. "I'll have you out in no time," She assured the doctor, kneeling down and straightening the paperclip. She inserted it into the lock as Faith waited, leaning against the bars. "Sorry," Chris said suddenly.

This startled Faith. "For what?" She asked. Chris didn't look away from her work as she replied.

"For leaving," She said. There was an audible click and the cage opened a crack. Chris removed the paperclip and backed up, pulling open the door and allowed Faith to exit, "If I wouldn't have sneaked off, you wouldn't have gotten caught. I was being selfish,"

"Don't be stupid," Faith said. She rolled her eyes at Chris' words, "It was my own fault, ok? I left too, for him," she nodded toward David, who Chris noticed for the first time. "Can you do me a favor and let him out too?" she asked.

Chris stared at the dog for a few moments and upon meeting her gaze, he growled and backed away. "It's a blue dog..." she muttered. "Yeah, sure I'll let him go," she said, and immediately began picking this lock as well. David's ears flattened uncertainly against his head until he heard a click, at which point they pricked up again with surprise. She was freeing him?

The door opened and Chris stood, stepping back to allow it out. "Well, you're free," she said. David hesitated for a moment, then gingerly stepped forward, walking cautiously passed the girls before taking off and bolting up the stairs.

"Wait!" Faith tried calling after him. He paused at the top of the staircase, turning his head to look at Faith, the continued running. She frowned slightly.

"Don't worry," Chris said, "He'll be fine, trust me. We've got to get going though. The town knows what's going on here and it's only a matter of time before they try to run us out themselves,"

Faith hesitated for a moment, then nodded. She walked slowly to the stairs, surprised by how weak her legs were after such a short time. The sedatives must still be active, plus the electricity... She nearly fell, but was caught by Chris, who then proceeded to help her up the stairs.

At the top, Chopper appeared, pulling Faith away and into his arms. "You're body's weak right now, you shouldn't walk," he told her when she tried to protest.

"We have to move the ship," Blue said, "Hide it somewhere else in case the villagers try to run us out. At least until the Log sets."

"Figured as much," Chris said with a nod, "Alright, let's do that then. The sooner we get out of sight, the better... The last thing we need right now is more attention,"

The others nodded in agreement and together, they left.

* * *

**A/N:** It's a little late, but Happy Thanksgiving! This would've been out earlier, but I decided to re-write it because I didn't like how it turned out. But here's the finished product and the near end of this arc! Just one more chapter and that's it :D. I hope you all enjoyed it and had a great Thanksgiving! Don't forget to review!

SNE121


	70. Chopper's Departure

**A/N:** Alright, so in the last chapter, near the end, I made a slight mistake. I was tired . it was a long day, but it's been corrected and it's really nothing major. At the end, where it say Jae speaks, it was supposed to be Blue... since Jae is still KO'd by the tranquilizer.... that's all! Now, don't forget to review this chapter!

**Disclaimer:** While I'm here, I may as well say I own nothing that you recognize as your own or as Oda's.

* * *

**Pirates!**

**Chopper's Departure,**

**A Crewmember's Entrance**

"I can't believe you guys got to fight alongside Tony Tony Chopper!" Chris said in exasperation as she sat before Faith with her lock picking tools, "That's so cool!"

"You bet it was!" Aven said with a wide grin, leaning back in her chair. "You should have seen it, Chris! It was so awesome! Blue, Gonzo, and Chopper completely _destroyed_ the opposition!"

"Man, I can't believe I missed that... Hold still," Chris said to the nervous, flinching Faith. The two were sitting at the dining tables in the Galley and nearby, Gonzo was cooking dinner. Jae was in the boys room downstairs in such a deep sleep that he was actually snoring. Blue, Zugai, Aya, Teriuz, and Chopper were in there as well, listening to the conversation.

They had moved the ship after arriving to a more secluded away from the city, hidden by a rock face. It was evening now, several hours after the events from before, and the sun was setting beyond the horizon. "If you keep moving, I'll never be able to unlock it!"

"Sorry!" Faith replied, taking a deep breath, "It's just that I'm nervous. Every time I tried to take it off, it shocked me. Not a pleasant experience, you know,"

"That's why we put rubber on the inside of it," Chris leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, "Do you trust me?" she asked. Faith blinked, surprised.

"What kind of question is that, of course I do!" she said.

"Then stop freaking out," Chris answered. She raised her lock picking tools and carefully inserted them into the keyhole of the collar. Faith tensed, closing her eyes and waiting for the electric charge, but she was surprised to hear an audible 'click' instead, and she opened her eyes. Chris waved the open collar before her eyes with a grin.

"What a relief..." Faith said, rubbing her neck.

"You did it," Chopper said, startled, "Without even setting off the sensor. Amazing,"

"Of course I did it," Chris said, proudly. "There's no lock I can't pick! I'm an expert thief, after all!" She put down the collar and placed her Lock picking tools away in the carrying case. When she was through, she leaned back, breathing in the delicious scent of Gonzo's cooking. He was making his special barbeque today, to show off his skills to Chopper.

The door opened at that moment, revealing Jae, still groggy looking, but obviously awake. "Good morning, sleepy head," Chris said with a smile.

Jae waved absently as he walked across the room and took a seat at the table. Without even having to ask, Gonzo set down a cup of warm tea in front of him. "Thanks," he said quietly, taking a drink.

"You sure you can walk around right now?" Aya asked, "You've been out for a few hours. Are the sedatives already fading?"

"I'm ok," Jae replied, "My head hurts a little from the bright lights, but it's just a side effect. I needed to get moving," he took another long drink and fell silent.

Zugai reached across the table and picked up the collar, examining it closely with interest. "Remotely and touch censored," he said. He clamped it shut again and tugged, dropping it, startled, when an electric current ran through his hands. "Ouch! Guess it only works when it's locked... This technology is pretty impressive. It kind of reminds me of that cage that Westfall guy used on Gonzo,"

"Probably the same technology," Gonzo commented. There was a sizzle as he turned something on a frying pan before turning back to the grill and flipping the large pieces of meat.

"I think I might experiment with this..." Zugai continued, putting the collar back down.

The word seemed to click something in Jae's mind, because he swallowed the hot mouthful of tea quickly and turned to Chris, "Speaking of experiments... I think we've clarified that it _was_ the Chimera Project,"

The words brought a near silence to the room, the only sound disrupting it being the sizzling meat. All eyes turned to Jae, who looked uncertainly anywhere except his Nakama at the sudden attention. He was thankful for Zugai speaking, which then took attention off himself, "Well that explains a lot," he said.

"How can you be sure?" Chris asked.

"The Professor downstairs that I knocked out," Aya answered, "She said it herself. Said her name was Echo, lead professor of the Chimera Project on Nile Island,"

"We tried to get more information... but she said you knew what it was and to ask you. A waste of time though, since we know the basics of it already," Jae continued. "The thing that worried us most was the fact that she knew who we were,"

"That's not exactly surprising," Gonzo said. The sizzling started to stop as one by one, he took the meat off the grill and turned off the burners, "We're wanted pirates. I think the only one here without a bounty is Teriuz,"

"Yet," Teriuz added in.

"You've all got bounties?" Chopper asked, surprised.

"Except Teriuz," Blue corrected.

"_Yet_," Teriuz once again insisted.

"Impressive," Chopper said, nodding. "He was smiling by this time,"

"No, you don't get it," Aya interrupted, "She knew more about us then anyone else we've met. It wasn't just name and bounty. It was age, hometown, position... For all we know, they probably know our past histories, our next destination! Thanks," She added go Gonzo as he set a plate in front of her.

"So they're watching us," Chris said calmly. She shrugged and took a bite of her own plate of food, "Big deal,"

"Hey, are you sure it's ok to be so calm about this?" Aven asked, watching her captain. "Aren't you the least bit worried?"

"No," Chris replied, "Why should I be? We've shown them on a number of occasions that we're too much for them to handle. Besides, if they haven't managed to take us out yet, I doubt they'll be able to in the future. You guys worry way too much." she took a swig of orange juice and gazed at them over the rim of her glass. It wasn't until she set it back on the table that she spoke again.

"Not to mention, we'll take them down if they try to hurt one of our own again, won't we?"

Zugai grinned and leaned back, "Well, if she's not worried, then I'm not worried," he decided with a shrug.

"They're right," Gonzo agreed, "Since we arrived in the Grand Line, there's been nothing that we couldn't handle. We even managed to beat a Vice Admiral!"

Chopper's eyes widened, "A Vice Admiral?" He repeated around a mouthful of barbeque, startled, "You defeated a Vice Admiral?" He found himself remembering Monkey D. Garp, back when _he_ was a Vice Admiral. That man had monstrous strength! What was _this_ Vice Admiral like?

Chris smiled proudly, "That's right," she told Chopper, "Only the best get to travel with the future King of the Pirates!"

If possible, Chopper's eyes widened even further. "King of the Pirates..." he muttered. Suddenly, his eyes softened and he smiled, "It's a tough world out there. You think you can make it?"

"Of course," Chris replied. "A little difficulty isn't enough to make me give up on my dreams," she glanced at her crew, "But my dreams have changed since I started...I'm going to make sure they accomplish theirs and if I find One Piece along the way, then that's all the better! After all, the crew comes before the Captain as far as I'm concerned,"

Chopper stood and reached into his pocket for a slip of paper. He leaned across the table, handing it to Faith, "You're a Zoan type like me, right? This little recipe will be very useful to you," Faith gingerly reached out and took it, opening it. Like all doctors, Chopper's script was small and almost illegible, but the words written at the top in the center were unmistakable.

_Rumble Ball – Version 1 _Faith's eyes widened. "No way..." she muttered.

"I'm giving you that one because developing the recipe to the Perfect Version is what's really helped me develop as a doctor. I'm not sure what effects it will have on your Model, but I don't think it'll be much different. Just make sure you follow all directions and warnings. They're all ingredients that can be bought in any store, but they work best fresh from a Winter Island."

"Y-yes sir!" Faith said, excited. She showed the medicine recipe to the eager Aya, who was already reading over her shoulder. "Thanks so much!"

Chopper smiled and nodded in acknowledgment of the thanks, "Thanks for the meal, Gonzo. You really are a great cook. Haven't had food like that since I visited Sanji,"

Gonzo beamed proudly, "That's a high honor, Chopper," he said, "Thanks a bunch!"

Chopper made his way to the door, stopping only once he'd opened it and was looking into the darkness outside, "Chris Hopkins and Crew!" he said, "I wish you the best of luck on your journey!"

He closed the door before they could respond and quickly changed to Walk Point, running to the edge and jumping onto the land below. He sprinted toward the forest, pausing only once to turn his head to gaze at the pure white ship. "Brook wasn't kidding about those kids," he said to himself, "They've definitely got spirit, and they're no cowards..."

He looked up by chance and caught a glimpse of something on one of the rocks above. It looked like some sort of animal, a canine? He got a glimpse of a reflection around its neck, and for a moment, he considered returning to warn the pirates.

"_Only the best get to travel with the future King of the Pirates!" _he remembered Chris saying. "They can take care of themselves," he decided. He smiled and turned away, sprinting into the orchards.

(–)

"Hey, wait!" Chris called, just as the door closed. She jumped up from her chair, knocking it over as she spun on her heel toward the door. She winced briefly, holding her side as she ran to the door and pushed it open. The hinges made it close as she ran out on the deck, startled to see that Chopper was already gone.

She didn't stop though. She sprinted toward the bow, jumping up onto the railing, then onto the howling wolf, and she managed to get a glimpse of an animal-like figure running into the trees. She cupped her hands around her mouth to amplify her voice, make sure he could hear, and shouted, "Thank you!"

She lowered her hands after a few moments, letting them drop to her sides as she looked toward the dark trees. No response. Nothing at all. Of course, that was expected. She turned around, jumping off the wolf's nose onto the railing, and it was at that moment that she heard it.

A low, ferocious growl. It was too loud to be coming from anywhere but the ship and for a moment, she thought it _was_ the ship, as silly as that sounded. But that suspicion was quickly eradicated as she spotted it. A large blue, white, and black dog, crouched low, ears forward, growling from the upper deck. She stepped off the railing and looked up at it.

"Hey, I remember you," she said casually, "You're that dog from the lab right?" She started forward, but stopped as it jumped off the deck, standing between her and the galley door.

"Where is she?" the dog asked.

Chris froze, staring at the dog. She rubbed her eyes briefly, then looked around for any sign of another human. "Ventriloquism?" She said first. When she spotted no one, she looked back at the dog, "Did you just talk?"

"Answer my question," the dog continued.

"You did..." Chris said, ignoring the words, but more fascinated that he was even _speakin_ cool-guy attitude faded immediately and her eyes sparkled in excitement, "Cool! A talking dog! Hey, you want to join my crew?"

"Wheelie Blade!" the dog said. Suddenly, he rolled forward and Chris could hear what sounded like steel scraping the deck of the ship. She quickly jumped to the side as the dog rolled passed her with surprising speed before unrolling and skidding to a stop. The fur on his back was stiff, and as he growled, it quickly relaxed to normal hairs.

"Was that a Devil Fruit?" she asked herself. She grinned. "Oh, how awesome! You really have to join my crew!"

"The Wolf Girl!" the dog barked, "Where is she?"

Chris paused, her excitement sobered for the briefest of moments. "Wolf Girl? You mean Faith? What do you want with her?"

"The humans are gathering their forces in the town," The dog said, "They plan to attack tomorrow, to bring back both myself and the Wolf Girl. I cannot allow that to happen,"

"Hey, you don't have to worry about that," Chris assured him, "Trust me, I'll take good care of her,"

"You are nothing but a human," the dog protested, growling, "She does not belong with you!"

Now, Chris's eyes narrowed, "Who the hell are you to decide that?" She asked, "Faith's my doctor. I'll decide if she belongs with me or not,"

The dog barked ferociously and ran at Chris, though this time, his back didn't turn to the saw like before. His fangs seemed to spin in his mouth, almost like a chainsaw. "Chain Fang!" he said.

"Something tells me that's gonna hurt..." she said to herself. She turned and ran back toward the cabin, the dog right at her heels, and when she reached it, she jumped, kicking off it and flipping so she was behind the dog.

It crashed into the wall with a loud _bang_ that would surely alert the others inside. Taking a moment to regain its composure, it turned to Chris again, who was trying to hide the amusement in her face, "Sorry, but that's such a classic trick. I can't believe you fell for that,"

He growled and lunged again, but this time, he was stopped by a pair of arms wrapped around his neck, pinning him down. He barked angrily, trying to pull free, and eventually decided to use his powers, "Saw Back!" he growled. The fur on his back began to rotate, similar to how his teeth did, very much like a chainsaw.

He was surprised when he didn't feel blood on his back, as he expected, and stopped, turning his head as best he could to see who was pinning him down.

"Careful, Zugai! He's pretty dangerous!" Chris warned.

"You think?" Zugai asked sarcastically, "Good thing I took off my hoodie in there, otherwise it'd be destroyed like the shirt... Calm down, dog!" he added to the dog. However, it refused to comply, so he tried another command, "Heel!"

"It's that dog," Jae said, appearing in the doorway. Aya was next, peeking out, but Faith was the one who ran by.

"Zugai, get off of him!" she ordered. Zugai gave her an 'are you crazy?' look, but eventually complied after she returned his questioning gaze with a harsher one. He stepped away, reaching for the hoodie in Jae's hand, and the dog jumped to his feet and away from the door, his fur standing on end dangerously. "Back up guys..." Faith said cautiously to her friends.

"David?" Faith asked calmly, "Calm down, it's ok. They're not going to hurt you," David looked around at the rest of the crew, untrusting.

"They're humans..."

"They're a different kind of human," Faith assured him, "Friends, I promise. They set you free, or did you forget?"

David seemed to calm down – his ears straightened and his stance eased up. "They're going to come after us, Wolf Girl," he said, "The marines... tomorrow... this place isn't safe,"

"No, you're wrong," Faith said, shaking her head, "This place is safer then it is out there, in the town. Trust me, David,"

"They'll find us... I won't go back," David said, talking more to himself now, "we must leave!"

"If you go back in there, David, they'll get you," Faith said, "I don't want that to happen," She looked at Chris for reassurance, and the girl nodded, "Please, come with us,"

David seemed to calm, his tail lowering, his ears pricking straight up instead of forward, standing tall as he looked at them. "They are..."

"Humans, yeah," Chris interrupted, "but we're not like the others," She walked forward, ignoring Faith's protest, and stopped a few paces away from David, who once again started growling. She knelt down, extending a hand with a smile on her face, "You're so worried about Faith, but you can tell she's comfortable with us, right? You can keep her safe here, with us, and I promise I'll... we'll keep you safe in return. We'll be gone by tomorrow and no one will ever know,"

David hesitated, then slowly, he leaned his head forward, gingerly sniffing Chris's outstretched hand. He could sense no fear, no malice, no ill intent from the girl. Could she be telling the truth? "And as an added bonus," Chris suddenly said, "I'll get rid of that stupid collar for you,"

David looked at Faith, who nodded reassuringly, and then slowly, he lifted a paw, pressing it into Chris's hand, "I accept the invitation," he said at last.

Chris grinned and put a hand on David's head, petting him, "Awesome," She said cheerfully. She stood up, turning to face the others, "Gonzo, get some rum from Storage, will you? We've got time before we've got to set out, let's have a toast!"

"Roger that, Captain," Gonzo said. He turned to another door and ran down the stairs to the storage hold as Zugai tilted his head.

"Can he even drink rum?" he asked Chris. Chris shrugged.

"Hey, it's not gonna kill him," she said. "Don't ruin the moment, Zugai, enjoy yourself!" She lightly punched his arm as she ran inside to grab some mugs, the others following her until only Faith and David remained on the deck.

Faith was about to enter until she noticed David hadn't moved an inch from his spot in the center, staring inside the room. She turned to face him, "It's ok," she said, "I promise,"

She waited, smiling at the dog, and cautiously, he walked toward her. When he was by her side, his head reaching almost up to her waist, she scratched behind his ears. Gonzo emerged from the storage room with a large barrel heaved over his shoulder, pushing passed him with a loud, "'Scuse me!" as he ran in to the join the laughing and talking crew.

Faith ran in after him, cheerful, and David followed, still uncertain, but no longer afraid of the people surrounding him. _Perhaps..._ he thought, _not all humans are so bad._

* * *

**Crescent Dagger Pirates**

**Chris Hopkins:**16 years, Spy/Captain

**Zugai Hibiware:**18 years, First Mate/Shipwright/Blacksmith

**Gonzo:** 17 years, Cook

**Jae Axia:**17 years, Navigator

**Faith Williams:** 19 years, Doctor

**Aya Vincent:**17 years, Doctor

**Blue:** 20 years, Sniper/Gunfighter

**Ash 'Aven' Nogue:**17 years, Historian/Information Gatherer

**Teriuz Sykes: **16 years, Fighter

**David: **3 years, Watchdog

* * *

**A/N:** Well, this took me a while, didn't it? I would have had it up earlier this week, but I had rehearsals until 9 every day because of the show (which thankfully is OVER!). So now, maybe, I'll be able to do some more writing for this, as well as my other stories. I hope this was an enjoyable closing to this arc? Thanks for your ever-constant patience and don't forget to review!

**SNE121**


	71. On The Sea

In one of the buildings at the Marine Headquarters, far from the Crescent Dagger Pirates, a young man wearing a lab coat walked briskly, almost running, through the halls, making his way to a door near the back of the building. He paused before it, taking a nervous breath before knocking uncertainly, and waited. He did _not_ want to be the one to deliver the news to this man...

"Enter," a voice on the other side called. Slowly, the young man opened the door, slipping through and entering the dimly lit office. The walls were surrounded by hundreds of science books, and dozens without titles that were likely personal observations conducted by the scientist who sat at the desk, writing something else in a notebook. The man was older then the younger scientist who entered, in his late forties with black hair tied into a small ponytail, wearing a lab coat buttoned up.. He gazed down at the journal from behind his glasses, scribbling in a scrip that was illegible to all but the author.

"Professor Gikaku, sir," the young man said slowly, "I've recently received a report from Echo, of Nile Island," he paused, waiting for a reaction, some sort of acknowledgment. However, when he didn't receive any, he continued, "She said... she says that she's lost the experiment... and many of the marines at the base have been damaged..."

"I don't believe I ever gave you permission to speak, young man," Gikaku said without looking up. The young scientist tensed, standing straight, almost at attention. "Do not take my silence as an invitation to do so,"

"Y-yes sir," The young man said hesitantly, "My apologies, sir,"

The boy waited for a few moments, his hands behind his back, trying to keep calm. The Professor finished writing, then lowered his pen and closed the book as he looked up, leaning back in his comfortable chair and examine the boy, "Now, I don't believe I heard you correctly. Tell me again?"

"Yes, sir," The young man said with a nod, before repeating his words from earlier. Gikaku looked at him impassively.

"I thought that's what you said..." he muttered. He leaned forward, crossing his hands in front of him with a frown, "I knew I shouldn't have trusted her with the Canine... and what was the cause?"

Again, the boy hesitated. "The same from the last base, Sir... and the one before that," he said. Now Gikaku's eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Those pirates?" he asked. The scientist nodded. Gikaku stood up, turning away from the young man to look out the window behind his desk, "How is it, Doctor, that the Crescent Dagger Pirates managed to interfere with another of our facilities when we're supposed to have a watch on them?"

"I... I don't know sir," the young man said, "It's likely that they slipped through the defenses..."

"Those kids are getting quite dangerous..." the Professor said, more to himself then to the young man. He turned back to his desk and shuffled through some papers until he found what he was looking for – Chris's bounty poster, "Quite dangerous indeed... I'd like you to contact to the Tribe, Doctor,"

"The Tribe, sir?" he repeated, "Are you sure? The Hearts have quite the grudge against that group of Pirates and it has certainly carried out into the other factions. Chances of them letting the pirates live are slim,"

"Do not question me, Doctor," the Professor said calmly, but with a certain venom in his voice, "Tell them that we want those pirates alive, regardless of whatever grudge they may hold. Just do as I say. Contact the World Government for good measure. If the bounties are high enough, the Tribe won't kill them unless they want to lower the payment" The young Doctor nodded and turned to leave, only to be stopped by Gikaku calling after him, "And Doctor. I want that dog back."

"Yes, Professor," the young man said, then left the room.

Gikaku looked back down at Chris's bounty poster with an interested look on his face, "Very dangerous... yet intriguing," he said quietly as he sat down, "Perhaps I've underestimated you, Crescent Dagger..."

* * *

**Pirates!**

**On the Sea - **

**New Bounties Arrive**

* * *

Up in the Crow's Nest of the Howling Ivory, Teriuz yawned tiredly. He was sitting on the short wall surrounding the small elevated area, looking out at Nile Island. It was early in the morning, and the sun was barely rising above the horizon. "Three hours..." Teriuz said to himself, yawning again. He rubbed his eyes, "Just one more and it'll be on to the next..."

From their position, hiding on the other side of the island, far enough now that a small dinghy would be needed to reach it, he could see the small town beyond the orchards, even to the other side of the small island, where he could see a marine ship docked. It had landed in the early hours of the morning, during Aven's watch, but since no one had been woken up, it was obviously decided that it wasn't a threat. Now, he when he lifted his binoculars, he could see crates being carried into it. Perhaps that merchandise Chopper had mentioned before?

Teriuz smiled slightly. Certainly they were picking up merchandise, but they weren't getting what they'd come for – that dog. He looked down, to the deck below where David was sleeping. The dog didn't feel comfortable going into any rooms, which made perfect sense, so once he'd fallen asleep, Chris had covered him with a spare blanket, surprisingly enough not waking him up. He still had the collar, because he refused to allow anyone, except for Faith, near him, but hopefully, that would soon change.

Suddenly, David lifted his head, his ears pricked up, twitching slightly. Then, he rose to his feet, the blanket falling off him and ran forward, to the bow of the ship, rising onto his hind legs and supporting himself with the railing to look over. A low growl rumbled deep in his throat.

Teriuz looked toward the orchards and at first, saw nothing. Then, they appeared. Marines, just as David had said, and mixed in with them were people from the town. "Oh, crap!" he said under his breath as they began to fan out on the beach before the ship. Some of them waded into the water toward the _Ivory_.

As Teriuz jumped down from the Crow's Nest, using an illusion of stairs to help him along, David started barking, a natural reaction from a dog when intruders were present. Then David turned and ran toward the side of the cabin, where the girl's room was. Teriuz could hear barking coming from that direction even as he opened the door leading to the boy's staircase. Of course. With the knobs they had, David couldn't open the doors. He'd have to talk to Zugai about that. Naturally, that would wait until _after_ they managed to set out away from the island. He ran down the stairs and entered the boy's room.

_Damn it._ David growled, barking furiously at the door. He clawed at the knob futilely. Sure, he could talk and shout to them, but his barking voice was much louder. After a moment more, the door opened, revealing Chris, wearing her hat, startled to see him.

"Humans," was all David had to say and Chris understood. She reached into her hat and grabbed onto a dagger, then turned her head. "Let's go!" she called. David could hear the sound of movement below before Chris rushed passed him. He stayed behind, waiting for Faith. The humans were coming back, possibly for the two of them. He wouldn't leave her side.

Chris skidded to a stop upon reaching the bow of the ship, looking around passed the figurehead toward the beach. There weren't many, and the townsfolk weren't much to worry about with their sticks and pitchforks (Ok, maybe that was a bit concerning) she thought, but her main focus was the Marines with guns and swords. Some were making their way into the water while the marines pushed small boats after them.

Jae was already barking orders and Aven and Teriuz made their way to the rigging and lowered the sails. Faith, with the help of her Devil Fruit, pulled up the anchor. Jae took his place at the helm. A light breeze blew passed, not strong enough to push the ship, but enough to be noticeable. Jae turned his head toward it, watching the trees on the island beginning to sway. There was no doubt about it – a wind was approaching from the South.

He quickly turned the helm, maneuvering the ship into the direction it needed to go, and waited. "Come on, come on..." he mumbled. He looked over his shoulder and from the upper deck, he could see the marines getting closer. "Hurry up..."

"Ten seconds," Blue suddenly said, startling Jae. The wind man was suddenly beside him, looking out at the open sea, "I can feel it. I'm not surprised you, as a navigator, can as well. Five seconds. Four. Three. Two."

Perfect timing. Blue didn't even have to say one, as a powerful gust of wind suddenly pressed against the sails, propelling the ship forward with such strength that it almost knocked the pirates off their feet.

"Alright! So long, Island! Hello next adventure!" Chris exclaimed, pumping a fist into the air.

(–)

**Several Days Later...**

"Are you ever gonna let me take that thing off?" Chris asked David as she sat on a chair in the galley. She was leaning back, balancing on the back legs, staring at the dog that sat on the ground beside Faith's chair. They'd just finished breakfast and Zugai was doing the dishes as Jae examined the map of the Grand Line spread out before him.

David looked at Chris briefly, then looked away. "You know, David, you'll be a lot happier without it," Teriuz said. He was sitting across from Chris, his arms crossed on the table and his chin resting atop them, "She's not going to hurt you, you know,"

"We're nakama. You still don't trust us?" Zugai added in. "Faith, tell him,"

Faith smiled innocently, "I have," she said, "He's gone through a lot, guys. It'll take him some time to get used to you," she rubbed his head as she said this and his once sour expression turned joyful and he wagged his tail slightly.

"He likes me alright," Gonzo said. He knelt down beside David and handed him a piece of bacon, which the dog gladly accepted, then pet him.

"Well you're not human," Blue pointed out. He reached out to try to pet David, but the minute his hand got too close, David snapped at him. Blue's hand disappeared as the fangs clamped down on it, fading into a breeze, and coming back together when Blue lifted his hand away. "He seems kind of dangerous if you ask me,"

"He'll open up eventually," Aven said, "Just give him time. Don't rush him. Trust is a hard thing to gain, especially when you've been treated so wrongly for so long,"

Chris hesitated briefly, letting her chair fall back to its normal four legs, then nodded, "Yeah, you're right," she said. "Well, whenever you're ready to get that thing off, you let me know,"

It was at that moment that Aya came rushing in, her nose pink from the cold weather, a scarf wrapped around her neck and covering her mouth. Specks of white fell out of her long green hair as she pulled the scarf down to speak, "It's snowing!" She exclaimed.

The new wasn't surprising to anyone in the crew, after all, the weather had steadily been getting colder and colder, but this confirmed their suspicions. They were approaching a winter island.

"So we've finally entered the climate zone," Jae said, looking down at his maps again, "And without many storms. That's always good. Let's see... we'll probably be at the island by tomorrow afternoon if my calculations are correct. We recently restocked on the last island, right, so there's no need for more. So I guess we dock, wait it out, and leave,"

"Any marine bases on this one?" Zugai asked from the sink.

"I don't think so," Jae said, "But we can't know for sure until we get there. But it _is_ pretty big,"

"Well we'll explore when we get there, that's for sure," Chris said.

"Oh, and by the way," Aya said, stepping into the galley and closing the door behind her. Small flakes of snow followed her in as she walked toward the table and set down a stack of papers. "New bounties came in," There was complete silence for a moment, except for the sound of running water in the sink as Chris nonchalantly reached across the table and picked up the posters.

She flicked through them, spotting the usual ones with the same prices. Most were the same as she remembered previously, though she was surprised to see that Leo and his crew's bounties had risen. What shocked her the most, however, was when she reached another familiar pirate crew.

"The Blue Lightning guys went up," she said, reading the posters. Lance had risen to 470 million, Nikolai to 430 million, Amaya to 290 million, Collete to 260 million, and startlingly enough, Cedric to 210 million. The others looked at the bounties in surprise. The pictures were all updated, most of them with cheerful expressions except for Nikolai, who seemed to be permanently upset. "Wonder what they did for that..."

They passed another poster reading Leo Harnet the 'Crusher', with a bounty of 380 million, and then something that made Chris and the others looking over her shoulder take an intake if breath. Chris's bounty had been raised to 80 million, with a new picture of her tilting her head, looking at something in the same direction of the camera. Chris recognized it as being just after her fight, watching Teriuz trying to master Zugai's attack. Zugai was up to 74 million, his picture showing him just after performing his latest spinning attack, with the labrys extended, his face determined. Gonzo's read 57 million, with a picture of him holding his harpoon at the ready within the Marine Facility.

Jae's had risen slightly to 43 million, his picture showing him before the actual battle, when he initially entered the building before Chopper came to get him out, completely calm and relaxed. Faith's showed a picture of her running, looking uncertainly behind her as if searching for something, the picture catching her from the side, and now read 48 million. Aya's was, not surprisingly, up to 50 million, almost twenty million more then her previous one, having been the one to defeat Echo. Somehow, they'd gotten a picture of her _inside_ the basement, holding the tranquilizer gun to the unconscious professor's neck.

Blue's showed him aiming his revolvers at the marines around, one slightly higher then the other from the recoil that shooting it had caused. His read 59 million, a slight increase from his previous bounty. Aven's had increased to 63 million, the picture showing her holding the oversized mallet over the marine's heads.

Teriuz had finally received a bounty, his picture showing him holiding Honekirite, bruised and cut form the mock battle with Zugai earlier on. His name read 'Warbandit', with a bounty of 27 million. (He let out a triumphant 'Yes!' at the sight of his poster.) The last one they saw was of David – obviously an old picture of him from within his cage, snarling at the photographer. The name read David the 'Saw', obviously a play off his Devil Fruit powers, with a surprisingly high first bounty of 47 million for obvious reasons.

The crew stared at the posters in shock – they'd been raised and updated. The Crescent Dagger Pirates were now a bigger threat than before. Chris looked at her crew quietly for a moment.

"Teiruz, you've finally got a bounty!" Gonzo said, hooking an arm around the boy's neck and ruffling his hair. Teriuz struggled to pull free, but he couldn't hide the childish smile on his face. "Warbandit, eh? I like that!"

"We're going to have to be more careful now," Aya said, looking at the posters. "I'm not sure how to feel about this,"

"Well, I for one am excited," Chris said. She lifted her poster and showed it to Zugai, who by this time had abandoned the dishes to look at the bounties, "Mine's still higher than yours!"

"Yeah, that's because you're the captain is all!" he replied, "Doesn't mean you're stronger then me!"

"Wanna test that?" Chris asked. "Betcha that one on one, without that Devil Fruit power of yours, I'm stronger!"

"You wish,"

"Let's test it right now!"

"You're on!"

With that, the two ran out of the galley onto the deck, into the snowy weather. The others waited, looking after them into the cold. "You know... that might actually be entertaining..." Jae said.

"I bet my money on Zugai," Teriuz said simply.

"Nah, Zugai won't hurt her. It's almost like he's scared to. I say Chris wins, hands down," Gonzo disagreed.

The others nodded their agreement and followed after. "I'll referee!" Aven said cheerfully, skipping ahead of the others to catch up to the captain and first mate.

* * *

**A/N:** Alright, so that's the end of the Nile Island arc! I owe a quick shout-out to **YolkaEd**, whose brilliant mind came out with **'Professor Gikaku.** Coming up next is a special treat that I said I'd probably do somewhere back in chapter... 23? Partially because the idea wouldn't leave me alone and partially because it's something I've been wanting to do. So we're gonna be leaving out Crescent Dagger Pirates and going to join the forces of... well you'll see next chapter :3. I'll have it up as soon as I can. Hope you all enjoyed this conclusion! Remember to review!

SNE121


	72. The Tale of the Blue Lightning Pirates 1

**Pirates! Special**

**The Tale of the Blue Lightning Pirates 1**

**A Tale of Two Brothers**

**Lance and Cedric Wright**

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own One Piece or anything that readers recognize as their own.

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_Several years prior to the forming of the Crescent Dagger Pirates, another crew was beginning its journey. A crew that started with two brothers, on a small island in the East Blue. The story you are about to read is the story of the Blue Lightning Pirates._

* * *

Bowl Island was a small island in the East Blue, surrounded around the perimeter by mountains and hills, which concealed a small village within, built around a large lake in the center of the valley. A river ran through the center, exiting through two open areas in the mountains that almost completely surrounded the center. Forests covered the mountains, and plains and rolling hills dotted the outer part of the valley.

Near the ocean, where the two sides of the river entered into the ocean, were two ports, littered with fishing boats and other ships that were docked for a short time to restock.

Oval Lake Village, named after the lake around which it was built, was a peaceful place – a small town where everybody knew everybody, and childhood friends became husband and wife in their adult years. Trust was not an issue in this place, nor was violence or vandalism. To the people living there, this place was paradise.

Our focus in this small village is a house right on the shore of the lake. It was small, but two levels high, with a cozy, cabin-like feel to it. Within this house, a young boy, no older than fourteen, sat on the chair before a woman, who wiped his dirty face with a towel. The boy looked exactly like his mother, with silver colored hair and black eyes, though while his hair was extremely short, hers was long, down to her waist, and tied in a ponytail at the top of her neck. She appeared to be pregnant.

"Lance, what did you do to get so dirty?" the woman asked gently, holding the struggling boy still. She wiped at a series of scratches across his cheek and it was at that moment that she noticed similar ones on his arms and neck, "And how did you get all these scratches?"

Lance tried to pull away from his mother, even going so far as to push the hand with the towel away from the scratches, "I was climbing a tree," he said, "The guys dared me to climb to the top and I fell on my way down. But I'm fine, stop it!"

"Stop fussing, Lance," Another voice said. A male said, entering the dining room. Between his lips, he had a toothpick – a substitute for the cigarettes he was so used to smoking. Because his wife was pregnant, she couldn't be around the smoke, so he was forced to leave the house to smoke. He opened the refrigerator and took out a pitcher of orange juice, pouring it into a glass, "Let your mother do her thing. Or do you want those scratches to get infected?" he walked toward Lance and set the juice down before him, then rested a hand on the chair, leaning on it. "If they get infected, we'll have to cut them off. Do you want that?"

Lance crossed his arms, looking away from his father, "Don't be dumb. I'm not four, I won't fall for things like that anymore," He reached across for the orange juice and took a drink, "Besides, these scratches make me look tough!"

"You look clumsy is what you look like,"

"Jacob,"Lance's mother said to the man gently. Jacob looked at her and rolled his eyes, a smile playing across his lips.

"Alright, Laura, alright. You win. Let the boy do as he pleases," he said, ruffling his son's hair as he walked away.

Lance watched his father leave, rather uncertainly, then he looked at his mother. "They won't get infected, right?" he whispered.

Laura smiled slightly, "Not if you don't touch them, they won't," she whispered back. She put down the cloth and stood, "Now, go take a bath and get ready for bed. Dinner will be ready soon,"

"Shellfish?" Lance asked.

"That's right," Laura agreed. Lance grinned and stood, running out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

(--)**Several Months Later...**(--)

Lance stood outside the bedroom door, pacing. He looked older – over the months, he'd grown several inches, his hair had gotten longer, and his left ear was now pierced. He was waiting outside of his parent's room, where inside, her mother was having a surgery – something had gone wrong and they were taking out the baby – Lance's little brother or sister.

It had been several hours and still, there had been no word from within. More then once, a nurse who had accompanied the doctor had urged him to leave, and several times had even given him errands to run to keep him busy. But now, there was nothing for him to do but wait.

He was about to leave, to go sit down, when suddenly, there was a sound. Crying. Lance's heart skipped a beat, excited. The baby was okay! He stood by the door, shifting his weight nervously from one foot to the other. If the child was okay, surely his mother was!

"Dad!" he called to his father, who had been kicked out during the operation and was sitting in the living room downstairs. He heard rapid footsteps running up the stairs, than his father came into view, black hair disheveled, eyes tired.

The door opened, revealing the nurse, with a bundle in her arms. "A boy," she said with a sad smile. She handed the child to Jacob, who gingerly took him, rocking him softly.

"Cedric," he said quietly to the boy. He looked up at the nurse. "And my wife?"

The nurse's face fell and she looked away. "I think you should sit down, Jacob," she said gently, "Lance, why don't you - "

"No," Lance said. He knew that look, the look the nurse had. There was no mistaking it. He'd seen that face on the villagers when the old mayor died several years before. "She's dead, isn't she...?"

"Lance," Jacob scolded, startled. "Don't say things-"

"I'm sorry," The nurse interrupted. Jacob's face fell. "It was either her or the child and... she made it clear before we put her under that if we had to choose, to pick Cedric,"

Jacob looked down at the child in his arms, startled, before handing him back to the nurse. "Can I...?"

"Of course," she replied, nodding. Without a word, Jacob entered the room, closing the door behind him. Lance was frozen on the spot, staring at the closed door, expressionless.

"Lance," the nurse said softly. He didn't respond at first, "Lance," she tried again. Now, he looked at her, slowly, his dark eyes didn't have their usual shimmer to them. They were numb, but strangely enough, he wasn't crying. "Would you like to hold him?"

Part of him didn't want to touch the boy, but still, he did. He reached over as the nurse handed the small newborn to him and looked at the sleeping face. "Can I trust you to keep an eye on him while I check on your father?"

Lance nodded and the nurse turned away, going back into the room. He sat down, staring at his little brother silently. Keep an eye on him, she said. This was his little brother – the sibling he'd been waiting for for fifteen years. Little Cedric Wright. Lance's little brother. _My little brother._ Lance like the sound of those words. "My kid brother," he muttered. Now, a tear escaped his eyes. "I promise I'll take care of you,"

The doctor and nurse emerged, both congratulating for Lance's brother, and apologizing for the loss of his mother. Lance nodded, thanking them, but didn't move, still holding his brother. "We'll be back soon to collect her," the doctor said. Then, the two left.

A while later, Jacob emerged, his eyes red, his face streaked with tears. He looked at Lance, then down at Cedric, and scowled, "Get that thing outta my face," he said before walking down the hallway.

(–) **Two Years Later...**(--)

It was late in the afternoon – Lance wasn't at home, though his shift at work at the docks, building ships, would no doubt be ending soon, and the babysitter that normally watched Cedric while his father worked had left, as the man had returned home from work. Now, Jacob sat on a couch in the living room, six empty bottles of beer beside him and another bottle open in his hand. His eyes were red, tinted with yellow, and he looked tired. He hadn't shaved in months, and had a beard growing on his chin, a cigarette between his lips. His dark eyes looked straight ahead, staring at nothing, as he always did when he came home. Ever since his wife's death, depression had overcome the man, and the heavy alcoholism had made him much less desirable as a father.

As he sat there, loud crying echoed from upstairs, and he did his best to ignore it, taking the cigarette out of his mouth and replacing it with a swig of beer. He hiccuped, dropping the cigarette on the wooden floor and stamping it out. The crying continued, louder, it seemed. Crying. Screaming. It was getting to be too much.

Jacob finished drinking the beer and dropped the bottle, almost falling as he stood up and staggered toward the stairs. "Shut up..." he growled under his breath as he pulled himself up. He reached to bedroom door, where two-year-old Cedric was standing in his crib, his eyes streaked with tears, his face red, crying. "Shut up!" Jacob screamed at the boy. The shouting only served to frighten the boy and the crying got louder.

"Shut up, damn it, shut up!" Jacob growled, shaking the crib. Cedric fell onto the mattress, stopping briefly, then he started again. Jacob reached into the crib, covering the boy's mouth with a large hand. "Stop crying," he shouted. Cedric struggled, his small fists instinctively pounding on the hand covering his mouth and nose. The hand muffled the sound, but it was still there, becoming nothing more then hiccups as the child struggling to breathe in.

"What the hell are you doing?" A different voice suddenly shouted. Jacob recognized it immediately, not even bothering to turn to face his elder son.

"Quieting the brat," he replied, "He won't stop fucking crying,"

"You're gonna suffocate him if you cover his nose, stop it!" The now eighteen-year-old Lance said. He grabbed his father's hand, wrenching it free of his little brother's face, and pushed the man back, "What the hell's wrong with you? He's a baby, of course he's gonna cry!"

"I can't do this anymore!" Jacob shouted, "I can't stand to look at that face! He's the reason she's dead! It should have been him, not her!"

"This was her decision and you know that! Don't treat him like some thing, he's your son, damn it!" Lance retorted. Behind him, his brother's crying, if possible, got louder. "You having such a hard time with it, then get lost! It's not like you've been taking care of him for the last two years – I have! All you do is sit and drink! I know she's gone, Dad, it gives me hell too, but it's been two years and since then, you've become nothing but an asshole to both of us!"

Jacob froze, startled. Then, his brow furrowed and he turned away, hiccuping, "I can't do this anymore," He repeated, disappearing downstairs. Lance felt his tense muscles relax and he turned to his brother, picking the boy up out of the crib.

"Hey, come on kid, calm down," he said in a much more gentle voice. "Shh... You hungry?" Cedric, hearing that word, nodded, sniffling, and Lance proceeded downstairs. He passed the living room, looking at the multiple empty bottles that he'd rushed by earlier when he'd entered, having heard the screaming. That explained a lot. His Dad was drunk, no surprise, but what was a surprise was that the man was nowhere to be found. He entered the kitchen and set Cedric down on the high chair before digging in the refrigerator for food for him. When he finally found it, he placed it on the chair with a spoon and sat at the table, watching the boy eat. There were still tears on the toddler's face, but he was no longer crying.

"You know, I should hate you too," Lance said quietly, "Dad's right. Mom died giving birth to you. But it _was_ her choice." he leaned forward, leaning his chin in his palm and resting that elbow on the table for support. "Besides, I can't hate my little brother,"

The front door suddenly opened, then slammed shut and Lance rolled his eyes. His father was back from wherever he'd just gone. Not that it mattered- Lance didn't want to see his face right now. But he had no choice, because the drunk man walked into the kitchen, standing in the walkway, blocking the exit. Lance looked over at him. One hand was behind his back. His eyes had a dull, but dangerous look to them. "I can't do it anymore," Jacob said for the third time.

Lance rolled his eyes. "Then walk away for a while," he said, "Sober up," _Not that it'll make a difference._

"So I'm going to end it," Jacob continued as if Lance hadn't spoken. That sentence caught the boy's attention and Lance looked over at his father. Cedric, oblivious, continued eating, afraid to meet his father's eye. Lance's eyes narrowed suspiciously and he stood, his chair creaking on the wooden floor.

"What are you..."

And that was when Jacob revealed the gun he'd been hiding behind his back and put it to his own head. "NO!" Lance shouted. The tone of his voice caught Cedric's attention and he looked up as Lance ran across the kitchen toward their father, a hand extended. But he wasn't fast enough. He was just about to grab the gun when Jacob pulled the trigger, blasting a bullet through and splattering blood onto Lance and across the floor.

Lance was frozen as his father's body crumpled to the ground, the gun clattering on the ground. The loud bang from the bullet that was doubtlessly heard on the other side of the island caused Cedric's crying to start again.

**(– One Year Later...(--)**

Every weekend on Bowl Island, there was a farmers market at the dock, where citizens from neighboring island and pirates, as well as the citizens of Oval Lake City themselves, would attend either to sell or to purchase goods. During those markets, Lance and Cedric would go to buy their food supply for the week, as well as a few extra objects if they had the extra money.

Among the crowd of people there, Lance and Cedric walked, Lance, now about to turn nineteen, and Cedric, three years old. Lance held his little brother's hand as they navigated through the crowd. He felt a slight tug at his arm and looked down, "What is it, Ced?" he asked.

The young boy pointed at a booth, where a rather crooked looking man stood, trying to attract business to a booth selling strange trinkets. "Merchandise, straight from the Gran' Line! Come n' take a gander! Rare material!" he shouted.

Lance frowned. Men like that were usually con men. He sighed and glanced at Cedric, "You want to go there?" he asked. His brother nodded. "Fine, let's go," he said with a sigh.

The two approached the kiosk and as soon as the man spotted them approaching, his eyes lit up. He reached for a dangerous looking white katana and held it out to Lance. "Young man, ye' look like quite the warrior," he said. Lance shifted uncomfortably as he released his brother's hand to allow him to look at the other trinkets, "Aye, I have a vision of ye fightin' alongside the strongest of fighters. With this sword: The Wadō Ichimonji!"

Lance looked at the katana, unphased. The sheath and handle were pure white, just like the legendary sword itself. "Wadō, eh?" he asked. He took it from the man gently. It was extremely unbalanced, and the blade within the sheath shifted as if it didn't fit properly. He shook his head. "You think I'm stupid, old man?"

The man stiffened, but tried to keep his cool. "I-I don' know what yer talkin' about,"

"I may not be a genius about blades, but I definitely know enough about not only the Wadō Ichimonji, but also it's owner, the Shichibukai, Roronoa Zoro, to know that this can't be it. The world's strongest swordsman would never let this sword be taken by someone like you." He tossed it carelessly back to the man, who reached to catch it clumsily and dropped it with a clatter to the floor. Upon making contact with the wooden dock, it the sheath cracked down the center, then split in half, revealing a crudely sharpened blade beneath. Lance smirked as the embarrassed man rushed to pick up the sword and it's pieces as a number of other shoppers looked in his direction.

"If you're going to sell 'Grand Line Artifacts' you'd better make sure your shoppers don't know the difference between a Meitou and a cutlass. Cedric, let's..." he trailed off upon spotting his brother taking a bite of a large orange fruit that looked strangely like a blackberry. What startled him the most, however, was the swirls that decorated the fruit's skin.

Cedric chewed his bite for a few seconds, then swallowed, sticking out his tongue with a rather disgusted expression. "'Ey! That's a Devil Fruit, boy! You can't eat that unless ye pay for it!"

"Devil Fruit?" Lance repeated, shocked. He quickly grabbed his brother's hand, pulling him toward him and shaking him. "Cedric, spit that out!"

But it was too late. He was shocked to see that the boy's eyes were no longer their deep black, like his own, but were now a yellow. He released his brother's hand. "Lance, what's a Devil Fruit?" Cedric asked. Although extraordinarily smart for his age, there were some things that Lance preferred not to tell Cedric, and among those were the Devil Fruit. Now though, Lance wished he had.

"Oi! Yer gonna pay for that, boy! Devil Fruit's cost 100 million belies! I Ye'd better have that money!"

"100 million?" Lance repeated, slack-jawed. "Look mister, we barely have enough to sustain ourselves. We can't pay -"

"Then the boy will be payment," the man said, grabbing hold of Cedric and tugging him toward the cart. "I'm sure he'll be worth a pretty penny in the Black Market! Surely Pirates will appreciate..."

He was cut off, however, when a strong fist suddenly slammed into his face with such impact that it sent him flying. Lance's normally playfully shining eyes were dull, the pupils shrunk to mere pinpricks, and he scowled furiously at the man as he skidded across the deck into another kiosk, destroying it. Lance ignored the startled and terrified eyes staring at him.

He walked toward the salesman and pulled him out of the wreckage by the front of his shirt. The man's nose was bleeding and there was a large bruise forming on the side of his face. "You want to sell my little brother?" he asked, pulling the man up so he was only a few inches from Lance's own face. The man gritted his teeth, too afraid to respond. "Oi! When I ask a question, you're supposed to answer it!"

"O-of course not!" the man stammered. "I-I -I was only jokin'! Come on, boy, I-I-I know ye can take a joke!"

"What kind of fruit was that?" Lance cut in immediately after the man finished speaking.

"I-I... the pirates I pawned it off said it was a Zoan Type. The Inu Inu no Mi. I don't know the model!"

"A Zoan..." Lance muttered. He threw the man to the ground, "Pack up your shit and get the hell off this island. We don't need the likes of you here," he said. No one objected to his words. No one ever objected to Lance's judgment, not even the mayor.

He turned around, walking back to his brother. The man picked himself up off the ground and watched the brother's leave. The bystanders quickly got back to what they were doing, muttering about the two brothers.

(--)

Lance stared at his brother as he tucked him into bed a few nights later, frowning. Those golden eyes stared right back, but there was something unfamiliar in those eyes. Pain. "What's wrong?" Lance asked at last.

"Everything feels weird," Cedric replied, "I can smell things that I didn't smell before, and heard your footsteps coming from all the way outside. It's..."

"Overwhelming?" Lance said, giving the boy the word he needed. Cedric, seeming to think it was right, nodded. "So that's why you haven't been able to sleep,"

Cedric nodded. "I'm sorry, big brother," he said, looking away for the first time. Lance felt a pang in his heart. Did Cedric really think this was his own fault?

"Don't apologize, kid," he said, rubbing the boy's head. He smiled, "Look at it this way. Once you learn how to control it, you'll have a really cool ability. And I'll bet you'll be just as strong as me! Well, not as strong as me, but you get the idea,"

Cedric couldn't help but laugh at his brother's optimism, and that brought a smile to Lance's lips. However, the laughter quickly faded and Cedric's face became serious again. "Someone's coming," he said.

As if on cue, the door downstairs was slammed open. Lance grabbed Cedric and dragged him across the room, pushing him into the closet. "Don't come out until I tell you, no matter what, and don't make a sound!" he warned.

Cedric was about to protest, but Lance shut the door and stepped away as a handful of men barged into the room.

Lance's eyes scanned calmly around the room, his clenched fists at his side. "Who are you?" he asked, moving away from the closet and toward the window. He took a quick inventory – there were five of them, three had cutlass's, one short sword, and the last holding what looked like a spear. Their faces were covered by masks.

"Who we are ain't important," The one with the spear said, "All that matters is that you owe us money, and if ye won't pay us in cash, then ye'll pay in blood!"

The man ran forward and Lance responded by ducking under the spear that was thrust at his throat. The blade impaled the window, causing the man to lose his balance, and Lance took advantage of it. He turned, kicking the man through the window window and sending him sprawling down from the second floor to the ground below. He looked out – the man had landed on his head and wasn't moving.

The three with the swords were next, all striking at once. The men were obviously inexperienced, as the slashes were sloppy and unpredictable. Lance managed to dodge around all of them. A laugh escaped his lips as two of their swords clashed and the third slashed at those, causing all three of them to fall. "Come on boys, I know you're better then that!"

"Let me go!" a voice to his left called. Lance's eyes widened and he turned his head to see the man with the knife dragging a struggling Cedric out of the closet. He started toward them, but stopped as the man knelt down, holding Cedric tightly and putting the knife to his throat. Cedric stopped moving, his breathing heavy, his eyes afraid.

"Make one move and your brother dies," the man warned, "It'd be a shame. He'll make a pretty penny on the black market, our Boss says,"

Lance clenched his fists. "You bastard," he growled. He knew he was fast enough to take out this guy before he could hurt Cedric, and he had every intention of doing so. However, before he could move, he felt someone grab each arm, holding him back..

What happened next, Lance honestly wasn't expected. In fact, he wasn't even sure it happened until he looked down and saw the sword sticking out of his abdomen, covered in his own blood. His eyes were wide, the fury once present gone and replaced by a look of startled pain as he lifted a shaking hand to grasp it.

His body was pulled back as the sword was pulled out. The arms holding him released him and he staggered forward, blood seeping from his lips and pouring from his wound. Another sword stabbed him through the chest, just missing his heart, and as it was pulled out, Lance felt himself fall forward. Around him, the world began to dull, sounds becoming muffled, his vision blurring.

Cedric watched as Lance collapsed, blood pooling around his motionless body. Black eyes were open, and he seemed to be struggling to breathe. Cedric screamed his brother's name, terrified, and began struggling.

"Shut the boy up!" one with the sword said as he cleaned the blood off his blade.

"Quiet, you little brat," the one holding Cedric warned. He lifted a hand to cover his mouth, but pulled away, releasing him with Cedric bit down hard enough to draw blood. "OW! The little monster bit me!"

"Grab him!" Another shouted.

Cedric backed into a wall, looking at his brother. Lance's hand reached out, pointing with difficulty to the door. "R-ru-n..." he struggled to say.

"No..." Cedric said quietly. He looked at the men approaching him, starting to surround him against the wall, and shook his head, "NO!" he screamed.

And suddenly, his body began convulsing. He fell to all fours, his face elongating, his ears moving higher and growing erect, fangs forming in his lips. His body grew in size as well, fur coveirng it, his hands turning to large paws. Finally, a large tail emerged and he howled.

He was a wolf, but much larger then a Zoan user of his age should ever be. His golden eyes flashed dangerously. The men backed away, then tried to run. With a furious bark, Cedric pounced on them. Screams were the last things that Lance heard before his world went black.

(–)

"Lance..." a voice echoed in Lance's mind. He tried to ignore it, to catch the light that was slowly beginning to drift away, engulfing him in darkness again, "Lance, please wake up!" the voice slowly became familiar. Cedric. He was crying, struggling to speak around his sobs. "Big Brother!"

Slowly, Lance forced himself to open his eyes. He was on his back now, looking up at the bloody face of his little brother. He was holding something – a black fruit, to Lance's lips. "Eat this, Big Brother. It might help,"

Lance blinked hard, trying to clear his vision. He couldn't find the strength to speak, let along eat something. But Cedric was persisted. He somehow managed to rip off a piece of the mango shaped fruit and put it into Lance's mouth. It tasted disgusting, and he wanted to spit it out, but Cedric pushed it down his brother's throat. Lance swallowed it reluctantly."Get better, Lance," Cedric said, grabbing his brothers shirt. He pressed his face against Lance's chest, crying, "You can't leave me alone,"

_Can't... leave him._ Lance thought to himself. _Stop bleeding. I've got to stop bleeding... Stop..._

Suddenly, his breathing became easier. His vision began to clear and he felt the blood flow to his wounds stop. Cedric raised his head, looking, startled at Lance's wounds. The blood from the floor that was close enough to his body slowly began to seep back in. What should have been bleeding out was completely devoid of any trace of blood except what was stained into his shirt.

Lance sat up with difficulty and looked down at the thin sword wounds, surprised. He looked at Cedric, covered in blood, then at the bodies lying around the room. "I-I'm sorry..." Cedric said slowly, "I... I thought you were gonna die and... and... they tried to take me away from you. And the fruit I took from the market. I thought it'd save you. I couldn't help myself..."

Lance put an arm around his brother and pulled him into a hug, managing a weak smile, "And you saved my life, didn't you?" he asked. Cedric sniffled tearfully as Lance stood, holding onto Cedric, "But we can't stay here. The town won't take well to you killing..." he paused. It was strange to say that word while speaking to his brother, "To what you did to these men. We're best off leaving now."

Cedric nodded quietly and allowed Lance to carry him down the stairs. It didn't occur to him that Lance was having no trouble at all moving or walking around, and even Lance himself was appalled by the phenomenon. But it was something they'd worry about another time. Now, they had to leave.

* * *

_The brothers made their way to the harbor, guided by the light of the moon, where they would board a large Brigantine that Lance spent years making, dubbed the Apocalyptic_ Thunder_. Little did the brothers know that their flight from their hometown would lead them to being one of the most powerful pirate crews in the world._

_That is of course, after they recruited their members..._

* * *

**A/N:** Well, this wasn't what I expected. Their back story was a lot more bloody then I originally intended, but things changed when I let the characters take over... Now we know where they come from, as well as how they got their Devil's Fruits! I'm not too sure how long this saga will last... but I plan to explain the backstories of all of the Blue Lightning Pirates, (as well as a new recruit!) with each chapter. Questions? Comments? Concerns? Ask away, but remember to tell me what you think! Next one in progress and hopefully coming soon! Thanks for reading!

**SeeNoEvil121**


	73. The Tale of the Blue Lightning Pirates 2

**Pirates!**

**The Tale of the Blue Lightning Pirates 2**

**The Master of the Steel Spider**

**Nikolai Iman**

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own One Piece or any related affiliates, or anything readers recognize as their own.

* * *

Silence and solitude was something most children found intolerable. When it came to that, most would run to their friends and siblings. But Nikolai Iman never had anything like that, and Nikolai wasn't like most children. He reveled in silence, in being left alone.

It was in this silence that the young boy, with his short cut black hair and steel blue eyes sat, his knees drawn up to his chest. His breathing was heavy, as if he'd been running from someone, and his eyes looked frightened as he looked through the crack in the door. His skin was so pale, it was almost white, and seemed to glow even in the pitch blackness of the closet in which he was hiding. At this time, Nikolai was no older then six.

"Nikolai," A woman's voice sang softly. "Come out, come out, wherever you are," Nikolai held his breath as the woman's footsteps stopped outside the door and tried to press himself further into the closet, trying to hide behind the clothes hung and the boxes laid out.

His foot hit one of the boxes, causing the contents inside, apparently glass, to rattle. The sound was loud enough to be heard by the quiet woman outside and the door was pulled open. Nikolai's eyes widened as he stared at the woman casting a shadow over him.

She had pale skin and light blond hair that was almost white in color, but frayed and messy. Her eyes were a deep gray, and harsh. She was slim and slender. It was obvious that once, this woman was beautiful. Now, she reached in and grabbed hold of Nikolai's wrist, roughly dragging him out of the closet despite his struggles. "What did we say about cleaning up your messes, Nikolai?" she asked, her voice strangely soft considering her actions.

"I-I..." Nikolai stammered, afraid, "I'm sorry. I... I was going to clean it up but..."

"Excuses – that's all I ever hear from you, Nikolai," The woman said. She pulled Nikolai down the hallway and he struggled to pull away.

"I'm sorry, Mother. I'll go clean it right now, just let me go," She stopped, backhanding him hard enough across the face to make him stagger. If she weren't holding his wrist, he would have fallen to the ground.

"Don't you dare tell me what to do," She shouted. Nikolai looked up at her, tears filling his eyes.

"I didn't, I was just..."

She hit him again, harder this time, then pulled open the door at the end of the hallway and threw him in. He stumbled, falling to his knees and turning to look at her. "Your father will deal with you when he gets home," she scowled, "And just to make sure you don't forget to clean up again, no meals for two days,"

And with that, she closed the door. Nikolai crawled to the other side of the dark room, positioning himself in a corner, where the light of the window could not reach him, and drew up his knees once again. He stared at the door as he rubbed the tears out of his eyes. He gently touched his wrist and winced – his mother held it so tightly that it left a bruise. No doubt there was a mark on his face as well. But that was nothing in comparison to what was to come.

He lifted up his black shirt, examining the skin underneath, covered with scars and bruises from previous nights. The cuts from his last encounter with his father were barely healing, and the bruises were at their worst. He sniffled and let it back down again, looking out the window into the darkness outside. He saw a figure walk by, approaching the front of the house, and knew immediately who it was, because a few minutes later, the door to his bedroom opened.

His father stood there, his belt already in his hand, folded. He approached Nikolai, "Your mother says you've been bad," he said. Nikolai could smell the alcohol in his breath as the man got closer. He had short black hair and steely blue eyes, just like Nikolai, and was extremely muscular from working as a builder.

Nikolai didn't respond. The years of abuse taught him that there was no negotiating with his father. The man lifted the belt and instead of arguing, Nikolai closed his eyes and braced himself for the pain.

(--)**Six Years Later**(--)

It was rare for Nikolai to ever be home alone, so when he was, he took full advantage. Now twelve, he was sitting on the floor of his room, a quill in one hand, a small container of ink next to him. Spread out before him were small maps of various parts of the island which he'd explored during the nights, which came together on another single piece of paper with a half finished copy of all of them together in their proper places. It was like putting together a puzzle.

Nikolai had let his hair grow over the years, and now, it extended down to his chin, though he tied it back in a ponytail behind his head. He glanced at one of his other drawings beside him, then painstakingly and slowly drew it onto his new, almost complete version. The map was topographical and extremely detailed, and Nikolai's greatest piece of work. As long as it was put away before his parents arrived...

He froze, his quill pen halfway into the ink when the front door down the hall suddenly opened. He turned his head toward the bedroom door briefly, then quickly started gathering up the completed maps into a neat pile. He lifted a floorboard up and started carefully placing them within. He was about to put in his work in progress, but before he could, the doorknob to his room turned, and he hastily grabbed hold of a strange shaped weapon – the Crescent Dagger – before grabbing the board.

As he replaced the floorboard, however, the ink container which he'd left out tipped and before it could get on his new map, he lifted it up, letting the ink spill all over the floor. "Shit," he muttered under his breath.

He looked up to the now open door, where his father stood, staring at the mess, and put the hand holding the dagger behind his back. "What the hell is this?" he asked.

Nikolai hesitated, staring at his father. In the man's hand was a bottle of alcohol, half empty, and most likely not the first. He was debating whether to answer or make a run for it. But his father didn't give him time to consider. He stalked into the room and kicked aside the ink, then snatched the map from Nikolai's hands so fast, he didn't have time to react. "No! Give it back!" Nikolai demanded.

He reached for the map, but his father knocked him away, sending him staggering to the floor. "Making maps again, eh?" the man scowled, "Looks like you worked pretty hard on it, didn't you, son?" Nikolai swallowed the lump forming in his throat as his father seemed to be admiring the work. Was he appreciating it?

"Y-yeah, I did..." Nikolai said uncertainly, pushing himself to his feet. "It's taken me a few days and..." he trailed off, his jaw falling when the sound of ripping paper filled his ears. His eyes widened as he watched his father tear the map in half, then rip it again.

"What are you doing!?" Nikolai shouted. He ran at his father and tackled him. The bottle fell from the man's hands, shattering on the floor, and Nikolai groped for the map again. The two struggled for possession of the paper, and during that struggle, the map tore again. Nikolai stepped away, holding his portion, his eyes wide. Even if there _was_ a way to tape it back together, it wouldn't matter. The ink was smeared.

Across from him, he could hear his father ripping up his half, then let the pieces fall to the floor. "Oops, sorry," he said sarcastically, "Guess you'll have to start over,"

Nikolai clenched his hands into a fist, crushing his part of the map, and launched himself at his father, throwing a hard punch at the man's face. "Bastard!" He shouted. Startled the man fell, using Nikolai's bed for support. Nikolai wore a similar expression to his father – a look of shock at his own actions. He looked down at his hand, which had the Crescent Dagger curled around his fist, then back at his father. His cheek was cut deeply, blood dripping down to the floor. Nikolai didn't hesitate. He tightened his grip on the dagger and ran.

He heard his father giving chase behind him, but before he could catch up, Nikolai was out the door and running down the street, away from the town, into the forest. The sun was setting, but he didn't care. He ran blindly away from the source of his anger, the fragment of the map still clutched tightly in his hand.

The sky darkened as he ran deeper and deeper into the forest, toward the mountains, and ran began to fall. A flash of lightning illuminated the dark forest and a crash of thunder shook the earth. Nikolai ran faster, trying to find shelter. He couldn't return home – if you could call that prison a home – not after what he'd done. Not now at least. He wiped water out of his eyes, momentarily running blindly, and in that instant, he stepped on a slight downward slope. Not expecting it, his foot slipped beneath him and he fell, sliding down the hill which became steeper the lower it got.

He reached the bottom with a squelch as he fell in a large puddle of mud, his face and clothes now filthy. He turned, sitting up, supporting himself with his hands wrist deep in the mud, and took this time to catch his breath. He put the dagger away in his pocket carefully and heaved a sigh.

"Of all the days to rain..." he said to himself, tilting his head back to the sky and allowing the water to clean off the mud. When he felt it was clean, he looked around in the darkness. A bolt of lightning erupted above, followed by another roar of thunder, and it was at that moment that Nikolai saw it.

A cave. Had Nikolai really run so far that he was at the mountains already? He pushed himself to his feet with difficulty and ran to the cave.

It was expectantly cold within, but at least it was dry. Nikolai walked in so deep that he could no longer see the cave's mouth, but he knew exactly which direction it was in. He made quick work of finding sticks and dry leaves which had been pushed in by the wind and built himself a fire, then sat on a rock beside it, staring into the flames.

"This place isn't so bad..." he said quietly, picking up a stick and poking the fire. He looked further down into the darkness, curiosity overcoming him. "I wonder how deep it goes.." he allowed his stick to catch fire and stood, using it as light to guide him further into the depths of the cave.

Along the walls were drawings of hunters and ancient animals, something a historian would have had a a field day discovering. He found himself wondering, as he read the ancient stories, if anyone even knew this place existed.

He spotted an image of a black window, extremely large, going toward a crowd of terrified natives, and was startled to find that the language above that drawing was legible. _Beware the Steel Spider – Tsukumo._

"Steel... spider?" Nikolai muttered. He lifted his free hand, brushing his fingers over the words. They were not painted on the wall, like the rest, but rather engraved by some sort of blade. As he touched the name, a large bat flew from deeper in the cave, grazing the top of his head. He gasped, jumping back, and tripped over a large rock that shifted out of place when he touched it. Other rocks that were over it immediately fell and Nikolai covered his head with his arms to avoid getting hit.

When the rocks stopped, Nikolai gingerly looked up. Leaning against the wall where the large rock pole once covered was an enormous sword, easily almost as tall as Nikolai. He lifted his makeshift torch, illuminating it. The sheath and handle were pitch black, and on the hand guard was an oversized black window, motionless, obviously part of the blade.

Nikolai gingerly reached out to touch it, pausing a few inches away. Something was strange about this sword – it seemed to have an aura. A presence. And it wasn't good. Nikolai furrowed his brow, his eyes narrowed, and gripped the handle of the sword.

He set the torch between two rocks, supporting itself, then unsheathed the sword. He was startled by how heavy it was – he had to grab it with both hands to keep from dropping it. The blade was pitch black, razor sharp, with what looked like a canal running along the center. Nikolai turned it over in his hands, examining it. "Tsu...kumo..." he said slowly. He'd been a swordsman for five years and never had he seen something like this. Suddenly ,the spider on the hand guard began moving, the red hourglass on it tinting with a green glow. It seemed to turn, looking at Nikolai with its fangs dripping with a similarly colored liquid. His grip tightened on the handle. "Tsukumo," he repeated, "You've got a new master,"

The spider continued to stare at the boy holding onto the handle, then turned, settling itself back into position and returning its hourglass to red.

(--)**Four Years Later**(--)

"Hya!" the man shouted as he brought his sword down upon Nikolai. The young sixteen year old lifted his black sword, Tsukumo, with a single hand to block the two-handed strike from his opponent. The sound of steel clashing echoed around the dojo. Nikolai's steel blue eyes stared at his older opponent. The man, easily in his lat thirties, claimed to be the best swordsman in a neighboring island.

Now, the man looked nervous. He was tired – they'd been at it for ten minutes and he still hadn't even touched the boy before him, while Nikolai looked absolutely bored. Nikolai twisted his sword, pulling away from the brief lock they were in and stepping aside to avoid the stumbling man. He slashed down at the man's back, but he turned quickly, parrying it. Nikolai advanced, swinging his sword with ease and the man backed away, struggling to block the strikes. It wasn't until he was pressed up against the wall, with a strange, crescent shaped blade – the Crescent Dagger – pressed against his throat that he finally dropped his blade.

"So this is what the best has to offer?" Nikolai asked calmly, "You make my goal seem like child's play,"

He stepped back, sheathing the dagger and his sword and turning away from the man, walking toward the exit. "I won't be beaten by a little kid!" The man suddenly roared. He picked up his sword and rushed at Nikolai, who seemed not to notice him.

Until, of course, the man slashed. Nikolai unsheathed his sword, blocking the strike without even turning. He tilted his head slightly, looking over his shoulder, his steely eyes impassive. "A true swordsman would notice the difference in strength before unsheathing his blade," he said. The hourglass on the spider hand guard began to glow with a green tint and the canal along the length of the blade began to glow as well. He turned, slashing the man across the chest, then re-sheathing the blade.

It happened so quickly, that no one even noticed the change until the man fell forward, unable to move with a pool of blood forming around him, and Nikolai continued toward the door.

"So that's Nikolai, huh?"

"That sword of his is really scary! It's like it moved on its own!"

"Don't look at him, he's dangerous,"

Hearing his father's last name, Nikolai clenched his fists, but said nothing. The dojo door shut quietly behind him.

(–)**Two Years Later...(--)**

Nikolai stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He had just finished cutting his hair – what was once down to his shoulders was now cut. The front extended down to his chin, however the rest of it was cut so short, it couldn't even be spiked up if he wanted to. He wore a white dress shirt, not buttoned at the top and untucked over his midnight blue pants, and over it wore an open midnight blue dress coat. On the side of his face was a large bruise – the result of a fight with his father earlier that day. It was his eighteenth birthday, and a full moon.

Attached to the belt at his hip was Tsukumo in its black sheath, as well as the Crescent Dagger on the other side. He unsheathed the dagger, looking at it, with its diamond edge and strange curved shape. He'd found it in the basement years before, hiding from his parents, and since then, kept it for self defense and assistance with Tsukumo. He spun it into position wrapping around his fist and held it tightly.

He turned away from the mirror, sheathing the dagger and making his way out of the bathroom and down the hallway, where his father sat reading the newspaper, of course drinking once again. Nikolai stared at the man, furious, and grabbed hold of Tsukumo. The moment he touched the blade, the fury seemed to intensify, and the familiar blood lust that normally came with usage of the blade took over his body. This was what he wanted. This was what they deserved.

"Nikolai, what the hell are you doing?" a woman's voice behind him said. Nikolai turned his head to see his mother standing in the hallway. She walked toward him, her hands on her hips. "You know you're not supposed to have that weapon in this house. Get it the hell out of here or -"

She was cut off, because the moment she was within range, Nikolai drew the Crescent Dagger once again and thrust it into her gut. She froze, her eyes widening. "Don't you dare tell me what to do," he said, mirroring the words she'd told him so many times in the past. He removed the dagger, ripping the wound open because of the shape of the weapon, and she grabbed on to his shoulder to keep from falling.

"Ni...ko...lai..." she gasped. Her gray eyes looked pleadingly at him and he stared back coldly. He sheathed the dagger and pulled out Tsukumo, a small smile spreading across his lips, "...why?"

"Doing what you always said to," Nikolai replied. He raised the blade as it the spider's hourglass began to glow silver, which in turn filled the blade with a silver liquid, "Cleaning up the mess of my life," With that, he stabbed the long blade into her leg. She screamed in agony and fell as a fiery pain shot up her leg – the silver poison of the blade was one she'd never seen before.

"Tsukumo's Lethal poison," Nikolai began, removing the blade. It tripped with silver liquid and red blood, "It'll take a while to kill you because of where I stabbed you. There's no antidote, so don't bother trying,"

Fast footsteps behind Nikolai caused him to turn around. His father was approaching, a knife in his hand, ready to fight. Nikolai raised the sword and sliced the hand holding the knife clean off, the poison from Tsukumo quickly seeping into his father's blood.

Nikolai stabbed the sword into his father's chest as like a knife through butter. "Years and years of dealing with you..." he growled, twisting the blade. His father grunted, coughing up blood. Specks of it stained Nikolai's face, "both of you... I'm sick of it. I've had enough," He pulled out the sword and stepped back as his father fell forward, and after swiping the sword through the air once to get the loose blood off, he sheathed it.

Nikolai pushed the man over with the toe of his shoe, looking at his father's wide eyes as a small grin spread across his lips, "How's it feel?" he asked, taking a seat in the sofa and watching his parents. "Of course, I doubt it's enough to suffice for the pain I've had to endure for the last fifteen years. But I digress." he crossed one leg over the other and leaned back comfortably, "Watching you two die like this is enough satisfaction for me."

A hard pounding on the door made his smile turn into a scowl and he glanced toward it. "We heard screaming! Are you alright?" He remained silent. It seemed he was about to be interrupted. "Hey, break down the door, hurry!" Moments later, the door was thrust open by a large man, slamming full force into it. Several other men entered after him (among them the mayor), stopping in shock upon seeing the two motionless bodies on the floor and Nikolai, covered in blood, sitting calmly on the sofa.

"What... what's going on here?" the mayor asked, stepping forward. He was a short, stout man with a receding hairline and large eyes that always looked startled, but now, he looked more then startled. He looked horrified. "N-Nikolai. What happened? Who did this?"

"I think you know the answer to that," Nikolai said. He stood up, but didn't move, as at that moment, a number of guns were trained in his direction, all held by the men who had entered.

"Why?"

"You know that too," Nikolai said, scowling, "You've always known, but never once tried to stop it," he unsheathed Tsukumo once again and the silver glow persisted in the blade, "You call yourself a mayor?"

He walked toward the men and it was then that the order to fire was given. Nikolai rolled forward, evading the first volley of bullets and before the men could reload, he cut them with his blade. They fell, their weapons hitting the ground with a clatter, and clutched their burning wounds. The mayor's eyes widened and he backed away from Nikolai as the young man turned to look at him.

"P-p-please! Don't kill me! I-I-I don't want to d-d-d-die!" he begged. But Nikolai ignored him. He gripped the sword with both hands and thrust it forward through the mayor's heart.

"Should've thought of that before," was all he said before leaving.

(–)**Three Years Later...**(--)

Nikolai didn't enjoy running, but there were some cases where it was for the best, and in this particular case, he didn't have much choice. He kept Tsukumo safely tucked in its sheath at his side, holding onto it to keep it steady as he sprinted down the street. In his other hand he held the bloodied Crescent Dagger very much like a claw between two of his fingers.

He was twenty-one now, and upon learning of his possession of the blade Tsukumo, two years ago, the marines had placed a healthy bounty upon his head of 60 million. Since then, they'd attempted capturing him, but now they were getting smart. It seemed these marines were much stronger then usual, and definitely had more stamina.

He skidded to a stop as he came to a dead end. "Damn it," he growled. _I was careless. What a stupid mistake!_ He turned back in the direction he'd come from and wasn't surprised to see that the marines had already caught up and cornered him. He raised the dagger and unsheathed his sword. If he was going to go down, he'd go down fighting.

He took a step forward and that action prompted one very nervous marine to fired the gun. Nikolai prepared for the bullet to strike him, but before it could, a figure suddenly jumped down in front of him, taking the shot. Nikolai's eyes widened in surprise as the silver haired young man staggered back, startled by the shot.

However, the swordsman was surprised to see that no blood seeped from the wound, and this seemed to frighten the Marines as well, "Woah, back off boys," the figure said. "I saw him first,"

As if on cue, another figure jumped down with a loud bark, this one obviously a very large silver wolf. It ran at the marines as the human figure did as well, and within a few minutes, the entire crowd that had been chasing Nikolai was defeated. The few stragglers that remained turned and made a break for it.

Nikolai kept Tsukumo raised as the two turned to look at him. The older one was only a couple of years younger then himself, with black eyes that seemed to dance with excitement. His body was covered with cuts that, strangely enough, didn't seem to be bleeding.

The wolf beside him suddenly transformed into a young child, no older then four years old with the same silver hair and golden eyes. He had a single cut to his arm, which the older one covered with a single hand briefly. When he pulled away, the bleeding had stopped and he looked at Nikolai.

"So you're Black Widow, eh?" he asked, "Wielder of the legendary Tsukumo?"

"Who wants to know?" Nikolai asked calmly. If this man and his child partner were able to take out all of these marines without difficulty, then they were definitely a force to be reckoned with.

"Just a new pirate looking for some recruits," the older one said with a grin, "I spotted your bounty poster a while ago and I was definitely interested. Never thought I'd run into you, though,"

"Pirate?" Nikolai repeated.

"Yep," the man said, "The name's Lance Wright, and the twerp here is Cedric, my little brother,"

"You're siblings?" Nikolai asked. He sounded bored, but in reality, he was slightly interested.

"Course," Lance said, "Couldn't leave my little brother at home after what he did, so we left to start a life of Piracy,"

"He's eaten a Devil's Fruit I see," Nikolai said calmly, "And I'm assuming you have as well,"

"I'll give you a few guesses as to which," Lance said playfully. Nikolai didn't respond, his expression remaining unchanged, and Lance sighed, "the Chi Chi no Mi, and Cedric ate the Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Dire Wolf,"

"I see," Nikolai said, "Well, I'm not used to things like this, but thank you for helping me," he said. He inclined his head slightly and sheathed his sword and dagger before beginning to walk passed Lance.

"It seems like it's going to get more dangerous for you. I can guarantee that if you had a hard time with these guys, you'll definitely be struggling with what's to come." Lance said, "Working as a team would be the best for us, and if you really want to thank me, you'll accept my invitation,"

"Invitation?" Nikolai asked, stopping and looking at the black eyed man.

Lance heaved a sigh, "Boy, you're slow, huh?" he asked, shaking his head, "I want you, Black Widow Nikolai Iman, to join my pirate crew,"

Nikolai hesitated. If this man and his brother hadn't turned up, he'd definitely have been captured and had his sword confiscated. He owed Lance for saving him. "What do you say?" Lance continued, extending a hand to Nikolai.

"Fine," Nikolai said at last, without grasping the hand, "I accept your invitation,"

Lance grinned, "Awesome," he said, "Hear that, Ced! We've got our first member! First mate!"

"I know you're a swordsman, but what else can you do?" Cedric asked, looking up at Nikolai. Nikolai looked down at the boy. Those golden eyes were mature beyond his years, ad seemed to hide something dark within their depths. What exactly had this boy done to get such eyes? The gaze wasn't unlike Nikolai's own.

"Cartography," Nikolai said at last, "I'm a Navigator," Lance grinned broadly at those words.

"Navigator! Good, just what we need! Now we can head out to the Grand Line! I know you'll like the ship. Built it myself..."

He started walking away, and Nikolai felt inclined to follow, half listening to the boy's words as the three made their way to the ship.

* * *

_Nikolai set sail with Lance and Cedric, becoming the first mate of the strange brothers. Lance, for recruiting someone as dangerous as Nikolai and seeming to have him under control, was given a bounty of 90 million, and Cedric, who for killing those marines, was given 26 million. It was several weeks after that they decided on a name for the crew, the Blue Lightning Pirates, and almost a year later that they finally entered the Grand Line, where after a few months of traveling they met their next companion – the young marksman Amaya Dior._

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**A/N:** Phew! These chapters are nice and long, eh? Here's a nice quick update for you all! (Haven't had one this fast in a long time!) Judging by your previous reviews, you're enjoying this little Pirates! Special. That's good. I was a bit worried that you wouldn't. I really simmered down Nikolai's past story... I hope this one was to your interests! Don't forget to leave your reviews.


	74. The Tale of the Blue Lightning Pirates 3

**Pirates!**

**The Orphan**

**Amaya Dior**

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own One Piece, or anything readers recognize as their own.

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"Mama! Look, look what I found!" A young, six-year-old girl announced proudly as she ran into the room. The girl's hair was blond and cut short, only extending to her shoulders, and bangs covering her eyes, which were mainly blue, but specked with gray and green. She wore a simple set of clothing – long pants and a short sleeved white t-shirt, with a patched up sweater over it. In her arms was a bulky looking bag.

The woman to whom she spoke sat up in bed as the young child set the bag down beside her. She had wavy blond hair extending down to her hips, and soft, tired looking blue-gray eyes. She looked extremely fragile, as opposed to her young daughter, as she opened the bag.

"Amaya," the woman said softly, lifting one of the stacks of beli notes out. "Where did you find these?"

Amaya Dior didn't respond for a few moments – rather, she looked hastily away, anywhere but at the woman before her, "Well..." she said slowly, "Some man left his cart parked outside the shop and..." she shook her head and looked at her mother again with a determined expression, "That doesn't matter! There's definitely enough to pay a doctor and get you better now, right?"

"Amaya..." the woman said gently, reaching toward her daughter. For a moment, Amaya was sure she was going to be in trouble. However, instead of yelling or hitting the girl for stealing, she pushed Amaya's hair out of her eyes, "What are we going to do about that hair of yours, hmm? Come here, let me cut it for you,"

"The medicine," Amaya insisted.

"Yes, yes," her mother said, "We'll contact a doctor tomorrow, OK? But first," she patted the bed beside her and Amaya climbed up, "There's a good girl..." She made quick work of cutting the girl's bangs to an appropriate length, though left the rest of her hair untouched. "There, now isn't that better?"

"What about the rest of it?" Amaya asked.

"Let's let it grow, shall we? You'd look really pretty with long hair. Are you OK with that, Amaya?"

"Mm hmm," Amaya said with a smile, nodding. Her mother smiled gently.

"Good, now it's late. Go to sleep, little one. I'll send for the doctor first thing in the morning,"

"Ok!" Amaya said confidently. She jumped off the bed and ran into the small living room beside, where she slept. She paused as she crossed paths with a tall man wearing a fedora who'd been drinking tea on the couch, and was now walking into her mother's room, "Oh, good night, Mr. Isame!" she said.

The man looked at her and smiled, "Good night, Amaya-chan," Isame said, tipping his hat slightly. He walked into her mothers room as Amaya crawled onto her makeshift bed on the couch and fell asleep.

"Was it really wise to lie to the girl?" Was the only thing she heard before her dreams took over.

The sunlight coming from the front window woke Amaya the next morning, and she sat up in bed with a heavy yawn. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she stood up and stretched. It was morning. As if suddenly remembering something, her tired eyes brightened and she ran across the room to her mother's bedroom door. She knocked several times. "Mama!" She called. She waited patiently for a response, and when none came, she tried again, knocking louder this time. When still she received no answer, she opened the door a crack and peeked in.

Her mother was still asleep, lying on her back with one hand hanging off the edge of the bed. "Mama, you're gonna get sicker like that..." Amaya said quietly to herself as she slipped through the crack in the door and approached her mother's bed. She looked around – the money still there, the bag moved to the floor beside her mother's bed.

Her mother normally wasn't such a heavy sleeper. One knock was usually enough to wake her up, but Amaya had to remember that Haruhi was sick and weak. She needed her rest. She reached out and grasped the hand that was uncovered, but the moment her hand touched it, she released it and stepped back. Her foot caught on the money bag and she fell with a thud.

Her mother's hand was stone cold, and Amaya noticed at that moment that the skin on her face was paler then usual. "M-mama...?" she said quietly, almost as if afraid. She pushed herself to her feet and slowly walked toward her mother's bed, putting a hand on the woman's face. There was no warmth in her skin, no rosy cheeks. Just whiteness – deathly paleness.

She moved the hand to her mother's shoulder, "Mama?" She said, more frantically this time, "Mama, wake up! Wake up!" Tears began to stream from her eyes down her cheeks, wetting her mother's face. One tear hit the corner of the woman's eyes and slid, as if she were crying herself. It was at that moment that Amaya stopped, stepping away.

"M-mama..." She stuttered. She wiped her eyes hastily and turned away, running out of the room. She had to get help! Help...

She barely made it to the front door when she bumped into someone – the man from the night before. Now, however, he wasn't wearing his fedora, and his dark hair was visible, as well as his brown eyes. His skin was tanned, his muscles strong from spending so much time working in the sun. He was maybe a few years older then Amaya's own mother. In one hand, he held a bouquet of flowers. "Amaya-chan?" he asked, startled.

Amaya looked up at him, panicking, "Mr. Isame! You've gotta help, Mama, she isn't moving! She's not waking up!"

Isame's frown deepened slightly, then he knelt down before Amaya, setting down the flowers and putting his hands on the girl's shoulders. "Amaya-chan," he said gently, "Your mother's been very sick for several months. You knew that it was only a matter of time..."

"NO!" Amaya interrupted, slapping the man's hands away, "Mama wasn't so sick that it would make her like this! She said herself that we'd call a doctor with the money that I found! She promised!"

"Amaya-chan..." Isame tried.

"Why don't you try to help her?" Amaya interrupted, "Why? My papa was your best friend, right? Right?! So that makes her a good friend! Why aren't you trying to help her!"

Isame reached out for the girl, pulling her toward him in a comforting embrace. "Haruhi was a good friend, Amaya-chan, but there's nothing I can do. It's too late,"

"It's not too late!" Amaya shouted, pounding her fists against his chest. "It's not... It's..." eventually, she surrendered, gripping the front of his shirt in her small fists and crying into his chest.

"I'm sorry, Amaya-chan," Isame said softly. He stood, lifting the sobbing girl up, and carried her out of the house, "Come on, let's get you out of here,"

(–)

It was raining that day. Such an appropriate day for it to rain, Amaya thought.

It was the first funeral Amaya had ever been to, and strangely enough, she could no longer find the tears to cry. The last week she'd spent with Isame seem to have dried her up – she'd spent her days sitting in the guest room on a chair by the window, staring at nothing, lost in thought. When she thought he wasn't looking, she cried – for her mother, for her father, for herself. For everyone who understood how she felt.

And now, as she watched the makeshift wooden coffin that held her mother get lowered into the ground, she could not find the will to cry. Today, the sky was crying for her. Her blue eyes stared hollowly at the wooden box. She felt nothing. Isame stood beside her, a single arm resting comfortingly on her shoulder. Several other villagers had come to attend – Amaya's mother was quite popular in their small village. She was generous, unlike others around. But Amaya paid them no attention.

Even after the box was buried, and the villagers left, Amaya remained – staring at the patch of dirt before her. Isame never once left her side as she stood in the rain, letting it drench her to the bone. Freezing her heart.

"Amaya-chan," Isame said gently. Amaya looked up at him but said nothing, "Wait here for me, ok? I'll be back. I've got to talk to someone," Amaya followed his gaze toward the man who had been in charge of the burial and nodded.

She turned her eyes back to the grave. Wait here, he said. Wait.

But she found that she couldn't wait. Her feet were itching to move. Her heart telling her to leave this place. To find another. She felt, for some reason, that this place was no longer her home. She had no reason to remain in this poor city. She shot a glance at Isame briefly – he was engulfed in his conversation – then looked back at her mother.

"I'm sorry," She whispered. What she was apologizing for, she wasn't quite sure, but the words felt right at that moment. With that final word, she began to leave, starting with a walk, then a jog, before finally breaking into a run.

She toward the village border, caught sight of a wagon, about to disembark, and before it could begin movement, she crawled into the back, hiding herself behind a stack of boxes and covering herself with a large canvas.

(–)

"Oi, Boss!" A voice shouted. Amaya's turned over in her makeshift bed. She was still in the wagon, hiding, but now, the blanket that normally covered her was gone. She was tired, dizzy. Surviving for the last week in the back of this cabin off of food that the men had left aside on campsites and occasional steals from their canteens of water. "We've got a stow-away!"

"A what?" Another man's voice asked. This one was farther, but a slight tilt of the wagon told Amaya that he'd just climbed up. He stepped up beside the first man, staring at the young girl in old in worn out clothes laying before him. "Well I'll be damned. How long has she been in here?"

The voices were faint, but enough that Amaya heard them clearly. Her eyes fluttered open slowly and she turned her head to look at them. She sat up quickly, startled by their appearance, and backed away to the wall of the wagon, using it to help her stand.

"Easy there, girly," the man said, "We're not gonna hurt you,"

Amaya didn't wait to hear another word. She pushed off the wall, using it to give her the force to knock into the men and push them away, and it worked. She quickly regained her footing as the men stumbled over their own feet and ran toward the opening of the wagon, where she quickly jumped out.

She ran away from them as quickly as possible. As the wind whipped by her face, she picked up the scent of fish and ocean water. The sound of seagulls was the next thing she was aware of, and when she felt comfortable, she slowed to a walk. People stared at her as they walked by – this wasn't the poor village she'd grown up in. This place, by the ocean, was one of the middle class districts of the continent.

It surprised her – she wasn't expecting to end up in a place like this, but she wasn't about to complain. She walked by an open air shop selling bread and casually, she reached up and snatched a loaf, stuffing it into her jacket as she continued walking. That bread wouldn't hold her though...

Another shop caught her interest – this one selling meat. She walked toward it and examined the raw slices hungrily, but as she reached out for a piece, something hard smacked her hand and she recoiled. The shopkeeper had spotted her – not surprising. "Hey! You want something, you bring your parents and you buy it!" he warned.

Amaya frowned briefly, about to explain that she had no parents, but decided against it. This timidness, this quietness, it wasn't her nature. And it took her to that moment to realize it. She looked up at the man and stuck her tongue out at him. "Greedy old man," she said, kicking his shin.

"Ow!" he shouted, lifting his leg and holding in in pain, causing him to hop around. Amaya smiled and grabbed a slice of meat, and was about to go when something else caught her eye. A bow was leaning against the wall with a quiver full of arrows, mostly likely from the shop owner returning from a hunt. She'd definitely need that. She grabbed hold of them both and ran.

It was a few hours later that she found the small abandoned cabin, with an ancient stove and worn out furniture, and began her new life.

(–)**Ten Years Later...(--)**

The shooting competition was a huge event – Marksmen from all around attended to show off their skills and win the grand prize – An expensive sniper rifle, imported from the South Blue. The area was always bustling with activity at this time, and of course, Amaya couldn't resist attending.

She carried over her shoulder her bow and quiver, which had supplied her with food for so many years. Attached to a sheath on her belt was a hunting knife, which she'd swiped (also from the meat shop) several years prior.

She walked tall, proudly, wearing shorts that had once been black pants, but that she'd cut halfway up her thighs, and a black tank top, as well as sturdy black shoes. On her hands were fingerless black gloves. Her hair over the years had grown to her hips, and on this particular day, she tied it int a ponytail to keep it out of the way.

She paused at a flier for the competition and stared at it. It showed an image of the rifle in question and she grinned broadly at the sight, "This year, you're gonna be _mine_," she declared confidently.

"Attention all competitors!" a female's voice announced over a Den Den Mushi amplifier, "Attention all competitors! The contest will be beginning shortly! Please make your way to the town center!"

When Amaya arrived, there was already a crowd surrounding the archery ring, and she had to push her way through to get to her position. She bumped into one man, one of the competitors, and discreetly, she reached into his coat pocket, grabbing a bag of money and slipping it into her own pocket before turning and smiling apologetically. "Oops, my bad!" she said cheerfully.

The man was wearing a cloth wrapped around the lower part of his face, showing only from the eyes up, but Amaya could see what looked like a scar trailing down from his forehead, down behind the cloth. She ignored it, however – something like this wasn't uncommon.

"Watch where you're goin, girl!" the man scowled. Then, he blinked, looking at the bow over her shoulder, "Wait a minute, you're not competing, are you?"

Amaya blinked, confused by the question, "Hmm? Of course I am, why?" she asked.

"You're a girl," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Amaya blinked, startled, and looked down at herself.

"What? Really? No way, I didn't know that!" she exclaimed. "Gee mister, what gave it away?"

The man scowled, "Just how old are you, anyway?" he inquired.

"Sixteen," Amaya answered. The man's eyes widened and he backed away, shocked.

"Sixteen?! With a body like that? Don't lie!"

"Who's lying, mister?" Amaya asked. The man stared at her, then lowered his dark eyes slightly and Amaya felt a pang of annoyance. "Oi, dirty old man, my face is here," she said, reaching over and lifting the man's head with a rather strong uppercut that sent him staggering back into the surrounding crowd.

"Archers, prepare yourselves!" the female's voice said. Amaya rolled her eyes and turned away from the man, taking her bow in her hand and loading an arrow. "You will get three shots each! Whoever gets closest to the bulls-eye is the winner!"

Beside her, the man loaded his own arrow into his bow, glancing at Amaya out of the corner of his eye, "You'd best give up now, girl, there isn't an archer in all the South Blue that's better then I am,"

"This isn't the South Blue, mister," Amaya said with a smile, "This is the Grand Line," The targets were about 50 yards away. The right amount of force and trajectory and... "Archers, on my mark!" the announcer called. Amaya pulled back the bowstring to its farthest potential. "Set? Go!"

She aimed for the briefest of moments, her smile never leaving her lips as she released the arrow and let it fly through the air at an arch. With lightning speed, she shot the other two, and it seemed as if all three hit the target at the exact same time, though she moved so fast, one would never guess she'd shot more then one.

She lowered her bow and looked across the field. She could see all three arrows in the red circle at the center. Perfect bulls-eye. Around her, others didn't even reach the target, and the man beside her loaded his second arrow as he glanced at Amaya.

"What's the matter, girly?" he asked with a grin, shooting that arrow and loading another. He was fast, but not as fast as she was. He fired the final one and crossed his arms, "Did you plan on shooting?"

"Looks like you've got a bulls-eye," Amaya said. She looked at him and smiled, "Unfortunately for you, that's not enough to beat me,"

"You haven't even shot more then one!" the man said. Before he could continue, the woman's voice spoke again on the loudspeaker.

"We will now announce the winner!" It declared. He grinned and looked at Amaya as he started forward. "This is quite the surprise, isn't it! The winner of the competition is.... Amaya Dior!"

The man stopped in his tracks, his jaw dropping in shock. "Sorry, were you expecting to win?" Amaya asked, closing his mouth for him, "Guess one bulls-eye isn't enough to beat three now, is it?" She grinned and made her way to the main table, "Have a nice day, dirty old man!" she called over her shoulder cheerfully.

Among those watching, there stood a young man, no older then twenty, with silver hair and black eyes. He stared at Amaya as she walked away, his arms crossed, a smile playing at the corners of his lips, "Well well well," he said quietly, "Looks like this place has more to offer then just cheap entertainment,"

(–)

"Wow, this thing's incredible," Amaya said cheerfully. She was looking through the telescopic sight of her new sniper rifle, up toward the sky where a seagull was flying high above, completely oblivious to the eyes watching it. Her finger was leaning against the trigger, but she had no intention of wasting a bullet of this one something like that.

She pulled away from the rifle, which she'd mounted at her window, and ran into the adjoining room. She opened a closet when she entered, revealing firearms that obviously weren't from this island.

Rifles were leaned against the wall of the closet – an old fashioned musket was hanging up on a mount. A rather large machine gun was inside a carrying case lying down and pressed against the back of the closet. A sub-machine gun was resting on a shelf above, and next to that were two revolvers. Nailed to the doors were boxes and bags of bullets and ammunition. She even had a hook for her bow next to dozens of arrows.

She grabbed hold of a belt that was hanging and then reached up for the revolvers, and placed them in the holsters before strapping the belt around her hips lazily. Then, she grabbed a single bullet, taking out one revolver and loading it in, then spinning the cartridge and snapping it back into place.

"Time for some hunting," she said cheerfully. She turned and ran outside, where she could still see the seagull flying high above, nothing more then a black speck in the sky. She raised the revolver, spending a few moments aiming, then pulled the trigger.

A blank. "Lucky bird," she said, cocking the gun again. She followed it as it flew, circling, memorizing its pattern, then she aimed a bit in front and pulled again. Blank number two. "Alright, birdie, one more. I'm not going to lose this game," she said. She cocked it again and tried a final time. Another blank. She heaved a sigh and lowered the gun. "What a bummer," she said. "Guess it's your lucky day, bird,"

"I was hoping to see something extraordinary," a male's voice said behind her. Amaya spun around, lifting the revolver and pointing it at the man standing several yards away. He had silver hair, black eyes, and was much taller then Amaya was – he looked about twenty. Beside him was another man, this one looking to be the exact opposite, with black hair and steely blue eyes. Amaya guessed he was a couple years older then the first. On the silver haired man's other side was a child, maybe six years old or younger, with golden eyes and silver hair. Brothers? The older ones wore semi-formal clothing, while the child wore more casual, comfortable looking attire.

"Who are you?" Amaya demanded.

The black haired man took a dagger from a sheath on his belt, and it was at that moment that Amaya noticed the enormous sword on the opposite side. The dagger itself, however, was one she'd never seen before – crescent shaped.

"We just want to talk," the silver haired man said. He took a step forward and Amaya tensed, cocking the gun.

"Don't take another step," she warned, "You want to talk, you can talk from there,"

But the man wasn't listening. He kept walking toward her and she found herself getting a bit nervous, "Hey, I said to stop!" she shouted. When he still didn't comply, she pulled the trigger. What she wasn't expecting was that the bullet wasn't a blank.

There was a deafening bang and then the man grunted, stopping in his tracks and falling back. Before she could even assess what she'd just done, the black haired man had her on the ground, kneeling over her with the crescent shaped dagger at her throat.

"That might have been the biggest mistake of your life," The man said. He was deathly calm, but his eyes looked furious, "And it's most definitely your last,"

"Nikolai!"

The black haired man, Nikolai, looked over his shoulder, but didn't pull away from the sixteen year old girl beneath him. "Let her up,"

Nikolai looked back down at Amaya with a frown and stood, stepping away and sheathing the dagger. Amaya took a moment to catch her breath and sat up, rubbing her neck where the blade of the dagger had been pressed. There was a small incision, but not enough to do any damage.

She looked at the silver haired man – he was on his feet, rubbing a wound in his shoulder, but what really startled her was the fact that there was no blood. "I think you owe us an apology," he said to Amaya, "I think dinner will suffice,"

(–)

_I can't believe I let them in here..._ Amaya said uncomfortably as she watched the two men and the young child eating at her table. She'd made venison stew, which had taken her hours to cook – she'd been up since four in the morning cooking it and it was easily passed seven at night now by the time it finished. And here she was feeding it to these people...

"This is really good!" the younger boy said. His once serious face had become cheerful the moment he began eating. Amaya allowed a smile for the briefest of moments.

"Thanks," she said quietly. She looked at the guys quietly. Something was familiar about them... "Who are you anyway?"

The silver haired man didn't look up, "You know, it's proper to say your own name when asking someone else's," he said.

Amaya frowned, crossing her arms indignantly, "Who invited whom into who's home?" she shot back. The man nodded in acknowledgment and put down his spoon.

"Point taken," he said with a smile, "The black haired guy on my left is Nikolai, the shrimp to my right is Cedric, and I'm Lance. Captain of the - "

"Blue Lightning Pirates!" Amaya suddenly exclaimed. She knew their faces were familiar! "I've seen your bounty posters! You're really them? That means that you're the Puppet Master..." She pointed to Lance, "And you're the Devil's Emissary," to Cedric, "And you," She paused, staring at Nikolai, "You must be the Black Widow! I've heard a lot about you guys!"

_And if they're the Blue Lightning Pirates, they must have money!_ She thought. She smiled, running toward them and patting Lance on the back, "I'm so sorry for shooting you! Please, stay as long as you want, as an apology! Tell you what, tomorrow, I'll cook you breakfast!"

"Wow, really? That's nice of you!" Lance said, rather naively. "I think we'll take you up on that offer. It'll be nice to get off the _Thunder_ for a while,"

Amaya smiled happily on the outside, but inside, she was laughing. _These guys are too easy! _"The _Thunder?_" she asked, "What's that?"

"Our ship," Cedric said, "Lance built it himself – it's called _Apocalyptic Thunder._"

_Whoa, talk about an intimidating name._ Amaya thought to herself. She looked out the window, _Well, it won't be too hard to find. I've just got to sneak in, snag their treasure, and get out of here!_

"Oh, I was so distracted by this food that I forgot my reason for coming here," Lance said suddenly. He'd already finished his soup and pushed the bowl aside, turning his head to look at Amaya. "It's obvious you're an incredible chef, but you're also a marksman, right?"

Amaya blinked, "Hmm? Yeah, that's right," she said, "What of it?"

"I saw you at that archery contest," Lance continued, "I've got to say, I'm definitely impressed with your skill. And your food is better then anything I've ever tasted! Who taught you?"

"Oh..." Amaya paused, returning to the counter and leaning against it, "Well, I taught myself everything. You see, my mother died when I was six, and I've never had a father, so... I've had to live on the streets and support myself. I had to learn to hunt to get food, and I had to learn to cook to make that food edible. So..."

"Autodidact," Nikolai said. Amaya blinked.

"Bless you," she said.

"No, autodidact means that you're self taught," Cedric translated. Amaya felt her cheeks flush – the fact that this little boy knew that and she didn't was a bit embarrassing.

"Well, anyway, like I said, I was impressed with your marksmanship. And the cooking is a definite plus, but on to my offer! How'd you like to join the Blue Lightning Pirates? We need a cook, anyway!"

This startled Amaya. Join? One of the most famous, yet smallest crews in the Grand Line? Was this some kind of joke? _Like hell!_ She decided, however, instead of that, she said, "Can I think it over? You know, overnight?"

"Of course," Lance said. He stood up, yawning, "Well, that was a great meal. Thanks a bunch. We're gonna go turn in for the night, but first thing in the morning, we expect your answer!" he stated, walking down the hallway.

Cedric and Nikolai stood and followed, Cedric muttering a quick "Thank You" as he disappeared into the adjoining room to join his brother. Amaya busied herself for a while cleaning up the bowls and properly storing the stew, then, she glanced tiptoed to the closed bedroom door, pressing her ear against it. Her keen ears picked up the light breathing of Nikolai, the soft snoring of Cedric, and the much louder snoring of Lance. She nodded to herself and turned, making her way outside.

(–)

"Me? Join pirates? What are they, stupid?" Amaya asked several minutes later as she ran quickly along the docks. She looked at the various vessels, scanning the top of the ships for flags. It took her a few minutes to spot a jolly roger – an angry looking skull with a lightning-shaped crack running straight down the front center. Lightning... _That must be it!_ She decided.

She made quick work of climbing up the rope that was being used to tie the wooden brigantine to the dock and as soon as she reached the top, she ran across the deck toward the cabin. She knew that the Blue Lightning pirates were composed of three members – three very dangerous members – and those three members were currently snoozing away in her little ocean-side cabin.

"Piece of cake," Amaya said when she reached the door. She turned the knob and pushed it open, and froze in her tracks.

The door she'd just opened lead to the galley, and the ship wasn't empty as she'd expected. Rather, at the table, there sat a dozen pirates, all eating and drinking their meals, until they spotted her and all went silent.

_Shit._ Amaya thought to herself. _Think of something, quick!_ "Oops, sorry about that! I was trying to find my uncle's ship, guess I'm on the wrong one! I'll just be taking my leave now!" She turned, about to sprint across the deck with suddenly, a powerful hand closed around her wrist and pulled her back roughly, partially lifting her off the ground with that single hand and she winced as she felt her shoulder being pulled.

"Well, well, what have we here?" a strangely familiar voice asked. Amaya's eyes widened and she looked up at the man. He had short, dark brown hair and dark eyes, but the feature that was most distinguishable was the scar that trailed from his forehead, all the way down the center of his face, shaped like a lightning bolt. Where had she heard that voice before. She tried pulling at her arm to try to escape.

"Let me go," She said.

"I don't think so," the pirate said. He shoved her further into the room and she quickly backed away toward the wall, as far away from these men as possible. "I remember you. You're that girl who was at the archery competition,"

Amaya turned to look at the pirate, surprised. "Archery contest? I didn't see you there..."

"Of course, you wouldn't recognize me," the man said. He lifted his hand, covering the lower half of his face, and Amaya's eyes widened, "What about now?"

"You..." she gasped, recognizing him now and pointing at him accusingly. "You're the dirty old man from before!"

"Oi, I'll have you know that I'm not a day older than forty-three!" the man protested, lowering his hand. "But you... I recall you said you were... sixteen?"

Amaya swallowed a lump in her throat, but didn't answer. She reached for her hip, where normally she'd carry her guns, but cursed herself for foolishly forgetting them on the counter at home. _Damn it, damn it, damn it!_ If she had her revolvers, she'd be able to take these men out in no time!

"Sixteen? Certainly doesn't look it!" one of the pirates at the table said, "Well, I say we keep her, Captain!"

"The young ones are always the most fun! Put up a fight, they do!" said another.

"The Scarface Pirates need someone to make this ship fun anyhow!"

Laughter erupted around them and Amaya felt her finger clench into tight fists. "You..." She growled, feeling the fear beginning to disappear, "How dare you! I didn't know pigs like you were still around, but I was obviously wrong! Who the hell are the Scarface Pirates anyway? I've never heard of them!" she straightened up, tilting her head back so it appeared that she was looking down on the men before her, "Besides, I've already got an affiliation with the Blue Lightning Pirates!"

Hearing that name, silence overcame the room again as everyone held their breath. Amaya smirked. Obviously they were shocked, she could use this to her advantage, "That's right!" she said, continuing her lie, "I'm their marksman! So you'd better watch out, because when the others realize I'm not in my room on the ship, they'll come running!" She stepped away from the wall, moving toward the door, walking backwards so as not to let her eyes off these pirates.

She stopped, her breath catching, when she felt herself bump into someone behind her, followed by a firm hand on her shoulder. Their captain, Scarface, was standing there, looking down at her with a smirk, "She's bluffing," he said simply. He looked to his crew and grinned, "Take her below!" he shouted, pushing her toward the table.

She hit the table hard with a grunt and immediately, two men grabbed her arms and began pulling her back, toward a trap door which lead to the storage hold below. "Stop! Let go!" Amaya shouted as another pirate lifted the door open, "Please!"

And then, the front door suddenly slammed open and flew across the room, hitting one of the men holding Amaya and sending him flying. At once, all eyes turned toward the door, even Amaya, and she felt a flutter of joy.

Standing in the doorway, one leg still lifted from kicking out the door, was Lance. He looked angry; beyond angry – furious, as he stepped through. A large silver wolf stalked in slowly behind him, growling angrily, his golden eyes darting around to each pirate in turn. Nikolai was last, and the simple appearance of the man caused the entire population of the room to back away in fright.

"I think," Lance said in a calm voice, "The young girl said to 'Let go'," his black eyes turned to the remaining man holding the startled Amaya and the man's eyes widened. "I'd strongly suggest you _let her go_,"

He didn't hesitate. The pirate released Amaya and ran toward the rest of his crew. Amaya didn't hesitate to run toward Lance and the others. She stumbled over her own panicking feet, falling forward, and Lance caught her before she could fell. "Are you alright?" he asked her gently.

She nodded, her face streaked with tears, and Lance rubbed her head and gently urged her behind him. She complied without complaint and the wolf quickly stepped up beside her as Lance turned his eyes to the Pirate Captain.

Then, in the blink of an eye, he was gone and suddenly directly in front of Scarface. He punched the man's face so hard that it tore open his knuckles and opened a deep cut in the man's cheek and sent him flying across the room. Lance quickly caught up, seeming to teleport to where the man hit the wall and as Scarface tried to recover, Lance pressed a hand to the man's jaw, knocking his head against the wooden wall with enough force to create a series of cracks. Blood seeped down from the man's had, onto Lance's hands.

The others began to regain their composure and stepped forward to defend their captain, but Nikolai was faster. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of them, Tsukumo drawn and extended. "Don't move if you want to live," he said, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"I'm generally a merciful guy," Lance said calmly to Scarface, "I don't like hurting people, I really don't. But guys who do things like this to innocent girls – guys like you - really _piss me off!_" He emphasized the final three words by slamming the man's head against the wall with each word, making the cracks larger before eventually breaking a hole in the wall. Scarface looked daze, his eyes glazing over.

"And when I get pissed," Lance continued, turning, throwing the man across the room. Scarface hit the opposite wall with a loud thud and fell, "You don't want to be around me," Lance walked toward the door once again, where Cedric and Amaya still stood, Amaya's eyes wide in shock. "Let's get you out of here," he said to Amaya, putting a gently arm around her shoulders and ushering her out. "Nikolai," he called over his shoulder, without turning around. Nikolai glanced at his captain.

Lance hesitated for a few moments, looking at Nikolai, then down at the teenage girl clutching his shirt with one hand, as if afraid to let go. With a mental nod, he continued walking, Cedric right beside them, remaining as a wolf, "Destroy the ship,"

Amaya saw a feral grin spread across the swordsman's face as Lance lifted her into his arms, "Soru," he muttered under his breath, almost too quiet for Amaya to hear, and suddenly, they were back at her home, outside. He set Amaya down and she had to lean against the wall of her cabin to keep from collapsing.

At the dock, she saw the ship suddenly lurch, then seemed to split in half before it began to sink into the shallow harbor. Her eyes widened. These people. They were beyond strong. They were monsters. She straightened, taking a breath, and looked Lance straight in the eyes.

"Thank you," She said. He looked at her briefly and nodded, and she continued, "I owe you a lot, don't I? I hope..." he hesitated. Did she really want to do this? She shook the thought out of her head. These men had saved her. She'd definitely earned their trust. Beside Lance, Cedric returned to his human form, "I hope you will let me make it up to you as the Marksman and Chef of your crew,"

Lance suddenly grinned. "Amaya," he said, rubbing her head, "Welcome to the Blue Lightning Pirates."

* * *

**A/N:** Wow! I think Amaya's was the longest chapter yet! That wasn't intended! Just sorta happened that way. Sorry this one took a bit longer then the last one... it was hard to come up with something. If you all are wondering, the ages of the Blue Lightning Pirates at this stage in their tale are as follows:

Lance: 20

Nikolai: 22

Cedric: 5 (and a half, he indignantly states!)

Amaya: 16

Don't worry – not all of the Blue Lightning Pirates have such harsh pasts. In fact, there's one that's the odd man – or I should say woman - out from the rest, and you're about to meet her in the next chapter! I'm gonna have to write fast if I want to get this arc finished before the New Year!

Now, there's something else I have to point out before I go. I know this is an agonizingly long Author's note, but bear with me, because this is for all you readers out there. Over the course of writing this story, I've gotten 15, 197 hits, gotten it added to 1 C2, had it favorited 42 times, and had it put on 32 alert lists. I've gotten 624 reviews, written more than seventy chapters, been asked by one of the readers if they can draw it (some of you have already seen the dA page, check out the link on my profile under the Pirates! section)... and almost a full year later (the 30th marks the 1 year anniversary!) I'm still going. Thanks to all my readers who have sent me your characters, reviewed all the chapters, and stuck with it through the long waits for updates. It really makes me happy that you're all still here and reviewing strong! Your support keeps me writing! Thanks so much!

Now, I'm done with this long author's note, I think. Again, thanks to all of you, as well as those who have wished me an early happy anniversary. Merry Christmas to you all (though it's a bit late) and I wish you all a happy New Year! Go party and have fun!

SNE121


	75. The Tale of the Blue Lightning Pirates 4

**Pirates!**

**The Tale of the Blue Lightning Pirates 4**

**The Doctor With a Passion for History:**

**Collette Pierce

* * *

**

Books were a thing that the child couldn't get enough of –fiction, or non-fiction. She sped through massive volumes in a matter of days, sometimes in mere hours, which for her age was quite the feat. It was late – the moon was beginning to set and the sun would rise in a matter of hours, but that didn't stop this curious child from reading a particular book.

The book was extremely old – the leather-bound cover was stained and damange and the binding was close to falling apart. When she'd first pulled it out of a travelling merchant's cart that morning, it was covered with a thick layer of dust, and was without title. Now, she was almost halfway through the large volume.

There was a knock on her bedroom door, but the girl didn't look away –merely turned the page. Moments later, the door opened, revealing a woman that looked very much like the young seven-year-old.

Her hair was brown, though unlike the child, who had it tied in pigtails and cut short, the woman's was long. They had the same dark brown eyes, and light, but not quite pale, skin. "Collette, what are you still doing up?"she asked.

The girl, Collette, still didn't raise her eyes, but this time she did respond, "I'm reading," she said.

The woman laughed and entered, closing the door behind her and sitting on the bed beside her daughter, "I can see that, but do you know how late it is?" Collette nodded, "And don't you think that you should get some rest?"

"All I need are seven hours of sleep to function properly," Collette replied.

"That's for an adult, sweetie, you're still a little girl," her mother protested gently, though she knew that wouldn't sway the child. Instead, she sighed, "So what are you reading,"

Collette looked up, her eyes shining. "Have you ever heard of… Poneglyphs?" she asked. Her mother's eyes widened for the briefest of moments, startled by the word, but she quickly masked her surprise.

"Where did you hear about those, Collette?" she asked gently. Collette tapped on the book.

"According to this, they're ancient scriptures, and each tells a forgotten history. How can history be forgotten?"

"Some people _want_ to forget, sweetie," her mother replied. Collette frowned at this and looked back at the book.

"Why would someone want to forget history?" she asked, confused, "There's so much to learn. So many mistakes that can be avoided if we just focus on the past…"

Her mother laughed good-naturedly and rubbed her daughter's head, taking the book and closing it in the process. She set it down on the table beside the bed and tucked Collette in, "You're too perceptive for your own good, you know," she said with a smile. She kissed the girl's forehead, "Now, go to sleep. You can finish reading tomorrow,"

Collette yawned and made herself comfortable as the woman took the candle lighting the room and began to leave, "Hey, Mom," she said as she closed her eyes. Her mother stopped at the door and looked at her. "I hope you don't mind… but… I think I prefer History to Medicine," she said. "I mean, medicine is good and all but," she yawned, "I'd like to find this… forgotten history.

Her mother bit her lip slightly, uncomfortable with the ideas, but regardless, she put on a smile, "Whatever you want, sweetie,"she said. "Sweet dreams," And with that, she blew out the candle and closed the door.

(--)**Three Years Later…**(--)

It was late at night, but Collette, now ten, couldn't find the will to sleep. Instead, she sat; awake, in the waiting room of the small twenty-four-hour clinic her family owned. It was a small clinic, yes, but the best in the city, hands down. Doctor's Dave and Angie Pierce, Collette's parents, were unmatched in terms of medical skill.

Collette spent her time reading a medical book – it was part of her deal with her parents. She could study her history, yes, but she must then study several hours of medicine, as well as perform hands-on nursing activities daily. Of course, Collette didn't mind this. She was just waiting for the day when she'd be allowed into a surgery.

_The stitched must not be tied until all have been inserted, and then care must be taken not to draw them tighter than is necessary to bring the lips of the wound together. Overdrawn sutures obstruct the circulation of the tissues through which they pass, and excited irritation in the part, and interfere with the healing process._

She jotted down a few notes in the margin of the book, and then leaned back in her chair, raising her arms and stretching. She twirled one of the pigtails which her dark hair was pulled into absently. "That seems easy enough," she decided, "I can do that," Now, all she needed was an opportunity.

As if on cue, the door to the clinic suddenly slammed open, startling Collette enough to make her stand up in her chair and turn her head toward the door. At first, nothing happened, then, a hand reached forward, once pale, but reddened with blood, and grabbed onto the door. Collette's heart pounded in her chest as she saw the owner of the hand enter. A woman with blond hair soaked with a mixture of sea water, sweat, and blood. Her blue eyes looked to be in pain, and she was clutching her stomach, where a gaping wound – it appeared to be a cut with a sword – dripped blood onto the wooden floor of the clinic.

The woman looked around and when she spotted Collette, she froze. The ten-year-old looked right back, unsure of what to do for the briefest of moments. That shock faded, however, when she realized just how much blood the woman was losing. She dropped her book on the chair and ran toward the woman, just as she fell.

Collette, though struggling, managed to catch her just before she hit the ground. "Mom! Dad!" she called toward the staircase leading to their home upstairs. She looked back at the woman, "What's your name? What happened?" She asked quickly.

"Help…" the woman said, lifting a hand.

"I will, I will," Collette said. She quickly pressed her small hands to the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. She called her parents again, louder this time, and now she heard footsteps above, running. "Help is on the way."

"Not me…" the woman choked out. She coughed, turning her head away from the young girl and spilling more blood, "My captain. Save… him," Her hand fell and her eyes closed.

Collette realized then that the woman raised a hand not to reach for Collette, but to point outside the door, where a man lay on his back, gasping, on some sort of cloth. Blood was seeping out from a bullet wound in his chest. He looked like the woman, though a bit older.

"Collette, what happened?" her father asked, kneeling beside her and checking the woman's pulse. Collette ignored him, running from the woman to the man outside whom her parents had yet to see. "She's alive, but her pulse is weak. She's lost a lot of blood. Angie, get me a stretcher, stat!"

"Right!" Collette's mother said, turning and running down the hallway.

Collette knelt beside the man outside, first pressing her ear against his chest. She could hear a faint heartbeat, but it was quickly fading. "Dad!" Collette called, as soon as the woman was put onto the stretcher. Her father looked toward her, "This one's got a chest wound. A bullet, I think. His heartbeat is faint, he's cyanotic,"

Collette's father ran toward the man, taking Collette's place as another hand helped his wife carry the woman into a surgical room. "Punctured lung," her father said quickly. He ripped open the man's shirt, pressing his hand to the wound, "Collette, get me a pressure bandage and a cannula," he said. Collette didn't hesitate. She ran down the hallway, opening a cabinet where supplies were, and grabbed hold of the long needle indicated as well as a bandage, then ran back. Her father placed the bandage, holding it in place before carefully lifting the man into a sitting position.

"Collette, I need you to do this carefully," he said, "We have to do a needle thoracocentesis to relieve the pressure and get the fluid out. Do you remember how I showed you?" Collette hesitated, looking down at the large needle in her hand, then at the man's exposed back. "Collette, we don't have time! Can you do this?" her father asked.

"Y-yeah!" Collette said. She held her breath to steady her hand and carefully inserted the needle at a slight angle into his back. Her father watched her as he held up the patient as she began to remove the liquid with the needle, relieving the pressure it cause to the lung. The man's breathing began to ease slightly, though still was difficult.

"Ok, good for now, take it out," he told her. She removed the needle carefully, with exact precision, and released the breath she'd been holding. Another doctor ran over, coming in to start his late night shift, and quickly helped my father put the man onto another stretcher and carry him down the hallway. Collette began to follow, but stopped as the door to the surgical room was slammed shut before she could enter.

Collette didn't leave that place for hours, sitting outside the door as her father and the other doctor worked on the young man. Her mother was across the hall, in another room, stitching up the wound of the woman after managing to fix her. But Collette didn't know any of this. She'd fallen asleep outside the room, her head in her arms, breathing lightly.

The door beside her opened, revealing her father and his assistant, now free of their surgical scrubs and masks. He looked down and saw her sleeping and knelt down, gently shaking her to wake her, "Collette," he whispered. The girl opened her eyes slowly. "He's alright," he said, "You saved him, relieving the pressure. Good job," he rubbed her head and helped her to her feet, "now get to bed,"

(–)

Several days later, Collette prepared the food tray for the two patients, now in a room together. In the last few days, she'd learned a few things – they were siblings, the girl named Reiko, the boy named Tsubasa. The boy was the older one by three years at twenty two, the girl nineteen, and both of them were Pirates. They'd been attacked just off the shore, their ship sunk, their other two members missing. They'd survived only because they'd been assumed dead.

As she entered the room, they smiled upon seeing her, "There she is! The little girl who saved us!" Reiko said cheerfully, "What'd you bring us today, Collette?"

"Same thing," Collette said apologetically, handing them the bowls with warm soup, "You guys have to wait a little longer before you can start eating solid foods again,"

Tsubasa picked up the spoon and smelled the soup briefly before taking a taste, "Well, I can't say it's not good," he said, drinking it slowly. Not as good as Lila's but, beggars can't be choosers,"

Reiko frowned at the name and stared down at the broth, "Who's Lila?" Collette asked.

"Lila was… is, our chef. She's older than we are – thirty one, a little on the plump side, but not fat, and she cooks like there's no tomorrow! I've never met anyone who cooked like her,"

"She worked to the Baratie when she was a kid, before coming to the Grand Line," Reiko added. "The other one is Kazuo – he's our swordsman. He's the youngest one. He's only a few years older than you – thirteen, but he's brilliant with a blade."

"So what are your positions?" Collette asked, sitting down on a chair beside their beds.

"I'm captain," Tsubasa said, grinning.

"And I'm the Navigator," Reiko said.

"But we still need a shipwright, a marksman, and I want a musician too,"

"Don't forget a doctor, Tsubasa,"

"Oh, right, that too," Tsubasa said, laughing. He looked over at Collette as he took another drink of broth, "What about you, Girlie? How'd you like to join?"

Collette flushed, "Me? Be a pirate? No, I couldn't!" she said. She played with the tray in her lap absently, "I mean… I'm not experienced enough and… I don't want to put you at risk so…"

"It's fine," Reiko said, finishing the last of her soup in a large gulp, "Ignore Tsubasa. Before we start recruiting new members, we've got to find the ones we've already got,"

"Yeah, you're right," Tsubasa said, finishing off his and setting the plate aside.

"You're so confident that they survived…" Collette said, "How can you be so sure?"

"I just have to believe that they're strong enough, and lucky enough, to have found a way to keep safe," Tsubasa said, leaning back and resting his head on the pillow, "If you don't mind, Girlie, I think we're going to take a nap," Within moments, he was snoring.

"Oh, right," Collette said. She stood, gathering up the empty bowls. She started toward the door, about to leave when Reiko's voice stopped her.

"Collette," she said quietly. Collette turned and Reiko gestured for the girl to approach, which Collette did after setting the tray down on a table near the door. Reiko reached down into her bag and took out what looked like a Chinese fan, attached to a long chain, and held it out to Collette.

"What's this?" Collette asked, staring at the fan.

Reiko opened it with a flick of the hand, revealing the razor sharp edge of the white steel fan, "It's a weapon," she said, "the chain attached makes it so that it can be either a ranged or close quarters weapon, very useful for the fast mover," she closed it, taking Collette's hand and placing the fan in it before closing it around it, "I want to give this to you, as a thanks for saving my brother,"

Collette looked at the fan – it was extremely light, but appeared very durable, "I have the match, right here," Reiko said, taking out a second fan, this one black, "They're a set. Since you've got one, we'll definitely have to meet again, and you'll show me just what you can do with that thing,"

Collette smiled and nodded, "Thank you," she said, bowing slightly. She would have hugged the girl, but she knew better then that. Instead, she hugged the fan close to her chest and ran out, taking the tray. Reiko smiled softly as the girl disappeared.

When Collette returned to check on them several hours later, they were gone.

(--)**Nine Years Later**(--)

There were times when the clinic was quiet, and today was one of those times. Now nineteen, she had changed quite a bit in terms of her clothing style, however, she still preferred keeping her now long hair in pigtails, tied with blue ribbons. She wore a dark blue shirt and a black skirt, with heeled sandals to match the outfit. She had taken a house call earlier and on her way back to the clinic, still carrying the medicine bag over her shoulder.

As always, she also carried a book with her, which she'd purchased the day before and was already almost finished with it – a book about the wonders: historical places and people.

When she arrived, she relieved the doctor waiting at the reception desk, sending him on his lunch break, and took his place. She made a quick check of the charts – everyone in the clinic had been checked up on already, so there was really nothing to do.

Until of course, someone entered. It was a girl, no older then sixteen, with long blond hair, wearing a camouflage print tank top and jean shorts, as well as boots. Slung over her shoulder was a rather large shotgun, and strapped to her belts were a pair of revolvers, as well as a pouch. She walked toward Collette and got right to the point.

"I've tried every other clinic in town," she said, "And none of them want to help us because we're pirates. Some doctors this damn place has. So let me know now – are you going to accept us or turn us down?"

Collette stared at the girl, a bit surprised by her sudden words. The other clinics, not serving pirates? Collette wasn't surprised of course, but they were all doctors! They couldn't turn down patients! Immediately, she nodded, "Who's the patient?" she asked.

The girl responded by turning on her heel and walking out. Collette set her book on the counter and followed her outside, where a silver haired man was carrying a smaller boy that looked very similar to him in his arms. The boy had his eyes closed and he looked extremely pale, with a purple tint almost like bruises around his eyes.

He was extremely young. That was the first thing that got Collette moving, "Bring him in," She said quickly, turning and returning inside. She walked down the hallway to a room and opened the door, waiting for the others to follow. The silver haired man entered first, followed by the girl, and then another man with black hair and piercing blue eyes that Collette had failed to see before.

She entered after them as the man set the child down on the bed and Collette began the examination immediately.

"How old is he?" She asked.

"Just turned six a few days ago," the silver haired man said, "The day after that though, he started complaining about being tired and soar. So we had him lay down, and the next morning, he was like this. Hasn't woken up since," The man seemed nervous, perhaps afraid.

"Are you his father?" Collette asked, putting on a pair of gloves.

"What? No, I'm his brother," the man replied, "Lance is my name. His is Cedric,"

"Cedric..." Collette muttered. She opened one eye and flashed a light in it, watching the pupils dilate. Normal reaction. Good. She completely ignored the unnatural eye color. There was a large bruise on the boy's arm – something that startled Collette. "How did he get this?" She demanded, looking at the others.

"We're pirates," Amaya answered. "We're going to get into fights. He got that a few days before when we were attacked by a marines on the sea. Normally, he'd heal by now – he doesn't bruise easily this kid."

Collette quickly checked his ears – clear. She moved to his mouth and was surprised by the discoloration and bleeding of the gums. She briefly examined them, then nodded, releasing his lips and taking the gloves off. "Scurvy," she said, walking out. "Be right back,"

"Scurvy?" Lance repeated, a bit confused. He looked at Cedric, then at Amaya, who looked completely shocked and a little bit guilty. Collette returned with a cup of orange juice with a straw and approached Cedric, gently lifting the boy up to a sitting position.

"Cedric," she said gently, "Wake up, hon. I've got something that'll help you get better,"

Cedric's eyes fluttered open weakly and he looked up at Collette. "Medicine?" he asked. Even in his weakened state, Collette could hear the disgust in his tone and she smiled.

"Orange juice," she answered, putting the straw to his lips. "Just drink some of this and you'll start to feel better." Cedric reached up and took the cup from her, drinking the juice slowly. Collette motioned for Lance and he took her place holding his brother up to drink the juice.

"Scurvy's a disease cause by Vitamin C deficiency. It's not uncommon in sailors. Being so young, he's much more prone to it then you guys are, and because of that, he needs more vitamin C in his diet to keep him healthy. Who's your chef?"

"That would be me," Amaya answered, "We've been running low on citrus and things like that, so I've had it on rations until we found an island to restock. I didn't know that it would make him this sick though,"

"It's a common mistake, don't worry," Collette said with a smile, "You can restock on this island, I'm sure. But it would be best for you to stay for a few days until he fully recovers."

"We can't do that," Lance said, "The Marines are on our heels. If we stay here too long, the island will be in danger. That's the last thing we want,"

Collette frowned, "As a doctor, I can't allow a patient to leave my care before he's fully healed," she said. She looked at the quiet black haired one and her eyes widened when she spotted the bloody bandage wrapped around the length of his arm. "What happened to you?" She demanded, running toward him.

"Feel better, kid?" Lance asked his brother. Cedric nodded slightly and finished the juice, then put down the juice.

"I like her," he whispered to Lance, watching as Collette coaxed Nikolai into a chair and unwrapped the bandage. She gasped in surprise at the long gash running down the length of his upper arm.

Lance looked at Collette with a small smile, "Yeah, so do I," he agreed quietly.

"This is infected, are you crazy?" She snapped. She reached for the counter beside Nikolai, grabbing a bottle of alcohol and a cotton swab and she proceeded to clean the deep wound, "And it needs stitches. You guys don't have a doctor?"

"Nope," Lance said, "We haven't gotten to that point yet. Usually, I'll stop their bleeding with my Devil Fruit and the wounds heal on their own. But after this, I think we really do need one..."

"I don't need stitches," Nikolai insisted. Collette looked at him sternly.

"Don't argue with me," She said, "I'm the doctor, I know what you need. Either you let me clean and stitch it up or you lose the arm. Your choice. " There was a sharp intake of breath from Lance and Cedric and Amaya just stared at Collette as if she'd never seen anything like her. Nikolai gave her a furious glare, as if he were about to strangle her, then, he looked away with his arms crossed.

"Whatever," he grumbled, "Do what you want" Collette smiled contentedly and prepared to start stitching. Amaya gaped at the girl.

"He just took it," she said in shock to Lance, "I've never seen anyone talk to Nikolai like that and get away with it unscathed. This girl's really something!"

"Tell me about it," Lance said, watching as she began to stitch up the now cleaned wound. "Hey-"

"Not now," Collette cut in, interrupting the man. "Once I finish this, then we can talk,but until then, please be quiet so I can focus,"

And without hesitation, Lance did. She finished the stitches, being sure to tie them properly, then she bandaged it with fresh bandages. "Make sure you keep that dry, ok?" she warned. Nikolai didn't reply as she turned to Lance. "Now, what were you saying,"

"I want you to come with us," Lance said simply. "Become a pirate. We need a doctor and you insist that you can't let your patient out of your care. What better way to make sure he heals then to come with us?"

Collette blinked, startled by the request.

"_What about you, Girlie? How'd you like to join?"_

When offered back then, Collette had wanted to go, but was hesitant. She didn't know enough. Now, she was a seasoned doctor – just as good if not better than her own parents.

"I agree!" Amaya said quickly, "I like you! You've definitely got guys to stand up to Nikolai like that!"

Nikolai scowled at Amaya, "Quiet," he snapped. Then, glancing at Collette, he added, "But I guess she could be useful with us,"

"Come with us," Cedric added. Collette looked at each in turn, her eyes finally falling at Lance, who looked at her hopefully. She hesitated, looking down at her feet. Leaving now... maybe she'd run into Tsubasa and Reiko again?

"I..." she paused, looking up at Lance. His expression had faltered and he was now frowning. Collette bit her lip, then smiled, "I have to say goodbye to everyone first," she decided.

Lance grinned, "Fine with me!" he said. "Welcome to the Blue Lightnig Pirates..."

"Collette," Collette said, "Collette Pierce – Doctor and Historian."

* * *

**A/N:** Alright, we're almost done with this! This is the same year as Amaya's recruitment, by the way. About six months later. Coming up next is the Blue Lightning Pirate's newest member! Some of you may recognize him. After this, I'll jump straight into the next arc! Hope this was to your satisfaction! Don't forget your reviews!

**SNE121**


	76. The Tale of the Blue Lightning Pirates 5

**Pirates!**

**The Tale of the Blue Lightning Pirates 5**

**The Hunter of Hunters

* * *

**

_Several weeks after the encounter with the Crescent Dagger pirates on Inazuma Island, the Blue Lightning Pirates returned to one of their island bases for some rest and relaxation._

On an island somewhere in the Grand Line, a large black ship was docked at the port, the black sails tied to their masts. The anchor was weighed, keeping the ship in place. The only indication that this wasn't just any other ship, that it was in fact a Pirate Ship, was the calm black flag at the top of the tallest mast, displaying an angry white skull with a bolt of blue lightning striking diagonally behind it.

The people of the island wouldn't know about the Pirates arrival until they woke up in the morning, but the crew on board was certain the town wasn't going to try anything to drive them away. After all, this was a place where the Blue Lightning Pirates were welcome.

It was that knowledge that gave that particular crew the confidence to dock in plain sight; even Marines wouldn't approach them without fleets. Not with the skill they possessed.

The Captain of the crew, Lance Wright, was laying down on the deck, staring up at the innumerable stars above. They seemed to reflect, casting silver dots into his black eyes. It was his watch, though in a place as peaceful as this, a watch wasn't really needed. He'd tried explaining this to his crew and it was Amaya who had argued with him and, rather painfully, convinced him otherwise. He closed his eyes at the memory. His neck was still hurting where she'd caught him in a choke hold.

His thoughts didn't alert him of the sudden presence that appeared beside him until after it had taken its seat to his right and asked in a very young voice, "Aren't you supposed to be keeping watch?"

Lance opened a single eye and glanced at the silver haired boy beside him. Golden eyes looked back down at him, eyes exceeding the boy's young age. In fact, everything about Cedric Wright was older then his real age. His emotions, his strength, his skill… he was like a twenty-five year old man stuck in the small body of an eight year old boy.

Eight and a half, Cedric would argue. Mentally, though he knew his brother didn't know what he was thinking, he apologized. Lance crossed his arms behind his head and adjusted to a more comfortable position as he closed his eye again, "I am keeping watch," he said.

"Don't you have to have your eyes open to do that?" Cedric asked.

"Don't be a smart ass," Lance told him. He sat up, looking down at Cedric, "Who's the older brother?"

"You are,"

"And who has more wisdom and knowledge?" Lance continued. Cedric crossed his arms and his expression soured.

"You do," he said.

"That's right," Lance said, crossing his legs and facing the boy, "Which means that if my eyes are closed and I say I'm keeping watch, then I'm keeping watch," he poked his brother's forehead and Cedric smacked the hand away and crossed his arms, looking furiously away from Lance.

"Hey, what are you doing awake, anyway?" Lance asked, his voice softer. Cedric stiffened slightly, but didn't respond. "Ced," Lance tried again.

"Nightmare," Cedric responded stiffly. Lance frowned; despite it all, Cedric was still a child. Sometimes, they all forgot that.

"'bout what?" Lance asked. Cedric didn't answer for a few moments.

"Dad," he answered. Lance frowned slightly. Cedric never knew their mother because she died when he was born, but their father… Cedric had two years of the man before he decided to put a bullet in his head right in front of his two sons. Although Lance remembered that occasion as if it were yesterday, he knew that all Cedric remembered was a loud bang and a flash of red. But dreams tended to elaborate on the fears of those within them.

Lance moved closer to Cedric and wrapped a single arm around the young boy's shoulders. "You worry too much, kid," he said, "How many times do I have to tell you, don't let nightmares bug you. Especially if they're about him,"

"I know," Cedric replied quietly. "Lance, what were they like?"

The question didn't startle Lance anymore. Cedric asked it every time he had one of these dreams about the parents he never knew. To Cedric, his father was a kind caring man who was forced to kill himself for his kid's lives. The kind of man he was before he became an alcoholic after their mother's death; before he ignored and mistreated Cedric for two years before his own death. And Cedric never asked questions beyond that. After all, just because Lance hated the man later in life, didn't mean that Cedric had to.

Their mother was always a kind woman. Caring, sweet. There were times when Lance missed her still, and he was thankful that Cedric didn't know her. So Lance told the boy the same thing he always said.

"They were great people. Loved us both, proud of anything we did,"

This seemed to settle Cedric's mind, because he leaned against his brother, taking a content breath. "Thanks, big brother," he said quietly. Lance smiled slightly.

"Any time, kid," he said. They sat in mutual silence for a while, neither saying anything and eventually, Cedric fell asleep, his head resting on Lance's lap. Lance gazed at the child quietly for a few moments before standing, pulling the boy into his arms, and taking him downstairs to the boy's room. Nikolai was still asleep in his own bed. Lance set his brother down one a bed, covering him with the blankets, then made his way back upstairs. "I think I'll ask Collette to give him a haircut tomorrow," he mused absently.

"How about cutting yours?" a voice said from above, "And your head can go with it,"

Lance's eyes widened in surprise and he looked up in time to see the silhouette of a man, holding what looked like some sort of sword in one hand, falling down upon him. Lance rolled forward as the figure swiped at where Lance once was, landing in a crouch on the ground. Lance turned around to face him, his eyes narrowed in annoyance. _Who the _hell_ attacks in the middle of the night?!_

He gazed at his assailant – a man younger then himself with a mohawk and a black headband. He wore a brown jacket, blue pants, and shoes, and it turned out that the sword in his hand was a Pata sword. It took Lance a moment to recognize him.

"Well, well, if it isn't Manigordo," he said, "Haven't seen you since Drum Island. I thought we shook you off,"

"I'm very persistent with my prey," Morte said simply.

"What about that Gold Lion crew?" Lance asked, "Why not try them. I hear their captain's gotten pretty good,"

"Yes, good enough to have been defeated by the Crescent Dagger pirates," Morte said, "Don't make me laugh. I'm not naïve enough to be convinced to chase them," He suddenly ran at Lance, shifting into his hybrid form in the process, and swiped the Pata sword at the older man. Lance lifted a hand quickly, latching onto Morte's wrist and holding the sword at bay. Morte's amber eyes stared from beyond spotted gold fur. "Especially when you're so ripe for the taking,"

"So the kitty cat wants to play, eh? Well, bring it on then," Lance said, a wicked grin spread across his lips.

He reeled back a fist and punched Morte hard in the gut, sending the bounty hunter flying toward the bow of the ship. Morte managed to land on his feet, skidding briefly before finally coming to a stop, his tail flicking slightly. He crouched, about to strike again, but before he could move, another figure, this one obviously younger, seemed to fall onto the ship directly in front of the bounty hunter. He wore a tight black t-shirt, accenting the muscles on his back and front, and black pants. His left ear contained two dangling gold earrings that reminded Lance of the images of Roronoa Zoro on wanted posters and for a moment, Lance thought this _was_ the Pirate Hunter himself.

But this man was far too young for that. And his hair was black. And he carried no weapons. Lance could see what looked like a tattoo of a black dragon, snaking around the stranger's arm and seeming to shoot fire onto his now extended palm. The man's hazel eyes stared impassively at Morte.

Morte's eyes widened for the briefest of moments at the sight of this man, then narrowed in frustration, "You again," he growled.

"Burst," the stranger said. Morte crossed his arms over his chest in defense as he was suddenly knocked back, crashing into the steady bulwark of the ship.

"Oi, watch it!" Lance shouted, stepping forward. This was _his_ ship! "You ruin it and - " he trailed off when the young man swiped his other arm in Lance's direction and suddenly, a deep cut appeared on Lance's upper arm. Lance instinctively gripped his arm, startled. "What the _hell_?" he muttered. The wound bled for a few seconds before Lance quickly got it under control. He stared at this new stranger.

Morte rose to his feet from the attack and drew his guns, aiming one at Lance and one at the hazel-eyed man, who pointed one hand at Lance and one at Morte. Lance's eyes darted from one to the other, confused, but ready.

"Crusher," Morte growled angrily, "So you managed to follow me here,"

"You didn't think you could get away, did you, Morte del Astuto?" the man known as Crusher asked. He glanced at Lance, "As for you, you stay out of this. Manigordo is _my_ prey."

Lance blinked, finally recognizing the man by nickname, "Crusher?" he asked. Then, he started laughing, "Well, looks like the Hunter's become the hunted, eh? With an ironic turn of events. So, if I'm the mouse and you're the cat, what does that make the Crusher? Wait, let me guess, the dog, right?"

"Shut up, Puppet Master," Morte growled, obviously not amused.

"I don't want to hurt you, Puppet Master, so I'd suggest you stay out of it unless you want to die," the Crusher said.

"Oh, is that a threat?" Lance asked. His eyes darkened, "I don't take well to threats you know,"

"Well I don't take well to being called a 'dog'," the Crusher replied.

"It looks to me like we have a bit of a problem," Lance decided. "How about this, since you two are imposing on _my_ home, you both leave and fight your battle elsewhere,"

"I'm not going anywhere until I get my bounty," Morte said.

"And I'm not going anywhere until I get my target," The Crusher added.

"Then I'll have to get rid of you," Lance decided. "Soru," Suddenly, he disappeared. Both Morte and the Crusher tensed, wondering which the powerful captain would strike first.

As it turned out, Morte was first – Lance appeared beside the Ocelot-man and threw a powerful punch at his face that easily would have broken Morte's jawbone had he not managed to roll forward and dodge. He turned quickly, aiming both guns at Lance and pulling the triggers one at a time, repeatedly. He fired three shots from each, all of them hitting their mark, but Lance kept going, unphased.

"Damn him and his Devil Fruit," Morte growled, holstering the gun and grabbing his pata sword again.

"Slice!" He heard to his right. He turned his head in time to see the Crusher swipe at the air and instantly lifted his blade, managing to block the strange compression of air that would have sliced open his chest had he not.

The slice continued even passed the Ocelot-man, cutting instead straight through the railing of the upper deck and making it fall onto the lower deck with a crash. Lance's eyes widened, his pupils constricting to pinpricks, and with lightning fast speed, he was before the Crusher.

"You're just asking for an ass-kicking, aren't you?" Lance growled. He allowed the wound on his upper arm to bleed, molding the blood into a solid dagger shape, and stabbed at the man, getting him through the shoulder. The Crusher winced, but lifted the opposite arm, pressing the hand against Lance's chest.

"Burst!" he shouted. Lance felt an intense pressure hit his chest that suddenly sent him flying back against the cabin of the ship. The impact was so forceful that his body went straight through the strong black wood into the dining area beyond.

Using the distraction once again, Morte used his free hand to aim a gun at the Crusher, firing once and hitting him through the opposite shoulder that Lance managed to stab with the blood dagger – the left one, just above the heart. The young man staggered back, surprised by the strike, and Morte turned and ran through the hold where Lance just disappeared through.

He entered in time to see the captain rising to his feet, holding his chest. "Damn, that bastard's strong," Lance commented, coughing slightly, "What the hell is his power?" Morte stepped forward and pressed the pata sword against Lance's throat.

"So, would you like to come alive or should I really slice off that head of yours?" Morte asked.

"I'll stay alive, but I'm not going anywhere," Lance decided. He leaned back, putting all of his weight on his hands, and pushed up, kicking Morte in the jaw and forcing the hybrid to stagger back. "You really should reconsider biting more then you can chew, Manigordo," he said. Morte growled slightly and swiped with the sword, managing to cut Lance across the chest. The man stepped back and the wound bled for the briefest of seconds before stopping.

"Let's see, that six bullets, one sword, and one weird air slice," Lance counted, "and I' m still not down. Does that tell you anything?"

"It tells me that you're a pain in the ass," Morte decided, "You're not without your weak points, Puppet Master,"

Lance grinned, "Just try to get them," he said. He was about to hit Morte with a punch when outside, they heard the Crusher shout, "Draw!" and suddenly felt themselves being pulled back through the hole in the wall.

Out in the open air, they crashed into one another several feet away from the Crusher's extended hand, trapped. "What the hell? I can't move!" Lance complained, trying to pull his back away from Morte's.

"He's got the Chikara Chikara no Mi," Morte said angrily, "The power to control Gravity,"

"That explains a lot..." Lance muttered.

"I told you to stay out of my way," The Crusher said to Lance. "Crush..." he closed his hand slightly, almost like a claw, and Lance and Morte separated. The bounty hunter's eyes widened.

"Level three," the Crusher continued, closing his hand almost into a full fist. The two men suddenly felt an intense pressure from above that would have driven any normal man flat on the ground. Lance fell to one knee, using both hands to keep himself up, his teeth gritted, and Morte fell to both, trying to push himself back up.

"So this is why..." Lance began with difficulty, almost grinning, "They call you the Crusher. Not bad!".

Suddenly, a figure shot passed Lance and Morte, running with intense speed at the Crusher, just passed him. "_Chaine Goutte!"_ the figure shouted in a female voice, spinning a chain in her hand briefly as she turned, then throwing it at the Crusher. The fan at the end, being used as a weight, wrapped around the Crusher's left ankle and the girl pulled, knocking him off his feet, thus cutting off his concentration and ending the attack.

The Crusher rolled onto his back to push himself up, but was pushed back down by Tsukumo stabbing through his leg, seeping with a metallic green liquid. Paralysis poison.

Lance took a moment to catch his breath when the pressure faded before standing and Morte wasn't far behind. However, instead of attacking again, he made his way toward the bulwark, "Don't think this is over, Puppet Master," Morte growled, looking at Lance, with that, he disappeared, jumping over the bulwark and onto the shore, shifting into his full animal form and running into the trees.

Lance approached, rubbing his soar shoulder, and looked down at the Crusher. The young man's hazel eyes looked right back, a hateful expression on his face, "He got away," he growled, "And because of this damn blade, I can't go after him!"

"Nikolai," Lance said, "it's fine, back up,"

Nikolai's steely blue eyes glared at the Crusher and he twisted the blade before pulling out. The young man bit his lip and clenched his fists to fight back the intense pain.

"What, are you guys going to kill me now?" The Crusher asked, "Get on with it if that's your plan,"

"Don't tempt me, kid," Nikolai warned, lifting the blade again, but Lance raised a hand and Nikolai stepped back, lowering his sword.

"You're one confused fellow, aren't you?" he asked, "A hunter, but of hunters. How does that make any sense? If you want to fight Bounty Hunter so bad, why don't you just become a pirate?"

The Crusher scoffed, "Don't make me laugh,"

Collette knelt down before the young man, examining the wound on his left shoulder. It was bleeding profusely, soaking the black shirt, "This is bad," she said, "It just barely missed he heart, but you're going to bleed out if you don't get it fixed soon,"

"Here," Lance said, pressing his hand against the wound with more force then necessary. The Crusher glared at him as if he wanted to kill him, but couldn't due to the paralysis. However, it _did_ stop the bleeding. "So what's your name, kid?"

"The bullet's still in there... I'm going to have to take it out," Collette said. Then, she finally got a good look at Lance and gasped. The bullets had managed to get him in his right shoulder and upper arm, his chest, two in his legs, and one through his stomach – luckily missing the vital organs. Plus the cut across his chest and in his upper arm... If it weren't for his ability, he'd be dead.

"Don't start, Collette," Lance interrupted before she could fuss, "I've got to talk to the kid first, then you can fix it, ok?" He turned his attention back to the Crusher, "So? Name."

"Leo," the Crusher replied, but that was all he offered.

"Like 'Gold Lion'?" Lance asked, a smile playing across his lips. Leo glared at him in annoyance.

"No affiliation," he said through his teeth.

"Right, well, _Leo._ Why exactly were you going after Morte?"

Leo looked away, "Isn't it obvious? He's a bounty hunter. A powerful one at that, and I get rid of bounty hunters,"

"Because of what happened to your hometown, right?" Lance asked. Leo's eyes widened and he looked up at Lance.

"How did you - "

"I know a lot about you, kid," Lance said. "Your home was raided by bounty hunters hired by the World Government looking for pirates that weren't even there. Your mother was killed in the attack and you, using your Devil Fruit power, killed them because of it. That one guy you left alive? He told the story to anyone who would listen. Heard it from him and since then I've definitely been interested in you.

"You've showed me today that you're definitely powerful. I'll forgive that you just tried to kill me and wrecked my ship if you join us and help me fix it," Lance finished.

Leo was so startled by Lance's words that he found it difficult to speak. "And if I refuse?"

"I hear the ocean bottom is pretty nice," Lance replied. "Your goal is the World Government, right? We're generally the peaceful type, and if those bastards are calling in on things like that, what they did to your home, then it's completely unacceptable,"

"Besides, the best way to get the World Government is to take out their Bounty Hunting group: the Tribe. Trust me, you're going to need a _lot_ of help to beat them,"

"You don't even know me," Leo said at last, "Why the hell do you want to help me with this?"

Lance shrugged, "Why not?" he asked, "Besides, like I said, you caught my interest. What are you good at?"

"Fighting," was all Leo said. Lance nodded slightly, content, "Well, that'll work," he said, again touching Leo's wounds and allowing the blood to flow again. "Collette, take him down and get that bullet out, then bandage him up,"

"What about you?" Collette protested.

"I'll be fine for now," Lance insisted, walking toward the wrecked wall and examining it, "Newbie first. Nikolai, help her get him into the Infirmary,"

Nikolai knelt down, taking Leo and throwing him over one shoulder carelessly. Leo gasped, surprised, and looked at Lance, "Oi! I never agreed on anything!" he protested as he was carried away. Lance looked at him and grinned.

"You will," Lance said confidently. He rubbed his hands together, "Now, about this wall..."

_Leo Hartnet though wary at first, ultimately decided to join the Blue Lightning Pirates after spending a few days with them, healing his wounds. Once Lance finished the ship, the crew set off. A few days later, they took down a ring of Bounty Hunters affiliated with the tribe, though not among one of the four suits. Shortly after that event, the bounties of the pirates were increased, and Leo earned his first.

* * *

_

**A/N:** Hope this didn't disappoint anyone! I've been wanting this guy to join the pirates for a while, and while I debated for a while, I figured this would be the best way to bring him in. Hope you all enjoyed the battle. Wondering where Amaya and Cedric are? They figured Lance and the others would be enough ..... I didn't do Leo's full background, because I didn't think you'd need another sob story and it would have been WAY too long! So Lance summed it up and this worked just fine! For the record, he's got no affiliation with Gold Lion Leo. They just have the same name. Why? Because I like it! Lol.

Anyway, this officially brings the end to the Blue Lightning Pirates Special! Now, on to the next arc! Thanks for your patience everyone!


	77. The Island of Snow Part 1

**Pirates!**

**The Island of Snow Part 1**

**Frigid Temperatures and Carnivorous Bunnies

* * *

**

It was during the deepest hours of the night that Blue enjoyed taking his watch for several reasons – it was a time to be alone, to think. It was a time when ever the ocean itself seemed to be asleep, and the only sound was that of his own breath, his own heartbeat. He enjoyed these moments the most, however, in a familiar setting, and the setting tonight was most definitely familiar.

The the main deck of the ship was hidden by a thin layer of snow, covering the ivory floor with a fresh flurry of white powder. There were only his footsteps, digging into the whiteness, but everywhere else was flawless. This snow reminded him of home, several islands back – a home he protected well and thought about often.

He smiled slightly, looking out into the island at which they were docked. He was eager to explore, to return to the snow which he was accustomed to. He never quite understood why he loved the snow so much. It just seemed to call to him.

Maybe, he thought, his parents were on an island like this somewhere.

"Beli for your thoughts?" his captain's voice asked. It was quieter and much gentler then usual – perhaps because of the late hour. He looked at her from behind his glasses for a brief moment, then looked back on the island.

"Nice to be in the snow again," Blue answered. Chris let a small smile play at the corners of her lips and she dusted some snow off the railing, leaning against it beside the taller man.

"Tell Aven that. She won't stop complaining about how cold it is. Then again, I think the frigid weather got her sick, because she was shivering when I left the room. I think she has a fever, but my hands are cold too, so it's hard to tell,"

"You should wake the Faith or Aya then," Blue said. Chris shrugged.

"Nah," She said, adjusting her hat and looking out at the island with interest. The moon caught her eyes, creating a greenish-yellow phosphorescence around the irises. She scanned the snowy landscape: Jae wasn't kidding – the island really _was_ enormous, but they'd docked in an area without a town, at least 100 yards away from the shore. to avoid being seen. Due to their new bounties, it was likely that things were going to get more dangerous.

The beach was barren, but beyond that there were trees, and an enormous mountain range that they could see from their position. The island stretched far both left and right, but with Blue's and Chris' keen eyesight, they were able to see where it curved.

"A little cold isn't going to kill her," Chris finished, "She'll just have to sit this one out – I really don't think she'll mind. Another thing she wouldn't stop talking about was how much she hates the snow," Chris laughed a bit at the memory.

"Not to sound rude, but what are you doing awake?" Blue asked suddenly. Chris smiled and knocked on Blue's head twice.

"If you'd get out of that head of yours, you'd realize that your shift ended five minutes ago," Chris stated, "Go get some rest. You'll need energy when we go explore this place." She turned and walked away from him, climbing the staircase up to the upper deck, then approaching the main mast, where the rope ladder leading up to the crow's nest was located. Blue watched as she quickly and easily climbed it, swinging over the wall surrounding the Crow's Nest before disappearing as she sat behind it.

With a yawn, he returned to the boy's room.

(–)

It was late the next morning when the crew divided themselves up to explore the island. Most everyone was going, except for Aven, who insisted that she stay and keep watch "Where there isn't much snow," And Aya, being the doctor she was, decided that she couldn't leave a sick crew mate at home alone. Which was how it was decided that Faith would join the traveling party, thus including David, who had yet to really leave her side since his recruitment to the ship.

Jae was going, of course, to try to get a feel for the island. He knew it was too large to really map out with their limited time frame, but it was definitely worth exploring if they ever returned. "Plus, I want to get the map," he'd said, "For future reference,"

Teriuz decided to sit this one out, "If Aya's gonna be taking care of Aven inside, then I'll keep an eye on the surroundings," he said, "No worries, I don't mind,"

"I packed you guys a few lunches – should last you at least the day, if not longer. I'll stay here so that These guys don't starve," Gonzo said, pointing over his shoulder at the 'staying behind' group.

"We shouldn't be longer then a few days," Chris said, zipping up her coat. She made sure that she had her Double-Sided Dagger in its sheath on her belt – the Deer Horn Knives were safe in the room below deck.

Zugai pulled a backpack filled with the food that Gonzo was talking about onto his shoulder, over Honehakaisha. He smirked, "But if we're not back in three, then you'd better come searching for us," he said jokingly.

"Roger that, captain," Gonzo said to him with a salute.

"Oi," Chris snapped, her arms crossed.

"Right, sorry, _Captain_," Gonzo added, laughing.

"Have fun, you guys," Aven said, blowing her red nose with a tissue, "See ya in a few days!"

"Take care of this place while we're gone," Jae said with a smile.

"We'll bring you back some souvenirs," Faith added with a wink.

"Well, let's go!" Chris decided, and the group descended the ladder into the row-boat on the side, which would carry them to the shore.

(–)

"Is it just me," Zugai said as they walked down a path, "Or is it colder _on _the island then it was off it,"

"I told you to grab a scarf," Blue said. He looked comfortable in his usual attire – snow was something he was used to. Faith transformed immediately into her wolf form, the warmest way she could move around, and David walked cautiously on the snow, as if afraid of it.

"You've never seen snow before?" Jae asked the dog. He was wearing a warm coat and a scarf, as well as a pair of gloves. David looked at Jae, his ears back, uncertain, "Don't worry. It doesn't bite." he paused, considering his words, "Well... not literally, of course."

Suddenly, David felt something wrap around his neck – it startled him at first, but it was soft, gentle, not constricting. And it was warm. "Here, this will keep you warm," Chris said, moving in front of him and trying the her scarf around David's neck so it wouldn't fall. Red stripes now covered his metal collar so that none of the scarf hung on the ground.

It took David a few moments to remember that as of yet, he didn't trust this girl, and as soon as he did, he snapped at her hand. Chris pulled back quickly, a smile on her face, "Easy boy," she said. Then, turning and continuing ahead, she added, "And you're welcome,"

"Hey, Chris, why don't we take a break here? We've been walking for hours," Faith said, now back in her human form. She stretched, yawning, and Chris looked upward. It was mid afternoon now.

"Yeah, I'm starving," Blue admitted. "A little break won't hurt. After all, we can't let those lunches Gonzo made go to waste, can we?"

Zugai was already taking off the backpack, setting it down on the snow. "Alright, lunch break, then we keep going," He decided as he distributed the boxes. The pirates sat in a circle and opened the lunches, making brief exchanges to get the correct ones, before beginning to eat.

"I hope we make it to a town by nightfall," Jae said, taking a bite of some sort of spicy concoction that no one but he and Gonzo would dare to eat. "If not, we'll freeze to death..."

"Jae's right," Blue said, drinking from a thermos filled with hot tea, "Temperatures in this extreme climate is like a desert, but worse. In a desert, it's scorching hot in the day and cold at night. Places like this? It's freezing during the day and subzero at night,"

"Which is exactly why we can't stop long," Faith said, opening the lunchbox for David and setting it down before him. He immediately began eating, not bothering to comment on anything.

Chris took a bite of her own box and could taste a hint of orange sauce mixed in with the meat. She smiled, enjoying the flavor. "As long as we keep going straight, it shouldn't be a problem," Chris interrupted, "Don't worry guys, we'll be fine,"

There was a crunch of footsteps on the snow nearby and David lifted his head, a low growl emanating from deep in his throat. The others stopped what they were doing, staying completely silent. Another crunch. A low growl followed, though this one obviously wasn't coming from the dog. Moments later, an enormous creature emerged. For a moment, it looked like a polar bear – then they noticed the enormous rabbit ears upon its head. It's eyes were red, enormous teeth razor sharp.

"What the hell is that...?" Faith asked, her eyes wide.

"Don't know," Zugai whispered. Blue, however, was stock still, a hand on his gun.

"I looks like a rabbit..." Jae added.

"That's an angry rabbit then," Chris said, holding her fork halfway to her mouth.

"Nobody move," Blue said quietly, his lips barely moving. Chris glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, "If it thinks you're trying to run, it'll attack,"

But David didn't listen. The rabbit's nose got a little bit too close to Faith and he sprang into action, growling and jumping up, "Chain Fang," He growled. His jaws clamped around the rabbit's large arm and due to his Devil Fruit, his teeth rotated in his mouth like a chainsaw, ripping the rabbit's thick flesh. It roared and backed away, waving its arm wildly.

The pirates stood immediately as the dog was lifted into the air, then slammed into the ground as the rabbit tried to dislodge it. "What is that thing, Blue?!" Chris demanded, drawing her dagger.

"It's called a Lapahn – they're carnivorous rabbits native to snowy islands." he explained quickly.

A loud yelp caught their attention and they turned to see the David lying at the base of a tree he'd just been slammed into. He was starting to push himself to his feet as the Lapahn approached him, teeth bared, one paw drawn back to swipe the large dog with his paws.

"David!" Faith shouted. She was about to run toward him, but Chris beat her to it, sprinting to the two animals and standing between them as the Lapahn swiped its paw.

Chris ducked slightly, maneuvering around the claws and grabbing the Lapahn's enormous paw with both hands. The force of its blow pushed her back a bit, but she managed to keep her ground, holding the creature at bay.

It looked startled for a moment at the idea of being held back by a creature half its size, and Chris stared at it furiously, "I get you're hungry, bastard, but... my friends..." She tightened her grip on the arm, constricting it, and the creature winced and tried to pull back, but she held it in place, "...are not..." the muscles on her arms became accentuated from the strain as she began to pull back and up, almost falling. As she did, the rabbit was lifted off the ground, following Chris' pull over her head. "...FOOD!"

She hit the snow on her shoulder, the rabbit, having been pulled up an over her, was slammed headfirst into the thick snow, his head disappearing beneath the whiteness. The rabbit's body remained erect for a moment, then it slumped over, motionless. Chris stood, dusting the snow off her coat, rolling her shoulders.

"Heavier then I thought," she muttered. She turned to David, who stared at her, just as shocked as the rest of her crew, "You ok?"

Jae rubbed his eyes, as if he couldn't quite believe what he'd just seen. "Ok, I know you're strong, Chris, but when the _hell_ did you get strong enough to do something like that to something that big?!" He asked.

Chris turned to him, crossing her arms and giving him a disapproving look, "What, you think I've spent the last few weeks doing nothing? Ever since..." she trailed off, pushing back the memory of Lottie, and shook her head, "Let's just say, I don't like to lose," she decided.

As she finished that sentence, the rabbit pulled its head out of the ground with a roar so loud it shook the trees. Chris covered her ears and David yelped, his ears pressed against his head as he backed away. The distraction was enough – the Lapahn swiped that same paw at Chris, hitting her square in the chest and showing her back. She skidded along the snow, leaving a trail in her wake, and when she finally stopped, and pushed herself up, coughing.

"That was unexpected..." she grumbled. The earth began to rumble, shaking with the force of heavy footsteps, and when Chris looked around, she realized they were completely surrounded by the large white Lapahns, all snarling.

"Oh shit..." Zugai muttered.

"I forgot to mention," Blue said with a weak smile on his face, almost embarrassed as the Lapahn's began talking to the one in the center. "Lapahn's live in packs..."

"So what now...?" Faith asked.

"We could fight," Jae suggested, "There's only nine of them, and six of us..."

"No," David objected, really speaking for the first time, "They are only here to protect their own," he looked at Chris as she considered the first option, "Just as you did for me. We cannot hurt them for doing that,"

"Well tell the Lapahn's that," Jae said as the rabbit's finished conversing, now turning their attention to the pirates.

"Guess this leaves us with one option," Chris said, her arms crossed as she looked at David, "Run!" The pirates, though normally disapproving of such a method, didn't hesitate to comply. The Lapahn's charged, or rather hopped, after them.

Blue was in the lead, being much more accustomed to running on snow then the others. Zugai lightened his bones to make it easier, keeping up with him well, and Faith, Jae and Chris, weighing less then the others and being naturally quick movers on their own, weren't far behind. David was right beside them, having a harder time moving on the light snow, but keeping up regardless. The Lapahns weren't far behind.

Suddenly, Blue came to a stop ahead, and turned, shouting, as well as signaling, for the others to stop as well. It wasn't until they reached it that they found out why – a drop. They knew they'd been going uphill on their journey, but they didn't know they'd come _this_ high. The slop was nearly ninety degrees after a fifty foot drop from the jutting cliff side on which they stood. The pirates were about to turn back, but the Lapahn's crashed through the trees, trapping them on their small piece of cliff.

"We've got two options, guys," Chris said breathlessly, looking over her shoulder down the cliff, "We can jump, or..." she turned back to the Lapahn's, "We can fight," Cautiously, one Lapahn stepped onto the precarious piece of jutting land and the pirates heard a crack.

Faith swallowed a lump in her throat, "I don't think we have much choice," she said shakily. A second Lapahn tried to step forward as well, and the combined weight of the pirates and the rabbits caused the cliff side to crack again before suddenly, with a loud rumble, separating and the Lapahn's hopped back. For the briefest of moments, the pirates were floating

Then, gravity caught up with them, and with startled cries, they fell.

* * *

**A/N:** And so we step into the next arc! No, they aren't on Drum Island. And I don't really know if Lapahn's are native anywhere else... but let's assume for the sake of my story that yes, they are. A lot of you missed the Crescent Dagger Pirates I saw, so I hope you enjoy this. Sorry for taking so long, by the way. Don't forget, your reviews keep me writing. See ya!


	78. The Island of Snow Part 2

**Pirates!**

**The Island of Snow Part 2**

**The Violet-Eyed Girl In the Small Village

* * *

**

It wasn't every day that cliffs fell from the side of the mountain, so of course, when the villagers in the old fashioned town heard the sound, they did one of two things: rushed into their homes, or rushed out. Those that decided to watched the cliff side falling, saw the outline of the Lapahn's high above, but most of all, saw the group of people that fell the fifty foot drop to the slope of snow below.

There was a moment of deliberation, mumbles, shouts, nervous speech. Strangers were a foreign concept to these people – they rarely came about. They were unsure whether to go help, or to stay and pretend nothing happened.

It was the young girl, no older then eight, with long purple hair and eyes to match, that started running toward the cliff. That simple action prompted others to join her, determined to help these strangers.

Not far from the village, they spotted the location of the fall – where a mound of snow was newly formed. They could just make out what looked like a hand, partially out of the snow. The purple-eyed girl climbed up the mound toward it and began digging. Several others joined her, helping, while another group searched other parts of the snow.

It didn't take long to get the body out of the snow – a girl with bright red hair. She wasn't moving, but was breathing shallowly. "We have got to get her back," the purple haired girl said. She stood to help the others, but before she could get too far, a hand gripped her ankle. Startled, she turned and looked down, violet eyes meeting green.

"My... friends," The girl said shakily, her voice horse. She was shivering, "P-please. You've g-got to save them,"

The purple haired girl was startled – this girl, on the brink of death herself, was concerned about her friends? She put on a kind smile, "How many?" she asked the redhead.

Instead of speaking again, the girl shakily raised a fist, opening her hand. Five. She kept it elevated for a few moments, then it dropped and her eyes closed as she drifted back into unconsciousness.

"We have find the others!" The purple haired girl demanded, "Quick, return this one to the village!"

(–)

The first thing he felt was warmth – strange, because when he'd fallen asleep (he had fallen asleep, right?) he was freezing. He kept his eyes closed for a moment as he ran through the events that brought him to this bed he was laying in. Giant rabbits... Lapahn's, Blue had called them... a cliff, a crack... and then falling... then whiteness.

He felt something warm against his forehead and slowly Zugai opened his eyes. For a moment, he wasn't quite sure what he was seeing – some sort of pale figure, blocking his vision – whatever it was was pressed against his forehead. Then, he felt something strange – a current of minty smelling air. Breath?

Then, a pair of dark brown eyes opened and Zugai realized that it was a face. His face turned bright red and he shouted in surprise, somehow managing to fall off the side of his bed onto the hard wooden floor beneath him with aloud thud. He hurriedly pushed himself up, clutching his chest, his heart pounding with the sudden adrenaline.

"Oh, you're awake!" The girl said. She had brown hair matching her eyes, and a smile on her face. She couldn't be older then seventeen, maybe sixteen. "Sorry if I startled you – I was just checking your temperature! Your fever's gone down!"

"Checking my temperature?" Zugai asked, "But, you were... and..." he stopped, gathering his thoughts, "What the hell kind of method is that! Normal people use their hand, not their forehead!"

"Well, it makes it easier," The girl said, crossing her arms over her chest, "I can feel the temperature change directly this way,"

"Whatever," Zugai said, rubbing his eyes with one hand. It took him a moment that he was no longer wearing his usual clothing, but rather a plain white shirt, black pants, and socks. "Where are my..."

"Your clothes, as well as everyone else's, are drying right now," the girl said, "You've been out cold for a day and..."

"Everyone else? So Chris and the others are ok?" Zugai asked.

"Chris? Oh, you mean the red haired girl, right? She's been awake for a few hours already – she and the dog. The others are still sleeping though... Here, sit back down," She took Zugai's arm and led him carefully back to the bed, where he sat back down, "Don't strain yourself too much,"

"No, I'm fine, really," Zugai said, gently pushing the girl's hands away.

Before anything more could be said, there was a sound outside the door, "What? He's awake?" Chris's voice asked.

"Yes, but he's got to rest. Please..." however, Chris didn't listen. The door opened and she stepped in, smiling broadly. Her hair was tied in a short ponytail, her hat surprisingly missing in action, but she didn't seem to mind. She wore similar clothing to his own, though her shirt was dark brown. David was beside her.

"Zugia! So you're alive!" She said enthusiastically, walking in quickly. She sat down on the bed beside him, "I woke up a few hours ago wearing a dress – can you believe it? So I changed as quick as I could. They won't give me my hat till it dries... Then I heard you were awake and came to check it out. Feeling ok?"

She spoke so quickly, it took a moment for Zugia to process the words. "Uh... yeah, fine," he said, confused, "What about you? Still in one piece?"

They looked at the brown haired girl, who was still standing there, a bit surprised that Chris had just barged in, "I can take it from here, you can go," Chris said to her, "Thanks for taking care of him!" She turned her attention back to her first mate as the girl took her leave, obviously annoyed, "No broken bones, see?" She said, demonstrating by moving her arms and legs. "I'm ay-ok!"

"I am as well," David said in agreement, rather quietly. Zugai looked at him – honestly, he'd forgotten the dog was there. Normally, David hung out with Gonzo or Faith. But now, he was following Chris? Zugai decided not to question it.

"Wish I could say the same for myself," a soft voice said from the door. The three turned to see Jae standing there, held up by a much taller young man who helped him walk, "I dislocated my knee during the fall – think you can fix it, Zugai-san?" he asked, "These people don't seem to be able to,"

"I'd have done it myself," The young man said, "But I'm not too sure how to do it and I don't want to risk messing it up further," He had spiky dark red hair and sapphire blue eyes, and wore a sleeveless dark red shirt bordering on maroon with a black jacket over it, reaching just above his waist. Around his head was a headband that seemed to match his eyes, with a red dragon on it. A maroon belt with a blue dragon emblem on the buckle supported his dark jeans, which partially covered his black boots.

"It's not a problem," Zugai said, standing up, "Here, bring him over. Can you set him on the bed?"

Chris ran over to help him, taking Jae's other side and maneuvering the boy across the room to the bed. Jae winced at ever the slightest pressure on his injured leg, and sighed with relief as he was seated on the bed before Zugai. The blacksmith pushed him down into a laying position and took firm hold of the knee. "Don't move," he warned, "This is going to hurt,"

Jae nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat, and Chris took hold of his hand with a confident smile, "You can handle it," She said to Jae, "Like a walk in the park, right?"

Jae grinned, "Sure, walk in the park," he agreed.

"On three," Zugai said. "One," suddenly, he pushed, and with a loud _pop_ the knee was pushed back into place. Jae yelped, startled, and tightened his grip on Chris so hard her hand turned purple.

He released his grip immediately and slammed his fist into Zugai's face hard enough to knock him back into a chair behind him. "Ow," Zugai mumbled, rubbing his jaw, "Guess I deserved that one,"

"You said on three!" Jae shouted in an uncharacteristic loss of patience, "Asshole! That was one!"

"I thought it'd be better for you if you weren't expecting it. You know, it lessens the pain,"

"My ass!" Jae growled.

"Jae, Jae, clam down!" Chris said with a weak smile, "Come on. And if you don't let go of my hand, I'm scared it might fall off," Those words seemed to bring Jae back to earth, and he looked down, realizing just how tight he was still holding his captain.

"Oh! Sorry~" he amended cheerfully, releasing Chris's hand, "Guess I forgot, my bad!"

"No problem..." Chris mumbled, flexing her fingers. Then, she gave him a thumbs up, "Still moving!" She turned her attention to the young man, who was still in the room, "Sorry, but what did you say your name was?"

"I didn't," he admitted with a smile, "I'm Kai. I'd shake your hand, but it looks like it's gone through enough abuse," he said. Chris laughed at the comment.

"Kai, pleasure to meet you. I'm Chris. The tall guy over there is Zugai, and this one's Jae," she said, "And the dog is David. Watch out for him though, he doesn't like most people,"

"That's an understatement," Blue suddenly said, entering. He looked tired, wearing clothes not unlike Zugai's, "If I weren't what I was, I would've lose my fingers a few times because of that monster,"

David growled at Blue, but Chris patted his head and he stopped. Blue stared at him, surprised, "Looks like he's taken a liking to you, Captain,"

"Well, she did save him from the Lapahn's," Faith suddenly said as she entered. She was dressed in what Chris wore before – a simple white dress, almost like a nightgown. She wasn't extremely comfortable, but it was tolerable. "They said we'll get our clothes back within the hour, thankfully. But, while you're here," she said to Kai, "Where exactly are we?"

Kai opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, the purple haired girl entered, "You are in Bliss Village," she said, "Welcome!"

Chris looked at the girl. She recognized her – those violate eyes were the same intense ones that she'd looked into back in the snow, before. She wore a simple white dress, the sleeves long, white leggings underneath. The hem of the dress ended just above her knees, and white shoes covered her feet. She radiated innocence everywhere but those eyes of hers.

"My name is Raya," The girl said with a smile.

"You're the one that saved us, right?" Chris asked, standing up from the bed. She smiled and walked toward the smaller girl, kneeling before her, "Thanks a bunch! That was really nice of you," The girl smiled happily at the statement.

"It was nothing," she insisted, "If there is anything we can do to make your stay with us more comfortable, please, let us know," She turned to leave, but Blue stopped her.

"Wait," he said, louder then he anticipated. Raya stopped, turning her head to look at Blue. "Our weapons. Where are they?"

Now that the topic was brought up, both Chris and Zugai blinked. Why hadn't they thought of that. Honehakaisha was kinda hard to miss, and Chris was rarely ever without her daggers. The two looked at the girl as well, waiting.

Something in her eyes changed then, the violet irises glowing orchid. Her gaze caught all of the pirates, who's eyes mirrored a similar glow, though not quite as bright, "You must be mistaken," she said, "You brought no weapons,"

The glow faded when she finished those words, and Chris looked at Blue, her hands on her hips, "Blue, what are you talking about?" she asked him, "We didn't bring any weapons with us,"

Blue furrowed his brow, "Strange," he said, rubbing his chin, "I could have sworn..."

"You must have hit your head in the fall," Jae said, "I'm sure you didn't bring anything," While he still didn't look satisfied, Blue replied, "Yeah, guess you're right,"

"Well, the real reason I'm here is because Mama told me to let you know that lunch is ready!" the girl said, "You all can go and eat if you want!"

"Great!" Faith said, stretching, "I'm _starving!_" She walked toward the door, followed by David, and soon the rest followed behind them until it was only Raya and Kai in the room. The little girl smiled as she watched them leave.

"I like them," she said, looking up at Kai, "Don't you agree, Big Brother?"

"Yeah," Kai agreed absently, "They're nice,"

"And I'm sure they have a lot of fun memories, huh, Big Brother?" Raya added.

"I'm sure they have," Kai echoed. Raya smiled at the confirmation, then reached up to take Kai's hand.

"I've always wanted a Big Sister," Raya continued. The final word made Kai's face contort in confusion.

"Sister...?" he repeated. Raya tightened her grip on his hand and without another word on the topic, the two walked out of the room together, toward the dining room.

(–)

Dinner was short, served by Raya's parents, who happened to look nothing like her. Her father had dark hair with eyes to match, but not quite violet like Raya's, and he dressed in a comfortable red shirt and black pants. Her mother had orange hair and brown eyes, a bright contrast to the rest of the family. They lived in a surprisingly large house – Chris didn't realize just how bit it was before, two floors high with more rooms then a small family should possibly need. They'd learned, during the dinner, that Kai was actually, strangely enough, Raya's brother.

"A strange pair," Chris said to Zugai later that night. She was sitting in his room – they'd all been given different rooms, and the others were already in bed with their usual clothes, "I mean, no one in this house looks anything alike,"

Zugai shrugged from his spot cross-legged on the bed and looked at his captain, sitting on the armchair across the room. "Maybe the family adopts," Zugai suggested. After all, he himself was adopted by his home island.

Chris frowned and drew up her knees, resting her chin against them, "Yeah, guess that's possible," she decided. She heaved a sigh and put her feet back down, then stood up, stretching. "Well, whatever." she said with a yawn, "I'm tired. You want to hang out here? We've got two more days until we're expected back, after all,"

"We'll talk to the others in the morning," Zugai said, "But I'm fine with it. I kinda like this place. It's nice to sit in a bed that doesn't rock with the ocean current,"

"Couldn't agree more," Chris said as she made her way to the door, "Sleep tight, Zugai," she added as she took her leave.

"Night," Zugai called after her. The door clicked shut as she left and he settled himself down in bed, reaching over and flicking off the light. He closed his eyes for only five minutes before he heard the door open again, quietly, slowly, and opened his eyes.

He heaved a sigh and turned onto his back, then sat up, "What is it, Chris? Forget something?" he asked. However, he was startled when suddenly, a strong hand latched onto his neck, pushing him back down onto the bed in a grip so hard that he couldn't escape. He tried strengthening his bones, to push the person off of him but it was no use.

Instead, he grabbed the wrist of the hand that held him tightly, surprised to feel that it was almost as strong as his own. _Wh-what the hell?_ He asked himself, _What's going on?_ He opened his mouth, to try to call to someone, but no sound would come out.

Another figure approached and climbed onto the bed, leaning over him, and that's when Zugai saw them – those orchid glowing eyes, boring into his own. "Your memories," the young girl said, "I can already taste them. So many good times... adventures... I want them all,"

Zugais eyes widened and he fought harder even as his own eyes adopted the same glow, "Relax," the girl said soothingly, "Your memories are mine now..." She took a deep breath in, as if tasting the air.

Slowly, Zugai stopped struggling, his eyes half closing, and eventually, the young man released him and stepped back. A strange silver light floated from the blacksmith's forehead, into the girl's mouth, and she swallowed it as if it were nothing more then air.

When she was through, Raya got off the bed, leaving the now sleeping Zugai. She closed her eyes, allowing the memories to travel through her, smiling, "Delicious," She mused. "If this others are like this, I'll be content for months..."

She started toward the door, smiling, and gestured for the young man to follow "Time for the next course, Big Brother." She said. Kai followed her out the door without question and closed it quietly behind him.

(–)

It was early the next morning when David woke up – it had become customary for him, waking up before the others. Normally around the time Gonzo began to cook. He enjoyed following the chef into the kitchen, eating the extra pieces that Gonzo gave him, then relaxing in the warmth of the kitchen. Although he knew he was not on the Howling Ivory, his body had grown accustomed to such activities, and so, he woke with a yawn a few hours after dawn.

He stretched and jumped onto Faith's bed, curling up at the foot of it. The movement stirred her awake and groggily, she opened her eyes. David, about to rest hid head down, decided against it and instead looked at Faith, his tail wagging slightly.

"Good Morning," he said to her.

Faith looked at him as if she'd never seen anything like him. Was she mad at him for waking her up? His ears flattened against his head, but her next words caused them to prick up once again, "Where am I?" she asked, rubbing her head. "and... who are you?"

* * *

**A/N:** Alright, next chapter! Well, this basic idea for this one changed quite a bit from my original plan, and I'm sure you all recognize this particular plot! But it's been picking and picking at me and demanding that I write it and honestly? I couldn't deny it! So here we go! How will the Crescent Daggers fare against this new obstacle? The complications begin next chapter! Sorry for the lack of plot creativity ..... Kai belongs to the brilliant mind of **LaZy-RaIn-DaNcEr**! Thanks for lending him to me!


	79. The Island of Snow Part 3

**Pirates!**

**The Island in the Snow Part 3**

**Who Are You? **

**Memories Stolen?!

* * *

**

The Howling Ivory was exceptionally quiet with the absence of the other half of the crew. Aven, sick with a cold, was sleeping soundly in bed below deck, an empty bowl of chicken soup and cup of medicine beside her. Aya, every so often, would step in to check on her. Teriuz spent much of his time up in the Crow's Nest, fidgeting with his Seeker. He opened it, looking at the skull with the question mark behind it grinning back at him from the inside of the locket. His arrow was tilted downward as far as the mechanism allowed, which wasn't extremely far, but led down to the box containing the others, which were hidden in Zugai's workshop.

His didn't lead to a crew member just yet – after all, David didn't have one yet. In fact, he doubted if the dog would even accept something being wrapped around his neck ever again, even if it was a symbol of nakamaship.

"Oi," A loud, voice said suddenly. It startled Teriuz and the boy looked up from his seeker to see Gonzo holding on to the Crow's Nest wall, supporting himself with his foot in the rung of the net-like ladder. "Come on down for a bit. I've got some tea waiting for you,"

Teriuz stood as Gonzo began his decent, jumping when he was a few feet from the bottom. Teriuz heaved himself over the side of the wall, grabbing onto the end of the rope and letting himself slide down a few yards before finally jumping to land beside the Fishman on the upper deck. Needless to say, his landing was much gentler.

He followed Gonzo down the staircase to the main deck, then into the galley, where, as Gonzo said, a cup of warm tea was waiting. Aya was sitting there, already drinking, looking tired.

"Poor Aven. She's been up coughing all night – neither of us got a wink of sleep," Aya said, rubbing her tired black eyes. Although it was already late in the morning, she still looked like she wanted to collapse. "We've got to get out of this climate soon – it's the weather that's doing it,"

"Well we obviously can't leave without our captain and the rest of the crew," Gonzo said, taking a seat at the table with his own larger cup. Teriuz joined them, gratefully accepting his cup and sipping the warm, sweet liquid. There was a hint of mint in it.

"How long has it been? Two days?" Aya asked, yawning again. She set her cup on the table and crossed her arms on the table, resting her chin on them.

"About," Teriuz confirmed.

Gonzo smiled slightly, "We may have to go searching for them after all," he said, remembering Zugai's playful words. _"If we're not back in three, then you'd better come searching for us,"_

They were definitely a joke. The island was enormous, after all – it would take some time to find a town, wouldn't it? Especially considering the secluded area in which they'd docked. There was a moment of silence, a loss for words.

"If they aren't back by tomorrow afternoon, I'll go looking for them," Gonzo said to break the silence, "There hasn't been any fresh snowfall lately, it shouldn't be hard to find their footprints,"

Those words seemed to lighten the mood in the room and Aya lifted her head, taking another drink of her tea.

Teriuz still looked a bit troubled, "By yourself?" he asked, "Is that safe?"

"I'll be fine," Gonzo said confidently, "Besides, you need to stay here with the girls – Aven's sick as a dog and Aya's using all of her energy to take care of her. Someone has to keep watch,"

Teriuz waved him off with one hand in acknowledgment, "Yeah, yeah, I've got it," he said, "But like you, said, they've got 'till tomorrow afternoon. They should be back by then," he tilted his head back and chugged the remainder of his tea, then put down the cup and stood, walking toward the door.

Suddenly, he stopped short, his hand on the knob. Beyond his orange hair, the others could see the redness of his ears. Aya blinked, confused, "Teriuz, are you ok?" she asked.

He turned around, holding his throat, his tongue sticking out, his whole face red. "Hot!" he complained, waving a hand in front of his face to try to cool himself down. Gonzo and Aya couldn't help but laugh, even as the doctor stood to try to ease the burning sensation left by the scalding hot tea.

(–)

"Where am I?" Faith asked the dog lying at the foot of her bed. "And... who are you?"

David was rarely shocked – in fact, in the short amount of time he'd been with these pirates, he'd been startled and caught off guard more then any other time in his life. However, nothing startled him as much as this girl's question. "Faith...?" David asked, abandoning his usual nickname of 'Wolf Girl'.

"So you _do_ speak," Faith said, a bit surprised, "Strange, I've never spoken to an animal... even though I do have a Devil's Fruit," she mused, leaning forward. "What's your name, puppy?"

David stood up and shook his head. "You know my name," he said, "You... you are the one who rescued me before. You, Chris, and the others..."

Faith tilted her head, her brow furrowed, "Rescued you?" she asked, "What are you talking about? Who's Chris?"

"That would be me!" A voice suddenly said. It sounded female, but seemed disguised somewhat, so Faith was having a difficult time deciding whether or not it was. As far as she could tell, this person was male. Faith and David simultaneously looked toward the door to see the red-head with her hair in her hat, as usual. They hadn't even heard her enter – as expected from the thief. "How do you know my name, huh? Who are you?"

"Me?" Faith asked, "My name's Faith..."

"This your place, Faith?" Chris asked, looking around as she stepped further into the room, looking around in admiration, "Pretty nice, I've gotta say. So, how did I get here?"

"I'm wondering the same thing," Faith admitted.

"Question of the hour," a different, male's voice said. The three looked toward the door to see Jae, scratching his head in confusion. "I heard voices here and hoped you'd be able to answer..."

Chris, however, wasn't paying attention to his words, but rather to the three bracelets around Jae's wrist. _Those things look like they could be worth something..._ she thought to herself with a smile, _I'm pretty sure with a well placed hit, I can knock this girl out and snatch 'em... _However, before her plan could be put to action, another person entered, this one a tall, dark skinned man, followed by another younger looking man with brown hair. Zugai and Blue.

"Oi, we have no clue what's going on here." Zugai said carelessly, scratching his head, "You guys think you can provide some insight?"

"Do you really not remember?" David suddenly asked, drawing everyone's attention to him once again. Faith was expecting it, but the others were beyond shocked. Chris grinned.

"Cool! Talking dog!" She ran toward him, patting his head, "Say, dog. I'm gonna be King of the Pirates! Want to join my crew?" She asked.

"I'm already _in_ it," David said, pulling away. He looked at each crew member in turn, his eyes almost desperate, "We all are,"

For a while, everyone was silent, staring at the dog. Then, they looked at each other, save for Chris, who kept her eyes on David. She looked confused, maybe annoyed at the suggestion. She looked at the others briefly, trying to recognize them, then crossed her arms and looked back at David, "I'd never forget my crew mates," she said at last, "But... I don't recognize any of these guys,"

"Oh, you're awake!" a much younger voice said from the hallway. The group looked over to see the young purple haired girl standing in the doorway. Beside her was the red-head, Kai, as usual. "Breakfast is ready, come eat," Without another word, the two disappeared.

"Free food? Well, sure, why not," Jae said with a shrug, starting toward the door. As he walked, he shot over his shoulder, "Maybe she can explain why none of us remember anything..." that seemed enough to get the others to follow, because as soon as he was out the door, Faith got out of bed, jogging after him. Blue followed next, followed by Zugai. Only Chris and David remained motionless.

Zugai stopped at the door and looked back over his shoulder, "You coming?" he asked Chris. He wasn't sure why he bothered to stop to ask, but strangely enough, it felt... right? Chris looked at him and smiled, waving him off.

"Yeah, yeah," she said, "I've gotta use the bathroom first, don't worry about me, go on ahead," She told him. Zugai shrugged and joined the others. When they were alone, Chris looked back at David, who looked extremely uncomfortable with his ears flat against his head. When he realized Chris remained, his ears pricked up.

"You remember?" he asked her. Chris frowned and shook her head.

"No," she admitted, "But if what you say is true, there must be some sort of explanation. Besides, my Double-Sided dagger is missing. I've never let that thing out of my sight, so it's gotta be around here somewhere," She clenched a fist, "No one steals from Chris Hopkins!" She said. "What did you say your name was?"

"David," the dog answered.

"Well, David, if I'm really your captain, then go downstairs and join the others. Don't talk – if you're the only one who remembers anything, it's probably because they didn't think you'd be able to articulate the fact. Act like a normal dog, ok?" Chris told him quietly. She knelt down and patted his head, "Can I trust you to do that?"

David nodded curtly, "Yes," he said. He trotted toward the door, then disappeared down the hallway. When he was gone, Chris broke into a wide grin, "Talking dog, how cool!" She said, pumping a fist slightly in the air. Then, she exited the room, going the same direction as David, down the stairs, however, rather then follow David into the dining room, she paused at the foot of the staircase, looking around cautiously.

Judging by the sounds, everyone was eating breakfast. She could hear several voices talking, but none of the people David claimed to be in her crew. She walked quickly and quietly passed the entryway of the dining room, against the adjacent wall.

"Ok," she said quietly to herself as she opened a door leading into an empty room. She closed the door shortly after and moved on to the next, "If I were going to steal an expensive dagger, where would I hide it?" She opened this door, leading into a study, and after taking a moment to consider, she shook her head. Too obvious.

She turned away from that door and continued down the hallway before she finally came to the end, where there was a single door waiting for her. Creepy door at the end of the hallway – that seemed like a good place. She put a hand on the doorknob, turning it. She opened it a crack, peeking in, then paused, shooting a suspicious look over her shoulder to ensure she wasn't being watched.

Then, pushing the door open fully, she entered, closing it quietly behind her. The room she'd just entered was painted powder blue and pink, littered with toys of all sorts from stuffed animals to action figures. Against one wall was a feathery bed with blue sheets and pink pillows, and on the opposite side of the room, there was a large window with a window seat. Chris walked toward it, looking down at the well-worn cushion. Whoever owned this room spent a lot of time sitting here, looking out at the forest of trees.

It must have been Raya's room. It was an assumption, but a perfectly logical one – who else would have this room but the purple haired hostess herself. Chris turned away from the window seat and approached a shelf covered with dolls, taking one off the shelf and examining it. This one had long black hair and bright blue eyes that closed when tilted back. It wore an extravagant dress – one that reminded Chris of the ones her grandmother used to force her in when they went to parties.

"Stupid old woman," Chris muttered under her breath, pushing the doll roughly back into place on the shelf. She stepped away, but tripped on something sticking out on the wooden floor and fell, landing with a loud thud.

"Ow..." she groaned, pushing herself to her hands and knees and rubbing her elbows, which she'd used to break her fall. She turned her head to see what she'd tripped on and was surprised to see a square shape of floorboards, slightly protruding from the rest of the flooring. "Well, hello there," She said to herself, adjusting so that she was facing the strange piece of floor. She instinctively reached for her dagger, only to remember that it wasn't there, and instead, pressed her fingers against the floorboard, lifting it.

As expected, it opened, revealing a ladder leading down into some sort of basement. Chris's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but just as she was about to descend, she heard the doorknob twist. She looked quickly at the door, then closed the trap door and stood. She was looking out the window as the door opened.

Kai stood in the doorway, looking into the room suspiciously. Chris paid no attention to him, instead focusing on staring out at the forest outside. It wasn't until he spoke that she finally acknowledged him.

"Hey," he said. Chris jumped and looked over her shoulder at the boy, feinting surprise, then smiling with a relieved expression.

"Oh, it's just you," She said. _Did he see me?_ She asked herself, almost panicking beneath her mask. She looked back out. _Start a subject. Stall._ "Nice, isn't it?" She asked conversationally, "Looking out at nature like this. There's something... relaxing about it,"

"What are you doing here?" Kai asked. _Of course, he gets right to the point. Come on, come on, what am I doing up here?_ Chris took a moment to gather up a good excuse, then satisfied, she walked toward the dolls.

"Well, I was looking for the restroom," She said. "But unfortunately, I got a bit lost... and found this room instead," She took the doll from before off the shelf, smiling and holding it at arms length, "Then I saw all of these dolls. Porcelain, right? My grandmother used to collect them. She used to let me brush their hair and take care of them. It was fun,"

_Blegh..._ Chris thought to herself when she'd finished. Still, she kept up the act, looking at Kai, "Sorry," She said, "If I'm not supposed to be here. But these dolls... they were so nostalgic. Reminded my of Grandmother herself," she wiped a tear from her eye, "Sorry about that, but sometimes, I miss her so much," She added, composing herself. She felt like an idiot now- '_When am I ever gonna talk to someone like this? Who plays with porcelain dolls?' _ she'd told the old woman. She owed the her an apology – some of those lessons proved helpful. And made her into the actress she was today. "Anyway, the little girl has good taste,"

Rather then becoming reassured at the innocence of her explanation, Kai's eyes narrowed slightly, his arms crossed, brow furrowed. Deep in thought. Confused? Did he not believe Chris? Had she messed up in her lie? He walked toward her, a few inches taller at six feet. His sapphire eyes looked at hers briefly, then, he lifted a hand.

Chris half expected him to hit her – she wasn't sure why, though. However, instead, he took the hat off her head, exposing the short red hair beneath. With his free hand, he reached out and took a lock between his fingers, staring at it. Chris shifted uncomfortably.

"What are you..."

"For some reason," Kai interrupted, distracted. He released her hair and took a slight step back, his arms crossing again, "Your hair color, your height, even skin tone. But the body type isn't right... neither are the eyes..." he frowned, "What was your name again?"

"Chris," the red-head said. Now that she thought of it, she really didn't know this boy's name either. "And... who exactly are you?" she asked.

"My name...?" he asked as he gave her back the hat, "I'm Kai,"

"If you can't remember who I remind you of..." Chris began, taking the hat back and placing it on her head. She didn't put her hair in it this time, rather, she just placed it over it. The pieces were slowly beginning to come together, "Does that mean... you lost your memories too?"

This seemed to confuse Kai, because again, he frowned, looking down at the ground. Deep in thought, "That's not possible," he said, "I know for a fact that I'm Raya's big brother. There's no doubt about it. We've been living in this house all our lives,"

"And you don't find it the least bit strange that five strangers and a dog show up without their memories?" Chris asked, "Don't you think that's more then a coincidence?"

"Kai~" Raya called from the door. Her voice startled both red-heads and simultaneously, they looked at the young girl. She was leaning against the door frame, staring at the two of them. Something in her eyes, Chris noticed, was angry, but that anger was well hidden behind a mask of impatience, "Come on, you've gotta finish your breakfast!" Raya insisted. She ran into the room, grabbing Kai's hand, then grabbed Chris's with her free hand, "You too, Chris," She said, "Before it gets cold!"

Before Chris could protest, she was dragged down the hallway into the dining room. But something bothered her. Something besides that trap door. _I never told this girl my name...

* * *

_

**A/N:** Wow, this was definitely a long wait. Sorry about that guys. I got stuck behind a rather large writers block and luckily, I found a way through. However, fate would have it that once again, a wall has been erected, thus blocking my muse. But don't worry – she's a clever little devil and always finds a way through. This chapter wasn't very satisfactory... but hey, it's a chapter, right? Right! ….right. Anyway, hopefully, the next will come out much sooner. Thanks so much for your patience, my faithful readers!


	80. The Island of Snow Part 4

**Pirates!**

**The Island of Snow Part 4**

**Becoming a Real Family?

* * *

**

The living room was cozy – large enough to accommodate both the group of six pirates comfortably, as well as the family of four, who sat together on one couch – Raya between her mother and father and her brother, Kai, sitting on the arm of the couch. David was sitting on the floor, beside Chris, who rested against the arm of a sofa, at which Jae was sitting. Faith was separate from them, leaning against a wall near the door. Blue stood comfortably beside the window, and Zugai was sitting on a plush, comfortable looking couch which could have easily fit Blue and Faith should they have decided to join him.

"So..." Jae said slowly to break the long silence. "We're all here. Are you going to tell us _how_ exactly we all got here?" Raya's mother looked down at her feet, raising a hand to her eyes and wiping them. Jae tilted his head, a bit surprised by this gesture, "I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?" he asked.

"No, no," Raya's mother said, shaking her head and looking up again. Her eyes were watering, but she blinked back the tears, "It's just..."

"It's both a blessing and a curse that none of you remember," Her interrupted, "It was such a tragic event... we didn't think there were any survivors, but somehow, you all made it to our village... such luck..."

"What event?" Zugai asked, leaning forward in his seat.

"There was a ship that sunk just off the shore of this island," Raya said, "a cruise ship. According to the newspapers, there were no survivors. Then, suddenly, one of our fisherman traveled to the port to go fishing, and found all of you washed ashore,"

"So..." Chris said, glancing down at David, who growled at the words the child spoke, "You're saying that none of us knew each other?"

"As far as I know, you don't," Raya said, shaking her head, "We know that your families... your families passed away in the accident... and the mind tends to block out unpleasant situations. Maybe that reaction went a little overboard..."

Blue's brow furrowed uncertainly at the statement, confused, "But... I don't have a family," he said cautiously, "I'm an orphan..."

"So am I," Zugai said, "The only family I have are my friends back on Kiri Island and the other villagers, but no one who would take me on a cruise..." he mused. But his thoughts were interrupted by the others.

"My only family is my sister, Yunae," Jae said, frowning. "Does that mean..."

"And my sister, Aya?" Faith cut in, putting a hand to her lips. For a moment, she looked as if she were going to be sick.

Chris, however, said nothing. She patted the growling David's head and the dog silenced. "I'm sorry," Raya continued, looking downward, "I wish the circumstances were different but..."

_Liars..._ David thought to himself angrily.

"It's fine," Chris said at last, "Whatever happened, it wasn't something you could control, right? Then there's no need to apologize" The others looked at her. "The best thing we can do is try to move on. There's no way to change the past,"

"But there is a way to make things better," Raya said hopefully. "You can all come and live with us. We'll be just like a real family!" there was a sudden happiness in the girl's eyes. A joy that seemed more real then the other occurrences. The proposition brought silence to the pirates.

This seemed to get Blue's attention, because he looked at Raya, surprise hidden behind his calm demeanor. "A real family?" he asked, testing the words on his tongue. Zugai's eyes narrowed slightly, considering the option. Jae stared down at his shoes, and Faith busied herself looking out the door.

"I'll pass," Chris said suddenly, speaking for the first time. Zugai and Jae glanced at her out of the corners of their eyes and the family across from them stared at the red-head. "If I'm an orphan, then I'm not going to stay here where it's freezing cold," suddenly, she grinned, "I'll follow my dreams and set out and become King of the Pirates," She looked at the others, "You should all come with me! I promise I'll help you fulfill any dreams you have!"

David barked enthusiastically. _That's it! _He thought to himself. Were it possible for dogs to grin, he would be. The corner's of Zugai's lips twitched in a brief smile as he chuckled quietly, and Jae crossed his arms with a content smile. Raya, however, stared at Chris with narrowed eyes. Was that anger, Chris saw? There seemed to be a lot of it in this child.

"Can I take time to consider your offer?" Blue asked, not Chris, but Raya. "Me too," Faith added, staring down at her shoes uncertainly.

Raya's expression morphed instantly into a much softer one and she smiled happily, "Of course!" she said. Faith nodded quietly and ascended the nearby stairs quickly, as quietly walked across the room and followed behind her, heading to his own room.

It wasn't until both doors closed that Kai spoke, "And you two?" he asked, nodding to Zugai and Jae. The boys glanced at each other for a moment as they stood from their chairs, stretching.

"I don't know," Zugai said slowly, "Give us some time to think about it. Both offers." He walked toward the staircase and Jae followed behind.

"Thank you for the meal!" Jae called over his shoulder. For a few moments after the other two had gone, no one moved. Then, to busy themselves, Raya's parents stood, hurrying away- father out the door and mother into the kitchen to clean up, leaving Raya, Kai, Chris, and David alone.

_This is wrong._ David thought to himself, his ears flat against his head. _It's not supposed to be this way. Why can't they remember. None of them are going to stay... are they? _He looked up at his captain – the girl was smiling, a confident expression on her face. Her cat-like eyes glinting mischievously. Slowly, David looked toward Raya, who stared at Chris with what was obviously an attempt of innocence.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay?" Raya asked, "It'd be nice to have siblings, don't you think? Siblings that you can actually get a chance to know,"

"Guess so," Chris said absently, stepping away from the sofa she was leaning on and looking at the pair with a smile, "Thanks for your hospitality, and for the delicious breakfast, but I'm going to go relax," then, she turned away and proceeded up the stairs. David trotted after her.

Kai waited until they were alone before looking at his younger sister, "You've got quite the imagination," he told her, "coming up with a false memory about that shipwreck. If I didn't know you'd inserted the memory into my yourself, I'd actually believe it as well,"

Raya, however, was not amused. She stood up, her small fists clenched tightly as walked across the room. "That girl is going to ruin everything!" She complained. "She acts as if she remembers her past. There's no way! I'm certain that I was thorough in eliminating all memories of being with the crew. Or did I miss something... did she figure something out?"

"You're being paranoid," Kai said, "There's no way-"

"What was she doing in my bedroom, then?" Raya interjected.

"She got lost..."

"And you're stupid enough to believe her?"

Kai opened his mouth to speak, then stopped, instead biting his lip and clenching the fist which rested upon the top of the sofa so tightly, that it actually started to rip the strong material. Raya paid no attention to his annoyance, "We've got to keep a closer eye on the captain," she said. "I'm not going to let her ruin my chances of getting a family back. If she tries to sneak where she's not supposed to again, take care of her. She's disposable."

That said, she stormed down the hallway, entering her room and slamming the door behind her. Kai remained seated on the arm of the couch. He looked over his shoulder at the closed door at the end of the hallway. "Yes, ma'am," he said quietly.

(–)

"A real family..." Blue muttered from his place laying down on his bed. His arms were crossed comfortably behind his head, though he was far from comfortable in this situation. He stared up at the ceiling, his blue sunglasses for once propped atop his head rather then over his blue eyes.

Sure, Raya's story didn't makes sense to him – why would he go on a cruise? - but the idea of finally having a family overcame all emotions of suspicion and doubt. He was openly being offered a position in this girl's family. After years in an orphanage, then more years searching for the parents that abandoned him in the North Blue, this was finally his chance.

It should have been a no-brainer. But in all honesty, Blue found himself hesitant to agree. Because for some reason, he felt as if he already had a family.

"There's no way," he said to himself aloud, rolling onto his side, "There's no way I'd ever forget something like that,"

In another room, just across the hall, Faith stood, staring out at the snowy landscape beyond her bedroom window. She clutched the wolf shaped pendant around her neck tightly in one hand, her cheeks streaked with tears. "Aya..." she said quietly, "It's not true, is it? You're not dead, are you?" She bit her lip, trying to keep herself from crying again, "Please, send me some sort of sign that it isn't true..."

As if on cue, a breeze blew by, picking up a flurry of snow and sending it shooting passed Faith's window. The girl watched it in awe, because among the white flakes was a handful of blue petals, picked up with the wind. Faith smiled, taking a relieved breath, and this time when the tears fell, they were from happiness, not fear or sadness.

She turned away from the window and ran across the room and out her bedroom door. "Sorry, Raya," Faith said under her breath, descending the stairs, _But if Aya survived that accident, I'm going to find her! _Without anyone noticing her, Faith left the house, sprinting into the trees and then, when she felt she was hidden, transforming immediately into her wolf form and running off.

In his bedroom, Jae glanced out the window in time to see Faith rapidly approaching the forest's edge. "Hey, that's that girl..." he said slowly, "what was her name? Faith?" he watched her, curious, then, his eyes widened when he saw her suddenly transform, fitting into her oversized clothing as a full wolf. Jae jumped back, away from the window, startled.

_No way! That must be my imagination!_ He turned and ran out of his room, down the hallway, and slammed Faith's door open, only to find that the girl was gone. "So it was real...?" he asked himself, "But where is she going then?" He made his way downstairs quietly, exiting out the front door, and followed the fresh footsteps from the house to the edge of the trees. The last of them were half transformed, a foot, an elongated paw, then, full wolf paws, sprinting through the snow.

"Where are you going?" Jae asked quietly as he quickly followed the footsteps.

David was stretched out at the foot of Chris's bed, his head resting in his paws with closed eyes and ears back as Chris gently pet the top of his head. "That feels nice," he said quietly, his tail flicking slightly, "I never realized that being pet was so pleasant until I joined you guys,"

Chris smiled slightly, "I guess you came from unpleasant circumstances?" she asked. David's eyes opened briefly.

"I'd prefer not to discuss it," he said, "You'll remember soon,"

"Yeah, sorry about that," Chris said. She was suddenly moving the thick fur around his neck, "That I can't remember I mean... hey, I didn't put this on you, did I?" she asked. She started to turn the collar and the tugging instantly resulted in it being set off, a shock of electricity running through David's body and up the length of Chris's arms from her hands.

Both yelped; David snarled, the fur on his back thickening into sharp saw blades as he jumped to his feet, and Chris fell off the bed, startled by the electricity. "Sorry, sorry!" She quickly apologized, maneuvering into a sitting position. "I didn't know it would do that, I'm so sorry!"

David stepped off the bed and walked across the room, jumping instead onto the plush armchair in the corner, where he curled up and lay down again. "Hey, you're not mad at me, are you?" Chris asked, standing. She sounded sincere, honestly concerned, even upset at the idea of David being angry.

"No," the dog said. "And no, you didn't place this on me either. Like I said, you'll remember,"

"Can I at least take it off?" Chris asked. David considered this for a few moments, then stood. For a moment, Chris thought he was going to let her, but instead, he turned around so that his back was facing the captain.

"I don't trust you that much quite yet," he said.

"That makes two of us," a males voice suddenly said from the door. David ignored it, but Chris turned her head to see Zugai standing in the open doorway, his arms crossed. He looked at Chris thoughtfully, "Maybe a few more, now that I think about it. That girl Faith and the girly looking guy Jae just left the house and ran off into the forest together. Did you know that the girl's part wolf?"

"Part wolf, really?" Chris asked with sudden excitement, "Cool! I didn't know that!" But the, the first part of Zugai's statement hit her and she blinked, the excitement leaving and being replaced by concern. Even David looked up now, staring at Zugai. "What do you mean they left?"

"I can't make it any clearer then that. They left. Ran off that way," he pointed his thumb behind him, toward the opposite side of the house.

"This isn't good," David said, "This village is hidden not only by a small snowy valley, but trees as well. And the continent is huge. If they leave, we may not find them,"

"You're a dog, aren't you?" Zugai asked, raising a brow, "Can't you, you know, sniff them out or something?"

David considered this for a few moments, lifting his head to gaze out the window, "As long as there's no fresh snowfall, I should be able to follow their tracks... as for scent... the wind is all over the place out there. I probably could, but it'd be difficult,"

"You said that they're my Nakama, right?" Chris asked David, to which he nodded, "Well then, that means that they're obviously going to be strong and smart. I'm sure that whatever circumstances they get into, they'll be able to get out," she smiled, "Maybe they'll even make it home,"

"What makes you so sure?" Zugai asked, leaning against the door frame.

"Because, I wouldn't recruit people who weren't able to hold their own. It'd be too dangerous for them in the Grand Line," She walked toward Zugai, pulling him into the room and looking out into the hallway briefly before closing the door. "Besides, we have something else we've gotta do," she added in a hushed tone.

"Oh? What's that?" asked the shipwright.

When Chris turned to face David and Zugai, she put a finger to her lips, an indication to quiet down. Then, whispering, she said, "We've gotta get our memories back somehow. And I know just the place to look. You in,"

Zugai looked down at the red haired girl rather lazily for a few moments. If he sided with this girl, that meant that the hospitality this family had been offering would come to an immediate end. Was that a fair price for recovering memories that might not even make a significant difference?

He decided at that moment that, for some reason, the memories _were_ in fact worth it. "Sure," he said, shrugging.

(–)

Blue stood uncertainly outside the door to Raya's room, one hand lifted, poised before the door as if to knock. However, he didn't even have to, because at that moment, the door opened, revealing the young violet-eyed Raya. For a moment, Blue thought he saw malice in those eyes, but that quickly faded into innocence when she saw who she was facing.

"Oh. Blue! Sorry, I thought you were someone else!" Raya said, embarrassed, "Uhm, did you need something?"

It took Blue a few moments to gain the composure to answer, "I was wondering," he said slowly, "When your parents would be returning." Raya tilted her head, rather confused.

"Mama and Papa?" she asked, "How come?"

"Well, I've thought about your offer," He said, "And I've decided... I'd like to join you. And become part of a... real family,"

Raya smiled warmly and she opened the door wider, extending a hand to Blue. Slowly, the man took it. "That's great!" Raya said, "Welcome home, Big Brother!" She led Blue into her room and the door swung closed behind her with an ominous 'click'.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey guys! I've got a rather brief author's note here announcing one thing: On my profile, there's a poll, in reference to this story! The question? Who's your favorite Crescent Dagger Crewmember! Don't answer in your reviews, Readers, please go to the poll itself and make a selection! You have until the next chapter to reply, (and I'm hoping to speed up my updates somewhat) so please, vote soon! And of course, don't forget to review!


	81. The Island of Snow Part 5

**Pirates!**

**The Island of Snow Part 5**

**Something's Missing?**

**The Seekers are Found!

* * *

**

Jae couldn't remember the last time he'd been this cold. The icy evening wind seemed to phase through him, chilling him to the bone and causing him to shake so hard his teeth were clattering. Still, he pressed on, following the paw prints that were slowly fading over a fresh layer of snow. After walking for hours, he felt he was finally getting closer to the girl he was searching for. He found himself extremely thankful for his exceptional sense of direction, because no matter which way he looked, the place looked exactly the same, especially in the fading sunlight. He knew one thing for certain – the house from which he'd just left was in the north. What he didn't know, however, was if he'd even want to go back.

He wasn't sure what compelled him to follow the strange wolf girl into this maze-like forest, what made him trace these footprints to wherever they were going, but he was sure that he needed to find her. To make sure she didn't get hurt, or lost. As if she were his younger sister that he needed to take care of (though he was fairly certain that she was would). He was also, for some reason, sure that she was capable of taking care of herself. So why follow?

He stopped to catch his breath, pulling his jacket tighter around his slim body, and looked around. His breath came out in puffs of white fog, fading into the icy air. His bluish eyes fell upon the pawprints again. These were fresher. He was catching up. He was about to continue onward when he heard the sound of a howl – a long, constant, high pitched note. It sounded strangely familiar to him, and he knew without a doubt, despite the responses that the howl received, that it was Faith. Without hesitation, he ran toward the source.

It didn't take him long to find the cliff, and standing at the end was not a wolf, but a girl, with curly brown hair and silver highlights, staring off into the distance, searching. "Hey, it's dangerous to stand too close to the end, Faith-san," he said gently.

Faith didn't even turn to look at him. Her sharp eyes remained scanning the ground beneath, searching for someone. Who that was, Jae couldn't be sure. Perhaps the sister she'd mentioned before. He walked toward her, his feet crunching on the snow, and put a hand on her shoulder, "Faith..."

Faith spun around as if only just realizing he was there and instinctively she pushed him back, in the process forcing herself back a step. That single step was all it took – her heel slid off the edge of the cliff and soon her entire foot followed, and she lost her balance and fell with a shriek.

And then, a strong arm wrapped around her wrist with surprising strength. Her eyes, once closed, opened and she looked up to see Ja hanging halfway off the cliff, struggling to hold her up with one arm while at the same time keeping himself from sliding. "Don't worry, you won't fall. I've got you," he promised. He started to pull, and Faith was startled that his small arm could pull her up and over the cliffside. The two sat on the snow, Faith's heart pounding from the adrenaline and Jae heaving a relieved sigh.

Jae cracked a smile, "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he said, rubbing the back of his head, embarrassed, "I tried to get you into a safer place and I ended up putting you in danger,"

"It was my own fault, I wasn't paying attention. Thank you for helping me." she said, to which Jae replied, "My pleasure,"

The two fell into an awkward silence, disturbed only by the distant sound of a howling wolf. Jae turned his head to the sound, but Faith kept her eyes locked on him, "Why?" she asked. Confused, Jae looked at her and tilted his head.

"Why what?"

"Why did you come after me?" Jae considered the question for a while. Why _did_ he come after her? The only answer that made sense were that dog's words. About that red-head's crew. _"I'm already in it! We all are." _But there was another reason.

"It may sound strange..." Jae said slowly, "But even though I can't really recognize your face, something tells me that I really do know you. And that... we've been through a lot together. All of us... What that dog said. It may not make any sense, but it feels like it's right. Everyone seems distantly familiar, like some far off memory or something..."

Faith put a hand to her chest, just beneath her neck, and after doing so, she found herself confused. The only thing there was her wolf pendant, but... "You feel like something's missing," Jae said. Faith's eyes widened – had he read her mind? A Devil Fruit? When he reached for his own neck, she knew automatically that if he did have a fruit, it wasn't mind reading. She was like him. "I'm the same. I can't quite place what it is, but... there's a strange emptiness around my neck. Like there's something important that I've lost,"

Faith nodded, because although she found it difficult to understand herself, she felt the exact same way. She was about to voice this thought, but before she could get a single word out, a rustling in the trees got her attention. "Did you hear that?" She asked.

Jae's eyes followed hers and he remained completely silent as he listening. He heard it too – rustle, then the crunch of snow. Someone – or something, was coming. He stood up, walking toward Faith and pulling her to her feet as well. Both clenched their fists, prepared to fight off whatever came at them should it be a threat.

"Damn trees," A loud voice growled as a large black figure crashed through the foliage, "That's why I prefer the ocean. Wide open space, nothing to crash into but fish and mermaids..." The figure paused when spotting Faith and Jae, staring at them through dark, white-ringed eyes. It seemed to be wearing a large jacket, a snow hat, and mittens. Then, its mouth split into a razor sharp grin and he said, "Faith! Jae! You're ok! Where are the others?"

Faith and Jae, unsure of how to react to the sudden appearance of this strange Fishman, stayed on alert, "Who are you?" Jae asked, "And how do you know our names?"

Gonzo's smile faded quickly and he tilted his head, staring dumbfounded from Jae to Faith. "You're kidding, right?"

(–)

Zugai was standing outside the bedroom door, one hand raised, poised to knock. The parents had left the house to go to work, and Blue, Raya, and Kai were nowhere to be found. Still, it was safest to knock. _Distract them in any way you can. Keep them busy or something, and I'll go in there and take a look around._ Chris had told him. He heaved a sigh. Logically speaking, it was a good plan – Chris was smaller then he was and most definitely stealthier. And if it was one thing that sneaking into a room required, it was stealth.

He was just about to knock when suddenly, the door opened, revealing a very startled and confused Blue holding Raya's hand. Zugai stared at them, at a loss for words for a brief moment, then, he said, "Oh, hi. Sorry, did I interrupt something?" he asked.

Raya smiled. "No, of course not," she said, "Blue and I were just going to go get a snack from the kitchen! Right big brother?"

Big brother? Zugai looked at Blue, confused and a bit shocked by the choice in words. Blue smiled and nodded, "Yeah, that's right," he agreed cheerfully. He looked at Zugai, "Would you like some?"

_Distract them…_ Zugai put on a smile and nodded. "Yeah, sounds great," he said finally. He followed the pair down the hallway and into the kitchen. _He's being strange…_Zugai thought, watching Blue with his one visible eyes. _He's acting as if nothing is wrong. What did this girl do to him?_

As soon as Chris heard the door to the bedroom close, she opened the door where she was hiding – the bathroom, and walked toward it. She tried the doorknob – locked as expected, but she made quick work of that with a safety pin. After only a few seconds, the door clicked and creaked open slowly. She slipped in, closing it quietly behind her, and then snuck over to the trap door.

"Alright, girly… let's see what you're hiding," Chris said, pulling open the door. She looked around again, to make sure she wasn't being watched, and then she lowered herself down the ladder, letting the trap door close above her.

The room was smaller then Chris thought, about the size of half of the girl's room, but lining the walls were shelves, filled with boxes of what appeared to be junk. In the center, there was a single chair, and beside it a table with a lit oil lantern, casting a glow around the room. There were some peculiar objects down here – leaning against a wall, she saw what looked like a giant white axe, and near it, there was a smaller white sword. But what really caught her attention was a shimmer of silver in a box beside the weapons caused by the oil lamp. She quickly ran toward it and looked in. Three daggers were in there – one shaped like a crescent, the second one straight with a black handle, hidden in a black sheath, the last one her familiar Double-Sided dagger.

"Yes!" She exclaimed, reaching into the box and taking the dagger gently. She held it in one hand, but something still wasn't right. There was still something missing… She looked into the box again to the other dagger. It was definitely nice…

She took it out of the box and gazed at the curve with interest. Then, suddenly, she felt a wave of pain rush through her shoulders and bit her lip to hold back the scream as she dropped to her knees, holding her head with eyes closed.

A test… stealing the dagger… Nikolai… the Blue Lightning Pirates… Pain. The memory rushed her like a bull, its horns hitting her full force in the gut, but when the pain was over, she opened her eyes. The memory faded into nothing more then what it was – a memory.

She stared at the dagger in her hand, shocked. "How… how did I forget something like that…?" She asked herself. She stood up shakily – the pain was completely gone, but part of her was worried it'd come back. She put the dagger's sheath back onto her belt and hid the Crescent Dagger safely in her hat once again before she searched another box right beside the first, which she now emptied, and found something vaguely familiar – silver lockets, shined to perfection, with initials written on them. She reached in and took one – C.H. engraved in elegant script.

This time, the memories hit her twice as hard; bombarding her mind. She found herself frozen, eyes wide, as the chronicle of their travels returned to her. Sneaking away from home. The memories of her crew. Recruiting Zugai, Gonzo, Jae, Aya, Faith, Blue, Aven, Teriuz, and finally David. Falling off the Cliffside, running from giant rabbits. And finally violet eyes. The last thing she remembered before waking up in this house.

"She stole our memories…" Chris said to herself slowly, "The Seekers… Everyone will remember if they get this!" She grabbed the box and turned, shocked when she suddenly crashed into the solid form of Kai.

The boy didn't even hesitate to act. He grabbed Chris's shoulder and with surprising force pushed her down onto her back on the floor, where he pinned her, one hand holding her wrists together above her head, the other gripping her throat. He had both of her legs pinned with only one of his, and no matter how hard Chris fought to pull free, she couldn't. The box of Seekers was lying tipped on the floor, the lockets spilled over the wooden floor.

"Why are you down here?" Kai demanded quietly. Chris stared him square in the eyes, her gaze never once faltering.

"I'm saving my crew from a life of boredom on this crappy island," She said firmly, "And you're getting in my way," She tried again to pull her hands free, but Kai simply pressed harder. _He doesn't even look like he's trying but I still can't pull free. So strong…_ she thought to herself.

"You shouldn't have come snooping," Kai said firmly, tightening his grip around her throat. She winced slightly. "I was given orders to eliminate you if you did. I don't want to have to kill you, Chris,"

_Maybe I can talk my way through this…_ Chris thought to herself. "Then don't," She said. _Great start. That's going to work…_ she thought sarcastically. "Listen, Kai, have you ever bothered to look around in here?"

Kai's stony expression faltered briefly and with it, so did his grip. "Raya prohibits it,"

"Aren't you supposed to be the older brother?" Chris asked, "Seems strange that you do what she tells you to do, doesn't it? Kai, you know she has a Devil Fruit power,"

"So what?" Kai asked.

"You don't honestly believe that she hasn't used it on you, do you?" Chris continued, "She can erase memories, implant memories. I don't know what else she can do, but she obviously did it to you,"

"Stop messing with my head!" Kai growled. He shook his head and covered his ears with his hands, releasing Chris's wrists."You're trying to turn me against her, I know it! She's my sister! She wouldn't use the fruit on me without my knowledge! You don't know why she's doing this! You don't know anything!"

_Gotcha!_ Chris thought to herself. She reached for her double-sided dagger and slashed the larger blade at Kai's chest. She felt the familiar pressure of the tearing of skin, then a warm wetness of blood dripping from the wound onto her hands and face. The speed and suddenness of the blow caused Kai to jump to his feet, staggering back, and Chris pushed herself to her feet.

"Ganjou-sentou!" Kai shouted. He seemed to have recovered, because his fist suddenly slammed into Chris's chest with crushing force, sending her flying back into the shelves. She hit it with a loud clatter of rattling objects and cracking shelves and then, the entire structure of the shelf collapsed, burying her beneath a mountain of forgotten relics.

Kai was standing where Chris once was, his fist still extended, blue eyes harsh. He lowered his hand and walked toward the junk as Chris began to pull herself out.

(-)

The crash was heard even upstairs in the kitchen, where Blue, Zugaia, and Raya were seated, eating cake and drinking juice on Raya's suggestion. The peaceful atmosphere faded, however, when they heard the crash. Zugai felt his entire body tense as Raya tured her gaze to the hallway, her violet eyes narrowed. She stood up immediately from her chair and started running out of the kitchen, Blue right behind her. They were intercepted at the kitchen entryway by what seemed to be four knives shooting by in front of them, embedding themselves into the doorframe.

Raya stared at them and upon closer inspection, she realized that they weren't knives, but bones. "Sorry," Zugai said, "But I can't let you go any further then that." His left hand was behind his back, but should one see it, they'd notice that his fingers were no longer supported by his bones, becoming nothing more then skin and muscle hanging off his much more solid hand.

Raya turned her head to look at him with such venom that Zugai felt his entire spine shiver. To see a child with such an expression was actually frightening, but he pushed that thought aside and clenched his one good fist.

"Brother... this boy is scaring me," she said suddenly, her eyes glowing purple. She held a hand out, directly in front of Blue's face, and some strange silver light slid from it, slipping into Blue's head. "Please, can you get rid of him for me?"

Zugai's eyes narrowed. _Wait a minute... that light..._ However, before he could delve deeper into the mystery, Blue stepped forward, suddenly furious. "You... you're the one who killed our parents. I remember now," he growled, pulling his shotgun into his hands. Zugai blinked, confused.

"What? What are you talking about?" he asked. "I haven't killed anyone..." He was interrupted by a sudden burst of pain as an explosive bullet slammed into his chest with enough force to send him flying back into the kitchen cabinet. The glass on the doors shattered around him with the china, adding to the noise echoing throughout the kitchen. He crumpled to the floor, dazed.

Zugai put a hand to his chest, rubbing the spot where the bullet had hit with obvious distaste, "Ouch..." He grumbled, rising to his feet and dusting the stray glass of his already frayed sweater. The bullet had added an additional hole to the front, but he seemed to not mind, "That was really unnecessary," he pointed out.

Then, he spotted Raya, quickly making her way out of the kitchen. "Hold it!" he shouted. He made to go after her, but the crack of a gun alerted him of another bullet and he lightened his bones to make a quick attempt at a dodge. However, despite his efforts, he felt the bullet, a normal shotgun round, clip him in the arm, drawing blood. He instinctively pressed a hand to the new wound with a hiss of pain as he let his bones return to their natural density.

_Of course. As a marksman of the Crescent Dagger Pirates, I'd expect no less._ He thought to himself. However, he found himself confused as to _why_ he thought it in the first place. When he looked back to the kitchen entryway, Raya was gone. With a frustrated sigh, he scratched the back of his head, "So much for distracting..." he muttered. He placed two fingers into his mouth and blew out, whistling a loud, solid note. Blue stared at him, confused, and lowered the gun slightly.

There was a loud sound like some sort of chainsaw against the wooden floor of the kitchen and Blue spun around in time to see what looked like a rolling buzzsaw spinning toward him. He reduced his solidity to nothing more then air, allowing the object to pass straight through him. It seemed to elongate upon missing its target, returning to the normal shape that was David, the hair on his back still glistening like a saw blade before returning to normal.

Zugai took the opportunity to run to the doorway, pressing his hand against the bones sticking out of the wall, letting his muscles and skin reattach to it and back to his hand. He opened and closed his fist experimentally a few times before turing to David and the re-appearing Blue, "Sorry to push this on you," he said to the dog, "But I'm not sure how our red-headed friend will fare against two opponents. Can you hold him off?"

David stared at Blue, his dark eyes narrowing as he bared his razor sharp teeth. His hackles rose, beginning to glisten again as they adapted the steel quality of a saw and Zugai smiled. "I'll take that as a yes," he said, turning away and running down the hallway. "Be careful!"

Blue was about to go after him, but David was quick to place himself in the way, growling. The dark-skinned man stared at him, his blue eyes narrowing slightly behind his sunglasses, "You're in my way," he said, returning the shotgun to its place on his back before drawing his revolvers and spinning them on his fingers, "But if you want to help the man who killed my parents, I'll let you accompany him to hell,"

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**A/N:** Yes! I'm still alive! I've had absolutely NO inspiration to write this story, but I'm trying to get it back. The work I had to do for my high school's musical got really intense around my last update, but since then I've completed that show (in June), I've graduated High school (two weeks after) and I don't have to worry about any placement tests for college since it's all done (About a month ago). After that, it was mostly a problem of inspiration... Now all I have to worry about is _getting into_ classes, but I'll deal with that the first day of class since it's impossible to get into schools... with me luck! Now, a special treat: The results of that poll I promised you!

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**Pirates! Crescent Dagger Popularity Contest Results**

**1st Place: **A tie between Captain and First mate: Chris and Zugai with a total of **10** votes each!

**2nd Place: **Yet another tie between our favorite chef and navigator: Gonzo and Jae with a total of **6 **votes each!

**3rd Place: **David with a total of 5 votes! Congratulations to our newest Member!

Fourth place was Faith with a total of 4 votes, followed by a three-way tie for fifth place between Aya, Blue, and Aven with 2 votes each. Teriuz was unfortunately in sixth place with one vote, but don't be discouraged!

Next poll? Favorite Blue Lightning Pirates! Vote on my profile ladies and gents! Also, tell me this next question in your reviews (IMPORTANT!): How many of you guys would like to see a little 'arc' about all of the Crescent Dagger's backgrounds: in full, like I did with the Blue Lightning pirates?

Thanks for the patience, everyone. I'll try my best to get my muse working for me!

SNE121


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One Piece, Adventure, Suspense