Chapter 1

"Just when you think it can't get any worse, it can. And just when you think it can't get any better, it can." –Nicholas Sparks, At First Sight.

Kya sighed, blowing a piece of her black bangs out of her face, the rest of her hair tied in a ponytail just like it was a month ago. She knew she smelt awful, and her breath would have been atrocious if not for the little girl sneaking over and brushing her teeth for her. She smiled at the little girl; the whole reasons she was in here... All she had done was tried to save her from that stupid snotty boy Helmeppo and his dogs.

She thought saving the poor little girl's life was worth being tied to a pool.

Frowning, she looked at the sky. She had been here a month. A month! Morgan had said two weeks, if she could live. And so far she had out lived the past two guys tied to the pole with her. Though she knew it was all thanks to the little girl giving her food and water every now and again. Anyways, the other two men were quite boring. They rarely talked, only cried and complained till they died.

"Hey, stupid bitch. We got another one for you."

Growling, she closed her eyes. She hated that ugly man, and refused to look at him. She couldn't care less about this new comer. "Oi! I said we got another one!" He screamed again. "Tch. I don't care." She answered, not even bothering to open her crystal blue eyes.

"Why aren't you dead yet?" The blonde haired man questioned as the person, a man she figured from the feel of his arms against hers, was tied up behind her. He didn't talk, only made small grunts as the marines tightened the ropes. Finally, with a sigh, she opened her eyes and looked at the Marine Captain's son. "I'm invincible." She said sarcastically. From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the man. He had a dark green bandana and a white shirt on, but that's all she could tell from her view.

The sound of a hand hitting her cheek echoed around the courtyard and she spat blood from her mouth. She couldn't even remember how many times the man had slapped her. "Do not insult my intelligence!" Helmeppo cried out, a few tears straying from his eyes. She smiled darkly at him, blood dripping down her chin. "Who said I was insulting it?"

"Oi, leave the girl alone." A gruff voice said from behind her. She jumped slightly before realizing it was her new friend. Helmeppo turned his attention to the newbie, making her frown. "What was that, Roronoa Zoro?" He demanded, kicking dirt onto his new prisoner.

Kya's eyes widened. Roronoa Zoro? Wasn't he the infamous bounty hunter? The man whose name made pirates tremble in their boots? And he was tied up to a boost on this little island? How inconvenient.

"I told you to leave her alone. You're annoying and ugly. I don't want to see you anymore."

Helmeppo's face was priceless, and she couldn't help but snort at it. "Wh-wh-what? How dare you say such vulgar things to me! I will get my daddy on you!" He cried out, before running off to the gate. The two Marines with him looked at each other before taking off after him.

'What idiots.' She thought boredly, looking back at the sky. In the month she had been her, she had come to love the sight. She had never paid much attention to it before, but now she somehow wished she lived there instead of here.

"So….why are you here?" Zoro asked after a long silence. She chuckled lightly before answering. "Killing one of the brat's dogs trying to save a little girl." He twisted uncomfortably in his ropes, making them rub against her harshly. "Hey! Hey! Stop moving! You're going to dig it into my skin!"

"Sorry." He breathed, relaxing slightly. "Well, that's the same reason I'm here." He grumbled making her laugh. "How pathetic of us." She answered, making him growl. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, I mean we're both fairly strong-"

"I'm definitely stronger than you."

"-and here we are. Tied to a wooden pole together."

He made an incoherent sound, and she sighed for the millionth time. Life here was pretty boring, she had to say, but well spent. Thought she could hardly count the tragedies of losing her family and best friend were well, everything else accordingly was. Being an assassin was the best job she could ever ask for; killing people just so happened to be her calling. She was so cat-like in stealth, people would die just to hire her. It paid good too.

She looked down at her attire. A black tube top with black leggings and sandals. Her utility belt had been taken away with all her weapons, and it frustrated her dearly. Weapons were all she had in this world. And definitely all she needed.

"Oi, woman. What is there to do?"

Snorting, she turned her head to the man. "What do you think? We're tied to a damn pole." She muttered sadly. He sighed. "I guess I'll just sleep for the rest of my days here then."

It had been, what? Nine or so days since the 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro had come along and been tied to the post with her. She had learned of some of his journeys, his two bounty hunting friends, little of his past life, and how annoying he gets when he sleeps.

"Oi, you okay?" Kya asked solemnly, as he was most likely bleeding again. Helmeppo had come by and she had mouthed off again, and Zoro had stood up for her, again. It was asinine the way he stood up for her for no reason. Every time she would ask why, he'd make a 'hn' noise and go back to sleep.

"Just peachy." He grumbled lowly, tiredly. He was exhausted, and so was she. Almost two months out here in this heat. The little girl didn't stop by as often anymore, and she knew that both of them were dehydrated and on the verge of starving.

Suddenly, loud voices were heard from the wall behind her. She couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but the voices were two male idiots. "What do they want?" She groaned, hoping not to make a big scene again.

"Hey you!" That was Zoro. Her head whipped around, eyeing him fiercely. "What the hell are you doing?" She seethed quietly. "Could you please come over here and untie us? I've been here for nine days and her for almost two months. We're exhausted."

"Look he's smiling." One idiot said. "He..! He talked? And there's a girl with him?" The timid idiot said back. She sighed angrily. This would not be good. "I'll repay you." Zoro added. "I could hunt down a fugitive and give you the rewards. I'm not lying. I'll keep my words."

"Don't do it Luffy-san! Don't be tricked by his words! If you free him, he'll kill us and escape! And who knows what that woman will do to us!"

"They can't kill me. Because…I'm strong too."

"Eh?"

A loud clanking noise made everyone stop talking. A few 'ehs!' and a small 'shh.' Were heard, but Kya couldn't see them still and it was really bothering her. "Ah! Don't, it's too dangerous!" The timid boy shouted and hearing the small footsteps, she could tell it was the little girl.

"Hey. What are you doing here?" Zoro asked, surprised. "Zoro! Don't be rude!" She scolded him. He ignored her, again, and kept on talking. "Do you want to die or something? Get lost!"

"Uhm, brother, I made some rice balls for you and Kya-san! You guys haven't eaten for a long time right?" The little girl said happily, extending her hands out with three rice balls. Kya eyed them deliciously. "This is the first time I made rice balls-"

"I'm not hungry! Go away!"

"What about me?"

"But…."

"I don't want it! Leave! I'll kill you if don't go!"

She wanted to strangle him. She wanted to tie him to a chair and torture him for hours. How could he do this to her? She was starving, and obviously so was he, but he was being a man and denying it! "Zoro, whenever we get untied, I'm going to kill you."

"Roronoa Zoro! Giselle Kya! Don't pick on little kids or else I'll have to report to my father about it."

Groaning, she glared at the ugly blonde. He was back, again. She he wouldn't attempt to murder Zoro again. "Tch. If isn't the lieutenant bastard's son." The green haired man grumbled behind her and she chuckled.

"Bastard? Don't get cocky with me, my father's a lieutenant!" Helmeppo shouted, cupping his ear as he walked forward with two Marines. "Obviously, dumbass." Kya added haughtily. "You! You're going to die in the next few days, why should I bother with you?"

She glared at him as he marched up to the little girl. "Well hello there little girl. These rice balls look pretty tasty!" He said ignorantly, grabbing one. "Ah! Stop it!"

Taking a bite out of one, his eyes widened and his face scowled. "Blegh!" He spat. "Horrible! You put too much sugar in it! You're supposed to put salt in these things!" "Bu-but I thought they'd taste better sweet!" The little girl yelled, but the asshole simply threw them to the ground and stamped them into the dirt.

"How could someone eat something like this? Damn it!"

"Aah! Stop ! They can't eat this anymore!"

"Don't worry. The ants will eat them up."

He squished them into the ground, making a giant rice ball as the girl cried. "That's so cruel! I…I tried really hard to make them!" She wailed. "Awh. Don't cry. No wonder why I hate brats so much." Helmeppo complained, placing a hand on his face. "It's all your fault you know? Didn't you see what was written here? 'Anyone who helps with the prisoners will be charged with the same crime.-Marine Lieutenant Morgan.' You know how scary my dad can be right? You could've gotten the death penalty if you were a grown up!"

"Oi! Throw this brat out!"

Kya's eyes widened. Throw her out? She was just a little kid! The Marine was hesitant, but Helmeppo was already in front of the man. She wanted to rip his throat from his neck, badly. She strained in her hold, causing Zoro to groan.

"I'm telling you to throw her outta here! Are you trying to disobey me? I'm telling my dad!"

"A-Aye sir!"

She couldn't see the girl being tossed over the wall, but she heard her cries and her heart wrenched. This man, this ugly, good-for-nothing man was a monster. She would kill him if she had to. "I didn't think either of you would have this kind of endurance! I'm gonna keep you two alive for a whole month! Well, for Zoro at least. Kya doesn't seem to have much longer."

She glared at him, growling deeply. "You better keep your promise!" Zoro shouted, pulling against the ropes. "Oh I'll keep my promise!" Helmeppo laughed. "If you can live like this for another month I'll let you go!" He added, walking off with the Marines. "Good luck!"

"Zoro…" She mumbled. "Hn?" The ropes gripped her tighter as he pulled against him. "He's right, I don't have much time left. My body is pretty much eating away at itself."

"Why are you telling me this?"

In truth, she didn't know. She just had this feeling of mutual trusts towards him, and it felt like these things needed to be said to him. "If anyone asks, I was fighting a Sea King and fell off a water fall." She grinned, and he chuckled lightly, but stopped abruptly.

"You still haven't left yet? Leave now or else he'll go tell his dad about it." Zoro warned the young, most likely the one known as 'Luffy'. "I'm looking for some people to join my crew." The boy said. Turning her head to the side, she caught a glimpse of the young boy. Tall, skinny, jean shorts, a vest, and a straw hat. He didn't look like a pirate to her.

"Pirate? Heh! So you just gave up a life and became a crook?"

"It's my dream! There's nothing wrong with being a pirate!"

"Don't tell me you're going to set me free and force me to join you?"

"I haven't made up my mind yet, since everyone seems to think you're a bad guy."

"A bad guy huh? I'll never join you because I have something that I need to take care of! I could survive even if you don't help me! I just need to stay alive for one month, like Kya. That bastard kid promised to let me go after wards. I'm going to do everything I can to stay alive and fulfill my dreams!"

Kya was surprised. He was so…confident. Neither of them had talked about their dreams, and it made her wonder what was going on in that pea brain of his. "Really? If I were you I think I'd starve to death in a week." The young boy said gleefully, walking around to Kya.

She studied him as Zoro spoke. "That's why we're different. Go find someone else to join you." He growled. "What about you?" The boy asked her, ignore the swordsman behind her. She smiled lightly, looking at his shaggy black and deep scar. "I like you kid. You got guts."

"Wanna join my crew?"

"I'll sleep on. Piracy was something I never actually thought about."

He smiled, giving her a thumbs up before walking off. "Hey! Hold on!" Zoro shouted, and she raised an eyebrow. 'What is he doing…?' She thought boredly. "That..can you pick that up for me?"

"You want to eat this? But the rice ball is all muddy? Well I guess you can't be picky about your food when you're hungry."

"Shut up. Just give it to me. Let me eat all of it."

"What about her?" The boy, Luffy, asked hesitantly. She chuckled. "I'm fine, kid. Give him the food." She said, and the sound of Zoro's loud mouth echoed around her as he ate the dirty food. "Do you want to kill yourself?" Luffy asked, and she snorted.

"Tell that littler girl…" Zoro coughed out slowly. "Tell her what?" "'The rice balls taste very good. Thank you very much.'" He ended, slightly panting and the boy laughed before hopping back over the wall.

Kya let out a long, dry laugh. "Who woulda thought? The great 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro has a soft spot for children. How cute." She joked. "Oi! Shut up! Why didn't you eat anything?"

"Oh? Do you actually care about me?"

"Woman, if you don't shut the hell up…."

"Sorry. Sorry. Well, you seem to be more hungry than I am. I'm going to die anyways, it would be pointless for me to eat."

"I'm not going to let you die woman. Stop saying that."

She sighed. "If that was only true, Zoro. If that was only true."