Ace's head jerked up, hand shading his eyes as a bright streak of light flew over, and then he heard an almighty crash from the forest somewhere ahead of him. He tightened his grip on his pipe, eyes narrow, and headed towards the sound whilst dragging the dead crocodile behind him.

He found a winged white lizard. He looked at the crocodile, then back at the injured beast struggling to its feet. He knew the crocodile was edible, so . . . why not? A ghost of a voice started to give him a dozen reasons, but he shrugged it off. Sabo was dead. He wasn't coming back, so who cared what he would have thought. Ace didn't notice the lone tear trailing down his cheek.

The creature finally got its footing, front paw held off the ground while blood poured from the wound. Good. Injured animals couldn't fight back as effectively, even if they were more ferocious. Ace dropped the crocodile, both hands gripping his pipe in preparation. Slowly, the creature turned to look at him. He froze under the scrutiny of those unnatural rainbow eyes. The feeling passed as quickly as it came and he prepared to attack. The beast made a noise of distress, trying to back away, but tripping instead and knocked its injured leg against a tree, yelping pitifully in pain and fear, the sound making him wince slightly in empathy.

But Ace steeled himself. While oddly beautiful, the creature was as much his prey as the crocodile had been. He leapt towards the dragon-

A light enveloped its form, and his pipe thudded into the ground inches from a girl's leg. He stared in shock for a moment, but before he could make a sound, the girl leaped up with a shriek and began to sprint away. It took him a second to gather his wits, but then he started off after her.

"Wait!" He called. She didn't even slow down, instead opting to go faster. Ace was starting to find it hard to keep up.

"Wait!" He called again, but again she went faster, feet pounding against the ground metres ahead of him as she leapt over tree roots and through gaps in the vines with a grace Ace did not possess. He tripped, landing forcefully on his front. He got up as quick as he could, but there was no longer any sign of the girl.

"Dammit." He said, spitting out dirt. It was then that he noticed that it was getting dark.

"Shit." He raced back the way he had come. Luffy would be wondering where he was, and he didn't want to worry the rubber boy. Especially after-

He shook his head of those thoughts. It had been a month. Luffy might still be upset, but it was time that Ace himself got over it. Someone had to take care of Luffy, and it sure as hell wasn't going to be Garp.

The dead crocodile was where he'd left it, next to a shallow depression in the ground filled with crushed vegetation. The lizard/girl/person-thing must have hit the ground quite hard. He felt a twinge of guilt for some reason, but it wasn't his fault that she/it fell out of the sky. He still felt sorry for her though . . .

oOo

Locks peered out from behind the tree, watching as the hunter ran back the way they'd come. She let out a sigh of relief, and then winced as another pulse of pain shot through her. Her whole body ached, come to think of it. And she was so hungry . . .

It's not exactly the best idea to go running through the forest when you are in the state Locks was in. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she fell to the ground.