Welcome to the second installment of the Black Glove Pirate saga! In case you somehow missed the summary and the fourth word in that first sentence, this is a sequel. Read that first if you haven't already. Much like the first story, this is rated M for a reason. Intense graphic violence, offensive language and alcohol should be a given by now, but other adult situations will arise.

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. All rights to the world and the occasional historical figures featured in this fanfiction belong to the illustrious Odacchi-sama. I'm just using his concept. That being said, I do 'own' most of the characters in this series. While I do not have the power to sue anyone who steals them, I will be severely disappointed in people who do so. I've worked hard to create these characters, and ripping them off would be the highest degree of disrespect someone could show me.

On a lighter note, I would like to show my gratitude to those who read my story and especially to those who reviewed it. I'm not upset if you don't leave a review, but I always appreciate them, even the ones to which I can't respond (and I respond to all of the reviews I possibly can). I'd like to thank my unexpected international fanbase as well. I'd like to thank those of you who sent me drawings of my crew, something I regrettably don't have the ability to do myself. Frasya contributed the cover image for this story, so I heartily encourage you to check out her tumblr and deviantart (her alternative name is Kay, if you're having trouble). And last, but most definitely not least, I'd like to thank Draco Oblivion and Meteor, who went above and beyond the call of duty in their reviews. Kudos to all of you.

So, to wrap up when ended up like sounding a damn award acceptance speech: sit back, relax, and enjoy the story.

-Sir Gar the Bold

The first minute of Cassandra Libera's journey through the Grand Line was cold, wet, and airless. She could feel the water pounding in her ears as it pushed her downwards. Her lungs burned for oxygen, but she refused to inhale. Her limbs were trying to propel her back to fresh air, but her actions were in vain. The sunlight above the surface tauntingly penetrated the water, indicating the direction she was supposed to swim. But no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't escape the feeling that something had grabbed hold of her leg and was dragging her down. The Sea Devil was reclaiming one of its own.

Abruptly, something clamped around her torso and arrested her helpless descent. She was pulled towards the surface in short bursts, the constant starting and stopping beginning to make her nauseous. She thanked the gods of life for getting used to the constant movement of a ship, for she would have felt much worse otherwise. She tried to move around, but her arms were pinned to her side. She had a pretty good idea of who had rescued her from her watery grave, but couldn't turn around enough to check.

The instant her head broke the surface, she inhaled deeply, soothing the fires in her chest. For a few moments, all she could do was greedily suck in the cool evening air and silently vow never to stand so close to the railings again. This was a foolish vow, one that she would undoubtedly break later that day, but it calmed her down. As she tried to move again, her rescuer's grip loosened enough for her to free her arms. She rested them on the arm crossing her chest, which turned out to be a large finger. That narrowed down the possible identity of her rescuer to only one man. "Rescuing a drowning crewmember is a good way to show loyalty to the crew," she commented as she wriggled around. "Especially when that crewmember is the captain."

"The real thanks should go to Lyn," Cain boomed, his dark blue eyes filled with concern. "The instant Raven came back empty-handed, she removed her spirit and located you."

Cassandra gave a light smile. "Of course she would. Anyone else fall overboard?"

"Alexander was the first to go flying, but Raven got him in time," the onetime bandit responded. "That's probably why she didn't see you fly off."

"Well, let's get back to the ship." Cain nodded and brought her out of the water onto his shoulders. Cassandra grabbed his head tightly, ignoring the short, dark blond hairs tickling her arm. He twisted about in the water until their pirate ship came into view and began to swim.

The Howling Knave was bobbing some distance from the mouth of Reverse Mountain, away from the raging current that rushed down the mountainside. The figurehead and namesake, a tortured wooden man chained to the bow, pointed slightly to their right, exposing the side of the galleon. Cassandra winced as she saw the damage to the starboard flank, the gaping fissure momentarily feeling like a hole in her own side. The gap was far enough above water level not to worry her, but almost all of the starboard cannons had been lost. They would definitely have to be replaced as soon as possible.

The imaginary pain subsided as she looked up at the main sail bearing the Jolly Roger of the Black Glove Pirates and a smirk spread across her lips. A creation of her artistic first mate, it had been made in Cassandra's own image: her white cowboy hat perched on the grinning skull, her two original pistols crossed behind it and her left glove behind it all. That Jolly Roger also flew above the crow's nest and was stitched onto the back of the pirate captain's left glove. Cassandra chuckled as she remembered that her first mate had gotten it tattooed onto her back where it would always be seen, assuming she continuously wore her usual skimpy clothing.

The powerful pirate had them back alongside the ship in no time, making sure to swim towards the port side so as to not damage the ship any further. Reaching up to grip a cannonhole tightly, he pulled himself out of the water high enough for him to deposit her safely on the main deck. As soon as her red boots touched the wooden planks, she was knocked head over heels, coming to a rest against the main mast. Her head still spun, but she eventually recovered enough to realize her face was pressed between two large mounds of flesh. "Oh, thank the spirits you're okay, Captain! We were so worried about you! We thought you were going to drown!"

"It looks like you're going to finish the job," a voice said dryly as the pirate captain finally managed to extract herself from her first mate's firm embrace.

"Air!" Cassandra cried dramatically, holding the other woman at arm's length. "I need air!"

Lyn's joyous laughter entered Cassandra's ears and filled her heart with happiness. The first mate truly was prettiest when she was in high spirits and now was no exception. Her orange tank top had been completely soaked, leaving very little to the imagination as it clung to her chest. Her radiant grin brightened up her face and her electric blue eyes were sparkling merrily. "Silly Captain! You're out of the water now."

"And I hear that I have you to thank," the pirate captain replied. "Well done, Lyn." She briefly stiffened in shock as something was draped across her shoulders. Her hands shot up to feel the familiar texture of a dry towel and her fingers clenched it happily. She got to her feet and dried off her face, surprised at the warmth the cloth emanated. "And thank you. I heard you almost had a similar experience."

Alexander bowed his head, his dark brown eyes almost hidden by the sunlight reflecting off his glasses. His customary suit was relatively unruffled, though it would definitely benefit from a session with an iron when he had the chance. His portly frame was resting against the railing, showing his lack of care for his proximity to the sea. He too had consumed a Devil Fruit, but he never let his weakness bother him. Piracy was in his blood and overrode any fears he had about the salty water below him. "Courtesy of me and Damien."

Cassandra's eyebrows rose at this as she shrugged off her black overshirt and pulled off her T-shirt, leaving her torso only clothed in her wet bra and shoulder holsters. "He voluntarily helped out with this?"

The well-dressed pirate rolled his eyes. "As if. I merely threw it on him while Lyn was looking for you. He didn't have to do anything."

"It is not surprising that he did not help," an emotionless drone came from behind her. "He is completely unreliable."

The pirate captain sighed as she turned around to face the crew's doctor, catching the dry shirt tossed in her direction. "I thought you had relinquished such negative views of him."

Raven's empty black eyes stared penetratingly into Cassandra's own. Despite her crouching position on the railing above the galley, she retained her balance perfectly, never wavering in the slightest. Her skintight black suit revealed her curvaceous form, indicating that although she had the height of a child, she was a fully mature woman. Her lengthy ponytail trailed past her feet, swaying in time with the ship. She casually tossed down the pirate captain's white cowboy hat as she explained. "This is not a negative view. This is a fact. Even when combat is necessary, he might simply choose not to participate."

"Yeah, which is weird because he definitely has that whole bloodlust thing," Lyn chimed in. "I thought he'd always be ready to fight."

"Ah am always ready t' fight." The navigator's animalistic snarl was as distinctive as he was. "Jus' don' always feel like it."

He stumped into view and leaned on the railing above the women's quarters, his fierce green eyes focused on them all. His long dreadlocks were flecked with white salt crystals, indicating he had simply burned off the seawater in his hair. Using a clawless fingernail to scratch at one of the countless horrific scars marring his dark brown skin, he gave a mighty yawn, exposing his sharp metal teeth. "'Sides, yer all righ'. I didn' 'ave t' do nothin'."

"No thanks to you," Cassandra snapped at him. "Okay, so we survived getting onto the Grand Line. Is everybody okay?"

"I'm not." The wretched voice drew their attention upwards where a large green humanoid was clutching the topmost yard for dear life. The vines abruptly dropped out of existence, revealing the richly-clad pirate it had contained. "That was not a good way to start an adventure."

Lyn laughed at the elementalist's plight and put her hands on her hips. "That was a great way to start it! Get down here, Morgan!"

The prince grudgingly dropped to the deck, landing relatively lightly considering he had fallen about a hundred feet. He tucked his sandy blond hair back into his golden circlet, causing the aureate bangles around his wrists to jingle lightly. After adjusting his gold-lined purple vest on his semi-transparent shirt, he stood up to his full height, slightly taller than the two female pirates before him. "As I am commanded," he hissed through clenched teeth.

"You're not looking too peachy," Alexander observed, pushing off of the railing as he eyed the newest crewmember. "Is this your first time on a ship?"

Indeed, Morgan's greenish pallor clashed mightily with his smattering of freckles. "It is not," he insisted. "Nevertheless, I am unaccustomed to traveling in such a manner. Remind me who the doctor is aboard this ship?" All eyes turned to the black-clad woman perched above the galley, giving him the answer. Without acknowledging the other pirates, he turned around and continued, "Doctor, make me a remedy for seasickness. I will not remain in this state if I can help it."

Damien flipped over the railing, bringing his flaming right foot around in a devastating axe kick. Before he could strike the arrogant pirate, Cain was between them, blocking the attack with the back of his armored black gauntlet. The unpredictable navigator dodged Cain's retaliatory swipe and landed on the deck, his elongated canines visible in his disdainful sneer. "'Oo're you t' demand somethin', cockwipe?"

Morgan pressed his lips together as he visibly restrained himself from insulting the navigator back. "I am a member of this crew," he managed at last through gritted teeth. "It is the doctor's duty to make sure the crewmembers are feeling well."

"That doesn't mean you can't ask politely," Alexander told him sternly. "Show some reverence to the woman who's going to be caring for you for the foreseeable future. It's no wonder nobody here respects you."

"Respect is my birthright!" Morgan snapped.

"Respect has to be earned," Cassandra said sharply. "You joined me to learn what it means to be a leader. Consider this your first lesson: a good leader proves himself worthy of others' respect. When anyone joins this crew, it is because I believe that they can benefit the rest of us. But before they can truly join, they have to acknowledge me as leader. For some of us, that acknowledgment might take a second, for others a lifetime. But I have to work to earn their respect, to prove that I am worthy of that acknowledgment."

"All you've done so far is complain and do the chores because we ordered you to," Alexander continued. "How are we supposed to respect you that way?"

Storm grey eyes glared about as the elementalist searched for something to say. Cassandra sighed and ran her hand through her brilliant blue hair. "Look, Morgan, we aren't trying to torture you. You just need to learn that there's an order of command aboard this ship. I am the captain, Lyn is the first mate and Alexander is second mate. When it comes to medicine, Raven is in charge. In a storm, any order Damien gives needs to be followed as quickly and efficiently as possible."

"I'm not taking orders from him," Morgan hissed.

The scarred navigator bared his lethal teeth. "Then yeh can fuckin' drown."

"Damien, stay out of this," Cassandra commanded before turning to Morgan. "You're missing the point. If you're feeling ill or you're wounded, go to Raven. Don't order her to do anything; just tell her what's wrong and she'll fix it. As you said, that's her duty."

"Fine." Morgan took a calming breath as he faced the black-clad doctor. "I am feeling seasick. May I please have a remedy?"

Raven darted over the side of the ship in a blur only Cassandra could see. She kicked off of midair and sped through the starboard hole, leaving a small cloud of condensed air in her wake. A moment later, she returned to the main deck and handed the prince a small glass. "This will ease your nausea. I would recommend eating despite your desire not to."

"Dinner does sound like a splendid idea!" Lyn exclaimed in an obvious attempt to diffuse the tension. "C'mon, Captain, let's do this!"

"You can cook," Cassandra assured her, dismissing the first mate with a wave of her hand. She focused her attention back on Morgan and pointed at the railing. "And go over there and stare at the horizon."

The starkness of the order caused the elementalist to blanch, then flush with fury. "And what have I done to merit such a punishment?"

The knuckles in Damien's fists creaked as he showed an unexpected level of self-restraint. "It's not a punishment," Alexander clarified. "It'll help you get over your seasickness."

Morgan lips tightened and he stiffly walked over to the railing. Satisfied that no further conflict was going to arise, the crewmembers began to disperse. Cassandra, however, felt that it wasn't over yet. "Ungrateful pussy," Damien grumbled as he turned away.

"What did you say?" Morgan roared, spinning on his heel, his hand going to his necklace. "I dare you to say that again to my face!"

"Yer an ungrateful pussy, a cowardly assmuncher an' a rimlicker t' boot," Damien snarled, a sadistic grin on his lips.

Any retort from the former bandit was cut off as Cain and Alexander took it upon themselves to calm him down. Cassandra rushed to place herself in front of her navigator, grabbing his face in an effort to gain his attention. He slapped it away with enough force to break her wrist, but she succeeded in drawing away his wrath. Gritting her teeth as she forced herself not to cry out at her injured appendage, she glared up at him and tried not to focus on her bones rearranging themselves under her skin. "Damien, like it or not, and I suspect the latter, Morgan is part of the crew now."

"Th' fuck you let 'im join for?" the powerful fighter growled.

"I know he did some bad things, but you've done worse. His attitude sucks, but yours is more problematic. Why should I turn him away when I decided to keep you?"

"You needed a true figh'er," Damien reasoned. "Wha' good does a cockpouch like 'im do fer us?"

Raven appeared at his side, attracting his concentration. "Cassandra is correct, but too tactful. From a purely rational standpoint, Morgan is more beneficial to the crew than you are."

"Not helping, Raven," Cassandra murmured out of the corner of her mouth.

The petite doctor continued on. "While he has attacked crewmembers in the past, he has promised not to do so again. While there is always the possibility of him turning on us for material wealth, this is at least predictable. We have no warning before you decide to attack one of us. Even at his strongest, he is relatively easy to incapacitate while you are becoming harder and harder to disable. He is, however grudgingly, willing to change his attitude, something that you adamantly refuse to do. To summarize, all logic indicates that he has more right to be a Black Glove Pirate than you do."

"Raven!" the pirate captain objected as Damien sent a lightning-fast jab in Raven's direction. The attack somehow passed through her head, though Cassandra could make out the barest outline of Raven leaning to the side.

"I am not finished," Raven droned. "Your emotional ties to the crew alone are strong enough to validate your presence aboard the ship. Your past history of fighting for Cassandra is only marred by the fights you have had with her. Our journey through the Grand Line is going to require levels of fighting skill only you and I currently possess."

"What about our new friends?" Alexander cut in, indicating that Morgan was sufficiently placated.

Raven shook her head once. "They are likely in the top five hundred fighters in all of West Blue. While impressive, they are nowhere near that level in this sea. The Grand Line is countless times worse. Only the strongest pirates from the Blues can hope to compete here."

Alexander's eyes widened slightly. "Surely Morgan and Cain aren't that weak."

"Cassandra, Damien and I could deal with them with relative ease," Raven stated. "And we three are still only strong enough to face the first few islands. We will need to train if we are to go any farther than that."

"But Captain Neal said this was paradise…" Alexander protested.

Cassandra gave a humorless laugh. "The Grand Line is anything but. But we'll worry about that later. Raven's right about the training, but I wouldn't fret too much about it. We'll progress naturally as we go through. I do think you're underestimating yourself and Damien," she told her present Moon Sister. "Can you imagine what hell you could wreak if you two worked together?"

She expected some nasty comment from her navigator, but realized with surprise that he had departed the conversation. She wasn't surprised that he had gotten bored and wandered off, rather that she hadn't noticed him leaving.

Alexander shuddered at her last statement. "If you were fully healed and working together, I bet you could have dealt with the Albino Panther."

"It is possible," Raven conceded. "However, Damien is not the cooperative type."

"Ain't that the truth," Alexander agreed. "Well, I'm going to make sure Lyn doesn't burn anything. Someone make sure nothing bad happens."

"Yes, captain," Cassandra said sarcastically. Smiling slightly at his eye roll as he disappeared into the galley, the sniper turned to the shorter woman beside her. "He is right, though. Be a dear, Raven, and help distract Damien until dinner time. I can tell he's just itching for a fight right now."

As if summoned by her words, the navigator fell out of the sky, nearly crushing the two female pirates. Cassandra managed to dive out of the way in time, wincing as she heard the deckboards creak in protest under his massive weight. She watched as Raven delivered two painful jabs to his neck before flitting off towards the mountainside. Damien was after her in a heartbeat, his great metal wings snapping out as he leapt overboard.

Satisfied that any crisis had been averted, Cassandra faced her two newest crewmembers. Cain was hovering uncertainly around the fuming elementalist leaning on the railing, but he obediently moved aside when Cassandra waved her hand. The pirate captain walked over and rested her elbows on the wooden rail, her sharp hazel eyes focused on the Jolly Roger flying above the ship.

For a long time, the two Paramecia users simply stood there quietly, lost in their own thoughts. Morgan was the first to break the silence. "Why did you let me join your crew?"

"I like your Devil Fruit," Cassandra replied honestly. "Working together with Alexander, the two of you form a formidable force. You came with Cain, who is already on good terms with the rest of the crew. And I know your loyalty to the crew will grow in time. You just need to be reshaped first."

"You will try to change me?" Morgan asked, bristling slightly.

"Of course." Cassandra turned her attention to where her two best fighters were attempting to subdue the other. "Oh, don't be so offended. You're not the first that needs changing to adapt to life as a pirate."

Morgan glanced at her. "You're referring, I'm assuming, to that monster who calls himself the navigator."

"Believe it or not, he was not the only one," the sniper sighed. "Raven, while a friend to me for far longer than any of you, had some problems adjusting to the crew, Damien in particular. However, she also had problems with Alexander as well, believing he wasn't strong enough to be a Black Glove Pirate."

"Alexander?" the former prince said in astonishment. "Surely she was merely underestimating him."

Cassandra chuckled lightly. "More than a little. But now look at her. She accepts him as second mate and defers to him on occasion. He helped guide her towards finding a dream. They are friends, and Raven doesn't make friends easily."

"What about the other girl, Lyn?" Morgan inquired.

"Ah, Lyn…" Her smile widened at this. "Damien and Alexander may be the only ones with piracy in their blood, but Lyn was born to be one. She's the kind of woman who needs to be free, needs to do whatever she wants. The only change she needs is to grow up, but we'd all like to postpone that for as long as possible. You could say she's the treasure of the Black Glove Pirates."

"But what about you?" Morgan asked. "You're the captain. Surely you are the most important one."

The sniper nodded slowly at this. "I suppose that's true. Whether I want them to or not, all of them would sacrifice themselves for my dream and don't want me to do the same for them. Apparently, I've made that much of an impact on their lives."

"There's no apparently about it," Cain boomed from where he was sitting against the main mast. "You are the one who saved each of them. Lyn has been kind enough to regale me with tales of your appearance in each of their lives. And not just their lives either. You are young, yet you have been responsible for events that have shaped entire islands. I believe that by the time we reach the Red Line again, the entire world will know your name."

Cassandra gave a delighted laugh and bowed her head in the enormous pirate's direction. "And what about you, Cain Alcides? You wish to create the greatest weapon in the world. What exactly might that be?"

If he was surprised at her knowledge of his last name, he hid it remarkably. "That was a slight exaggeration on my part. I was caught up in the moment. But I do want to make weapons that will be famous the world over."

"You have some pretty stiff competition," Cassandra stated. "I assume you're talking about creating legendary close-combat weapons. No offense, but I don't see you as becoming an engineer or a gunmaker."

"That is a valid point," Cain conceded. "I can only make melee weapons with the exception of bows. However, does the greatest swordsman in the world not carry the world's greatest sword? They are both famous. I want to open up new categories of great fighters: great axe-wielders, great bowmen, great lancers and so forth."

"You do realize the best fighter in the world won't be wielding any weapon, right?" the pirate captain said with a grin.

Cain's scarred lips broadened into a wide smile at this. "But of course. We'll see. I might be able to convince him to choose a weapon."

"Good luck with that." Cassandra blinked as an explosion rang out from the mountainside, the shockwave rocking the ship slightly. "He doesn't like getting help."

"That much is obvious," Cain remarked, eyes going to the smoke drifting from the rocky ridge. "Raven is a better fighter, though."

Cassandra nodded, her keen eyes barely making out her two pugnacious nakama. "Not by much and not for long. But now we have you two. Now don't get me wrong; I'm more than happy that we have some extra firepower going into the Grand Line. But you've got to be prepared for what this sea is going to throw at you. At us. Depending on which route we end up taking, the first island is specifically designed as a gauntlet of sorts for pirates too immature to survive this journey."

"But there's no problem," Morgan said arrogantly. "Cain and I have been trained since birth to become superior fighters. Our fathers are among the best in Winter Isle and the best in West Blue. Any fights that come our way-"

He was abruptly cut off as Cassandra lashed out, driving the edge of her palm into his throat. As his hands went to his neck in surprise, she leaned towards him and twisted her torso, her elbow connecting solidly with his temple. To finish her brief attack, she spun around, using her hooked foot to sweep his legs out from beneath him. Standing up straight, she planted a boot on the downed pirate's side and drew a pistol, aiming it at the massive man against the mast. Cain froze as the bullet grazed his ear and embedded itself in the column of wood.

"Lesson one of being a pirate," the captain began calmly. "Get the notion of a fair fight out of your head. There's not going to be any such thing on the ocean. That's not just because we're pirates, either. We're also attached to the world of assassins who laugh at the concept of fairness. If you're a target, you'll get taken out. End of story. Fights aren't going to be coming your way straight on. They are going to be bursting up around you like flowers in spring. And don't go thinking you can just take on anything that comes up either. You always have to think of your crewmates, your nakama. If something threatens them, you have to do whatever you can to help them, even if it means to surrender."

"Get… off me!" Morgan growled.

Cassandra intentionally dug her bootheel deeper into his side. "Lesson two, don't give orders to the captain."

"The musician did it!" Morgan objected.

"He didn't specifically order me to do anything," the sniper countered. "Besides, he's the second mate. His privileges are not yours. But we're still not done with lesson one. Which is what, Cain?"

The bodyguard was remarkably composed with a gun pointed at his face. "Fight to protect and fight to win. There is no honor unless explicitly stated."

"Most excellent," Cassandra praised, pleased that he was adapting so quickly. "But please, don't go starting fights for no reason. I know someone might piss you off, but hold yourself back. Not only is it a fitting quality for a leader, but it's a good way of keeping us from accidentally attracting unwanted attention. In the Grand Line, you just don't know if that person is the underling of a Shichibukai or Gokou. Don't get us into trouble we can't avoid. There are only three crewmembers that are exceptions to this rule: Damien, Raven and myself."

"Why is that?" the enormous pirate inquired.

"I, as Captain, am allowed to do whatever I want," Cassandra explained with a smile, allowing Morgan to climb to his feet. "Raven never acts without knowing as much as she can and with the information-gathering network of two former assassins, we can accumulate quite a bit of information. And Damien just does whatever he wants. If he starts a fight, there's nothing we can do about it but suffer the consequences."

"And why does he get to do that?" Morgan asked, dusting himself off.

The pirate captain shrugged. "Damien… is like a force of nature. He can generally be counted to act in our favor unless he doesn't like you…" Her gaze lingered on the richly-clad man for a moment. "But if he wants to do something, nothing can change his mind. Plus, he can trade blows with outstanding fighters. If he wanted, he could singlehandedly take out all of us if Raven were absent. Even with her here, he might be able to do it."

"But don't you have your Devil Fruit?" Cain asked.

"Wait, you have a Devil Fruit?" Morgan cut in before Cassandra could respond. "How did I not know this?"

Cassandra gave a disinterested shrug. "My initial deduction would be you're unobservant, but that's not the case. It was hidden from you until you joined, but by then there wasn't much of a chance to witness it. I would assume Raven informed Cain while they were fighting the Reichmann Navy." He nodded in confirmation when she glanced at him. "I have the ability to regenerate from almost any wound. That's how I survived Tolstoy Reichmann's last attack. But my regeneration is still relatively new and as such I have trouble healing from more grievous injuries. Decapitation, disembowelment or incineration would likely kill me; Damien can do any of those with ease. You may not know this, but I had to fight him from sundown to sunup. It was the hardest fight of my life and I only survived because of three things."

Cain frowned. "Is one of them him not wanting to kill you?"

The captain laughed loudly at this. "As if. He was after my life. One, I'm not a bad fighter myself. I'm agile, I can improvise quickly and I have many tricks up my sleeve. Two, my Devil Fruit. In the first minute of the fight, he broke a good number of bones and set me on fire. Without the ability to heal that away, I wouldn't have lasted past that. And third, the terrain. We fought in a city, which allowed me to evade him and counterattack in my own way."

"But that doesn't matter to him," Cain pointed out.

"Of course it doesn't," Cassandra agreed. "Even with those advantages, I barely survived. Now I know your basic fighting styles, but you'll need to show me all of what you can do. Oh, don't make that face, Morgan. Everyone had to do it, not just you. But we won't do it right now. Dinner's ready."

Morgan raised his eyebrows. "How do you-"

"Dinner's ready!" Lyn exclaimed, bursting from the galley with her usual energy.

A loud explosion rang out from the mountainside, drawing everyone's attention. Even against the darkening sky, Cassandra could make out a form hurtling through the air. She mentally calculated the navigator's trajectory and gave a small sigh. "Cain, would you slide about ten feet that way and hold up your left hand?"

A puzzled look on his face, the gigantic man did as he was commanded. For a moment, they all looked at her as if she were crazy. Then, unexpectedly, Cain was rocked off his seat, tilting clear over the side of the ship. He reacted remarkably quickly considering the speed with which the smoldering fighter had impacted his hand, redistributing his weight so he wouldn't tumble off the Howling Knave. After balancing precariously for a few seconds, he rocked back into his sitting position and deposited his crewmember onto the deck.

"You know, it is really useful to have someone who can actually lift Damien," Alexander commented as he followed in the first mate's footsteps, a large platter of toasted bread on one hand and a bowl of salad tucked beneath his other arm. "Mate, go grab the cauldron in the galley. You're the only one small enough to fit in there, strong enough to lift it and impervious to heat."

Damien stumped by the musician and reappeared a moment later with a large metal vat braced against his chest. He dipped his hand into the stew and withdrew a large chunk of meat, popping it into his mouth. "That's highly unsanitary," Morgan commented, his mouth set in a disapproving line.

"No, it is not." Raven materialized on the railing, a bloody rag that smelled strongly of disinfectant dangling from her fingertips. "However, to do so a second time would be."

Looking the doctor straight in the eyes, Damien reached in again, forcing Raven to intercept him once more. "Where are we going to put it?" Alexander asked. "A hot, heavy metal pot can't be good for deckboards that already need to be replaced."

Cain reached over to the cliff the Howling Knave was floating next to and ripped out a chunk not much larger than his fist. Snapping his vest open, he picked out a few chisels and moved with speed Cassandra had momentarily forgotten the large man possessed. She looked around to see that Lyn's eyes were the only ones filled with wonder. A heartbeat later, he reholstered his tools and placed a perfectly round block of stone on the deck. "Extra weight, but no heat," the enormous man clarified. "Just until it cools down some."

Cassandra nodded approvingly, smiling at the sight before her. Alexander was bringing chairs out of the galley, Lyn was prancing around giving everyone plates and bowls, Damien carelessly dropped the pot onto the rock circle and the former bandits simply sat and waited. Sensing something was missing, the pirate captain gave a few more instructions that were followed instantly. Raven fetched two handfuls of mugs while Morgan went below deck to retrieve a keg of rum saved for such an occasion.

Finally, the seven pirates were seated on the deck and ready to eat. Cassandra raised her glass, attracting the attention of her crewmembers. "We gather here today to celebrate our entry into the Grand Line and to fully welcome our new crewmembers. Cain Alcides, you've been with us since Winter Isle and you've proven to be more than a worthy addition to our crew. Morgan Zematsal, I guess we'll see what we can do with you."

Morgan gave a sarcastic silent laugh, his blue-grey eyes fixed on hers. "Very funny, Cassandra."

He gave a start as Raven landed in front of him, staring up with emotionless onyx eyes. "You do not have the privilege of addressing her by her first name. You must address her as Captain and nothing else."

His mouth fell open in indignation. "Surely you're not serious!"

"I am. Think of it as my condition if you so desire."

The former prince visibly restrained himself. "Fine. I apologize for my insolence… Captain."

"It is weird hearing that come out of your mouth," Lyn stated. "But enough talk, let's drink and eat! Cheers!"

"Aye!" the men shouted, clinking their glasses together. Cassandra and Raven brought their mugs up as well, though the latter declined taking a drink afterwards. Lyn began doling out portions, happily humming to herself as she went. Alexander's remarks on Damien's reopened wounds went completely unheeded as the scarred fighter wolfed down his meal. Cain was contentedly munching away at his salad, towering over them all despite being the only one besides Damien seated on the deck itself. Raven's soup seemed to be emptying on its own, but Cassandra could barely make out the rapid movements the petite woman was making. The sniper couldn't fault her; after all, Raven was trying her best to tolerate eating around the others. That alone made the meal that much better.

"Stop." Everyone continued on, either oblivious to or ignoring the elementalist's command. "I said, stop!"

At this, the six pirates fell silent and turned to face him. Cassandra sincerely hoped that Morgan picked up on the fact that they hadn't obeyed him because he had given the order. They were simply too stunned to continue. Morgan got to his feet and walked around the pot, snatching back the bowls and dumping them back. His actions were met with protests from Alexander, Lyn and Cain, but Cassandra decided to humor him, if only to figure out where he was going with this. Raven also surrendered her bowl, but the look Damien gave the prince was enough to keep him away.

"This soup is good," Morgan began explaining tartly, striding into the galley and out of sight. "The salad is good. The bread is good, though messing up bread is a travesty only complete imbeciles manage. But I will not accept good. I do not eat good food. I eat great food. I eat exquisite cuisine. What you have made is a meal for times of ration and these are anything but." He reemerged with an armful of ingredients Cassandra didn't even know the kitchen had. As he placed them on his empty chair and raised the first addition over the pot, he paused and turned to the first mate. As if realizing what he was doing, he faltered and lowered his arm. "I am… sorry," he managed. "I forgot my place."

Although he spat out this last word as if it were profane, Cassandra did give him credit for belatedly remembering his manners. However, any compliments she was about to say were steamrolled over by Lyn. "No, no, keep going! If you know how to cook, then cook! Mister Proper over here wouldn't diverge from the recipe if it had poison in it and it's so boring!"

"Excuse me?" Alexander sat bolt upright. "I would do what?"

"I am watching you," Raven reminded the elementalist, landing directly beside him. "Any wrong ingredients and your stay aboard this ship will fall greatly below your comfort level."

"Oi, oi," growled Damien, climbing to his feet. "Wha'ever yer doin be'er no' take too fuckin' long. I'm starvin' over 'ere."

Morgan glanced over to him. "Well, if you want to hurry things up, reheat this from the bottom."

The navigator prodded the richly-clad pirate's forehead with a clawless finger. "A'ight, bu' no' cuz yeh said so. I'm fuckin' 'ungry."

"Shut up, count your blessings and do whatever wizardry you want to make it better," Alexander advised the indignant Morgan. "Hothead might have your hide if you take too long."

You're one of the few who realizes how truthful that statement is, Cassandra mused. She reached for the salad, only to find that the bowl was empty. Shaking her head at the apologetic bodyguard, she ventured into the galley to get some more. Her jaw almost dropped when she saw the mess in the kitchen; it was as if Lyn had dumped out the contents of every cupboard and drawer in her attempt to make a large enough meal. It was at this point that Cassandra hoped that Morgan would become the crew's official cook. It didn't matter if his food was good or not; the Black Glove Pirates weren't picky eaters. What she cared about was his devotion to cooking and the orderliness he learned as a mountain bandit.

After tossing what lettuce, assorted fruits and vegetables, dressing and rebaked bread she could scrounge up, she exited the galley to find Damien with the large pot over his flaming shoulder while Morgan stood on Cain's hand dramatically adding ingredients to the stew. The former bodyguard's dark blue eyes immediately fell upon the bowl of salad, prompting Cassandra to move it slightly away from him in a clear indication to let the others eat. Lyn helped with this motion by whisking the salad from her captain's hands and serving it to the rest of the crewmembers.

"And… done," Morgan concluded, rolling back the sheer sleeves of his semi-transparent shirt and straightening his vest. "Let this stew for a few minutes and you should notice a drastic improvement in quality."

"It'd fuckin' be'er be, fer th' time yer makin' us wait, cockwad," the scarred navigator growled.

"Why do you talk in such an uncouth manner?" the former prince inquired, trying to edge away without being obvious.

Damien gave a confused look, prompting Alexander to explain. "See, when he rescued me from the Marines, something took part of his mouth. He talked normally before th-"

"That's not what I mean," Morgan interrupted. "Why do you insist on cursing every other word?"

"'A's 'ow I am," Damien snapped. "Gotta problem, shit-fer-brains? Or am I too fuckin' rough for yer tender virgin ears?"

Morgan's eyes began to turn into a dark grey at this. "I am not a virgin!"

"Okay, then!" Cassandra leapt in. "That was way more than most of us needed to know on our first night. Besides, that wasn't what he meant-"

"Yeah, it was," the scarred pirate stated.

The pirate captain glanced over. "No, Damien, virgin ears means…" She cut herself off as she realized she wasn't going to win this argument. "Alexander, try your best to explain. In the meantime, Morgan, you're falling into one of the many traps in the Black Glove Pirate crew dynamics. It's quite easy to get angry with Damien, but remember that he will beat you through stubbornness or with his fists. The same basic logic can be applied to Lyn as well."

"But then… they are no more than adult children!" Morgan protested.

Cassandra nodded in agreement. "Correct. However, one of those children is incredibly powerful and the other is the heart of the crew. Without her, the crew does not function."

"But aren't you the heart of the crew?" Cain asked. "I mean, with you gone, they all basically ceased to effectively function."

"That is only because there was some ambiguity about Cassandra's survival," Raven droned.

The sniper nodded. "So I guess you could say I'm the brain of the crew. Without the brain, the body does not function. Without the heart, the body does not function. If we are to not only survive, but conquer the Grand Line, we will need to work together. That is why I will need to know everything you can do, both in and out of combat. Know that because you are one of my pirates, I will include you in all my plans. It would be potentially harmful if I thought you could do something and you couldn't. It would be similarly harmful if you hid something from me that could have been the difference between life and death. So I ask you this, Cain Alcides and Morgan Zematsal, how can I best use you?"

"And don't let her fool you," Alexander said before the two ex-bandits could answer. "By letting her use us, we use her to achieve our own goals. Now Damien, metal can only take so much before it breaks…"

Cassandra let her gaze linger on the two summoners, briefly wondering how the conversation had strayed so quickly, before focusing on the new crewmembers once more. "So, what don't I know?"

The two men looked at each other, before shrugging in confusion. "I think the only thing you haven't seen me do yet is create weapons," Morgan guessed. "I can do it too, but mostly to augment my elemental forms. Cain's the real genius when it comes to making a weapon."

"Don't say that, Young Master," Cain scolded, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"And you!" Lyn burst in, startling them all. "No! Bad Cain! You have to call him Morgan! Or Cook, I guess. But not Young Master!"

"She's right, you know," Cassandra agreed, trying to keep her face as straight as possible. "You are no longer prince and bodyguard. Someday, in the extremely distant future, if you choose to depart from my crew and reclaim your title as heir to Zematsal's throne, you may resume calling him that. Otherwise, you two are nakama, not above or below the other. Well, I guess by seniority, you're actually above him. But don't worry; it really doesn't work that way."

Lyn leapt to her feet and glomped onto her captain. "Weeeeeeell, if you think about it, Captain, it does. I mean, I joined first and I'm first mate. Alexander and Damien joined at the same time, but Alex is-"

"Alexander," the musician corrected automatically. "And wolves have nothing to do with this…"

"Alexander," she continued without missing a beat, "is second mate and everyone listens to Damien because when he has something to say, it tends to make sense. Sorta. In a weird kinda way."

Cassandra opened her mouth, then frowned and turned to the first mate. "That's eerily correct. Why have I never noticed that Damien is secretly wise?"

"He's a moron," Lyn supposed.

"Yer a harlot," Damien shot back, abruptly ending his conversation with Alexander.

"Stuuuuuupid," the artist drawled, latching onto his free arm.

"'Ooooooore," he retorted.

"Nuuuuuumbskuuuull."

"Biiiiiiint."

"Meeeeeeeeathead."

Cassandra rolled her eyes, knowing full well this exchange might possibly go on until one of them passed out from hunger. "You," she said, flicking Lyn in the head, "know better than to get into an insult contest with Damien. And you…" Trailing off, she turned to contemplate what to say to her foulmouthed navigator. He gave a predatory grin, daring her to berate him. Deciding to meet his challenge head-on, she brought her fist down on his head. "Stop arguing and put the damn food down!"

Fortunately, Damien buckled slightly under the blow, indicating his good mood. Roaring with laughter, he plunked the cauldron back on Cain's stone circle and took a mighty swig of alcohol. "This be'er taste fan-fuckin'-tastic, dipshit."

"Give it a rest, mate," Alexander scolded, holding up his bowl and letting Morgan fill it. "It's not like you starved to death in the short time it took to spice it up."

The musician patiently waited until the rest of the pirates were served before sampling the modified soup. His head snapped up at the same time Lyn's did, admiration in their eyes. "This is good!" they exclaimed synchronously.

"Of course it is," Morgan scoffed, bringing his spoon from his mouth. "I am… I mean, I was a prince. I am used to food of the highest quality. Granted, during a battle or surviving in the forest certain allowances could be made, but not in a situation when there is ample food available. I am taking the position of chef in this crew."

"Oi, oi," Alexander cautioned. "Remember your place, Morgan. You can't just be making demands like that."

The elementalist frowned in confusion. "But isn't the position free?"

"Yes, but you can't just demand things," Cassandra explained. "It's all in the phrasing. You can get what you want much more easily if you say it properly."

"And what would you know of that?" Morgan asked haughtily. Six pairs of eyes focused on him and he visibly clenched his jaw. "What experience have you had with such matters, Captain?"

"Asking such a question is foolish," Raven droned, entering the conversation for the first time. "As heiress to the most powerful assassin family in the world, Cassandra became quite talented in the skill of diplomacy. Furthermore, her senses enable her to pick up on minute cues and behaviors that even I cannot detect."

"That's true," Cassandra agreed. "In fact, since I've become a pirate, there's only been one person I haven't been able to consistently read. But bear in mind that being able to read people has nothing to do with being able to coerce them. Damien and Lyn are good examples of this."

"And what situations have you had to talk your way out of instead of using brute force?" Morgan inquired, an undercurrent of challenge in his voice.

Cassandra couldn't help but smile at this. "Why, almost a month ago, my crew and I were stranded without help on an island. I was brought to meet the person in charge, who had every intention of killing me after the interview. In fact, I nearly tipped him over the edge several times at great personal risk. In the end, I ended up impressing him enough to get my own quarters so I could plan my way out."

"Oh really?" Morgan scoffed. "And who was this person you so cleverly hoodwinked?"

The pirate captain's grin widened sinisterly as she leaned forward. "It was a man who called himself Lord Brian Zematsal. Does that sound familiar?" Cassandra couldn't help but let a feeling of satisfaction fill her chest at Morgan's suddenly pale complexion. "You know, come to think of it, I'm surprised I didn't get a higher bounty for humiliating him like that. And I'm not saying that to rub it in your face; I'm actually surprised. I've shaken up quite a bit of West Blue and all I get is fifty million?"

"You should lodge a complaint," Alexander commented around a mouthful of bread.

"'R fuck up some undeservin' bellends," Damien added.

"The sun and the moon, ladies and gentlemen!" Lyn exclaimed.

The pirate captain rapped her knuckles against the first mate's forehead. "I bet they never expected me to actually go to the Grand Line, so it should rise if I don't die on the first island."

Alexander scoffed at this. "You're not going to die. Your epithet even says you won't."

"While neither as fragrant nor as captivating as the ephemeral rose, the everblooming amaranth remains untouched by decay through eternity." Cassandra could practically feel her jaw impact the floorboards as she faced her petite doctor. She dimly registered the shock and amazement from the other crewmembers, though Morgan looked more confused than stunned. Lyn was pointing at Raven as if the diminutive pirate had grown an extra head, her electric blue eyes as wide as saucers. Even Damien was paying enough attention to adopt an expression of disbelief.

"Wh… where did that come from?" Cassandra asked tentatively, almost fearing the answer.

Raven stared unblinkingly at them all with empty obsidian eyes. "When your epithet was revealed, I did not know what an amaranth was. Upon finding it was a flower with few remarkable qualities, I deduced it had a symbolic meaning. I was forced to resort to reading through a multitude of books before finding a reference. It was in a book of poetry that I found that quote."

"Oh thank the spirits!" Lyn shouted dramatically, a hand at her breast. "For a moment I was wondering if Damien had beaten you into a different person or something."

The doctor's gaze flicked over to Damien, who had grown uninterested and was now wolfing down bowlfuls of the stew, then landed on Cassandra. The two former assassins maintained eye contact just long enough for Cassandra to register it as an oddity before Raven focused on Lyn. "That is a ludicrous statement."

"But not completely unfounded," Alexander commented. "You claim to have no artistic talent, so to say something like that was…"

"Interesting," Cain finished.

"And kinda weird," added Lyn.

"Not to mention mildly terrifying," Alexander supplied.

The sniper couldn't help but add her own adjective. "Unexpected."

"'At was fuckin' weird." The pirates turned to Lyn, who was looking back innocently. "What? He wasn't going to say anything and it seemed like the whole crew needed to react. Which brings us to you, Morgan! What is your reaction to Raven's flowery speech?"

The newly-appointed cook looked nonplussed. "Well, considering I didn't even know she existed until earlier today, I don't have much to go on."

Faster than most could see, Raven moved directly in front of Morgan, her cloth-covered nose a hairsbreadth from his. An aura of incredible killing intent washed over the ship, sending Alexander and Lyn scrambling backwards in reflexive terror. Without thinking, Cassandra activated her sympathetic nervous system, her senses spiraling into overdrive as hormones flooded through her body. She could see Cain's muscles instantly tense in preparation for combat, hear his heartbeat accelerate. Morgan blanched as pale as Lyn, his ice blue eyes widened with fright. His quivering hand went to his necklace, and his breath became ragged and uneven.

After a brief moment, the oppressive feeling suddenly disappeared along with the petite doctor, causing the crew to sag with relief. Cassandra worked to control her heavy breathing and racing heart, willing her body to calm down. While ordinarily she could alter her body's power surge at will, albeit while suffering from exhaustion afterwards, she found it to be much more difficult this time. Evidently, the fact that her body had acted on its own meant it would also calm down on its own once it was sure there wasn't any threat.

The pirate captain stiffened as she heard the faintest of whispers, just barely louder than the waves. "It will not happen again."

Cassandra nodded and leaned against the mast, still taking deep, calming breaths. It was a measure of how agitated her body was that she jumped at the roar of laughter that echoed across the deck. Damien was suddenly the focus of everyone's attention, but he unsurprisingly didn't care. He was simply laughing at them, his metal teeth glittering in the torchlight.

It was then that Cassandra realized that the navigator hadn't reacted whatsoever to Raven's inimical aura. Once again, she marveled at the internal power he possessed; to be unaffected by such strong killing intent was no mean feat. The muddled memory of Raven describing Damien's version drifted into the pirate captain's mind, but she couldn't quite remember what the doctor had said. Resolving to talk to Raven afterwards, Cassandra cleared her throat in an attempt to get the attention of her crewmembers. "And let's just continue on. I must speak with Raven about what just happened. You see, Morgan, as powerful as she is, and she is the deadliest Black Glove Pirate, she is not above the rules."

"Yahahar," Damien laughed, leaning forward slightly, "cocksuckin' Blackie migh' be th' deadlies' and the 'ulkin' beas'fucker migh' be th' stronges', but I'm the bes'."

"That you are. Now, Lyn, if you would be so kind as to take over while I have a little chat with our dearest doctor? And Damien, go to the medical ward and I'll slit your throat."

With that, the captain grabbed the railing and vaulted overboard, pleased that Lyn had chosen that precise moment to distract from Cassandra's daring action by shouting, "And now it's story time! You gotta tell a funny story from when you were younger! Morgie, you start!"

As Cassandra looped around the railing and braced herself against the hull, she couldn't help but chuckle at the unfortunate cook's new nickname. She had a feeling there would be more than one argument over that, not unlike her constant use of Alexander's hypocorism. She did have to hand it to the childish artist; it was a very effective way of letting a person know he was among friends. That would be very useful in the situation on the deck above.

She slipped into a cannonhole and managed to squeeze past the massive gun, reminding herself that she needed to replace the starboard cannons as soon as possible. Adjusting her shirt and hat as she strolled down the corridor, she mentally prepared herself to deal with the black-clad doctor. Upon reaching the door leading to the medical bay, she put her hand on the doorknob and took a final deep breath before entering.

Raven was crouched on a stool, several unlabeled vials on the counter in front of her. "I knew you would come, Cassandra," she droned, not turning away from the chemicals. "You told me on Summer Isle that intimidating anyone aboard theHowling Knave is forbidden. It was clear that you were referring to pirates residing aboard the Howling Knave and Morgan Zematsal is now such a pirate. Thus, I have broken my word. I accept whatever punishment you give me."

Cassandra sighed and sat down on the nearest bed. For a long time, neither of them spoke, only the clink of the doctor's vials and the pulsing of the ocean audible in the silence. "Raven… I can understand why you did it. Even though you don't feel emotions, the fact is that Morgan is an irritating prick who can get under your skin. Hell, I'm surprised Damien didn't actively try to decapitate him in the hour since dinner has started. But you said it yourself: he is willing to change. And you can't blame him for underestimating you. After all, he was completely right about him seeing you for the first time about ten hours ago. You spent most of those ten hours apart from him, so he couldn't see what you could do and what you were capable of." The pirate captain reflected on what she was saying before she continued. "Okay, so most of that didn't have much to do with what happened a few minutes ago. I do ask that you not do it again, however."

The doctor turned around and smoothly dismounted, her inky eyes fixed on Cassandra's. "I will not. What will my punishment be?"

Cassandra glanced around, noting that something was missing. Raven picked up on this and blinked. "What are you looking for?"

"I told Damien not to come down here or else I'd slit his throat," Cassandra explained. "I thought for sure he would come down here after that. Damn that man!"

"Why do you desire Damien's presence?" Raven inquired.

The sniper tilted her hat back and ran her fingers through her hair. "Because he's going to be administering your punishment, obviously. Haven't you noticed? He's the one who delivers punishments. Hell if I know how it turned out that way, but that's how it is."

"His unchecked sadism allows him to hurt anyone including crewmembers without any feeling of guilt," Raven presumed. "He will be overjoyed to hear he has been tasked with my penance."

"Oh, I'm sure the two of you can figure something reasonable out," Cassandra said dismissively. "I'm sure you can even turn it into something positive."

Raven dipped her head. "A spar with severe restrictions would be a suitable punishment."

"Plus, we've got to make an example of you," Cassandra finished. "The best punishment is one that deters any chance anyone else will suffer a similar fate. Well, now that that's taken care of, it's time to see how the others are doing." She got to her feet and began to ascend the stairwell, but paused and turned halfway around. "And thank you for having dinner with us. I know it meant the world to Lyn." And to me.

The black-clad doctor returned to her vials without saying a word. Cassandra climbed through the trapdoor and looked around to see that dinner was mostly finished. Morgan and Lyn were placing the dishes in the cauldron, which the pirate captain assumed was empty. It was a safe assumption considering Cain seemed never to sate his hunger and Damien didn't eat that much less. Although the odor of the meal still lingered thickly in the air, she could make out Damien's unique scent coming from the poop deck and Alexander's from the forecastle deck. Cain was probably in the men's quarters, making that her first stop.

She stuck her head inside without knocking, startling the former bandit slightly. His huge frame made the room seem tiny even though it was the largest in the ship. The massive hole in the floor he had created upon arriving on theHowling Knavewas big enough for him to sit up straight or lie in, but the scaling was just comically wrong. "Yes, Captain Libera?" he asked, setting down his carving.

"Please, you don't have to call me that."

Cain smiled broadly. "I'm new to pirating, but old to soldiering. May I at least have this?"

"Fine. For now. Would you mind taking third watch?" She leaned against the doorway and crossed her arms. "Morgan's gonna need to wake up early to get breakfast ready and he might be in a better mood if someone he's comfortable with is awake too."

"Certainly," Cain accepted instantly. "When does my shift start?"

Cassandra shrugged. "I don't know. Raven always takes second watch because she doesn't sleep, so it's really up to her. Her shift is usually an hour after dusk to an hour before dawn. Of course, she could go longer and has done so more than once, but I am a merciful captain and I bet even she can get bored."

"I see," the giant man boomed. "And what am I to do if a ship is spotted?"

"First, assess if it's a threat. If you think it is, get Raven or me for a second opinion. We'll decide what to do from there. If we ever do get in a naval sortie, however, you, Damien and Raven are the attacking force."

Cain frowned in puzzlement. "Why us three?"

"Mostly because it's pretty easy for you three to cross from one ship to another," Cassandra explained. "If necessary, Lyn or Morgan might go along, but we need some defense as well. But I doubt that'll happen tonight, so don't worry about it. Just get some rest so you can stay sharp tomorrow."

"Aye aye, Captain Libera," he replied with a salute.

Cassandra smiled and gave him a parting wave. It was truly a relief to have someone who so readily accepted her orders, yet also had a mind of his own. Cain was truly a model soldier and crewmember. Lyn and Morgan had cleared the deck and were presumably toiling away in the galley, so the pirate captain ascended to the forecastle deck next. Alexander was resting on the railing, staring out over the Grand Line. She made no effort to silence her footsteps, but he still jumped slightly when she spoke. "So what are you thinking about?"

"Nothing, really."

The pirate captain noticed him hastily tuck something back into his jacket pocket, but decided not to comment. While it was a touch hypocritical for the one who protested against hiding secrets the most to do such a thing, Cassandra knew that if it posed a threat to the rest of them in any way, Alexander would have told her long ago. "Nothing. I see. Well, how do you feel being on the Grand Line?"

"I'm excited," Alexander admitted. "It's pretty intense hearing about this sea and reading about it in books, but it's really something else being here in person."

"Yeah, it's a really crazy place," Cassandra said nostalgically.

Alexander frowned and glanced at her. "Have you been here before?"

There exist appropriate times to delve into the past, but Cassandra didn't believe this was one of those times. "Once or twice. I've never entered via Reverse Mountain, but through other, harder ways. I'll tell you about that sometime."

"Aye, that sounds good." He resumed staring off into the distance, a wistful smile on his face. "But still, I didn't really think we'd make it this far, you know? There were times I swear we were going to have to stop."

"Hey," she said softly. "I'm going to be Pirate Queen. I'm going to the ends of the world. And you're going to be coming with me until the end, right?"

The musician chuckled at this. "Indeed I am. I'd love to chat with you about what our future adventures will be like, but right now, can you give me some peace? I'd like some time alone, if that's okay."

Knowing he wanted to get back to whatever he was doing before she had arrived, Cassandra bowed her head. "Of course, my friend. I still have watch duties to assign." The pirate captain departed, seeking out her next target. When she arrived on the poop deck, Damien was standing by the railing in a position not dissimilar to Alexander's. A little weirded out at the thought of the navigator engaging in an equally reflective activity, Cassandra approached him with a healthy dose of caution. "Damien?" she ventured, not wishing to startle the unpredictable pirate.

"Aaaah," he exhaled, shaking his waist slightly. "Better. Wha'd you want, Cap'n?"

Somehow thankful that he was merely relieving himself over the stern instead of engaging in some unexpected introspective activity, she rested an elbow on the railing and looked at him. "I need you to stay awake for the first watch."

"Ah?" A confused snarl wound across his lips. "Why me?"

"I'm your captain," she reminded him. "I shouldn't have to explain my reasoning."

"Tha' so?" Damien asked, flexing his fingers. "'Owz abou' me tearin' yer fuckin' 'eart out an' askin' then?"

Cassandra sighed. "Relax, Damien. I was only kidding." She waited until he lowered his arm before continuing. "Look, if someone attacks, I'm going to need my best to immediately respond. We're not in West Blue any more. Especially because we're parked so close to Reverse Mountain, we're not going to get a whole ton of warning before someone comes."

"'A's why we're in a fuckin' cove, shiteyes," he said. "We ain' th' firs' things th' stupid bastards 'll see. The ones 'oo'd dare ta try Reverse Mountain at nigh' anyway."

"Look, just do it, all right?" Cassandra knew he would, but the chances of him actually waking the other crewmembers instead of singlehandedly engaging the enemy were better if she asked this way. "I'll even make it worth your while."

Damien crossed his arms, expecting her to elaborate.

"Remember when Raven scared Morgan half to death?"

He gave a bark of amusement at this. "Aye. Th' rest o' yeh looked like fuckin' baby rabbits about ta fuckin' bolt."

Cassandra took a calming breath, knowing any retaliation on her part would backfire tremendously. "Well, that's not really allowed. So if you actually do your watch duties, I'll allow you to administer her punishment." She decided to omit the fact that he was the only one who would or could punish Raven as she wouldn't get what she wanted otherwise.

Sure enough, his lips drew back into a malicious grin. "Now tha's what I like ta hear, Cap'n. You got yerself a deal."

Satisfied, she began to walk off, then paused as she remembered something. "Oh, and you deliver the punishment tomorrow. When she comes to relieve you of your watch, that's not the time for you to attack her. Understand?"

"Yeah, wha'ever," he growled, waving a hand in her direction. "Ruinin' all me fuckin' fun, you know tha'?"

"I just don't want to wake up to all hell breaking loose for no reason," she shot back.

She descended to the main deck just in time for Lyn to flounce out of the galley. "Remember your condition, Morgan!" Upon seeing Cassandra, the first mate's face brightened and she gave her captain a peck on the cheek. "See you soon, Captain!"

"How do you know I'm not going to bed right now too?" Cassandra challenged.

Lyn rolled her eyes expressively, somehow using her whole body to complement the motion. "Well, why would you be here and not there?"

"You win this round," Cassandra told her with a smile. "I'll be right there. I just have to tell Morgan a few things."

"Okay!" the first mate chirped, leaping up the stairs and into the women's quarters.

Shaking her head at the woman's almost inexhaustible energy, Cassandra entered the galley and silently closed the door behind her. Morgan was busily putting the remaining ingredients away, muttering darkly under his breath. He froze when she cleared her throat, which was good considering he could have dropped everything he was carrying. Turning about to see who was behind him, he forced a smile onto his face and bowed his head. "Good evening, Captain."

Sitting in a chair and leaning back, Cassandra fixed an analytical gaze on him. "What was Lyn's condition?"

"I must share a tale of my youth every day until she says otherwise," the elementalist said sourly.

Cassandra chuckled at this, once again marveling at her first mate's unintentionally ingenious curiosity. This way, she and Raven would be able to learn more about the former prince than they would otherwise. She lapsed into silence, thinking fondly of the resident artist. Morgan remained motionless for a moment, then slowly resumed his work. "Do you need something?" he asked over his shoulder after a lengthy silence.

"You have two dreams," Cassandra commented. "Yet the others only know of one. You can't be ashamed to let them know you're greedy; it's far too late to cover that up. So you must not want them to think you're a materialistic fool, though I would have thought the few pounds of gold on your body would have given that away. The true reason is because you don't want Alexander to know, isn't it? After all, I'm sure you're aware of his reluctance in turning anything into gold. That's why your defeat in Reichmann Manor was so difficult. Letting all that gold vanish must have been hard for you."

"And why are you doing this?" Morgan hissed without facing her. "You can obviously read my mind."

"Yes, Morgan, I can." She rested an elbow on the table and began idly playing with a knife. "I can predict every move you make before you even think of it. You have no hope of outsmarting me to get what you want. And I want to make sure you know that."

Morgan finished putting the supplies away, but still refused to turn around. "You've made your point. Leave." After a brief pause, he added belatedly, "Please."

"No," she responded. "This is my ship. I can be wherever I want."

"And why me?" He whirled about, frustration evident in his stormy blue-grey eyes. "Why are you harassing me? Did you do this to any of them?"

Cassandra got to her feet, still spinning her blade. "I'll tell you why. The others were a nun, a priest, a berserker, an assassin and a bodyguard. The only one who resisted me like you do was Damien, but he's loyal now even if he is completely insane."

"I am not resisting you!" Morgan replied, his voice dangerously close to shouting. "How am I resisting you? I-I follow your orders, I accepted your stupid conditions, I haven't laid a finger on any of the others since I've been here. How am I resisting?"

The pirate captain walked right up to him and he took an involuntary half-step backwards. She looked him square in the eyes and poked his forehead. "In here, you are still Prince Morgan Zematsal, heir to the bandit throne. You still expect to be treated like royalty and have things done for you. In your mind, Alexander should make gold for you because you tell him to. Actually, I'd wager you want to trade his skills for something so he would be monopolized by you. In your mind, Damien and Cain are bodyguards to keep people from killing you. Raven and Lyn are simply servants. And I am a visiting lady with a shrewd head for politics. I'm not too far off the mark, am I?"

She could tell by his stunned expression that she wasn't. "Remember this and remember it well, Zematsal. Nobody on this sea outside of us and some high-ranking Marines knows who you were. All those other people, they couldn't give two shits about you. You think they'd want to trek all the way back to Winter Isle to hand you over for ransom? I highly doubt it. They'd rob you blind and leave you for dead, unless they find out about your abilities. I bet that scientist who specializes in Devil Fruits working for the Gorosei would pay top dollar to study you.

"If you stay with us and serve me, however, you will be protected," she continued. "Raven, Damien and I are quite hard to get rid of. I'll teach you more than you'll ever need to know about how the real world works. This sea will harden you into someone stronger than almost anyone in West Blue. Hell, you might even be able to convince Alexander to make some gold for you. He only converts things into pure substances, so there's no worry about it being considered fake. All you need to do is surrender to me, body, mind and spirit."

Morgan looked like he didn't know whether to be humbled, flabbergasted, or infuriated. Cassandra clapped him on the shoulder before striding towards the exit. "Think about it during the night," she recommended, opening the door and pausing for a moment. "Raven will wake you up to start breakfast."

Closing the door behind her, she walked to her final destination: the women's quarters. She ambled inside, removing her hat and expertly tossing it onto a bedpost. Lyn poked her head out of the bathroom, busily brushing her teeth in preparation for bed. Waving at the first mate, Cassandra changed her clothes for a tank top and pajama bottoms before joining Lyn in the bathroom. The artist obligingly moved over to allow Cassandra access to the sink, her cyan eyes beginning to lose their usual luster. Cassandra began her nightly hygienic ritual as well, letting relative silence arrive.

When they were finished and lying in bed in their usual choice of nightwear – or lack thereof in Lyn's case – Cassandra felt a great feeling of contentment permeate her body. Lyn rolled her head around to face the pirate captain and flashed a wide grin. "We made it, Captain. We're at the Grand Line!"

"We are indeed," Cassandra agreed. For a moment, neither of them spoke. "And I wouldn't have made it without you."

"Don't be silly, Captain," Lyn bubbled. "You would have made it here! You're strong and smart and you can go anywhere you want!"

The sniper smiled slightly. "That's not what I meant, Lyn. You know as well as I do that your fighting, while certainly helpful, didn't contribute that much to our arrival in the Grand Line."

"Then what do you mean?" Lyn asked in confusion, ending her question with a wide yawn.

"You're the one who keeps us all human," Cassandra clarified. "I meant it when I said you were the heart of the crew. You're every bit as important as I am. Because of you, I'm not as much like Damien and Raven as I could be. I have a blood sister and six birth sisters, but you've influenced me as much as all of them put together."

"You're like my kickass big sister!" the first mate exclaimed. "And Raven's the still growing younger sister and Damien is the irresponsible younger brother and Alexander is the strict older brother. And Cain is the mature older brother too. Morgan's the bratty younger one. We're all one big happy family!"

"We are indeed," Cassandra repeated. "And you're at the center of it all."

Lyn shook her head. "Nuh-uh! I learned that on Reichmann Island. We're all dependent on each other! I'm not the only one keeping us real; Alexander does his part too! He is to me what I am to you. Well, not really. You're my best friend and he's an overly-stern know-it-all, but he's really focused on unity."

Cassandra laughed as she remembered being on the receiving end of Alexander's firm lectures. "He is the unsung hero in this story, isn't he."

"He is not," Lyn protested. "He got promoted to second mate, didn't he? Morgan and Cain really listen to him. Even Raven talks to him sometimes and you know she barely talks to anyone."

"She is coming out of her shell, though," Cassandra commented. "She actually ate with us for once. Before you know it, she'll be wearing a T-shirt and using contractions."

Lyn giggled at this, rolling onto her side and gazing at her captain. "That would be hilarious! We're still young, Captain, so anything can happen!" Another yawn. "We're gonna keep getting better and better until nothing can stop us!"

"Of course we are, Lyn," Cassandra assured her. "We definitely are. Now get some rest. Tomorrow may be our first day, but the Grand Line will kick our asses if we don't throw everything we have at it."

"Sounds good, Captain," the first mate burbled, her beautiful eyes closing peacefully. "Good night…"

"Good night," Cassandra replied in her native tongue. She snuggled deeper into her covers and inhaled deeply. The open portholes let the sea air saturate the room and she let herself truly appreciate the odor of the ocean. It was interesting how she had grown fond of that smell, that indescribable scent filled with life and death. She now associated it with freedom and carefreeness, with unlimited possibilities and dreams yet to be fulfilled. Cassandra Libera is a true pirate, she mused as she drifted into the world of sleep. Cassandra Libera is going to be Queen of the Pirates.

Longest chapter and longest continuous flow of time I've ever written. I probably won't be using author's notes as often as before, but I felt like this chapter needed one. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter, because there's much more to come.