A/N- I don't own One Piece, Eiichiro Oda does. Asura is allllll mine :) Enjoy Chapter 4! Finally some Law and Asura.


After thirty minutes of strolling through the woods, Asura made her way into the busy streets of Kodachi's food market. Looking around, all that could be seen were crowds of people pushing, shoving, and shouting as they tried to obtain all the groceries they needed before rush hour started. People rushed by, parents and children or other family members and even friends causing the constant buzz of noises.

The stall owners either served queues of customers or shouted out ranges of compliments and encouragements to passers-by to attract them with their products. The actions of the stall owners were almost robotic: smiling, picking up an item and packing it, then giving it back to the customer. The swap between the seller and buyer was extremely quick and hard to follow with the bare eye.

Around the corner, she could smell the fresh aroma of coffee and the baker's sweet buttery perfume. It was so distinct and fresh, it almost completely masked the disgusting and foul smell of the fish and meat that also roamed the air.

She made her way over to a rugged old man who was sitting underneath a large umbrella, fanning himself with a straw fan under the torrid heat of the sun. Next to him was a stand of a multitude of promising and tasty looking fruits.

"Sayyy oji-chan, how much for a pound of your greenest and sourest apples?"

Glancing up from his fanning, the old man gave her a sly wink.

"Usually I sell em for 1100 Beli a pound. But I'll give it to ya for 900 Beli how's that sound, pretty lady?"

"Ehh really? In that case I'll take two pounds."

Handing over the necessary amount of cash, she sent him a fake smile before gathering the bags of fruit and making her way to the next stop on her shopping list.

Next to the fruit stand was two assorted shops. The smell emanating from the shops tingled her nose. The mixture of onion, garlic, dried fish, and spices made for a potent combination.

'Must be what I smelled earlier. Ugh, how disgusting.'

She held her breath for a moment as she quickly walked past the shops. It was a wonder how the people working inside those shops could stand the smell.

'They must be used to it. Poor unfortunate souls.'

Asura was lost in thought when a man dressed in a white shirt and navy pants came jogging down the street and straight into her right shoulder, knocking down the bags of apples she just paid for. Without so much of a "sorry" or a glance in her direction, he continued to jog through the busy streets knocking down a fair number of other people as well.

Leaning down to gather the fruit, she began mumbling to herself.

"The nerve of some people. A simple 'excuse me' would have sufficed. It's like-"

Before she could finish, she was interrupted by the foot of another man crushing her hand that was reaching for the last piece of fruit as, he too, was jogging in the same direction as the man before him.

"FUCK."

She hissed out through clenched teeth.

"That's it."

Standing up with her bags, she gently rubbed her hand and turned to follow them, every ounce of blood in her body urging to give both men a piece of her mind.

Once she was close behind she spotted the first man by his white shirt and navy pants and scanning the crowd she quickly noticed the second man not far behind him, donning the same outfit. It suddenly clicked to her where she had seen those clothes before.

With a heavy sigh, Asura's anger subsided as she accepted defeat, giving up on her mission for revenge. She turned around to begin walking back towards her previous location.

"Well...those bastards are lucky they're a part of the marines. Their occupation has just spared them their pitiful lives. Ah well..."

That sentence seemed to set off alarms in her mind and she couldn't figure out just why she suddenly felt so uneasy. She replayed the words in her head, trying to figure out what part seemed unusual...until she remembered…

'Marines. Marines on Kodachi...I was under the impression there were none on this island...So why did I see two just now? Why are there marines on an island that is praised for how far it is from any bases or headquarters...? Dammit how could I have missed this?!'

Slapping a hand to her face she looked through her fingers at the crowd of people and, sure enough, picked out at least fifteen more marines running about in the same hectic manner. Their faces didn't seem to be relaxed and their actions were highly rushed. She knew they were looking for something...or someone. But who?

'There's no way they could have found me...'

There was a light tap on her shoulder and Asura quickly turned around to stare straight into the face of a young and tired looking Marine Petty Officer. He looked as though he hadn't slept properly in days and judging by his facial features she could tell he wasn't a day over twenty-five.

With a quick smile, she changed her voice into the highest and sweetest southern belle accent she could muster before asking,

"Why hell-llooooo there Mister Petty Officer sir! To what do I owe the pleasure? Ya know it has been suuuuuch a long time since we've seen any marines on our little island! Oh please just puh-leeeease tell me y'all are here to get rid of all them darn pirates and crooks runnin' about town."

Judging by his pained reaction to her high-pitched and annoying voice, Asura noted that he probably didn't have the strength or patience to hold a conversation for long.

'Perfect.'

"I'm sorry to disturb you, ma'am. We are under strict orders from our Captain to ask any civilians if they have seen or heard anything about this woman."

Holding up a freshly printed wanted poster, she glanced between his face and her photo without batting an eyelash or abandoning her fake smile.

"She goes by the name 'Kodokuna Kage' and is wanted by the government for serious crimes committed on other islands. She is highly dangerous and is known to be traveling alone. An anonymous tip tells us she arrived on this island two months ago. Please if you know anything, we would highly appreciate it if you could share any information with us."

"Ohhh I'm sorry darlin'! But there ain't noooo woman lookin' like that round these parts! See, I know every nook and cranny of this here island and a pretty woman like that would stand out like a sore thumb in this crummy old town. I know every and any body that sets foot on our island and I'm telling ya, I ain't neva eva evaaaaa seen her around here before. It seems y'alls tip was wrong. Sorry pumpkin, I wish I coulda been more help!"

Sending him a wink, he tried to fight back the blush creeping on his lips before stammering out,

"P-please if you hear anything, don't hesitate to let any of us know. We're working long and hard to make sure she brings no harm to your...isla...n...d."

His gaze seemed to intensify as he finally took the time to get a better look of her face. Something about this woman didn't sit right with him. He just couldn't pinpoint what it was.

"U-uh..also...has there been anything...uh...u-unusual that has happened recently?"

She watched the way his eyes scanned her face and didn't miss the slight dilation in his pupils when his gaze fell upon her few scars.

Had he recognized her?

No. Judging by his expression she could tell that he wasn't sure...maybe he was still contemplating the situation? He probably thought he was too exhausted and that his eyes were playing tricks on him.

However, she couldn't take that chance. Which meant she had to do something quickly. But what? She hadn't planned for something like this to happen, which meant she had no weapons on her at the moment.

She tried to think of something to do when an idea popped in her head.

'Hmm...sorry about this darling.'

"Heyyy buttercup, you know somethin'? There was word 'round here this morning that some crazy brunette killed some darn pirate at one of the taverns last night. I ain't sure if its her or not but by the things you told me I reckon she could be the lass you and your men have been searchin' for, don't ya think? I can show you where the tavern is if you'd like. Its just through that alley way right over there!"

Pointing to the first dark alley she saw, she turned her gaze to him and tried to keep her face as innocent and kind as she could.

He hesitated for a quick moment, looking over his shoulder to see if any of his comrades were nearby but when he didn't see any he turned back to the woman in front of him.

She sure was a strange one...pretty...but strange. Heck for a moment there, he had thought she could be Kodokuna, but that was just ridiculous. From the briefing his Captain had given him, their target was a cold blooded killer, but the woman in front of him didn't look like she could hurt a fly.

He had been so overworked in the past week, his mind probably wanted to make a suspect out of every woman he saw. But the information this woman had given him could prove to be a breakthrough for them. If he found anything, he would surely be rewarded. Maybe Captain would finally let him sleep for once...making up his mind he smiled at the woman in front of him.

"That would be great ma'am. Lead the way."

"Actually could you meet me in the alley darlin'? I forgot to pay the stall owner for the other bag of these apples! It'll only take a quick second and then we can go."

She gave him a warm smile and wink and didn't wait for his reply before she began to make her way to a random food stall. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as the marine listened to her directions and made his way over to the alley she had chosen.

'That's a good boy.'

She waited a few minutes so that her lie seemed legitimate before making her way to the alley as well. Upon entering, she turned around towards the streets to make sure they were unfollowed and out of sight before turning back to the young man.

Her eyes immediately turned dark with malice as her cover of being an innocent citizen was over. He hadn't noticed her yet and his back was turned to her as he was just reading a sign posted on one of the brick walls, oblivious to the bloodthirsty woman behind him.

Without hesitation, she dropped her bags and lunged forward onto his back and grabbed his head, instantly snapping his neck before he had the chance to push her off. His body fell to the floor as she landed gracefully on his back. She didn't have time to relish on her kill, knowing she needed to move fast before someone saw her.

Checking his pockets for anything of value, she came up empty until she looked through his bag. There were a few papers with the details of his mission on the island along with a den den mushi, and a few maps of the islands surrounding Kodachi. A smile made its way to her face. What good luck! These would help her navigate away from the marine ships and give her a head start to the next island.

Rummaging deeper into his bag, she took out a folded piece of paper and soon realized what it was. The smile on her face immediately fell. Leaning her back against the wall, Asura stared deeply at the photo in her shaking hands.

Most wanted pictures taken by the government were candid. Most showed the criminal staring off into the distance or in the middle of some battle. But yet hers was different. There was no bounty for her capture. Probably because until now, Asura's existence was completely unknown to anyone in the world but to the people who raised her. And now the government as well, it seemed.

In the picture she was staring straight into the camera with lifeless eyes and no hint of a smile like a mug shot they take of you at prison. But she hadn't been so lucky to receive this photo from a prison.

No, in fact, this photo was an I.D picture. One that she instantly recognized.

It had been taken six years ago when she had just turned eighteen. Back when she was five and first beginning to live with him, Richard had gotten this crazy idea that it would be "amusing" to take a picture of her on her birthday every single year.

"It's for in case you decide to run away or go missing on me. I'll have a recent photo to hand over to the marines when I send them to come searching for you sweetheart. Isn't that just thoughtful of me?"

Those were the words he used to say to justify the act. But in the back of her mind she always knew it was some sort of sick fetish of his to watch as she grew up into a woman. To watch the life and hope leave her eyes year after year. Almost as if he was just daring her to try and escape.

This photo had been the last one Asura took because that had been the same year she successfully fled his base and never returned. She sure proved him wrong…

Six years. Six years she had been on the run from that man. For six years, he made no move in sending any marines or any of his men after her. What changed? Why the sudden search now? Just what was it that he was planning? And who the fuck had told these marines that she was here on Kodachi?

Just because he was finally beginning to search for her didn't mean he knew exactly where she was...if he had, Asura was positive it would not have been the marines who had come after her. Which meant that someone else had gotten their hands on her photos and had probably been following her. But who? Surely they would have shown themselves to her by now?

Shaking her head, she figured there was no use in dwelling on any of that information at the moment. She had to muster a plan that would get her off of the island without being noticed - and fast. Her departure wasn't scheduled for a couple more days and the only supplies she had purchased so far were two pounds of apples.

But she had no choice. There was no way she could go back to the market and risk bumping into any more marines. She had been lucky enough to be able to silently kill this one without warning any more of his companions on who she really was. She wouldn't count on luck being on her side again.

Walking out of the alleyway and blending in with the crowd, Asura made her way back to the eastern side of town and it wasn't long before she reached the outskirts of the woods leading to her tree house. Luckily no one noticed her on the way here, telling her she hadn't been followed. With a deep breath and clutching her bags tighter, she broke off into an incredibly fast sprint.

She took no notice of the tree branches grazing her skin, leaving cuts all over her arms and a few on her face. One branch caught onto her white cotton shirt, but since there was no time to stop, she gave a quick yank that she knew left a small tear in her clothing.

'Shit. I really liked this shirt.'

Careful not to trip over any dirt or roots from the trees that surrounded her, it wasn't long before Asura reached the familiar tree that her home was built in. Checking her watch, she smiled to herself for making the usual thirty minute walk back home in a little over ten minutes. She slung the bag of fruit over her shoulder and held on tightly as she climbed her way up the forty feet of wood with just her bare hands and the heels on her feet. To an onlooker, she was sure she resembled a squirrel making their way up a tree, but to her this was just natural instinct.

Once inside, she set the bags down on the table and immediately went to pack her luggage.

Folding any clothes that were laying on the ground, she threw them in her suitcase before she grabbed the blankets she slept on and tucked them in as well. Making sure not to miss anything, Asura took a quick glance around the room.

There wasn't much to pack to begin with, so gathering her stuff didn't take long at all. Satisfied, she made her way to the living room next. There were files and papers strewn all over the table which she gathered and stacked together and took into her room to place into her chrome briefcase. There was a lot of important information on many people and organizations in those files that Asura couldn't afford to lose.

She fished out her briefcase from beneath her clothes and had to check one more thing before setting the files inside.

Beneath all her Beli was another compartment entirely used to stash her weapons. She had two suppressed 40mm Glock 21s that had remained untouched for quite some time.

Guns weren't really her style but it never hurt to have extra protection. Next to them was a pile of about twenty daggers that she counted thoroughly before checking on one last item.

There wrapped in a purple velvet pouch was her favorite weapon of all. A four inch needle point knife with a blade created from pure diamond. The hilt of it was black with the design of a white dragon engraved into it with eyes that were made of two garnet stones.

It was breathtaking and the only one of its kind in the world. She hadn't used it to kill anyone since she was a child. It had been a gift from someone really dear to her...but that was all memories of her past now. None of it mattered anymore...more precisely, no one mattered anymore.

Remembering her time crunch once again, she placed the velvet pouch back in its spot as she made sure everything else was in place before she hid her weapons beneath the stacks of Beli and placed the files on top of it all before closing the case.

Finishing all of her packing swiftly, she figured there was no time to change and that it would probably be best to leave in a disguise anyway.

"I can just change when I'm on my boat and miles away from this horrid island."

Setting the suitcase by the door, she turned around to take one final glance around the treehouse. Not one to cry during moments like these, her lips pulled into a genuine smile.

"Thank you. Thank you for protecting me from the people of this island for two months. Thank you for being another home I can look back on throughout my journey. You...will surely be missed. Goodbye."

Grabbing her stuff, Asura turned to the door and once again descended to the ground below before landing on her own two feet. Instead of running in the direction of the town, she turned around and made her way to the far east coast where a small boat had stayed docked since the first day she arrived on Kodachi.


The entire crew was gathered around the mess deck awaiting the lunch that Jim, their cook, was preparing for them. They were laughing and drinking as everyone was eager and ready to set sail on the next adventure that fate had in store for their crew.

Shachi and Penguin were surrounded by fellow engineers and could be found in the center of all the noise, closest to the kitchen door. The rest of the crew was strewn all over the rest of the tables laughing and drinking away with no worries at all.

Law and Bepo were seated in the corner of the room a little further away from the noise, accompanied by the quiet Jean Bart. A few minutes later, Jim entered the room and began serving the crew their lunch for the day: shrimp fettuccine pasta served with a side of some asparagus. Although Jim was no Sanji, Law had to admit that his cooks' food was exquisite and very satisfying, which was something of a rarity among pirate ships these days.

Observing the boisterous attitude of his crew, Law turned to Bepo who sat next to him.

"Bepo how much longer do we have before we set sail?" Bepo tore his gaze away from the shrimp in his hands to glance at his watch.

"Twenty more minutes, Captain." Law gave a nod and returned his attention back to his plate. He didn't have too much of an appetite at the moment, but he was not one to let his cooks' food go to waste. So as he began to eat, his mind unconsciously wandered back to the strange woman who had continuously occupied his thoughts the night before.

'It seems as though my luck with fate has come to an end. What a shame. She could have been an exquisite asset to this crew.'

Bepo glanced at Law and took notice that his captain was being quieter than usual. Even the previous night after they had come home from their little journey, Law had gone straight to his room and had not been seen until this morning when he had come into the Navigation Room to make sure their departure was all set.

It was no secret that Law was one who rarely talked during meals and though the rest of the crew wouldn't be able to realize it, as his best friend and first mate, Bepo was quick to know when something was bothering Law.

"Captain?" Law merely responded with an "hmm" and continued to eat his food, not bothering to glance in Bepo's direction.

"U-umm...I just wanted to know if everything was okay with you? You've been really quiet since last night."

With this Law glanced in his friend's direction with amused eyes, giving him one of his famous smirks.

"Are you worried about me Bepo?"

The bear was about to reply, when his nose picked up a scent not too far away from their submarine. He began to sniff the air, with a look of concern on his face.

"Captain. Someone is coming our way."

Law's smirk instantly turned into frown. Grabbing his nodachi from the bear, he slowly rose from the table to avoid worrying the rest of his crew. His plate now forgotten, he gestured for Bepo to follow him.

Noticing that Jean Bart was about to say something as well he whispered,

"Jean Bart-ya, stay here so that we do not alarm the crew. Unless it is a serious problem, there is no need to get everyone involved."

Sitting back down, he simply nodded and returned his attention back to his food.

"Anyone threatening?" Standing up with his captain, Bepo followed Law out of the mess deck and into the halls of the sub and towards the hatch that led them outside.

"No I don't think so. They smell...somewhat familiar. But whoever they are, they're approaching fast." Standing outside on the top deck of the sub, they waited for the mysterious person to appear.

"Which direction are they coming from Bepo?"

"West, Captain."

Setting his gaze on the west of the sub, Law looked into the woods and could faintly make out the figure of someone running in their direction while appearing to be holding onto something large. As they got closer he could make out the figure of a woman, but it didn't seem to be anyone he recognized.

Once perfectly in his line of sight he could make out the woman's short blonde hair and even shorter legs, estimating that her height was no more than 5'2. Her clothes were a little torn but the rest of her seemed to be alright. There was a large suitcase and two small bags in her hands and she was running at an incredibly alarming speed towards the beach.

Once out of the woods, she continued to run until she reached the submarine and although Law was completely sure she would run to them, she zoomed past the sub without a single glance and continued on her run completely oblivious of Law and Bepo staring at her.

She stopped a few meters away from them and dropped her suitcase and bags onto the sand. She began to frantically look around the beach in search of something.

Law gave his first mate a questionable glance.

"Bepo. Are you absolutely positive you smell something familiar about this woman?" Nodding his head, Bepo turned his attention back to the topic of their discussion.

"She...she smells like that strange woman we saw at the bar last night."