(Okay, first writing mistake! Most of the time the italicized words will be Zoro's thoughts when he's around. So all the scenes between him and Alex are his thoughts. Sorry should've explained that better, at the bar for this chapter it's Nami's thoughts I'll try to make it more clear from now on. Sorry! :D )

[Where Zoro's at]

We sat in silence, with only the wind blowing around us. She was staring at the ground, it was obvious that she never has told anyone any of this, she probably didn't even have any friends.

This is horrible. She looks as if she's almost 20 and to go through all of this, and without anyone.. But somethings not right about any of this. Where does this story end? Where is this leading? I don't think I want to know... But, I have to keep going..

"So you have to do these simulations? How often?"

"At least once a day. Lately it's been more, or maybe it was different days, it's becoming hard to tell which day it is," she said.

"What do you think about these simulations? "

He asked her.

She looked back up at the sky, thinking about her response. Why am I getting so upset over this? What is this sounding like? Why is something like this happening? What did she do to deserve this...

She looked right in my eyes, it was hard for him to look back, they were just so bright, but he wouldn't look away.

"I guess im just used to them by now since I've been doing them for as long as I can remember. They had me doing little things at first, just like walking, running, studying, and it was weird, it all felt real, but I started to understand how it could be only a simulation. Doing things like that were different than doing it normally. I could run faster, and could learn better. But now if I think about it, that's probably what the drugs are for. I get that shot at least three times a day now, even if I'm not doing a simulation. It makes me feel better, back then it made me more willing to do these simulations too."

"I'm not a doctor but isn't dangerous to take too much of a drug? "

"I don't know, but I'm not sure if I could even go too much longer without it anymore."

What can I do, I'm not a doctor. She's an addict, and it's not even her fault. Chopper probably couldn't help her without knowing that drug.

She was fidgeting with her hands, Zoro could tell she wanted to say something but she wasn't sure if she should.

Zoro told her, "You don't have to be afraid to speak what's on your mind."

She sighed, looking even more sad, "Those situations weren't like that for long. Soon I was sword training, then it lead to sparing. After so long of that it turned to actually battles, I wouldn't think much about it then, my mind was really foggy from the drugs, but being out here make things different. I'm not sure why but being in the woods has started to clear my thoughts. I've been getting outta there more and more often, and each time I do, the less these drugs are having power over me."

A sword isn't something you can force onto someone. To lead this life you have to decide for yourself if you want to walk down this path.

"I've started to think about them more, and there are things that don't make sense. What was your first impression of me when you saw me?"

"Other than the tail and ears?" he asked jokingly, slightly blushing he said, "I'm not sure, you almost have the appearance of a warrior. You're tall and strong, with little scars here and there, why?"

Where's she going with this?

She looked at him, with bright sad eyes, "If all I do is sit in that chair, how do I look like that?"

[Back at the bar]

Nami was fidgeting with her hair. She couldn't sit still, the rest of them continued to laugh and joke around. Almost as if she was reading the weather, she could tell that something bad was coming.

Zoro, Sanji, please come back..

[Where Sanji's at]

Lighting yet another cigarette, he followed the marines from a distance. They were on the same path forever.

She gets her powers from her spiritual side. What does that mean? Is it a devil fruit? No it didn't seem like it was because that captain didn't understand it.

Why are the marines calling this lady a weapon? And some scientist has work that's affecting her.

Without realizing it he had gotten really close to the marines again. Concealing himself he listened in again.

"See this area punks?" The captain said.

Sanji couldn't see it yet he was too far away.

"This is what the weapon can do. Do not underestimate her. She should be still in a trance-like state since she's gone only 10 hours without the drug, but it does not mean you can take her lightly, just take a look around. This is what happens when she goes too long without the drug, this was at about 25 hours Also, remember that this was only a small one of her rampages. Let's move! " He yelled at them.

As they moved ahead Sanji finally got to see what they were looking at. It was probably about a half a mile diameter of destroyed tree and bushes. Nothing was standing. Some new vines and trees were trying to grow, making it obvious that this happened awhile ago.

Looking closer at the fallen trees some were cut straight threw, almost like how their swordsman cuts. But other trees were uprooted and had hand marks indented in them.

Whatever this weapon was, shes extremely dangerous..

[Where Zoro's at]

No.

"If all I do is sit in a chair why am I strong? Wouldn't my body be weak?"

Stop. Please.

"Why do I sometimes have cuts and bruises? If all I do is sit in that chair way are my hands so callused?"

Zoro grabbed her hands, startling her again. He brushed his hands along hers feeling how rough her hands were. Realizing how much they felt like his own, something you could only get with years of holding and training a real blade. A real one, not some simulated one.

"Is this, right here right now, real or just another simulation?"

It's not right.

He looked into her eyes as she spoke the last part. Her color in her eye was fading away again.

I chose my path, I chose to be a warrior. I know the truth, she's being tricked, she's starting to realize it too but she doesn't know yet. More like she's scared of finding the real truth. Why, why is she being forced into this? How many times has she swung a sword? How many people has she killed and not even know that it was real?

You have to decide for yourself if you want to walk down this path, you can't force this on someone.

"Alex - " he began, but stopped when one of her ears perked up.

"They're coming, go! Hide in the woods," she said.

But he couldn't move, was so angry, he wanted to kill them, all of them, for doing this to someone. There are consequences on a person for doing unspeakable things, but to not even realize that they were doing it, it's even worse.

Zoro was trembling, his hands twitching for his swords. He was sinking deeper and deeper into the worst parts of his mind. The shadows that have haunted him his whole life, the ones that pulled him into the darkness, the ones he's had to step over in order to fulfill his dream.

They edged him on whispering, kill them, kill them all. Don't let a single one leave alive. Kill them.

A hand gently touched his shoulder, pulling him out of his own mind, he looked at her. She smiled a sad smile and said, "Thank you for listening to me, but you don't have to concern yourself with me. If the navy finds you with me I'm not sure what they'll do to you, so please go."

He wanted to say no, he could handle himself, he could protect her. I don't want to see someone with such pure eyes go on this path. I don't want her to ever know, but she's slipping. She can't tell what's real. How how can I defeat an enemy that's not there. How can I protect her from the truth?