– Present time –

There was a man with light black hair standing in the docks looking at the ship up in flames. He had a very foul expression on his face.

"This has to be her doing!" he clenched his first till they went white.

"SIR!" one of his subordinates shouted.

"What is it!" he snapped.

"Me and Quinn got here before it exploded, and we swore we saw Aries getting thrown off the ship into Erast!" the young man shouted, his clothes were a little dirty and he had blood on his face.

"GET GOING AND BRING HER BACK, I DON'T CARE IF SHE'S DEAD OR HALF DEAD. JUST BRING HER BACK NOW!" he ordered his remaining 5 men to go after her.

Dammit! it's been less than 5 minutes since the ship exploded, she wouldn't have gotten far.

He looked at the ship then back to Erast, he went to a docking office to use the den den mushi.

– In the capital –

Nyx had put the receiver down, she was sat on the end of a big, hot bath naked with her legs in the water.

"Aren't you feeling weak?" a male voice came from behind her.

Nyx turned to look at the muscular man wearing nothing but a towel around his waist.

"hum, a little. But the waters nice" she said as she moved her legs in the water.

"I still don't understand why people eat devil fruits" he took off the towel and stepped into the water.

Nyx watched him keenly all the while with a smile on her face. "it's all about power my friend"

Nyx sat there looking at him coming closer to her. he got closer to her and place his hand at each side of her, she still had a smile on her face and moved her legs apart, so he could get closer. As he did Nyx placed her hand under his chin.

"speaking of power"

He looked up at her.

"How does it feel. To have her blood flowing through your veins?" as she said this her eyes became hungry and crazed.

"Heh, it feels amazing. Who knew that there was a power like this". He clenched his hand in front of him, Nyx looked down and placed her hands on his.

"But, you need to be careful. It's addictive".

"Addictive?"

"Ahh, my darling. There's is so much you do not know yet" she spoke sweetly as she kissed him on the lips.

He continued to look at her, she smiled and continued to speak "Once you've had a taste for it you'll want more. It's like a drug. And like any drug, it'll kill you if you don't have it, quite literally."

He opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by the sound of a den den mush.

Badabda Badabda Badabda

Nyx looked behind her and leaned back to grab the receiver.

click. "what is it?" she laid back on the warm floor as she spoke.

"Eh, captain. There's been a problem" he said a little nervously.

There was silence for a moment. "What's happened?"

"I-it seems Aries managed to get out and in the process, blow up the ship."

"WHAT!" she shot up pulling on the receiver's wire.

"how could you let this happen Conan?" he voice seemed to quiet down, becoming less hostile.

"I-I'm sorry sir! But the remaining men are looking for as we speak!"

Nyx sighed. "alright" she seemed calmer.

"S-sir, you don't seem to be worried".

"I'm not. Her body shut down on her before, even if it's been a few days, the relentless beatings she's had, it'll take quite some time for her to be 100% back to normal… And besides she's still on this island, right?

"Y-yes sir"

"Then she has nowhere to run to" she had a sadistic smile on her face.

"Yes sir!" he put the receiver down.

"What's wrong Sebastian?"

Sabastian had moved from between her legs and got out of the bath and started to get dried off.

"She's loose".

"And?"

"We need to get her back"

"We're on an island. It's not like she has nowhere to go"

"You're underestimating her a little, aren't you?" he stopped what he was doing and looked at her.

"No! You saw how she was in Impel Down, hell you held her head as I poured the boiling blood down her throat, you know she's in no condition to go anywhere"

He stood there saying nothing. Nyx patted the floor next to her, telling him to come over. He stood there for a moment and took off his towel and headed back to her. as he did Nyx smile grew even more.

– Meanwhile –

Nami and Luffy had made it back to the ship, with Sanji and Chopper getting there 5 minutes before them, she then told them to go find Zoro and to make it quick, since they needed to leave.

They were running through town, as they got closer to the gates, the more the people were panicking, people were trying to put out the fire from the docks, burning wood and debris had been thrown over and started to burn some of the buildings.

"Chopper, can you get his sent?" Sanji shouted to him.

"There's too many smells, but I think I have his" Chopper ran in the direction he thought he could smell Zoro and Sanji followed him.

– At the same time –

Zoro had managed to let lost down a dead-end alleyway.

"Where the hell have they gone?" he's asked irritatingly

He was about to turn around and leave when he heard muffled sounds. He grabbed his Wado bracing himself for an enemy attack. He looked around the alleyway, it was nearly destroyed, the buildings seemed to be falling down, in one of them there seemed to be a big hole in the roof and side of the wall had come down. Once you go down the alleyway it opens out into a spacious area.

Zoro narrowed his eyes at the hold in the wall, the sounds were coming from there. Zoro couldn't see anything, he moved a little closer when suddenly someone came out of the hole.

He stepped back a bit, still holding onto his Wado. The black haired figured looked at him, as she did his eyes widened a bit, as did hers.

"Aries?" "Zoro?" they said in sync.

Aries was holding herself up via the wall, her breathing was raspy at best and she found it hard to keep her eye open.

"What the hell happened to you?" he asked with shock in his voice.

"Teh, d-do you…really need…to ask?

She moved awkwardly, slowly pushing herself off the wall, blood dripping from all over her body.

"A-any…. way, nice to…see you again…but -ha- I need to get...going" she put on foot in front of her and once she put her weight on it, it gave out from underneath her. she fell straight into Zoro. Zoro caught her and gently laid her against the wall.

"There you are you marimo!" Sanji shouted as he went to kick Zoro, but he quickly blocked it with his hand.

"Shut up curly-brow!" Zoro bit back.

Sanji noticed Zoro's chest was covered in blood and then saw Aries's seemingly, lifeless bloody body rested against the wall.

"THE HELL!" he shouted.

Sanji kicked Zoro hard, pushing him back a bit, Zoro blocked it with his swords.

"The hell did you do to her, you fucking, shitty swordsmen!"

"I didn't do it, you fucking shit cook!"

"Sanji! Don't just run off like that!" Chopper came in hissing.

Choppers eyes widened as he saw Aries, he ran up to her, reverting into his smaller form.

"What happened!?" Chopper looked at Sanji and Zoro and saw blood on his chest.

"What did you do Zoro?!" Chopper frantically grabbed his bag.

"Like I said to the shitty cook, I didn't do it! She was already like that when I got here!"

Sanji turned around to face him but stopped what he was going to do when he heard someone speak.

"I've found her!" all three of them looked up and saw 2 men looking down at them, one of which was holding a baby den mushi, on the opposite building.

"Bring her back" the menacing male voice replied.

"Yes, Sir!"

He put the snail away and brought out his sword.

"Hand her over now!"

"Did you do this!" Chopper shouted.

Quin smiled sadistically.

"You should have seen her when we picked her up". He laughed menacingly

As he said this it pissed Sanji off and shot at him.

"Chopper get her out of here!" Zoro shouted as he pulled out Wado and Kitetsu.

Chopper turned big and gently picked her up and was about to run out of the alleyway when he stopped.

"Where do you think you're going?" 3 more marines blocked their path.

They lunged at him but Zoro blocked their attacks.

"You'll have to jump other the wall Chopper!" he shouted.

Chopper turned back and jumped on the boxes and went over the wall, he ended up back on the streets and headed back to the ship.

"Why are the marines hurting an innocent girl?" Sanji hissed.

"Innocent! Are you fucking stupid!" Quin shouted at him.

"Compared to her, the devil himself if an angle" his comrade spat.

They lunged at Sanji, as they did, Sanji did a handstand and swung his legs around, smashing them in their faces. They got thrown off the roof and smashing to a crowd of people.

Sanji looked down and saw Zoro had already taken out the others and was standing back out on the streets.

Sanji jumped down dusting himself off as Zoro put his katanas away.

"HEY, YOU TWO!"

They shot their heads in the direction of the crowd, there was a small group of the island's police looking at the damaged they had done.

"Shit!" they both hissed.

"C'mon, marimo!" Sanji ran off.

"NOT THAT WAY RETARD!"

Zoro hissed as he got in front of Sanji who had a pissed look on his face.

Chopper had managed to get to the ship, he had tried to run as gently as he could but even the slightest movement caused her to moan out in pain.

"Chopper!"

Chopper looked up and saw Luffy smiling at him and while waving his hand. However, as he got closer to the ship that smiles soon dropped.

"Did you manage to fin- who is that?" Nami shockingly asked.

"Luffy, the Marines are after her, I think they did this to her, please she desperately needs medical treatment! Can I bring her on board" Chopper begged.

Luffy looked at him. "Okay," his face showing a rare form of seriousness. Choppers face lit up and went aboard.

"Zoro and Sanji are coming, they're just dealing with some of them".

"Are you sure about this?" Nami asked face full of concern.

"I need to, as a doctor, I can't let someone suffer like this!"

"I know, but what about when she wakes up? What happens if she tries to kill us or something!"

"Then we deal with it if it comes to that" Luffy casually spoke.

"Robin! I need your help" Chopper shouted as he made his way into the storage room.

"Yes, doctor" the tall elegant woman followed him.

Nami looked at them, then to Luffy who was smiling like an idiot, and she sighed.

"GUYS!" Usopp shouted.

"What's wrong? Do you see them?" Nami questioned

"Yeah, but they're being chased by some people!" Usopp cried.

"Is it the marines!"

"No"

Nami looked out to the side and saw that a few of the police and guards were chasing them. Nami could cry, hell she started to.

"Why does this crew have to be full of troublemakers!"

"I'll get them back," Luffy said as he got onto his feet.

Luffy stretched his arms back and once Zoro and Sanji were close enough to grab them, threw his arms towards them. As he did the looks on their faces showed how horrified they were, due to what was about to happen, and suddenly Luffy pulled them back, making Zoro smash into the deck, and Sanji going face first into the mast. Luffy was standing there laughing. Sanji kicked him in the head as Zoro pulled his sword out pressing It against his neck.

"I'm sorry"

"Everyone get ready! We're leaving!

Nami ordered everyone around and they started to set off. Just in time too. A few of the police and guards who could stop in time slipped into the water, they were in danger of drowning due to all the heavy gear they had on, luckily their comrades pulled them out.

The straw hates set off, and behind them was a city filled with destruction that, for once, had nothing to do with.