Hello, all. I knew this would happen. Fall semester started and I am SLAMMED with work. I have a part-time job, I am taking four classes, and I am assigned to a freshman class to be their "peer leader" and help them acclimate to college life. I do hope I am able to update more frequently, once I have a handle on my schedule, but for now... WE WING IT!

Here is the fourth installation of Celestial Daughter. Rowan and friends will be getting into trouble in this chapter and then we move on to some new, fun things. Do you know how hard it is to add a new character to an established story and keep it making sense? HARD is the answer, but it helps when I get feedback on what I am doing right, where I need help, and if my plot makes any sense at all. Let me know, I look forward to hearing from you, and all that!

The rest of Rowan's night was spent wandering the ship. Robin told her she didn't mind her staying, but Rowan knew she wanted to read.

First, she went back to the boys' room and made sure they all had cover. Then she took Zoro's cover from his bed and up to the crow's nest where the 'lookout' was fast asleep. Once she knew everyone was safe and tucked in-minus Robin-she jumped into the ocean for a little midnight swim.

Rowan's swim lasted much longer than she anticipated. She climbed the side of the Merry and jumped on deck. After her hair was wrung out a bit she looked up to see her crew mates all staring at her.

"Uh... What's going on?"

"Oh, another lovely lady! You make my heart soar! Let me warm you up with my love!"

Rowan gawked at him and turned to the others. "What the hell is wrong with Sanji?"

They all stopped.

"You remember us?"

"Of course, Robin. Why wouldn't I?"

"It seems everyone else has lost their memories."

"What?" Rowan was horrified. How had this happened? Did someone do something while she was swimming?

"Whatever. I'm out of here. I don't know how I got here, I don't know why I'm here, but I know that I would never join a pirate crew because I have my own ambitions." Zoro angrily jumped over deck and started swimming to the island that was near. Robin had told Rowan that after they left the island where she had finally found information on her father that they had made it here. Luffy ordered them to stay on the ship until Rowan could go exploring with them.

"Let him leave. He's a jerk."

"Yeah. You don't want someone like a pirate hunter on a ship of pirates. "

Rowan listened to Sanji and Usopp's words and her heart ached.

"Rowan..." Robin could see how upset Rowan was becoming.

"I'm going after Zoro, Robin. You watch the others. We shouldn't split up."

"My dear, just let the meathead go. I'll stay right..."

"Sanji, stop." He stared in shock at Rowan. "I know you don't remember, but Zoro is a part of this crew. YOU are a part of this crew. He NEEDS to come back."

"How will you catch him? He's already gone, my sweet."

"Sanji," Rowan smirked at him, "I've already told you this: I may be a woman, but I'm also a fighter." With that said Rowan jumped into the water again. She had to make Zoro return.

"Zoro!" Rowan pulled herself from the sea and made her way to the swordsman who stared at her in shock.

"How the hell did you catch up to me?"

She smiled. "I'm a good swimmer."

"Look, I'm not going back there. You and your little crew will just have to forget me."

"They aren't my crew." Her tone made him turn to her. "They are your crew, Zoro. I may have only been traveling with you all for a few days, and I may not really be part of this crew, but I know you are. I know you want to become the world's greatest swordsman, but you want more now. Please, Zoro, come back with me."

He looked like he was really thinking about going back with her for a moment but in the end turned and left a disheartened Rowan standing alone on the shore.

When Rowan returned to the Merry everybody was in the kitchen except Nami.

"Where is our navigator?" Rowan frowned as she sat next to Robin.

"She went to the town."

"Fantastic." Rowan rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Do remember the horn we heard last night?"

"Sure. It was creepy and I was eating. Why?" She looked curiously at Robin but could feel all the guys watching her.

"It's the only memory everybody has in common."

"So, the theory is that whatever caused the odd sound is what took the memories of the rest of the crew."

"Yes."

Rowan glanced at the others. They were staring shamelessly at her. "Can I help you?"

"Is it true you sank a marine ship all by yourself?" Luffy asked his question with a voice full of wonder and admiration.

"DAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Rowan's sudden laughter caught the others off guard. "Yes, captain, I did as you ordered."

"So, you're really strong?" Usopp's voice held fear and uncertainty.

"Yes, Usopp, I am very strong indeed, and we are friends."

"You have insomnia."

Rowan looked surprised and turned to little Chopper.

"I do." She smiled lightly at him. "How can you tell?"

"You have light bags under your eyes and you went swimming. You were gone when we all woke up. Insomniacs sometimes have routines or habits to keep their sleepless minds busy. I could make you a medicine that may help, if you want."

"Yes, I know. We had this conversation two nights ago. You found me mopping in here."

Chopper looked surprised. "Really?"

"Yep."

After more mini conversations, Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper fell asleep in the floor of the galley.

"Didn't he say he wouldn't fall asleep just a moment ago?"

Robin chuckled. "That's the captain for you."

"Let me get you ladies more coffee."

Rowan smiled. "No, thanks though. I can't handle any more caffeine." She went to the sink and rinsed her cup. "I'll just stick with water for now."

"I would have gotten that for you, my dear."

Rowan smiled knowingly at Sanji and he sighed.

"I suppose we've discussed this before."

"Yes."

"And did I concede to letting you do everything for yourself?"

"Nope."

Just as Sanji started to speak the three heard a horn.

"Wake those morons!" Rowan ran out the door and to the upper deck railing.

"You should be sleeping at this hour." A small boy with curly blue hair stated.

"Are you the one who took the memories of my friends?"

"I am."

"BASTARD!"

Rowan's eyes widened as Luffy's arms stretched past her and he used his Gum Gum Rocket to go flying towards the boy.

"That's my seat! I picked it earlier!"

Rowan deadpanned as Robin, Usopp, Chopper, and Sanji joined her. "That's why he's angry?"

Luffy hit the boy hard and was engulfed by a sparkling cloud. Rowan jumped down and ran to catch Luffy as he fell.

"Moron." Sanji mumbled when he caught up to Rowan.

"Where did that kid go?" Rowan asked.

"Don't know. Is that one okay?" He replied.

"He'll be fine." She sighed in exasperation.

"ROWAN!"

Luffy's rubbery arms wrapped and wrapped and wrapped themselves around her and he hugged her tightly.

"Hello, Luffy." Rowan giggled, though it was becoming hard to breathe.

"Let go of her, you freak!"

Luffy laughed. "Sanji, Usopp, Chopper, Robin!"

Robin smiled. "Welcome back, captain."

"Alright!" Luffy let go of Rowan and stood up. "We gotta get our friends back!"

"I'm all for getting the lovely lady back, but I say leave the green haired jerk."

"No!" Luffy stood firmly. "Zoro is the swordsman, Nami is the navigator, Chopper is the doctor, Sanji is the cook, Usopp is the sniper, Robin is the archaeologist, Rowan is the fighter, and I am the captain. Together we're the straw-hat pirates. We're all friends and we don't leave anyone behind!"

The red-haired woman rolled her eyes again. She liked Nami, but the navigator was annoying as hell pre-piracy. Not to mention paranoid. They were all-minus Zoro-following Robin through the woods. They had talked Nami into following them, somehow, but it wasn't going nearly as smoothly as Rowan would like it to.

"I sure as hell hope we find some answers out here." Rowan mumbled.

"Me, too." Sanji stated.

"If we don't, we'll lose the navigator for sure. Not to mention, we'll never talk Zoro into coming back."

"I don't see the downside on that one." Sanji said lightly.

Rowan smiled at him. "You know, even if you had your memory back, I am fairly certain you would still say that."

Rowan stopped and the hair on the back of her neck started to stand up. 'What the hell is this feeling?'

"Rowan, is something wrong?" Sanji asked.

"Move!" Usopp and Chopper tumbled out of the foliage and into Rowan.

"What the hell?" She sat up and pushed the two off her lap and looked at what had scared them. Zoro stood with his swords drawn...and Luffy was approaching him.

"Wait!" Sanji tried to stop Luffy, but it was too late. Zoro attacked him without mercy.

Rowan was amazed at how Luffy and Zoro fought. She knew they were skilled, but she had not anticipated an all-out-battle looking like this.

"I thought you said those two were friends." Sanji frowned as he watched Luffy and Zoro fight with everything they had.

"It's because he's his friend that the captain won't hold anything back." Robin frowned at Rowan. This little confrontation was swaying the others in the direction of separation.

"Please, we must keep moving." Rowan turned to the others and away from the loud fighting. "This madness will not cease until your memories have been recovered."

Once the crew made it to the ruins that Robin was leading them to, the boy was there again. Rowan was relieved when Sanji kicked the hell out of the little memory eating seahorse bastard and got his own memories back. She nearly died when Zoro came back-and Luffy as well-and Sanji forced Zoro to smile. The chaos was and quickness of things with the straw-hat pirates was slowly becoming familiar to her-it was becoming home to her.

The seahorse tried to use their memories against them. She made sure to remember all their faces: the doctor that Chopper idolized, the girl who loved Usopp's lies, the man who had raised and trained Sanji, a small girl with Zoro's sword that he had not told her about, a pretty woman with dark red-purple hair smoking and holding a tangerine like the ones Nami grew, and two men that smiled proudly at Luffy. She didn't know the tall, red haired man but she knew the other. It was quite the shock to see someone she had met two years before in her new friend's memories. Her own memories were there, too, but not any positive ones. She saw both of her parents there, frowning at her the same way they had when they were alive-ever disappointed in her.

In the end, Luffy kicked the seahorse's ass and saved everybody's memories. The crew was kicked out of town because everyone thought they were the memory thieves, but once back on the Going Merry it was all business as usual.

"Let's go! Sanji, I want food! Zoro, play with us!"

Rowan smiled at the unruly captain from her seat next the galley door.

"Hey." Zoro ignored the captain and stood beside Rowan as the others dealt with him.

"Hey."

"You need to watch your mouth."

Rowan didn't try to hide her confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"You said you aren't part of this crew. Luffy didn't just decide he felt like helping you out for a while. He won't give up on finding your old man when the trail goes cold. Luffy sees you as his friend now and for him that means family. You go around saying that you're not part of this crew and it'll bother him; and when he's bothered by something he bothers me."

Rowan's eyes softened. Luffy saw her as family? She smiled at Zoro.

The boy's eyes twitched slightly. He had never seen a look like that on any woman and he did not like it. Before he could say anything, though, the kitchen door swung open and knocked him into the side railing of the ship.

Sanji blinked and looked at what he had just taken out with the door and saw Zoro unconscious and angry looking. He then turned and stared at the laughing Rowan on the deck on the other side of the door. When he connected the dots that Zoro had been standing directly in front of her his eyes went wide.

"You bastard! What were you doing standing so close to my lovely Rowan?"

"The hell?" Zoro stood and glared at Sanji. "Why the hell are yelling at me?"

"You don't deserve to be anywhere near her!"

"DAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"SHISHISHISHISHISHI!"

"Let's eat, morons!" Nami ushered them all the table where they had a fun and eventful dinner.

As Sanji washed dishes, Rowan moved to sit between Zoro and Luffy. Sanji took note but said nothing.

"Luffy," she started, "how do you know Fire Fist Ace?"

"He's my big brother."

Rowan gawked. "Are you serious?"

"How do you know of Ace?" Nami asked.

"I don't just know OF him, I met him two years ago before my mom died. I was walking down the beach and saw a body on the shore. I was afraid someone was hurt so I ran down and, when I turned him over to see if there were any injuries, he was snoring."

Luffy burst into laughter. "That sounds just like him!"

"When he woke up he just stared for a minute and then asked if I had any meat with me." She smiled at the collective laughter of the crew. "He was cool. He told me that if I wasn't happy where I was at then maybe I should look into piracy."

"So Luffy's brother talked you into being a pirate and you join Luffy." Sanji smirked. "Quite an interesting turn of events."

"You know that's Luffy's spot, right?"

Rowan turned from her seat on the Merry's figurehead and smiled at Zoro.

"He doesn't mind."

Zoro smirked. "I've noticed."

"Yeah, I suppose you would." She jumped down to stand directly in front of him. "You notice a lot more than you let on. And you were right. I am part of this crew."

Zoro tried to back away but it was too late. Rowan threw her arms around his neck.

"Thanks, Zoro."

He glared down, as best he could, at the girl who had her face buried underneath his chin. Giving up on glaring while she couldn't see him he awkwardly wrapped his arms around her waist.

They stood there for what felt like eternity before she finally let go of Zoro.

"Go get some rest." He ordered.

Rowan nodded and ran below deck to her corner of the bedroom.

Zoro sighed and wiped his left shoulder where she had cried. She hadn't been sad, though. Zoro could tell that much about the mysterious girl. What kind of life had she led before becoming a pirate? Was it really so bad that a band of criminals accepting her into their circle made her cry with joy? He had discussed some of this with Robin. She told him that the teen would not say where she was from, who had raised her, or anything that would really give them an idea of her past. He knew that Robin and Rowan were alike in that sense and he could tell that they would both cause quite a deal of trouble for the Straw Hat crew. Zoro could only hope that Luffy knew what he was doing.