You heard of reincarnation? What if you could purchase your next life? One particular girl decides the OP universe would be a great heaven. But what if it turned out to be...not so heavenly?


Aniko didn't think twice about it.

She pushed away the fact that she could have died (if it wasn't for finding that gun) and the fact that Black Leg Sanji of the Strawhats had just needlessly rescued her, a man she had only ever seen in animation but now here he stood as real as the grass beneath her feet.

Scrambling from the floor, she ran to Yona. She knelt by his side, her eyebrows furrowing at the sight of blood. There was an edge of apprehension to her tone as she spoke. "Yommers?"

With a grunt she managed to push him from his front onto his back. She saw his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm and heard a quite groan. She sighed in relief.

"Can you hear me Yommers?" She called loudly in his ear.

He groaned again, this time louder. Wearily he opened his eyes. "Yes Aniko. I can hear you."

"Oh thank God." She let out a shaky laugh as she helped him up. She propped him up next to her, letting him steady himself against her side. "How are you feeling?"

"Well I did just hit a bolder," He stopped for a sharp intake of breath as he clutched his side, before continuing, "and then land in a bush of thorns but I've seen worse. We both have."

"Yeah, we have." She agreed pensively, her attention now wandering back to the fight at hand.

It seemed that in the time she had checked on Yona the black haired man had staggered back to his feet. His slanted green eyes glared at Sanji. "You've interfered with a fight that's not yours. I'd advise you to back off now." His threats came out as a snarl.

The cook took a moment to take a puff of his cigarette before responding back, "Any fight that involves a lady in danger instantly becomes mine."

The man looked past Sanji and said, "You know this man, bitch?"

Well...in a way. She could have answered. But instead she flashed him her most sickeningly sweet smile, replying through clenched teeth. "Not in the slightest."

"That's what I thought." He growled, "I'll give you a chance to stay out of this; I can't promise you'll live otherwise." He pushed past Sanji, making his way towards her.

"This is between you and me. Isn't it?" He asked her as he approached.

She elbowed Yona, wordlessly telling him to move, before nodding. "Certainly."

"And this is because you're the one who knows where the fishboy is, ain't cha?" He stopped a little less than a metre away from her, "Doesn't matter whether you're a man, woman or child; pirate or marine. You're still the scum who hides the fishboy." He spat at her feet.

"The one and only." She gave him a mock curtsey, raising her gun as she did so.

She was glad to see him eye it warily.

Aniko leaned sideways slightly, catching sight of Sanji, who stood with clenched fists and a dark look on his face. Oh wow! I've seen that expression before. That's defiantly a volcano waiting to erupt.

Her adversary followed her gaze and smirked. "See now, you've got me thinking... I think you're just an act. I'm thinking will this little girl actually pull the trigger when it comes down to it."

His words made her freeze and unconsciously the grip on her gun loosened. What he said to her now was exactly what she had thought earlier.

It was the reason she had been secretly glad Sanji had entered the scene. She wasn't sure if she would have been able to pull the trigger. And now as she pointed the gun again, she still didn't want to find out.

It would be fine if she was just Aniko. But the problem was she wasn't just Aniko.

"And nobody will save you this time. Not your friend there, nor this man. He doesn't want to risk himself for you."

"You're wrong about that."

"Huh?" The man looked back at Sanji with an expression of annoyance. "What now?!"

His gaze was lowered to the floor as he spoke. "You're wrong. I would gladly risk my life any defenceless lady."

Aniko's eyebrows skyrocketed up her forehead as she waved her gun through the air as if to say, Helloooo! Is this gun just for decoration? But of course this was all in her mind. She defiantly did not want to interrupt this epic hero's speech.

Sanji then raised his head, eyes angry. "I was just wondering what would make a bastard like you want to hurt and threaten such a beautiful creature."

Aniko looked at Yona and smirked. "Ha ha. Ignored."

"He could have been talking about me, you know?"

"You actually want to believe he was talking about you in that way?"

"Alright, point taken. He was talking about you."

The man ignored Aniko and Yona, continuing to sneer at Sanji. "So you are a fool after all. Well since you seem so decided I won't hold back when I kill you."

"You won't mind if I give you the same privilege then." And with that said the two men launched themselves at one another, exchanging fierce blows.

It immediately became apparent that the enemy was nowhere near as strong as Sanji was. His hits were weak compared to the powerful kicks Sanji gave. It seemed he realised this too as after receiving a bleeding lip and a possibly broken wrist he retreated to the treetops, where he was able to show his true talent.

He was fast. Unnaturally fast.

He was so fast in fact that his body seemed to melt into the shadows at times. It didn't help that he was awfully light on his feat. Maybe Aniko was too quick to compare him to a giraffe earlier. Now she saw his gangly legs and his quite movements she began picturing a graceful gazelle. But it was an evil gazelle. Ok, now that's just stupid. No more animal comparisons. Or maybe an evil lemur. Actually...I could imagine that.

But now she saw this she knew he had been the one listening in on their conversation last night. He had been the one following them all the way here. And then he had revealed himself just before she had gone to talk to the strawhats.

That meant he didn't want them involved. His orders may have been to follow them until they get to Barbossa's ship. But nobody would have suspected her to run into one of the most infamous group of pirates of their time. That definitely would cause a hiccup in their plan.

Sanji span on the spot, trying to locate his foe. Aniko remembered him having Haki but it seemed even now he was struggling to keep up with the man's whereabouts.

"You can't stay hidden forever if you intend to fight me, shithead. Come down and fight already!"

A maniacal laughter swept through the trees, raising the hairs on the back of Aniko's neck. All other sound seemed to vanish into an eerie hush as the laughter died down and the man spoke, "Oh," It was almost a whisper, "But that's where you're wrong."

He then appeared behind Sanji from nowhere. And before the cook could even turn he was struck in the head. It was clear he had not been prepared for the attack, meaning he had not been able to brace himself for the hit. It must have caused quite a bit of damage as Sanji stumbled around for a few seconds, dazed from the impact.

The man had disappeared back into the trees as soon as the attack had been carried out, once again obscured from their view. He had the upper hand. Although Sanji was stronger he was able to move undetected while all Sanji could do was wait, clueless to where the next attack would come from until it was far too late.

Strike after strike came down on Sanji, leaving him bleeding and struggling to fight his hazy vision. With each attack Sanji would try using a different type of kick, attempting to at least knock the man off balance, hoping he would then have the time to lash out again whilst the opponent was still in a state of confusion.

He had no such luck. The man was far too fast.

The only time Aniko could even see him was when he attacked Sanji.

If only there was a way to stop him attacking all together.

That's it!

"San-" She almost called out his name but then thought against it, realising it would bring up awkward questions if she was seen to know it. But then she was a marine. She supposed she was meant to know wanted pirate's names; even so she should definitely not use them so familiarly. "Oi, knock down the trees!"

Sanji looked at her questioningly for a moment but didn't argue.

His kicks felled tree after tree with ease and soon he appeared to have caught on to what Aniko planed as they heard a panicked squawk from the treetops. Sanji smirked and began to hit the trees with new vigour, bringing them down as if they were mere twigs.

And before long, just as Aniko had hoped, the man fell from a falling tree. His body hit the trunk with a loud thump and Sanji wasted no time in letting him stand again.

The cook was upon him instantaneously. He leapt upwards, and together with a flip and the force of his jump he kicked out with all his might. "Muton Shot!"

The man's head was flung back and ricocheted off the wood of the fallen tree. There was sickening noise at the time of collision then all was silent (save the sound of Sanji's laboured breathing).

Nobody else moved as Aniko drew near the unconscious man. She stood over him for a while, just looking. Then she saw something glinting, protruding from underneath his jacket. She reached out and grabbed the shiny gem and pulled, the chain it was attached to breaking. She stared at the red gem and then slipped it into her pocket.

She looked back to the man. Aniko saw the bruises beginning to form on his body, the way his wrist drooped at an awkward angle and the blood that trickled down his neck.

The detective poked him with her foot in a detached sort of way. She didn't know this man; she didn't even know his name. So really all he could ever be was a nameless pirate. She could only be indifferent to him as there was nothing really to be angry for.

All she could spare for him was a quite hum of acknowledgement.

She turned to Sanji and smiled, "Thanks."

Just as Aniko had expected the cook had switched back into his 'love mode' now that the fighting was over. He span on the spot before grasping her hand in his own and raised it to his lips. She quickly slipped her hand away before he could kiss it.

Unperturbed, Sanji danced around her, his body alarmingly supple. He looked a little bit like a worm. "Ah mademoiselle, " He cooed, "Your hair is that of the whitest of snow, pure and untouched by all humans. Only angles would dare venture near such loveliness! But your eyes,"

Aniko stood with bated breath, waiting for whatever he said next. A part of her felt very inclined to flinch.

"Your eyes are like a rose. Their beauty surpasses all others but yet their thorns are dangerous, just like the thorns of love. With such a wonderful feeling comes..."

She tuned Sanji out after that.

That was strange. A very peculiar emotion had washed over her when Sanji had been about to mention her eyes. It was the same emotion she had felt earlier as she had discussed them with Yona.

She wasn't quite sure what it was. Fear? Anger? Disgust? Was there sadness? She just didn't know. Did she feel this way because some people were scared of her? She felt as if there was another reason. But as she reached out into Aniko's memories she blanked.

Letting out a shaky breath, she ran a hand through her hair.

"...and as love dwindles it sure to be re-lighted by the fiery flames of-" He stopped as he seemed to have noticed her anxiety and the disengaged look in her eyes. "Are you alright?"

She jumped, as if snapped out of a trance. "Yes... Er, yeah. I'm fine. Perfectly fine."

"Oh..." She got the feeling Sanji wanted to ask again but wasn't quite sure if he should.

Luckily, she was saved by Yona. He approached her side and gazed guardedly at Sanji, not sure what to make of him. "Stand down, trainee Yommers." Aniko mocked the marine's formal commands good-naturedly (fairly good-naturedly), "This man is not the enemy."

"But he's a wanted pirate... Black Leg Sanji." Yona stated unsurely.

"I know." Aniko chirped, causing Sanji to fall into a fit of 'Mellorines'.

"So we don't need to fight him or anything?"

Aniko shook her head.

"Phew!" Yona exclaimed, suddenly looking very relieved. "I'd had enough after the last guy. Oh, but we can't tell the Captain about this Aniko!"

"Wow! Feeling rebellious today Yommers?" Aniko said cheekily, "I think I'm starting to rub off on you."

"I just don't want to be sacked for fraternising with criminals..." He grumbled quietly.

"Er, Sanji?" Aniko turned her attention back to the fawning pirate.

"Yes, my flower?" He responded, with an evident eagerness to please.

Aniko wrinkled her nose distastefully at the nickname but ignored her aversion for the sake of her plan (and possibly for the secret fan girl within her). "Is there any chance I could talk your Captain? I have a proposition to make."

"Why of course my flower! Anything for such a beauty!"

"Great!" She grinned as Yona's mouth fell open. "I'd close your mouth if I were you Yommers. You wouldn't want to catch any flies."

All her assistant could do would splutter incredulously as he dumbly followed a prancing pirate and a crazy detective to the Strawhats' pirate ship.


Quick updates. Gotta love'em.

This chapter. Such fast. Much wow.

So yeah, I've been off ill yesterday and today and I took this opportunity to write another chapter. Its not as long as the last but I think the update speed makes up for that. I think my illness has been a blessing in disguise.

I hope I'm getting these personalities right and the fight scene. Gosh, its so difficult to write fast paced things. I think I do better with all the sappy emotion stuff and conversations.