I decided to be nice and post two chapters in one day! Why? I already told you! I'm being nice!

Plus I feel guilty for not posting any new chapters in so long…

Anyway, please enjoy! And like it's said not too far in: DON'T SMOKE!

xxx

I now know why Daniel and Walker gave me cigarettes, and why my mother smokes them. With every puff of smoke, a bit of my life is shaved away, but it keeps my nerves in a calm, level state.

Despite this, I must say one thing: Cigarettes are bad. Do not smoke them. Or you will become as dependent to them as a crack addict to his crack and you will wind up sounding like Marge Simpson.

Yes, I know I'm a hypocrite, but trust me, it's for the best.

But now I stood, still in my old, grungy clothes, standing in the middle of a small forest, lighting a cigarette, and taking a deep breath in and out of the deadly smoke.

I never changed my clothes because I only have one clean shirt left. And remembering the pattern that had popped up, I decided to avoid civilization for the time being. The last thing I needed was to pop up and run into Luffy and his crew right now. I wondered if they met up with Usopp yet…

I sighed, taking another puff and bringing my other hand up to my chest, feeling the cool jewel from the necklace on my fingertips. I didn't know for sure if I could trust Walker, but I decided on wearing it, just in case he was right. I had no idea what would happen if my tattoo grew any more, but I wasn't going to take a chance. The last thing I need in my already-screwed-up life was to make it worse with a tattoo that would just keep on growing.

I tried my best to stay calm and collected as I thought of the questions that circled in my head while trying my best to not start an addiction, not to mention the fact that I was stretching my supplies in an almost dangerous way and I was actually missing that stupid ukulele.

I needed to leave it, though. I felt that it showed them that I wasn't running away from them anymore, just figuring stuff out. I hoped that they read the message that way, anyway…

Just as I put my cigarette back into my mouth, my thoughts halted when I heard something creaking. Looking back, my blood rushed to my legs as a large tree began falling at me. At first, it was as if it were in slow motion, but then time seemed to speed up and I only had enough time to gasp and raise my hands up, heaving a little as I felt myself catch the offending future firewood.

"Ack… dammit…!" I hissed, finding it hard to breath, my body feeling like it was on fire. Finally, I shifted, pushing the tree far enough so it wouldn't squash me flat, feeling the ground vibrate as it finally hit the ground. I snarled, lifting my foot and crushing the butt of my dead cigarette on the sole and tossing it aside. I then turned to where the tree once stood, seeing a figure there.

"Oy! Watch what you chop down next time, ass!" I snapped. "I was right here!"

"Sorry…" The figure said, walking over. "Didn't see you there…"

… Wait… He sounds familiar…

Now, I know it's not Luffy, too low. Not Zoro, it was a manly voice, but not quite there. Nami's a girl, and I think she just got a random urge to kill someone just now…

So who is this…?

As I finally saw the figure, I kinda wished that it was one of the Straw Hats.

It was a guy, all right. A guy with a large hat, a larger sword, and made up for his shirtlessness with a trenchcoat. He did have a foreboding aura around him, and his piercing eyes weren't helping.

It was obvious why he was called "Hawk-Eyes" Mihawk.

I was about to hightail it out of there when suddenly I saw his eyes look me up and down. He then gave me a quizzical look. At least, I thought it was quizzical. The man was harder to read than a book in Latin.

"What's a young woman doing out here by herself? And in such a state…"

Shit. Just my luck. The one man in this entire world I could've run into, one that finally recognized that I was a woman, just so happened to also be one of the greatest swordsmen. And I just snapped at him. I'd have to react nice to him from here on out, or I would surely die.

But my brain couldn't reach my mouth fast enough to correct what I was going to say to make it more polite.

"None of your damn business."

One of his eyebrows quirked up, and I felt that I should just dig my own grave right then and there.

I just back-talked Mihawk, and I was gonna die. I was going to get chopped into tiny pieces and I was gonna die. I just wish I could've seen my parents one last time… Before this…

I was imagining whether or not it'd be quick or slow and tortuous when Mihawk then emitted a strange sound from his throat. I stared at him as he lowered his head, shoulders shaking, and for a minute, I thought he was chuckling darkly before he slaughtered me, but these fears soon turned into confusion when he threw his head back and was barking with laughter.

Mihawk was laughing.

I think he might've just lost his damn mind.

"There's only one other person who has spoken to me like that…" He said, calming down, a smirk now playing his lips. "That was quite refreshing. What's your name?"

"Uh…" I muttered, trying to recover. "Um… It's Amelia. Amelia Blancard."

"Well, Amelia, my name is Dracule Mihawk. I apologize for any disrespect." He said. He then looked over at the tree. "And for that."

"It's okay…" I said slowly, feeling myself practically vibrate from nerves. "I'm sorry for being rude, Mihawk-san…"

"Well, it looks like you can handle your own for you to hold that tree up for so long…" He said. He then turned back to me. "May I now ask what happened to you to wind up in such a situation…?"

I only sighed, raking my fingers through my hair. "I… just had a really rough couple of days…"

I knew it was vague, but I didn't want vent all my frustration and confusion on the greatest swordsman in this world. That would just be ridiculous…

Chop!

Eh?

I blinked as Mihawk fingered at the handle to his giant sword, as if he was ready to chop wood, only for the tree to collapse into chunks.

I could only gape. I didn't even see the man move!

"Firewood." He stated simply, noting my surprise. "Care to join me?"

As he said this, his hand was still at his sword. I only felt comfortable giving him one answer.

"… Sure, why not…"

xxx

To say that sitting by a fire with Dracule "Hawk-Eyes" Mihawk, eating and drinking and barely talking, wasn't at all awkward would've been a downright lie. Granted, I'm not much of a talker myself most of the time, Mihawk was a man that had an aura around him that was calm, but also had a hint of foreboding. I had to fight fidgeting every ten seconds. The fact that he didn't talk made it even worse.

I had to admit, though, having someone that could be an acquaintance in this world that wasn't the Straw Hats was quite refreshing, even though said acquaintance was a man that I was terrified of chopping me up if I did even the smallest thing wrong.

"Well…" He finally said after a pause of just sitting there. "Want to tell me the story?"

I gave him a look, and he seemed genuine, but I still let out a long sigh.

"I was forced away from my home not too long ago. They told me I had a task that I had to do before I could be let back in. They just… dumped me in the middle of the ocean with nothing but what's in my backpack and an ukulele…" I explained. "I was saved by a boy who became my friend, and he said he's forming a pirate crew, and he wants me to join, but I don't know if I can…"

"That doesn't seem like something you can or can't do." He muttered. "Seems more like something you'd want to do, or don't want to do. Do you?"

"At first I didn't, but…" I muttered. "Now… Now I kinda want to…"

"Then what's holding you back?" Here we go…

"It's this task I have to complete." I said. "I don't know how dangerous it is… I suspect that it's highly dangerous though, life-threatening even, and I don't want to risk my friends' lives over something that's my responsibility. I couldn't do that to them."

There was a pause for what seemed like an eternity. I stared into the flames as I felt Mihawk stare at me. I fought the urge to scratch at my face to get him to stop, as I was starting to feel uncomfortable.

"Personally, I don't really have any friends. I have people I hate, and people I know. That's about it. But from what I understand, friends can be like a second family." Mihawk started, causing me to look at him. "No matter what you did, or what you might do in the future, you won't be able to get rid of them easy. They're going to stick by you whether you like it or not. That's usually the best thing, I guess. And who knows, you might need their help in your task, and you might be better for it. Besides, they might be strong enough to survive. Seems kinda cruel of you to doubt them so much."

I stared at Mihawk for a moment, then back into the flames.

Perhaps he was right. The Straw Hats, they seemed like the bunch to not back off of their friends if there's something wrong no matter what they do. And they're all strong, in their own ways. They were probably strong enough to handle something that I might be forced to do. But do I still want to risk it?

Doubting them is indeed cruel, I admit. But could I risk it?

Maybe I can be selfish. I wanted to be strong and do this by myself, but right now, I'm starting to think that there really isn't a way to do that. Maybe I can be selfish and join their crew and most likely get them roped into something, and they'll be strong enough to handle it…

Shaking a bit, I stood, feeling a little light, as if a small weight was being pulled off my shoulders. "I think I know what I want to do, now…"

Mihawk stood with me and I faced him. "I know you probably didn't intend to, but I thank you for helping me with my decision."

Mihawk simply stared at me. "And what did you decide?"

I lifted my head a little higher. "I'm going to join his crew. I'm going to do what I can to help him, since he's already agreed to do what he can to help me. I'm not going to doubt him, or his other crew members, anymore."

Mihawk seemed to smirk. "Then I hope to one day meet this man and his crew. And I hope to see you with them."

Oh, Mihawk. You have no idea.

xxx

After a while, we said our goodbyes and well-wishes, and we went on our separate ways. After being by myself again, I changed into the last clean shirt I had, which was a sleeveless brown turtleneck. I still wore the necklace, and I still wore my sunglasses, and I just allowed the wind to take me where I was supposed to go.

I knew it would take me to the right place. It did the last time.

After what seemed like several days, even though it probably didn't take that long, I finally found myself at a familiar-looking floating restaurant. One that seemed to be randomly at sea.

The Baratie.

As soon as I reached the dock, I tied my ship up. A part of me hoped I wasn't too late.

A part of me realized that I probably wasn't.

After tying my ship to the dock, I grabbed a couple of gold coins, hid my bag, and headed on inside.

The restaurant itself looked rather fancy, yet there were people that dressed so very casual. It almost felt surreal to be standing in such a place. I guess I would have to get used to it, though. A lot of things in this world are fairly surreal.

I felt a strange pang in my chest when I saw a familiar tall man in a suit with blonde hair and a cigarette in his mouth heading off to deal with possibly more customers, and I knew then that I wasn't too late.

It was Sanji.

A little relief sank through my system when it felt like I was there either very early or on time when someone approached me. It was a rather large, muscular man, whom I also recognized, but I didn't remember his name.

"Hello! Welcome to the shitty Baratie! How many for your table?" Did he really have to call it "shitty"?

Before I could reply, I felt a hand clap down on my shoulder and I jumped.

"Two, please."

I felt my eyes widen and I slowly turned to face the person who had a voice that I knew was familiar. I should've been angry. I should've attacked him. But I knew he was only here to talk.

Despite knowing that, when he grinned down at me, I automatically felt uncomfortable.

I guess I was joining Daniel for lunch.