I am so sorry but it might take me a little bit to update again. Got a crap ton of homework on the second day back. What the heck is wrong with the teachers? I'm sorry.

I woke up pleasantly, expecting my cat to be near my feet like she usually is. This however isn't my bed. It's too soft and not creaky enough. Oh right, I'm in the One Piece world.

I bolt upright. I have so much to do today, I cannot sleep in.

I brush my hair and put on some clothes I found in the drawer. I pull my hair back into a ponytail that makes me sigh comfortably. A high ponytail is my signature hairstyle. It keeps my hair out of the face and off my neck and in sports, that's major.

I walk down to the dining room to once again see it full of food. The Celestial Dragons are eating atrociously again so I grab a few morsels just to put something on my stomach.

I want to go visit the Straw-hats after breakfast. That seemed like the best course of action, only because I wanted to see them. I wanted to hear Luffy's laugh, feel Zoro's presence, see Nami beat the boys up, Usopp to tell stories, Franky to act all cool, Sanji to fawn over me, Robin's wisdom, Brook's music, Chopper's kindness.

I need those like a sick person needs medicine. Anything to counteract the madness I am living in.

Just as I was about to leave, Charlos stops me.

"Wait Saint Fjorigold, we are having the Straw-hats fight again."

I plaster a smile on my face and try not to sound sarcastic.

"Great, I can't wait. I am just going to go to the bathroom and I will be down in a minute."

Ok, seeing Straw-hats is postponed, but I could use this time to try to find where they store the keys to the slave collars. Surely they have them around here somewhere.

On my way to the bathroom, I kind of take the long and curvy way to get there, exploring the mansion aka castle quickly. I don't have time to search every room, so I focus on the ones I have time for.

I basically open and shut doors in a repetition that is so fast I almost don't see the room's contents. Living room, sitting room, kitchen, another dining room, bedroom, stuffed pet room, what on earth, never mind moving on, bedroom, china room, gold room, vault, key room, closet, another kitchen, pantry for food, hold on.

I go back three rooms and it is a room full of keys. Golden, silver, bronze, brass, pewter, jewel incrusted, and all sorts of other kinds hanging on individual hooks. Where do all of these go to anyhow? They can't have that many doors to lock and unlock.

I know which ones go to the slaves by their commonplace and not noble looking appearance. They stick out like a sore thumb among all of the glittering other ones. There is only a few and that makes me wonder. Are there only a few types of collars, or are there only a few slaves that deserve keys?

I just take them all just in case. I couldn't be wrong right?

Down back to the main, throne room I guess, I go, trying not to hurry but at the same time keeping it at a brisk walk. I couldn't have them catching me where I wasn't supposed to be snooping.

A door opens on my right and the slave that carried me yesterday crawls out, keeping on his hands and knees as he scrubbed the floor. I smile fondly as I call out cheerfully.

"Good morning."

The slave jumped a foot in the air as his eyes darted up to meet mine. He has these brilliant green eyes that are almost emerald in color. It's the first time I have seen them. He quickly darts his head back down again. I pass him and call back softly.

"Keep up the good work."

I hear the slight pause in the scrubbing before I turn the corner into the throne room.

The other Celestial Nobles are already on their little thrones, ready to make the Straw-hats pay. Ignoring the sick feeling in my stomach, I nestle in my seat just as the Straw-hats are being dragged out.

They look better then I expected, much like yesterday actually. They look a little tired, probably from sleeping on concrete floors, but I had expected them to come back with broken limbs and covered in blood. Relief filled me. Now they just have to last until tonight then we can escape.

Charlos did the honor of dragging out the gladiator slaves again. I leaned forward in my chair comfortably. I was looking forward to the fight after seeing them completely annihilating them yesterday. It shouldn't be a problem today right.

Zoro pretended to look around the room, and his eye settled on me. I see the caution and question of concern in his eye. I smile slightly, telling him I was ok and to worry about himself. Zoro smiled softly before letting his eyes once again fall to the floor.

Luffy was energetic as ever, marveling at everything around him. I guess yesterday he wasn't exactly paying attention. Nami was about to faint with all of the gold and silver around her. I guess she wasn't paying attention either.

The gladiator slaves had actual weapons this time. Primitive sticks of wood and iron that I assume could be classified as swords and knives were thrust into their hands. Give them a fighting chance, go ahead. That only helps my team.

Sure enough Zoro eyes the 'swords' with an eager gleam in his eye and I see his fingers twitch. I bet he would be willing to offer up anything to have swords on him again.

I see Nami spot a man with a long wooden stick, much like her old quarter staff and her chocolate brown eyes seem to focus a little more. She can fight with that easily.

Shalulia is the one that calls out the order this time. She yells gleefully.

"Go."

The gladiator slaves rush the Straw-hats with a roar, raising their weapons high. Their courage must have been boosted in the locker room or something because their eyes are filled with bloodlust. They are aiming to kill.

Zoro ducks several men's swords and they suddenly had their weapons stolen from their hands. Zoro held two, feeling their weight, before gingerly putting the other, unhilted, sword in his mouth. Blood runs from the edges of his lips from where the rough edge bites into him, but he doesn't relinquish his hold. Instead, he cuts through the men to Luffy's side.

Luffy is doing what he did yesterday, a cocky grin on his face as he dominates the battle. As soon as Zoro reached him, they share a grin for a moment, before diving into battle side by side, fighting better together then they ever could apart. They cut deep into the ranks of the slaves, drawing them away from the ones that couldn't fight.

Nami had kicked the guy that she had been eyeing between the legs, ouch, and had stolen his staff. She was now using it to whack every guy she saw, which made it quite hard not to chuckle at. She kept trying to use it like her climatact, expecting her thunder bubbles, or wind, or her tempos to come out. She quickly fell out of the habit though.

Usopp stayed near Franky, fighting back to back with the cyborg. His confidence had been raised yesterday, and today it seemed limitless. He fought twice as hard with this cocky grin on his face as Franky leveled Slave after slave with his weapons.

Brook had taken a leaf out of Zoro's book, snatching a sword that had the same girth of his own cane sword. He couldn't do as much damage with it without a scabbard, but the cuts he made were damaging.

Sanji had undertaken the mission of protecting the 'defenseless' Robin. Chopper had managed to stay on Robin's lap and Sanji didn't mind after Robin asked him to protect both of them. If a man got past Sanji, it was taken care of quickly by Robin and Chopper tag teaming the poor guy.

While the Straw-hats had skill, the slaves had a brutality only pirates turned gladiators could have. They had quantity but little quality that they made up for in brute force and murderous intent. Nevertheless, after the fighting ceased, it was the Straw-hats still standing.

I feel giddy with relief. None of them have any life threatening, or even serious injuries. Chopper quickly bandages all that he can with the limited supplies that he has. I just sit back and watch the crew fondly.

Suddenly, I am shoved out of my chair. I tumble forward with a surprised squeak, landing on the glass helmet that shatters. I close my eyes swiftly and feels the glass cut deep into my cheeks and forehead, but not my eyes. I am lucky.

Holding my breath to keep the illusion, I look up at Charlos, who was looking at me with an evil gleam in his eye. Why did he shove me like that?

"What's going on?"

I protest sharply. I feel all of the Straw-hat's alarm as they stare at me. I wave my hand behind my back, telling them to stand down. I can take care of them myself. Charlos grins that idiotic grin of his.

"Punishing you for lying to us."

I cock my head, trying to act surprised, but inside I was filled with panic.

"I would never lie to my fellow Saints. What are you talking about Saint Charlos?"

Roswald explained, a sinister smile on his face.

"We checked with Saint Mjosard last night. He doesn't have a daughter."

I froze. I didn't think they would do a background check on me? Stupid Rose.

"Wait, I can expl—"

"Guards, take this imposter to the cells."

I had frozen completely, physically and mentally. I didn't know what to do. What should I do? What could I do? Escape? Run for it? Take the punishment? For goodness sakes think Rose.

Guards force my arms behind my back and that wakes me up. I start to writhe, trying to break free. If I get with the Straw-hats maybe it will be ok. Then I hear the thing that seals all of our fates.

"Rose!"

I jerk to a standstill as Luffy yells my name in worry. I jerk my head up to look at him. I know what I must look like. Eyes wide with terror, my skinny frame shaking as I stare at him. He couldn't have condemned both of us any better. Shalulia raises her eyebrows.

"Oh you know each other?"

I shake my head.

"No, I have never—"

"Liar."

The hiss snaps me back to my meek self. No no no, this wasn't supposed to happen. Roswald stares down at the Straw-hats.

"Oh, did you come to rescue them? Save them from their poor meaningless existence?"

My mouth is dry, I can't swallow. I can't breath; tell him that that is exactly what I was planning. Roswald smirks at me.

"You cannot save them from something they have been their entire lives, Rose."

He spits my name like it is the foulest word on the planet, and I flinch. I have never heard my name spoken with such hatred and it feels me with sadness, guilt, and fear. Charlos turned to the Straw-hats.

"Let's make this fun."

Luffy is looking pissed off. He is cracking his knuckles and his face is stony and he isn't the only one.

Zoro doesn't have his demon smirk on, instead his face is frozen in wrath that I had never seen on him. His power is radiating off him and he has his swords in a position where he could drive at the men holding me.

Nami has a cold fury that is so rarely seen from her as she tightens her grip on her staff.

Usopp looks ready to kill someone.

Chopper is looking more like a wild animal and less like a cute little reindeer doctor as he raises his hackles and bares his teeth at the Nobles.

Sanji is completely on fire as he stares at the World Nobles with almost a daring look, daring them to hurt me, a lady, in front of him.

Robin is looking like her old self, before she met the Straw-hats. Cold, willing to do anything to survive, and just plain furious.

Brook was looking grim, his makeshift sword raised and pointed at the men holding me.

Franky was pointing all of his guns at the World Nobles, his mouth a grim line.

They were all ready to fight for me.

Charlos, ignoring the position he is putting himself in, says stupidly.

"If you don't fight back, we won't hurt her."

All of the Straw-hats froze as my mouth dropped open. No, there is no way in heck I am going to be a hostage. No way. I refuse. I will not be what will cause the Straw-hats destruction. I yell as I see their faces drop in defeat.

"No, fight back. I will be fine. I can take it."

Luffy looked at me, looking completely calm now. I see him loosen his fist and sit down, right where he was standing, the picture of relaxation. Zoro and Sanji quickly follow him, along with the other Straw-hats. They sit, not moving, staring at the Celestial Dragons as my mouth drops open in horror.

They can't. They wouldn't do that for me.

But they are.

I am stupid for even trying to convince Luffy otherwise. He will not abandon a friend like that and I know that.

That doesn't keep me yelling at them to fight back as I am dragged all the way to the door. That doesn't keep me from yelling louder when Roswald tells the gladiator slaves to fight again.

That definitely doesn't keep me from screaming at them to fight back as I see Zoro take a metal pole to the head as the door shuts, cutting me off from the people that I feel like I betrayed.

Sorry, me and my sick love for cliffhangers. I have decided I am evil. Sorry for my evilness. Muhahahaha.