Chapter Nine: To Begin and End

Rowan watched the sun black out as her hand came up to block her eyes. The baby blue sky was flawless except for the few large clouds that drifted on a soft breeze. Rowan watched the sunbeams glittering through her fingers.

Up in the crow's nest she was separate from the others but not so far away as to not know what was going on.

A harsh cry told everyone on the ship that the morning's paper had finally reached them. Rowan watched with lidded eyes as the seagull floated down towards them on the gentle breeze. Nami, who was at the end of the ship with everyone besides Zolo and Rowan, greeted the bird on the rail once it had landed.

"Did you raise the price again?" Nami demanded from the saluting bird. "You're charging too much!" The bird could only let out a simple 'squawk'.

Rowan pushed herself up into a sitting position and placed her chin on a bent elbow. She had a clear view of everyone on deck, even those behind the tangerine groove that Nami had placed upon the Merry Go before their departure. Since they had departed from Coco Village, Luffy had been going at the tangerines like a mouse after cheese. Even now Rowan could see the boy trying to sneak around the ever present Sanji.

"If you raise it again, I'm not buying from you anymore," Nami barked at the poor bird, placing the coin in the bird's carry-on. Rowan's attention was drug back to Nami when her golden bracelet caught the sun and sparkled.

Rowan stretched out the arm she currently relaxed against. Her own two bracelets didn't sparkle in the sun. The first, made out of leather, was worn and engraved with words even she couldn't understand. The other was a simple braid of different colored yarn. Old and worn like the leather, aged from years at sea and constantly in the weather.

But like Nami hers had been gifts from people very dear to her.

"What's a newspaper or two?" Usopp scoffed. Rowan looked down upon the curly haired man. Usopp had built up some strange contraption that he had been working with for the past few days. It smoked a lot and that alone was reason enough for Rowan to despise the thing. Luffy was strictly forbidden from being around it and Rowan had given Usopp a very strong talking to about open chemicals, how quickly ships burned and consequences that would be faced should she find any scorch marks upon her ship.

"If you read one every day, it's good for the brain."

"You're done collecting money, aren't you?" Usopp decided to change the subject. Nami spun on the sharpshooter quicker than Rowan had ever seen her move. A pointed finger of doom was jabbed out offensively.

"Don't be stupid! Now that Arlong's gone it's time to make money for myself. I don't want to be a penniless pirate." Usopp simply let out an unpleasant noise and waved an uncaring hand at Nami. Rowan found their conversation pointless and turned to watch Luffy's latest attempt to get around Sanji. The boy was making use of his Devil Fruit ability and trying to sneak around this time instead of simply baring in.

"Stop squawking!" Usopp snipped. "I'm trying to develop the ultimate killer, the Pepper Sauce Star! Anyone who gets this in his eyes—" Rowan watched Sanji jump on Luffy like a rabid dog before the Strawhat even came close to one of the tangerines. "Won't stand a chance!" Luffy's body sailed from the groove, landing right on top of Usopp.

"Hands off!" Sanji thundered. Usopp's scream was high and predictable. The young man rubbed at his eyes, screaming. Luffy couldn't have been less oblivious to what he had just done.

"What? Can't I have just one?" the Strawhat screeched at Sanji like a deprived monkey.

"No!" Sanji screeched right back. Placing his feet shoulder length apart, Sanji crossed his arms over his stuck out chest. "This is Nami's tangerine grove! I won't let you touch them!" Luffy shrugged and turned from the grove.

"Okay. I'm in too good a mood to fight!"

"Nami, I shall guard this grove with all the love in my heart!"

"Thank you, Sanji!" came the sickly sweet reply. Rowan couldn't help but roll her eyes. The female really wasn't above using her feminine wiles to get what she wanted.

Usopp was still howling on the floor.

"We're finally sailing for the Grand Line!" Luffy cheered for what seemed to be the hundred time since Nami had told him their latest destination. Nami let out a huff, before going back to her sun chair and sitting down. The woman began to read from the black and white paper. Rowan caught herself glaring down upon the top of the orangette's head before she sunk back into crow's nest and turned her attention back to the blue sky.

"The world sure is in turmoil. There was another coup d'état in Vira." Feeling that her legs were starting to go to sleep, Rowan stood up and hoped the side of the crow's nest. It was easy enough for the redhead to grab hold of ropes and land with a simple 'thud' on the middle deck. It was as she was heading up the stairs to enter the lounge that the high pitched screams took to the air, this time not just from Usopp. Fearing the worst, Rowan speed to the back of the lounge where her group stood.

In Luffy's hand was the source of Nami's plight.

Freshly printed and grinning from ear to ear, was Luffy's all too familiar, trade mark grin and straw hat. Beneath the boy's stupid grin were words right above a hefty sum of award money. The real Luffy was an exact replica of his picture.

"We're wanted dead or alive!" he laughed joyously. "They say we're worth 30 million beri!" Rowan let out a low whistle. That was one of the highest awards she had heard of in the East Blue; it was especially high for a rookie pirate. Nami fell back on to her chair and buried her hands into her face.

"As usual, you guys have no idea how serious this is. The marines hunting you, Luffy! At that price, Headquarters is probably involved. They'll send the toughest Bounty Hunters after you."

"Well then I guess it's a good thing the toughest Bounty Hunter went rouge," Rowan chuckled, shaking her head roughly at Nami's reaction. Usopp was laughing his head off along with Luffy. If one looked closely one could see the back of Usopp's head in the left corner of Luffy's wanted poster.

"Look! I'm known all over the world!" the sharpshooter cackled.

"You're grinning like an idiot. It's nothing to brag about," Sanji sulked from his kneeling spot on the ground.

"Don't be jealous! If you get to be a big shot, they might put you on a poster too, even if you aren't a Captain." Nami shook her head hard.

"This is no time to be relaxing in the East Blue," she mumbled to herself.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Rowan turned to Nami.

"You still need to stop for more supplies," the redhead told the Navigator. "You'll want to get supplies to repair Merry Go as well. We'll be lucky if this ship makes it through the first few islands."

"Oi! Don't insult Merry Go!" Usopp snapped at Rowan.

"It's not an insult. It's a fact. The Grand Line isn't a place for ships that weren't made in the Grand Line." Rowan's warning was completely forgotten by the other males. If looks could kill, the boys would have died under Rowan's glower.

"Hey, there's an island!" Luffy flew across the back deck to the other side. Bouncing from foot to foot, the boy waited impatiently for the rest of the crew to all join him. Rowan stayed close because the boy seemed ready to jump ship and swim he was so excited.

"Rouge Town," Rowan acknowledged. Nami nodded beside the redhead.

"If we see that island then we're approaching the Grand Line." Rowan guarded her eyes with a cupped hand from the sun and looked off towards the awaiting island. "That's where the famous Rouge Town is. They call it 'the town of the beginning and the end'. The Pirate King, Gold Roger, was born there and executed there." Luffy's wide eyes turned to Nami. The smile was gone and an almost calm seriousness had settled on the boy's features.

"It's where the Pirate King died…" Luffy said softly, eyes going back to the upcoming island.

"Want to go there?"


The city was bustling with activity. Abuzz with their voices and announcements of sales and upping of products, the city had a voice of its own. Rowan would have liked this town if it hadn't been so close to the Grand Line and heavily guarded by marines. Already Rowan could see a few soldiers patrolling. The city was a place one could get lost in, become party of the community and be forgotten entirely.

"Wow! This place is huge!" Luffy squealed, pulling Rowan from her thoughts.

"So this is where the age of pirates began," Sanji mused aloud, his voice just as excited as the rubber boy's. Rowan looked up at the tall buildings that seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. They were all made from strong stone and crafted to perfection.

"Right! I'm going to go see the execution scaffold!" Luffy declared. Rowan spared the boy a look before shaking her head in disproval.

"There will be marines swarming that place Luffy. You'll need to be extra careful." Luffy pained the woman no mind, already flying into the crowd and being swallowed whole.

"I can probably get some good cooking ingredients here. And some cute chicks."

"I guess I'll find us some equipment," Usopp smirked, giddy from the idea of all the possibilities the town had to offer.

"There's something I want to buy too," Zolo pondered aloud. The sickening giggle had Rowan actually pitying the swordsman.

"I'll be glad to lend you some money…at 300 percent interest," Nami all but cackled. Rowan watched Sanji and the others all going their own way. Before Usopp could disappear into the crowd, Rowan snatched him.

"Huh?"

"You need more rope; for the sails and anchor. Get repair supplies: wood, hammers, nails, screws, things along that nature." Usopp's confused expression simply made Rowan nervous and she quickly turned that into agitation. "Just do it, Usopp."

Rowan didn't leave the curly haired man any time to say anything more on the matter. Turning back to the Merry Go, Rowan scaled the side of the ship and landed on the middle deck. She stayed there until she was absolutely positive that the others had disappeared into the depths of the city; Usopp giving her one final look before turning and entering the city himself.

After she was sure they were gone, and only after, Rowan began her departure. Within the bowels of the ship, Rowan quickly packed away all of her belongings into her satchel. Sanji had been sweet and brought it for her from the Baratie. It was an easy process for two reasons; Rowan had a big compulsion to always keep her things together and packed away, and after parting from many pirate crews in the manner she was currently exiting, she had become an expert at quick packing. A quick sweep of the room confirmed Rowan had all of her belongings.

Then, with a guilty heart, Rowan went to the secluded area Nami hide the money on the ship. She took only a little, so little in fact that what she would have been paid twice what she pocketed had she chosen to stay aboard. To make up for the little cash, Rowan snagged two loafs of bread and four pears, which were wrapped up neatly and placed on top of her clothes within her satchel.

Rowan didn't bother with the rope ladder and simply jumped down from side railing. Her boot clad feet landed with a distinct 'thump'. With one more glance at the Merry Go, Rowan shrugged her shoulder strap up further and walked away from the ship with her chin held high and her eyes looking forward.

It was easy enough for Rowan to get swept into the crowd after she had stashed her duffle bag in what she believed to be a secure location. If she accidentally ran in to someone from the crew she didn't want them to ask about the bag. For a while she simply allowed the crowd to carry her where it pleased. The sights and smells of the city were all-consuming. After so many years of constant travel, Rowan had come to learn that each city had its own rhythm. Its very own heart beat that if one listened close enough, they could hear as clearly as their own heart. The rhythm was born from the people and the area; it came from the villager's routines as they went through them every day. Rowan listened to this beating with open ears; the sound of children roaming and playing, of house-wives shopping and of men laughing after a hard day's work.

Eventually, Rowan pulled herself from the busy market that seemed to cover at least a third of the city. Going past a street of inns and actual houses, Rowan found herself in the part of town that she was much more familiar with; the backstreets. The rows between the buildings held a dark aura. There were less people and those that were outside hung to the walls in small groups that looked rougher than the streets themselves. The few that dared walk alone had their heads hung low and kept their eyes to the ground.

Rowan kept her eyes ducked but found she couldn't ease of the pressure of the idea that something was wrong. These were the backstreets; filled to the brim with the scourges of both the city and the sea and most of the businesses had some hand in the black market if not a whole arm. Tension and a sense of danger completed the package of the streets. Yet…there was an anxiousness that clung to each person and each store. That anxiousness caused eyes to shift, heads to stay ducked even when among friends and shoulders hunched. Men kept their hands in pockets and kept their motions unthreatening; women that would normally be working their corners were tucked further into allies and appearing more starved; more stores had blocked doors and dark windows than those that were open. Rowan's eyes took in all of this and it was with great relief that she finally stepped into a shop.

The scent of steel, grease and gunpowder filled Rowan's nose. The scent alone calmed Rowan's nerves and allowed her to release some of the tension that had built along her shoulders. There was no one else in the shop, not even an owner, so Rowan began to explore. The shop was separated neatly with guns on one side, short blades in the middle and heavy weaponry on the far wall. The shop was cool, nice compared to the hot temperature outside. Rowan snooped through the gunpowder that was laid out in tightly concealed boxes so that no accidents happened. Small bags were laid upon the boxes and it was within those bags that Rowan found samples of the gunpowder. The young woman was pleased to see that the powder wasn't just restricted to the East Blue but came from all over the world, Grand Line included.

It was as Rowan was musing over a few daggers that she felt the cold fingers brush across her bare shoulder. Years of constantly having to protect herself at a moment's notice had Rowan turning with a fist pulled back. Rowan's fist didn't pass her ear before a hand covered in calluses caught it. Olive eyes went wide when Rowan realized her fist was stuck by her ear because of the sudden hand.

Rowan found herself face to face with one of the oldest women she had ever seen. Wrinkles made hundreds of lines across the woman's face as her skin hung loose on her bones. Crow's feet were deep ravines near the woman's unblinking eyes. Age spots blotted across the woman's forehead. The elder's hair was aged a pure white and pulled back into a very tight bun. Her eyebrows were about gone giving her an odd appearance.

When the young woman tried to move her fist again, the elderly lady gave Rowan a big smile. The redhead found the old woman had strong teeth.

"Too much motion in backswing," the old woman said. "Gave you away." The old bitty prattled by Rowan, her steps holding confidence. Rowan watched the old woman. Her back was straight but not arched, her foot fall spoke of knowing but not over confidence, her head was high but not regal.

'She walks like mom,' Rowan finally recognized.

"Gunpowder? Is that what you came for?"

"I just came across the store," the redhead admitted.

"But you use powder." Rowan frowned softly but continued to watch the elder. She was among the boxes of powder shifting through them. The elder looked up and gave Rowan her strong toothed smile. She came back to Rowan and took her hand in her own. Rowan was amazed by the calluses that covered the woman's hand. As the woman studied Rowan's hand, Rowan studied her again.

The woman's body was covered in a long tunic and baggy breeches. A leather belt was wrapped around her waist. Her pants legs were stuffed into calf high boots. Rowan felt highly uncomfortable when she recognized the style. It was a style that came from her home, her own island. Pushing those thoughts aside with a brutal shove, Rowan went back to studying the woman. Following her callused hand Rowan could easily tell that underneath the baggy clothes there was nothing but muscle. Old age had not robbed her of that. It was still strong and shaped her old body even while her skin was wrinkled and hung. In Rowan's mind it made her odd yet powerful. Like a lioness, too old to hunt or breed but still held enough power to make the pride respect her and have no thoughts of banishing her.

But it was her milky eyes that held Rowan's attention the longest.

"You fight with your hands and use brute strength. No formal teachings. You wear gloves sometimes…but not enough to protect yourself from damage." The elder followed Rowan's hand up to her shoulder and then to her face. Rowan let the woman do as she pleased for she found her interesting enough to let her finish whatever it was she had started. The elder's hands covered every inch of Rowan's face. When she went to remove the beanie Rowan snapped up the strong wrists. The woman smiled. "Hiding. That's not good. For the style you use, if you hide something, you lose your power. You must embrace yourself, girl. Embrace it all."

"I hide nothing." The woman obviously didn't believe Rowan and removed her hands. Confused and bewildered, Rowan watched the elder go back to the gunpowder and began to shift through them again.

"Clodaghs," the woman laughed with a bark. Rowan flinched like someone had just slapped her. Her hip slammed into one of the tables that held the knives. Her heart took to its annoying gallop. "Calm yourself girl!" the elder suddenly barked in a rougher tone. Rowan's eyes refused to leave the bitty. Thoughts swarmed in her head like enraged hornets as butterflies twisted her stomach into a painful knot. The woman turned to face Rowan, her near gone eyebrows going up a proud forehead.

"A tiger acting like a skittish rabbit! Have some shame and control yourself!" Her words bruised an already battered ego, forcing Rowan to calm her startled heart and face the woman with a ready stance. The old woman snorted and turned back to her powders.

"How do you—"

"You Clodagh are all the same; your steps, your sounds, even your smells. Though…you smell a lot more of pears than the others." When the woman's back was turned to Rowan, the female sniffed herself. She didn't smell anything but sweat. Rowan eyed the woman's back with suspicion. The redhead knew she'd have to leave this city. If even one person knew she was Clodagh, she couldn't stay. She simply couldn't. Rowan turned her eyes to the door and her escape. She'd make it in four easy steps. "I'm a bit surprised you don't use a heavy weapon. Small weapons are rare for a Clodagh. Your fighting-style is useful with big, bold motions. Heavy weapons simply add to your natural strength. Katanas would never be right for your kind. I'm a bit amazed you lasted so long with a dagger. I'm sure you've broken more than your fair share."

Rowan stopped heading towards the door when the woman turned back around. The woman said nothing but simple kept going through the gunpowder.

"Broadswords, axes, claymores, even some halberds though I rarely suggest that. Your breed is simply to hands on." Rowan's hackles rose a bit at that term 'breed' but she let it go. Her attention was mostly focused on simply getting to the door. "You're the first Clodagh I've met that uses explosives; another attempt to hide." Rowan was beginning to get angry.

'Just get to the door,' she repeated to herself. She had to get out and find a place to nest until she was sure Luffy and the others were gone. The backstreets were a place they would check first for her. She had to leave Rouge town and get across the island; away from the business and further into the unpopulated areas. She would stay there for a while, live off the land and forget about things. Simply be for a while and ignore the depression that came with leaving what had been a decent home.

"Found it." Rowan's head snapped on her shoulders as the elder turned to her with a large smile. "I knew I still had some. I have to hide it though. Shipments from Dublin have been banned." The elder held up a decent sized box and held it out. Rowan refused to move from her spot closer to the door at first but the mention of her home had Rowan coming close and taking the box. "It's the last I have of Dublin gunpowder. You island doesn't produce a lot of it." The elder walked away from Rowan, headed towards a row closer to the daggers. "Daggers don't suit you. It's practically an insult."

Rowan studied the gunpowder more closely, choosing to ignore the woman's insults again. After opening the box, Rowan ran her bare fingers through it and took a gentle sniff. The elderly wasn't lying; the powder did come from Dublin Isle.

"Here." Rowan found the woman was in front of her again. In her hands were two items that Rowan easily recognized.

"Brass knuckles?" The woman smiled brightly and motioned the weapons towards Rowan. With hesitant fingers Rowan picked up the two weapons. The light weight was comfortable and the metal was cool. Rowan tossed the objects a couple of times in her hands.

"Put them on," the old woman ordered. Rowan did as she said and placed the rings upon her fingers. They fit comfortably enough and the palm grip felt as if it had been fitted to her hands. Rowan clenched and unclenched her fingers, even throwing a couple of punches. "Good, good!" the elder cackled. The elder walked off yet again, leaving Rowan with the weapons and gunpowder. Rowan heard the woman rattling around, doing something or other, but Rowan was too busy contemplating the new weapons to pay her much attention.

"A Clodagh fights like a bull." Rowan found the old bitty back beside her and with quick fingers, the elder removed the brass knuckles. With even quicker fingers the elder wrapped the knuckles individual and then wrapped them in packaging. "A bull needs its horns for its hooves can't do all the work." The elder put the gunpowder into a bag and placed the weapons on top of the box. She then held the bag out to Rowan. "Take it." Rowan did as ordered. The woman smiled. "If you get caught with a weapon in this city you get in trouble. Watch yourself, Clodagh. The official in charge has no heart for pirates, especially not for a pirate like you." Rowan watched with a slack jaw as the woman placed a gentle hand on her cheek. "I can tell you are just like your father." Rowan finally had enough.

"I haven't said I was going to buy—"

"It's a gift." Rowan's head was spinning. How did she know Rowan was a Clodagh? How did she know so much about Clodaghs? How did she get ahold of Dublin gunpowder? How did she know Rowan's father? Who was this woman? Rowan opened her mouth to demanded answers to the questions swirling in her head but suddenly found herself being hustled towards the door by the surprisingly strong old woman.

"Now get out of my shop before the marines begin to ask questions." The door of the shop was slammed behind Rowan with a loud 'bang'. Rowan spun on the door and when she slammed her fist against the wood, all she received in return was the sign on the door being flipped on her.

Rowan was stunned. A woman who knew of Rowan's heritage not only insulted her twice but also threw her out of the store.

"Crazy bat!" Rowan hissed, her anger finally catching up to her. Rowan continued to stand in front of the weapon shop, bag in hand and seething. When the door didn't melt under her glare Rowan turned with a huff and stormed down the street. It was as Rowan was leaving the downtown area that a sudden realization hit her like a brick to the head.

'She was blind.' Feeling like an idiot, Rowan stared back down the road she had come from. Her head was throbbing with an oncoming headache. Rowan shook her head hard and just kept walking. 'Like a surprise typhoon on calm waters,' Rowan heaved. 'Never walking into a random store again.'

As Rowan continued to swear this to herself in her head, the woman paid little attention as to where her feet were taking her. The crowd began to thicken as she got closer into the center of the town but Rowan was still going over her encounter with the blind woman.

'I didn't even get the woman's name.' Olive eyes turned down to the bag she had in hand.

When the second hand that day fell on Rowan's shoulder she just about screamed out in frustration.

"Tanaka!" Rowan turned with a scowl. That scowl intensified when Rowan saw the formal outfit of a marine. Rowan's entire body tensed, ready for battle, but the next words out of the man's mouth threw Rowan's world for another spin. "What do you think you're doing? Going shopping when we've been waiting for you since the afternoon! Come on, girl!"

Rowan cried out when the marine grabbed her by the back of the neck and dragged her through the town. Rowan's mind shut down for a moment from all the confusion. She watched the city pass her and her mouth about dropped when she was drug into the island's Marine Headquarters. After a few staircases, which Rowan tripped on, the man tossed her into a broom closet. Rowan's mouth opened, prepared to bellow her head off when an outfit hit her in the face. "Hurry up, Chief! Captain Smoker doesn't like to be kept waiting!"

Rowan looked down at the outfit in hand and saw it was the formal outfit of the marines, just like the one the man outside the now shut door was wearing.

'…I want to go back to Merry Go,' Rowan groaned and even whimpered though she'd never admit to it. Rowan came to the conclusion that she currently had two options; tell the man he had the wrong person and risk getting caught as a pirate, or play along with the obviously blind fool and get out at the first chance she got while praying the real Tanaka didn't show up. The marine banged on the door and shouted for Tanaka to hurry up. Rowan was half tempted to bark back at him but kept her temper. The best way to get out of her situation she decided was to play it by ear. Quickly, Rowan tossed the uniform over her bound chest and changed her jeans for the blue uniform pants. The boots she pulled on quickly enough and even changed her black beanie for the Marine baseball cap. Her hair she stuffed up into the cap which made most of it disappear.

"Tanaka!"

"I'm ready!" Rowan shouted back at the door. It took Rowan a moment but the woman decided to slip the two brass knuckles into her pants pockets and even slipped her cigarettes in there as well. The gunpowder Rowan had to pour into a bag she found in the closet and stuffed that powder into her boot. As Rowan walked out of the door, she kept her glower on and lit a cigarette. She had been building up too much stress to not have one. The marine gave the stick a look of disproval but didn't say anything.

"Follow me. I just got word that there are pirates fighting at the execution scaffold. We need to inform the Captain."

Rowan honestly believed her stomach had actually put itself into a nice knot or even flipped over on itself and died. Every thought in Rowan's mind began a mighty pray that turned into a mantra that the fighting had nothing to do with a certain straw hat wearing boy. With her thoughts occupied, Rowan followed after the marine officer with absent-mindedness. The man led her further into the Marine building and stopped before a door. Rowan frowned when she found that the building was getting hotter the closer they got to this room.

"Captain Smoker!" the marine shouted, Rowan flinching at his high tone. The marine tossed open the door and a substantial amount of steam spilled out, escaping to a higher altitude. Frowning, Rowan looked around the suddenly panicking officer and into the room. "Pirates are causing a disturbance at the execution scaffold!" Rowan watched what appeared to be massage stones fall from what she assumed to be a tower that the only living thing in the room had been building. Realizing that he had destroyed the man's progress the marine backed into Rowan. "The pirates are—!" the man trailed off.

Rowan felt a shiver run down her spine despite the heat. The redhead knew in an instant that the man inside the room was a beast. He had the same deadly aura that hung around other warriors that Rowan had been raised with. She found the man glowering at the door with one of the stones still in hand. Rowan saw the tension in the beast's shoulders and was sure that she and the other officer were suddenly going to be attacked. But, suddenly, like a wave washing away the sand, the tension was gone and left the room just like the steam.

The man that suddenly seemed like the compliant dog instead of the rabid wolf rose from his single couch and chomped down on two cigars in his mouth. Rowan sucked hard on her own cigarette as she watched the muscular man place on a thick, fur lined jacket.

"No good. I'm trying too hard. I shouldn't rush it now should I?" the Captain mused aloud, finished with putting his jacket out. Rowan took in the man, blowing smoke out of her nose as smoke left his mouth.

White hair stuck up from a broad face with sharp features and dark, angular eyes. Rowan could see that the man was built powerfully because he wore no shirt under his styled-Marine's jacket. Many cigars were strapped to the left side and sleeve. Rowan guessed smoking two at a time would force a man to carry around a lot.

"Yes sir, beg pardon, sir," the marine saluted. Rowan followed the salute with one of her own. She had seen it so many times before that she had it down. Rowan watched the man step out of the steam room and pause right in front of her.

"New recruit?"

"This is Chef Petty Officer Tanaka, the switch from Western HQ." Rowan was happy to finally figure out her supposed rank.

"Sir," Rowan saluted again, back straight. Rowan felt the man's eyes swipe over her. There was nothing sexual or perverted about the up-down from the man's dark eyes; it was an observation of a predator. The man was seeing if Rowan was another predator or if she was prey; and after he decided that he was seeing if she was a stronger predator then he. Rowan understood this game; she had played for the longest time with a lot of different people.

The man's nostrils twitched lightly as his dark eyes moved to the cigarette held in Rowan's mouth.

"West Blue?" Rowan felt one of her eyebrows raise but nodded none the less. The warmth smoke filled her lungs when she breathed. The Captain's dark eyes watched the smoke come out through her nose.

"Aye-aye, sir," Rowan stated, after the smoke had drifted up from her face. The Captain made a noise of acknowledgement before walking on and back the way Rowan and her panicking partner had come up.

"Welcome aboard, Chief Tanaka. Now, what was it you said was going on?" The marine opened his mouth and when only an entangled blob of uselessness came out the Captain simply continued on himself. "Oh yes, pirates are causing a ruckus at the execution scaffold, eh? Send Squadron One to the port. Have Squadron Two surround the area from the road to the square. Have the remaining soldiers take up positions within firing distance of the square."

"Yes, sir," the marine stuttered to the Captain. Rowan found it easy to keep up with the Captain's march while the other marine seemed to have to hurry. Rowan could understand though; the Captain walked just like she did; wide steps, shoulders flung back and head held high. There was no hesitation in any of his steps; they were steps that spoke of a destination but that he would get there when he was ready.

With the man's brisk pace, the three were soon back out of the Marine Headquarters and walking through the city. It didn't go unnoticed by Rowan that the citizens made way for the Captain and there were very few who actually acknowledged them out of anything more than fearful respect. Rowan simply kept her eyes downcast and followed after the Captain's feet. Last thing she needed was one of the others to recognize her and ruin everything before she had a chance to escape.

The small squeal of a child caused Rowan to look up. Rowan watched a little blond haired girl, no older than eight, run ahead of her father. With a smile that was full of innocents, the girl held out her hands which held an ice cream cone proudly in front. Three different scoops were balanced preciously on top of one another.

"Three scoops!" the girl squealed.

"Don't run or you'll drop them," the smiling father chided after his daughter. Rowan felt her heart stutter in her chest as the child came running in their direction. Rowan felt her body move to intercept but the child, happily oblivious with her treat, was simply too fast. With a powerful 'whump' the small girl ran into the Captain's leg, ice cream being smeared everywhere. With tears in her eyes the girl looked up at the Marine, bottom lip trembling.

"Captain Smoker!" the father yelped with obvious terror. "Please forgive us!" the father was rushing to his child as he blabbered. "She's just a little girl!" Rowan felt her body stiffen, preparing to save this girl. Captain Smoker, as Rowan now knew him to be, looked down upon the petite child. Rowan flew to his side when Smoker's hand fell upon the child's head.

Before Rowan could speak or do a single thing Smoker hunched down and placed three coins into the child's palm.

"Sorry," the Captain apologized. "My pants ate up all your ice cream. Next time, try five scoops." The girl, no longer crying, walked to her dad with a giggle. The father couldn't have looked more relieved.

"Thank you. I'm so sorry," the father expressed. Smoker looked over his shoulder at Rowan, chomping on his cigars. It finally hit Rowan that her current expression and position was that of a fool and rather incriminating. Her first was literally pulled back ready to fly. Her mouth was open wide, as were her eyes as shock turned her body to stone. When Smoker raised a brow as a demand for an explanation, Rowan pulled back and recomposed herself.

"Chief?" the Captain questioned but Rowan simply motioned down the street with a hand.

"The pirate issue, sir?" Smoker gave Rowan one last look, the other marine looking between the two with wide eyes, before heading towards the center of the town. Before the Captain had gotten very far though, a woman's voice cut through the crowd's buzz.

"Captain Smoker, sorry I'm late!" Rowan looked over her shoulder and watched a rather frazzled looking woman. Smoker turned so quickly on the approaching woman that it actually startled Rowan.

"Tashigi! Where have you been?" the Captain thundered.

"I'm sorry! I'll get ready right away!" The woman turned to the nameless marine who held out a jacket he had grabbed earlier back at headquarters.

"Sergeant, here's your jacket," the man said, telling Rowan that this was her supposed superior.

"Oh, thank you Chief." The woman took the blue, fur-lined jacket and slipped it on over a colorful button-down shirt. Her black, chin length hair only brought out her dark eyes and slim features. Once she pulled out a pair of gloves from her pockets and placed them on, the woman grasped her beautifully decorated katana. "I'm a little off today."

"You mean more so than usual?" Captain Smoker bellowed. The Sergeant cowered behind her blade, showing the slightly taller Rowan a pair of rectangular framed glasses upon on her head.

"Forgive me!" Smoker glowered at Tashigi with a ferocious expression before turning back the way he was originally headed.

"C'mon. There's a disturbance at the square!" Rowan trailed after the Captain with the Sergeant at her side. The black eyed woman let her eyebrows rise when she looked over at Rowan.

"I don't think we've meet. Are you new?" Rowan nodded her head with one quick jerk of her chin.

"Chief Petty Officer Tanaka, ma'am," Rowan greeted.

"Sergeant Tashigi. Nice to meet you." Rowan nodded again, ignoring the conversation going about her for the most part. Her focus was kept by the steadily growing crowd. Captain Smoker led the group to a building which was crawling with marines. Rowan's stomach bubbled with nervousness but kept she herself from showing it. Smoker led them to the top floor of the building. Rowan's eyes scanned the many marines, half of which were sitting down on benches and armed to the teeth in fire power. Widows covered both sides of the building. They had a perfect view of the execution scaffold.

"Captain! Sergeant!" a goggle wearing marine greeted in what seemed to be great relief. Rowan, hands shoved in her pockets, started counting as many escape routes as she could along with how many marines there were. She was going over how to disarm half of them when Smoker demanded,

"What's going on here?"

"A civilian's being held hostage," a large marine stated, his rifle held tightly in sweating fists. Rowan made it to the open window and looked out, making sure not to pass Smoker or Tashigi. The later grabbed a pair of binoculars and looked down upon the crowd. Rowan couldn't make out who was on the execution scaffold that well but felt a powerful lurch of her stomach as she noticed one of them was wearing red.

"There are three wanted individuals in the square. Iron Mace Alvida—" Rowan's sudden noise of shocked disbelief had every marine in the room looking at her. Rowan, too shocked by the name of her former captain to care, got closer to the window and scanned the still growing crowd.

"I think you might be wrong on that," Rowan scoffed.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't see any fat sea cows, is what I mean. Alvida breaks the record when it comes to 'large lady'."

"We confirmed the identities of all of them. It's definitely Alvida." Rowan gave the officer a look of disbelief before looking back out the window.

"If it is, watch out. Something isn't right about her losing that much weight in such a small amount of time. I'd bet on my life that she has a trick up her sleeve." Rowan looked over her shoulder at Smoker and found the man staring her down again.

"You know a lot about this pirate…" Rowan, realizing she had placed herself in a rather complicated position, quickly covered her ass.

"I make it a point to know my enemies." The Captain took that as an answer and motioned for the other Marine to continue.

"Buggy the Clown," Rowan did see a colorfully dressed man up on top of the scaffold next to the spot of red and yellow. The name brought little to Rowan's mind just the random knowledge that the Clown had a bounty that was known as decent in the East Blue. Rowan honestly didn't care about the Clown. Her eyes were back on the red dot. "And Monkey D. Luffy." Rowan's entire body deflated.

'Of course that fool will be in the middle of it all.'

"Luffy?" Smoker chomped down on his cigars. "Never heard of him."

"We just got word a few days ago. He has a 30 million beri on his head." That caught the attention of a lot of marines. Rowan simply looked at the informer since she had already heard this information.

"Thirty million! Been a while since we had one like that." When Smoker looked at Rowan, the woman raised a red brow into her ball cap. "Know anything about this one?" Rowan couldn't stop the snort that escaped her nose as she looked down on what she was now sure to be Luffy.

"He's a special breed of idiot," Rowan answered truthful, unable to stop the tiny frown from popping on to her face.

"Well, right now he's…about to be killed." Rowan flew across the other marines and snagged the binoculars from Sergeant Tashigi's hands, not thinking about the way it would look. Placing the glasses firmly against between her eyes, Rowan looked straight at the execution scaffold. The woman just about fell out of the window when she saw Luffy stuck on the scaffold thanks to portable stocks that had him on his knees. Buggy the Clown stood next to Luffy shouting into the crowd. With the binoculars Rowan could now see that the scaffold was surrounded by other pirates dressed as clowns. Buggy threw his arms about in grand style and the crowd of pirates cheered.

Thunder crackled above.

"A dispute between pirates, eh?" Smoker questioned, coming to stand next to Rowan and Tashigi.

"Should we attack, sir?"

"What's your hurry, fool?" was the response from the Captain.

"But if we wait—" Smoker's powerful glare cut the man off before he could go on any further.

"Have we ever let a pirate escape from our city?" The marine who had intervened shook his head hard. Sweat was pronounced on his skin.

"No, never!" he stuttered out. Smoker crossed his thick arms over his thicker chest and looked on into the crowd.

"Then shut up. We'll let those pirates kill each other. It'll make our jobs easy! Now listen, when Luffy's head rolls surround Buggy, Alvida and the rest of them."

Rowan gave the Captain a single look before turning to look back through the binoculars. It appeared that Luffy and Buggy were talking and the Clown didn't look happy. Luffy simply seemed bored. The two pirates continued to talk while the soft buzz of quiet talking came from the marines behind. Rowan saw Luffy take in a deep breath through his nose before the boy bellowed out across the rumbling crowd,

"I'm gonna be King of the Pirates!" Rowan barely concealed her nervous laughter with a poorly disguised coughing fit. The boy would just not give up. Rowan returned to her binoculars and watched Buggy lift a curved blade up high.

'Wait…' Rowan questioned a sudden realization hitting her like a ton of bricks. 'Luffy's about to be…executed.' The binoculars dropped from Rowan's hands, clattering on the floor. Luffy struggled in the stocks, his neck stretching but the stocks refused to release him.

"Stop the execution!" a voice hollered. Ever head turned back to watch both Zolo and Sanji charge into the splitting crowd. Buggy kept his arms pulled back, sword still raised high over his head. People ran out of the charging path that was Zolo and Sanji's destination.

"What's going on?" Smoker demanded from his men.

"It's Roronoa Zolo!" Rowan felt a wave of relief flood through her starting from her stomach.

"Roronoa Zolo? Here?" Sergeant Tashigi cried.

"The Bounty Hunter? What great timing!" Rowan actually snorted aloud at that. Before the Captain could demanded from her an explanation, one of the other marines gave it.

"Zolo's working with that monkey guy and his pirates." The loud chores of shouts rang in Rowan's ears. Tashigi snatched the binoculars up from the ground and looked down at Rowan's former comrades. The two men met the enemy pirates, both clashing like a wave on the beach.

It was then, as Buggy's blade raced down in a powerful arch, that Rowan suddenly felt her stomach plummet. Zolo and Sanji weren't going to make it in time. She knew this. She had a clear view of the battle field and there was no way that they would make it before Buggy's blade fell down on Luffy's neck.

"Prepare for battle," Smoker's voice echoed somewhere in the back of Rowan's mind.

Then, like it was sent to her on the wind, Luffy voice reached Rowan's ears.

"Zolo! Sanji! Usopp! Nami! Rowan!" Olive orbs were at the center of Luffy's face as the boy split into a bright grin. There was no remorse, hate or regret on the boy's face. Just a simple, happy smile that went ear to ear as a blade came down upon his head. "Sorry. I'm a goner."

The rifle was in Rowan's hands before her mind even registered the weapon. Pelvic braced against the bottom of the window, the gun was laid on her arm as she looked through the scope. The smell of gunpowder filled Rowan's nose. Her sight was on Buggy. She had a clean shot but would it make the distance? Rowan felt her finger pull back the trigger and smelt the gunpowder burst.

The 'crack' of gunfire was lost in the monstrous roar of the thunder. Lightning struck the earth with the might of Hephaestus striking the anvil. The light was so strong Rowan was instantly blinded. Screams took to the air from the citizens. Rain took up the sudden silence that swallowed what seemed to be the entire city. It pounded against the buildings, softly and slowly at first before it turned into a mighty shower that drenched everything and everyone.

Rowan felt the drops for she hung out the window, searching for Luffy. The lightning had hit the scaffold, no doubt attracted by the height and Buggy's risen blade. Charred and destroyed the scaffold was no more than a pile of rubbish now. People were shouting behind Rowan but the woman didn't care. The debris of charred wood moved and Luffy, looking only a little burnt, pulled himself up. The boy plopped his hat back on top of his head. There wasn't a single voice among the highly crowded group of bystanders and pirates. Rowan breathed a sigh of relief when the chef and swordsman finally reached their Captain.

'About time!' she couldn't help but huff to herself.

"Captain!" a marine shouted, banging open a door and coming in to the room. Rowan looked over her shoulder, finally no longer distracted by Luffy. Two new marines had entered, both of them looking horrified.

"What?" Rowan was startled by the appearance of one of the newcomers. The creator that had entered was supposedly a woman, standing at a least seven feet tall with muscles that bulged from her entire body. Her face looked like she had run into a building with her pig like nose, water eyes and thick head.

"There's an intruder!" Rowan moved all her weight to one leg and raised an eyebrow when the other, smaller, newcomer pointed an accusing finger at her. "That's not Chief Tanaka!" Rowan looked at the supposed woman again. The only resemblance the two of them had was their red hair, though the beast of a woman's was an dark auburn instead of Rowan's copper color. With a cold look that could freeze Hell over, Rowan turned her olive orbs on to the other Chief who had made the mistake.

"You mistook me for that?" Heads were snapping back and forth on necks as they went between Rowan and the newcomers along with the shocked Captain. With half lidded eyes Rowan turned to the beast. The real Tanaka was breathing heavily with her water eyes popping out of their sockets. Rowan could see a blood vessel throbbing dangerously on her massive forehead.

"I, Chief Petty Officer Tanaka, impersonated! How dare you try to tarnish my reputation!" Rowan let out a snort, grip tightening on the gun in her hand.

"Not much of a reputation if someone mistook you for me." The woman let out a scream that was more of a tremendous roar and charged Rowan. The woman's movements were large and over exaggerated. Rowan could see the woman's weak spots with ease; too much motion and not enough planning. When the woman was but a few inches away Rowan stopped the charging behemoth. Without much enthusiasm, Rowan pointed her unloaded gun at the woman's forehead. No one in the room was sure if Rowan had shot the gun thanks to the earlier thunder crack.

"What do you want?" Smoker demanded from Rowan after a strained moment of silence. "What did you hope to accomplish by impersonating a marine?" Rowan pointed a finger at the male Chief and placed all the blame on him.

"I was minding my own business when this fool pretty much kidnapped me. As if I would actually willingly even pretend to be something as pathetic as a marine! But then, a woman in my position can't really walk out of a Marine Headquarters; too many questions." Rowan blew smoke out of her mouth towards the ceiling. "Want I want however is to simply leave. Shouldn't you go and capture those pirates? Don't want that crazy hag Alvida getting away."

"You're not going anywhere," Smoker growled out around his cigars.

"Really Marine, you have no rule over me. No man does." And with that Rowan jumped backwards and let her butt hit the bottom of the window. Without another thought Rowan let her top half became heavy and, with a mocking salute to the Captain and the rest of the marines, fell right out the window. The redhead was soaked the instant she was out of the shelter. The wind was wild and ripped Rowan's ball cap right off her head. Rowan had no time to think on this however, for the concrete below was coming up quick and she was moving towards it, face first.

With one powerful heave, Rowan found herself feet first and facing the building she had just fell out of. The rain splashed into Rowan's face, making it hard to see as it plastered her hair to her head. Rowan reached out towards the building and felt her fingers snag a wet brick, not yet chilled by the rain and warmed from the day's heat. Shoulder joints screamed in protest when Rowan's body came to a jerking stop. A single look down allowed Rowan the time to figure out what to do next. Letting go of what Rowan now saw to be another windowsill, the female dropped towards a flag pole that jetted out from the brick building. Rowan caught that, decreased her falling motion and let go once again to land with a wet 'splat'.

"Not doing that again," Rowan groaned, rotating her shoulder cuffs to help with the pain. Rowan spared a glance to the window she had leapt from and saw guns pointed at her. She didn't bother looking back as a couple of bullets hit the concrete around her. It was easy to run down the wet streets, her feet splashing on the darkened floor. Rowan tossed the Marine shirt from her body. The bare skin that was exposed was instantly chilled for Rowan was left in nothing but her wrap that kept her chest bound. There were very few people out, and those that were, were quickly heading to shelter hoping to get out of the storm.

Fighting to see through the rain was hard and made Rowan's trek slower. Rowan threw herself against the harsh winds that seemed to bat at her from all sides. In all honesty, it reminded Rowan of the Grand Line's weather.

'Need to get out of the city,' Rowan grumbled to herself. There was no possibility that she would find a ship willing to take her form this island at the moment. She'd go in the wilderness of the island like she had originally planned. Turning from the way she knew to be the direction of the ocean, Rowan braced herself against the rain and wind and started running.

Luffy's surprised scream cut through the howling wind and straight to Rowan's ear. Her body spun Rowan in the direction the boy's cry had come from. He and the others should have made it to the ship by now. If they didn't get there soon there would be no chance of them setting sail. Rowan's body shook with her inner turmoil. At the moment she was free of Luffy. They would leave without much thought due to their pressures and the storm. However, if she went to Luffy now she would remind the boy of her presence and that just make it harder.

When Luffy's voice came to Rowan again, the woman was running to the boy's aid without a second thought.

Rowan came upon a strange scene. Captain Smoker was sitting on Luffy's back, forcing the boy's face into the wet concrete with one hand while the other was reaching for his jutte. However, another man Rowan had never before seen stood behind Smoker, the stranger's hand holding the handle of the weapon and keeping it on the man's back. The newcomer was dressed in a heavy cloak that protected him from the massive rainfall. Without much thought to the circumstances, Rowan charged forward. Her hands went into her pockets and pulled the brass knuckles from the pants.

The redhead threw a quick punch that the cloaked man dodged by ducking. Smoker's eyes went wide as Rowan threw an uppercut that forced the cloaked man to fall backwards or be hit. Rowan ignored the man on his ass and turned her head to Smoker. A side kick was thrown straight at the Captain's head. Rowan's olive eyes went wide with shock when Smoker's head turned into a cloud of smoke.

'Devil Fruit user,' Rowan concluded as Smoker's entire body disappeared into the thick cloud. Rushing to Luffy, Rowan bent to pull the boy to his feet. In her haste to help Luffy, Rowan didn't even notice that the Marines were baring down on her. It didn't matter though because at that moment a powerful wind tore down the street. Both Rowan and Luffy were sent flying along with the rest of the Marines. Rowan's head hit the concrete hard, forcing her to see stars for a moment.

"Luffy, run! We're gonna be trapped on the island! It's a humongous storm! Rowan! Stop being lazy and get to your feet!" Rowan would have spat at the swordsman if the fool hadn't suddenly grabbed both her and Luffy by their necks. The woman was forced to start running or suffer another face plant into the concrete. Rowan continued to run with the men, Sanji appearing out of nowhere with a smile on his face. "Stop dragging your feet!" Zolo shouted at Luffy.

"What is it? What the heck is it?" Luffy cried, still confused about something.

"So this is what Nami was talking about!" Sanji commented on what could only be the storm. Lightning illuminated the sky with a thunderclap right behind it as if to prove Nami right again.

The Merry Go came into view, rocking wildly on the rough waves as they were kicked up by the harsh winds. Usopp and Nami were both on the front dock, Usopp ready to detach the ship from the dock.

"Luffy! Hurry! Hurry! The rope won't hold much longer!" the lone nose cried.

"It's pouring!" was Luffy's unintelligible response.

"Nami, I'm back!" Sanji cheered with a gleeful skip.

"You slowpokes!" Nami screeched over the side of the ship. "Hurry up and get on board! We're casting off!" Rowan slowed down her flight, the boys quickly rushing past her. Rowan had fallen to a stop and was about to turn to run now that she was sure Luffy had made it back to the ship; Rowan shoved the relief she felt at also seeing Zolo from her mind. Usopp's voice cut into Rowan's retreat however.

"Rowan! Where are you going?" Rowan barely held back her cussing. She could actually hear Luffy squeal to a stop. The boy's head did a turnabout, the rest of his body still trying to stop. Sanji and Zolo also stopped, Zolo's brows furrowing deep in between his glowering eyes.

"Rowan?" Luffy parroted Usopp. The redheaded woman instantly felt trapped the second those onyx black eyes landed on her. "Come on!"

"I told you before Luffy, I'm not going to the Grand Line!" Rowan didn't understand the sudden need to defend herself to Luffy, but it was there all the same. When she saw the realization fill his eyes the feeling only became stronger. "Go!" she shouted at him, waving her hand towards him in the pouring rain.

"No!" Rowan was startled by Luffy's sudden shout. The boy's eyes narrowed and his thin lips pouted out. Determination filled the boy's eyes like a flame bursting to life. "You have to come with us!"

"I can't Luffy!" Rowan snapped at the boy. "Just go on without me! My journey with you ends here!"

"No! I want you to be part of my crew, Rowan! No one else!" Green and black clashed like the lightning above.

"Come on, you guys!" Nami screeched from the Merry Go as a large wave about bashed the ship on to the land. "We don't have time for this!"

"I can't go with you, Luffy." Rowan shook her head. "I refuse to enter the Grand Line again." Rowan's eyes went wide when instead of listening to her Luffy plopped down on the wet dirt that made up the makeshift dock they had landed at. A strong wind blew hard from the ocean, forcing Rowan to squint down at the now sitting Luffy. The boy placed a hand on a bent knee and kept his hat on his head with the other hand.

"I'm not leaving without you, Rowan. I want you to be part of me crew." A hot anger filled Rowan's stomach. Who was this boy to demand things from her? He didn't know a single thing about her and yet he acted as if he had every right to ask, no, to demand from her something she had sworn to never do again. He did this while knowing that if he didn't leave now they wouldn't be able to leave the island and more than likely die at sea or be captured by Smoker. Luffy was uncaring as he placed Rowan between the rock and hard place.

"If I go to the Grand Line Luffy each and every one of you will die!" Rowan screamed. Her fists were clenched at her sides as her rage made her sweat. She knew she looked a tad crazed as she fought against someone who was demanding she do what she feared most. "Do you want that, you idiot? Every second I'm with you you're death is getting closer! By going into the Grand Line with you I'm putting a target on your back! I thought you wanted to be King of the Pirates? Then go! Get out of here! Leave me alone!" Luffy's black eyes looked up through his lashes, straight into Rowan's own eyes. The no-give in the boy's expression made Rowan take a step back.

"I'm not leaving without you," the boy repeated, his voice like steel. "You're my crew mate, no one else."

"Hurry up!" Nami screamed in a high pitched wail.

"The rope is going to break!" Usopp cried, holding on to the rope with all his might. Rowan's eyes went to the sea again. The waves were getting bigger. Merry Go was being forced to ride these waves, bucking up and down as if on a wild bronco. The ship was going to be knocked on to land if they didn't leave now. Rowan's anger bubbled to a boiling point.

"Yer bein' selfish! Don't ya see? Yer endangering yer whole crew just fer one! Just go already! Stop being so stupid!" Rowan screamed to the point her voice cracked. Luffy didn't respond quickly, but instead he gained his large smile that went from ear to ear.

Just like the idiot boy had on the scaffold.

"Become my friend, Rowan!"

Rowan felt the give in her determination when she looked into Luffy's goofy face.

Friend.

Not crewmate.

Friend.

When was the last time she had an actual friend?

"There they are!"

Rowan's head about did a 180 turn. The marines were making it to the dock, weapons drawn. Smoker was at the head.

'…fuck.'

Her shoulders slumped and her head hung as all the tension left her body.

"You've doomed yourself boy." Rowan met Luffy's smiling face head on and jammed a finger at his chest. "The second there's trouble I'm out. I'm not risking your life. And if that means I have to go to the stupid Grand Line than fine. But this isn't forever Luffy."

"You'll join?"

"Yes. Now let's—" Rowan grunted as Luffy launched himself at her and hugged her for all he was worth.

"Awesome!"

For the smallest of seconds Rowan let herself enjoy the feeling of arms wrapped around her in a nonviolent manner. But that second flashed by quick and Rowan shoved an elbow into Luffy's face.

"Let go! We need to get out of here now!"

"Right!" Rowan watched with horror as Luffy snatched hold of Merry Go by using his devil powers and proceeded to launch them both onto the deck.

A surface that felt like a brick was what broke Rowan's fall. Strong arms wrapped around her, keeping her slipping feet steady until she could do it herself. Rowan knew who it was that had caught her before she actually looked at the man; his scent of ever present steel wasn't deterred by the rain at all; it actually enhanced the scent in Rowan's opinion.

Not to be caught off guard, the woman quickly shoved herself from the man's arms and stood on her own. Not so much as a node was sent in the man's way as thanks. She refused to give him the pleasure. His ego didn't need it.

Especially if his smirk was anything to go by.

The ship was rocking and rolling on the waves, sending the crew rocking and rolling along with their stomachs. Rowan was terrified that the sails would rip in the wind if the sea didn't swallow them at first.

"Yikes! The ship's about to capsize!" Usopp yelped as he tried to keep his feet underneath himself. Merry Go was far away from the shore now, the rough waves actually propelling her forward with the tailwind they had collected in the sails. The marines nothing more than black specs on the horizon.

"There's a light!" Luffy suddenly called out to the crew from his spot on the railing near the ram figurehead. Waves crashed onto the deck and tried to grab on to the feet of everybody standing.

"The island's lighthouse?" Sanji questioned aloud, joining Luffy along with the others. Rowan kept further away from the group but still near them as she looked into the storm. Sanji was right about it being a lighthouse. She had seen it once three years ago, looking through a storm much like this one.

"That's the Guiding Light," Rowan explained, wiping water off her face. "The Guiding Light leads to the entrance of the Grand Line." Rowan watched Sanji escape from the group and to the lounge. She ignored his departure in order to look back to the light.

"So, what's it gonna be?" Nami questioned from her spot right beside Luffy.

"Do we have to do this in the middle of a storm?" Usopp wailed, knees knocking. Rowan pushed her hair back again as she stared at the shining light. For most it would be a beacon of adventure and hope. Rowan saw it as nothing more than a sign of death. The woman's gut was twisting and churning while bile rose in her throat. There was nothing but her demise waiting in the Grand Line.

"Okay, let's launch this ship onto the great ocean!" Sanji's voice cut through Rowan's dismal thoughts. Turning, the woman found Sanji coming towards the group with a barrel of grog with him. Rowan watched the man bring the barrel to the middle of the frontal deck. Bringing his foot up high, the man slapped it down with a smirk. His wet cigarette hung limply in his grinning mouth. "I'm going to find the All Blue." Luffy was quick to join the man, scampering across the slippery deck. With his chest puffed out and his face set the boy declared,

"I'm gonna be King of the Pirates!" and banged his foot down as well. Zolo came forward, as proud and calm as always, and set his foot down with a simple 'thump'.

"I'm going to be the World's Greatest Swordsman." Nami came up besides Luffy and slapped her sandal clad foot on the barrel with the authority of a Queen.

"I'm going to draw a map of the world." The sharpshooter followed his Captain's example and scampered after everyone else. The young man placed his foot on the barrel, the boot slick and wet.

"I'm going to become a brave warrior of the sea!" When Rowan didn't move towards the barrel, the five turned to look at her. Rowan looked at each of them as they all looked back at her with expectations in their eyes.

With a sick twist of her stomach Rowan realized her dream was nothing like the others. And it was one she could never say out loud without having to go into a thousand and one explanations. Something she couldn't do if she wished for this group of fools to live.

With a tired sigh, Rowan walked forward and lifted up her foot before she placed the drenched appendage down with her own solid 'thunk'. No one asked Rowan why she didn't say anything and no one asked her to express her dream; and Rowan couldn't thank them enough for that.

As one, the Strawhat crew lifted their legs high and crashed them down upon the barrel. The barrel didn't stand a chance against one of them, and broke into splinters when they all put their strength against it. The grog splashed upon the deck and was swept away into the ocean deep. Cheers raised up high from the group and echoed into the storms clouds,

"Grand Line, here we come!"