Thanks again for all the favorites and follows. Enjoy your day and hope a lot of blessings are given to you.

I've gone back and added translations to the Japanese to the end of the chapters. It was pointed out to me that it may be confusing to have the Japanese. I tried putting the translations in the chapters themselves, but wasn't pleased with the result. Sorry if I missed a few.

"You and Skye are relentless in training us. How much longer of this?" Nami groans as she sits down.

I laugh as everyone, except Skye, sits down at the table to eat dinner. "Till we are satisfied you are at a sufficient level. Tomorrow you guys can pretty much relax, though."

"That's a relief." Nami says as she digs into her food and the rest of us do the same.

"Think Skye is alright?" Sanji asks worried. "She's been gone for a few hours."

The door to the cabin opens right as he finishes his sentence.

"I'm alright. Took me a bit longer to do and get everything I wanted." Skye walks in a places a box near the table. "12 baby den den mushi's and one normal one." She hands me a map and points to the box, "Everyone take a mushi. Instructions for care and all the numbers are on a paper. It'll be good to have tomorrow." She sits down at the table takes off her mask then slams it back on again.

"Something wrong?" I ask as I finish my food.

"Garlic and onions. Scent is too strong for me right now. Just fed." She replies and lays her head on the table.

I look at her concerned, "Again?"

"Mhm. Shadow travel takes more out of me than I thought it would, especially since I don't know this world very well. The Grand Line is going to be brutal for that."

"Odd, considering one of your favorite elements is Shadow and you are creature of the night." Zoro comments.

"The elements aren't balanced in my body. I may have been made to have the elements and live with them just fine, but each one is battling its opposite for supremacy. It's why I tire easily when I use large amounts of energy."

"So while traveling in the Shadows, your Light abilities are acting up, making you have to use more energy to keep an element from lashing out." I realize. "You weren't very tired after raiding that Marine boat, though." I point out to her.

"I mostly used vampire speed, a Water sword and my pistol, as well as hand-to hand combat. I didn't use the elements much that time."

"Yet the Marines still want you 'Alive'. Why?" Nami asks.

"They think she has an unknown Akuma no Mi. They want her alive so they can kill her later to get the fruit. No guarantee to get the fruit if she's brought in dead." I say.

"Not like they could anyway. I die, I turn to ash or dust. No proof to bring." Skye states matter-of-factually.

The others looked slightly green. "No ones going to die soon, so...what'd you find out about Loguetown?" I ask Skye.

"A Captain Smoker has been stationed there. He has stopped all the pirates who dock there for supplies before going to the Grand Line. He has the Moku Moku no Mi. He also uses a Seastone tipped jitte. He's dedicated to capturing pirates and criminals, but over-all seems like a good guy. The townspeople like him."

"Any subordinates of note?"

"There is someone he almost regards as an apprentice. Master Chief Petty Officer Tashigi. She seems to adore katanas and is a proficient swordsman, but can be clumsy."

She makes two mirages, one of Smoker and one of Tashigi. I look at Zoro as he makes a small gasp. He's staring at Tashigi looking slightly in pain. Hmm...wonder what that's about.

"Do you still want to go to Loguetown, Luffy? We have enough supplies to skip it." Sanji asks.

"We're going." I state firmly. "I'm not entering the Grand Line without seeing where the Great Pirate Era began. Where Gol D. Roger lived, and where he died."

"Alright then. I could use some new clothes." Nami says.

"I need some swords. Even with the training we've been doing, 1 sword feels weird." Zoro says.

Nami smirks. "How are you going to do that? You're broke if I remember correctly."

Zoro falters, until, "I'll give you some money Zoro." Skye lifts her head off the table and looks at him.

Zoro looks skeptical. "Really? What's the catch?"

"None." She blinks at his narrow-eyed look. "What? I can be nice to you once in a while."

He grumbles. "Fine. How much?"

"1 million, but you better not use all of it or I'll make you pay it back." she warns as she pulls out her chest of money and takes out the allotted amount.

Zoro takes the offered money. "Doumo. I'll try not to spend too much."

I look at Sanji and Usopp, "What about you two?"

"Supplies for the ship." Sanji states.

"Not sure yet. Probably supplies for sharpshooting." Usopp shrugs.

"What about you Skye?" I look at her.

She shrugs. "I might stay on the ship and work on balancing my powers. I got new knives today, they were having a one-day sale. Good quality. No, the swords weren't on sale." she adds to Zoro.

He relaxes, "That's good."

"Yoshi! Tomorrow's going to be an awesome day!" I yell in excitement.

-Next Day-

I look down two roads, "Eh? I'm lost? Skye's going to be mad I forgot my map." I tell the empty streets. I shrug and go down a random street hoping it was the right direction. I walk down some steps, "It's a good thing Skye is on the ship. I'd never be able to..." I trail off as I realize who is in front of me.

Kneeling on the ground, putting full vials of blood in her storage, is Skye.

"You'd never be able to wander on your own ever again? Is that it?" Skye doesn't look up as she speaks.

"Sooo...I thought you were on the ship?" I wave in a random direction even though she wasn't looking at me.

"I was. Almost blew it up, so I decided, that since we are in a well populated town, I'd get some blood. Don't know when I'll be able to on the Grand Line and since we both have bounties now, we'll be on the run from a lot of people." She finishes and stands up, staring at me for a long minute. "You forgot your map, didn't you?"

I grin. "Hai!"

"Don't look so proud." She looks around. "Hmm...your luck kicked in. Even though you're lost there is something interesting to check out." She points to something behind and above me.

I turn around and look. "Gold Roger Bar. Ooh! You're right! Let's go!"

I dash inside and sense Skye following. We go down some steps with pieces of wanted posters left on the wall after being torn off.

"Kind of a dreary place," Skye comments. "Though not as bad as some places I've seen."

I peek in the doorway and see no one there, but I feel one person. We walk in.

"Hello? Is this Gold Roger's Bar? I saw the sign and was curious." I ask the lone man sitting at a table.

"Scram, kids. I'm closing this place down today. Not like you two belong here anyway."

"You going under?" I couldn't help asking, Skye snickers in the background.

"I'm closing it down myself. Now, get lost!"

I walk to a stool and sit down. Skye leans against the wall near the door. "I was just curious about the name. That's all." I tell the man, and then point to the skull on his table. "That skull! It's huge!"

He then tells me about the skull and a few more Roger stories like it.

"Now though, all that's left in this town are cowards and scum. Men crazy enough to challenge that sea of evil are all but gone now. That's why I'm closing this place down." The man tells me.

I grin and shiver in excitement. "I'm going to the Grand Line too."

"Huh?"

"Roger was so cool. He's how a pirate should be! That's why I set out to sea, to go to the Grand Line, find One Piece, and become King of the Pirates!" I grin at him in determination.

"That was fun. I like him." I tell Skye as we head to Main Street.

"Mhm." Skye replies distracted.

"Something wrong?" I ask her.

"Nope. Just thinking over the encounter. He seemed to see something in you that reminded him of something...I wonder what it was..."

I was about to ask her to explain when I realized where we were. "Main Street. We're actually walking down it. Just think, could Gol D. Roger have walked these very stones?"

"Most likely did. Especially on the way to his execution."

I speed up in excitement, and soon reach the execution platform. I look up at it. "Can you believe it Skye? We are standing in the very place where the Great Pirate Era began."

"I can feel it. The lingering sense of excitement from all those years ago. The stones here still remember, and still pulse with it." She looks around her wide-eyed.

I stare at the top of the platform. "I have to go up there." I walk to the base and start climbing.

"Wouldn't have been easier to just Geppo up? Why in the world are you climbing?"

"This draws less attention." I reply.

A moment of silence. "Yeah, you are actually drawing a lot of attention right now."

I look away from where I was trying to climb and see the gathering and staring crowd. "Oh." I grin down at her. "You're right."

"And you don't care, do you?" her voice was resigned.

"Betsu ni." I turn back to climbing as she sighs.

I get a little higher than before when a voice calls out. "Hey!?"

I look down and see Captain Smoker. Oh great, it's him. "Nanda? I'm busy right now!" I yell to him as I cling to the metal of the platform.

"Are you the guy with the biggest bounty in the East Blue?" Smoker asks.

"Tabun. Ne, how do you smoke and talk with two cigars, Smokey?"

I hear Skye snickering.

"I just do. Now, are you the guy?" Smoker asks with a hint of exasperation.

I sigh. "I'm Luffy. Do you need something? I'd like to get back to climbing." I look back at the platform and look to where I need to grab next.

"I'm in charge of Loguetown. You're under arrest."

I look back at the man. "Huh? Under arrest? Forget it!" I grin at him. "I'm about to go into the Grand Line and become King of the Pirates!

"King of the Pirates? Then you'll have to beat me first. That's the rule of this town. Assuming you're brave enough to fight me that is." he taunts.

I look at him in excitement, "Yosh! Let's do-"

Skye speaks up. "Chotto matte. You can't seriously be thinking of a fight right now? We've barely had a day off. Let's wait a little longer."

"Aww...do we have to? I really want to fight him." I look at Skye pleading.

"Damn those eyes! No! Now get off that platform, and let's go. We can come back and have your fight, later!"

I think about it for a minute and sigh. "Hai, hai. Let's go." I let go of the bars and drop down.

"Actually you're not going anywhere!" Smoker speaks up and prepares to fight.

"Captain, cover your eyes." Skye whispers to me and I do so with my hat.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Skye reach into a satchel on her belt and then throw her hand out, then she rushes me away.

Once we were safely away, I ask her, "What did you do?"

"I acted like I took something out of my satchel that momentarily blinds them, when I just really flashed a weak ray of Light." She explains.

"Yoku yattane!" I was about to say more when I realized I was very sleepy. I yawn. "Gome ne, but I'm going to take a nap." Thankfully we were in a park and I lie down on a bench.

"You do that." Skye settles on the ground nearby and brings out a book.

I relax and let the darkness close in.

I sit up and stretch. "Whoo! That was a nice nap." I look around and see Skye still reading her book next to the bench I was on. "Let's go to the execution platform."

Skye looks up, then puts her book away, standing up. "Hai. You lead the way."

"But I don't know here it is!" I protest.

"Exactly my point. We'll kill more time letting you lead." she states with a small smile.

"Stupid vampire killing my fun. I really want to see the top of that platform." I mumble as I walk off in a direction I think the execution place is.

I hear Skye sigh, "Baka. It's the other way."

"Oh. Shishishi. Arigatou!" I turn around and start walking, quietly singing a song I remember Shank's crew singing. "Going to deliver Binks' Sake! Following the sea breeze! Riding on the waves!" I continue singing and I hear Skye humming along.

"There's a few familiar people running about in the town. Not the crew." Skye suddenly says.

"Oh?" I stop and sense the area. I groan. "Please tell me that isn't Buggy."

"That isn't Buggy." Skye tells me flatly.

I glare at her.

She shrugs. "It is him. He probably wants revenge on you for Orange Town. What'd you do to him anyway?"

"I may have used a a typhoon move on him with my sword and Rankyaku." I tell her.

"Hmm...impressive." She looks around. "I sense Marimo nearby." She grins.

We head in his direction and find him admiring a sword.

"Oh! That's a cool sword you have!" I lean forward and look at the sword. "Seems like a troublesome one though."

Zoro puts the sword away. "It's a cursed sword. What are you doing here?"

I stand straight. "I'm lost."

Zoro looks at Skye. "And you're not helping him, because?"

She snickers. "Kills more time this way. Avoiding an inevitable fight with Smoker for as long as possible so you guys can enjoy the day a bit. How much did that sword, and the other one, cost?"

"Nothing. Tested my luck against the blade's curse and came out on top. Guy gave me both for free. I guess I really impressed him."

She nods. "That's good. We'll have to practice the Black Blade soon. Those are some nice swords. Hate to see them break."

Zoro nods determined.

"Ne, Zoro? Do you know where the execution platform is?" I ask.

"You're asking him?" Skye asks surprised, then burst out laughing. "That'd be worse than looking on your own!"

"Shut up!" Zoro yells.

"Shishishi. Fine. I'll keep looking. You're welcome to join us, Zoro." I look at my stomach as it growls. "Eh, how about we all stop for lunch?"

"Sounds good." Zoro nods and gets up.

Skye shrugs, "I could have a fruit or two."

We walk off looking for a restaurant to eat at.

"Ne, Skye? How come you eat fruit, but not other foods?" Zoro asks.

"When I was first turned I could eat all sorts of food. Things happened, and fruit is the only thing I can stand to eat now besides blood. Anytime I think of eating food, I feel sick." Skye shivers.

"That too bad. Food is really good. Especially meat." I say.

"And sake." Zoro adds.

Skye gags. "No thanks to either of those."

I choose a restaurant and we go in and sit at a table. We order and as I chat with Zoro, Skye pulls out her book again. I looked at the title, 'Brag Men. Fiction Romance.'

"Ne, Skye. That seems like an unusual book for you to read." I comment.

"I stole it from Nami. It has many stories about the Grand Line. I have no idea which ones are true, but it's a nice read." she doesn't look up from her book.

"Sugoi! I don't want to read it though. The adventures are ruined if you already know about it." I tell her.

She chuckles. "That it is, but I'm your scout, and I like having information. I like the heads-up so I can keep you alive."

Zoro nods. "Hai. We do have a reckless Captain."

"Everyone on the ship is reckless to some point." Skye points out.

"Shishishi. She's right." I grin at Zoro.

He grins back and shrugs. "Guess so."

"Ahh, that was good." I lean back in my chair stuffed. "We have to eat good before we leave."

Zoro nods in agreement. "Yeah that hit the spot."

"Who's paying?" Skye asks. "Oh and not me. I only ordered a small plate of fruit."

"I don't have any money." I grin.

"Guess I'll pay," Zoro grumbles.

I was about to say more when something fell on my head and a coin fell out. "Ooh, lucky!" I turn to the guy behind us and grin when I realize who it was. Pretending not to know him, I thank him for treating us and return his coin bag. Zoro thanks him as well, and we all walk out.

I start laughing when we turn the corner, Skye joining in.

"Eh, what's so funny?" Zoro asks.

"Buggy just paid for our food." Skye smirks.

"Eh?! Really?" We nod and Zoro starts laughing. "That's just perfect. What's he doing here anyway?"

"Revenge, most likely." I say as we walk along Skye guiding us from the back with a word here and there.

A little while later we reach the square.

"Whoohoo! Here again!" I rush forward and using Geppo this time I reach the top of the platform. "Sugoi! What a view! This is what he saw as he died!"

"Ne, Captain! We are being surrounded!" Skye calls. I look down to see her putting on her hood and mask.

"By who?"

"Marines! Buggy and his pirates, and someone vaguely familiar that makes me mad for some reason!"

"Ah Smoker, I'm happy about. I do want to battle him. Buggy and them, not really. I doubt he's improved much." I mutter knowing Skye will hear, I see her relay it to Zoro.

"Hey you! Get off the platform now!" Someones yells through something.

I look around to see a Marine with a megaphone.

"Nande? I quite like it up here! I think I'll stay for a few more minutes then I'll get down!" I sit on the edge of the platform.

"That's a special execution platform under the control of the World Government! Get down here right now!"

I grin. "So strict! Nope, I'm not coming down, Officer!

"I'll come up and arre-!" He's hit aside by a huge club.

"Hmph. Now is not the time for small fries." The woman holding the club says.

"You!" Skye yells. "I only got a quarter of your damn bounty because you just had to escape!"

"Ahh. Alvida. You look different." I comment

"So, you remember me. Good, because after your passionate hit to me, I'm going to make you mine." She states.

"Eh?!" I draw back in horror. "No! Go away. Skye make her go away!"

"As you wish! Stay away from my Captain!" Skye attacks her, but for the first time I see Skye fail to harm.

Skye stops and stares for a moment. "Okay, what fruit do you have that made you look like this, and my attack slide off?"

A cannonball flies by and I realize Buggy had arrived. The fountain explodes and the fixture flies to, and slides off Alvida.

"I ate the Sube Sube no Mi. I now have such smooth skin that everything slides off. Unfortunately my beauty couldn't be improved much." She pats her cheek.

"Really? I can't say that I agree." I say as she glares at me and Zoro laughs.

"Hey Alvida!" Skye calls and Alvida looks at her, "Stay unharmed from this, Kako!" Skye punches her with Haki and is sent flying. "Ah. That felt good." Skye walks to stand next to Zoro.

"Oi, don't punch my business partner!" A man in a hood yells.

"Ah Buffoon! Thanks for lunch!" I call out.

He throws off his cloak and screams out. "It's Buggy! You moron!"

I ignore him and the screaming people and dodge the attack from behind. Grabbing the man's neck I slam him into the platform, then sit on him. "You're not a very comfy pillow to sit on." I comment. I look down at the man. "Oh, you're the one Zoro beat."

The man growls. "Get off me, Mugiwara!"

"Nope."

"Get off my Chief of Staff, Mugiwara!" Buggy yells.

"Nope," I repeat. The man in question struggles to get up, making for a uncomfortable pillow. "On second thought...here you go!" I stand up and kick him off the platform. I sit on the edge again and swing my legs.

Four Buggy pirates rush to catch the falling man and succeed.

"You'll pay for that Mugiwara!" Buggy threatens.

"Make me." I stick my tongue out at him. "Or you could just leave and try later. I have someone else I want to fight." I look at Skye. "Can you warn the others to get to the ship? The Marines will try to cut us off."

"Ryoukai." She pulls out a Baby Den Den Mushi, and begins calling the others.

I grin at the darkening clouds, "You want to know something Buggy?"

"Hmm...what?" the man asks curious.

"I'm the one who'll be King of the Pirates!" I yell throughout the square. "I beat you easily last time, and I'll do so now. You are not the one I wanted to fight, but looks like I have no choice." I jump from the platform. "Soru!" I appear in front of him and punch him hard in the gut. "Zoro, Skye. take care of the rest."

"Ryoukai!" The two shout and begin fighting the rest. I notice Zoro has put his bandanna on.

"Bara Bara Festival!" Buggy attacks.

I pull out my katana. "Kamisori!" I quickly dash forward, slicing his parts as I go and punch him in the face with Haki. I let out a groan as I feel the Marines closing in. "Zoro! Skye! Let's go. If we don't leave now, we'll never get to the Grand Line."

"Hai!" The rain starts to pour as we run.

Zoro and I follow Skye as she heads to the ship. "Use your Haki, Zoro! You can't lose us now." Skye calls back. He growls but agrees.

We soon come upon a woman standing in the middle of the street.

I let out a low sigh, "We don't have time for this...Skye!"

Skye darts forward to the woman and the woman drops after a few seconds.

"What'd you do to her?!" Zoro yells out.

"Don't worry. I just hit a pressure point and knocked her out. She'll be fine in a bit." Skye answers as we continue to run.

A few more minutes of running and we run into another person. Although this time I was a bit more happy to see who it was. "Smoker. You two go on ahead. I'll be fine."

Zoro nods and runs ahead. Skye stays for a moment. "Careful. Come back safe." she then runs off, passing Zoro and pulling him as he is about to go down the wrong road.

"We'll see if you're fine in a minute." Smoker says. He turns his hands into smoke and tries to surround me with it.

"Kamisori!" I zigzag to throw him off then land in front of him to punch him in the chest.

He goes flying back.

"That actually hurt, but it's not going to be enough." Smoker comments.

"We'll see." I grin at him. I ready my sword. He comes at me with another smoke attack, but I cut it with Haki.

"Argh!" Smoker glares at me as he draws back his smoke.

I sheathe my sword. "Geppo! Soru!" I land behind Smoker and steal his jitte. "Gomen nesai, but I have to reach the Grand Line, and I won't allow anyone to take my freedom. Especially a World Government dog."

I swing the jitte and quickly put the tip to Smoker's bare chest as he turns around to try and stop me. While he is weakened, I reach into his coat where I see Seastone cuffs and pull them out. Snapping them onto him, I let him go, dropping him onto the ground.

Without a word to him I turn around and run to the ship, searching for Skye's aura. Instead I find an unknown presence nearby. It made me curious, because it was so powerful and felt slightly familiar.

I rush to the presence to find a man in a green cloak and hood, I could barely see his face, but in a flash of lighting I saw the tattoo. "Otousan." I quietly say.

"So you know who I am." Dragon says with surprise.

"Hai. Ojiisan was drunk one time and started talking about you. You also saved Sabo, my brother." I tell him.

"Ah I see. We don't have much time. I just came to see you off into the Grand Line." He tells me. "You've grown up so strong and I can't wait to see what you do."

"Shishishi. Arigatou gozaimasu. You helped though with those books you sent."

"Glad you read them. You want to be King of the Pirates? If that is your decision, then go!"

I run off. "Hai! Tell Sabo I said hello!"

Following Skye's aura once more I head to the sea and Geppo to the ship.

"Luffy! Glad you are alright. Who was that strange aura you were near?" Skye asks.

"The one who sent me all the books." I tell her. I had told her a few months ago, who I had thought sent me all the books.

"Soka. Glad you could meet him." Skye grins at me and I grin back.

"There! That light!" Nami yells. "The entrance to the Grand Line is just beyond that light!"

"The Grand Line." I say in awe. I look at my crew and they all smile and nod at me.

"Shall we hold a launching ceremony for setting sail on the great sea?" Sanji asks.

Everyone agrees.

Sanji puts his foot on a barrel. "To find the All Blue!"

I put my foot up. "To be King of the Pirates!

Zoro puts his up, "To be a master swordsman!

Then Nami, "To draw a world map!

Usopp shakily puts his foot up, "To be brave warrior of the sea!

Skye puts her up, "To be free and travel with my nakama!

I look at her in surprise and she grins at me.

"We are going to the Grand Line!" I yell.

"Yeah!"

Betsu ni: Not really or not particularly

Nanda: What?

Tabun: Maybe or perhaps

Moku Moku no Mi: Smoke-Smoke or Plume-Plume fruit

Hai, Hai: ok, ok whatever.

Yoku yattane: Good work or Good job.

Mugiwara: Straw Hat

Otousan: Father

Ojiisan: Grandfather (I apologize if Father and Grandfather are incorrect, please tell me if they are.)