(A/N) So what do you guys think about the cover? I drew it yesterday, but it still didn't turn out the way I wanted it too. Oh well!

Munchkin: I got the secret message! Yay!

EMZ: Thanks for reviewing!

Chapter 10: Trust Me

"Anyone of you guys know who she is?", asked Luffy.

I placed the daggers I had found on the table. There were 4 of them. Each one was finely crafted. The blades were 6 and 1/2 inches long, and the hilts were covered in black and red ribbon. On the end of the hilts were two small circles, and to each one of those a short lilac string was attached. At the end of the string hung two silver feathers.

I took a newspaper out of my pocket, and also placed it on the table. On the front page was an article, with its heading written in gigantic letters 'ASSASSIN OF THE NIGHT - THE ANGEL OF DEATH STRIKES FEAR INTO PEOPLES' HEARTS YET AGAIN'. I spoke up.

"Do you guys know about the so-called Angel of Death?", I asked the Strawhats. Nami, Robin, Sanji and Franky nodded their heads. The other four looked clueless. Luffy spoke up.

"No."

"Apparently there's been someone going around killing pirates with high bounties. Not just pirates - revolutionaries, mountain bandits, even plain civilians. People are able to recognize whether it was her or not easily", I answered.

"Why?", asked Usopp.

"Because whenever she kills someone, she leaves a dagger with two silver feathers attached to it by a single lilac string in their heart."

It was silent for a moment, and everyone stared at the blades on the table.

"So, basically, what you're saying is that she was after Luffy?", asked Nami.

"Pretty much."

Ace wasn't taking part in the conversation. He was sitting in between me and Luffy, fuming about the fact that someone had tried to assassinate his younger brother. After she lost consciousness - I have no idea why, though - we put her in the Sunny's brig. No one had a clue about what we should do with her.

I stood up.

"I'm gonna go up to the deck to get some fresh air."

"I'll go with you", said Ace. He followed me out the door, and over to the other side of the ship.

I leaned against the railing and waited for him to start speaking. I didn't have to wait long.

"Marco...?"

"Yeah?"

"About that girl... Doesn't she remind you of someone?" So he noticed, too?

"Yeah. Of Lexi."

"Do you think it's her?"

"I don't see there being any other possibility. She has the same color hair, the same color eyes, the same powers..."

"So you're pretty sure it's her, right?"

I nodded.

"What do you think she's doing here?"

"Other than trying to assassinate your brother? I have no clue. From what I remember, she didn't like to fight." My thoughts wandered back to her emotionless eyes. What had happened to her over the last few months to make her like this?

After hours of searching for her when she escaped the ship I had returned back to the Moby Dick to report that she was gone for good. Pops had been concerned about her safety. And from what I see, he was right to be that way. She had most likely gotten herself into some kind of mess. Maybe the World Government had found out about her...? No... That's impossible... Isn't it?

I decided to go to the brig. I had a few questions I wanted answered. Before I left, I asked Ace to check her belongings, back on her boat.

When I woke up the first thing I thought about was how cold it was. As soon as the feeling of weakness sunk in, I noticed the chains connecting my wrists to the wall. Panicking, I started struggling against them. I couldn't help it. I kept it up for a good few minutes, before I noticed that the skin around my wrists had torn more. I took deep breaths and did my best to calm down. Finally, I was able to reduce my panic to only slight twitch in my fingers.

Feeling better than before, I decided to examine my surroundings. It looked like I was in some kind of brig. Did this colorful ship even have one of those? There was no porthole, and it was dark. Thankfully I could still see. It was a pretty small room, with wooden walls and a floor. One of the sides of the room was made completely out of bars - horizontal and vertical, and there was a small gap that signaled an entrance to the tiny cell. Maybe I would have been able to reach it, had I not been chained... I started struggling against them again, and didn't stop when I heard someone's footsteps echo from beyond the small room. There was a light coming closer, too. I figured it must be somebody holding a torch. But why did the footsteps sound so familiar...?

I saw a shadow getting closer, and eventually someone unlocked the door. In walked the phoenix. I scooted as far back as I could. It was funny how the situations I had managed to get myself in were so similar... I saw another shadow behind Marco. I guessed it would be the Strawhat. I was wrong. Firefist soon came into view, and he looked pretty pissed, to say the least.

Marco spoke first.

"Lexi?", he whispered. "Is that you?"

I didn't answer him. He already knew, didn't he? Why didn't he think to take off the scarf and bandanna Then he would know for sure, right? Instead all the stupid pirates did was chain me up in here.

The phoenix turned to Firefist.

"Can you leave us alone for a second?"

"Alright, but be careful."

"You worry too much."

And with that Firefist was gone.

"I would explain myself if I were you. The pirate you almost killed was Ace's younger brother. Needless to say, he's pretty protective of him."

I still refused to answer.

"Look Lexi. I know that it's you. No one else in this world has that power."

"Makes sense that it would give me away, doesn't it?", I asked.

Her voice was bitter, as if she didn't want to speak. Well, no big difference there, she was never the talkative type.

She looked so helpless and scared, slumped against the wall farthest from me.

"Why don't you take off that bandanna. I like being able to see the face of the person I'm talking to."

"Did you considerate the fact that I can't move my hands to take it off?"

"I guess that's true. May I?", I asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. It's not like it'll make a big difference. He already knew who I was.

The phoenix moved his hands to untie the knot at the nape of my neck. I held still. The thing was stuffy, it would feel good to finally have it off.

Marco had pulled back and was studying me closely again.

"Anything else you need?", I asked roughly.

"As a matter of fact, no. But there's something I want."

"Oh? And what would that be?"

"I want to know why you left the Moby Dick all those months ago."

Is that all?

"I left because it was a pirate ship. Last I checked, that's not exactly one of the safest places to be."

"That's why you left? You were scared of being on a pirate ship? That's the only reason you left?"

"I was not scared, OK?! I just didn't like being aboard a pirate ship!"

"Then why are you on one now?", I asked.

"Orders", she said, looking away.

Orders? I thought she said she wasn't a marine...?

"Then you were a marine all along?!", I asked, suddenly angry for some reason.

"No, you dimwit! I was not, am not, and will not be a marine!", she shouted.

"Then what happened to you? Why are you working for the World Government?!", I shouted back.

"I never told you I was working for them, did I?!"

I quieted down. There was some truth to her statement. I decided to ask, just in case.

"So who are you working for, then?", I asked

"I never told you I wasn't working for them, either", she whispered.

My eyes narrowed. So she was with them all along...

"What happened to make you this way? From what you've told me before it seemed like you despise the World Government, yet you're working for them?!", I raised my voice again.

"It's not what you think! I don't want to! But it's not like I have a choice! No, wait. Scratch that. I do have a choice: either work as an assassin for them or my whole island will get destroyed in a Buster Call!"

I fell silent.

"So they basically blackmailed you?"

I nodded my head in shame.

"You know, we still have no idea what to do with you. Why don't you come back to the Moby Dick with me? We can take back your island, we can help you."

"No one can help me now. Especially not you!"

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because I don't trust any of you. Who knows when someone in the crew would turn me in to the Government?!"

"No one would do that! They're friends!"

"Friends?! Don't make me laugh! I already told you what I think about friends!"

"Hell yeah,you did! And I still think that you're wrong!"

"Oh really? If I didn't care for the people on Green Leaf I wouldn't have been in this mess in the first place!"

"Well too bad! You're still coming aboard the Moby Dick, whether you like it or not. You're still our prisoner, you know!"

"It's not like you'd let me forget! And I'm only your prisoner until I run away again!"

"You won't run away again. You want to know why? Because you need our help!"

I was quiet. What Marco said was true. I felt tears well up in my eyes, and I bit my lip to keep them from falling. I spoke up again.

"Do you really think anyone on the ship would accept me as what I am?", I asked quietly.

"I'm sure at least a few would - me, Ace, for example. There would definitely be others, too. Just give them a chance."

I couldn't hold back the tears anymore. They fell down my cheeks, and onto the floor.

Marco came closer and hugged me. I couldn't help but to lean into him. I barely registered the fact that his wounds from before were gone.

"Come with us. Even if you'll just stay for a little while. I promise we'll help get your island back." I nodded into his shoulder, my tears moistening the fabric of his shirt. For the first time in months, I felt.

The sounds of shouting from down in the brig were gone...

(A/N) Don't forget to review! I check them everyday, and try my best to answer all of your questions. Well, unless you're asking for spoilers. I don't answer questions like those. And tell me what you think of my very first drawing of an anime character! And I already know that the feet are too small, and the thighs to big. *looks away, depressed*

-Phoenix