It's kinda sudden I know, but I hope you guys enjoy!

"What do you mean you're not going to go back to your dad's ship?" Rai asks, nearly shouting, covering his mouth I glare at him, Rai pushes my hand off roughly while returning the glare. "Rose, what exactly are you planning?"

"To continue what I started." I tell him simply. "I'm going to follow the clues that I get." I tell him shrugging my shoulders. "The only other person that knows is you." I say staring at him; Rai ruffles his dark hair up and closes his eyes. "I'm telling you because Marco asked that I talk to you about it."

"Do you realize how dangerous that is?!" He hisses opening his eyes; they're a midnight blue and looking at me worriedly. "Rose, your own mother didn't even do all that on her own." He says trying to reason with me. "Marco will be furious when he figures it out or were you planning on telling him?"

"Well then I'll just find someone to go with me and yes, I plan on telling Marco." I say easily, though I know that that isn't an easy task, finding someone to stand against the World Government, Marines and anyone else who wouldn't or would want me to find whatever it is at the end of the journey.

"You're insane you know that?" Rai asks muttering. After a few moments my friend looks up at me. "If you're going to go then bring me." He says crossing his arms; I give him an unsure look, to which he scoffs at. "Like you said, I'm the only one that knows, I'll save your ass, I know how to sail, I can fight off pirates that you wouldn't be able to and if we run into anything we can't handle I can get us out." He says determined. "I don't want to lose another friend Rose."

"And Whitebeard?" I ask him frowning. "I don't want you to give up all that you already have." I say frowning at him. "And even if we do go off together, how do I know you won't report my every move to Marco or something?"

"We're best friends." Rai says simply. "And I know how important this is to you, and you know something Rose, if protecting and helping you means leaving for a little while then alright. I'll be okay with that."

…

That same night I sat down with Marco, Rai of course demanded I tell Marco the full idea of what I would be doing and that I wouldn't be alone that very night. "So when you say you're not going to go back, you intend to get hunted down by the Marines doing the same thing your mother did instead?" Marco asks watching me from his bed.

I nod my head confidently. "Rai says he'll go with me." I say gently. "And I think we both knew I couldn't have you guys come with me the whole way through." Moving from my spot I take a seat next to Marco, who wraps his arm around me carefully.

"You think you can handle it?" Marco asks pulling me to relax against him. "You can handle running from anyone who figures out what you're doing and fighting, possibly having to kill people to do what you're setting out to do."

"Running, fighting yes, killing a person though I don't know." I mumble honestly. "I have no idea who my mother really was, all I know is that I've been stuck believing whatever I've been told. Now I have a chance to really go out and find the truth out. Marco, this is something I have to do."

Marco nods his head, kissing the top of mine he lets out a long sigh. "You're so goddamn stubborn." He mutters chuckling lightly. "You'll do whatever you want anyways right?" He asks somewhat worriedly.

"You know, you trained me, Thatch did, and Rai won't let me make stupid choices, besides we promised to see each other again."

"Pops will want to know." Marco says seriously. "It'll be dangerous."

I nod my head knowingly already. "Rai is talking about getting Haku to give us so pointers in case one of us gets injured." I say building our case. "We'll be okay."

Marco gets up turning to look at me on his bed. "It's just, it means letting you go to do something so dangerous and against everything you knew."

I nod my head agreeing with him, it means letting go of a lot of things and going against what I knew while growing up. Though to be fair all that seems to be wrong anyways. "That's just part of life isn't it?" I ask him as I push my hair back.

Hearing a knock on the door Marco answers it and he nods his head before waving me to follow. "Pops, he wants to talk to you."

Getting up from his bed I follow behind Marco and Namur. The fishman looks back at me for a moment, "It's nice to finally meet you." He says with a smirk.

I smile at him happy to see he's friendly. "And you, Marco has told me a bit about you." I say nodding over to him.

"Thatch told me a lot about you." He says easily. "He was always going on about how you two should get together already." He says smirking at Marco's discomfort. "Something about Marco not manning up."

"Oi" he mutters chuckling. "I like to think that I did." Marco says chuckling.

Namur chuckles, obviously pleased with being able to tease the First Division Commander, "For a human who started out with little combat knowledge, you're not half bad." He finishes as we get to Whitebeard.

I smile at the Commander happily. "Thanks."

Leaving us with Whitebeard Namur heads off casually walking off, turning my attention to the Captain of the ship I stare up at him hesitantly, Rai appears next to us moments later.

"I take it you're more like your mother than just in looks." Whitebeard says smirking at me knowingly. "Marco told me that you won't be returning to your father's ship; that leaves you with the options of going into hiding, which doesn't seem likely."

"Or finishing the journey I started." I finish as I push my hair back again.

Rai steps forward to stand even with me. "And I want to go with her, to make sure she doesn't get eaten by seakings or something." Rai says firmly. "Pops, Rose wouldn't last too long alone."

I roll my eyes, but decide to accept it. "They seem determined." Marco says walking over to take a seat next to Whitebeard, sitting down comfortably he looks at me sadly. "I know there isn't a thing I could say to keep her from going."

"Then at the next island you two will leave." Whitebeard says watching us carefully. "Girlie, this isn't some picnic you're starting." He warns me. "And Rai, you better be careful." He says guzzling down some sake. "This is dangerous and I'm sure once those idiots figure out what you two are doing you'll be hinted down." Rai and I both nod our heads, we've already discussed the possibility of what will happen once the wrong people catch on.

Waving us off Rai and I head back towards our rooms. "We land in two days." He says carefully. "We should get packed, then on the island we'll get a boat and stock up on supplies. We'll need to see if we can get a log pose from navigation one for the New World and then one for the first half."

"Then we'll need to get Haku to give us some basic first aid." I add nodding my head to everything Rai has on his list. "Suppose we should get started." I say as he drops me off at my room.

"You'll have to say good bye to Marco." He says looking away, slapping his shoulder I glare at him. "What, I'm just saying." Waving off as he walks towards the first division sleeping quarters.

Scoffing I roll my eyes at him, entering my room I see said command already laying in my bed. "He's right you know." Marco says smirking at me.

"I suppose you used the window to beat us." I say glancing at my now open window. "Glad to see you so at ease in here." I say smirking at him.

Marco gets up and crosses the room easily; cupping my face in his calloused hands he nods his head. "You have to be careful; I won't be there to save you." He mumbles worriedly. "No unnecessary dangers, chances, weird rituals, eating strange things without knowing what they are, no getting shot, stabbed, scratched or killed." He says seriously.

"I can do most of that." I say comfortingly. "I think though I run the chance of getting scratched." I whisper easing the tension. "Marco, I'll be safe." I whisper grabbing his shirt.

Marco wraps an arm around my waist and lifts me up, kissing me. The kiss is urgent and fervent. "Promise me that the next time I see you after you get off this ship, you'll be safe, stronger, and still you." He mumbles against my lips. "Don't let finding the truth of everything make you lose who you are."

"It's a deal." I whisper back as I run a hand through his hair.

…

Having everything packed and my room back to being bare I glance at Ace, he's volunteered to carry my two bags up to the deck; I have the Eternal Pose tucked safely into my bag on my back, along with the book and letter. Pumpkin is trailing behind me faithfully, the little guy isn't so small anymore; Haku says he's probably almost fully grown.

"You know, I'm going to miss having you and Rai around." He says as we walk up towards the deck where Rai and everyone who wants to say good bye are waiting. "Be safe." He mutters nudging me lightly as we walk up the stairs. I watch Ace's back as we climb up the stairs, stopping I watch him for a moment longer before he turns around. "Something the matter Rose?"

"I feel guilty too." I tell him carefully. "I want you to be safe too." I say walking up to him and hugging the freckled Commander tightly. "Please." I mumble before kissing his cheek.

"I'll do my best, and I want you to keep an eye out for my brother, he's causing some havoc." Ace says while shaking his head regretfully. "Maybe you can talk some sense into his thick-rubbery-skull." The Second Division Commander jokes lightly.

I nod my head, Ace seems a bit more unpredictable than normal, but I let it slide seeing as he's the one carrying my bags. Whitebeard has given us a small ship, one that one person could easily sail, and one that he wants us to be careful with.

Ace drops my bags down next to the first aid kit Haku and a few other doctors put together, a crate of food Johnny has given us and Rai's bag. "Thanks." I mumble hugging Ace tightly one last time. "Be careful." I whisper in his ear. "I'm going to miss you Freckles." I say affectionately.

"Oi, no goggling." Marco barks, must be the shirt and shorts. "Hands off Fire-Fist." He gripes as our hug lasts too long to his liking.

Turning around I smile at Vista, him handing me a sword. "You've done well, remember to practice." He says patting my shoulder. "Safe travels Rose."

I nod my head at him, turning I see Namur smiling at me. "You two better watch out for the seakings." He says nodding at me.

"We will, and if we run into them I have the perfect bait." I joke as Rai looks over at me shocked. "I am only joking, I need you to sail, but once you teach me all bets are off on that." I say nudging his shoulder. "We should get loaded up."

Marco of course is taking care of it, leaving me to carry my own bags onto the ship. Setting my bags down on my bunk I turn around and bump into someone.

"I refuse to give them a show." Marco mutters kissing the top of my head. "Don't do anything too stupid."

"And you better not chase nurses." I mutter wrapping my arms around his neck. "I'll miss you Marco." Pulling my arms down Marco kisses me gently before pulling away. "You better leave those other women alone."

Marco grins at me. "Rosie, you are definitely fearless, stubborn, naïve and very clever, I love all that about you. So you can sleep at night knowing I'm not chasing other women."

"Not even ones that are a smidgen like me?" I question him cheekily.

Marco chuckles, pecking my lips before taking my hands. "Did I mention cheeky?"

I shake my head and take a deep breath. "No, but I'm pretty sure that's implied." Marco steps back, leading me on the deck of the very small ship. "No nurses." I remind him playfully.

Marco nods his head. "No random strings of men either." I smile agreeing with the first division commander, no strings of random men.

As the Moby Dick pulls away from the island Marco takes one look back at it before kissing my lips and stepping back. In a smooth jump up Marco is changed into his phoenix form and is flying back to the flag ship.

"We should get everything organized before we push off ourselves." Rai says awkwardly, by his feet is Pumpkin who is happily wrapping his tail around his legs. "Get the kitchen first while I get everything ready for sailing." He says smirking at me and shooing the fox off his legs, it's pretty funny to watch him bargain with the little guy.

I nod my head, heading below deck. Quickly organizing the kitchen and then setting our navigational things up on a shelf I smile at Rai as he comes below as well. "Are we all set?" I ask him wiping my hands off on my shorts.

With a simple nod of his head Rai is leading me up; Pumpkin is sunbathing out of the way and very content with himself. "Let's get you acquainted with sailing, shall we?" He says.