I do not own One Piece; that is in the hands of Eiichiro Oda

Chapter 25- Closure

"The letter…" Nora gave Hunter no time to react and had immediately ran out of the room and into another. Loud banging noises could be heard from where Nora had headed and Hunter could hear a faint speaking. "I have to find it, I have to find it." The words constantly repeated until the banging stopped. Everything was quiet, the tension in the air heavy.

Nora walked back into the room, a piece of parchment, not large enough to be a giants, but too big to be a humans in her hands. She slammed it down on the table, making Hunter jump, she could make out a quiet whimper from Nora.

"Why can't I figure it out? Why don't I know what she was trying to tell me?" Nora seemed beyond depressed and Hunter moved over to see what had been placed onto the table. She was shocked to see what she remembered to be her mother's handwriting on the paper in front of her. What Hunter assumed to be a letter was quite large, the writing on the page in dark ink and much larger than a human would normally write, but for a giant to be able to see it the writing had to be big.

She read over the words, taking each one in as though she was in Nora's shoes. Hunter read aloud some of the words that struck her like bullets. "Yet I know they will still come after me one day, I want to raise my children first." Hunter looked down, she knew what she had meant by this. It was no doubt that Nora knew of the witchcraft her family used, but somehow the marines had gotten a hold of the information. 'Was Moriah sent to my hometown by the marines? It would make sense, the navy wanted my family dead. But why would they take in Yuu? Did they know about his powers?'

Hunter had too much information to take in at once at decided it was best to research her theories instead of coming to conclusions. She heard Nora speak again, this time directed at Hunter. "I've read this letter more times that you can imagine. I waited for another letter for so many years but never received one, after 10 years I gave up, assuming she had forgotten about me. But I have one question that I have never found an answer to." Hunter gazed at the giant, waiting for her to continue. "Until now."

"What is it?"

"Did you inherit her gifts?"

"Yes."

"Then you are never to use them, she wanted it to be gone from this world."

"I'm afraid I have already disobeyed that rule, to save my brother…" Nora sighed, "You say I am like her, yet there is one thing I lack that she had. I don't strive for power, I only look up to it. You may have known her well, but as much as she used the magic and hated it, she still used it. If someone honestly hated something, then why do they choose to use it?"

Nora was shocked, this girl talked so low of her mother, she went to speak, but found no possible way to argue against what the girl had said. When Nora didn't speak up Hunter began again.

"I have only ever willingly used my power once and that was to save Yuu's life, if it is a crime to let my only family live, then I guess I better start running."

"No, I understand, the situation needed it."

"Then are we going to figure out what this letter actually meant or sit around whinging?" Nora smiled and the two examined the letter carefully, each taking their own interpretation of what it meant.

It had become nightfall and the two were still absorbed in the parchment, Nora seemed about ready to give up, but Hunter was still studying her mother's letter with caution. Nora had gotten up from her seat and began to prepare some food, 'What could you honestly have wanted to tell me?' Nora sighed and went on with her business.

Hunter was sitting on the bed Nora had made for her, 'This whole letter is out of order, she goes from talking about burning the evidence, to protecting her family and back to what she thought about witchcraft. Its honestly as though she needed to write it this way. Wait a second…" Hunter knew her mother well enough to say this, she wouldn't abandon a friend, not without a goodbye, so why would she stop writing so suddenly? Even if it had gotten her killed, Hunter's mother would have sent a final letter to Nora.

Hunter looked at the letter again this time in a different perspective, she read the first letter of each line and managed to see a message. 'THIS IS GOODBYE PLEASE BE SAFE.' Hunter gasped, she could feel tears dripping down her checks yet again.

Nora heard the small girl and turned around, rushing to her side. "What is it?"

Hunter managed to slow her crying and spoke to the giant. "She knew…. She knew she was going to die… She knew what lie ahead for her and she tried so hard to protect us… She never expected that bastard to go for her family first, after seeing the way we all fell apart she couldn't take it… Even though she knew she was going to die, she never expected it to be that way."

Nora looked at the girl, "How?"

"It's right here, all those years ago she told you that you would never see her again, but she hid it to protect you."

Nora was amazed at the girls ability to crack her mother's code, she wanted to be sad, but realised she couldn't, because Allison's hard work, although it didn't save everyone, paid off. 'Thank you so much Allison, I am forever indebted to you and your family.'

Well did you like it? Anyone notice the code I placed into the story? I hope it wasn't confusing.

Please review.

Thank you so much Sam for your review, it brought many happy tears to my eyes. I am catching up to my position in One Piece as well hence the slower progression of time, so I am marathoning it as well.

Alyssa xoxo