Previously on The Pirate King's Son:

His hands were shaking. He could hear Kaiya's voice, tiny and scared, as Kimimaru the Killer gazed down at them. Ace remembered silently hoping that Kaiya wouldn't feel him quaking as he carried her on his back. The man had eyes like a stone in the winter… and a dark presence that made Ace shake in his boots.

"Daddy?"

For the first time, Ace saw emotion flicker in the stranger's dark eyes but it only lasted a split second.

The man spoke in a deep, somber tone. "You must be mistaken."

"Wait!" Kaiya yelled. But it was too late. The man was like the wind. A blink of an eye later and he was already gone.

. . . . . L ~ I ~ N ~ E ~ B ~ R ~ E ~ A ~ K . . . . .

The Very Next Day:

A shrill scream found its way out of Kaiya's throat as the coyote attacked. It was monstrous compared to the two children. Ace and Kaiya, roughly the same height, were about half as tall as the animal when it was on all fours.

They were no match for the beast, but that didn't mean they were going down without a fight. Ace roughly moved Kaiya out of the way and held up his pipe. It was the only thing he could think of to use and it ended up being a good barrier from the attack. Kaiya went down in time to see the large set of teeth chomp down on Ace's weapon before she rolled down the hill they had just tried so hard to scale.

"RUN!" Ace screamed. He struggled to keep his footing but all it took was a flick of the animal's head and the boy was tossed aside like a rag doll.

"ACE!" Kaiya drew her bow just as the animal looked at her. Her arms were shaking, her small fingers barely strong enough to hold back the string. She didn't have time to properly aim, so she simply let an arrow fly.

It missed completely.

Kaiya was shaking as she reached back for another arrow. The beast had taken a few threatening steps toward her. Her fingers somehow managed to notch the arrow. The animal snarled. Kaiya pulled the string with all her might. The coyote leapt in the air just as the arrow slipped out of her fingers. Kaiya sucked in a breath… just as the arrow lodged right into the big animal's side. A howl of pain escaped. The king coyote shook its head frantically, pawed its wound.

"Idiot!" Ace scrambled to stand, grabbed Kaiya's free hand and pulled her back uphill. He could still see a smoke stack rising towards the blue sky. "I said run!"

"I couldn't just leave you!" Kaiya said as she fought against the slick terrain. It was so steep she seemed to crawl more than she walked.

Ace scowled. "Didn't stop you before!"

"That was different!" Kaiya said frantically. The two of them hurried up the mountain but the snow made it difficult. Ace's foot slipped on a patch of slick ice. Kaiya yelped as his weight pulled her down as well.

The animal had somehow managed to break off part of the arrow but the tip was still lodged in his skin. The beast's eyes focused on them. He roared and began to run uphill towards them.

Ace swung with his free arm. Thankfully, it was his right side, his strong side. The metal pipe came down on the king coyote's nose and the animal whimpered in pain. Its body dropped and it slid downhill slightly as it pawed its sore snout. Unfortunately, it didn't buy the kids much time.

"Hurry!" Kaiya pulled Ace behind a tree just as the coyote lunged again. A second later and the boy would have been down an arm. They shared a wide-eyed look but there was no time for him to properly express gratitude.

Hand in hand, the kids fought against the snow, boots slipping on the icy terrain. Going straight up the mountain wasn't getting them anywhere. Ace yanked Kaiya in a different direction and began to move uphill at an angle.

"What the-" Ace looked down at the empty glove in his left hand. "Damn it! Kaiya!"

She had her bow drawn. The coyote was bearing its teeth, but so was she. The animal snarled and gave a ferocious roar before it jumped. Her arrow zipped through the air… and managed to land right into his throat. A strangled cry came from the great beast, its body still flying towards her.

"No!" Ace dropped the glove. He crouched, readied his weapon and prepared to swing with both hands. Wind whistled past him. He was getting deja vu. It was just like the attack from the wolves a few years ago, the same attack that had broken his left arm. Time seemed to slow as the animal lunged. He didn't have enough force, enough momentum to stop its huge, furry body.

Kaiya didn't have time to move out of the way. The coyote was already in the air. There was no avoiding the blow. She was vaguely aware of Ace screaming her name, but all she could see was the king coyote, its ferocious gold eyes filled with murderous intent as it flew towards her.

It was almost surreal, how slow time seemed to move. She could see the animal coming at her… but she still couldn't bring her muscles to do what they should do. Kaiya took a deep, icy breath. Ace was already running towards her but he knew he couldn't make it. The girl held up her arms in an X, a measly defense, but it was all she could think to do.

Ace saw her head turn in his direction. The animal was so close, it's sharp teeth shining as it drew near. There was a small, sad smile on her face, an apologetic look, right before she closed her eyes and prepared for the worst.

. . . . . L ~ I ~ N ~ E ~ B ~ R ~ E ~ A ~ K . . . . .

Earlier That Day:

Ace woke up early. He yawned and idly scratched himself before dressing and making the dark trek to the outhouse for his morning shit. Ace was still rubbing the sleep from his eyes when he stepped into the cold. His feet automatically began to carry him to the outhouse to do his business. Some mornings he even fell asleep sitting on the shitter. Not today.

It was one of those days cold enough to freeze your bones within a few minutes. Ace almost would have rather stayed inside the outhouse, smelly as it was, instead of facing the cold again. He'd just thrown his coat over his pajamas, he hadn't adequately bundled up to battle the temperature. A gust of wind blew right as he stepped outside and caused him to shiver.

Ace hurried back towards the home when he saw them in the first rays of light and froze. Footprints. Ace knew them well. They were the same size as his but the tread was unmistakable. A large daisy logo was etched into the snow from Kaiya's fancy Goa Goa boots (he only knew what they were because he'd overheard her complaining to Magra about how dirty they'd gotten). They were leading away from the bandits' home, a trail of daisy prints marking her path in the early morning light.

He cursed under his breath and hurried back to check the storage room where Dadan was still making her sleep. Her blankets were neatly folded against the wall. There was no sign of her winter gear and he noticed her bow and quiver was nowhere to be found, either.

The boy let out a steady stream of expletives as he ran past the two bandits sleeping by the fire. He scowled. Some guards they were. They didn't stir as his heavy footfalls fell upon the wooden floor; he was certain they didn't move a muscle when Kaiya slipped out.

Ace gritted his teeth together and dressed faster than he ever had in his life. He made sure to put on layer after layer, even wearing a hat and scarf in addition to his gloves and coat. The weather today… it was too treacherous to stay out in too long, especially if he didn't prepare. He hated the cold. He hated the winter. And he hated having to keep an eye on this stupid girl…

The boy took one last look at the bandits sleeping around the fire. Guards. What a joke. He quietly slid the door to his bedroom shut and crept out of his window. He was known for sleeping in… Yeah, no one would bother checking his bedroom first thing in the morning. By the time the bandits were up and about, he would already be long gone.

. . . . . L ~ I ~ N ~ E ~ B ~ R ~ E ~ A ~ K . . . . .

"Hmmm."

Dadan shot a look at a Dogra as she scooped rice into two small bowls. He was sitting cross legged with a newspaper from earlier that week spread open in front of him. His eyes were small and keen, quickly moving as he read.

"Oh my."

The woman shot the small male another glance but he was too wrapped up in the morning paper to notice. His lips moved silently as he processed the information.

"I can't believe it," the man said to himself.

At this, Dadan's eyelid twitched in irritation.

"If you're gonna comment on the paper," Magra said as he walked up, "you could at least tell us what it says."

Dadan looked up to see her right hand man approach and take a seat beside her. He grabbed one of the rice bowls and began to eat as Dogra folded the paper and looked at them with a frown on his scruffy face.

"There's a wanted poster in here," he said, handing a tan paper over to the two. A man glared out from under a bamboo hat. His face was partially shaded but light caught one eye. The other was hidden behind a tuft of wavy raven hair. His light skin was caked with dirt and his square jaw was covered by stubble.

"Kimimaru the Killer" was written beneath it.

"He used to be a bounty hunter in the Grand Line," Dogra said. "He eliminated many notable criminals but they say one day, he just snapped. Killed everyone on a navy battleship. They said the only thing left were the blood stains and… pieces."

Dadan looked down at the man's singular eye. There was an intent to kill in those eyes. It was apparent even through a photo. She handed the paper to Magra.

"He single handedly sunk a vice admiral's battleship," Dogra said with a shiver.

"Sounds like a Grand Line maniac," Magra said darkly.

"The worst part," Dogra continued, "is that his family was on the boat when it sank. There were no survivors… not even his own kin."

The three bandits were silent, contemplating how dark one's heart had to be in order to kill their own. Despite the countless crimes the Dadan Family had committed, family was family and there was no turning your back on them.

Dadan gripped the bowl in her hand. She wasn't one for being maternal but the thought of someone harming Ace… it made her blood boil.

"Now," Dogra said, throwing the paper down between them, "they say he's been traveling throughout the East Blue."

Magra shook his head. Dadan lit a cigarette to help her digest the news.

"Where was he last seen?" she asked.

"Shimotsuki."

Dadan cursed. He could have still been an island away… but the newspaper didn't exactly get dropped off on their doorstep. Someone had to go and nab one from the city or from Foosha Village. Anytime they got one it was usually old information.

"There's a chance he may be here already," Dogra said solemnly, saying aloud what they were all thinking. "We should all keep an eye out."

"That would explain the bounty hunters. Maybe we shouldn't let the kids go out today…" Magra said as he scratched his tidy beard.

"Speaking of…" Dadan's eyes flashed towards the loft first, then the storage room. Both doors were shut with nothing to be heard from the other side. Kaiya was an early riser and Ace… strangely enough, he had started waking up early as well.

The kids had started a habit of coming home dirty and beaten. Last night she'd almost had a heart attack when she saw Ace carrying a bloodied Kaiya back home. The girl had been muttering in her sleep and moving about the whole time Magra cleaned her head wounds. Ace was almost nine now. He insisted on cleaning and dressing his own wounds most of the time, unless he was unable to.

Dadan was worried the children might have been a bit more banged up than they originally admitted to being...

"Magra, Dogra," she barked, "go wake 'em up."

"Got it, boss." The smallest bandit climbed up the ladder with ease. When he slid the door open, he froze. Dadan could still see him standing at the entrance. Magra had opened the storage room door and he, too, was staring into the room with a dumbfounded expression.

"Well?" she asked anxiously. Her pulse quickened.

"Uh…" Dogra looked at the empty room. Ace's sheets were hastily placed in the adjacent corner of the room. "Boss," he said weakly, looking down. "Ace is gone."

"Kaiya, too," Magra added grimly.

Dadan hadn't even finished her morning coffee. It took her brain a second to comprehend the information she'd just been told, but when it did, her voice was loud enough to rattle the mountainside and scare off the local small fauna.

"WHAAAAAT?!"

. . . . . L ~ I ~ N ~ E ~ B ~ R ~ E ~ A ~ K . . . . .

Kaiya shivered.

Her face was completely frozen. She'd stretched her scarf over her nose and mouth and pulled her hood on as tight as it would go over her hat. This was the coldest day she'd seen yet since she started living in the mountains. Why, oh why, had she chosen this day, of all days?

Her head was still tender from the man in the forest. Her body hadn't known anything but aches and pains since she'd gotten here. And there had been plenty of firsts, too. She sighed. This was her new normal, now.

She whimpered as a quick gust of icy wind rushed past, kicking up loose snow and brushing her skin with a cold caress. A twig snapped nearby and Kaiya froze. She could hear footsteps approaching. Her heart quickened. Kaiya hurriedly tried to pull the bow off of her body. It refused to budge, however, as a button caught the string. The crunching snow was getting louder.

Finally she managed to get the bow off her body. Kaiya bit her lip and readied the weapon. There were evergreen trees all around her. It made a nice barrier between her and the wind but… there was something rustling the brush nearby. She stood completely still, totally silent. Her ears strained to hear something, anything, that would give her the location of whoever was closeby.

At the same instant, quick footsteps hurried towards her. Kaiya sucked in a breath and drew the bow back. She held on with as much force as she could to keep the arrow from flying prematurely. Ace appeared from behind a bushy conifer just as she lost her grip. Thanks to Kaiya's poor strength, the arrow flew before she could properly aim and it landed in the snow at his feet.

"Are you crazy?!" Ace asked angrily. A few degrees higher and he would have lost a foot. Her mouth opened to form a response but the boy marched up to her and snatched the longbow out of her hand. "What the hell were you thinking?"

He didn't know how he expected her to react. Surprise. Anger, maybe. Instead, she only let out a breath. Her shoulders slumped and she dully said, "Oh, it's just you."

"Who were you expecting?" Ace asked bitingly.

Her mouth opened to respond and then closed quickly. He saw something flash across her face - sadness? Kaiya swallowed and quietly murmured, "I don't know."

"You dunno? Then what the hell are you doing?!" Ace asked, his voice rising. "It's below freezing today! You want to lose your fingers? This ain't a good day to be taking a walk!"

"Shut up!" Kaiya told him angrily. Her eyelashes stuck together when she closed her eyes and her skin was already numb. He might have had a point. "What do you even care? I didn't ask you to follow me!"

"Well I did," he said curtly. Ace crossed his arms and stared her down. "You've got five seconds," Ace announced.

"Five seconds? For what?"

"Then I'm dragging your ass back home."

Kaiya grit her teeth. "Will you just leave me alone?! This doesn't even concern you!"

Ace could feel energy rolling off of her, just like before. She might have acted like some princess when she was around others but he could see the truth behind her act: beneath the surface, she was just like him, angry, volatile, itching for a fight. He knew she'd never admit it, though.

"What I do is none of your business," Kaiya said with finality. "Now, if you'll kindly give me back my bow, I'll be on my way."

She reached for the weapon but Ace held it away.

"You said we were gonna be allies," Ace said.

Kaiya's eyebrows furrowed deeper. "We are."

"Then I wanna know why," he demanded.

"Why I want my bow back? Because the woods are dangerous?!" Kaiya said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She tried to swipe the bow once more but Ace shoved a palm in her chest and staggered her back.

"No," Ace frowned. He lowered the weapon slightly. He could see her angry gold eyes shoot towards it, then back at his face. "Why'd you sneak out?" he asked, his voice more calm.

Kaiya avoided his gaze. "It's none of your business," she murmured.

"I'm not an idiot," Ace said plainly. Kaiya looked up at him and he could see a coy look flash across her face for a moment as if she thought, "Really?" She didn't voice it, however. "It has to do with the guy from yesterday, right?"

She stiffened up and Ace knew he'd hit the nail right on the head.

"Give me my bow," Kaiya demanded.

"Not until you tell me what's going on," Ace countered. They had a staring contest. Kaiya's eyes, narrowed, bore into his. Little did she know, though, Ace was the Staring Contest King. He'd never lost one. (Okay, he had lost one exactly, but that was because some kid threw dirt in his face. It didn't count.)

It was Kaiya who blinked first. Ace allowed a small victory smirk to creep onto his face. He held the bow towards her. Foolishly, Kaiya reached out for it and Ace pulled it away.

"Tell me," he said, "and you can have it."

Kaiya gave a heavy sigh.

"That guy…" Ace said slowly. "You called him your dad."

Pain twisted Kaiya's features as she looked down. Despite the clouds covering the sun, it was still bright out, and she could see the snow glistening like white glitter over the earth.

"It slipped out," Kaiya admitted quietly. Ace watched her head tilt downward and shadow her eyes. He watched her bite her bottom lip - a nervous habit, he realized - and she grabbed onto her left elbow with her right hand.

"So…" Ace began a bit awkwardly, "Is he your dad or not? I thought he died."

Her top teeth clenched down a bit harder when the words left his mouth. "He did," Kaiya said. Her voice was barely above a whisper. "But that man…" She closed her eyes and shook her head. "He looked so much like him I just…" Kaiya looked up at Ace with an intensity in her eyes that hadn't been there a moment earlier. She stood up straighter and raised her chin slightly.

"That man knows something," Kaiya said firmly. "He has answers. I just know it." Ace could see she believed her own words. "We're connected somehow," she told him, "I want to find him and ask him how."

"He's a pirate or something," Ace told her. "He has a wanted poster. And his bounty's huge."

Kaiya's features hardened. "I don't care. I'm going to find him."

"He could kill you," Ace told her seriously.

"I know," Kaiya said. She took a step towards Ace and held out her hand. "Can I please have my bow back, now?" she asked impatiently.

Ace hesitated for a moment. There was a fire burning in her eyes. She was going to hunt for this man… with or without him. He slowly held the bow out to her; Kaiya was quick to snatch it away and string it around her body.

"Thank you," she said bitterly. Ace gave Kaiya a hard look. Moments passed and irritation slowly started to spread across the girl's face. Kaiya asked, "Do you want something?"

"No," Ace said.

"Good. Now, if you'll excuse me." Kaiya turned but Ace took a step forward and grabbed onto the crook of her elbow. He could see wrath flash in her eyes when she looked at him. "If you're going to stop me then-"

"I'm goin' too," Ace told her.

Kaiya blinked. His words had taken her aback. She thought for sure he was going to try to talk her out of it or insist on dragging her back to the hut but…

"You're… coming with me?" Kaiya asked.

"Got a problem with it?" Ace let go of her arm to cross his own. She was headed downhill and, as they were standing, he was slightly uphill. He was looking down on her slightly as she stared. Then, slowly, she smiled up at him.

"No," Kaiya said. "Not at all."

. . . . . L ~ I ~ N ~ E ~ B ~ R ~ E ~ A ~ K . . . . .

The children were nearing the base of Mt. Colubo when Kaiya asked, "Do you think they've realized we're gone?"

Ace looked up but the sun was hidden behind an endless sea of clouds. It was hard to tell what time it was. Had to still be early morning, if he had to guess. They hadn't been walking for that long. Trekking down a mountain was much easier than trekking up one.

"Probably."

He idly kicked at a tuft of snow. Kaiya was leading the way for once. Her bow had been placed around her torso. She held the stolen map in front of her as she walked. Her head kept swiveling left and right. He could see her frown as she searched for… whatever she was looking for.

"Where d'you think you're goin', anyway?" Ace asked. He spun the pipe in circles and tossed it between his hands as he walked. He didn't like being still; it helped to keep his hands occupied.

Kaiya grabbed a rolled up piece of paper that had been stuck in the side of her backpack. She was quiet for a moment as she looked at the map, her gold eyes quickly scanning the landmarks. She followed a trail with her finger, gave a nod to herself, and then changed direction.

"Oi," Ace said in irritation, "where we goin'?"

"Mt. Sova," she answered eventually.

"What? That's like three mountains away! Why the hell are we going there?"

Her eyebrows had a wrinkle between them when she looked at him. She had thick bangs but he could see white bandages from beneath them were Magra had wrapped up the wounds from yesterday.

"I'm going there because I have to see something," she said. "You are the one who insisted on tagging along."

"I'm not tagging along with you."

"Really?" Kaiya rolled her eyes. She placed a gloved hand on her hip. "I didn't ask you to come with me, so if you're not tagging along, what are you doing here?"

"I'm makin' sure you don't get mauled by a bear," he said. Kaiya shook her head and continued on her way. "Or eaten by a pack of wolves. Or strangled by a giant python…"

Kaiya made a tsk sound. "Bears hibernate and snakes are cold-blooded," she said matter-of-factly, "they wouldn't be active in the middle of winter." When she turned away, he heard her mutter, "Dummy."

"Whatever! There are still wolves and shit! You'd be dead if I wasn't around to save your ass!"

Kaiya shot him an angry look and stomped away. Ace groaned to himself in frustration but continued to follow alongside the girl as she walked. He was half-tempted to just go back home but he just couldn't bring himself to do it.

Chances are the second he left would be the same second she stumbled into a fox's den or fell into a chasm or…

"What's that?" Kaiya asked. Without waiting for an answer, she started making her way to a clearing that held large mounds of snow.

Ace felt his stomach drop. It had been a while since he'd traveled down the mountain this way. He was silent as he watched Kaiya start to brush the snow off one mound. Ever so slowly, her gloved fingers exposed stone. With a frown, she began to clear off the snow more fervently. Then she gasped.

"These are graves," Ace told her. "This is where the bandits get buried."

Kaiya gently ran her fingers against the engraving. "This… it's from this year…" Kaiya said. The date was from the early summer.

"...that's from when the bandits stormed Trash Mountain," Ace said solemnly. They both shivered as the memories of the psychotic old woman resurfaced. He was staring intently at the grave. There were a few bandits that had died that day. This one in particular had been a newer part of the family… a vagabond from the north who had tried to rob them in the middle of the night.

Dadan had taught him a good lesson and then turned around to offer him a home. He hadn't been close to the guy or anything, though. Ace didn't notice Kaiya until a whimper escaped her lips.

"Why are you crying?!" he demanded.

Kaiya covered her face with her hands. Her voice came out muffled. "It's my fault. I looked into that knife and the Collector. He- he died because of me," Kaiya said into her gloves.

Ace's hard expression softened. He pulled his eyes away from the girl and looked back at the bandit's name carved into the wood.

"No," he said softly. "He didn't. You didn't have anything to do with it."

Kaiya wiped her eyes and looked at him with confusion. Ace clenched his fists. "Someone promised the bandits would get compensation if they retrieved the Zeta… They were going to try and get it no matter what… we just happened to be there, too."

Kaiya placed a hand on the large, smooth stone. She could feel cold trying to seep in through her gloves.

"Then," Ace said, chuckling darkly, "the damn thing wasn't even real… just a replica laced with some crazy poison."

Kaiya's head shook from side to side. "He still didn't deserve to die there… like that."

Ace grimaced. "When Dadan said mountain life was hard… she meant it. That's just what people do, Kaiya. They die. Some of them die in accidents… others in meaningless fights like that."

He watched her hands shake. Kaiya squeezed her eyes shut. His rands rang through her head and memories popped up. Distant screams echoed in her ears and she pushed away the images of fire and smoke.

"I just… try my best to get stronger," Ace said with a shrug. Then something out of character happened. A small part of Ace's heart opened and words slipped out before he even realized it. "I wake up every day and tell myself that this isn't my day to die."

Kaiya took a deep, shuddering breath. She took a moment to compose herself. Ace shifted his weight as he waited. When she finally opened her eyes, she looked… different. Resolute. Her face looked more serious, her brows turned downward sternly. She was still the same Kaiya, he knew, but her back was straighter, her head held higher. She didn't look like an eight-year-old anymore. There was a different air about her, something more worldly, more wise… and a little more dangerous.

"You're right," Kaiya said firmly. She looked down at the man's hand carved plaque one more time. Keen eyes scanned the other graves before she turned, her coattail flapping behind her.

A howl echoed somewhere in the distance. They both looked in the direction the sound had come from. Ace swung the pipe around in his hands. Kaiya pulled the bow off her back and grabbed an arrow. When they made eye contact, he could see something fierce burning in her eyes.

"People may die but we aren't going to," Kaiya said. Her small voice was gone. She spoke clear and true, her voice steady and serious. "Not today." She placed a firm hand on the gravestone and bowed her head. "Rest in peace, friend," Kaiya murmured to the stone. She gave the bandit a moment of silence. Her keen eyes scanned the other mounds of snow and he realized she must have been giving the other fallen bandits a silent tribute as well.

After the moment passed, she grabbed an arrow from behind her. She notched the arrow and kept the bow aimed low, ready to shoot in case something popped up out of the blue. When she looked at him, he could feel her silent intensity.

Ace only blinked. This new Kaiya was… a bit intimidating… but he kind of liked it. He thought back to their latest mental meet up and recalled "Kay," her bad ass persona. To be honest, he'd always thought of Kaiya as a baby but the look in her eyes gave him vibes that, if she put her mind to it, she could actually do some damage to someone.

"Let's go," Kaiya commanded. The way she spoke was stronger, more forceful than usual. Without missing a beat, Kaiya began to trek down the mountain, faster than she had before. Ace followed silently. The look in her eyes… it was pure determination. To do what, he wasn't entirely sure. He watched her back as she walked. She must have slid off the weapon without him noticing. Her bow and arrow were clutched in her hands, ready to attack at a moment's notice. She looked left and right, keenly watching for signs of life. Ace knew he should have been looking around, too, but he found it hard to keep his eyes off her.

"Look," she said, pointing with her weapon.

He ripped his eyes away bent down. "Paw prints," he muttered. "Coyotes or wolves, probably."

"You don't know the difference?" Kaiya asked with a frown.

"Neither do you," he snapped.

Kaiya hummed for a moment. She gazed into the distance and placed her thumb beneath her chin as she thought. "Generally speaking, coyotes are smaller and more comfortable around humans," she said automatically. Her voice sounded like she had recited it from a book. Well, Ace figured, she probably did. She spoke the same way Sabo did; they spoke like people who actually enjoyed reading and learning stuff. "Wolves are larger, more reclusive, and territorial… if I remember correctly."

"Either one will kill you if you piss 'em off," Ace said with a snort.

Kaiya nervously chewed on her bottom lip as she thought. She looked at the tracks but it wasn't as if it helped her decipher them or anything. "Coyotes are supposed to be less aggressive. Let's hope that's what those belong to."

Ace looked down at the footprint. He recalled the last time he'd encountered a group of wolves… Ace gripped his left elbow. He wasn't going to have a repeat of that. When he looked up, Kaiya was already following them through the brush.

"What are you doing?" he hissed.

"Would you rather take them by surprise or the other way around?" Kaiya asked. Ace scowled. This new Kaiya was… just as irritating as she always was but she certainly had a lot more grit. "That's what I thought," she said.

"We need to eat, anyway. After lunch we'll get back on track," she said after a few moments.

"Do you even know where you're going?" Ace asked.

"Of course I do," Kaiya said. She continued following the tracks. "Mt. Sova's directly south of Mt. Colubo. The city is to the west and you can't miss the walls that close it off. Even if we deviate from the path, we just need to find Middle Forest and hug the base of the mountain until we find a tributary."

Ace blinked. She actually… did know where she was going. He was surprised. To be honest he didn't think she housed any sort of sense of direction. He was no map reader; the only reason he knew where he was going was because this was his neck of the woods. He'd grown up here, after all.

"Alright," Ace said, warily side eyeing her. "So we find a river, then what?"

An embarrassed look crossed Kaiya's features. "...follow the fallen trees," she murmured.

Ace stopped. "Follow what?"

She looked sheepish. "When we first came to Dadan's, my uncle said he marked paths to important places by cutting down trees. On Mt. Colubo, they point to Dadan's home. On Mt. Sova, they lead to an old cabin his uncle built. If we can find them we'll be golden."

"I thought you were tryna find that killer guy."

"I am," Kaiya said.

Ace snorted. "What makes you think he's gonna be there, anyway?"

"...a hunch," Kaiya admitted. Ace gave her a look that seemed to ask, "Are you serious?"

"I had a… dream of him in the cabin," Kaiya said. She was half tempted to say vision but that just sounded kind of crazy.

"You're sure it was that cabin?" Ace asked skeptically. "We're in the mountains. There's gotta be more."

"Yes," she said, exasperated. "Remember last spring? I spent forever cleaning it before the landslide. I know it's the same one."

"Sounds pretty stupid to me," Ace muttered. "I don't like the idea of following some hunch you had."

"Then go home," Kaiya told him coldly.

He was just about to tell her there was no wait that was gonna happen when they heard the pained cry of an animal. The sound wasn't too far away. She began walking once again, her grip steady on her weapon.

Ace scowled at her back. "...you'd die if I left you alone," he called. Kaiya didn't slow or stop.

"...maybe," Kaiya called back after a moment. She simply kept trekking through the snow. Her back faced him but he could hear her clear as day when she said, "Maybe not."

. . . . . L ~ I ~ N ~ E ~ B ~ R ~ E ~ A ~ K . . . . .

"What the…" Kaiya breathed.

"...fuck," Ace finished for her.

The scene around them was… gruesome, to say the least. They had finally made it to the base of Mt. Sova. The land had cleared and in the center, the landscape had been painted crimson and brown. The wolves - or coyotes, it was hard to tell - were nothing but pieces. A head here, a torso there, a stray leg…

Kaiya and Ace shivered. She instinctively moved closer to him. He felt her placed a hand in the crook of his arm and he straightened up, unconsciously puffing his chest out a bit as he did so. The children walked side by side and kept their weapons close.

The snow was stained bright red. It was as if a tornado had sucked up the pack and expelled just body parts.

"It's like…" Kaiya murmured.

"Someone sliced 'em up," Ace said quietly.

The bush rustled closeby.

"Get back," Ace told her quickly. He readied his weapon. Kaiya aimed her bow; her arms were shaking. They both held their breath before… a single animal limped out. It was small with pointed ears and a narrow face. It's light grey fur was matted with blood and snow. The animal regarded them with sad eyes before collapsing onto the earth.

"He's hurt," Kaiya breathed, pushing past.

"Stop!" Ace grabbed her arm. "Don't get close to it!"

"Knock it off!" Kaiya said. She tried wrenching out of his grip but to no avail. "Look at him," she said, begging almost. "He's in pain."

Ace finally let go and she hurried to the animal's side. Kaiya knelt down beside the beast. She placed her bow and arrow on her lap. Her gloved hands gently stroked the animal's large head. The animal gasped for breath, it's body shaking with each painful inhale.

"He's breathing really hard…" Kaiya said when Ace came closer. He finally lowered his weapon and crouched beside her. There was red all over one side of the animal's body; he could see a deep gash, exposing pink below his skin. Ace could clearly see where the animal had walked; it had left a trail of red in its wake.

"Kaiya…" Ace said slowly. "He's gonna die."

"...I know," was her eventual response. The animal looked up at her. The beast's eyes were gold… almost the exact same shade as hers. Kaiya felt her heart tighten as she gently petted the animal's head. It was just like a dog… a large, mountain dog. It shot her a longing look before whimpering and slowly closing its eyes. Kaiya pulled away and tightly clutched her weapon. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

She could hear laughter in the back of her head. Kira's laugh, cold and mocking, before she spoke.

"That's what stupid animals get for messing with me!"

"He didn't even attack us!" Krystal yelled. "Why would you do that?!"

"It's called survival of the fittest, idiot," Kira said. "That's what happens when you're weak."

"He's really hurt," Kara said. Kaiya was young; she didn't understand the situation at the time but she clearly remembered the animal's pain, the fear that struck her heart as she looked at his bleeding wounds.

"Look at him!" Krystal said, screaming now. She didn't care if Kira had years on her. "You're just gonna walk away and leave him to die?!"

Kira turned. Though her eyes were the exact same as all three of her sisters', they housed a cold, unfeeling distance that wasn't present in anyone else's.

"Yeah," Kira said. "Survival of the fittest, remember?"

Ace watched a cloud pass over her face. Ace asked in a low voice, "You want me to put him out of his misery?" His voice dragged her out of the bitter memory. Kaiya slowly stood and solemnly walked past him.

Last time she'd encountered a wounded animal… her and her sisters had left it alone. Kaiya gripped the bow. It had been easier to let it suffer than to do something about it. But things were different. She was older now. She was smarter, stronger.

"No." Her voice was hard and so were her eyes. "I'll do it."

Kaiya's mouth was a thin line. She took a deep breath and notched the bow, pulled the string back. He could see her arms shaking, but he was surprised she managed to draw the weapon back as far as she did. Ace half expected a tear to fall down her cheek. Her face was stoic as she aimed, held her breath… and let the arrow fly. Had her arm been exposed, the string would have snapped her delicate skin.

The arrow landed right in the center of the animal's forehead. It pierced the skull with a sickening crunch. Ace looked at Kaiya in wonder. That was the first time he'd ever seen her shoot so strongly… and so accurately. It might not have been in self defense but he had just witnessed her first kill shot… ever. Kaiya ripped her eyes away from the dead animal and turned, placing the bow around her body once more.

Kaiya looked up the mountain and took a deep breath of cold air. They could see a stack of smoke rising up in the distance. Ace silently walked up beside her. It took her a moment to acknowledge his presence. He placed a hand on her shoulders; it was a foreign feeling but he'd seen Magra do it before when Dadan was down. Kaiya placed a gloved hand over his. When she finally met his eyes, he gave her a single nod.

"Ready?" Ace asked in a low voice.

Kaiya swallowed. "Yeah. Let's go."

. . . . . L ~ I ~ N ~ E ~ B ~ R ~ E ~ A ~ K . . . . .

"There it is," Ace said, pointing with his staff. They could just make out the tip of a roof with a column of smoke rising from the top.

Kaiya took a breath to steady her nerves, her racing heart. The man inside… he wasn't her father. She was no idiot; she'd seen his burnt body. But they looked so similar. That man had to be related to him somehow, she just knew it.

"Kaiya!"

"Huh?" Kaiya looked at Ace. There was a serious expression on his face.

"I said, 'You sure you wanna do this?'"

Kaiya gave a nod. "Yes." Her mind screamed otherwise. "I'm positive."

...positively terrified.

"You're shaking," Ace pointed out. Her knees were, in fact, wobbling together. Kaiya clicked her tongue in irritation. Stupid tell tale nerves, giving her away.

"...I'm anxious," she said honestly.

Ace looked apprehensive. "Look, Kaiya, this guy… he's dangerous."

"I know."

He stuck his staff in the snow and walked up to Kaiya, placing two firm hands on her shoulders. "He's killed people. He killed those animals back there. He killed the guy in the woods."

"I. Know. Ace." She tried to shrug him off but Ace only held on tighter.

"Aren't you scared?" Ace asked. "He could kill us."

At last, her steel gaze softened. Her voice was gentle when she said, "I'm terrified. But he won't hurt us."

Ace finally let go of her shoulders to cross his arms. "And how d'ya know that? Huh?"

"...I just… have a feeling," she murmured, looking away.

Ace groaned. "Again with the feelings." Kaiya looked hurt. Ace simply sighed. He retrieved his pipe from the snow. "Look, there's somethin' I didn't tell you."

"What?" Kaiya asked, her eyes narrowing.

"This guy's got… weird powers," he said slowly.

"Like… like Devil Fruit powers?" Her head cocked to the side.

"...maybe. He could disappear like the wind." Ace gripped his pipe and glared at a random patch of fallen snow. "He was so fast I couldn't even track his movements. It was just like… just like The Collector," he said solemnly. "Maybe faster."

The color from Kaiya's face paled slightly. "You're just telling me this now?!"

Ace grimaced. "I thought you'd chicken out before we got this far."

"Oh. Oh…" Kaiya grabbed her hat-covered head. Memories of the crazy old woman from the Grey Terminal resurfaced. Fear and hesitation struck Kaiya's heart. She bit her lip and began to pace. She'd been so ill prepared when she faced the Collector. The woman had come from the Grand Line, after all, and if this guy was wanted, he might have, too. What if this man was the same? What if he was just as twisted as the Collector, after all?

"Oh, what did I get myself into…?" Kaiya muttered.

The only answer was the sound of a nearby growl. Both children froze as a giant canine snarled, sharp teeth bared as it eyed them down with a murderous golden gaze. It was a coyote… but it was much, much larger than the average wolf.

A scream found its way out of Kaiya's throat as the animal attacked. Ace shoved her out of the way and grabbed his metal pipe with both hands, holding it up just in time to act as a barrier.

Kaiya went down in time to see the large set of teeth chomp down on Ace's weapon. "RUN!" Ace screamed. He struggled against the beast but a flick of his head and the great beast tossed the boy aside like a rag doll.

"ACE!"

Kaiya drew her bow just as the animal looked at her.

A shrill scream found its way out of Kaiya's throat as the coyote attacked. It was monstrous compared to the two children. Ace and Kaiya, roughly the same height, were about half as tall as the animal when it was on all fours.

They were no match for the beast, but that didn't mean they were going down without a fight. Ace roughly moved Kaiya out of the way and held up his pipe. It was the only thing he could think of to use and it ended up being a good barrier from the attack. Kaiya went down in time to see the large set of teeth chomp down on Ace's weapon before she rolled down the hill they had just tried so hard to scale.

"RUN!" Ace screamed. He struggled to keep his footing but all it took was a flick of the animal's head and the boy was tossed aside like a rag doll.

"ACE!" Kaiya drew her bow just as the animal looked at her. Her arms were shaking, her small fingers barely strong enough to hold back the string. She didn't have time to properly aim, so she simply let an arrow fly.

It missed.

Kaiya was shaking as she reached back for another arrow. The beast had taken a few threatening steps toward her. Her fingers somehow managed to notch the arrow. The animal snarled. Kaiya pulled the string with all her might. The coyote leapt in the air just as the arrow slipped out of her fingers. Kaiya sucked in a breath… and the arrow lodged right into the big animal's side. A howl of pain escaped. The king coyote shook its head frantically, pawed its wound.

"Idiot!" Ace scrambled to stand, grabbed Kaiya's free hand and pulled her back uphill. He could still see a smoke stack rising towards the blue sky. "I said run!"

"I couldn't just leave you!" Kaiya said as she fought against the slick terrain. It was so steep she seemed to crawl more than she walked.

Ace scowled. "Didn't stop you before!"

"That was different!" Kaiya said frantically. The two of them hurried up the mountain but the snow made it difficult. Ace's foot slipped on a patch of slick ice. Kaiya yelped as his weight pulled her down as well.

The animal had somehow managed to break off part of the arrow but the tip was still lodged in his skin. The beast's eyes focused on them. He roared and began to run uphill towards them.

Ace swung with his free arm. Thankfully, it was his right side, his strong side. The metal pipe came down on the king coyote's nose and the animal whimpered in pain. Its body dropped and it slid downhill slightly as it pawed its sore snout. Unfortunately, it didn't buy the kids much time.

"Hurry!" Kaiya pulled Ace behind a tree just as the coyote lunged again. A second later and the boy would have been down an arm. They shared a wide-eyed look but there was no time for him to properly express gratitude.

Hand in hand, the kids fought against the snow, boots slipping on the icy terrain. Going straight up the mountain wasn't getting them anywhere. Ace yanked Kaiya in a different direction and began to move uphill at an angle.

"What the-" Ace looked down at the empty glove in his left hand. "Damn it! Kaiya!"

She had her bow drawn. The coyote was bearing its teeth, but so was she. The animal snarled and gave a ferocious roar before it jumped. Her arrow zipped through the air… and managed to land right into his throat. A strangled cry came from the great beast, its body still flying towards her.

"No!" Ace dropped the glove. He crouched, readied his weapon and prepared to swing with both hands. Wind whistled past him. He was getting deja vu. It was just like the attack from the wolves a few years ago, the same attack that had broken his left arm. Time seemed to slow as the animal lunged. He didn't have enough force, enough momentum to stop its huge, furry body.

Kaiya didn't have time to move out of the way. The coyote was already in the air. There was no avoiding the blow. She was vaguely aware of Ace screaming her name, but all she could see was the king coyote, its ferocious gold eyes filled with murderous intent as it flew towards her.

It was almost surreal, how slow time seemed to move. She could see the animal coming at her… but she still couldn't bring her muscles to do what they should do. Kaiya took a deep, icy breath. Ace was already running towards her but he knew he couldn't make it. The girl held up her arms in an X, a measly defense, but it was all she could think to do.

Ace saw her head turn in his direction. The animal was so close, it's sharp teeth shining as it drew near. There was a small, sad smile on her face, an apologetic look, right before she closed her eyes and prepared for the worst. There was nothing she could do to stop him now.

A flurry of white, however, did.

The wind rushed past her as well. It moved downhill and pushed the beast backwards, but not before the coyote's claws managed to tear into Kaiya's side. The animal landed on its back with a thud. The white flakes began to whirl around the beast as it writhed and howled in pain.

"C'mon!" Ace slid down and grabbed Kaiya by the arm.

"Wait," she said, placing her hand over his. Her eyes were wide but they didn't leave the scene. She wanted to look away but she couldn't; she was simply mesmerized.

"Let's go!" Ace hissed.

"No, look!"

The animal tried to stand. It glared at them through the white blur and took a step their way. It flailed as the flurry engulfed its leg. Cuts began to appear all over the animal's front leg. When his paw hit the ground, blood began to gush out of countless cuts.

The miniature tornado moved to its face. The animal yanked its large head left and right. Fur fell off in clusters. Then…

Kaiya dropped her bow. She placed her bare hand over her mouth as she gasped. Ace grit his teeth together.

A ring of red began to appear around the animal's neck. The furious howl became a strangled cry as the large cut grew deeper and deeper. It was like a giant knife had circled the animal… again and again and again. They could see more and more flesh appear as red began to pour into the clean snow.

The white pieces pulled on the coyote's fur. It yanked the animal's head up and away until…

Kaiya screamed. Ace grabbed her and turned her away from the carnage but it was too late. He buried her face in his shoulder and gripped her tight as she whimpered in his arms. Ace grit his teeth as Kaiya began to cry.

The giant coyote's head was pulled clean off of its body. It shook the ground when it landed behind Ace. He shivered when something splashed his back. Kaiya's legs gave out and Ace knelt on the ground with her. Her hands clutched his coat as she sobbed into his neck.

There was a… giant head right beside them. Ace jumped as its powerful jaws snapped erratically. One bite almost took off his arm but Ace somehow stumbled back at the last second; he could feel cold wind and the burn of freshly cut flesh. The beast's head spasmed one more time, yellow teeth closing shut with finality.

The animal's body had fallen to its side. One leg was still shaking. Where it's neck used to be… there was nothing but blood and part of its spinal cord. He'd seen a lot of gruesome things before but… that took the cake. Ace swallowed something vile and tried not to think about the liquid threatening to spill out of him.

The white flurry soon began to circle Ace and Kaiya. He had one hand on Kaiya's back, the other on her head. She sniffled and looked up in time to see the whirlwind engulf them both.

"Ace…" Kaiya said nervously. He was squeezing her so tight, Kaiya felt like she might break.

He shushed her. "It's okay," he said. "You're gonna be okay." He hoped she believed his words; he wasn't entirely sure they were true.

They looked around in worry as the wind whipped their face. Ace's teeth hurt, he was putting so much pressure on them. His heart was thudding in his chest. He had the thought that he had to protect her, even if it meant he ended up like the coyote. They were surrounded by thousands of little white pieces getting closer and closer and…

The children looked up. A man stood before them. Dark eyes gazed down at them coldly. Ace grabbed his staff and aimed it at the man.

"Stay away!"

"...you think you can hurt me with that, boy?"

Another whirlwind and the man disappeared. The whirlwind of white circled around them once. The staff went spinning through the air as if someone had grabbed it and flung it away. The man appeared once more.

Ace clutched Kaiya and flinched back as his unshaven face appeared inches away.

"Who are you?" The man's voice was a deep growl.

Ace couldn't push away the images that flashed in his head. The way he tore apart their attacker from yesterday… the wreckage left of the coyote pack… and the headless beast that lay behind them… Ace was shaking but he kept his gaze steady.

He was surprised when Kaiya spoke.

"My name is Jaeger D. Kaiya." Her voice came out much stronger than she thought it would. She had even surprised herself. She slipped out of Ace's grasp and stood to her full height, though she was a dwarf compared to the man. He was over twice her height, but that didn't stop her from glaring at him. Ace felt a simultaneous rush of pride and fear as something extremely uncharacteristic escaped the girl's lips. "Who the hell are you?"