Wren walked through the forest with Havel at her side. The fighting had started up again as she predicted. And it was getting closer. She planned to avoid the fighting all together if possible. She had interest in this battle. As long and she and her crewmates were fine, she didn't care. Though she knew with her crew, they would get involved sooner or later. She just chose for it to be later.

"I wonder who will win this fight," Havel commented.

"I'm not sure which side will win, but I am certain that Enel will be defeated." Wren said. "I have no interest in this war, but Enel and his priests interest me. It would be a good learning opportunity if I cross paths with them."

Havel sighed though wasn't surprised the young woman was eager to meet some strong opponents.

"I am pleased you wish to practice your magic so earnestly now." Havel said. "However, don't be too hasty, Misce. You'll put yourself in danger if you try to do more than you are capable of at the time."

Wren chuckled at the feline's worry as she allowed him to use his large paw to lift her on top of a root. He jumped after her while looking at her sternly because he saw nothing amusing in what he said.

"I am aware." Wren assured Havel. "I was not speaking of using my magic. At least no more than usual. I was speaking of my haki. The people here keep talking about Enel and his priests' mantra. My haki does not cover the span of Upper Yard, but the priests apparently can cover this entire space. I hear Enel hears even more. I suspect that might have to do with the nature of his devil fruit ability, which means I will never be able to compare to his range. However, I can improve in other areas."

She had a set goal. Or rather two. One was strengthening her haki enough to hear as much as the priests can. If they can manage it, she can certainly do the same. Secondly, she planned to work on her reaction time. She needs to be able to react in a split second to her opponent's attacks. In even less time than that. She also needs to attack before her opponents can react to her. Even if they know her moves, it means nothing if she's faster than them.

"Does this mean you'll be making a detour?" Havel asked. "Or are we still continuing south?"

"We will still be heading south." Wren replied. "There is no need to change direction. We will run into trouble eventually I am certain."

Havel hmphed because he'd rather not deal with a bunch of rowdiness. He was getting far too old for such things. His ears then perked up when the sound of gunfire could be heard close by.

"They certainly covered quite a bit of distance quickly." Havel said. "And I highly doubt they'll just ignore us or let us pass on through."

"No, they will not." Wren said. "I will avoid battle for as long as I can. However, if anyone gets in our way, I will simply kill them."

Havel sweat-dropped because he could even see that despite all the progress, they made with her…Wren was still as ruthless as ever. Though it was to be expected. She spent over a decade with pirates. And not just any pirates. The Donquixote Pirates. Everyone—even the fae who tend to leave such human matters far from their minds—know of that group of pirates.

Doflamingo and his crew are dangerous. Even now that they are 'dogs' of the marines. Even though Doflamingo acts as a just king of a country, he is still and will forever be a beast in the skin of a human. Though she was not like that monster, Wren obviously picked up a few things from him over the years. Havel just wondered if Wren knew that herself.

"Perhaps, you needn't go so far," Havel suggested. "The Shandians are only wishing to take back their homeland. As for Enel's followers, we do not know if they do it on their own free will or out of fear."

Wren hummed as she tilted her head to the side as she took in Havel's guidance.

"You do have a point." Wren commented. "Besides, it isn't as if they are any real threat to us. Knocking them out or incapacitating them should suffice. Though I will not show the same mercy to Enel and his priests. I do not let my opponents live once I defeat them. Otherwise, they could come back and get in my way later on. You cannot win the game if you allow pieces to remain on the board once they fall."

Havel tilted his head curiously at the words she used as he wondered what she meant. Wren stared forward as she remembered one of the many lessons that Doflamingo taught her.

—FLASHBACK—

Wren frowned looking at the chessboard in front of her as Doflamingo won once again.

"You lost again, Wren," Trebol said while laughing at her failure.

Wren shot the man of snot a look before looking back at the board. Obviously confused as to where she went wrong. She then looked up at Doflamingo when he reached out to place his hand on top of her head.

"Your approach was too soft," Doflamingo told her. "You hesitated to take my pieces, why?"

Wren took a moment to think of her reply as the tall blonde kept his hand rested on her head.

"I…you told me to think of the pieces as people," Wren said. "I…I didn't wish to hurt them more than necessary."

Behind Doflamingo, Corazon looked up from his newspaper. His eyes glancing briefly at Wren underneath his glasses. She expected he might hit her for saying something he saw as stupid, but he simply looked back to his newspaper. Doflamingo chuckled thus gaining her attention back to him.

"You must never hold back, Wren," he told her. "Never allow your opponent to get the upper hand. Never allow them to put you at a disadvantage. Destroy them until there is nothing left. This is how you will keep our family safe; do you understand?"

Wren's brows furrowed at his words. However, she did wish to keep her family safe. They meant the world to her. She loved them. And if destroying all their enemies is how she would do it…then she must.

"Yes, I understand," Wren said with a nod.

Doflamingo grinned down at her as he ruffled her hair in an affectionate manner.

"Remember the weak do not get to choose how or where they die." Doflamingo reminded her. "And if you want to be strong, you cannot allow yourself to hesitate or show mercy to anyone."

—END OF FLASHBACK—

That was a lesson that Wren still carried with her. One she could agree on with Doflamingo. She has seen the darkest parts of this world, and it was true…the weak are trampled having no decision on how their lives end. And the strong…only get stronger and richer, and it isn't by being good people. It isn't by showing mercy. Power and wealth come with a cost. And those who play their cards right can have others sacrifice while they reap the benefits.

"We need to hurry along," Wren said as she looked to Havel. "Return to my bag if you wish. There is no need in both of us having to walk if one of us don't have to."

Havel didn't have to be told twice as he quickly shrunk down before hopping up to Wren's bag. He settled down as he had before as Wren continued trekking forward. And the farther they went in the louder the fighting became.

"I wonder how the others are," Wren thought out loud. "And where they might have ended up. Robin is most likely ahead of us. The boys, however…"

She trailed off as she tried to guess where those three could have possibly ended up.

"Oh, the islands in the south are warm~" Luffy sang as he walked and tapped his stick against his shoulder. "And their heads get really hot. They grow pineapples, they grow coconuts. And their morooons~"

At the sound of a goat bleating, Luffy paused before the next verse and looked around.

"Hm? A goat? Was that a goat?" He wondered while feeling a bit of excitement. "Where is it?"

He wanted to see the goat. He didn't even know Sky Island had goats up here. He began calling for the goat when he heard something coming at him from behind. Without hesitation, he whirled around and punched his attacker across the face. The man with goat horns crashed into the ground as Luffy picked up his hat, which had fallen during the small ordeal. He huffed in annoyance.

"Who's this jerk?" He grumbled. "Man, he got me all excited. I thought I was going to see a goat."

He plopped his hat back onto his head as he forgot all about the man that he just punched to continue his journey.

"Next verse!" Luffy declared as he started humming. "Islands in the north are snowy~ And their heads get really cold. They're very chilly-chilly~ They're very willy-nilly~ And their idiots~!"

Luffy stopped abruptly once more when seeing someone out of the corner of his eye. He frowned and turned to look at the one who was interrupting him this time. His eyes narrowed when seeing the Shandian who attacked him and his crew before.

"Oh, it's you." He said unimpressed.

"That's right." The Shandian said as he glared at Luffy. "And just what are you doing here? I warned you to leave this island!"

Luffy's frown deepened at the man's demand as his hold tightened on the stick given to him by Grandfather Ent.

"Shut-up!" He said. "I can do whatever I want!"

"No, you can't!" The Shandian argued back. "This island belongs to us Shandians!"

Luffy lost some of the hostility in his expression as he tilted his head curiously.

"Oh, really?" He asked. "It does? I thought it was God's…well then, I beg your pardon."

He bowed to the Shandian though the action nor his tone of voice sounded sincere. He then went to move on as he didn't want to waste time talking anymore.

"Next verse!" Luffy continued his song. "Islands in the east are—!
"Hold it!" The Shandian called out angrily.

Luffy huffed and turned around to frown once more at the Shandian warrior who kept bugging him.

"Now, what?" Luffy groaned in irritation.

The older male turned to look at Luffy with his own frown still coloring his face.

"…No…I'm through wasting words on you," he decided. "And I'm sick and tired of listening to your idiotic babbling. So, I'm going to destroy you."

Luffy's face held an unreadable expression as he calmly placed the gifted stick from Grandfather Ent in his bag.

"I see," Luffy said then grinned as he held up his fists and stepped into a fighting stance. "If you wanna fight, you just have to say so."

Zoro sighed as he kept walking through the forest with no sign of the others or the City of Gold. They only thing he has come across is those currently battling on the island. So, far though it wasn't any of the heavy hitters of this ongoing fight.

"Both the priests and those guerrillas all have powers, I can't hold up to," Zoro said to himself. "So, a close quarters fight doesn't meant much. Guess I'll have to back up."

He's seen Wren do it plenty of times. Fight opponents who tried to keep their distance from her. Or take down those a hundred yards if not more away from her before they even knew what happened. He'd like to chalk it up to her weird magic stuff, but he knew it wasn't that. Wren was a skilled swordsman. More skilled than he was, and her flying slash attacks were flawless.

"She can probably handle these long-distance fighters without a problem." Zoro said. "But if I have to take them down at a distance as well, I think I have a move that will work."

He just wished he had had a chance to try it before when she was around. Even if he wouldn't ask for it aloud, he knew Wren would most likely give him some kind of pointers. But no matter, he'd figure it out on his own. He was working on it before they met Wren, and he'd finish it without her help. After all, she's just as much as a rival to the title of World's Greatest Swordsman to him as is any swordsman.

'I'll figure it out,' Zoro thought resolutely when the sound of flapping wings caught his attention. 'And now seems like an opportunity to test it out now."

He drew his Wado Ichimonji and slashed it upwards towards the large bird that was trying to swoop down and take him from behind. A force of swords flew from his sword and struck the bird that made a strangling noise before it started to fall towards the ground.

"It needs some work," Zoro said as he turned around and sheathed his blade. "But I think after a few tests it'll be ready. The flying blade attack."

The bird crashed to the ground behind him as he continued on his journey to either find his friends, the City of Gold, or both.

Chopper screamed as he ran across the ground just underneath the chaos above him. God's warriors and the Shandians were fighting fiercely overhead, and Chopper was becoming more frightened by the second. He wanted to be back with the others. They could keep him safe and stop all this scary fighting. Luffy and Zoro would probably have a lot of fun in the middle of all this noise.

'I would have been better off if I had just been eaten at the alter!' He inwardly screamed.

He kept running trying to get as far away from the battle as possible. Not wanting anything to do with the Shandians or God's warrior goats.

'Why did I have to get separated from the others?' He thought forlornly. 'I shouldn't have just run off without looking! I don't even know what direction I'm going now!'

He ran and ran until finally he had somehow gotten away from all the chaos. Though he didn't feel any better about this situation than he did before. He was still alone with hostiles around and no idea what to do. He sniffled with tears running down his face and snot coming from his nose as he shifted back into his smaller former.

"Where am I?" He whimpered. "I lost all sense of direction. The threes are too tall for me to see the sun. Help…Luffy, Zoro, Robin, Wren, Havel, please, find me. I don't want to be left alone on this stinking island just to die and turn into food for gigantic bugs. And if I do die, will there be a doctor waiting for me? Wait, it doesn't matter because when you're dead, you're dead. And no doctor can save you."

He continued his rambling not even aware of the enemy he had just passed. Too caught up in his fright and worry for the others, Chopper was oblivious to the danger right behind him. His only thoughts were on his friends who he hoped were alright.

"Sounds like the island is having its fair share of drama," Robin commented as the sound of another explosion went off not too far away.

She then looked to the ruins she had found of what appeared to be housing of some kind. It definitely wasn't part of the lost city they were trying to find, but it was from the same people that lived on this island long ago. The Shandians.

"I bet these homes were built so far out from the city in the hopes of greater longevity with the crops." Robin said. "But it looks like all this brush swallowed up the mortar and brick. I hope the city's still there."

Her attention was taken from the ruins to up above her when she heard what sounded like a goat. Her eyes landed on a man in white robes and who had words ton top his head as he landed on one of the old houses. His landing caused the corner of the house to crumble a bit. It's old stone falling to Robin's feet. The woman narrowed her eyes at the disrespect shown as she looked back up at the man.

"What are you doing here, woman?" The man demanded to know. "You should be aware that this is a path to God's Shrine. Proceeding any further would be insolent."

Robin didn't care if she was seen as insolent if she continued onward. She was determined to find the City of Gold and uncover more of the history of this place. Though before she could do that, she had another matter to address.

"Would you get down?" she asked angrily. "Do you even have a clue as to the archeological significance of these ruins? They're priceless."

The man only glared down at the dark-haired woman while also seeming to growl in anger.

"How dare you talk back!" The man snapped.

Robin almost rolled her eyes at the man's harsh tone as she tightened her hold on her bag.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Robin demanded. "You have some kind of business with me?"

The man stood to his full height as he continued to glare down at Robin from his perch.

"Hmph, yes," he replied. "Simply business actually. I've been charged by God to eliminate any Shandians or Blue Sea People I find with my axe dial."

As he held out his hands as a threat, Robin only smirked in reply as she raised her arms.

"Hm, Seis Fleur," she said calmly.

Six arms sprouted from the man and wrapped him up in a tight grip. Breaking free was out of the question.

"End with a twist." She said.

The man's body was forced into unnatural angles with his bones snapping loudly. Though he was unable to scream as Robin's hand forced his mouth shut. He dropped to the ground as Robin released her hold on him. The woman then knelt down to pick up the rubble from the building he had rudely broke.

"Such a lack of respect." She sighed.

She then gently sat the stone back down before standing back up. She looked around herself.

"How odd that Mage-san and the feline haven't caught up to me." She said. "Or perhaps they somehow ended up ahead of me…Either way, something isn't right."

Though instead of concerning herself too much over it, she continued on. She was certain she and Wren would eventually cross paths.

"I believe I've ventured off course." Wren said as another divine warrior fell to her feet. "Thanks to all these unneeded distractions. Robin is not within range any longer."

Havel, who sat on top a root a few feet away, sniffed the air. He could no longer smell the archeologist either. The fighting had gotten a bit chaotic and had placed them fight in the middle of a tussle between the opposing sides.

"If I hadn't held back this could have been avoided." Wren said with a sigh.

"But don't you feel better knowing you spared innocent lives?" Havel questioned.

Wren only gave another sigh in reply, which had Havel letting out an exasperated huff.

"You'll feel better about it later," Havel assured her. "Now, it won't be hard to get back on track. Nor will it be difficult to gain back the distance we might have lost."

He was about to tell her to just follow him, but suddenly the color drained out of the girl's face. Her head whipped around almost in the direction they had started from. Where they had left the others to sail on the Going Merry.

"Misce, what is wrong?" Havel questioned.

Wren didn't reply as her heart picked up in her chest. It was Sanji. His voice suddenly vanished.

"We must go now." Wren said.

Havel didn't question it as he hurried to jump onto Wren's shoulders. Wren pictured the Merry in her mind as the air around her picked up. She did it once before in Alabasta, and it appears she'll have to do it again now. And that's transport herself back to the ship. There wasn't any time to hesitate because the others needed her.

Wren snapped her fingers and the sensation of being jerked forward hit her instant. In a blink she was landing on the Merry. And in that same blink, Havel was off her shoulder and out of the way as her blade was drawn and used to block the attack heading for the screaming Usopp. A golden staff clashed with her steel blade with sparks flying in between.

It was silent for a brief moment as everyone registered the sudden arrival. Nami and Usopp felt a wave of relief at the sight of Wren as tears of joy ran down their faces. Gan Fall looked on in surprise as he hadn't expected Wren to appear so suddenly. Pierre, who was peeking over the railing, was in shock as too as his beak hung open. As for Enel, he regarded Wren rather calmly despite her sudden intrusion.

"Wren!" Nami and Usopp cheered as they clasped their hands together. "We're so glad to see you!"

Usopp then scooped up Havel to hold the feline close to his chest, which had the cat sithe hissing in surprise.

"I'm so glad to see you too, buddy!" Usopp cried.

Havel just huffed as he allowed the frightened young man to clutch to him for a sense of security.

"…Wren…?" Enel hummed. "Aren't you an interesting one…Why is it that I haven't sensed you before?"

He didn't add that he was still unable to sense her as he slightly narrowed his eyes at her. Wren didn't reply to him as she gave a shove to force his weapon back. Once he held it away from her, she turned to look at Sanji. She moved to kneel beside him while placing her hand on his cheek.

When she didn't even get a twitch of a reaction, she worried for him. The blonde was burnt badly. Obviously, Enel had used those electrifying powers of his on her crewmate. The very thought of what kind of pain he might be in angered Wren greatly.

"That man…is he of some kind of importance to you? Your lover perhaps?" Enel questioned with a smirk. "I would apologize. However, it is his own fault…charging in so foolishly."

Wren only stood silently in reply as she moved in front of her crewmates and Gan Fall.

"Are you mute, woman?" Enel questioned.

He then stiffened with his eyes widening slightly when he saw the white of her eye bleed black and the red iris glow dangerously. A wave of fear washed over Enel. One that he had never experienced in his entire life.

"Hardly," Wren replied with her voice dark. "It is just hard to find my voice underneath all this…rage."

Nami and Usopp stared with wide eyes. The air around Wren started to pick up dangerously. The ship swayed and bobbed in the milky road as the wind only became stronger. It was like when she had seen Blackbeard. Her anger was overtaking her.

"I thought about having a little fun earlier and testing myself out against you, but I'm not sure if I can hold back right now." Wren continued. "So, I must apologize in advance, God."

She then slashed forward in one strong swing that sent a devastating slice gust of wind forward and right at Enel's neck.

Coco: Wooo, cliffhanger~ Sorry, to end it here, but it is in fact, the end of this double update. I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you are looking forward to the next update!

Until then, remember stay safe and keep being your beautiful selves!~