Ace awoke to the squawking of seagulls in the morning, the stench of liquor rose to meet him on his new ship from it's previous owners. Moaning he ascended from the small cot, fortunately the sheets were relatively clean the night before.

Walking from the men's quarters to the main deck he sighed. He really didn't have time to get a map to Chisaa after he had left the small town of Sirus, of course, he was using a stolen ship, so he at least had a good reason, he supposed.

Looking out he saw a plot of land off in the distance. Excited he smiled, letting himself look over the beautiful tropical land for a moment. It almost looked like paradise.

"Finally." He said to himself as he went to the helm to steer his new ship in the direction of the island. Hopefully, he thought, the people would be nice, and perhaps speak the same language, that would be nice too.

Upon reaching the island, Ace found it to be mostly made up of tropical plants. The trees came in all sorts of sizes, reaching far above the ground almost seeming to touch the sky, flowers of every shape and color littered the land, the usky scent of fresh dew was fresh in the air. And yet, Ace was disappointed. The land also seemed remote, uninhibited by anything other than the native plants and animals.

Ace sighed as he let himself fall upon a nearby rock jutting out of the sand. How would he get to Chisaa? Who knew where the next island would be.

He growled in frustration and let a small fireball escape his hand and explode into a nearby tree, causing a small hole. Feeling the tension leave, he momentarily closed his eyes as he let his head fall back. Immediately though he felt a sharp pain.

Startled, Ace jumped up, eyes wide. All around him were spear-bearing men, natives to the island, angry natives to the island. Looking around he noticed glares and whispered words.

"Hey," He started as he smiled and raised his hands in defense, "what's up? I wasn't hurting anything, really." He finished as the natives drew back their weapons a bit.

Ace sighed silently, relieved. "What language do you speak? Can anybody understand me? Look, I need a map, just give me a map and I'll leave." He persisted as he looked around him. If any of the darker people did understand him, they hid it well.

Just then two of the natives began to speak to each other. Ace listened, he noted they certainly were not speaking Japanese, there was one word he understood though. The two men pointed at his ship: "Pirate." They said, and it was quite obvious to Ace what was going to happen next.

The natives surrounded him, weapons drawn, once again.

"Look. I don't want any trouble, but if you don't let go of me…" Ace smirked as he allowed a bit of fire to grace the tips of his fingers. "You'll have it."

The natives seemed shocked and awed by the spectacle as many of them withdrew their weapons.

Ace brushed himself off as he cockily replied, "That's better."

Two hours later, Ace awoke to the sound of drums beating in a rhythmic pattern. He quickly came out of his daze as he realized what had happened and where he was.

Bound by ropes around his knees and ankles, tied to a short tiki pole staked into the ground, and some sort of rock sediment solidifying around his hands, preventing him from using his mera-mera power, along with some sort of necklace around his neck. Angrily he threw his head back, getting a jolt as it collided with something.

"Hey!" He heard a voice yell from behind him. Shocked, he swiftly whipped his head around, only to meet the eyes of, none other than, the Marine sergeant Smoker.

Ace rolled his eyes in annoyance, he had once fought the bitter old man.

" "Smoky" was it?" Ace asked sarcastically, taking in his surroundings. The natives were dancing and chanting around a large bonfire.

"Real funny when we're going to be used as sacrifices pirate!" He heard another voice yell, a female voice. Looking as far as possible over his left shoulder, he caught a glimpse of the other Marine, what was her name? "Tasha" or something he thought.

Sacrifices? He thought to himself for a moment, fear beginning to develop. "What do you mean "sacrifices"?" He asked as he tried, in vain, to see the girl again.

"They're chanting to their Gods for a plentiful year, a common sacrificial ritual. If they sacrifice living beings to their Gods they believe that the Gods will be pleased and grant them a prosperous year." Tashigi finished, eyes still cast on the ground as the lights from the flames danced upon her face.

"And I can't use my power because of these stupid restraints." Smoker complained as he jerked his hands behind him. Upon closer inspection it was obvious that their was some sort of amulet draped around the older man's neck, identical to Ace's own.

Ace frowned as he looked at the ancient looking people dancing around the fire, adorned in skins and stone-jewelry.

"So how does it work?" Ace asked solemnly, trying to put his head back, but being head butted by the angry sergeant.

"We'll probably be thrown into the fire or-" Tashigi was cut off.

"Oh, that's okay then." Ace sighed in relief as he closed his eyes again, trying to lean forward. Eh should be safe in the fire.

"Or-" Tashigi started again, irritated at being cut off, "We'll be stabbed to drain our blood for the sacrifice." She finished gloomily.

Ace growled under his breath as he jerked at his hands again.

"It's not going to work! Don't you think I've tried?" Smoker screamed at the pirate behind him.

Just then the natives turned to look at them. Soon after they began chanting again, when a large cart being carried by four strong men started to be brought through the crowd.

"What's going on?" Ace yelled as the caravan was brought closer and closer.

"It's their leader! It's going to start soon!" Tashigi screamed back from her place across from Smoker. All the while the cart drew nearer.

End of chapter! Sorry, that was kind of a cliff-hanger, wasn't it? Please read and review! Thank you!