A/N: I hate it when I have to guess how much Belli is worth for this and that. Dude, all I have to compare is that 100,000 Belli gets someone a cheap sword in Logue Town! (Zoro got a good bargain though, what a business man!) Carry on. The long space between updates is due to my father's faulty content filter on my account. How horrible, it disables the use of hte "Save Changes" button! ANd for the whole summer I had no clue...

I-I-I Chapter Twelve I-I-I

I-I Scout out theEnemyI-I

Zoro rolled his eyes, sighing as the opponent crashed to the ground. This was a mockery. Here he was wielding just a sword, and the contesters were falling down like rain. At least the final Finals had arrived. Time to get the stupid Belli and be done with this silly business. He wasn't even getting a workout!

He stood on the sand, arms crossed and unmoving. His eyes roamed the audience as he waited for the appearance of the last opponent. He passed fiery orange hair and focused. There they were; Sanji, Luffy, Reia, and that blasted Nami. Then he saw Luffy and Reia leave. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the announcer walk over to him. The man frowned as he spoke.

"Sorry sir, but it seems you've gotten a bye. The other guy's no where to be seen!"

"Really?" Zoro asked, and then shrugged. The guy was probably as wimpy as the others. He held out his hand for the Belli and a plump bag of coins and bills was placed into it. As he walked away to where the others were he heard the announcer behind him.

"And the winner is Zoro, getting a bye!" he said loudly into the megaphone. The crowd murmured and whispered before a weak applause sounded. They were clearly disappointed as they milled out of the sand arena.

Zoro sheathed his sword and went over to the stands where Nami and Sanji were. This was really disappointing.

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"Luffy, that's enough, we have to get back," Reia said impatiently leaning on the wall to the restaurant.

"Here or to go," the man asked flatly. Luffy hopped up and down.

"To go, to goooo!" he cried. Four sticks with bunches of meat on a string hanging from the end were shoved into Luffy's waiting arms. They hissed and steamed and Luffy screamed as he ran out. The man waved, indignant.

"Hey, that's 50 Belli! Come back!" Reia sighed and placed five bills on the counter before running out after the captain.

"Luffy! Wait up!" she yelled. Luffy turned around with a stick in his mouth, grinning. Reia slowed down as she caught up to him, her eyes scanning the street intersection. This sudden outpour of people meant the tournament was over for today. She lurched forward and grabbed Luffy's shirt before he could disappear in the crowd. "No wait, Luffy, we gotta find the others." Eyes shifting, she half transformed and floated up to scan the heads. A flash of orange caught her attention. Reia glimpsed Nami, Sanji, and Zoro turn onto a road no one else had any interest in treading. It wasn't in the direction of the ship, though. She returned to solid form and dropped to the ground, her blue sundress flipping up for a few moments.

"Okay Luffy, follow me," she told him as she slipped into the crowd after the others. She looked over her shoulder to make sure he was following. Luffy grinned at her while holding on to his last stick of meat which he began to devour. Reia grinned back and ran to stop at the deserted road. She looked around and ran, dust rising around her and Luffy. The buildings around here were closed and looked abandoned. Strange…

Suddenly a large warehouse loomed on the side. The forest bordered it, branches here and there outstretched above the dirt path surrounding the vampire's warehouse. Reia stopped and Luffy did likewise, sucking on his stick for the last taste of meat.

"Where are we?" he asked as he took the stick and drew in the dirt. She shushed him.

"Not so loud, Luffy! They might be around. We'll have to tread carefully around this area. C'mon, let's find Nami and the others." Reia motioned to Luffy and they walked slowly down the path. The warehouse was made of concrete and had no windows at all. Little vents at the very top screened out the light. The warehouse was about thirty feet high and it looked depressing. Luffy obviously thought so and sighed.

"No more meat…nnnnngg..." Luffy groaned as they stepped onwards. Reia turned to him and grabbed his hand.

"We're transforming now," she told him. They both felt weightless and sped down the path. It seemed endless. Was the warehouse really this large? What, maybe fifty feet…or-

Suddenly Luffy pulled his hand away from hers and pointed at the forest to their left. "I see something! OOooo what is it?" he exclaimed before he ran into the green darkness. Reia materialized and turned to grab him but he was gone.

"Luffy," Reia whispered. She ran down the path, her face turned to the forest. "Luffy!" she said in a furious whisper. "Get out of th-ungh!"

One moment she was walking down the path, the next she laid sprawled on top of someone she had just ran into. Her face smashed painfully against the man's chest -she could smell faintly the musky male scent- and she scrambled off of the stranger. Her hand brushed against something at the man's waist and suddenly she felt her strength drain. She tipped over to hit the ground.

"My apologies, miss, I'm so sorry-are you all right? Miss?" the man asked. He stooped down to help her up. His voice was brisk and it could've sounded sincere if it weren't for that mischievous nuance she heard in it. She staggered to her feet, waving his hands away. Her head bowed, she dusted her dress off and moved her blue-black hair off her shoulders, pondering.

He had a sea stone pistol. And he wasn't a vampire, she hoped. She looked up at the man and his brilliant green eyes caught her instantly. Her own blue ones widened in surprise before she managed to say something.

"Eh, yes, I'm fine," she blurted. "I'm sorry; I wasn't looking at where I was going, sorry!" She smiled apologetically, her eyes squinting with the force of her smile. Her eyes looked him over quickly. He was taller than she was by a head so she had to look up. His skin was tan and he wore baggy navy pants and a white poncho with metal decorations dangling from the edge. He was slightly muscular and young, and his quick features were charming enough, especially the mussed brown hair.

"No, it was my fault, I should've moved out of the way. Unfortunately I wasn't looking either. Look, are you really all right? You seem a little woozy," he observed. He took one of her hands in his and she felt metal pressing on her skin before her legs collapsed and he caught her.

Reia inwardly screamed. A sea stone ring too! This time she swung at his hands and righted herself, glaring into his eyes momentarily before remembering he was a stranger. She didn't even know his name.

The man chuckled for a moment. He looked at Reia's face, scrutinizing the girl. "Usually girls don't fall for me that easily," he mused with a joking grin. Suddenly he grew serious again. "My name is Raphael. And who is the beautiful young lady I ran into today?"

Reia frowned and crossed her arms in a conversationally defensive stance. "I'm Reia. Pleased to meet you, Raphael," she said. She looked at his outstretched hand and smiled stiffly. His glittering eyes searched her face before he brought his hand to his side. He grinned again.

"Well, Reia, I have to get going now. Nice chat we had." He waved and turned away, walking down the path again, his poncho swirling. Reia looked to the forest as she heard twigs cracking. Suddenly Luffy jumped out, holding his hat.

"Reia! Reia, I found something, you have to mmf mmffff mmmmmf!" Luffy grabbed at the ectoplasm covering his mouth. Reia glanced around hurriedly and looked at Raphael as he left. He looked over his shoulder for a moment before looking away. She saw the split-second recognition on his face. Her face paled. No, he couldn't!

She turned to Luffy and grabbed his shoulders. "Why couldn't you have kept your voice down for just this moment!" Reia hissed. She glared at the captain but his grin under the blue ectoplasm couldn't keep her angry for long. She sighed and let him go, the ectoplasm disappearing. This was inevitable, but what danger did Luffy place everyone in now? Raphael could be just a curious passer by… no, that was too lucky. One of the navy?

Reia's forehead wrinkled in thought. Maybe…all that sea stone was suspicious…she started, head swiveling in all directions. This was the vampire warehouse; she couldn't just stop here and think! Reia took Luffy's hand and they disappeared.

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Nami grabbed the bag of Belli from Zoro with one hand and with the other shoved Sanji's creeping hand away from her leg.

"Okay guys, there's a place I have to go to before we go back," Nami said. They walked away from the stands and to the road going to the center of the town.

"What, shopping?" Zoro asked, yawning. Nami turned on him.

"Hardly. I'll forgive you just because of this nice bag," Nami said as they started walking to the intersection. Sanji glared at Zoro.

"What's wrong with a lady shopping, Zoro?"

"Uh.. huh? What's it to you?"

"A lot…."

"Whatever."

"Answer me, bastard, you-

"Boys, keep quiet now, we're entering enemy territory," Nami cut in as they stepped into an empty road. That drew the two men to attention as they looked around warily. The ground below them changed from dirt to the dirt mingled with leaves. The warehouse rose up before them but the surrounding air felt heavy and dark. They walked on with caution for barely a minute before Nami stopped them.

"Do you hear that?" she asked in a whisper. Steps, getting closer. Near the corner now. They were slow and deliberate. Nami looked around for a place to hide. Zoro looked up and leapt to a branch above their heads. Sanji followed and turned around, extending a hand for Nami to grab as he pulled her up. Zoro crouched on the branch, his eyes searching the corner of the warehouse. Nami gasped softly.

"What about our footsteps in the dirt?" Zoro shrugged.

"That's probably why they chose dirt instead of stone," he said. Nami gaped at him. Since when did he think like that?

They grew quiet as the steps were right by the tree and passing. A man with tousled brown hair wearing a white poncho walked right under them, the silver dangling ornaments clinking with an ominous tune. As he passed Nami bit her lip.

"He saw the prints," she whispered. Nami looked over at the roof for a moment before climbing up the tree. The others followed, unsure of what she had in mind. When she was satisfied with their height she went out on the limb and leapt onto the roof. Zoro and Sanji joined her.

"Nami, what are you-

"Ssssh!" she said to Sanji. Climbing quickly up the roof, she stopped at the top and dropped low, peering over the edge. The others followed suit and Zoro's eyes narrowed as they watched the vampires on the ground. The sound of their voices carried even to where the Straw Hats were.

"You…you can't do that!" cried the harassed farmer. One of the two vampires turned on him.

"And why not?"

"I need money for my family, damn it, and you're just ripping me o-

The other vampire, a female with long blonde hair, grabbed his shirt and held him off the ground, her face leering in his.

"We'rre being nice to give you any, got that? Take it orrr die," she hissed as she threw him against his cart. He stood up shakily and hatred gleamed in his eyes as he climbed the cart and hurried his donkey forward. When he disappeared into the forest path the vampires cackled madly.

"That was a good one, Roxy; fake money!" The other vampire congratulated. He eyed the goods, his dark hair flopped sideway.

"Yes I know, Avis, ingenious of me, eh? Ugh, I can't believe we still have to deal with this worrrthless junk," Roxy said as she took a turnip and squeezed it. Juice dripped out and she cackled again, hurling it against the wall, splattering it.

"Why does Alucard need those stupid humans anyways? Why can't we jus-

"Idiot! We need to eat, too," Roxy cut in. Avis nodded. "First this island, then the Grand Line!"

"And those stupid pirates winning the tournament' Alucard underestimated the strength of the contestants," Avis murmured. Roxy smirked.

"Don't worrrry Avis, they'll become worrrthy vampirrres if they choose not to join him. Unlike that Tor." Roxy looked around, checking for listeners. "He had to do the dirty work until yesterday." Roxy made a sign across her neck and a scraping noise. Avis laughed.

"Worthless kitten. What a weirdo. I mean, if he could turn into a bat, like, that's cool. But a panther? What the hell? And he's not even a full vampire," Avis said.

Nami gasped. The two vampires's heads swerved to their spot. Avis's eyes narrowed suspiciously and Roxy sniffed the air and growled.

"Someone's smart enough to be against the wind, Avis."

He growled in reply and they leapt up to the roof, advancing to the top but saw nothing. Their senses alert, they split and flew to the ground, searching for the intruders.

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Reia glided, her grip firm on the captain's. They couldn't risk detection after the previous encounter. She went back the way they came from, alert and cautious. Luffy's hand suddenly went limp as he struggled to go somewhere. Reia tightened her hand, gritting her teeth as she spoke.

"Lufffffy, sssstop! Lufffffy!" she whispered. He turned to look at her, exasperated. His mouth opened when suddenly someone fell on top of them. Luffy yelped and Reia gasped, feeling them pass through her.

"R-Reia?" Nami whispered, rubbing her arms from the cold as she stood up. Reai's eyes widened and reached out a hand to take Nami's.

"Nammii, take the othersss haaanddss," she whispered back. Nami nodded and slipped her hand into Zoro's and Sanji's. Sanji started to blush furiously and Zoro turned on Nami, gaping. Before Nami could say anything they all felt lightweight and were no longer solid. Reia gritted her teeth determinedly as sweat beaded her forehead. She didn't try this since last time, but it was an improvement. Everything was normal except for a light strain in her body.

Then the vampires landed next to the Straw Hats. The female turned her head, sniffing the air while the male studied the ground.

"They werrre herrre, Avis."

"Odd, their footprints just disappeared, Roxy," Avis murmured. His head swerved side to side, eyes peering up and down the path.

Reia froze as did the Straw Hats. The vampires were so close…she could even touch them if she could.

"Damn it, it's too bad we aren't high enough levels to feel minds now, eh, Roxy?"

"Sensitive hearing is good. If they're around, we'll hear them," she said, closing her eyes. Reia closed hers and blew air into all the Straw Hats mouths with an ectoplasmic-created wind, or a flap of it. Then she quickly covered their nostrils and mouths with ectoplasm and zipped out of there as fast as possible. Before they could react the ectoplasm disappeared from their faces. Sanji gasped for air and grabbed his throat. Luffy didn't even notice but seemed very interested in the blurring surroundings.

"Reia, what wasssss that foooor?" Nami asked, also breathing heavily. Reia glanced at Nami briefly.

"Sorrrrry about that, crew, buuuut they would've heard ussss. Thaaat's ourrrr stake-out point, I prrrrresume?" Reia inquired as they made their way to the ship. Nami nodded.

"We'lll be baaaack there toooonight," Nami told her. Zoro grinned.

"I can't wait."

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Usopp opened his eyes. Where was he? …Ah, Chopper's little sick bay. He rolled over on the floor and moaned; his ankle, chest, and arm burned but they felt better. This was nothing compared to that time in Alabasta, but--what was that black thing in his face?

"AAAAAGGH!" Usopp screamed at the top of his lungs and backed up until he smacked into the wooden wall. He panted, eyes wide and hair going off in all directions. He froze as the panther blinked lazily at him. It stood up, licking its chops as it looked him over. Usopp whimpered and waved a hand at it.

"Shoo…go away cat! Shoo!" he said, hysterical. The panther blinked one last time before padding to the door. It raised a large paw and turned the door knob, nudging the door open with its snout. As it left Chopper entered, who in turnlooked at Usopp and grinned.

"Usopp, you don't have to be afraid of it, it's-

"Afraid! Who said I was afraid?" Usopp cut in immediately, standing tall. His knees shook briefly and Chopper giggled. Usopp grimaced and ran outside, climbing the stairs and leaping onto the railing outside the lounge. He crossed his arms and lifted his chin. "I, Usopp, brave warrior of the seas, am not afraid anything, not even a panther! Why, even those sharp claws couldn't-Ah, ah ah aaa! Oomph!"

Usopp untangled himself from his fall to the ground, brushing off his pants. He heard soft chuckling and looked up to see Robin sitting in a sun chair near the bow, smiling slightly. He frowned and continued. "I'll even challenge it myself! Where are you…" he murmured as he turned his head, looking for the panther. He glimpsed its tail as is ascended the stairs to the tree deck. Usopp turned swiftly in its direction and looked up at it, pointing. "You there! Come fight me! I know you know what I'm saying, and I can prove who's the better fighter! Come on, you wimpy feline!" Usopp kept up his stream of challenges as the cat roamed the whole ship. It was looking at everything….quite odd for an ordinary panther.

"Hey you, aren't you listening to me? Hey!" Usopp called out to it. Chopper stuck his head out of the door.

"Usopp, his name is Torikki, not 'you'!" the reindeer informed Usopp. Usopp raised his eyebrow and looked back at the trees.

"Okay then, Tor—Hey, where'd he go?" Usopp spun around to see the feline being petted by Robin. She stroked its head, smiling. Usopp rushed over to her side, arms waving.

"Robin, don't fraternize with the enemy! Didn't you see it inspecting the ship? It could be a spy from the vampires or something!" he guessed wildly. The panther suddenly shuddered and quickly walked away. Robin cocked her head, then shrugged, returning to her book. Interestingly enough Usopp saw the title wasMonsters and Dimensions.

"Come on, Torikki, fight me!" Usopp goaded, prodding it and backing away, then prodding it again. They reached the stairs to the tree deck before the panther froze and spun around, snarling and slashing its claws in Usopp's face. Usopp screamed and fell down the stairs, piled at the bottom and shaking all over.

"Okay, y-you w-win th-th-this time, T-T-Tor! B-b-but n-n-not the next time!" Usopp reassured himself. Torriki snorted and sat underneath the shade of the trees, grooming himself.

"Punk."

Usopp whipped his head in Robin's direction. She was peering above the top of her book, eyes scanning the ship. "Robin, did you just call me a punk?"

"No, I did not," she murmured softly. Both pairs of eyes fell on the panther. He looked at the sunset, tail twitching occasionally and ignoring them both.

"Hmm," Robin said to herself. Her gaze focused on the swerving ears of the panther. Something strange was going on and she resolved to find out what.