Wow, I am on a roll with this story. Two chapters in one day. Phew! Also, I would like to add, if anyone wants to know about the songs in this story, just send me a pm and ask me. I can tell you who it's by and what it's off, but you'll have to tell me the chapter number so I know what song you're talking about. XP

I do not own John Farnham, nor his song, but I do own the Across the Sea song. Cos' I'm special. XD

Chapter 8: I'm sorry

The morning is bright and well. The sun is shining, the waves are crashing and the sails are full on the Merry Go. Everything worked out great for Vivi. Luffy beat Crocodile and was rather hurt, but he was fine now, running around on the ship and playing tag with Usopp. The rebellion had been stopped and Vivi had been reunited with her father. We even had a new crew member, although, I wasn't so sure of her as she had been working for Crocodile before joining us. (a/n Sorry about skipping that part with all the fighting and stuff, but I haven't seen that part yet. I could download it from the internet, but my computer is being evil and won't let me, so I will just have to wait until it shows on TV -kicks computer-)

Nico Robin was her name. Apart from that though, everything was perfect. Except for one little detail.

Zolo was still not talking to me.

God, all I said was "what are you looking at?" it wasn't like it was anything mortally offending. So, I decided, if he was going to be a bastard, so was I.

"Have you seen Zolo?" Luffy asked that morning, running up to me. I shrugged. I knew where he was, and I knew he was in hearing range.

"Who's he?" I asked and walked away. Luffy watched me go, a confused expression on his face.

"Hey Stealthy. Could you help me with something?" Usopp called from across the ship. He was hanging over the side of the ship, seemingly trying to stop something from falling into the ocean. I rushed over and helped him grab it up. The cannon.

"How the hell did you manage to do that?" I yelled heaving at it. I craned my neck, trying to see over my shoulder to get someone to help. All I saw was Zolo. Damnit, he wouldn't help. Fine, guess I was going to have to yell for Sanji, but then, he wouldn't want to hurt his hands. Zolo it was then.

"Zolo!" I yelled. I felt my feet lift a little, Usopp's doing the same. He cracked an eye open, glared and then closed it again. "Please, We need help!" I called. My feet left the deck totally this time and both Usopp and I began to slide over the rail.

"Argh! We're gonna die!" Usopp yelled. Zolo suddenly pushed between us and grabbed the rope, winding it around his hand and pulling it back up onto the deck again. When that was done, he glared at me and then walked away again.

"Hey!" I yelled, getting up from the deck. I had fallen over when the pressure on the rope had stopped dragging me. "What is your problem? It wasn't like I said something mean!" I yelled. I was ticked. Seriously. He paused and turned, a frown on his face.

"It wasn't what you said." he replied quietly. My angry expression faded. "It was how you said it." and he disappeared into the door that led down to the boy's cabin. I paused and bit my lip. Maybe I had put a bit more into the tone of voice than the actual words. I sighed.

"He's always like that. He'll get over it." Usopp said beside me. I sighed and walked away. Somehow, I don't think he was going to, at least not without me apologizing. A slow smile spread across my face. I had a plan.

"Sanji." I said sweetly as I walked into the kitchen. He turned and looked at me, and I nearly laughed at the pink apron he had chosen to wear. But, I kept my composure. "I want to ask you a favour."

"Of course. Anything." he replied. I smiled. Of course, and I was sure he would like what I was going to ask as well.

"Bastard!" Zolo yelled after Sanji had woken him up. That was my plan.

"Get up you lazy marimo." Sanji replied nastily before walking to the kitchen door. "You have kitchen duty." Zolo grouched and groaned as he walked in. Sanji slammed the door behind him, locking him inside… with me. It was time to apologize, but I was gonna do it in a way he would understand. I pulled my sword from it's sheath and held it in front of me.

"Fight." I said. Zolo paused.

"What?" he asked. I frowned and made a lunge towards him and he stepped back.

"Fight." I repeated. Zolo blinked. "You won't accept a simple I'm sorry, I know you won't. So, fight." Zolo frowned and drew out one of his swords.

"Fine." he replied. I smiled. There it was. He had accepted to fight me. If he had of walked out, then I would have been rejected and that would have been it, but he had consented to fight.

"Don't destroy my kitchen!" Sanji called from outside. Zolo and I ignored him.

"You missed me five times!" Zolo laughed as we walked out of the kitchen. I growled.

"Only because you jumped behind the chair and hid." I replied.

"I did not!" Zolo returned. I smiled. I knew the truth. He had. I ran forward, leaving Zolo watching me with a slight smile on his face. I felt like singing a song. What shall I sing? A cool song. Something fun and light I think. I know! John Farnham! Woot!

Well I've told you once and I've told you twice! And I began swinging around the mast. That fight had really given me a lot of energy.

But ya never listen to my advice! And I laughed. Zolo was leaning against the barrels by the door and Luffy had hopped off the figure head to run down and watch. Nami had poked her head out of her room to watch, Usopp had stopped fixing the cannon and Chopper was standing in the still open door that led down to the cabins. Robin was sitting on the rail in front of Nami, a book held loosely in her hand.

Ya don't try very hard to please me!

And with what you know, it should be easy!

Well, this could be the last time,

This could be the last time,

Maybe the last time,

I don't know.

Oh no!

Well I'm sorry girl but I can't stay!

When I'm feelin' like I do today!

Well there's too much pain and too much sorrow!

And I know I'll feel the same tomorrow!

Well, this could be the last time,

This could be the last time,

Maybe the last time,

I don't know.

Oh no!

Well I've told you once and I've told you twice!

Somebody gonna have to pay the price!

Now here's a chance to change your mind!

Cos' I'm gonna be gone a long long time!

Yeah this could be the last time,

This could be the last time,

Maybe the last time,

I don't know!

Oh no.

Oh no, don't go!

Oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah!

Maybe the last time!

Maybe the last time baby!

Oh no!

Maybe the last time!

This time, I wasn't so lucky. Once again I was transported to that strange place, under the stars in the moonlight. Now I was standing upon the ocean. Somehow I knew I had been here once before. Without warning, the runes from the cave under the sand back in Alabasta began flashing around me and then began to chant.

Across the sea,

Pirates come for miles,

Seeing nothing but gold,

Silver, and jewels.

The water shines,

The moon dies,

The sun fades as blood makes the sky dark and red.

Planets align,

Stars collide,

Time flees,

Love is a magic,

That cannot be undone.

Once you have tried,

You have failed,

Nothing can save you.

Across the sea,

Pirates come for miles,

Seeing nothing but gold,

Silver, and jewels.

The water shines,

The moon dies,

The sun fades as blood makes the sky dark and red.

Bursts of light made me wince and cover my eyes and my hat flew off of my head, making my hair fan out behind me.

ACROSS THE SEA!

PIRATES COME FOR MILES!

"Shutup." I whispered.

SEEING NOTHING BUT GOLD!

SILVER, AND JEWELS,

"Shut up!"

THE WATER SHINES!

THE MOON DIES!

THE SUN FADES AS BLOOD MAKES THE SKY DARK AND RED!

"SHUT. UP!" I screamed and lightning poured from the sky into my body, making me shiver and shake and then all went black.

The next time I awoke, I was lying on my newly installed bed in the girl's cabins.

"She's awake!" Luffy's voice cried. I winced.

"No duh Luffy. Anyone would wake up with you screaming like that." Nami commented dryly. I cleared my throat, trying to quell the soreness.

"Are you okay?" Zolo asked leaning over me. I looked up, and nodded.

"I'm fine." I replied, my voice harsh and croaky. "What happened?"

"You… fainted." Usopp said from across the room. He sounded rather scared and didn't seem to want to come near me.

"What's wrong?" I asked. Usopp shivered.

"You were transforming, into some weird beast thing." he replied softly. I blinked.

"What?"

The sunset was beautiful, and it seemed to be redder than usual. I sat on the rail of the Merry Go. Usopp was frightened to come near me, Nami and Robin thought I was a freak. Sanji kept asking me if I was ok, Luffy kept asking me how I had done it and Chopper kept asking if I remembered eating a cursed fruit.

All questions were answered with a definite no. Zolo was still to come near me. He had walked out when Usopp had told me what I had become. I looked down at my hands.

"Claws like a pantha." Usopp's words echoed back to me again. "You had red wings too. Kinda like angel wings. Blue glowing eyes. It was freaky." Yeah, freaky. I sighed and hopped back onto the deck. I felt a weight around my neck and looked down to see the pendant there again. I frowned.

"You're the cause of this. I'm sure of it." I muttered as I clasped a hand around it. I sighed again. "I want to go home." and I brought the pendant up to rub against my chin.

"You remember home then?" a voice asked. I looked up to see Luffy sitting happily on a barrel, a large smile on his face. I blinked.

"Yeah." I replied softly, looking back down at my feet. Luffy chuckled.

"I remember my home." he said. "Where I used to live with my brother." I looked up. He was talking about Trace? To me of all people? I sighed.

"Why are you talking to a freak?" I asked softly. Luffy laughed, rocking back.

"You're a freak? Ha, what do you think I am?" he asked with a bright grin that would rival the sun's radiance.

"A pirate." I replied, looking up. Luffy paused and then nodded.

"Well, yeah. But I was talking about stretching like a rubber band." he said and chuckled.

"But, that's normal. And at least you stay human, I mean I turned into…" and I trailed off. Luffy gazed at me with knowing eyes.

"You don't know what you turned into." he said. I looked up. "In fact, the only thing you have to go on is the word of a crew of pirates." I tilted my head and then Luffy laughed.

"But it was cool! You're not a freak. Just the same as Chopper's not a freak, or Robin or Usopp, or Zolo or Sanji or even Nami. You're human, just like me!" he cried and then with a quick grin, he hopped off the barrel and sped over to where Usopp was still trying to readjust the cannon. I watched him go. Luffy really was smart when he wanted to be.

"He's right you know." a gruff voice said behind me. I turned and saw Zolo leaning against the rail.

"Yeah… but I don't feel any better." I replied. Zolo shook his head.

"Listen to what Luffy's saying. He's telling you that no matter what happens, while you are in this crew, there will always be people who accept you for what you are, not what you will become or what you do. Luffy will always respect you, and so will I. And if the rest of the crew doesn't, then stuff them. They'll get used to it. They got used to Chopper. Although, that Robin woman is a bit shifty." Zolo finished darkly. I chuckled.

"I think the same thing." I replied. Zolo looked at me.

"You get what we're saying?" he asked. I nodded.

"Dinner!" Sanji called. Zolo sighed and I smiled. Of course Sanji would ruin a good moment I had with Zolo.

"Hey S, it's been a week or so since you joined our crew. Cool huh?" Chopper asked as he trotted past towards the kitchen. I paused. A week or so? It then began to hit me. What if I never went home? A home I was rapidly forgetting.

"Are you coming?" Zolo asked, pausing outside the door. I shook my head and walked after him.

Life… was only just beginning to get complicated.

Wow, well, poor Stealthy. Thankyou to everyone who has reviewed so far! I consider all reviewers my friends! If you have any questions, send me a PM and I will get back to you ASAP.

Luffy: She lies!

Me: Luffy, would you like to be hit by a random Zolo?

Zolo: Hey!

Me: Oh, didn't see you there. -smiles evilly-

I seriously need to lay off the sugar.