Title: Of Dreams and Desires
Pairings: Smoker x Ace, Sanji x Zoro, and other pairings
Ratings: T - NC-17
Chapter: 60 of ?
Summary: The road to One Piece is a dangerous one and each individual begins at different times and places. Some paths cross for a fleeting moment but the encounter could be so great that it can alter the initial direction. Every meeting is important and is planned by the souls long before the bodies see each other.
Disclaimer: I do not make any profit from this story; all props go to Eiichiro Oda.
Author Note: Hey! I hope you all enjoy!
Shout Outs: Thank you Dark Jacky, One Piece Luffy Ace Sabo, krazykiwi16, and Saraphin30 for adding ODD to your favorites and alert list!
Beta Reader: descriptionsalive21, thank you so much!

Trafalgar D. Water Law

Seventeen nobles stood on a marble balcony overlooking Holy City Mariejois, their conversations drowned out by the wind whipping around the fifty story condominium. Only direct descendants of the original twenty world nobles resided in the lavish condos. The Marines shared living quarters with the lower class nobles, populating the surrounding towns and villages, thus creating Mariejois. Saint Roswald swished red wine around in his glass before taking a sip, humming in appreciation under his breath. The heads of the original twenty normally stayed away from each other, each busy with managing their own sections of the world to worry about another, but every once in a while, they held these "parties" to mingle and discuss the latest happenings.

"What are you betting, Roswald?" Saint Camael questioned.

"What do you mean?" he asked, setting his now-empty glass on a passing tray.

A haughty chuckle came from Saint Mjosgard beside him, "Not paying attention, as always."

"For the upcoming battle between the pirates and the Marines," Saint Isopel pressed, "What and who are you betting on?"

"The Marines of course," Roswald said, "but I'd love to add that Whitebeard captain to my collection," he let the chuckling die down before he continued, "Honestly, I'm not sure why we squander our time gossiping about what those peasants do. I'd be happy if they killed each other off."

A much older gentleman let out a dying wheeze in agreement, "I, for one, would love to extinguish that pathetic excuse of a race and replace them with our kind."

"And live where the slaves are?!" Roswald exclaimed, "I think not!"

"I agree," Saint Jalmack nodded, "They've already fouled up the air down there."

"I hear they marry outside the family," the abnormally thin maiden near him stated and the group of nobles gasped, making Roswald roll his eyes. It didn't take much for him to lose interest in his fellow nobles , so with a few parting words muttered, Roswald stepped away with a twirl of his black mustache around his finger, proceeding on to the other end of the balcony. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the eldest amongst them, Saint Giles Eastyn. The Gileses were the first recognized noble family of Mariejois and the strongest of the twenty. His influence stretched wide and deep–there wasn't a person walking the earth that he couldn't manipulate.

"Saint Giles," Roswald greeted when he was near enough.

Even though he was over a thousand years old, Saint Giles stood tall with a strong back. His hands steady and eyes sharp, Eastyn missed nothing. "I knew you'd come by to talk before this gathering was over with."

"Of course you did." Roswald bowed a little, "I wanted to ask you about a member of the Don Quixote family."

"Oh?" Eastyn arched a sophisticated eyebrow, "Which one?"

"Doflamingo."

Saint Giles turned to face the shorter man, "What do you want to know about an exile?"

Roswald pushed his shades down to look the old man in his hooded eyes, "What does he have on us?"

"What is this about, Roswald?" the man countered.

"A month or so ago, he demanded an escort to Impel Down. I was under the impression that there should be no communication with those who are exiled from the noble status and Holy Land Mariejois; yet when I made our regulations known, do you know what I was told?"

With a twinkle in his eye and a smirk on his face, Eastyn answered, "That as Head of Transportation, your job is to fulfill orders and oversee safe arrangement of your fellow nobles to and from the Holy Land."

Roswald glared at the man, "What does the Don Quixote family know?"

Eastyn tucked a strand of his platinum hair behind his pointed ear, "He knows what you don't, Roswald." He patted the other's shoulder, "I think you should continue to focus on expanding your captain collection, it's a safer hobby than sticking that curious nose of yours where it does not belong. Unfortunately, your family doesn't have the status for the answers to the questions you're asking."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Roswald asked, but Saint Giles had already departed from their conversation.

Roswald grumbled angrily as he snatched a drink from a waiter nearby and gobbled down the champagne before throwing the glass over the balcony and leaving the gathering. Irksome old bastard. He'd have to gather more information about the Don Quixote family on his own time. If what the boy knew could put the entire world at risk, why let him live? A small grin formed on Roswald's thin lips. He personally couldn't kill Doflamingo, it was against the law to harm your fellow noble–exiled or not; and he was damn sure he wasn't strong enough to do it, especially if the man was anything like the books said of his ancestor El'azar the Demon Spawn–but where there's a will, there's a way.

Purupurupuru

Roswald reached into his sleeve and produced an orange snail; answering it, he demanded, "What?" as he stepped on the fingers of his slave step stool to climb onto the chair that was strapped to a baby giant's back.

"Father! We need to go to the slave auction!" the mushi screamed at him.

Sighing, the noble questioned his daughter, "Why?"

"Shalulia lost her slave, Father!" another voice said.

Roswald let his children bicker into the snail and when enough was enough, he cleared his throat, "I could use a getaway. Charloss, contact a Marine admiral. Tell them we require escort to Sabaody."

Unable to stand his bickering children any longer, Saint Roswald disconnected the call and stuffed the mushi into the inner pocket of his white suit. The noble tapped his cane against the giant's side with a dangerous smile stretched across his lips, queuing his ride to start. If he couldn't get answers from Giles, then he'd go to the next best option.

T.D.W.L

"What do you see?"

The pallid boy sighed, mumbling into his arm that was draped over his bent knees, "I dunno… birds? People? Nature?" He picked a flower from the ground and shoved it into his mouth, chewing the plant with a disgusted look, "We've been sitting here for hours and I'm starving."

"Well, what do we need in order to eat?"

"Duh," Law picked at his flaking skin, wincing when he pulled up a large piece that begin to bleed, "money."

"We got any?"

"No," the boy muttered, "your dumbass let some fish eat the last of our beli."

A gasp escaped the blond, "How dare you blame that on me?!"

"Cut the bullshit, Rosinante." Law's stomach growled, making him hunch over in pain, "We should just go back to Spider Miles."

Rosinante picked his nose then flicked the booger off his finger, "In my defense, it was a sea king, not just any fish." Law rolled his eyes and stood, but before he could walk away, the former elite grabbed the collar of his shirt, "Look at that."

Weary eyes followed the pointed finger to a lady at the vegetable stand some ways from them, "What about her?"

"She's our target."

"She's ancient," Law shot back.

"So?" broad shoulders shrugged. "Watch her."

They looked on as the senior bumped into a family, and while profusely apologizing to them, her lightening quick fingers snatched the mother's pearls, lifted the father's wallet, and took the son's candy pouch all with a smile on her face.

Law snorted, "Furtive old hag."

"I'll let you take lead on this one."

"Huh?" Law tried to glance up at Rosinante, but his vision became blurry before darkness consumed him.

"Law…"

A grunt came from the surgeon and he pressed himself into the cloud-like mattress beneath him as he felt heat build in his gut.

"What are you going to do?"

Slowly crawling his way out of Sandman's grasp, Law's tattooed fingers combed through fluffy blond locks, "Corazon?"

"I thought I told you to call me Rosinante," he whispered as he closed this distance between them, placing a kiss on the younger's cracked lips.

Law's eyes fluttered shut as he gave into the coaxing man above him for a while before whispering, "You're not real."

Featherlike touches were placed on his abdomen, causing the muscles to tighten, "Are you sure?"

Cold fingers scratched at his happy trail and Law gasped awake with his chest heaving and sweat coating him like a second skin. The captain sat up and rested his back against the hull as he looked around his cluttered room. He'd been having dreams about unspeakable things and it left him confused and uncomfortably aroused every time it happened. Ignoring his hardening member, Law threw the soaked covers off himself before climbing out of bed, wiggling his toes on the cold floor. In a few steps, the surgeon was at his closet, pulling out his standard clothes for the day. He had little space to maneuver in his captain's quarters, but he'd rather sleep in a closet than with his men. No offense to any of his loyal nakama, but he couldn't take one more midnight gas bomb from Bepo.

Fully dressed, Law studied the steel hull that was littered with bounty posters and news articles just an arm's-length away from where he stood. Shutting metal closet doors, he pulled on the bright orange string next to his head, gingerly following the yarn until it led him to an aged piece of parchment. Law tensed before he slammed his palm against the photo attached. He snatched his hoodie off the foot of his bed, pulling it on and exiting the room. No matter how he looked at it, all roads led back to the same man.

For the past six years now, Law had been tracking the Don Quixote Pirates; but his recent efforts had only led him to dead ends. There was no sign of the psychotic bastards… it was almost as if they'd vanished off the face of the earth after their last run in with the Marines two years ago. Doflamingo was good at covering his tracks, and going on a blind manhunt wore on both Law and his crew. After many debates with his men, the captain decided to take a break and focus on the direction he wanted to lead his nakama. A stroke of luck fell on the Heart Pirates a few islands ago when they'd gotten a tip of an underground kingpin named Joker. This baron had similar traits to the former noble, but without anyone ever having an accurate description of him, Law couldn't be certain that this Joker was in fact Doflamingo. Joker stayed out of the spotlight, letting his "business partners" handle all face-to-face meetings. But there was one person who was connected to both him and Doflamingo...

"Captain!"

Law glanced back over his shoulder at the puffy haired woman whose head was poking around the corner, "Ikkaku-ya."

The stand-in cook stepped out into the hallway, wiping sweat from her brow, "Lunch is ready. Want me to make you a plate?"

"You guys eat your fill," Law waved off as he ducked under the doorway and continued down the narrow corridor, "I'll be in the lab."

Food was the last thing on Law's mind; his thoughts were troubled, and just the idea of eating formed a knot in his gut. He had more pressing issues… like how every lead he had was cold. Well, all but one, but it was a last resort, he wouldn't use it unless he had no other choice. If he were to approach the man, it would pose too much of a risk, it could make everything he'd done up to this point moot. The first step in his plan had gone accordingly: become a pirate and get a crew. It took him eleven years to find a handful of loyal individuals and it's taking him even longer to complete the second phase of his plan: become notable. No thanks to a certain Straw Hat crew, it was becoming increasingly difficult to achieve that goal. Sure, walking around with a two-hundred million beli bounty on his head was a great start, but he was a long way from Straw Hat's five-hundred million beli bounty. And because of the third stage of his plan, Law couldn't get on bad terms with the government. The title of Shichibukai would propel him to his ultimate aspiration; but in order to be a Shichibukai, the person needs to be both feared and infamous. Law had done his fair share of lawlessness, but it paled in comparison to destroying a government island or killing hundreds of innocents like the deranged Kid.

Upon reaching his laboratory, Law turned the wheel attached to the hatch and entered into the dimly lit room. Closing and locking the thick steel door, Law sat behind the tiny desk across from the operation table before slamming his head down on top of it. He tore off his hat and ruffled his raven locks while groaning loudly, "What am I going to do?" A brush against Law's shoulder blades calmed him and brought a smile to his face, "What do you think, Ope?"

He lifted his head to glance at the devil who sat on the operation table, swinging her short legs back and forth while reading Heart Surgery for Dummies, "I think when we reach Sabaody, we should visit the amusement park, and then the neon grove."

Law narrowed his eyes at the adolescent spirit, "I mean about the plan."

"Oh, that." Ope shrugged, "Who's this guy connected to Joker and Doflamingo?"

"Captain?"

A heavy sigh escaped Law's lips as he rose from his chair and within just a few steps he was at the door, pulling it open again, "What's up, Penguin?"

Perspiration covered Penguin's top lip and when his mouth stretched into a grin, Law couldn't help but mirror it as the feeling of excitement exuded from the man, "We've made it! The crew was wondering if we could come up for air."

"Yeah, it's been a while since we've surfaced. Tell everyone to meet me on deck afterwards."

Penguin ran off down the hall and the dull yellow lights that lit the passageway flickered before turning red. The blinking emergency beacons guided Law as he left his medical chambers and cautiously proceeded to the upper level. His name is Vergo.

Ope gasped at the hot rage that course through their connection. You feel anger towards this man. What did he do to you? Her eyes glazed over as images of what he refers to as "That Day" were displayed through their bond. The devil hummed softly. Does your scheme of vengeance include him too?

Law climbed the steps until he reached the entrance and sighed. I don't know. He leaned against the pipes, relishing in the warmth they provided. I don't want to lose focus of the main objective.

Killing Doflamingo. The childlike voice stated.

Exactly. Polar Tang released a shutter and the steel pipes Law rested on began to release steam. They were almost to the surface.

But if he's loyal to Doflamingo, then he'll be an obstacle that you might have to face. Do you think we can take him? Ope asked.

Law stuffed his hands into his hoodie pouch and shrugged. I don't know. Rosinante shoved me into a box and locked it. The few times I did see him was when he came to report to Doffy or for our "family dinners". Years have gone by and I doubt anything I saw back then was the full extent of his power.

The spirit hummed. If he's working for Doflamingo, he's not to be underestimated.

The corridors were engulfed in darkness for a brief moment before the bulbs buzzed with electricity, lighting the halls a warm yellow. Law pushed himself off the pipes, unlocked the door, and turned the valve, breathing in the salty air as he walked out and spun around, taking in the massive trees with a grin on his face. Finally! The captain wasn't sure if his crew was ready for the other half of the Grand Line, but for now, he'd put it to the back of his mind and enjoy Sabaody. Fireflies and glow worms illuminated the forest, bathing the docking groves in hues of blues, yellows, and greens, giving Law a clear view of the other boats pulling up to shore. A ship flying a skull with flame-like patterns caught his attention, instantly damping his mood. Eustass Kid. Of all the pirates they called part of the Worst Generation, it was him who Law loathed the most.

Shooing a bubble floating by out of his face, Law approached the rail, no longer enjoying the faint sounds of music coming from deep within the mangroves. The hatch door behind him made a loud clanking noise as it opened and heavy footsteps thumped across the deck. Law smelled the tart polar bear before feeling Bepo's oily fur against his cheek as he whispered "Gara-chu" in greeting.

Large hands pet the animal's head, "You finally get to go on that roller coaster you've been going on about."

Bepo snickered, linking his fingers behind his head, "Cross my heart, I won't throw up this time."

The surgeon gave him a blank stare, "That's what you said at the other four amusement parks we've visited." He shook his head, "Either way, we need rooms for our stay. I don't care what they cost, but I'm not sleeping in another room riddled with bed bugs or suspicious stains, got it?"

Nodding his head, Bepo took the purse of coins Law held out to him and stashed it in his jumper, repeating the words spoken to him, "No bugs and no stains." Before the polar bear could leap off the sub to land he questioned, "Can it smell?"

Penguin and Shachi suddenly came wrestling out Polar Tang, grappling until they bumped into Law, stopping only when his cold gray eyes glared down at the men. They gave weak chuckles before Penguin asked, "Going to get a room, Bepo?"

The navigator popped a bubble next to him, "Yup!"

Shachi grunted when Penguin tightened the hold on his arm, "No funny smells!"

While the men continued to manhandle each other, Law addressed Bepo, "Go ahead and mushi me when you've found a spot. Preferably before sunrise!"

Ignoring his now-arguing nakama, Law turned his attention to Ikkaku, who had just made her way onto the deck, "Uni just called," she said, "He and Clione want you to meet them at some shop. He says it's the first one once you leave the docks."

"Did they say anything else?"

Ikkaku shook her head, kicking Shachi away from her, "Only that it's the best haul we've seen in a while."

What's up with that guy?

Law glanced over at the redhead staring at them. Ikkaku leaned around the tall man only to squeal and hide behind him when Kid's burning stare was directed at her, "Geez, he's creepy."

"I'm going ahead," Law said as he called on Ope. A sphere engulfed the exposed portion of the submarine and with a mutter of "room", his sword appeared in his hand. "Bepo's getting us a place to sleep." With one last glance at Eustass, Law leaped onto land, saying, "Be sure to lock up," before disappearing into the forest.

T.D.W.L

Tantalizing aromas coming from the lower Forties Grove up ahead drew a growl from Rosinante's stomach and he swayed as fatigue briefly overtook him. He allowed the crowded streets of Sabaody to tussle him around until he bumped into a fancily dressed woman. Her razor sharp words fell on deaf ears as his nimble hands swiftly picked the heavy coin purse tucked between her breasts. Rosinante offered apologies with a smile as he continued on his path, gleefully bouncing the heavy pouch in his hand.

Nice, but I've gotten rusty. Rosinante thought to himself as he crossed the bridge connecting the hotel groves to the entertainment groves. There'd been some major upgrades made to his body, thanks to Dr. Nocturne. He moved faster, thought quicker, and he was ten times stronger than before; but it was the small things that he used to do that he found himself lacking in. He couldn't remember any smoking tricks, what conditioner he used to make his hair soft and tangle free, and worst of all, he couldn't remember how to whistle! Whistling is the second thing they teach you in field ops training. How the hell am I supposed to do bird calls and cool signaling shit now?

The youngest flamingo sighed and stashed his beli while following his nose to the nearest food stand. His nostrils expanded twice their size as he inhaled the smell of the sizzling meat before him. Licking his lips and with a thin trail of drool sliding out the corner of his mouth, he pushed his way to the front, yelling over the noise, "Oi, I want the biggest bowl of meat you got!"

The young cook gave a nod and dumped a pile of pork, beef, and chicken onto the flat-top, "Fifteen minutes!" she shouted back.

A low whine came from Rosinante but he didn't make a fuss as he flopped down on a nearby bench and pulled out a smoke from his inner breast pocket. Lighting the cancer stick with a grin, the blond watched the people of Sabaody. It was scary how thirteen years had passed but everything was just as he remembered it. His eyes darted to every black haired man as he chewed on the butt of his cigarette. Even though every inch of the tree island had been searched, he'd yet to see anything new or find Law.

"Is it ready?"

The coldness of the voice sent a chill up the former Marine's spine and he melted back into to his seat, straightening the collar of his bomber jacket and tucking his chin in. He looked over at a thin man tripping over the base of the lamp pole nearby. The unkempt man's feet kicked up dirt as he scurried away from the much rounder individual that loomed over him. "N-not yet, Mr. Ma–"

"My name better not be about to come out of your mouth-iin," the hefty one interrupted him and, despite the rowdy crowds on the grove, Rosinante heard the soft "eep" that came from the lanky man.

Wiping the beads of sweat from his forehead, the shorter of the two males leaned away from the other, "Of course not." He let out a weary chuckle, "Look, just give me some more time and I'll have everything ready plus something a little extra."

Rosinante stared at the overweight man beside him for a moment before closing his eyes. He knew that creep, but with his memories fragmented like how Dr. Natalya'd said they'd be, he'd been having a piss poor time trying to remember anything. Rosinante groaned in frustration. Where the hell do I know him from?

"More time?! Listen here, treasure hunter, we doesn't give more time!" The loud nihihihihi that came from deep within the man instilled fear in Rosinante. His fingers abruptly went lax, making him drop his still-lit cigarette as one name echoed through his mind–Machvise.

Blue orbs glanced back towards the man, one of his brother's top officers. Holy shit… Rosinante slowly stood and stuffed his hands into his pant pockets. Please don't notice me.

"Sir!" the woman from behind the stand held out a bowl of steaming meat in one hand, waving her fan at his retreating form, "Your food is ready!"

Rosinante kept his head down as he strolled past the large hairy-chested man to the lady. He could feel Machvise's beady eyes behind those black sunglasses he wore, watching him dig into his pocket and hand over his money. Before "enjoy" could leave the cook's mouth, Rosinante grabbed his dinner and bailed. He ran until the smell of spices brought forth a rumble from his stomach, and when he thought he was far enough away, Rosinante turned around only to be met with the man he was trying to avoid.

Machvise held up a small pink pouch, "You dropped this-iin."

What… "Uh, yeah. Forgetful me, always leaving stuff lying around," Rosinante chuckled out as he felt Machvise's solid belly press against him, but he didn't step away. "My wife says I'd lose my head if it weren't attached to my neck." He plucked the coin purse from the sweaty outstretched hand, glancing at the Don Quixote Jolly Roger tattooed on the man's hairy arm and gave a crooked grin, "It's nice of you to return it to me, Mr.…"

Machvise took a step back, "Don't worry 'bout it."

That was weird. Rosinante thought as he watched the man saunter away until he could no longer see him before making his way to a nearby fountain. Picking the perfect spot away from the horde of people, the former elite broke apart his chopsticks before popping a piece of meat into his mouth, groaning in satisfaction. Wonder what the hell all that was about. Low hums came from Rosinante as he enjoyed his meal, overwhelmed by the flavors assaulting his tongue. Completely engrossed in the food, Rosinante didn't notice a figure in dark garments sit down nearby. When the person shuffled closer to him, Rosinante shot them a glare, "Do ya mind? Trying to eat here."

"You look so familiar," came a muffled voice.

Rosinante looked over at the woman and sighed, "Look, lady, this is my first bite of grub all day. I get cranky when I don't eat. If you know me, we can reminisce after dinner."

The woman's chuckles sounded like a melody and it made Rosinante lean towards her to hear more, "Yes, I remember now. You said something along those lines last we met."

Setting the half-empty bowl down and facing the woman, Rosinante sucked at any leftover food in his teeth before saying, "Alright, I'll bite. Who are you?"

Her eyes were the only visible part of her body and they shone with excitement, "We can't talk here, but if you can keep up, I'll answer all your questions."

Rosinante snorted and picked up his bowl, "I'm not that interested."

Crow's feet stretched at the corner of her eyes and he heaved a long sigh, "Fine. Where are we going?"

"It'll be faster through the trees," she said before leaping up to the lowest branch and swinging around, thrusting herself into the canopy.

Shoving the last of his food into his mouth, Rosinante took the woman's lead and mimicked her every step from branch to branch as they climbed further up the mangroves. She grabbed ahold of a hanging vine and propelled out of sight, making Rosinante skid to a stop. Even with his heightened sight, he had to rely on the fireflies to light up the dark surroundings. Chirping resonated through the air and he looked up to where she'd disappeared. A hand beckoned him and, despite his better judgement, the blond pursued through the damp leaves and was greeted by a poor excuse for a treehouse. The raggedy building looked as though it would crumble from between the limbs of the tree at any moment, but the woman didn't falter in step as she walked in.

With curiosity bubbling within him, Rosinante entered the house, saying, "I followed you to this rinky-dink treehouse, now talk. Who are you?" He shut the door behind himself as he watched her remove the scarf from around her head.

She took off her gloves and threw them onto the console table, "You can call me Hex."

Rosinante swallowed the bile that crept up his throat and adverted his eyes, "Heya, Hex." Damn, she's hideous. Blue orbs tried to focus on the vegetation overtaking the house but she walked into his line of sight.

"Tea or water?" Hex asked as she passed by him.

Rosinante gagged at the aroma left in her wake and he paled. She smelt like what he had for dinner and his stomach let out an upset rumble. Nu-uh. There was no way in hell he'd puke up his guts just because he saw something atrocious.

"I can assure you that I've heard worse than whatever you're saying in your head," Hex called out from the kitchen.

Rosinante let out a weak chuckle, "Water, please."

The sound of pottery being moved about came from the other room and Rosinante took the opportunity to observe his surroundings. He walked around the spacious living area, letting his fingers brush over items that caught his attention before stopping in front of an old bookcase. The leather spines of the books were bent and worn and the faded letters made it hard to read the titles.

"Sorry for the wait," Hex said as she set down the drink tray and handed him his glass, "I've had a craving for tea all day."

Rosinante used the cool beverage to wash down the leftover vomit in his mouth, "I don't mean any offense, but, uh..." he gesturing at her, "What happened to you?"

Hex grinned, settling into the oversized chair opposite his, "You're Homing's child, aren't you?"

Rosinante shrugged, "Don't know anyone by that name."

They stared at each other, sipping on their drinks. Rosinante's lip curled when a piece of dead skin peeled off her upper lip and floated down into her tea.

Hex sighed and set down the cup, "Fire." Rosinante raised his brow and she continued, "I experienced an unfortunate series of events that weren't in my favor."

"I feel like there's a story to go with that statement."

Despite the burn wounds that covered her body, Hex's eyes gleamed with an untouched beauty. It was the only part of her Rosinante could look at without feeling ill. The flames from the candles around them flickered when a gust blew through the house and she said, "Our families were close, the Don Quixotes and the Gileses."

"Giles?"

Hex made a noise in the back of her throat, "When the Age of Man came about, all the land was connected as one massive mainland, and for as long as man could remember, there were twenty families who ruled over the land and its people. The heads of those twenty families sat on a council, and they called themselves the Paragons. They created the law of the land and appointed their offspring as successors, who were crowned as kings and queens, ensuring their ordinances were enforced. A little over a thousand years ago, everyday life was disrupted when the Heavens opened up and winged beings fell from the sky. For six days, every person from all corners of the kingdom watched their descent to land. When the last creature fell, the Paragons funded many expeditions, and only the brave set sail to interact with the foreigners."

"Wait," Rosinante set down his cup and rested his elbows on his knees, "you're saying bodies dropped from the sky–not little pods or something, but actual bodies?"

"Yes, I can only imagine the utter horror those before us felt upon witnessing such a sight. However, this spurred on the Exploration Era, and many rowdy people like the ones on this island risked their lives on their journeys into uncharted waters. You see, the island the sky creatures fell upon wasn't drawn on any map, which added more fuel to the desire to be the first to reach them. For many years, the Paragons shoved out more money than they brought in, which lead to them quickly exhausting their resources. A unanimous vote was cast and the Paragons ended their floundering expeditions to focus on the needs of their kingdoms… all but one."

"Let me guess, the Giles family."

"Incorrect," Hex shook her head. "Gol was the family's name, and Isak was their head. The Gols were the smallest of the elite families and overtime, they lost most of their land to the other families, creating a drift between Isak and the other Paragons. Under the cover of night, Isak gathered his wife and his six sons before departing on the first ship out of the kingdom. Unfortunately, about three months into their yearlong journey, the already unstable weather turned hazardous, and the sea overtook their boat. By some miracle, Isak and his youngest survived. When he awoke, he became the first man on Earth to interact with the fallen beings."

Kaienreki 402: 1100 years ago

"Chief talk. You listen," one of the natives in the room said, drawing Isak's gaze up to the abnormally muscular elder seated in front of him. Despite the scalding weather, a modest fire burned in the center of their gathering, filling the small room with smoke. He didn't know what they were burning, but the more he breathed in, the more his head lolled as he attempt to stay focused.

The old man muttered something foreign before saying, "Your son says you're from another land."

Isak's lusterless eyes roared to life and he tried to climb to his knees, but the firm hand on his shoulder prevented the action. "Where's my son?!"

"Your kin safe," the chief said, pointing at Isak with a stick, "speak more of where you come from."

Isak's lips parted, ready to demand for his son again, but the shuffling behind the elder caught his attention. It wasn't until now that he'd noticed the large wings attached to the man, "How do I know I can trust you?"

Native words danced around the room before the elder flicked his wrist and the flaps of the tent were pulled back. A small boy, no older than eight, was escorted into the room and a shaky breath came from Isak before he said, "My name is Gol D. Isak–"

"Gol D?! As in Gol D. Roger?!"

Hex glared at Rosinante, "We'll never get through the story if you continue to interrupt."

"Right, sorry," he shamefully scratched the back of his head, "please, continue."

"Isak made a deal with the tribal chief. He would tell them everything he knew and in exchange, they would let him and his son live with them. And so, the agreement was made. Isak spent the next hundred years residing among the winged creatures. Within that time, he taught the natives how to prosper from the land, and they shared with him knowledge from their home." She walked over to the bookshelf and removed a tome, opening it and flipping to a specific page before she handed it to Rosinante, "However, Isak's peaceful days with the Shandorians were numbered. Your great great grandfather was Don Quixote El`azar, and, despite his name's origins, he was a savage man–a ruthless ruler who brought nothing but anguish to his people. When he learned of Isak's departure from the Paragons, he used the citizens of his kingdom as slaves for his own personal gain. They labored day and night, building him a grand ship that could hold half of his kingdom in it; but when the vessel was ready, instead of filling it with crewmen, El`azar selected nine of his finest warriors and sailed for the unknown. It took them three years, but they finally made land, all nine of them." She pointed at a certain line and said, "Read that entry."

Rosinante squinted to read the faded ink, "Year and day unknown. I think we've found it. As we approached the island, a strange howl echoed on the wind, almost as if in warning. The whispers of 'go back' could be heard faintly in my ear, but that did not deter me. My crew has done what no other has, and we will address these creatures for the sake of mankind." The next few sentences were unreadable, but next to it was a message not written in ink. "It has been nineteen days and all we've been able to find is foliage. There are no signs of those who fell from the sky... was this mission for naught?"

Rosinante flipped a couple of pages, stopping when brown scribble jumped out at him, "We found them!"

Hex crossed the large room, "El`azar found what he was searching for, along with something even better."

Kaienreki 502: 1000 years ago

"Isak?" El`azar croaked; he blinked a few times to make sure he wasn't seeing things. He and his men had been roaming lost in the jungle for the last few weeks.

"What're you doing here, El`azar?" Isak asked as he passed his waterskin to the man.

The blond greedily drank before answering, "I'm looking for the beings from the sky. What are you doing here?"

"I live here," Isak replied as he strapped his bow across his back, he'd been out hunting for the night's dinner, "How did you get here?"

"I don't even know where 'here' is. Do you have food?"

Isak looked the skeletal group over and sighed, "Stay here; I'll be back."

El`azar collapsed against a tree, swatting away a moth, "You wouldn't leave us to die, would you?"

"I wonder how history would've turned out had he left them stranded in the wilderness," Hex muttered.

Rosinante glanced at his watch before setting down his now-empty glass on the table in front of him, "This story has been nice so far, but what's it got to do with you?"

Hex glared at him before continuing, "Isak convinced the chiefs to accommodate El`azar and his men. For months, Don Quixote studied the foreigners and their ways until one night, El`azar came across Isak's study. Go to page forty-seven."

Kaienreki 502: 1000 years ago

"Let me get this straight," El`azar swallowed his mouthful of food before continuing, "You split in the middle of the night, killed off all but one of your family, and started fucking the foreigners."

Isak chuckled, "A little vague with the facts, but something like that." He looked around the clay house and sighed, "The Shandorians have been kind to me. I've learned a lot about their home planet and our planet as well."

"What nonsense are you spewing?"

"Look at this," Isak rushed over to a chest in the corner of the room, pulled out a large piece of parchment, and hung it up on the wall.

"It's a map of the Twelve Kingdoms," El`azar shrugged. "What about it?"

"No, not that," Isak said as he put up another scroll beside it. "This is the map that the Shandorians have made." He observed El`azar as he studied the map, "Our world is much larger than we could've ever imagined."

"Are there explorations underway?" El`azar asked as he touched the map, only to quickly remove his fingers, "And what the hell is this thing made of?"

"Goat skin, and yes, we have sent out a few ships. They will report back any findings. Our last three excursions have been failures. We're hoping there's more to ascertain."

El`azar's slender fingers ran through his blond locks, "This strip of land here that divides the maps, what's it called?"

Isak leaned against a small table in the center of the room, "I call it the Red Wall. It's impassible."

"Who's laid claim to the islands on the other side?"

"The Shandorians."

El`azar counted the islands on the maps before asking, "You and your son have bred with the Shandorians, correct?"

"I have taken a wife and we've seven children. My son has also started a family." Isak raised an eyebrow, "Where are you going with this line of questioning, Don Quixote?"

The taller male straightened to his full height, "I'm just putting the pieces together." El`azar gestured to the hanging map, "Is it finished?"

"No," he answered.

El`azar nodded. "What do you do here, Isak?"

Said man smiled, "I help them with their agriculture."

"Oh, how the mighty has fallen!" El`azar chortled, "You flee from the burden of your noble status, wash up on the other half of the world, and now you're farming for these creatures."

"They're Homo sapiens, just as we are, El`azar. And to correct you, it was fifty years before I took another bride. I know what you're trying to get at, but it's their people, not mine, who occupy those lands."

"Still, your blood is in some of those winged-backed freaks."

Isak's eyes narrowed, "Watch your next words."

El`azar gulped down the last of his drink before slamming the cup onto the stone desk, "Look, I've been ruling my own kingdom for hundreds of years, and I know that when there's a port as busy as the one I saw out there, it means business is booming. Who are you trading with? The Paragons haven't received any requests."

"We exchange goods amongst ourselves," the former noble said, watching for El`azar's reaction.

Astonishment etched itself across El`azar's face, "Interesting... I've heard that there's a city of gold somewhere on this island."

Isak shook his head, "Just a tale we tell the children. There's not enough gold to make a city. Jewelry, perhaps–but not a city."

"I think you're lying to me, Isak; but no matter," El`azar sang as he opened the door, "The Paragons will be interested to know about my journey."

Hex plucked the book from Rosinante's hand, "At first daylight, El`azar struck a deal with the tribal chiefs. He would leave their island and mention his findings to no one, and in return, they would give him one of their most valuable objects," she replaced the journal in its spot on the shelf, "The tribal chiefs presented El`azar with a golden statue of one of their gods and sent him on his way. Their agreement, though, would be the Shandorian's downfall. El`azar was just as greedy as he was insane, and on his journey home, he thought up the most devious plan. When docked at the harbor, the first visit he made was to Saint Giles."

Kaienreki 503: 999 years ago

"Welcome back, El`azar."

The besmirched blond scratched viciously at his head, "I don't have time for pleasantries, Eastyn; there's something I have to tell you."

"Couldn't you've of come once you've bathed?" was the snooty reply, "What's so important?"

El`azar placed a golden statue the size of his palm on the table, "I've discovered the most amazing thing. You remember Isak?"

"The traitor," Eastyn muttered as he eyed the bird figurine, "what about him?"

"I found where the fucker's been hiding. He's made bed with the Shandorians."

Eastyn's eyebrows furrowed, "What's a Shandorian?"

"Not what, but who. They're the sky folk."

Eastyn's gray eyes followed El`azar as he walked around the room, "What else?"

"There's also another side of the goddamn world we didn't know about."

"You," Eastyn corrected as he refilled his glass. "You didn't know about. I know everything, El`azar."

The blond glared at his fellow noble, "Did you know he was fucking the aliens?"

Eastyn snorted into his cup before taking a sip, "Congratulations, you knew something before I did."

El`azar flipped the man off, "There's a tale they tell the children about a city of gold."

"Gold?!"

"Gold," El`azar confirmed, "Seriously, what's the plan?"

Silence fell upon the room and Eastyn pet the spine of the black cat sleeping in his lap as he said, "Complete annihilation of the Shandorians and domination of their lands."

"El`azar and Eastyn fabricated a devious lie to obtain the land from the Shandorians. They painted Isak as an enemy of the kingdom–a man who abandoned his duties to the people and as a noble to further his greedy aspirations, someone who would align their views with foreigners than that of their own people. By the end of their meeting, the other Paragon members concluded that the Shandorians needed to be eliminated and combined their armies. El`azar was appointed to command military, and hired Eastyn as his strategist. Together, those men reigned death and destruction on the Shandorians. A decade passed before news of the Paragons' escapades reached the civilians of their kingdoms. Many thought nothing of the Paragons' actions because the nobles presented it as a means of defense for their people against an unknown foe; but there were still quite a few who weren't fooled by the deceptive explanations, and my father, along with a few others, started a rebel faction."

"Finally! We're at your side of the story!" Rosinante exclaimed.

"Yes, thank you for your patience," Hex laughed. "The rebel army fought the Paragons on the home front. They had maybe a thousand men in their ranks who did everything they could to cripple the Paragons' movements by disrupting supply lines and demolishing their weapon factories. My father assigned an elite group of soldiers the task of finding Gol D. Isak. He figured if the rebels could coordinate their attacks with the Shandorians, then they could have a chance at defeating the Paragons. Those individuals completed their mission at a critical point of the war of the worlds."

Kaienreki 513: 989 years ago

"How hard is it to kill these fucking savages?!" Eastyn yelled as he slammed his fist down on the table.

The war room was busy with people running in and out as they followed their orders. The Paragon funds were once again depleting and they'd lost scores of men. El`azar shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked around the room, "We need to do some reevaluating, Giles."

Letting out a heavy sigh through his nose, Eastyn looked all around him, shouting, "Everyone out!"

El`azar waited until the room was completely empty before saying, "Those rebels are a pain in the ass. Our scouts are reporting they have contact with Isak and have been working with him for about a year now."

"How the hell did they find him?" Eastyn snarled.

El`azar looked out a nearby window, "Not sure. But I do know that if we don't stomp out the rebel army, then we will lose the war."

"What can we do? We can't kill our own, the people would turn on us faster than ice could melt in the sun."

"Not if an example is made that will deter more uprisings," El`azar said.

Cold eyes looked over at the blond, "What do you mean?"

"We find the leaders of this pathetic army and kill them. Put their corpses on display in the towns for all to see."

"That's a horrible idea, El`azar… horrible, but effective. Call to the local paper and have them run a story saying that the rebels are working with the enemy to destroy us from the inside out. That anybody who has information regarding the whereabouts of said rebels will be rewarded handsomely. Do we have the location of any of their bases?"

"Only three."

"Raid them all and print the story. Have it delivered by news coo."

"Their plan worked. In villages and towns across the kingdoms, men and women were rounded up like cattle. They tied the persecuted to stakes and burned them. My father was amongst the many who met their fate at the hands of the Paragons. Their deaths frightened the remaining members of the rebel army and those who lived went into hiding. With the resistance subdued and detailed information about the Shandorians and the Rebel's alliance available to them, the Paragons were able to focus their dwindled forces on vanquishing the remaining opposing army. After the war, they divided the land amongst themselves and appointed rulers before ascending to what is now known as Mariejois. The Paragons no longer called themselves such; instead, they chose the title of "World Nobles" to describe themselves. Giles Eastyn delegated five men to oversee the military, those five you know as the Gorosei. El`azar ordered all history and evidence of the foreign race to be removed; scrolls, temples, towns, and even entire kingdoms were wiped off the face of the planet. However, the Shandorians were an advance race, and they put their history on indestructible steles."

"The Poneglyphs."

"Correct. In those hundreds of years that the Paragons worked to erase the Shandorians from history, the rebel army gather what remained of their ranks and formed what is now known as the Revolutionary Army. I became the head of that army, and even though the Shandorian war was over, the battle against the Paragons wasn't. We needed to make a statement, to let the nobles know the truth wouldn't be hidden forever." Hex paused, her eyes glazing over, "I was a foolish leader. The army wasn't ready to face the Paragons, so I took matters into my own hands. I snuck my way into the Holy Land only to be confronted by Saint Giles Eastyn."

Kaienreki 721: 768 years ago

Eastyn breathed in the now-familiar rotten odor exuding from his home. The volcano he'd chosen as his place of residency had been restless and the stench of sulfur clung heavily to his clothes; but even with the full on assault to his senses, he was able to detect the peony fragrance his niece wore, "I know you're there." Hex embraced the shadows, her trained eyes memorizing the thin frame of her uncle as he continued, "I wondered how long it would take for you to come to me, licking your wounds and begging for forgiveness. You hurt my feelings when you sided against me, you know, but all that's behind us now. I'm sure you've come to your senses and will now take your place by my side." He looked over his shoulder at the corner of the room, "That is why you're here, right?"

Hex lowered her mask, the top edge only just reaching under her eyes, answering, "Sorry, but no."

"Pity," the older Giles shook his head, "why are you here?"

"To congratulate you."

"Are you admitting defeat?"

"Why would I do something as foolish as that?" Hex balked, "I came here to tell you that your days are numbered, Uncle. The Rebels are gathering as we speak. You might be able to speak the order for the people to forget your transgressions, but you can't control whether or not they actually do. I will always remember and hold you accountable."

Eastyn chuckled, "My darling niece, what are you rambling about?"

"You're a murder–"

"I'm a savior! If it were not for the military, our lands would be ravaged by savages. They would have raped our women, slaughtered our elderly, and enslaved our men… and the poor children!" Eastyn turned to look at her with a crazed smile on his face, "Only the Heavens know what would've been done to all the precious children of the land had those monsters reached us."

Hex shook her head, "Those are all lies! The Shandorians were peaceful folk until you attacked them!"

Eastyn's shrugged, "Possibly."

"Fine, you have your reasons for almost annihilating an entire race–"

"I hate the word 'almost'," Eastyn squinted at the map decorating the wall nearby, "I wonder where the rest of them are hiding."

Hex ground her teeth at his nonchalant demeanor, "Why did you kill my father?"

"He was the leader of the Rebel Army," Eastyn answered simply.

"He was your brother!" Hex stressed.

"Half-brother. And titles don't matter; if you're against me, then you're the enemy. Remember that if you are planning to follow in your father's footsteps."

Violet eyes glanced to the cascading lava on the other side of the room as it began to release steam. Hex fixed her mask so it sat a little higher on her face as the flow stopped and four brawny men entered. One stepped forward, saying, "Sir, there's an intruder on the premises."

Eastyn glared at the men, "I'm aware, you idiots." The guards gave a small bow and Giles waited until they were alone again before saying, "It's time for you to leave."

Dammit. Hex cursed.

She'd taken her eyes off Eastyn for one second and he'd vanished from his place in front of the map. She pressed herself against the wall, ensuring he couldn't sneak up behind her. You may have won the battle, Uncle, but there is still a war to fight. Hex traced her hand along the wall, searching for the crack leading to the tunnel she'd climbed in through. When she reached it, she looked over the room one last time before returning the way she came.

Once outside, Hex carefully maneuvered down the volcano, conscious of the lava creeping around her. About midway, the tumbling of rocks caught Hex's attention and she turned to see Eastyn ambling towards her. "You know," he called out, "I thought about letting you leave alive, but then I realized I could eliminate this rebellion problem once and for all!"

Before his words could reach Hex's ears, Eastyn instantaneously appeared behind her, wrapping his arms around her. She struggled in his grasp as he vaulted into the air, whispering in her ear, "Let's make this look like an accident, shall we?"

As they broke through gray clouds, Hex elbowed her uncle, loosening his hold on her. She attempted to break away from the man, but Eastyn grabbed her shoulders and slammed his forehead into hers. Hex's eyes rolled back into her skull and her body went limp in his arms. The pair neared the ground and Eastyn threw Hex to a cooling flow of lava just before landing on a rock protruding from the volcano. The noble dusted his hands off as he watched her body skip across the lava pit as if she were a stone over water, sparking into flames each time she landed. A rumble came from the sky and the clouds began to let down a heavy rain. Eastyn stood outside until the steam from the water hitting the lava obscured his vision of Hex's burning body before venturing back home.

"How are you not dead?" Rosinante questioned.

Hex touched her deformed cheek and grinned, "Rījen Rījen no Mi."

"But from lava?"

"I'm a stubborn woman. I won't die until my uncle has drawn his last breath," she answered.

"Jeez, talk about resolve," a sparkle of humor shone in Rosinante's eyes. "And here I thought my family was fucked up."

Hex chuckled and opened her mouth to speak but Rosinante raised his hand, "Your story took up a lot of time and I have to go, but there's something I'd like to ask."

The woman nodded, "Sure, what is it?"

"How did you know my mother?"

Hex walked over to a corner and started pruning the dead leaves off one of her plants, "I told you, the Don Quixotes and the Gileses were very close. That's all I can say for now." She turned back to him, digging into her pocket before handing him a white square of paper, "My vivre card. Find me later."

Rosinante took the card and stuffed it into his jacket's inner pocket, "Will do. Last question."

Hex walked to the door, holding it open for him, "If it's about my age, don't bother."

"Damn," Rosinante said in mirth, "See you 'round, Hex."

"Watch your step," Hex said just as he fell through the leaves. She shook her head. Clumsy as I remember.

T.D.W.L

"How's an old hag like yourself get caught up in the pirate life?" Machvise questioned.

Donna shifted her eyes over to her new partner, "As a pirate, I figure you'd know one doesn't get 'caught up' in the life. Besides, I'm not a pirate, I'm an accountant."

"Sure you are," Machvise barked a laugh, "I know plenty of accountants who gut men like fish over a drink," he jested.

"It wasn't just any drink. It was–"

"A bourbon aged forty years gifted to you by your son," he finished.

"If you know," Donna started, "why do you keep bringing it up?"

"I still find it unbelievable, but it's the most likeable thing about you." Machvise shifted his weight, "Everyone was skeptical about an unvetted person joining the ranks."

Donna snorted, "And you?"

"We're partnered up, aren't we?"

She nodded and the pair fell into silence as they continued their wait. Donna checked her watched and sighed; only three minutes had passed since she'd last looked. A thunderous sound disrupted the air and bright lights flashed over them. They watched the contractor hop off his motorcycle, shuffling toward them with his head down. "Sorry," he said when he was near enough, "there was a problem, but it's been taken care of. You guys ready to go in?"

"Are you the one we've been talking to?" Donna asked while she walked through the door the man held open for her.

"Nah–that was Dyke. I'm Butch."

"St. Judith," Machvise read the plaque on the archway, "Why a church?"

Butch led them to the main sanctuary. It was devoid of pews and a few pillows were scattered on the floor at the front of the room near a small row of ivory statues. "Marines won't think to check this abandoned cathedral, especially not this deep within Region Ten."

"Yeah, but..." Machvise glanced up at a golden statue nearby, "I don't like this guy-iin."

Butch raised an eyebrow, "Jesus?"

"Is that his name?" Machvise asked, "Freak's all over this place."

Butch grabbed a candlestick off the votive candle rack and lit it, "You know this place is dedicated to him, right?"

"What?! The whole church?!" Machvise asked, his deep voice echoing around the room.

"All churches," they answered.

Machvise stared at them in disbelief and Butch shook his head, shooting a look at Donna, "Are all pirates stupid?"

Donna rubbed the bridge of her nose and slowly exhaled, "Ignore him," she said, quickly following with, "What's the status on the Play House?"

When the group reached the chancel, Butch unhooked one of the many rings of keys attached to his belt and opened the door next to it, "We've made contract with the madam whore Loíza to provide workers for the Play House. As I was telling meathead, we're in Regional Grove Ten, District Seven. The Marines gave up on trying to maintain the groves long ago, giving us unlimited access to Shipyard Fifty-one."

Donna's heels tapped against the cobblestone ground as she stepped into the stairwell, her nose crinkling at the musty smell, "When did the shipment from Doerena arrive?"

"Yesterday, but it was short six bags of pixie dust," Butch muttered while he relocked the door to the stairwell behind them.

"Two days late and he's trying to pull one over on us." Donna looked over her shoulder at Machvise, "Dispose of the captain and appoint Ibusu. Make sure he's aware we expect hasty deliveries."

The trio climbed the spiral staircase to the next floor and Butch unlocked the door, ushering them in, before locking it behind them. "Play House turns your dreams into realities, no matter how fucked up they might be." He extended his pointer finger and thumb, making shooting gestures as they passed the each door in the hallway, "Into wolfpacking? We got it. Child sex? I don't judge, but you have to pay triple. We've got a twenty-five percent discount special on BDSM and dominatrix–"

"Why?" Donna asked.

"Upon high request, we've implemented the Elderly Campaign into each project. It's only going to be here for a limited time in both fields. The discount is bringing our customers' attention to the addition."

Machvise tucked at strand of brittle orange hair behind his ear and pressed the side of his head against one of the doors, grinning at the sounds that came from behind it, "What's the Elderly Campaign?"

Reaching the other end of the hall, they climbed another set of stairs to the upper floor, "If you like dry pussy, wrinkly dicks, fresh baked cookies, or just some nice R&R with senior citizens, then the third floor is for you." Butch pushed aside a tarp separating them from the room, "It's still under construction, but it's been a hit. We've seen a triple in revenue. The campaign isn't even done yet and we're already in the works of getting it its own platform."

"Really?!" Donna exclaimed. She chuckled, "Nasty bastards."

"Yeah, so what do you think?" Butch asked as he shook out a smoke and lit it.

"Are operations limited to District Seven?"

"There are smaller setups in the other districts in Grove Ten. Thanks to some nice funding, we're able to open a Play House in Region Forty." A rhythmic thumping came from the wall beside them and Butch started for the exit, "Come on, the next stop is the docks. A shipment just came in and I think you'll be interested in it."

Blue eyes glanced into the stained glass, watching the retreating trio until they left the room. Rosinante sighed. Now to get down from here.

After his unfortunate plunge through the trees, Rosinante spotted Machvise and decided to use the remainder of his night to tag the man to try and get intel on what his brother was up to. Rosinante followed them to the deserted church and he managed to parkour his way up and around the building, taking note of as much as he could. The former spy didn't know what was at the shipyards, but it sounded interesting. He shimmied across the window's ledge before hopping over to the next one, but his foot slid on the slick limestone and he started to free-fall. He wildly reached around, sighing in relief when his fingers gripped one of the window stools. He pulled his body up and out of sight just in time before the ground doors opened. Machvise and company exited the large church, exchanged a few words he couldn't hear, and walked off into the distance. Rosinante regained his footing on the ledge before leaping down, brushing himself off and following after his targets.

T.D.W.L

"Order up!"

The cook slapped the table bell perched in the window and a waitress came, picked up the food, and carried it away. The same process repeated and Uni leaned closer to the table, lowering the pitch in his voice so the passing servers couldn't hear him, "The port master said at high tide, a ship bearing this Jolly Roger docked." He slid the photo to his captain, "The same flag that's on his ship."

Law traced the crossed-out smiling face with his finger, "Did you see anyone?"

"We waited for hours, but there was no one," Uni answered.

"But we found something worthwhile," Clione dropped a photo on the table, "A shipment of devil fruit."

"Devil fruits? Are you sure?"

Uni's bandana slid down his forehead and he situated it back into place, "They don't look like any of the fruits that are in the Devil's Book. Got weird shapes and designs on them."

Law tapped his finger against the tabletop and hummed in thought, "Devil fruits are the cream of the crop. Black market buyer's starting price is five-hundred million–"

A pair of white coats passed by the pirates and they fell silent until they were out of earshot. "I'm surprised to see any Marine activity in this area."

Clione nodded his head, "Same here, boss. They've been pretty scarce on the island as a whole, but they have a company stationed in District Fifty-six."

"With the war around the corner, they shouldn't have any soldiers to spare," Uni commented.

"War?"

Uni's white eyes rolled back in their sockets, "Have you not been reading the paper? The Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines have been gearing up for a showdown for the past couple of weeks now."

Law hummed softly, "It doesn't directly affect us; as long as we stay out of Marine focus, we should be able to hunker down here until we're ready for the New World. Which port is our target?"

"Fifty-one."

"Let's go," Law stated as he stood.

"Where ya going?" a voice said as pale hands clasped the Heart captain's shoulder.

Law jerked himself away from the grinning man, "Fuck off, Eustass."

"Don't be like that! I just wanted to know if you're leading us to our next treasure," Kid said with a laugh.

Uni's chair scrapped against the wood as he stood, "Come on, boss, he's not worth it."

"So, they kept a traitor like you in their crew."

"I'd rather be nakama to them than to you lot," Uni snapped. Clione grabbed his arm to stop him from approaching Killer, who was resting against the bar.

Kid barked a laugh, "You're dumber than I thought, man." He stepped to towards Law, "First you trade your treasure for him, and now you call him nakama." Red eyes glowered at Uni, "You should've just let me kill him."

Killer snorted and Law shoved by the red haired captain, "Don't forget, we let you take our booty and, if my memory is correct, you lost three nakama."

Not waiting to hear their response, the Heart Pirates made their way out of the small diner. Even though it was three in the morning, traffic was still heavy on the groves. The surgeon had to sway to and fro to avoid bumping into anyone while he occasionally looked over his shoulder to ensure Uni and Clione were pushing their way through the plethora of people to keep up. A shove to his side redirected his attention to the man in front of him. When the taller male didn't say anything, Law growled out, "Watch where you're going!" before storming off.

A small smile formed on the pale man's face and he continued on moving through the sea of people, determined not to lose his mark. Rosinante had been looking for that punk all day and he just so happened to stumble upon him while tailing Machvise. He'll find him again in the morning. Right now, he needed to stay focused. Judging by the broken conversation he'd eavesdropped on, his brother's operation was expanding, and he was still dealing with slave traders and other shady associates.

Rosinante chewed on the butt of his cigarette as Butch led him and Doffy's crew up a plank and into a large dolphin-shaped ship.

"We're in the process of exchanging the gold for beli. It'll be ready for pick up in the morning," Butch said.

Rosinante followed their steps up the wooden ramp and onto the deserted ship. He looked up at the crow's nest.

Not even a watch guard.

The door they went through was left open and Corazon slipped through the crack, descending carefully down the stairs into the ship's hull. The rotting floorboards creaked with his every step, but he hoped the three would be too busy talking to notice the sound. Rosinante ducked behind a crate before peeking over it at the trio standing next to a cluster of large baskets.

"These over here," Butch started, "are all the devil fruits we've collected thus far." He picked one out and tossed it in the air, "I lost a good chunk of my men for these things."

The woman snatched the oddly shaped fruit from mid-air and threw it back in the basket, "You'll be compensated generously for your time and efforts. Joker greatly appreciates doing business with you."

Joker… he'd never heard that name before; but if he had to piece together all of what he knew, then it would be safe to conclude that Joker was probably Doflamingo. Rosinante leaned against the crate he hid behind to get a closer look at the merchandise. Cobalt eyes widened upon seeing the blue and gray oval-shaped fruit.

Nagi!

The unstable barrels around him went crashing to the ground and silence filled the hull. Rosinante could feel the floor shake as heavy footsteps approached his hiding spot, "Hey, Butch, you got someone else in here?" Machvise questioned as he moved the fallen hogsheads around.

"Just us," said man answered, "We were on an island with some freakishly large rats. One of 'em probably got aboard or something."

Donna shook her head, "I don't do rats. Come, Butch; for your services, we'll treat you to a night out. Machvise, take care of moving the merchandise."

The trio ascended the stairs and Rosinante waited until the door was closed before stepping out of the darkness. He reached down and picked up the fruit that'd caught his eye, examining every inch of it. That Blackbeard doctor said he'd found Nagi already. How is she here?

The stairs outside let out a groan and Rosinante stuffed the fruit into his pocket before diving behind another barrel. He hid in the shadows as the newcomers advanced into the room; all the while, Rosinante creeped towards the exit. He glanced around the pillar he stood behind to observe the men.

"There it is," one said.

"See, boss? Best haul ever," the other gushed.

His view was briefly obscured before the third man stepped into the light, "Good job, guys."

Law approached the cask and Ope reached out through their bond. Something's not right about those fruits. They don't have spirits in them.

Heeding the devil's words, Law picked up an oddly shaped fruit and scrutinized it as he said, "Don't get anything from this bunch," he pointed at the basket to the right of them, "Only pick from those. Fill up the sack and let's go."

Uni began loading the bag and Cyclone asked, "Why only these, boss?"

"The others aren't real," Law answered as he looked through the other hidden merchandise.

Rosinante patted the one in his pocket before sneaking up the stairs, careful of the creaking steps so as to not alert the conversing men in the hull. Successfully making his way out of the docking harbor, the former Marine shuffled through the crowded groves and back to the hole-in-the-wall hotel he was staying in. He stepped over the drunkard passed out in front of his door as he entered his room. Rosinante grabbed the journal on the desk and recorded all his findings before throwing himself across the lumpy bed in the center of the room. There were so many question he had for Dr. Blackbeard, but they'd have to wait until the morning.

T.D.W.L

I should have time to stop by the auction before heading out, Rosinante thought as he sidestepped a tourist. He'd made up his mind last night that he wouldn't let Law know that he was alive. There was something afoot with his brother and he wanted to get to the bottom of it before even speaking to the other man. He did, however, want the surgeon's vivre card and, in order to get that, he'd have to take a hair or nail sample from him. He couldn't concoct a good enough plan to take a nail sample, thus commencing the scheme he was calling: Operation Pluck a Strand. He was hopeful that they'd cross paths again before he reached Grove One.

Rosinante's mushi rang and he quickly answered the snail, "What?"

"You were supposed to be back yesterday," the masculine voice stated.

Rosinante rolled his eyes, "Didn't know I was on a schedule."

"Perhaps not you, but those of us who have studies to complete are," Dr. Nocturne replied.

Spotting the same pupil-less man who'd been with Law on the ship, Rosinante began his pursuit. "Look, I got one more thing to take care of, then I'll be back. I found something you nerds will be interested in."

Nocturne snorted and Rosinante disconnected the call before the doctor could retort. He watched the man look both ways before ducking off into an alley. Storing the sleeping snail back in his pocket, Rosinante stepped into the alleyway, watching the group silently.

"Boss, you wanna go to the auction?"

"Not sure, Uni-ya. I've seen enough of those pompous assholes."

Ikkaku raised an eyebrow, "Who?"

Bepo toyed with an unraveled piece of thread from his jumper, answering, "The Celestial Dragons."

"Well, I think we should go," Cyclone stated as he placed his rump on an empty crate, "You said you wanted to get one more crew member before we left for the New World, right? I think it'll be a great opportunity."

Law raised an eyebrow, "Are you saying we should purchase merchandise from the auction?"

Uni nodded his head, "Think of it more as buying that person's loyalty."

"I don't want to buy someone's loyalty," Law replied, "I didn't buy any of you."

"Well, technically–"

"Hush, Bepo, you know what I mean."

Rosinante chuckled at the group and five sets of eyes turned his way. He gave an awkward wave before crouching and sprinting toward the pirates. Operation Pluck a Strand, commence. Before anybody could react, Rosinante was in the center of their group, chest-to-chest with Law. With a grand sweep of his long leg, Rosinante kicked Ikkaku and Cyclone into some trash bins. Law had to cross his eyes just so he could look up at the pale man and he leaped back to get some distance between them.

The captain observed their attacker while Bepo and Uni circled him, "Who are you?"

"Yeah, and what'd ya want?" Uni asked as he pulled a knife from his pocket.

Rosinante pushed up his shades and beckoned the remaining Heart Pirates with a smile. A tsk escaped Uni before he charged ahead with his blade poised to strike the man in front of him. Rosinante feigned to the left and quickly disarmed Uni before shoving him into a window nearby. A growl caught his attention and Rosinante turned just in time to avoid sharp claws descending on him.

Bepo continued his assault, pushing Rosinante back deeper into the alley. The hair on the back of Rosinante's neck stood as the static-charged bear's claws got closer to him. Penguin let out a warrior's cry and Bepo jumped into the air, tucking in his legs just as the tip of Penguin's lance came barreling forward. Rosinante rolled to avoid it, but landed at the feet of Shachi. Taking advantage of the opening in Rosinante's defense, Shachi released his katana to slice the blond into pieces; but instead of sinking into soft flesh, the blade vibrated and bounced off of Rosinante's arm. Shachi stared at the shiny black substance that covered the man's forearm as he brought his blade back down over and over, hoping to draw blood, but got the same results every time. Before he could lift his sword again, Rosinante punched Shachi in the throat, sending him crashing into Bepo.

Seeing all of his men down, Law muttered "room" to call forth Ope. Rosinante felt the shift in gravity around him and he turned his attention to Law, who was sitting on a milk crate with a bored look on his face, "You've held your own against my men. If you're not going to say who you are, the least you could do is tell me what you want."

Rosinante cocked his head and smiled, "Hair."

Bewilderment etched itself on Law's features and Rosinante vanished. The captain stood and looked around the alley for the man, but there was no trace of him. Ikkaku groaned as she regained consciousness, and when she'd blinked away her blurred vision she let out a gasp, "Law, behind you!"

Law spun around to find the man was once again pressing up against him. Rosinante leaned in and plucked some hair from Law's thick sideburns before leaping into the air and onto the fire escape. He saluted to Law before he climbed up the stairs to the roof and fled from sight. Rubbing the side of his face, Law glanced around the alley, ensuring his crew was still intact before saying, "Get up, guys. We're going to be late for the auction."

Between groans of pain, the Heart Pirates picked themselves up from their defeated positions and rallied to their captain. "Mind telling us what all that was about, boss?" Shachi asked while rubbing his throbbing throat.

"Hell if I know," Law answered as he looked both ways before exiting the alley, "there're all types of crazy people on this island. We have to be more alert." His crew followed after him making sounds of agreement and he said, "Let's get ice cream before the auction."

On the rooftop, Rosinante watched Law until he could no longer see him. He's really grown up on me. He closed his eyes, enjoying the breeze across his face. He was happy to have gotten the chance to talk to Law, even if it was only one word. Rosinante held the strains of hair up and grinned. Operation Pluck a Strand: complete.

Yay, Rosinante! Thank you all for reading! Stay tune for the next chapter: Borsalino Kizaru- Huredhiel