I don't like you!

by BloodyMarryMe

By pure chance and unluckiness Miyako finds herself at the Sabaody auction house as a slave. And of all the people, the one interested just had to be the most smug, egoistical and sadistic pirate she has ever met. So at least she can give him as much trouble as possible, right? LawXOC

51. Chapter 51

I don't like you! by BloodyMarryMe

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece or any of its characters. I do own the OC Suzune Miyako. This story is rated T for violence, language and suggestive themes.

Author's note: Greetings everyone, I'm finally back! Sorry for the wait but I had exams until now so I wasn't able to work on the new chapter much. My summer finally starts now so hopefully I'll speed things along and update more frequently during summer vacation. Originally I wanted to do the whole island arc in one chapter but that would take a lot more time to complete and I figured I owed you guys an update already so I'll split it into two chapters and start writing the next one immediately. Also, I didn't have time to send this one to my beat reader but I proofread it myself, so I'm sorry if I neglected to see some mistakes. In any case, I hope you enjoy the new chapter and have fun! :)

*Thank you everyone for your lovely and supportive reviews! You are all awesome!

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CHAPTER 51

Josh checked the list one more time, reading the names of the pirates from it. „That's 20 hearts so far," he commented, turning around to look at his captain who was scribbling something at the desk in the infirmary. Meanwhile, Joshua had to store all the hearts away and check on them, reading the list of the names from the wanted posters of all the pirates whose heart they possessed so far. Putting them all back in their place, Josh closed the doors of the fridge where they were stored, even though it was unnecessary to keep them there; Law's little Room cube around each heart seemed to work perfectly, preserving them. "80 more to go. Still, are you sure this will be enough to persuade the marines to let you join the Shichibukai?" Josh was still a bit skeptical about the whole plan. In the end, if they travel to the Marine Headquarters, one of the most dangerous places for a pirate to be, and Law doesn't get the title of Warlord, they will all be screwed. The marines would surround them and capture them in a second, throwing them all in Impel Down or possibly even execute them. However, captain Law seemed strangely confident in his plan, certain that the marines won't decline their offer.

The captain put down his pen and leaned back into his seat for a second, looking at the redheaded medic who was making a list of all their medication at the moment. „There is a reason why I am only after the pirates who have more than 500 000 Beri bounty, and why I'm not simply killing them and taking their hearts, Joshua-ya. The marines will be given the hearts of 100 pirates, that means they will have means to control pirates of at least 500 000 bounty or higher; those aren't just some small fry either. This deal is better than any head a bounty hunter could give them. When captured, a pirate could either be executed or imprisoned for life. But like this, the Government will actually be able to control those 100 pirates since they will be holding the lives of those men in their hands. Whether they will capture them or use them as they please, it's up to the Marines. Don't you think that deal is something the government definitively won't refuse?" Law grinned in complete satisfaction, already knowing the answer to that question.

Josh thought about Law's words for a while, before showing a smirk of his own. "Yeah, that's a pretty sweet deal for them. They'd be idiots to refuse. As expected of captain Law."

Trafalgar put his hands at the back of his head, staring at the bright ceiling in thought. They raided two more pirate ships since his plan begun, but they still needed about four times as much as they already had. Law was never an impatient man, but the process of taking 100 hearts seemed a bit too slow for his liking; especially when he had to mind their bounty. After all, the marines could attack again at any moment and they might not be as lucky as last time when fending off Kizaru. He needed that amnesty and he needed it fast. Law had to do something more drastic to get the remaining hearts; possibly all in one go. But how?

The doctor was brought out of his deep musings when Josh continued. "That fox girl didn't seem to take it very well, though." The redhead sighed, mumbling the next comment as if he was talking to himself instead of Law. "Is she still sulking?"

Law's eyebrow rose at Joshua's word. Fox girl? At first he didn't have a clue who the medic was talking about, but than a thought hit him, or rather a picture of a certain girl formed in his mind. Miyako was smiling with that sly smirk and slightly narrowed eyes as she always would when she would get a devious idea. Many times when she was planning something, she really did look like a fox, only lacking the animal's ears twitching on her head. 'Fufufu' The girl's laugh echoed in his mind when she was pleased with her plan, one hand hiding her mouth while she chuckled. Law had to refrain himself from sweat dropping. At those times, she really did seem like a sly fox; Joshua might have unconsciously hit it right on the mark with that statement. Remembering the shorter man's question, his captain stared back at the ceiling while thinking. "No, I think that is settled for now." With Miyako, though, you never knew when a new disaster could arise. The girl's knack for trouble constantly kept him on his toes.

~…..~

Somewhere in the other part of the submarine, on the second floor where the pirates' quarters were, Miyako sneezed. Brushing her nose with her index finger, the girl took a breath thinking she will sneeze again. Luckily, the urge stopped and she calmed down. "Honestly, I can't stop sneezing…" The girl suddenly remembered that old saying and frowned. "That shorty better not be talking bad about me."

~…..~

However, it seemed today Trafalgar just wasn't allowed to have some time to think by himself, because once again he was rudely interrupted by the doors of the infirmary slamming open. Stepping in hurriedly, his first mate ran towards him, waving today's newspapers in his paw.

"Captain!" Bepo called out, rushing towards Law and almost bumping into Josh in the process.

"Oy, watch it!" The temperamental redhead exclaimed, moving out of the way of the large polar bear.

Forgetting why he even came in the infirmary, Bepo stopped what he was doing and stood in place, bowing his head in sudden depression. "Sorry."

The Dark Doctor, already used to the bear's antics, simply ignored the gloomy state of his first mate and instead reminded Bepo of his actual aim. "Bepo, what happened?"

"Ah, that's right!" The bear suddenly lifted his head up, completely forgetting his depression from a while ago, and came up to Law. "Look at this captain, I found this while reading the ads in the newspaper." Bepo opened the large papers on Law's desk and pointed at one small add. It was in the far corner of the paper, without a signature or any other information. Only the plain black text on wrinkled, white paper.

Until night turns back into a day again, sail on, sail on.

After 45 long strides towards the Y is where you stop

Only 24 minutes you can wait

It is Z that marks the spot when you look 10 strides towards the North Blue sky

Only 36 minutes you can wait

The X is only visible from the mountain top where the seagulls fly high

Look down into the Hell's abyss, there is where we'll lie.

Law read the small text out loud, already mulling over the meaning behind those words. Before he had the chance to voice out his opinions, Bepo started.

"Captain, could it be that?" The bear looked at his captain and longtime friend with wide, expectant black eyes.

"That?" This time it was Josh who asked as he got interested in all the commotion and joined the other two pirates. The redhead tilted his head to the side, looking between the newspaper and the two Heart Pirates.

The doctor looked at the advert again before nodding, as if confirming his own theory inside his mind. "Occasionally, the pirates of the world will communicate like this. Marines can sometimes intersect den den mushi conversations and messages, so sometimes it's too dangerous to use them. Instead, to make sure it is kept top secret, pirates will communicate like this; they'll put hidden coded messages in everyday newspapers where the marines wouldn't suspect to look. I believe this is one of those messages." The captain tapped onto the papers before continuing. "A few days ago I called my informant and got some interesting information; it seems one of the Yonkou is on the move, recruiting more forces. They must be preparing for the World Government and Blackbeard."

"Kaido." Bepo explained, earning himself a strange look from Josh who was shocked the bear would know such a thing. He obviously knew what was going on, which wasn't strange since Law specifically told him to keep a sharp eye for any messages or articles like this while reading the newspapers.

"It seems they finally decided to make their move," Trafalgar added, piercing the text before him with his cold eyes. He already knew Kaido was building an army full of devil fruit zoan type users, so to achieve that he needed a lot of men under his rule.

"So Kaido is getting even more power? This was sent by him?!" The redhead was obviously surprised by the realization, staring at the papers with wide eyes underneath his cap. After accepting the idea, the man's shocked expression turned into a frown. "But what does it mean?"

Law's keen eyes were already examining the text, trying to decipher it. "I think this is a place…perhaps a meeting place for their summit where the pirates will join." He tapped the advert with his index finger, sliding it over the letters as if that will help him to understand the meaning behind this seemingly jumble of words. "I presume it will be somewhere in the New World." Then suddenly his eyes narrowed as the doctor got an interesting idea. Standing up abruptly, Law took the newspapers and headed out of the infirmary in a mild rush.

"Captain?" Both Bepo and Josh called out after him in confusion, seeing as their captain just up and left. The two looked at each other in wonder before both decided to go after him.

Taking long strides, Law was in front of the submarine's control room in no time. Opening the doors he was greeted by his two navigators who were currently relaxing. They were deep down in the sea waters and there were no dangers or underwater twisters in sight, so the navigators could relax for a change, riding on some slow sea currents. That relaxation didn't last for long when Law came in suddenly, putting the newspapers in front of Sai on his control panel. "Get me a map of a globe and all the New World maps we have."

"What's going on?" Sai asked, already getting up and walking towards the metal cabinets where all their maps were stored. Retrieving the needed ones, the navigator came back with his hands full, letting them all fall down onto the control panel. Even Jean Bart got interested, eyeing the papers behind Sai's back.

Soon Bepo and Josh came, followed by Shachi and Penguin who they met on the way. "What's all this ruckus about? Bepo says it's urgent?" Shachi called out seeing a mess of maps on Sai's control panel.

Law didn't say anything but instead opened the map of the world globe. Without even being asked, Sai held the map open while Trafalgar examined it.

"Captain found Kaido's message in the newspapers," Bepo explained bluntly, with a matter-of-fact tone, completely missing the fact that such an explanation only confused the rest of the pirates more.

"He found what where?" Penguin blinked underneath his hat, unable to understand the situation. Meanwhile, Josh took the papers and showed it to the two mechanics, briefly clarifying the situation. He told them everything Law said in the infirmary. Shachi's and Penguin's expressions changed from shock, to understanding and then confusion again, just like his had a while ago.

"But this message makes no sense; 10 strides towards the North Blue sky? How can you walk towards the sky anyway?" Penguin tilted his head and put his hands on his hips, a slightly irritated tone in his voice. He hated riddles since he was never very good at them.

"I think 'strides' are actually a name for something else." Law explained absent mindedly, motioning for them to bring the newspaper back to him so he could examine the text one more time.

"Like a code name!" Bepo exclaimed, excitedly.

"That's not a code name, idiot!" Penguin corrected him, unusually high-spirited about all this. "Code name is like...you know…when I have a secret name like 'Handsome Pirate Mecha' or something."

Shachi looked at his friend mechanic with a suspicious stare. "You actually call yourself that...? That's so lame."

The younger mechanic blushed and became flustered all of a sudden, straightening his back. "I-I'm not! That was just an example, an example!" The pirate defended himself but it seemed his friend didn't believe him at all, as Shachi still stared at him with a dejected expression.

"What's going on here?" Another new voice filled the control room as Cody peaked his head inside. Next to him, sharing the same interested expression, Miyako stood watching the group of pirates inside the room. Shachi and Penguin were still having their discussing while Josh and Bepo simply watched them both, looking from one to the other as the mechanics kept fighting, exchanging insults now and then. Every now and again, Bepo would jump in with his own remark on the matter of the code name, joining in the argument. However, that would soon be over when both mechanics would yell at the bear to shut up before returning to their own quarrel. Meanwhile, Sai was helping Law analyze the various map while Jean Bart stood behind the smaller navigator, watching them with interest.

Miyako and Cody looked at each other, stepping into the room uncertainly.

"Um…guys?" Cody called out trying to get someone's attention.

"It's really loud in here," Miyako frowned, watching the group. Then again, Heart Pirates were always a rowdy bunch, but at least in the control room with the ever-silent Jean Bart and always calm Sai, it was usually peace and quiet in here. This scene was already far above unusual.

Trafalgar's eyebrow twitched as he furrowed them, trying to concentrate on the riddle before him. However, it was impossible with the loud atmosphere in the room. Everyone were fighting or talking and now even more people were entering the not-so-big control room. It was becoming way too crowded in here. Finally having enough, the captain raised his voice. "Everyone, silence!" With just two words, the whole room suddenly became quiet. Everyone stared at the man who lost his temper. Law was still leaning over the maps with both his hands on the panel, looking at the map of the world before him. This one wasn't detailed, only having continents on it, showing grand line going through the middle and the longitude and latitude lines going throughout the globe.

Finally having some peace and quiet, the captain turned back to his work. "The first one is quite obvious; 'Until night turns back into a day again.' It must mean East. When going East, you are getting time back, going towards the sun and where night is here, there it is day." Law explained, pointing at the eastern hemisphere of the world.

Sai nodded, but then frowned after reading the next few passages. "But the rest is more complicated…'Strides.' What are these strides they're talking about?"

"Then what about x, y, and z?" Jean Bart chimed in from the back.

"x…y…z…" the smaller navigator mumbled, repeating the letters. Then his eyes lit up in realization. After all, they already deducted this is a riddle to find the location, then this text must be showing them the coordinates to the meeting point. If that's the case…"Do you know about Cartesian coordinates?" Suddenly, the light-haired navigator asked.

Everyone who crowded around the maps and the control panel looked up at Sai with questioning expressions. "Huh?" Almost in unison everyone asked, except for Law who just waited for his navigator's explanation in anticipating silence. There was a serious, almost hungry look in the captain's eyes as he yearned for any information that could decipher this message.

Sai kept silent for a while, as if enjoying everyone's impatient stares, but then decided to explain. "A Cartesian coordinate system uses x, y and z to calculate the distance, going from the center of the earth. Z-axis goes along the axis of the ellipsoid, northward. Meanwhile x-axis goes toward in 0 degrees while y-axis goes vertically on the globe, 90 degrees east." Sai drew the lines on the map as he talked and proceeded to name them with x,y, and z, while explaining further. "So 'towards Y' is referring to the y-axis on the east. The same goes with Z part."

"But what about the 45 strides?" Miyako huffed, suddenly appearing next to them with a troubled expression.

The group almost jumped in surprise. "When did you get here?" Penguin asked in bewilderment.

The girl just scowled, looking at the mechanic. "I've been here all along!"

"Longitudes and Latitudes." Law suddenly spoke up, startling everyone.

Jean Bart and Sai widened their eyes as understanding hit them. "Of course, it's referred to 45 and 10 degrees used to calculate coordinates. Then the minutes to wait are actually minutes in coordinates as well." Jean Bart explained, talking more than usual since even he was enveloped in the riddle now.

"So the X is our final destination. How appropriate." Cody commented with a smirk.

"44° 24', 10° 36'. Those must be the coordinates for the meeting point. Everything else will probably be clear when we get there." Their captain finally deducted.

"Um….so….where are we going exactly?" Miyako was the first to ask the obvious since she and Cody still had no idea what was going on here.

Sai took out one of the maps that charted the eastern part of the New World. After a while of calculating and drawing lines, he finally put an X on a small piece of land there. "This is it captain, Rocky Port." The navigator announced, showing the small island on the map.

Law's eyes narrowed as they glinted dangerously. "So this is where they will meet. It is still unclear if Kaido himself will be there or only his subordinates, doing the recruiting, but the summit will definitively be here." He tapped the location on the map with his tattooed index finger. Certainly, a lot of pirates will come there, wanting to gain power by sailing under one of the Yonkou. Now that the new era has started, pirates swarmed even the New World, looking for treasures and One Piece, so this would be a perfect opportunity for many of them to join forces with another pirate crew. The gears started turning in Law's brain as a new plan started to form, along with a devious smirk on the man's features. Indeed, there will be a lot of pirates there.

~…..~

"Let me get this straight…you want to go to Rocky Port where a pirate gathering will occur for joining Kaido's crew?" Miyako asked, eyeing the captain suspiciously.

The whole Heart Pirate crew was currently out on the deck of the yellow submarine, staring at Law who was leaning against the vessel's railing with his arms crossed. His head was slightly bowed down, the eyes hidden behind the rim of his white, fuzzy hat. He was wearing his long black coat with the yellow smiley of their jolly roger, since the weather was colder now, with the first flakes of snow slowly starting to fall from the grey sky above them. Beside him, Bepo was sitting down, already asleep as the bear enjoyed some fresh cold air, still holding onto the man's nodachi.

"That's right," Trafalgar simply answered.

"But why are we going there, captain? We don't want to join Kaido, right? Didn't you want to become a Shichibukai?" One of the pirates in the group inquired. The whole crew seemed confused by Law's plans as the situation just kept changing rapidly; first it was the title of Shichibukai and now it was one of the Yonkou.

Law smirked, unfazed by the question. "We're not going to join them, our plan hasn't changed. We're simply going there to execute it," the captain explained, as his gaze traveled from one crewmember to the other, eyeing their confused reactions.

"I still don't get it," Penguin admitted, shrugging his shoulders in defeat.

The captain sighed. Sometimes it was tiring to explain every detail of his plan to his crew, yet he knew it was necessary to give them something so that they could act according to the strategy. "It's simple really; we need 80 hearts of at least somewhat known pirates with a bounty, and at Rocky Port, there will be plenty of such pirates." Law's usually cold eyes had a mischievous glint in them while he spoke.

The Heart Pirates looked at each other, wearily. "But…won't Kaido be there? Not to mention, we will be heavily outnumbered."

"It is still unclear whether Kaido will really be there or not; but it is more likely that he won't risk going to the meeting spot in case marines get a wind of this summit. Instead, he will most likely send an executive in his place," the doctor continued, seemingly unworried that they might come across one of the Yonkuo. However, Trafalgar was a man who usually played it safe; making a detailed strategy for his every move. There was no person here who suspected the captain would do any of this without a proper plan. With that said, there was really only one question they had to ask right now.

"So, what's the plan?"

Law grinned, his grey eyes shining as dangerously as sharp steel. "We will change our course to Rocky Port." The man then stepped away from the railing, standing tall before his whole crew. "In the meantime, I have some preparations to make. We will take all those 80 hearts in one go." The captain stated with confidence before his men.

The Heart Pirates seemed to be pumped up completely as they grinned at Trafalgar, with eyes full of amazement for their captain. "That's right! We'll show them all!" In the end, the men cheered, thinking what a cool guy their captain really is.

"I'll help too!" Bepo suddenly announced, still asleep and snoring softly.

Law glanced at the polar bear with a smirk. In the end, no matter what, he could always count on Bepo and his crew to go along with his plans.

"He's answering in his sleep again!" The crew exclaimed in surprise.

"I'm sorry…." The bear mumbled.

"Don't apologize either!" The crew yelled back.

~…~

"Are you sure about this, Law?"A man's voice came from the other side of the den den mushi.

There was a silence for a while, before the said captain answered. "Yes, it's fine. Just do what I told you. Besides, it's not like this information is false so you don't have anything to complain about." Trafalgar answered, a serious expression replaced by a slight smirk on his features as he spoke into the transponder snail.

A sigh was heard on the other line, before the man spoke up again. "Fine, but you know what this could create. I hope you understand the consequences of what you're doing."

Law's lips pulled back even further, into a dark smile. "Understand the consequences…? I'm counting on them. In the New World, there is only two ways for the pirate to live; work under one of the Yonkou, or continually challenge them. That is what I'm aiming for."

"Tch. You really are a crazy bastard, Law." The man on the other side mumbled. "I understand. Leave the rest to me." With that, the line disconnected and the transponder snail fell into silence. Law's quarters were eerily quiet as the tall man stood there for a second more, pondering on his move. For now, everything was going according to plan, but the real battle was yet to come. Yet there was an excited gleam in Law's grey eyes, making them look like a real storm ready to swallow everything in its way. Trafalgar Law was always a man who found new challenges exciting; the harder it seemed, the sweeter the taste after his victory. He could feel the time approaching in every fiber of his being, as the wind of change started to blow, turning the gears of the New World. And soon, the monotonous gears were about to break completely. This mechanism called order was about to collapse; and the one tipping over this house of cards will be none else but Law himself. He could almost feel it within his reach.

*Just a little bit more, Cora-san.*

~…~

Miyako lay in bed, silently staring at the metal ceiling of her small room. Outside, the fishes were swimming along the submarine, seen through the only porthole in the quarters. Once again, they were underwater, sailing full speed ahead with their new destination.

"Rocky Port," the girl mumbled in a whisper, letting the word roll off her tongue slowly. What will await them there, she had no idea, but the samurai just couldn't dispose of the nervous feeling deep in her gut. Was it really just that; a gut feeling, or was there a genuine reason for concern? She trusted Law but sometimes it was impossible to understand what he was thinking. Swirling inside her mind, came all the information the girl concluded about the pirate captain until now. He was a pirate captain after the One Piece, but also one of Doflamingo's subordinates, yet he worked to take that man down. And right now he was trying to collect 100 hearts of the pirates with bounties bigger than 500 000 to ensure his Shichibukai title that will give him freedom to sail where he wanted and act as he pleased. Indeed, it sounded like an appealing deal but at what cost? Becoming a Government's dog. Law, known for his strong distaste for orders and authority over him, is willing to work for someone else. Was he willing to go that far for finding One Piece or defeating Joker? Miyako just couldn't tell anymore. She could feel the frustration rising inside her stomach from the thought of not knowing what that man was really planning. What was his one final goal? The girl realized how little she actually knew about Trafalgar Law. She knew the man had a willful and strong attitude, hating to be ordered around, while expecting full obedience from his subordinates. He was serious and analytical, never acting without a proper strategy and always thinking of consequences. He was careful when acting out his plans, yet never intimidated even when facing strong opponents. Even though always having a thorough strategy, his plans were often so dangerous and risky you could call them down-right crazy. Miyako had a feeling this was one of them too. He could be a complete sadist and that smile of his could really give her goosebumps of nervousness sometimes. But as creepy, cold or just a plain jerk as he might sometimes be, he was actually quite considerate when it came to his crew. He was protective of them as their captain and that's why Miyako knew she could trust him not to betray them. But could she always trust his judgment? Sometimes it felt like his mind was being clouded by thoughts of revenge, so strong that they were pulling the man deeper into the darkness.

*Revenge can never bring anything good. It will just pull you in deeper and give you more despair.* The girl exhaled deeply, feeling exasperated by her own thoughts.

In the end, when it came to Law's past, she knew nothing about him. Even his connection with the Donquixote family was still a complete mystery to her. That irritated the girl but Miyako knew she couldn't do anything about it yet; Law said he will explain everything in due time and she decided to trust him until then. After such a decision, it was a matter of pride for the girl to keep to her word and wait patiently for the man.

The girl suddenly sat up in bed, crossing her legs and straightening her back. She needed to let go of all those frustrating thoughts, clear her mind and focus on their upcoming battles instead. She still needed to work on become stronger; that should be her priority now. Miyako closed her eyes and took a deep breath, slowly exhaling. She tried to clear her thoughts completely, making her mind blank and her body relaxed, meditating in complete silence. Meditation would always give her a peace of mind, calming her body and soul. However, not even 20 minutes later, the girl's peace was rudely interrupted by a loud sound of her doors suddenly opening. Reopening her golden eyes, she looked at the two pirates in white overalls standing there before her.

Cody and Josh were both grinning as the medics stared at the girl from the entrance. "Come on slowpoke, we're at a new island!" Josh called out, adjusting his hat.

"It's a spring one." Cody added with a smile.

With that, both of them disappeared as quickly as they appeared, leaving the girl alone and blinking in surprise. Not wasting any more time, she stood up from the bed and changed into her kimono. The familiar feeling of the fabric brought on a nostalgic feeling within her, reminding her of Wano. How long has it been since she even wore her kimono? It felt good to be enveloped into something so simple, yet known. She gladly embraced the security right now. The girl let her bare feet slip into the wooden sandals, before retying the red ribbon around her hair and securing the katana on her waist. Finally she was ready, looking just as she did in the beginning of her journey when leaving to become a ronin. At that thought Miyako stopped for a second, freezing in mid step. Now that she thought about it, there was also a lot Law didn't know about her either. For instance, the reason she threw her old and familiar life away, deciding to become a ronin instead. In the end, their pasts were still a mystery to one another.

~…..~

Still in though, the girl walked out on the deck and gazed around at the scenery. The island was on their way to Rocky Port so they stopped for supplies. Jean Bart calculated that it will take a couple of weeks to Rocky Port so they needed to prepare. Luckily it seems there will be some islands on the way, this being the first one. Not far from the small port where they were docked, a simple village with white houses and smoking chimneys spread before her. It was small and peaceful, just a charming little place with children laughing and playing around while their elders reprimanded them to be careful. It was a nice change from the usual perilous places where the Heart Pirates often ended up, fighting for their lives. For once, Miyako was actually hopeful that she'll be able to relax and enjoy some peace and quiet.

"Aaaalright, where is the bar!?" Penguin's loud voice behind her cut through that peaceful air.

"Ooh, I wonder if this place has some beauties," Shachi added, excitement in his tone.

"Pft, like you'd be able to get some anyway," Josh commented with a snort.

"What'd you say, shripmy!?" The older mechanic shouted at the redhead and the two started a quarrel. Nothing out of the ordinary there.

Meanwhile, Miyako's eyebrow was already twitching as she quietly felt her patience disappearing with every shout and scream behind her back. Now even the other members of the pirate crew joined the argument, with everyone shouting on the submarine's deck.

Perhaps having some peace and quiet near this rowdy bunch was impossible after all. The girl sighed in defeat. The people behind her just went on with their antics, everyone talking and creating a mass of loud voices. They all seemed excited to get some fresh air and reach a new island, perhaps even spoil themselves with real beds for the night. Still, they were becoming a bit too rambunctious as they started drawing attention to themselves by the locals. Some of the townspeople even hurriedly walked away with fearful gazes, pulling their children with them. Miyako's thin eyebrows furrowed in rising irritation.

Finally, the girl turned around, the last straw of her patience being snapped into two. "WOULD YOU ALL JUST SHUT UP ALREADY!"

With such a display of anger, the Heart Pirates stopped in their tracks instantly and closed their mouths at the same time.

Cody sweatdropped, as he was stopped right in the middle of arguing with Josh and Shachi to calm them down. "S-sorry, Miya-chan."

Once again, the samurai girl let out an exasperated breath. And here she was really looking forward to some peace and quiet in this small village. It appeared nice enough and the people, although not overly friendly, didn't seem scared out of their wits by the pirates. She didn't want that ruined as soon as the Hearts arrived. However, before Miyako could say anymore to the men before her, Bepo stepped out holding the long nodachi and Law was right behind him.

Stepping out on the deck, the captain instantly started giving orders to his crew. "We have work to do, so don't forget that fact before you start playing around," Trafalgar reminded them in a serious tone. He wanted to make sure everyone does their duty before they're off chasing skirts.

"Aw, man…" The crowd of pirates groaned in displeasure, remembering their upcoming duties.

Yet when the captain gave them a serious stare, they all stiffened and instantly fell into order, forgetting any more complaints they might have had.

Satisfied with their full and unwavering attention, Trafalgar continued. "Alright men, the village looks harmless enough, but this is the New World so don't let your guard down. We never know what we can expect here." The skeptical captain warned his crew, who gave him a firm nod in return. "Shachi-ya, you are in charge of the mechanics' team in case you need to buy some new parts. Peguin-ya, you'll help with food supplies this time. Take enough men because there's a lot to restock. Sai-ya, find out how long it takes for the log pose to reset and report to me immediately, we won't be wasting any more time here than necessary; it's a long way to Rocky Port. Also, try to find out more about this area and the islands around it. The more information of the New World we can get, the better. Miss Miyako, Munk-ya wants to see you. Bepo, you're with me."

"Aye Aye captain!" Everyone cheered loudly and soon the sound of running footsteps filled the deck as the pirates rushed around, preparing for their tasks.

Miyako was just about to run to the galley when the large, bearded chef came out on deck. "Ah, lassie! Good, I though ya left al'rady." Munk spoke to her with a cheerful smile, running his fingers through the thick brown beard. "I thought if ya can do me a lil' favour, ey?"

The girl smiled. She would gladly help the old pirate anyway she could. After all, he was always there for her when she needed some good guidance or reassuring. He wasn't just her boss in the galley; he was a nakama, her friend. "Of course, what is it Munk?"

The man gave her a piece of paper; it appeared miniature between his large fingers, but at better inspection Miyako noticed it was a list.

Munk continued to explain before she could ask anything. "Tis' be some spices an' ingredients, more rare than tha rest for tha stockin.' So if ya find any'n tha village, pick' em up for me, yah?"

Miyako smiled and took the list, putting the piece of paper securely in the long sleeve of her kimono. "No problem." With a final nod from Munk, the girl turned around and stepped down the metal plank onto the small wooden pier. She could already see Bepo and Law up ahead, heading for the village. "Hey, wait up!" The girl called out, hoping to catch up with the bear and the pirate captain as she ran towards the pair.

~….~

Miyako walked side by side with Law while Bepo trotted not far behind them, still holding the captain's long sword. The streets were narrow and paved with stone blocks, all connected with one another like a net that went through the small village.

They walked without a word, in silence, but every now and then, the girl would glance at Law's face.

Clack clack clack

The sounds of her wooden sandals hitting the paved ground was the only noise that could be heard between them. They all seemed in thought as they walked on. Miyako presumed Law was still mulling over that text in the papers along with his new plan. He was even busier than usual these days, with going after the title of the Shichibukai along with the 100 pirate hearts. And now even the pirate summit with Kaido's fleet. The samurai wasn't surprised her captain was so silent and in thought; he had a lot to think about indeed. It even showed on his face as she noticed the circles around his eyes, which were darker than usual. Miyako sighed almost unconsciously; he was skipping sleep again.

But Law wasn't the only one in thought; Miyako also has her own worries. She had been with the pirates for more than a year now. For more than a year she had lived with this man; argued with him but also fought alongside with him, laughed with the crew and even cried in front of them.

Once again, Miyako glanced up at her captain. Her captain. At first the word was nothing more than a sarcastic remark she used to ironically call Law with, taunting him further. But slowly, that word actually gained a new meaning for her. A word of proper respect for Trafalgar Law. Miyako didn't always agree with him, but she respected him…and she knew she could trust him.

Yet right now, even though they were walking so close to each other, she felt there was a certain distance between them. She didn't know what this man was thinking; his plans, his actions, his future…everything was happening so fast and Miyako didn't know what to expect anymore. It seemed like every time she found out something new about Law that would only lead to more mystery. There was so much unknown he was clouded with. So much Miyako wanted to know but just couldn't ask. What was his connection to Doflamingo? What was Law really planning to do after achieving his Shichibukai title?

Miyako's golden eyes darkened barely visibly as she gazed at Law walking beside her. They were supposed to be getting closer but she felt they were slowly drifting apart with every new plan Law made. Why was that? Was it just a bad feeling, her ominous dread, or was it intuition?

She had a strong urge to say something to him right now. Or touch him…stop him in his tracks and…And what? She didn't even know herself. She almost chuckled at her own insecurity. Right now even she didn't know what she wanted. She glanced down at his tattooed dark hand, swaying casually at his side as he walked through the village. A sudden scene came back to her mind; a scene of Law leading her through the crowd by her hand, back at Noir. He held it firmly yet gently, never letting her go even when they were pushing through dozens of people. It felt secure and warm.

The fingers of Miyako's hand twitched as it swayed by her own side, so close to Law's yet unable to reach out and just grab him as he did to her that day. She just couldn't. Silently, the girl cursed her own shyness. A pink hue crept on her cheeks and the girl looked up. Her breath stopped halfway when their eyes met. Law noticed her staring and was now looking down at her, their eyes locking. Golden orbs widened in shock but were unable to look away from the steely grey ones. The samurai's mind was rushing, trying to find a clever line to break the silence. However, just as she opened her mouth, Bepo forestalled her, still walking behind the two.

"This is just like a first date," the bear stated bluntly, with a joyful smile.

Both Miyako's and Law's eyes widened and the pair turned towards the bear. "It is not!" Both all but shouted at the same time; Miyako looking flustered while Law just seemed agitated. The two happened to surprise even each other with the sudden exclaim in perfect unison, and both turned to look at one another again, unease in their expressions.

Miyao blinked a few times, surprised that Law, who usually teases her like that anyway, would also be bothered by Bepo's innocent comment. Perhaps he was feeling anxious just like she was. Somehow, the thought made Miyako relax a little; as if it was comforting to know she wasn't the only one feeling tense right now. Suddenly the girl chuckled, unable to help herself. That took Trafalgar by surprise and the man stared at her as if she has gone mad. She couldn't blame him since she usually never reacts like that to teasing, but she just couldn't help it. Relief about the situation hit her and she found herself laughing before she could stop herself.

Bepo and Law stared at her in silence, then looked at each other with the same look of questioning confusion.

Finally Law's eyes narrowed, a slight annoyance creeping up in him when the girl wouldn't stop laughing. Was she laughing at him? "What's so funny?" His tone stayed calm but edgy as he asked.

Miyako panted a few times, trying hard to stop her chuckles and control herself. The people around her were starting to give her strange looks. "S-sorry…I just…" She tried to catch her breath, realizing she wasn't really sure why she was laughing either. She just felt so relieved after that tension that she couldn't help herself. How was she supposed to explain that to them? "Bepo just took me by surprise, that's all." Well technically that wasn't a lie…

"Sorry." The bear instantly apologized, thinking he has done something wrong.

"Oh, no, no, no. There's nothing to apologize, Bepo. You didn't do anything." Calm again but still smiling, the girl waved her hands before her, trying to stop Bepo from falling into one of his guilty moods. "I think I even surprised myself there for a moment," she chuckled.

Law stared at the girl with a skeptical look, still unsure what to make of her strange outburst. Finally he sighed, giving up; it was no use, the girl was sometimes just too weird even for his understanding. "Honestly, you…I really don't understand you sometimes," the captain mumbled, shaking his head.

The comment made Miyako grin. "Ooh, even the clever Trafalgar Law has trouble understanding little ol' me?" The grin never left her face as she took a few steps ahead of them and then turned on her heel playfully to face the captain, her hands behind her back. As she spun, her long pony tail whipped around her. The grin was now accompanied by a teasing glint in her golden eyes as she stared at Law.

He had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. Figures; the girl never missed an opportunity to taunt him when possible. However, he could see there was no real vileness behind her words, only innocent teasing. Staring at her sly smile once again reminded him of Joshua's words; Fox girl, indeed. Wanting to change the subject quickly, Law continued, "More importantly, shouldn't you take care of the task Munk-ya instructed to you?" He almost sounded like a teacher reprimanding his mischievous student, reminded her of her duties.

Miyako sighed overdramatically and closed her eyes. She didn't feel like getting lectured right now. "Yes, yes, I have the list right here. I'll search for the stuff. It'll be a nice way to take a look around the village any-" The samurai was interrupted by a scream and all three pirates quickly turned towards the source of it.

They were on the outskirts of the small town now so there weren't many people here. That's why it didn't take long for them to catch a certain commotion in a nearby alleyway; it was narrow and mostly out of sight, perfect for running some shady business. On further inspection they could see a young girl, around Miyako's age, surrounded by three bulky older men. They were cornering her, not letting her get away from them and one of them had a firm hold on her hand. By the big grins the men had on their face it was obvious what was going on there. The poor girl looked scared out of her mind.

"Captain!" Bepo warned of the situation but before they could react, Miyako was the first one to act. Seeing the situation, the samurai girl frowned and ran up to the alleyway.

"Oy!" Law called after her but was unable to stop her. She was already in front of the men.

When Miyako approached with a few quick steps, the man holding the young girl blinked in surprise towards the newcomer. "Eh?" That was all he had time to say before the hilt of Miyako's still sheathed sword slammed upwards right underneath his chin, giving him a hard blow that traveled up all the way to his brain and shook it. He could even hear his own teeth rattling as something snapped inside his jaw. With a large thud, the man fell onto his back and stayed unmoving, unconscious from the blow.

"Wha?!" Other two men turned around in sheer shock, seeing one of their friends on the ground in seconds and a strange girl who was now standing protectively in front of the local girl with her hand on a still-sheathed katana. The men stood still, uncertain whether to proceed and attack the newcomer or just run away. The girl was standing before them with a cold dark look on her features, all brightness gone from her golden eyes. Instead, she just kept piercing them with her glare, still holding one hand on the hilt, ready to pull out the sword at any moment if necessary. It was obvious from her whole demeanor that she wasn't bluffing. The men noticed a large polar bear and a dark-skinned man holding a long nodachi, slowly approaching behind her. Whoever these people were, they weren't just normal thugs, that's for sure. Glancing once more at each other, the two men took a few uncertain steps back and then turned to run, seeing as the samurai didn't follow after them. "We'll remember this, you bitch!" One of them shouted while they ran through the streets, leaving their third friend behind.

"Hmpf, all talk and no action. They're just cowards." Miyako commented, putting her katana back in place and puffing away some strands of hair that fell on her face. Turning around, she smiled at the frightened girl, all hostility gone from her all of a sudden. "Are you alright?"

The girl looked in too much shock to even speak at first, so she just kept staring at the exotic samurai before her. Her lips trembled and Miyako had to strain herself to hear anything coming from the girl, but before she could, Law and Bepo came to join them.

"Tch, why do you always have to act so rash?" The dark captain commented bitterly as soon as they came near the two girls.

"Are you ok? That must've been scary?" Bepo on the other hand turned to the town's girl, looking her over for any injuries. However that seemed to scare the girl even more as she saw a large polar bear tower over her.

Finally a sound came out of the girl's mouth; a shriek. She jumped backwards and cowered against the wall of the alley as she stared at the polar bear with wide eyes. "Hyaaa! A-A b-bear!?"

Bepo became tense all of a sudden and pulled back quickly as he realized he was frightening the girl. "Sorry…," he mumbled, feeling guilty all of a sudden.

Law just stared there at the situation not really caring whether the girl was frightened or not. He didn't really view Bepo as a threat so he didn't care to consider whether others would be frightened by a large polar bear. Besides, to him Bepo seemed very tame and friendly anyway. He was even wearing human clothes and was usually quite meek towards strangers.

On the other hand, Miyako tried to defuse the situation and calm the girl, quickly stepping in front of Bepo to get some room between the girl and the bear. "Ah, it's ok! Don't worry, we won't hurt you." She put her hands in front of her as if to prove her point.

The girl still trembled but calmed herself a little. She was still glancing warily from Miyako, to Bepo, then Law and back to the large bear again. "A…talking bear?" Only then did the girl realize that the bear dressed in boots and an orange jumpsuit actually spoke a while ago.

She noticed it only now? "She's a bit slow, this one…" Law commented in his usual blunt tone, completely ignoring the reprimanding scowl Miyako was giving him.

"Anyway…." Miyako tried to change the subject and show the girl there was nothing to worry about…Well, perhaps that's not completely true since they were all pirates with high bounties on their heads, but the girl definitively didn't need to know that right now. "What's your name?" She looked over the young girl; indeed she looked around Miyako's age with long black hair and large green eyes. She was quite pretty with her pale skin and silky hair, almost as long as Miyako's. No wonder those guys were after her.

"Mayumi." Finally, the girl answered in a silent voice. She slowly let go of the wall behind her and took a step before Miyako, her eyes less scared and more curious now. "Thank you…for what you did. That was amazing." A small smile appeared on Mayumi's lips as she stared up at her savior.

Grinning slightly, the samurai girl just shook her head in slight embarrassment. There was a sheepish smile on her face when she scratched the back of her head. "No, it's really nothing. I just can't stand guys like that so…I did it more for myself really."

"Even so, I'm saved because of you." Mayumi's smile never faded. She then glanced at the two other members of the group. She still seemed a bit wary of Bepo so she mostly kept her eyes on Law. "You don't look like you're from around here. Where are you from?"

And here's the awkward but inevitable question. Now, how to tell someone you're a pirate and not freak them out? Miyako froze, not sure how to respond.

On the other hand, Bepo had no problem with dealing with this dilemma. "We're pirates," he stated bluntly, without any tact or worry.

The samurai couldn't help but close her eyes and face palm. *Here we go…now they'll start with the screaming and running…* From her usual experience, dealing with people who found out they were a part of a pirate crew, Miyako was already expecting some calls for help or threats to call the marines. Surprisingly for her, that never came. Actually, Mayumi's response was completely opposite of what she was expecting.

The girl's eyes widened but in wonder instead of freight and there was a genuine shine of admiration in them. It was as if suddenly the girl completely transformed from her scared self into an energetic fan. "Pirates!? The real thing? With a jolly roger and everything?!" She was staring from one pirate to the other, glancing at the trio.

"Uh, yeah? I even have a bounty to prove it…" Miyako mumbled, sounding much less excited than the girl. She was still not completely used to being thought of as a criminal and a scoundrel and never liked the idea of a bounty on her head. She was still perplexed every time she saw the rest of the Hearts cheering when someone's bounty would rise in their crew. How is that a good thing?! Yet the guys all took pride in it, even congratulating her every time when her own bounty got higher.

"We are the Heart Pirates and this is Captain Law! And I'm the first mate!" Bepo was already exclaiming proudly, when he realized the girl liked them for being pirates. She was even less wary of him now, watching him with the same excited eyes as the other two.

"Oh wow, you mean….captain Trafalgar Law! One of the Worst Generation? You're famous in all the newspapers, you know?!" Mayumi grinned at the dark-skinned doctor who didn't really look so impressed by her adoration. Perhaps she was lucky to run into these three. If it were Penguin, Shachi or someone else from the Heart Pirates, they'd probably be all over her already, trying to impress her by being pirates and hitting onto her, using the fact that she's obviously so into it.

"I'm aware." Law simply answered, showing a slight smirk. "Does everyone in this town take so kindly to pirates?" Well since he was here already, he could at least get some information about this island from the girl. She seemed so eager to talk anyway.

Mayumi was still smiling but it seemed more troubled. "No, I'm afraid I'm the only one enthusiastic about it. I always wanted to become one, you know. A pirate." She looked back at Miyako with wide, excited eyes as she said that. "Still, this is the New World after all, so people are pretty much used to pirates. However, there's a marine base nearby on the next island so try not to make any trouble."

Law's lips pulled back into a thigh line. *A marine base nearby…it's good we were warned. After leaving this island, it'd be better to sail underwater just in case of any marine ships.*

"Ah, I know!" Mayumi clapped her hands suddenly as she got an interesting idea. How about I repay you by showing you around the village. I can answer any question about the island you might have. Like a guide." It seemed her previous fear completely vanished. Once again she stared right at Miyako, piercing her with her large green eyes and the samurai felt a bit uncomfortable from the intense gaze. However, she quickly put the tense feeling behind her, writing it off as embarrassment from being so adored by the girl. She just wasn't used to such treatment; none of them were.

"Then, how long does it take for the log pose to set for the new island?" Law took advantage of that offer, already beginning to ask for more information. He took out his log pose that currently had three needles all spinning in their own direction. It didn't really matter since they already inputted set coordinates for Rocky Port where they were headed but using the log pose they can find islands that are on their way and resupply during their sailing.

"Three days." The girl answered instantly as if she got asked that question a lot by travelers.

Law grimaced, feeling dissatisfied.

However, Bepo commented what his captain was thinking. "Hm, that's pretty long…do we have that much time?" He looked at Law with a questioning stare of his black, small eyes.

His captain seemed in thought at the moment as he stared at the ground from under his hat. *Indeed, three days is a lot of time to waste. We need to get to Rocky Port as soon as possible; before the summit happens. And Kizaru could still be on our tail or close by, searching for us. We shouldn't stay long in one place. On the other hand, if we leave before the log pose sets it'll be hard to find another island on our way to Rocky Port. If something happens and we need to dock the submarine quickly, we won't know where to go.* The dark scowl never left Law's face as he kept thinking. What brought him out of his musings was Mayumi's voice. It wasn't soft and unsure like before, instead she spoke loud and clear now that she wasn't afraid anymore.

"Hmm…to be honest this is a big village, could almost be called a town, but there isn't much to do here. It's pretty boring." She put her index finger on her lips as if thinking, mulling over how to help them. "But for now, how about I show you around?" She looked back at Law but the captain didn't answer anything. He was still skeptical about the overly helpful and enthusiastic girl, which wasn't that strange considering last time the townspeople gave them a warm welcome at Windmill Hill, it turned out to be a trap.

Instead, Bepo answered, clapping his paws together and smiling gratefully. "That would be great! Right captain?!" He turned towards Trafalgar to make sure they have his consent on the matter.

Law stared back at the expectant girl with a serious look, before shrugging casually. "I suppose it can't hurt. Lead the way."

"Ah!" Just as they were about to go, Miyako stopped them with an exclaim, remembering something. She took out a piece of paper from the sleeve of her kimono and handed it to Mayumi. "When we're already looking around…do you know where I can buy these?"

Mayumi furrowed her brows together as she read over the list. "Hmm…some of them are pretty rare and exotic so I doubt our shops will have them but…I think you can get the others here. I'll show you the places on the way, come on." She smiled and walked on.

Miyako just glanced at Law but then shrugged seeing as he didn't intend to stop them. *I guess he figures this is the fastest way to get info and explore the village anyway. Besides, if it is a trap I'm sure him, Bepo and I will be enough to fend for ourselves.*

They walked down the streets for a while, when Miyako started noticing the people avoiding them. They would bow their faces down when walking passed them or simply try to avoid getting in their way. One girl wasn't looking where she was going and almost bumped into Miyako. She looked up at the group and her eyes widened in a frightened expression. No, it wasn't just fear, she was terrified. The young girl gasped in shock before mumbling an apology and running passed them with her head bowed down like the rest. *Well I guess it's to be expected, we are pirates after all. Still, the people didn't seem so frightened when we first docked in the port. They were wary of us and kept out of our way but I didn't feel such high tension before.* Miyako's musings were interrupted by Mayumi's cheerful voice. It seems she didn't notice any of the weird behavior around her or she simply chose to ignore it.

"Hey, that's quite a strange outfit, Miyako-san. That's a kimono right? I've seen them in pictures before but never in real life." Mayumi stared at the samurai, eyeing her up and down while marveling her outfit. To Miyako something like this wasn't anything extravagant or special, though. The kimono was of simple design and slightly rough fabric. It was also old and worn out with a few patched up holes on it. It wasn't surprising, since she wore it ever since leaving her hometown and becoming a ronin.

"That's because Miya-chan is from Wanokuni." Bepo exclaimed before Miyako had the chance to answer. Somehow he seemed more talkative than usual; perhaps he liked the positive attention Mayumi was giving them. It was a nice change from the usual norm of hating pirates so even Bepo couldn't resist. Miyako could only imagine how the other Heart Pirates would react then.

On the other hand, Law seemed strangely quiet. He was never a man who talked just for the sake of it, unless he actually had something reasonable to say. He would rather stay quiet and observe the situation. But still, he just kept walking alongside them silently. Miyako glanced at her captain but was interrupted when Mayumi's smiling face came into view again. The girl leaned a bit and stared at Miyako's face that was mostly hidden by her long bangs. She'll have to ask Sam to cut them for her; he was the best with scissors in the crew so everyone came to him when needing a haircut.

"You have really pretty eyes. It's just like gold, what an unusual color." The local girl stared right at her large eyes, piercing her with her own green ones.

"T-thanks." Miyako didn't know how to respond so she just smiled at the girl shyly, moving her face away. Was it just her or was this girl somehow too pushy. Miyako didn't particularly like people in her comfort zone and this girl was a bit too close and too clingy for her taste. Besides, she really didn't need all these compliments. She wasn't used to it, especially since she was living and traveling with a group of pirate men who pretty much treated her as their equal; which meant, like a guy. They would sometimes give her a compliment, but pretty much gave up on trying to pursue her as a girl the moment they realized there was something going on between her and Law. Nobody really wanted to get on the captain's bad side, though most seemed to just feel like they don't stand a chance competing again Trafalgar Law anyway.

Luckily, the awkward situation was interrupted when familiar voices called out to them. "Captain! Bepo! Miya-chan!" Penguin's voice sounded across the street, not caring that he was yelling in public. He jogged after them and Miyako could see Josh and Cody carrying some boxes and bags, while Sam and Ari carried a large wooden crate. They must be taking care of supplies. The pirates put down their items when they came up to the captain's group. Sam met up with some other group of Hearts, carrying some of the crates while the rest stayed with Law, intrigued by the newcomer.

The young new girl in the group didn't go unnoticed and Penguin addressed it as soon as he spotted her glinting green eyes. "Who's this?" There was a slight smile on his face as he suddenly became more friendly than usual.

"Mayumi-ya offered to be our guide on the island. She's showing us around," Law answered in a seemingly uninterested tone. At the moment, the pirate captain simply looked bored.

"Mayu-chan~" Penguin repeated in a lighthearted tone as if her name was some beautiful melody.

The said young girl turned to Bepo, her fear of the bear long forgotten by now. "Are these also your crewmembers? Pirates?" She already had a grin on her face as she clapped her hands together. The girl wasn't even trying to hide her excitement.

Bepo simply nodded but then gave a scowl towards the newcomer pirates as if silently telling them; 'Hey, don't steal my thunder!'

The men either saw the stare and ignored it or simply didn't catch it. Whichever it was, they didn't even spare a glance at Bepo, focusing all their attention on Mayumi instead. This time it was Ari who spoke as he adjusted his wool hat. "Then, maybe Mayumi-chi could show us a good place to have fun around here?" A sly smile he wore slightly froze when he glanced at the captain who was silently staring at him. With a less cool voice, the pirate added; "I-I mean, after we do our work here…of course." One cold drop of sweat fell from the man's brow.

The explosives expert made a grunting noise when a painful jab in the ribs hit him straight on. It was Penguin, giving Ari an irritated stare from beneath his hat. "Stop hitting on her you idiot." The mechanic grumbled in a low tone. "You'll scare her away."

Ari only sneered back and pushed his shoulder against Penguin's which was pushing back. "Who's the idiot calling other people idiot, you idiot!?" In a low growl, the other pirate bit back.

"You're both idiots…" Miyako added as she stared at them from behind while the two men begun wresting.

"I think that's the first time I actually agree with you." Josh chimed in as he also walked up to the group with Cody right behind him.

"I didn't think you were capable." Miyako responded to the short medic with an obviously fake shocked expression on her face.

Cody just sighed. "Don't you two start too. As you said; two idiots are enough." With that he walked up to Penguin and Ari who were still pushing and jabbing at each other's ribs. Rolling up the large sleeves of his white overall and showing his tattoos in the process, the blue-haired medic came up to both pirates, clenched both his fists and raised them in the air. "And as for you two…" Ari and Penguin only saw it when it was already too late. "-cut it out already!"

Whack, whack

The head mechanic and his companion stood there silently like two pouty kids who were just scolded. They were both holding their heads, nursing the large red bumps on top of them.

The scene alone was enough for everyone else to freeze and quiet down instantly. Both Josh and Miyako looked with wide eyes at Penguin and Ari holding their swollen heads.

"Scary…" Josh muttered despite himself, still shocked at Cody's quick but strong punch that was enough to completely pacify the two pirates.

Miyako just nodded in agreement, still staring at the scene.

Nobody noticed a small smirk of amusement that tugged at Law's lips at that time.

~…..~

A loud laughter rang through the mildly crowded streets as the group walked on. In front, Mayumi was smiling up at Cody, clinging to his arms as they strolled. They almost looked like a normal couple, if there wasn't the white overall with the Jolly Roger of the Heart Pirates showing proudly on the man's back. The girl didn't seem to mind though, as she clung to Cody's side, ignoring the weary looks they were given by the by-passers.

The rest of the group of pirates walked behind the two, watching at the odd scene before them.

Penguin and Ari were biting their lip in frustration, silent curses flowing from their mouths, as they glared at the medic's back. If stares could burn, Cody would already have a hole right in the middle of his back. "Dammit…that bastard…How does he do it?" Penguin couldn't keep it in anymore, as he muttered in clear jealousy.

"How come he always gets the girl?!" Ari added in annoyance.

"Well…at least they're not fighting with each other anymore." Bepo commented while looking at the mechanic and his friend.

Josh just sighed, almost looking sorry for Penguin and Ari. They didn't even stand a chance. "I pity you guys, really…But you should already be used to it. I mean, it's not like Cody fooling around with girls is anything new." The red head simply shrugged his shoulders, completely used to the scene before him where yet another girl was swooning over the blue-haired pirate.

The only girl in the group couldn't help but frown. "It just doesn't go with his personality. Cody is usually the reasonable one among you guys, but when it comes to girls he's so loose. He's gonna get stabbed one day with all that playing around."

"I know…Lucky bastard." Penguin whined, not noticing the strange looks his friends gave him. Then he suddenly whipped his head back to glare at Miyako, as if just remembering something. "And what do you mean by you guys?! You get scolded by Cody all the time!"

The samurai just looked away with a huff, pretending to ignore the mechanic as she played innocent.

"Look at him….He's not even trying!" Ari commented again, pointing a hand at the show in front. Indeed, the girl was clinging to the medic of her own violation. They were currently talking about something, too far for the rest of the group to hear.

"Tch, just give up." Josh rolled his eyes, already bored with this subject.

"Oh yeah, like you're not jealous shorty! You can't get a girl any more than we can!" Penguin kicked Josh from behind, with his hands still in the pockets of his overall.

The redhead stumbled and turned to glare at the mechanic, barely keeping from falling on his face. "Shut up! It's not like I'm looking! I have more important things to worry about!" The medic argued back with a shout. However there was a fait blush on the man's cheeks, as he tried to hide it away by pulling his hat lower.

"Haa, I guess it's impossible. I mean, you blush like this just thinking of girls." Now even Miyako joined the teasing as she leaned her elbow on the medic's shoulder. "Isn't that just adorable~?" Her voice rang in a slight tune as she continued on.

"I don't want to hear that from you, you blushing virgin!" Josh retaliated with a shout accompanied by a kick, but the samurai dodged it easily with a turn on her heel.

However, her face was now even redder than his a while ago. "V-virgin….?" She muttered, unable to even say it aloud. Yet Josh just yelled it out on a busy street. "You…." She clenched her fist, rising it up in the air, and with it swirled the dark aura of killing intent.

Penguin, Ari and Bepo all stepped back with a wince, but Josh just bumped his head with Miyako's, a wide grin on his face. "Bring it on, Bakaonna!"

"Tch. Useless…" A cold voice from the only person that was silent throughout this whole situation arose. And just with a click of his tongue in an annoyed manner and one word filled with impatience, he managed to stop all the shenanigans of his crew in front of him.

"What is it captain?" It was Bepo who dared to ask even after seeing that Law was somewhat irritated, losing his patience as they walked on. The others didn't even notice until now, lost in their own little world of quarrel.

"Yeah, don't be like that captain. Didn't you used to fool around with women too before?" As usual, Penguin's tongue was faster than his wit.

The mechanic froze when he felt that tense aura behind him again. "Hmmm? Is that so?" In a seemingly cheerful and nonchalant, but obviously faked tone, Miyako asked. She was standing right behind him now, with her arms crossed and burning a hole in his back. Obviously she was interested in the topic and had an issue with the new information even if she would never admit it. In front was no better as he saw his captain pierce him with a silent but deadly stare. The poor pirate felt like a prey between two predators ready to jump at him at any moment.

"You're really an idiot," Josh muttered beside him as if sealing Penguin's fate with those words.

And what is the man to do in this situation? Well try to get out of it by any means necessary of course! Penguin started stuttering as he frantically searched for best words to explain. "A-ah, no I mean...ugh, you used to but…it's not like you play around anymore so….I mean…ugh…" The mechanic was frantically gesticulating with his hands in front of him as if to protect himself as he tried to explain, only getting more nervous as his eyes met with Law's sharp ones. The captain didn't seem to even twitch a muscle in his face, as he stared Penguin down. At this point the mechanic didn't know if Law was really mad or was just curious to see how flustered Penguin could get by pushing him on with that stare.

Finally, it seemed the captain let him slide, having watched him squirm under his gaze for long enough. Law seemed to completely brush off this whole situation and their conversation so far, finding it completely irrelevant as he explained. "I'm talking about the girl, Mayumi-ya. She was supposed to be our guide through the village and tell us any important information about this island or the area around it, but she hasn't proven useful at all despite her keen admiration and coaxing to help us." The doctor explained, watching the back of the girl who smiling so carefree only a few feet away.

Suddenly Miyako bumped her fist into the palm of her other hand. "Ah! That's right! She said she'd show me where I can buy some of the things from Munk's list." The girl absentmindedly searched for the paper in the long sleeve of the kimono while hurrying over to Cody and Mayumi. "Mayumi-san!"

The girl instantly turned around and smiled at Miyako. Before the samurai could react, the girl suddenly let go of Cody's arm and grabbed one of Miyako's instead. The local girl laughed. "What is it Miyako-san?"

Said samurai stayed tense and a bit frozen as the girl clung to her as if they've known each other forever. Honestly, Miyako didn't really enjoy the clingy touch of the stranger girl but she couldn't just push her away. So instead, she just stood there while her brain processed all options she could come up with to take her arm back from the imposing girl. "Um…about the grocery list…the ingredients and spices?"

"Ah, of course. Sorry, sorry, I was having so much fun with everyone I completely forgot about that." Mayumi laughed, all the while staring right at Miyako's golden eyes as if she was examining something in them. It only made the Wano girl more anxious and ready to step back and give herself some space.

*Weren't you only having fun with Cody, though?* The quick passed through Miyako's mind as she corrected the girl. Still, she held back the sweat-drop and took a step back instead, casually pulling back her kidnapped arm in the process. "Then, shall we?" She looked at the girl, who was still staring intently at her face, golden eyes in level with green ones. That's when Miyako blinked in slight confusion. *Level? We're the same height but I could've sworn when we first met she had to look up at me. Wasn't she shorter before?*

Before Miyako had time confirm anything, Mayumi moved away and started walking ahead. Turning around she smiled at the samurai again. "Let's go?"

A bit uncertainly, Miyako nodded. "Yeah." She chased the thought away. *Must be my imagination, there's no way after all.* She turned around to wave back at the pirates. "Then I'll meet with you guys later!" She saw her friends wave back. Her eyes unconsciously searched for Law at the back of the group and when their eyes met he gave her one simple nod as goodbye. With that, the girl turned around again and followed the cheerful local.

~…..~

Miyako thanked the clerk as they left the shop. "Well that's two things off the list. Let's see what else we need." Holding small bags of spices and balancing them in one hand, Miyako used the other to search for the paper Munk gave her. "Where did I put that damn list?" She muttered underneath her breath, searching the sleeve of her kimono but with no avail. *I didn't lose it, did I?* The thought made her heart skip a beat and not in the good way.

"Hmm, maybe it fell out? After all, the kimono sleeves are pretty big so it's hard to notice if a piece of paper slips out." Mayumi explained with a dramatically troubled expression, but it soon changed into a bright smile. "But that ok, because I remember everything on the list anyway, so I'll just come with you." Once again her hands clutched the side of Miyako's arm, taking her by surprise and almost throwing her off balance.

"You…" The samurai girl really didn't want to be mean to this girl since she was so helpful but the cheerful clinginess was getting on Miyako's nerves, and fast. "Do you have a problem with your legs or something?"

"Eh? No, why?" Mayumi's head tilted in confusion and she looked like a curious puppy with those wonder-filled, large green eyes.

"Then walk on your own! Don't cling to me." Miyako, however, didn't find it so endearing to let her be all over her all the time. She pulled her arm away harshly, and freed herself from Mayumi's hold. However, her annoyed gaze softened and filled with regret as soon as she saw Mayumi's dejected look. Stiffening a bit in anxiousness and not sure what to do now, Miyako stayed silent for a while.

"Ah…sorry. I can be a bit annoying sometimes, huh?" The girl gave her a troubled but kind smile in return. "I don't want to be in your way…But….since Miyako-san lost the list and I remember it, it would be better if I just help you search for those supplies."

"I didn't los-!" Miyako wanted to defend herself but stopped midway when she realized the girl was right. *Who am I kidding, I can't find it. I lost it. Even though Munk entrusted this simple task to me and I wouldn't even be able to do it if Mayumi here didn't remember the things on it. That's some great memory though, I only showed it to her once…Eh, now that I think about it; didn't Mayumi take it in her hands then?* "Mayumi, are you sure you don't have my paper?" Miyako tilted her head in askance, hoping maybe the girl just took it by mistake. Unfortunately, Miyako wasn't paying much attention at the time so she couldn't tell for sure.

The girl just blinked a few times with confused green eyes, before shaking her head. "No, I don't have it." As if proving her point she opened her palms, showing that they were empty.

*Well so much for that hope.* Miyako sighed in disappointment. Still, there was nothing she could do but face the fact that she lost it. Mayumi was her saving hand here and she treated her so rudely. Another pang of guilt hit Miyako's chest. "Sorry for yelling at you Mayumi. Thanks, you're really helping me out here." The samurai smiled kindly to the black haired girl.

The girl just smiled back and put her hands behind her. "No problem. We're friends, right? Come on, let's go to the next one, it's not far away." The girl's happy tone returned as she headed on, humming a melody on the way.

*Friends, huh?* Miyako couldn't help but repeat the word in her head before she started walking after the other girl.

~…~

Miyako was swaying from side to side as she finally stepped back onto the deck of the yellow submarine. She felt drained of energy; more tired than after her haki training. She understood full well where this fatigue came from; Mayumi. It's not like the girl was deliberately annoying her; she was nice enough. But Miyako never thought that the sheer cheerfulness and energetic behavior in a person could weaken her own state so much. Ever since they went looking for Munk's supplies together, Mayumi kept talking, laughing loudly, or clinging to Miyako's arm the whole time. And the clinging…oh the clinging. It was like Mayumi's fingers were a death trap, once grabbing a hold of you they'll never let go, and just kept draining the force out of the samurai and feeding off of her energy. At least that's what it felt like to Miyako; the more tired she felt from Mayumi's behavior, the more energetic Mayumi became, and thus it went on in a circle. After a while, Miyako didn't have the energy to even scold her for sticking so close so she just gave up on it. Besides, she didn't want to yell at the girl again like last time. Mayumi was trying to be so helpful after all and she was really nice. It wasn't her fault that she was just too damn bright and cheerful for the samurai girl. Miyako felt bad to step all over Mayumi's kind gesture so she just went along with the it.

"We're back." Miyako barely managed to mutter with a beat tone. She was balancing two large paper bags of groceries and exotic spices that Munk asked for.

Meanwhile, the deck was busy with pirates walking around, rearranging creates, tying ropes and carrying the new supplies inside the submarine. She saw Cody holding a clipboard and checking all the new medical items off of the list of supplies they needed. Meanwhile, Shachi was giving instruction and orders to his mechanics as he signaled where to put their boxes full of mechanical parts. A loud crash was heard and she could see Penguin yelling and scolding Sam and Cal who just dropped what seemed to be a part of an engine onto the floor of the deck.

"Oh, Miya-chan, you brought Mayumi with you." Bepo called out for her in a cheerful voice.

Miyako's eyebrow twitched and a simple sweat drop appeared on Miyako's forehead. *It's not that I brought her along, more like I couldn't get rid of her.* But something else made her even more irritated;Not even a hello for her yet he noticed Mayumi instantly?Even if Miyako found the girl to be somewhat tiring, it seems she was loved by everyone else. And yet as they were walking through the town, people kept giving them suspicious and wary gazes or simply looked away in nervousness. Even though Miyako had her kimono and didn't even look like a pirate; so what was their deal? Then again, she's armed and news travel fast through a small town such as this so perhaps all the residents already knew who she was. Besides, her wanted poster is out there for all to see; every now and then she could see her face in the newspapers when they would write about the Heart Pirates or their clashes with the marines. After all, Miyako was now one of them. *With that being said, a simple 'welcome back Miyako' would be nice,* the samurai girl frowned as she came up the deck, looking at the polar bear.

"Ah, welcome back Mayumi-chi!" Ari shouted from his position somewhere above on the highest deck of the vessel as he was taking care of the metal mast.

Once again Miyako's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. *Are you messing with me on purpose!?* She knew there was no way Ari was doing it just to tick her off, he couldn't read her mind, but he was still doing a pretty good job at it even unconsciously.

"Hello Ari-san! Be careful up there." Mayumi shouted back in a sweet voice and gave the pirate a wave.

"Oh, who's that, who's that?" Soon the rest of the crew who didn't yet have the pleasure to meet the pretty local girl stopped their work and all huddled up around the newcomer with smiles and interested stares.

"Oy, guys don't stop your work all of a sudden!" Bepo scolded them but was completely ignored by the crew. Swinging his arms angrily he ran up to them, still complaining. "Hey, I'm the first mate, so listen to me!"

Up until now the bear was leaning against the railing of the submarine, overseeing what the other pirates were doings since he was their first mate after all. That's when Miyako noticed Law's nodachi against the wall near the entrance of the submarine. Beside it, Law was sitting on one of the crates and leaning his body against the wall with his legs crossed. His arms were also crossed and resting on his chest, that rose up and down evenly as he breathed which emphasized the big yellow smiley on it. His head was bowed down so the large hat hid his tanned face from view. He looked like he was also overseeing the crew's work but to Miyako it appeared more like he was simply resting with his face hidden like that. Perhaps he was actually taking a nap. The thought of her walking around the village with that chatterbox while he was resting his eyes peacefully somehow made her irritated. Perhaps it was because she was annoyed to begin with, but whatever the case, a dissatisfied frown appeared on her usually calm features.

"What's wrong Miya-chan; you look like Bepo after he's been in the sun for too long, are you ok?" Cody walked up to her and chuckled after seeing her pale and tired face, now mixed with a dark scowl.

Miyako's annoyance dissolved almost instantly after seeing her friend. "Yeah, I'm fine, just tired." She tried to force a small smile but the medic wasn't convinced at all.

"Uh-hu…?" He stared suspiciously, rising an eyebrow at her. After a while of watching her like a parent waiting for their child to confess, he finally sighed and closed his eyes for a second. It seemed he didn't really want to push her. "Well if you don't want to say what happened I won't make you…But seriously, you should get some rest, you look exhausted."

"Yeah…" once again she glanced at the large group forming around Mayumi, before returning her uncertain gaze to Cody. There was a slightly annoyed tone when she spoke again. "Aren't you going to say hello to her too? You two seemed pretty close before…" She didn't really want to sound so accusing but her annoyance from before made her tone a bit harsher than she wanted it. She regretted saying anything the second it left her mouth, but it was too late now.

The tall pirate blinked in slight surprise but then his face turned into a smirk. "What, are you jealous?" That won't do Miya-chan, don't you already have captain-?" He barely finished the sentence in a jokingly scolding tone when the girl shouted out, completely flustered.

"I'm not!" She was completely red, a face of shock, embarrassment and anger mixed together.

The medic was taken aback by her forceful response. He put his hands up defensively and tried to calm the girl down with a nervous smile and a sweat drop. "S-sorry, I know, know. I was just joking so calm down." He wasn't really trying to piss her off, only tease her a little, but she reacted more fiercely than usual. It seems there really was something wrong with her today. He saw a seriously angry Miyako when Josh would go too far with his teasing; it's not something Cody wanted to experience. Cody was lucky it was him and not the short medic. If it were Joshua who said this right now, the poor redhead would probably already be beaten to a pulp without any warning or response. At least Cody got a verbal attack instead of a sheathed sword in the head.

However, it seemed Miyako understood she was overreacting and calmed down instantly. The feelings were clearly written on her face as they went from anger to realization and finally guilt. She looked down with a sorry expression that only made Cody feel worse for teasing her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you…it seems I'm doing that a lot today. I'm just a bit annoyed and tired, that's all." She looked up at him with a small smile. "You're right, I just need some rest, doctor," she added jokingly, meaning to lighten the mood.

The blue haired medic chuckled, feeling a bit relieved himself. "Well if you need anything, don't be afraid to ask." He saw her nod in understanding and gave her one more smile before heading back into the submarine to finish his work in the infirmary. There was still a lightly worried streak on his features as he was leaving, but there was no point in pushing the girl even more to see what's wrong. *Well I suppose if it's something really important, she'll ask for help…well that's what I'd like to say but knowing Miyako, she'll just pretend it's fine and try to deal with it herself.* Cody sighed, exasperated. *I wonder if all samurai are like that…?*

~…~

Miyako watched her friend leave, still having that awful bitter taste in her mouth. *I can't believe I snapped at Cody like that, because of a stupid joke. What's wrong with me?!* She turned around, still deep in thought, only to bump into something as hard as a brick wall. With a frown, she fought the urge to make a nasty remark and instead looked up at the hard surface. Squinting her eyes because of the sun and still rubbing her sore nose, Miyako noticed it was the large body of the head chef that stood before her. That's when she remembered she was still holding onto the paper bags with Munk's requests in them.

"Ya back ar'ready girley? Didya find any of tha stuff fer meh?" The large pirate grinned, showing white teeth surrounded by that scruffy, thick beard of his.

"I found some of them." She handed him the bag and the man peered inside, looking pleased. "Nay, nay, it be a strike of pure luck ye find anythin' of it at all."

"Miyako-san, is that the large chef you were talking about? The one who gave you the ingredients list you lost?" Out of nowhere, Mayumi appeared right beside Miyako, looking up in wonder at the large pirate with her green eyes.

*Wha! When did she get here!? Wasn't she trapped in that group of Heart Pirates just a while ago?* The pirate girl almost jump in surprise, as Mayumi appeared next to her. Once again she was too close, leaning on Miyako's shoulder like a burden on her back that she just couldn't get rid of.

"Ya lost tha list?" Munk repeated in surprise.

Only then did Miyako realize what Mayumi said exactly; she rat her out right in front of Munk! Her body tensed as feelings of quilt, nervousness and anger washed over her. *Why did she have to go and say that! Now Munk will think I'm irresponsible! Not to mention he always has to take care of me in the kitchen or listen to my problems…Aaah, this is the worst.* She looked up at Munk with a guilty expression. "W-well…..yeah, it seems so…Sorry, I should've taken better care of it." She was probably looking like a beat dog with its ears down as she looked up at Munk with large golden eyes of regret. It looked like Munk was about to say something but Mayumi's still cheerful voice cut him off.

"Don't worry. I saw and remembered all of it so I helped Miyako-san buy everything you needed. Well almost…There's no poppy seed, wolf's bane flower or meat of sea rabbits selling on our island." She put her hands together as if apologizing, yet by the smile on her face she didn't really look apologetic at all. It was just a simple pleasantry, for show.

Munk shook his head. "Nah, it be fine. Ya had mo'a than I'd expect to begin with. 'Tis be enough." He then looked back at Miyako who still had her head bowed down and looking at the floor. Her eyes were hidden behind long bangs of her dark blue hair and only her mouth that was pulled into a thigh line could be visible. It was obvious she was completely sullen, hiding her dark expression underneath her hair. Munk sighed and put a large, heavy hand on top of her bowed head, ruffling her hair a bit. "And ye hav' nothin' to fret about, girl. Everythin' worked out for tha best, so this be fine. Stop rufflin' ya feathers over nothin'." The girl didn't respond, only nodded weakly. She was still looking down with a serious expression on her face. Munk sighed, seeing there was no helping it right now and walked away, back to the kitchen.

*Seriously, what's wrong with me today….I can't do anything right. I'm just fighting with everyone or snapping at them. And now I'm sure even Munk thinks I'm a burden. Even though he always supports me and helps me out...I couldn't even do one simple thing for him properly, on my own.*

Mayumi's face became more serious and worried as she tried to peak at Miyako's expression. "Miyako-san, are you alright? You shouldn't worry about it, even Munk-san said so."

*Why did she have to go any say that in front of Munk? No, well…I know it's not her fault. She didn't lie or anything. It's not her fault and yet…yet…* Miyako's thoughts were racing through her mind, in complete turmoil along with her emotions.

"Miyako-san?" Mayumi, still sticking close to the samurai, reached out for Miyako seeing as the samurai girl was still tense and silent.

Just as Mayumi was about to touch the pirate girl, her hand was harshly slapped away by the samurai. "Don't touch me!" The shout was loud enough for the whole deck to hear, making interested heads turn in the direction of the two girls. "Why do you keep clinging to me?! You're so annoying! Just leave me alone already!" Miyako couldn't stop herself as the rush of loud words came out along with her emotions. All the anxiety turned into anger that was now directed solely at Mayumi. The pirate glared at the local girl, her rage suddenly spent and left her breathing shallowly. Once again Miyako could see that hurt gaze in Mayumi's eyes as the girl took a step backwards from Miyako's surprising outburst. But before any of the two could say a thing, the other members of the crew stepped in.

"Oy, oy Miya-chan what are you saying all of a sudden? Wasn't Mayumi nice enough to help you with your duties for Munk?" Penguin came over with his hands resting on his hips.

"Yeah, don't you think that was a bit rude to Mayumi-chan?" Shachi also added, his tone a bit scolding.

"Miyako can be so temperamental…Sorry, Mayumi-chi!" Ari yelled from somewhere above them.

"That was rude Miyako, Mayumi was just trying to help. You should apologize." Even Bepo joined the crowd, reprimanding the samurai girl.

For once Miyako was at a loss of words. It seemed everyone was taking Mayumi's side and scolding her. Well why wouldn't they? Mayumi didn't do anything wrong, she was nice and cheerful and helpful since the moment they met. Miyako already knew it was only her own fault for snapping like that; just as she did with Cody before. She really should just apologize. But even so, words wouldn't come out. As much as her logical brain could assess the situation and rationalize that it was indeed her fault, her heart was saying the complete opposite. Those were her friends, her crewmembers…so why were they all ganging up on her and taking Mayumi's side? She felt intense pain in her chest and a stinging sensation in her eyes. It was as if there was a large lump in her throat that she just couldn't swallow and no words would come out because of it. Her fists clenched at her sides, strong enough for her fingernails to prick at the soft skin. She knew she was acting like a child yet only one thought swirled inside her mind, refusing to leave. *It's not fair.*

Suddenly Miyako turned around harshly, with her pony tail whipping around with her. She slammed the doors of the submarine open and ran inside, disappearing down the steps without another word.

"Miyako!" Bepo and the others called after her, more worried than angry, but she was already gone.

~…~

"What's going on here?" A sharp voice cut through the atmosphere as it sounded somewhat harsher than usual. Everyone turned around to look at their captain who was standing behind the group with narrow eyes of cold steel, silently demanding an explanation. It seemed he finally decided to intervene since the situation was becoming a bit too tense for his liking. Trafalgar wasn't a one to tolerate any problems between crewmembers on his ship. When the Hearts had a serious fight between them, he always demanded for them to settle it among themselves. If not, then he would solve the problem by himself and usually nobody wanted him to interfere because the situation wouldn't be favorable for either party. Nothing good came out of an irritated Trafalgar Law getting involved.

"Captain, Miyako is acting strange. She just ran inside after yelling at Mayumi," Bepo explained the best he could.

"Not that Mayumi-chi did anything wrong!" Ari yelled from the upper deck again.

"Would ya stop yellin' from over there? Come down or stay out of it!" Eli yelled back, irritated by Ari's constant shouts on the matter.

"Mmm, maybe I should go talk to her and make amends? We shouldn't fight, I really like Miyako-san." Mayumi looked troubled as she put a finger to her lips, seemingly deep in thought.

"Would you take a hint, she doesn't want you close," Josh sighed in slight annoyance at the clingy girl. "She obviously needs her space so just let her be." He didn't look happy about the whole scene himself, but Joshua was probably right in this case. Letting her have some space would be for the best right now. Luckily, the others nodded in agreement, realizing that to be the best option as well.

Law stared at the local girl in silence for a while. Nevertheless, his stare never lost its edge as he pierced her with those cold eyes. "It's best for you to leave, Mayumi-ya."

"Eeeh?" The crew wasn't very happy with that decision but one look from Law in their direction and everyone fell silent, not another complaint to be heard.

Mayumi smiled at the captain as if completely missing the harsh look he was giving her. Right now as far as he was concerned she was nothing more than a distraction on his ship, which hindered his crew's work. He had no time nor patience for those. The girl, however, seemed oblivious of that fact herself as she just remained her usual cheerful self.

"That's alright captain Law. I won't bother you guys anymore since you're busy. If you need any more help, please don't hesitate to ask." With those words the girl left the deck, waving to the Heart pirates who eagerly waved back.

"Mmm, I kinda feel bad for Mayumi-chan…" Shachi was still somewhat troubled over the whole matter as he watched the girl while she walked away.

"I hope her and Miya-chan would get along better. Weren't they together for a long time before coming here…so what happened all of a sudden?" Bepo muttered in an equally troubled tone as the mechanic.

"Say, maybe we should do something to help them reconcile!" Penguin suddenly suggested with a mischievous smirk. He already had an idea.

"And what would that be?" Shachi had to enquire seeing as his friend was practically waiting for someone to ask about his brilliant plan.

"I'm glad you asked!" The pirate mechanic started. "I think we should have a party tonight on the deck and invite Mayumi-chan!" He finished with a raised index finger high in the air.

"You just want to have a party, don't you!?" Eli asked bluntly, already knowing the answer.

"Well…that's actually not a bad idea." Shachi scratched his chin in thought. "Maybe that would bring them a bit closer."

"We can always get them drunk!" Ari suggested, thinking that alcohol can bring anyone together.

The rest of the crew instantly opposed in a hurried voice. "No!" Did that idiot forget what Miyako was like when drunk? Nobody wants to experience that again.

"Captain, what say you?" Bepo turned to look at Law who was silently contemplating things on his own.

Law was quiet for a while longer, thinking about it. He didn't really care whether Miyako and that girl got along or not. However, he didn't want any problems on his submarine either and he didn't like the tense atmosphere that came out of it. Besides, he didn't usually care whether the Hearts organize a party or not; they had drinking parties all the time anyway. Since they weren't shipping out for two more days, they didn't have to be prepared for setting sail first thing in the morning tomorrow and most of their job considering restocking was done. There was no harm in letting them have fun some tonight. "Hm…well I'd like to ask that local girl a few more question about the island anyway, so why not." He finally agreed, shrugging his shoulders. His face stayed calm and bored as before, not showing any enthusiasm for the upcoming party.

On the other hand, the crew instantly raised their voices in a cheer and started talking about preparations for tonight.

The only one beside the captain who didn't look excited was Joshua. The redhead had an unreadable expression as he watched his friends continue their work while chatting about the upcoming party. With a loud sigh he shook his head and picked up a box filled with new syringes. He was the only one who didn't think it was a good idea to meddle between Miyako's and that girl's affairs, but even if he said something, nobody would listen. They were all acting like excited fools not even considering what the samurai girl would actually want in this situation. He bit his lip annoyed at himself for being the one to actually consider the girl's feelings; seriously what is happening to this world when he cares about that troublesome samurai. With another shake of his head, the medic let those thoughts fall to the back of his mind while he continued to work.

~…..~

Seeing as the situation seemed once again peaceful, Law turned to leave. Before going through the large metal doors he took his nodachi and gave Bepo a final glance. "Bepo, stay here and make sure there aren't any more problems."

"Aye aye, captain!" The polar bear saluted and went back to doing his duty.

The sound of Law's steps echoed throughout dimly lit corridors. Sometimes, some of his crewmembers would pass by, saluting at him, but he hardly noticed as he was still deep in thought from before.

He was sitting on the deck in a peaceful atmosphere just a while ago, hoping to rest his eyes for a while, when the commotion started. At first he didn't really care nor react since there wasn't anything odd about the Hearts being raucous but after a while even he found the atmosphere a little too tense. It seemed to escalate quite quickly and suddenly, as Miyako just snapped without warning or reason. Well at least that's how it looked but even Law had to admit he wasn't sure what exactly happened. *However, as her captain, I'll have to have a talk with her about it. I can't let her go around causing problems on the submarine, even if it's her.* Law wasn't one to let his crew cut corners and he definitively didn't play favorites. If you did something wrong, you answered to him, no matter who it was. The pirate captain sighed at the unpleasant talk with Miyako that awaited him; he could tell it will be tough to deal with her on this matter since she was so upset about it. *I don't remember ever seeing her that emotionally out of control since-* A scene from the Tenryuubito's palace came to Law's mind as he saw Miyako with tears streaming down her eyes and a hurt stare she was piercing him with at that time. Well, this wasn't as bad as that. More than hurt, Miyako just seemed angry right now. At least that will make it a bit easier for Law since, in his opinion, it was easier to deal with an angry Miyako than a sad one. At that time he was really at a loss of words for a moment. With another sigh he shook his head lightly, as if trying to put that whole night at the back of his mind. He didn't need to think about that right now, since he had more important things to worry about.

Finally arriving at his quarters, Law suddenly stopped along with all his thoughts. He looked down at the small lump of fabric situated right in front of his doors. His eyes were already adjusted to the darkness so it was easy to recognize it was none other than his samurai, even in her unusual state. She was sitting on the cold metal floor hugging her knees close to her chest. Her kimono was pooling around her body, making her look like a shrunk mess of cloth. Her head was bowed down with her forehead resting on her knees, almost as if she was simply sleeping there. Her hair was covering most of her face, flowing down like a curtain and touching the floor where the dark blue strands mixed with the pink cloth.

Law's eyes narrowed more in confusion than actual discontent. "What are you doing here?" It was hard to find the right question from all the ones currently invading his mind because of the dark, pitiful sight before him.

The girl didn't answer but she stirred and her body squirmed nervously. She obviously heard him come even before he spoke and probably even sensed him with her Kenbunshoku Haki before he approached her. Yet she still kept silent as if purposely stalling. The realization made Law a little irate. *Don't waste my time…Just say it clearly already.* Just as he was about to voice out that thought, the girl spoke.

Miyako moved her head to face him just a bit, though most of it was still lowered and hidden behind that mass of hair. "I…" She started softly as if unsure how to proceed. She squirmed nervously again and even the bare toes in her wooden sandals curled in tension. "I guess I…came to…grumble…for a bit…"

Her mumbled words were so hard to understand, Law had to strain himself to actually make out what the girl was saying. She only said one sentence, if that could even be called a proper sentence, and then clamed up again. Even in the darkness he could see a slight pink blush on her cheeks from saying something like that out loud. Although, even after hearing it, Law had to think for a second to actually understand what those words meant. *Grumble?* After a second more the pirate thought he got a hold of what she was talking about. He sighed, feeling slightly more tired all of a sudden. "You want to make a complaint to your captain? About what happened before?" Well this isn't an administrative office for legal issues or anything, what does she expect from him exactly?

"That's not it." A bit firmly, Miyako cut him off and once again brought confusion back into his mind. He was just about to ask what was it then exactly, but the girl continued to explain. She was now playing with the hem of her kimono sleeve and drawing lines on the metal floor with her one index finger. She looked just like a sulky child. "I mean…not…to my captain exactly…" For the first time she looked at him and made eye content, although it was sideway and only one of her eyes was visible now. He could see her eye glint in the darkness, shining its golden color. He knew she looked up at him to see if he would understand her meaning but honestly he was still in the dark and not only literally.

Law's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he stayed silent. Then his features slowly changed into mild surprise as an idea popped to his head. Finally, when he was sure he understood the girl's meaning and the reason behind her strange actions at the moment, his one eyebrow rose in wonder and disappeared underneath his hat. A small smirk tugged on his lips and he closed his eyes, took a deep breath and shook his head slowly. The pirate captain walked towards the doors of his quarters without sparing Miyako another glance. "Come on."

The girl stood up and moved away so he could open the doors, then followed him inside silently. She took out her katana from the sash of her waist and leaned it against Law's desk, sitting in her usual chair right across Law's own chair where the man planted himself.

"So...? What happened?" Law leaned back in his chair and rested the elbows on the arms of it, interweaving his long fingers together. He thought it would be troublesome to get Miyako to talk about her outburst but the girl actually surprised him by coming to him by herself. Perhaps it won't be such a hell of a task after all.

Miyako was silent for a while longer, fidgeting in her seat and playing with the fabric of her kimono. It seemed she did that a lot when nervous, but somehow it actually helped to calm her down and get her mind off of things. Every now and then she would glance at the man before her but would instantly look away, unable to keep eye contact with him. But for the first time it wasn't out of embarrassment over something he did, but rather the guilty feeling she still had churning in her gut.

Usually Law would lose his patience quickly when seeing people were deliberately avoiding to talk and would stall for time. He would only feel irritation, seeing them fidget like this in front of him while he had to wait for them to finally open their mouth. But this time, seeing Miyako so nervous and lost before him, he actually felt amused. That's why he didn't push her on in annoyance but rather just kept staring her down with his silent gaze, probably making her even more self-conscious. Her nervous glances towards him before she quickly looked down, her almost puppy-dog eyes of guilt with its ears down, the slight flustered expression and a pink hue in her blushing cheeks, even her fingers which were constantly playing with the fabric in her lap, along with her whole body fidgeting nervously; seeing the girl so flustered, Law just couldn't help and think she was, well…cute. More than that, it just made him want to bully her more. So he decided to press her on. "It's not like you to be so emotional in front of others, especially not like you were on the deck just now."

Miyako tensed and stopped fidgeting, biting her lip in the process and looked up at Law. Finally she spoke, in an uncharacteristically soft voice. "Yeah, I was really annoyed. It's not like I want to be like that, I just snapped. She…made me snap." Then she shook her head violently as if arguing with herself. "No, that's not it. I know it wasn't her fault. But…I just felt like an idiot…with what happened with Munk and she just wouldn't stop clinging to me…" As Miyako went on she was more and more relaxed, completely forgetting she was talking to the captain of the ship and just letting it all out. No, she didn't intend to talk to Law as her captain, from the start. Instead, she just wanted to talk to Law himself, as they often did in his quarters when she would bring him his meals. As someone who she trusted and believed to understand her. As someone…important to her on a different level.

While talking to him, she relaxed completely, telling him everything. Everything that made her so annoyed today since the moment they met that girl. It was as if she completely forgot her previous nervousness and just wanted to get it all off of her chest in front of him. In front of someone who she knew won't just dismiss her and say; 'But Mayumi-chan was so cute and nice to you, how could you?' as the rest of the guys probably would. Perhaps that was way she came to Law. She didn't know why she headed to quarters when she did, she just felt at that moment that he was the only one who she could talk to. More than solving her problems or giving her advice, Miyako just needed someone to listen to her grumble for a while about everything. "-and you know…I just feel like there's something strange about that girl and that she's making everyone else in the crew strange, too. It might just be my imagination because I'm bias and a part of me knows I don't have a reason not to like her, but still…I just don't." She paused, unsure that she should say the next part. The girl tucked the fallen strands of her hair behind her ear and looked sideway, not meeting Law's gaze again. "Besides…I know it's selfish of me but…I thought at least the guys would be on my side…at least a little. I know I was the one to snap but still…we're supposed to be friends." She frowned feeling that obnoxious feeling in the pit of her stomach return; even though she was finally feeling better. As she was done, she looked up at her captain. He still had the same calm, unreadable expression on his face not showing whether he agreed or disagreed with her in the slightest. However, he didn't look bored as usual, either.

Miyako stared at him for a while and then opened her mouth again, but the tone that came out wasn't her usual one. She playfully talked as if reading a line from a script; "And? What do you expect me to do about it?" She saw the barely visible twitch in Law's eyebrow and his eyes narrowing a little. Usually a person wouldn't even notice the change in his demeanor, but Miyako's keen eyes picked up on it, never-the-less. *Right on the mark, huh?* She grinned teasingly, some of her old self returning in her attitude. "That's what you were about to say, no?"

It seemed Law was a bit annoyed that the girl just snatched the words out of his mouth, as if she knew him so well already. So he stayed quiet, neither confirming nor denying it. Miyako didn't mind, though. She was expecting even that, because she did know him well; at least when it involved his reactions. She smiled gently and looked down, her expression becoming calmer. "It's fine, I don't expect you to do anything. I know that it was my fault in the end, so I'll take care of my own mess. At the very least I'll go apologize to those idiots up there…eh, I mean the crew." She corrected herself with a playful wink. "You don't have to say or do anything; I told you, didn't I? I just wanted to grumble for a bit." Her faint smile was still there as she finally faced Law, looking him right in the eye.

Law tilted his head and raised an eyebrow to her statement. "Then why did you come to me? You could've gone to Joshua-ya or Cody-ya instead?" He pretty much already knew the answer to that question; he just wanted to hear it directly from Miyako's lips, though the girl would probably never admit the reason even under torture. But that still didn't stop Law from teasing her about it as he pressed the question anyway.

The samurai appeared taken aback by the question and quickly looked away with a deep blush. "T-that's because…" She was unable to finish the sentence, so she just kept her lips tightly shut. Then after a while, still avoiding eye contact, she mumbled. "I don't know, it just happened that way."

Law casually stood up and walked around the table, standing next to the girl and looking down at her. "It just happened? So do you often unconsciously walk up to wait in front of my quarters? Should I interpret that as I see fit?" He put one hand on the back of her chair and leaned next to her ear as he whispered the question into it. He could only see her profile, but her ears and cheeks were obviously red.

"That's not it!" She got flustered and frantically searched for right words to explain.

"Then what is it?" Law pushed on.

"…" Miyako stubbornly stayed quiet, avoiding his gaze all the while.

"Look at me," he commanded.

She instantly turned her head towards him and stared right into his eyes. Not because she was so obedient, but because she didn't want to run away from him. She wanted to take him straight on and accept the challenge he was giving her. It was obvious from her firm gaze, which suddenly lost all embarrassment and was replaced by sheer mental fighting spirit. Law couldn't help but smirk at the sight, but stayed quiet to see if she'll really go through with it and give him an honest answer regarding her feelings for once.

"I just…felt like it. I felt like I could talk to you about it because…well, I…trust you…" At the end she had to avert her gaze to the side after all. Even so, she could see Law's satisfied smirk from the corner of her eyes. That only made her want to frown. *Sly bastard. Even though I'm sure he already knows it, he made me say it anyway.*

"See, that wasn't so hard. Even though you can't even keep eye contact with me…" He teased her seeing as she wasn't strong enough to say something embarrassing right at his face while looking at him clearly.

Miyako returned her strong gaze onto the doctor, sporting a frown with it. "I'll be the one to decide where my gaze goes…or doesn't."

That bold statement only made Law's smirk widen even more. Well if she wasn't feisty like this, it wouldn't be fun. He didn't mind that about her at all; quite the contrary, that was part of her appeal. "Is that so? Well since you were so honest today, I'll let this little insubordination slide." With an unreadable expression, he continued in a completely serious tone along with an even more serious stare. "But I won't let you look away from me…ever." Before she could protest he took her chin in his one hand, the other still holding the back of the chair. He pushed his lips against hers, shutting up any complaints she might have had. He felt her tense up from surprise and it was a bit awkward, kissing sideways like this, but that didn't stop him. The doctor just deepened the kiss by lightly biting the girl's lower lip. She gasped at the slight prick of pain, allowing his tongue excess inside her cavern.

"hm…nh…" She let out something between a moan and a gasp, though it was hard to tell was it out of pleasure or protest. Even so, she raised her one hand and clutched his hoodie with it. As if to make her point of not running away even more, she let her own tongue slide over Law's, battling for dominance with him.

Law smirked in the kiss glad to see she wasn't trying to back out this time. But that smug face turned into surprise when he felt her bite his tongue playfully before sucking on it. He felt pleasure pooling to his stomach and lower at the surprising act from his usually shy girl. Where did she even learn that? *Don't tell me she's copying what I did to her before?* Law couldn't help but be a little impressed by her dedication not to lose to him. He opened his eyes just a little to see her blushing face right in front of him. Her eyes were closed, long eyelashes caressing her red cheeks. Every now and then, her eyebrows would twitch or furrow when Law would tease her with his tongue, coiling it around her own or sliding it over her gums. He pulled slightly away to lick her lower lip, still staring intently at her face in front of him, feeling drawn to the sight.

She must've felt something was off since her eyes fluttered open a little, but then completely opened wide when she noticed Law's grey eyes looking a bit darker than usual, were examining her face all the while. "Hya!" With a shriek she stood up from the chair and pulled away, making enough distance between them with the chair in the middle. She had both her hands covering the lower part of her face and only her wide, golden eyes were visible. "Y-you…how long were you staring at my face like that?!"

Trafalgar simply tilted his head with half-lidded eyes and licked his lips from some remaining saliva on it. The sexy looking scene he made only made the girl blush harder. "What does it matter?"

"B-because, I must've looked so strange." Still hiding most of her face, Miyako admitted in a soft voice. Who knows what kind of embarrassing expression she was making during the kiss and he just kept silently watching like that. The thought alone was just too much.

However, the pirate captain only grinned in amusement. "Not at all." He then removed the chair and took a step forward, looking like a predator cornering his prey. He almost expected for Miyako to take a step back but surprisingly she stayed in place. The girl was full of surprises today. "More importantly, you became pretty open haven't you? You're quite bold today." Waiting for him and even telling him she trusted him enough to show him her upset side, being all cute and fidgety in front of him and then even returning his kiss with such lewd actions. For the usually coy Miyako this was quite a big step forward. She was slowly warming up to him whether she would admit it or not.

The samurai girl just looked away with a pouty scowl and crossed her arms on her chest. "Hn, aren't you the one acting different than usual? You're somehow…more patient." She looked back at Law with a smirk of her own, trying to push his buttons deliberately, as she finished. "Could it be you're trying to console me?"

Suddenly Law appeared right before her, pushing her body back into the wall a bit harder than necessary, as he trapped her between both arms that he rested against the wall by her sides. "Don't push your luck, Miss Miyako," he teasingly responded, his breath tickling her lips since he was only inches away.

Miyako turned her head to the side, and put both arms on his chest to try and give herself some room, but the strong pirate wouldn't budge. The smirk was still on her face, but now it looked forced and there was troubled nervousness that she tried to mask under her laid-back features. Her eye twitched as she continued to try and push him away but he was pushing her right back into the wall with his whole body, proving she was no match for him in strength in their current position. "Aren't you the one doing the pushing? Get…off." She was straining to keep him away now.

On the other hand Law had his usual amused smirk, seemingly unfazed by any of it. "Hmm...No, I don't think I will." He pretended to think for a while only to voice out the obvious answer.

"Sexual…harassment, jerk." Miyako growled out through clenched teeth as she used all her force to keep Law's body from pinning her completely against the wall.

"Hn…" Humming in thought and looking down at her, Law finally became bored with this play and decided to end it. Unfortunately for Miyako, he had no intention of backing away. Instead, he leaned down and stared at her exposed neck since she still had her head turned to the side. He let his tongue slide from the base of her neck all the way to the jaw, following the main artery there.

The sudden wet feeling on her neck made Miyako jump and lose concentration, but only a second of weakness was enough for Law to take the lead. In one quick motion he overpowered her; grabbed both of her wrists with his hands and pinned them on the wall beside her head.

"Eh!?" The girl screamed in surprise and horror, seeing that she was completely unable to escape now. Still, she continued to struggle, trying to set her hands free, but to no avail. Law's clutches were far too strong and she couldn't move her arms from the wall at all. "Let go!" So all she could do was try and settle this verbally even though she was well aware it had no impact on her captain.

Law smirked and leaned into her ear, licking the earlobe before whispering into it. "Don't give me orders." He could feel her body tremble from the wet sensation, which only made him want to do it more.

Miyako was still trying to struggle relentlessly, furrowing her eyebrows. "How did this happen…? Even though I only came here to talk." It was more of a question to herself, really. But Law still answered.

"You say that but you should've known something like this would happen if you come to my quarters alone and then proceed to entice me. It's your own fault. You should've learned already; you consciously keep returning to the wolf's den." He bit her ear lightly as if to prove his point.

"Hn…" A muffled gasp escaped her closed lips. "E-entice you…who did?"

"Even if you're not aware of it-" He started nipping up and down her neck, licking the bite marks every now and then. He could feel her whole body shiver from time to time and she wasn't struggling anymore. She must've lost the strength to fight back under his administrations. Law smirked with pure satisfaction as he continued talking in a low and husky tone. "-that's no excuse. Take responsibility."

Miyako squirmed under Law's actions, trying to escape the sensations on her neck. However, none of it was working even as she tried her best to only focus on their conversation and not the hot feeling slowly traveling down her neck. But even hearing Law's deep voice laced with lust whispering in her ear, was too much for her. Unfortunately, Law had no intention of letting het escape and to prove his point, he only assaulted harder. Without warning, the captain leaned into her, resting his one leg right between her own. He put slight pressure there with his thigh, enough to tease her and make her lose all strength from the sudden hotness she felt from it. "Yah!" Miyako screamed in shock, surprising even herself by the voice that escaped her. It was something between a gasp, shriek and a moan and the sound of it made her want to bite her own tongue to keep herself from making any more noises. It was just too disturbing, hearing herself make such embarrassing noises.

Trying to focus on something else than the warmth spreading all over her body, Miyako returned to answering Law again. "I don't-ah! I don't…know what you're talking…about…idiot! Let…go…" The last part sounded more like a whine than a real demand since she seemed to lose all will to seriously fight him. She only heard a low chuckle from the pirate captain, that tickled her ear and made her squirm some more. "Sexual harassment….bastard," she somehow panted out, biting back a moan.

"Tch, you're pretty foul mouthed today." The captain muttered, slight annoyance in his tone. However, that displeased expression soon turned into a devious grin. "Better to shut you up then." He leaned back to look at the deliciously flustered girl before diving back in and kissing her on the lips again.

"Mn? Mh hm!" Miyako tensed and struggled to break free but he wouldn't let so. She could feel her air quickly disappearing from her lungs but under Law's administration she completely forgot to use her nose to breathe. Her gasps for breath became more frequent as she now urgently tried to escape and take a breath.

Realizing this, Law slowly pulled away, enough to lick her lips and give her some room to breathe. He smirked again, amused by the girl who was panting hard and trying to catch her breath. "Breathe through your nose." It was the only warning she got before he pulled her into another kiss, taking the air right out of her mouth once more.

Miyako could only shut her eyes tightly and feel her face getting hotter by the second. But as Law continued to lightly nip her lips, run his tongue over her own and playfully suck at it, she was starting to get hotter in other places as well. She wanted to cling desperately onto something, even Law himself or his hoodie, anything, but couldn't because he was still pinning her hands to the wall. His leg moved even more against her and his hard chest pressed into hers almost painfully. But more than any pain, she felt pleasure from his every move. She was so conscious of him now, every feeling she felt by him felt heightened. Miyako forgot herself for a moment and kissed him back almost desperately. Once he pulled away again she couldn't help but feel disappointment from loss of contact. She became so into it, her golden eyes glazed with pleasure while panting, she forgot even their surroundings. Realizing that fact the girl's expression turned into a bewildered one, unable to accept that she would just succumb to him like that.

The doctor's smirk never disappeared as he commented in an amused tone. "And here I thought you would be defiant until the very end." He tilted his head again and looked down at her with those stormy, grey eyes. His gaze really seemed like a predator looking down on his small prey; but instead of just finishing it, he was mercilessly playing with her.

Law's teasing words brought her back to reality and Miyako was finally able to get some strength back into her, enough to free his hands and push him away. Of course it was mostly because Law weakened his hold on purpose, giving her a chance to finally move. "Honestly…that was a dirty move even for you. Even though I said to stop…." She frowned and looked away with a slight pout on her features. There was still a red hue on her usually pale cheeks, betraying her true emotions.

"That's because when you look like you don't want it, I only want to do it more." His answer was so blunt and straight to the point that it even took Miyako by surprise.

She almost fell down from the shock, as a sweat drop formed on her head. But instead she just looked back and him with a straightforward glare and yelled; "Isn't that just bullying!?"

Trafalgar, however, still had that completely calm demeanor as if nothing was wrong about what he said. He didn't look sorry at all. Actually, he only looked amused even more as an evil-looking grin suddenly spread across his face. It gave Miyako goosebumps as a foreboding feeling left her chills. "Yes, because bullying you is always interesting," the man simply said in a factual, flat tone. He didn't even blink as he answered.

*I knew it!* Miyako screamed in her head . She could completely see it coming; that jerk was really messing with her on purpose. She trembled with hidden rage as her lips pulled up in a smile that only looked annoyed and masked her anger. "Don't joke with me, you…." Before her killing aura could take over completely, Law interrupted her.

He didn't seem fazed or worried by her growing anger at all, as if it didn't concern him, or rather, it didn't bother him. He just shrugged it off as he continued, "Still, it's meaningless to do it by force."

"Huh?" Miyako's rage was transformed into confusion after hearing Law's words. Her mind turned and twisted to understand what he meant by that exactly.

Her confusion created an opening for Law to lean forward, putting one arm on the wall again and leaning next to her so he can whisper in the girl's ear. "You are going to give yourself to me willingly. That way you won't be able to make any excuses afterwards."

The girl's golden eyes widened in an instant as she realized exactly what he meant by that. Despite herself, her face turned beat red from her ears down and she could already feel herself getting flustered. She was trying so hard to remain in control up until now, using up all her self-control, yet all that flew right out of the window in an instant with Law's sudden, ever-so-confident words. "G-g-go drown in the ocean, baka!" She pushed him away with an embarrassed shout and ran towards the doors of the quarters without looking back, grabbing her katana in the process. However, as she opened the doors of the room, Miyako stopped, facing the doors for a while longer. Just when Law was about to ask what happened as he stared at the motionless girl's back in confusion, she suddenly turned around and pointed her finger at him. She was still red in the face, but besides sheer embarrassment there was something more in her features; resolution. "That's not gonna happen because I already decided that you will fall for me! I definitively won't lose to you so just you wait!" She announced her challenge in a confident tone before suddenly turning again and slamming the doors behind her as she left.

Law blinked in silent astonishment as he stared at the metal doors of his room. *For someone so shy, you can really say some embarrassing things sometimes.* Honestly, it was good that she left because the girl left him speechless and dumbfounded. Just as he thought he figured her out, her personality turned around by 180 degrees and suddenly she says something like that without any warning. A small smirk appeared on Law's features. *Damn, this might actually be dangerous. At this point she'll really….* A low chuckle was heard in the quiet room.

~…~

Miyako was standing in the barely lit corridor, breathing hard. It really took her all to say something so embarrassing out loud; rather it just came out all of a sudden before she could stop herself. But now after everything was said and done, she was completely feeling the consequences as every fiber of her being trembled with adrenalin. The rush and the heat of the moment passed and only then did the realization of her actions hit her. Miyako whined in a small voice, putting her head in her hands. "Am I an idiot….?" Then another understanding came to mind. Through this whole ordeal with Law, the samurai realized she has completely forgotten about her previous troubles with the crew, Mayumi and everything else. In the end, talking to Law really did help her get her mind off of things. *No way…There's no way I'm ever admitting that what he did actually helped me forget about my troubles. Never! Definitively never! And I'm never going in his quarters again!* With that firm decision, Miyako stomped away towards the galley where her work awaited.

~…~

"Come on already."

"I know, so stop pushing me!"

"Now, now, there's nothing to worry about."

Voices echoed from the dark depths of the corridor that led outside on the deck. Everyone else was already there, carrying out food and preparing drinks; getting ready for tonight's party. But three pirates were yet to come out; two medics pushing and urging on towards the exit an unwilling girl.

It's not that Miyako was really unwilling to face everybody; but the thought of it after that humiliating situation this afternoon made it quite more difficult for her to do so. How will they react? Will they be mad? Will they stare down at her with those ostracizing eyes? The girl gulped and once again her legs stopped working on her own. Dark thoughts and doubts swirled inside her, making her feel even more anxious. What suddenly brought her out of her fearful state was a hand on her head that pushed her down as it ruffled her hair. Miyako blinked and followed to whom it belonged, seeing Josh staring at her with his sharp green eyes underneath his cap. The medic was shorter than her so after reaching for her, he needed to push her head down slightly to be able to ruffle her hair. He looked like a younger brother, messing with his taller sister. But his face was serious, as he kept staring at her.

"Oy, what's the problem now? You had the courage to face everyone after what happened with the Tenryuubito and at that time you messed up much more than this. So what are you getting all anxious about over a stupid fight like this?" Joshua scolded her, still keeping that serious tone in his voice.

However, instead of feeling annoyed, the statement actually made Miyako relax a little. He was right; what happened at Sabaody was much more serious than this. If they forgave her at that time, there's no reason to fret now. They're all good guys in the end and not ones to hold a grudge. Even if she acted childish, all she had to do was apologize to them sincerely. Then her features turned darker as another thought crossed her mind. *Though I still definitively don't want to apologize to Mayumi.* But even with those feelings she knew she couldn't keep up this childish, stubborn act. She had to step up and take responsibility for her actions just like Master always taught her. She was in the wrong and she needed to make it right despite her personal feelings in the matter. Resolving herself , Miyako stood upright again with new determination in her expression "Yeah, let's go."

Cody smiled beside her and nodded to urge her on. "We're right behind you."

Miyako stepped out on the deck, looking around at the Heart Pirates who were laughing and chatting with each other. Shachi and Penguin already made a whole gambling group where people seemed to be losing all their assets fast. On the other end, Jean Bart was having a drinking contest with some of the other pirates but nobody could stand a chance against the former captain. Sai was talking with Law, showing him some maps and probably calculating their course from here. Bepo was stuffing himself with meat and fish, two plates already emptied and the third on its way to meet the same fate.

Sam was first to notice the three newcomers on the deck and he smiled brightly at them behind all his clothes that kept his face hidden. Even now he had those thick glasses hiding his eyes from view. "Cody, Josh, Miya-chan, you came!"

After the mechanic's exclamation, the others noticed them too and turned around with grins and waving hands, beckoning them to join the party. It looked like nobody held a grudge about what happened earlier today, as if it was already forgotten.

*Why was I so nervous!* Miyako felt relieved and even more tense at the same time as she realized all her worrying has been completely unnecessary.

Eli walked over to the two medics and the samurai. "Yo, Miyako. You ok now? Gave us a start this afternoon, ey?" In his rough accent the master gunner greeted the girl, slapping her on the back with a smile.

The girl's breath hitched from the harsh treatment and she had to stop herself from falling forward. That's when she noticed the others were rounding around them too, asking about her. Guilt returned to the depths of her stomach again. *I made everyone worry about me.* She bit her lip for a second, still wearing that forlorn expression, before bowing down to the men before her. "I'm sorry everyone! Sorry for causing you all trouble!"

"What are you talking about?" Ari walked over, scratching the back of his head. "S' fine, s' fine. I was a bit surprised and I still think you were kinda rude but we all have our bad days, right?"

Miyako looked up and saw him grinning at her, his unruly black hair framing his face. She looked at the rest of the Heart Pirates and they all shared similar expression. "Everyone…"

"Come on, don't worry about it anymore. It's already history. Did you think we'd be mad at you or somethin'?" Penguin came and ruffled her hair with a smile.

"Besides…I think angry Miyako is also kinda cute." Shachi chuckled, lost in his own world of fantasy.

"Creepy…." Miyako couldn't help but comment with a frown, though she only did it jokingly.

"Eeh?!" Shachi's jaw slackened with shock. "That's mean, Miya-chaaan~" He whined. The laughter from the other pirates once again filled the air.

"Well I don't think you did anything wrong. If someone gets on your nerves, it can't be helped. Just get rid of them." Sai shrugged speaking in that monotone, calm voice as always. Even while saying something like that he still wore the usual sleepy and emotionless expression. Even his low voice didn't change from the usual. Meanwhile, the pirates just stared back at him with disturbed and slightly fearful expressions.

"What are you, mafia!?" Penguin yelled back, finally pulling out of the atmosphere that Sai created. That navigator really did everything by his own pace but the only one who didn't seem to notice that fact was Sai himself.

"Anyway, let's get this party started!" Cal raised his voice along with one fist that cut through the air. The rest of the pirates cheered and were soon dragging Miyako along with them toward the food and drink that they set up earlier.

The girl laughed and smiled, completely forgetting her nervousness from before. With the corner of her eyes she glanced at her captain, noticing he was staring right back at her. As usual he had that half-bored, unreadable expression but something in his stare told her that he already knew this is how things would turn out from the start, as if she was a fool for worrying so much about it. Well, he was the captain after all, he knew his own crew the best, whereas Miyako still had much to learn about the people around her. She smiled, though it was hard to tell if it was at him or at that though, perhaps it was both. The captain only gave her a nod of recognition before taking a sip out of his bottle of liquor and turning away to lean against the sub's railing.

"Miyako-san!" A new voice brought the samurai back to reality and she looked up from her glass to see a young girl standing before her.

She stood up from the ground and acknowledged the local girl. "Mayumi-san."

The Heart Pirates around them tensed but still pretended to do whatever they were doing at the time, as if the girls wouldn't notice they were actually awaiting what will happen next. Penguin walked up to the girls with a sheepish smile, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "Ah, yeah, we invited Mayumi-chan too. We thought maybe you could make up and get along? The party was for this reason too." He laughed nervously, awaiting Miyako's reaction.

"Didn't you just want to have a party?" Bepo cut the mechanic off, correcting him.

"You be quiet!" Penguin bit back.

"Sorry," The polar bear bowed down his head in depression.

"Don't yell at him," Miyako scolded the mechanic.

"Sorry," Penguin bowed his head down as well.

"…" For a while everything was enveloped in awkward silence. Mayumi greeted the rest of the pirates but finally faced Miyako, awaiting the samurai's reaction to her coming here.

The Wano girl stepped towards Mayumi with a serious expression. Then without warning she held out her hand to the other girl. "I'm sorry for being so rude to you earlier, Mayumi-san. I was wrong." She awaited Mayumi's response still holding out her hand.

The local girl blinked in surprise a few times but then held out her own hand and held onto Miyako's, shaking it lightly. A smile graced her features once again. "Don't worry about it."

At that moment the tense atmosphere seemed to completely dissolve and the pirates sighed in relief, able to enjoy their party again.

"I'm glad it all worked out ok between those two." Bepo smiled in relief, watching the two girls.

"Yeah…" Joshua, who was silently drinking beside him, commented without any enthusiasm. He watched the two girls chat for a while, examining Miyako's face. She was smiling but it still looked tense and forced even now. She really didn't get along with that Mayumi girl after all.

~…~

As the night went on, so did the party. Gradually the pirates got drunker and rowdier. Sometimes, local village people would walk by through the port, giving them strange glances but nobody dared to approach the vessel of the Heart Pirates and the infamous captain Trafalgar Law. Luckily, the port was somewhat away from the residential area so nobody could see that the fearsome pirates were actually acting like idiots; completely drunk, singing and dancing, getting into fights and arguments over gambling or already passed out from trying to beat Jean Bart in a drinking game.

Law was sitting on another crate at the deck, on his fifth bottle of rum as he sipped the hot liquor slowly. He was watching his foolhardy crew with amusement, letting them have their way for tonight. Bepo would step in if the arguments got a bit too heated, so Trafalgar could for once relax and enjoy his drink. Be it his luck or misfortune, it was always hard for him to get drunk, but the alcohol still relaxed his body. At least tonight he won't have a problem with falling asleep as it is usually the case. His slightly dulled senses picked up on an aura behind him, due to his Kenbunshoku haki. He didn't feel any ill intent from it; actually it was fairly familiar. He knew this presence well.

"Miss Miyako, what are you ho-" He turned around, ready to address the girl behind him, but stopped mid-sentence from surprise. He expected to see Miyako's sly smile thinking she was up to something, sneaking like that behind him. He expected to see a pair of golden big eyes looking at him, but instead it was a pair of deep green ones. Instead of Miyako, it was Mayumi, the girl from the village. Rather than being surprised by how close she was, Law was surprised that he made such a mistake. He's haki was already pretty good and Miyako's presence was so known to him, he could never confuse her aura for someone else's. Yet here she was, not his samurai, but the ever-so-cheerful village girl. Was he drunk after all?

However, his thoughts didn't leak through as his expression soon returned into his usual, composed one. Only for a second did his eyes widen in surprise, but his fuzzy hat hid even that much. "Mayumi-ya, is there something you need from me?"

The girl sat down next to him on the large crate without even asking. His eyes narrowed from the sudden intrusion in his comfort zone, as the space between them was far too small for his liking. The crate was large, but not that large; two people on it just felt cramped and he never liked having random people too close to him anyway. However, his interest won over so he decided to see what the girl wanted before scaring her away.

"Actually, I was just about to ask the same thing." Mayumi answered with a mischievous smile and enjoyed Law's confused expression for a while, before explaining herself. "Penguin-san told me you wanted to ask me some questions?"

Oh, so that was the reason. The captain's expression turned to understanding and he gave the girl a short nod. "I wanted to know more about the area around this island. Perhaps if you know the islands around yours? Also, I want you to tell us more about the marine base around here. If we can pinpoint its exact location, it'll be easier to avoid it on our way." His words sounded more like a demand than any sort of question or inquiry for a favor. Well, she was the one to offer her help to them, so he might as well take her up on that offer. "We'll talk to my navigator later so he can draw a map around the island and find the location of the marine base."

"Oh, you mean Sai-san. Eeh, I tried to talk to him before but he said my cheerfulness makes him tired and left. He was a bit rude." The girl pouted as she complained to the pirate captain without a second thought.

*And I should care because….?* He didn't ask her to be friends with Sai, personal feelings didn't matter in business anyway. She just needed to convey that information to them. The doctor sighed as a sudden fatigue hit him. "Jean Bart-ya is our main navigator, you can talk to him," he proposed an alternative. Perhaps this rum really was making him softer.

"But Bart-san hardly speaks." Again, the girl complained in a whiny voice. Her attitude didn't show any concern for her safety even though she was slowly but surely provoking the captain of the pirate ship, known for cutting up people into small pieces.

Was she messing with him or just dense; Law just couldn't decide. Still, he had enough of the girl's bothersome behavior and his expression suddenly darkened. His deep grey eyes narrowed, piercing the girl as he stared right into her own eyes with a darkened look. The stare was a warning one that said he was close to losing his patience completely, challenging her to voice out one more complaint and push him over the edge.

Luckily, it appeared she finally took a hint as she quieted down, not an objection to be heard. Unfortunately that silence didn't last for long. "I get it, sorry sorry. I'm just really excited to be here with such a famous and cool pirate captain." By her happy tone, Law couldn't tell was she sarcastic or serious. In the end it didn't matter since the girl just carried on talking. She smiled and took a large breath. "Alright, I'll tell you all I know…."

~…~

Miyako sat down next to Bepo with a glass of juice in hand. She was looking at the laughing bunch around her. Most of them were already passed out from alcohol while the others steadily went towards that goal.

"Ah, Miya-chan, you're not drinking sake? That's good, at least there's someone still sane around here." Bepo nodded, approvingly.

However, the girl beside him just tensed with a sweat drop. After seeing that look of trust and appreciation in the polar bear's eyes she just couldn't tell him the truth; that she actually wanted to try some but something always prevented her from doing so. Her glass would suddenly disappear while she wasn't paying attention or someone would distract her whenever she would try and take a sip and afterwards she would find her glass empty. It's like someone way deliberately trying to keep her away from having any alcohol all night.

"R-right…" Unable to voice out the truth after seeing Bepo's smiling face, she just nodded in agreement and took a sip from her glass of juice, avoiding the bear's gaze. Wanting to change the subject, she looked around. "Anyway, where's Law?" By now, the party was slowly dying out, the reason mostly being that the pirates themselves were dropping like flies into unconsciousness.

"The captain's over there with Mayumi-chan." Bepo nodded in the direction of two people, sitting closely together and talking about something.

It was too far away to hear what they were talking about but they were sitting together on one crate, which appeared way too cozy. Miyako found it strange that Law would allow that since he usually wasn't a type to want to have a lot of physical contact with people, especially ones he didn't know or trust yet. She was wondering what he looked like right now; was he annoyed or did it not even bother him? However, Mayumi was in the way and his hat was covering most of his face from Miyako's prying eyes anyway. A strange feeling hit her chest and made her uncomfortable at the sight of them. That feeling only stung more when she heard Mayumi laugh in that cheerful voice of hers. Unconsciously, Miyako bit her lip. But that's when another thing caught her eye as she watched Mayumi fling back her hair, almost in a flirty manner. The samurai girl blinked a few times just to make sure. The color of the village girl's hair seemed different. Miyako distinctly remembered the girl's hair was raven before, but now it looked of a bit lighter color. To be exact it appeared to be a deep blue color, rather than black. Almost like Miyako's…no, not almost, just like hers. Also, the hair seemed different; the length was longer than before, the same as Miyako's, even though the girl's hair was somewhat shorter than hers before. Even the straight cut at the ends was the same and there were shorter strands framing her face on the sides. *Did she get a haircut? But the style looks way too similar to mine! Did she copy my hair style and even dyed it the same color?! What is she thinking?! Still, that doesn't explain how her hair looks longer now…*

The peaceful atmosphere around Miyako soon dissolved and was once again replaced by a deeply irate feeling and suspicion. She just stared at Mayumi with wide eyes, unable to completely comprehend what she was seeing. Was it just the lighting? It was already dark and the submarine's lighting was pretty dim after all. Was it her imagination?

She felt that stinging in the chest shift and evolve into a burning hot mass, as if a ball of fire was residing there. The emotions were slowly burning away even her reason. She watched the girl, sitting so close to her captain, laughing alluringly, innocently, kindly, annoyingly, aggravatingly, grudgingly, disgustingly! Without Miyako even realizing it, her teeth already chewed through her lower lip, drawing blood. Her free hand balled into a tight fist while the other gripped the glass so tightly it shook and her fingers turned white.

Even if Miyako herself didn't notice the change in her demeanor, Bepo did. "Miya-chan, what's wrong? Are you feeling ill?"

The voice of their first mate brought her back to reality, suddenly cutting through her thoughts. Miyako almost jumped from surprise, then blinked a few time. *Just now...what was I…?* She felt confused by her own thoughts as for a second there she wasn't able to control her emotions at all. She was always a logical person, putting her reason before her feelings, especially when in a fight or a tight situation. She trained her own mind through mediation to stay calm and collected, even when unnerved. So what was that just now? How could she almost let her emotions get the best of her? Just like she did earlier today with Mayumi. *That's right…it only happens when Mayumi's around. There's something strange with that girl after all!*

Crack

Miyako blinked and looked down in confusion. A cracking sound came from her hand just now. Her eyes widened when she noticed the glass she was holding broke down, cutting into her skin. The juice spilled over her hand and the floor, pieces of glass falling from her palm. A few drops of blood ran down her hand and fell on the messy floor by her feet. *Ah…it broke…* The pain only registered later, after she realized what has happened. She didn't even notice she was still gripping the glass tightly while thinking and it couldn't stand the pressure.

"Whaa, Miya-chan, are you alright! You're bleeding!" Beside her Bepo fell into a panicked frenzy from seeing her bloodied left hand. "The glass broke!? Quickly, you need to go to the infirmary and get the glass out."

The girl grimaced, the pain finally kicking in. She even had shards of glass stuck into her palm and fingers. How will she train with her sword now? Miyako cursed her own foolishness as she stared down at her bloodied hand.

"Miyako." A low voice suddenly brought her attention and she looked up to see Law coming over to her. Unfortunately Mayumi was right behind him with a worried expression.

The samurai looked up at Law and flinched when he touched her hurt hand. It wasn't from the pain though; just that her heart still hadn't caught up with her mind, so she was still feeling anxious from seeing Law with Mayumi not long ago. Still, the larger hand enveloped hers and she relaxed after a while, letting Law examine her. His dark tattooed hand was actually gentle, careful not to touch her wounds as he moved to examine her palm. She looked up at him to see a frowning expression with his eyebrows furrowed. He wasn't happy about this.

"We'll have to take the shards of glass out first. Come on, I'm taking you to the infirmary." Without even waiting for her response he dragged her back with him to the entrance of the submarine.

"I'll go with you!" Mayumi exclaimed and started following but Law cut her off as he responded without even turning towards her or stopping.

"The party's already over, go home." He heard a complaining whine behind him but ignored it, as he went into the submarine with Miyako.

~…~

The samurai girl watched as the doctor carefully plucked out every piece of glass shard from her palm with surgical tweezers. Every now and then she would flinch from pain but luckily not a lot of shards went in. Law carefully worked on each one, disinfecting the wounds afterwards. That stung even more but Law's darkened expression sent a perfect message so Miyako didn't even dare to complain. He was mad. At her? The thought made Miyako feel even worse. Honestly, since she sat foot on this island it was nothing but trouble for her. And here she thought she'd finally have some relaxation time on this one. She sighed unconsciously, bringing attention to herself.

"You actually went and hurt your hand….how clumsy can you be?" Law commented in his usual flat tone, not even taking his eyes off of her palm while he worked.

"It's not my fault." She instantly exclaimed but the raised eyebrow Law gave her said it all. "I mean it is…actually…but…it's not that I…." She started mumbling, looking to the side and avoiding his gaze, with an obvious guilty expression. How was she supposed to explain to him that Mayumi angered her so much that she broke a glass she was holding like a complete idiot. For starters, the thing that fueled up her anger was seeing Law and Mayumi talking and sitting so cozily. There's no way she could admit something like that to him! More importantly, she couldn't even admit to herself that what she was feeling was jealously. She never felt that feeling before; it was foreign, scary and unnerving. She hated it. *Why do I have to feel like this? This is really the worst!*

This time it was the doctor who sighed as he read her sorry expression. "If you're going to feel so bad about it, then be more careful from the start. You're a swordsman aren't you? Aren't your hands your most important tool?"

Miyako flinched and looked at him with wide, stunned eyes. Somehow she didn't expect him to say something like that. Calming down, she stared at him with glazed eyes and an unreadable expression. He was right, completely right. Yet here she was acting like a complete fool and overreacting. She bowed her head, feeling even more depressed now. "I know…I'm sorry…" It sounded more like a whine than anything else.

"What are you, Bepo now?" Law looked at her with his usual calm expression, not even flinching at her sorry state. "If you understand that much, then take care of yourself better." He clicked his tongue in annoyance.

Once again, Miyako could only stare at him in astonishment. *Is he actually…worrying about me?* It's hard to say with Law, but if he ever expressed his worry for someone it might sound like this. Though, to any other person this might've just sounded like annoyed scolding from a doctor, Miyako knew that in a way this was Law's way of worrying for her. A sudden warmness filled her chest, disabling her from even answering him.

"There. All done." Law concluded the session with that statement, bringing the girl back from her thoughts.

She looked down at her hand, which was now bandaged neatly. "Thank you." It was all she could say in a soft voice.

Law didn't acknowledge her thanks but instead stood up from the chair and went over to a cabinet, taking out a bottle of pills and a glass that he filled with water. He walked over back to the bed and handed her one pill and the water.

The samurai frowned. She didn't really like taking medicine and drugs, especially since most drugs here were something they don't even have in her homeland. Back in Wanokuni most medicine is still herbal based, hence being much less potent. Law's medicine was stronger so it always made her drowsy or ill. "Pain killers." It was all the explanation the doctor gave her.

"You know I don't like these," she complained anyway though they both knew in the end he'll make her drink this.

"But you will take them nonetheless." Law's tone was still as calm as usual, but the piercing gaze he was giving her warned her not to push his patience. He wasn't even giving her the right to refuse.

"Fine," she groaned in annoyance and took the pill, taking a few gulps of water with it.

"You'll have to take care of that hand; it'll take some time to heal. The cuts weren't that deep so you didn't need stiches but try not using it too much. I don't even have to tell you that practicing with your katana is out of the question for a while." Just like any other doctor, Trafalgar gave her firm instructions about the dos and don'ts with her hurt left hand. It'll be a pain to work in the galley with this as well.

As Law talked, Miyako could feel her mind becoming hazy as drowsiness overtook her. She was getting sleepier as minutes passed by and despite herself she ended up lying on one of the infirmary beds. Law's voice seemed to only soothe her more into unconsciousness. Her eyes felt heavy and hard to keep open so she just gave up and closed them. "La…w…?" She mumbled with the last of her strength.

"I'm here." Even Law's voice sounded fuzzy now. Those must've been stronger pain killers than she even suspected.

"What did you talk….with Mayumi about…?" She mumbled softly.

For a while it was silent and Miyako somehow willed herself to open one of her eyes slightly. With a half-lidded eye she looked up at Law, seeing he was making a barely noticeable suspicious expression mixed with confusion.

"Information about island and its surroundings," he finally answered still looking like he couldn't understand why she'd ask about something like that now.

Miyako's eyes closed again, unable to keep them open any longer. She chuckled quietly after hearing his answer; what was she even worried about? *I'm really a fool.*

---

*coughs up blood* I did it…even the steamy scene between Miyako and Law. I wrote it within the best of my ability…*half dead.* In any case, this chapter actually seemed pretty short to me even though it was about 70 pages in Word, but I guess you'll be a judge of that. Not much action right now; only intrigue and preparations for Rocky Port. I hate writing about cannon story parts completely blind on what the situation is but it can't be helped. -.-' Anyway, the next chapter should be longer since it's two more days on this island (whoops, I didn't name it). Any thoughts on Mayumi so far?

Xxikarishipper99xX: Thank you for reading it. Also, I think there are other good LawxOC fanfiction out there even if they are a bit hard to find. Don't give up! :D

angryHarlequin: wow, 50 chapters in three days; that's impressive!

NoName: Well they're not a burden, but I hope I'll be able to live up to these expectations. Besides, it's fine since I'm also excited to write about PH and other cannon story parts. :D

Blinkblank: Oh wow, Wanokuni or Law, that's a hard question. ^^' She loves her homeland very much but given the choice to go back to Wano or keep sailing with Law and the Heart Pirates, Miyako chose the pirates (chp 44). Actually, marriage isn't even on her mind yet. Right now she just wants to be a better swordsman and be with the Heart Pirates. :)

xXLovelyAnimeLoverXx: Thanks, I'm glad you think so. ^^ Haha Cause it's Law, so it's just can't be simple. ;P I think he's starting to realize it but won't admit it yet, even to himself.

Guest: lol I really didn't even think of that. To be honest I didn't watch Titanic for year, so I don't remember that scene. :3

Wicken25: wow, that means a lot…Thank you. .

Yumi sawamura: hehe Yes, Munk really should get his moment. I feel I left out him and Sai a bit so I need to work on that. As for Law, well both of them are falling for each other I think :3

Shiningheart of ThunderClan: She worried for Law yes, but also for the crew who will get dragged along with him if something goes wrong. They are all her friends after all. Miyako can't reproduce it, but she has a strong enough haki to cut through it. So even if Law won't know how to make it either, he can still train with her to get strong enough to cut through it. :)

Zecrea: Defintively! It just wouldn't be fun to write about PH and Dresrossa, without Miyako in it.

Arrow-chan3: haha not at all. :P Though I would be scared of pissed off fangirls. ;P

NightStar85: Yep, Law and I have a lot to work on; he on his training and I on writing it. ^^' I'll get him ready before Punk Hazard comes. :D

Iluvninjas: Nah, he was just born pretty. :)

FloraChi: Whoot, congratz on finishing your finals! :D

ThexWhitexPhoenix: Hey, I've read some of your work and your writing is great. Plus you have 15 stories and I have only one ongoing so I'd say props to you.

Hitoshirezu Ryu: Thank you. :D As always, your reviews bring a smile to my face, I'm happy that you liked the chapter. I hope it will be the same with the upcoming ones as well.