Disclaimer: I Do Not Own One Piece.

Chapter 18: Never Doubt!

"Wow…. That was a bit too close for comfort…" Aro shook her head slightly, sending a few flakes of what seemed to be rubble, or just dust from the wall, down like a small glittery storm. Guzen turned fully to her, jaw open and eyes wide.

"You're a mess, Aro" Luffy pointed out. Ezerial smacked him on the back of the head.

"Aro…" Guzen stared at her. Aro looked up at him, and an ear twitched.

"Hmm? What's wrong? It looks like you thought I was dead or something." She laughed, slowly getting to her feet. A look of pain passed over her face. Guzen hurried over, offering a helping hand.

"To be honest, I though you did… the haze was there and everything…" He whispered.

"Well, I can't die yet. I got too much to do and too much to see." She looked at Serisha, who was in a state of panic. "Besides, it might not be my death at all…"

"I got our heart! I know I did!" She stepped back, her face paling. "How are you alive?"

Aro stood as tall as she could, pointing to the wound. "Next time, try to make sure I'm NOT shifting in the attack. You might strike better next time." She grinned, and then winced in pain.

"Take it easy, Captain." Guzen whispered. Aro looked at him, slightly confused.

"Thanks, but I'll be fine, just give me my scythe so I can finish this girl off once and for all."

"Oi, Aro…" Aro turned to Luffy, confused. Ezerial had his hand over his heart, letting out a sigh it seemed of some kind. Luffy was pointing somewhere. Aro looked, and her jaw dropped.

"SHE RAN AWAY?!" Aro shouted at the empty spot where Serisha once stood. "HOW DID SHE GET AWAY?!"

"… she might be heading to Iryoku…" Guzen said, remembering the phone call he over heard with Veldoro.

"Why would she head there? It's just a shipping dock…" Aro looked around for any hint of where she could have gone. The room only had two doors, Luffy and Ezerial entered from one of them, and still stood there. The other was half way across the room. Nothing else but the four of them stood there. "and I want to know how she got away…"

"Supposedly, it's coming up on its once-a-decade competition, correct?" Ezerial questioned.

"..That fighter test? Sure, it's being held tomorrow…" Guzen looked to Aro, "… think he might be after some stronger people for a better raid?"

"If that's true, we've got to get out of here and get him before he sets sail. Sure, Shira is safe, but imagine if he got stronger and took over another naval base like he did here?" Aro looked up at a large, slow moving fan at the top of the room. Something was hanging down from inside it. Aro felt her ear twitch. "Is that a rope?"

The rest looked up as well. Guzen narrowed his eyes, the fog finally leaving his vision. "… looks like it…"

"Think that's how she excepted?" Aro put her hands on her hips, annoyed.

"How could she climb up there that fast?" Luffy questioned.

"Maybe someone pulled her up… a lot of someones…" Aro sighed. "How are we going to track them now?"

"Gomu gomu no…" Luffy's arms stretched towards the fan blade.

"Everyone aboard!" Aro hugged Luffy, "Thanks for the lift, Luffy."

"We got to hug him?" Ezerial asked, uneasily.

"You'll fall off if you don't." Aro glared at him. He sighed and grabbed Luffy's arm, holding on tight. Guzen looked at the three, raised an eyebrow, and took a strong hold to Aro's person.

"That's cheep, I rather—"

"ROCKET!" They took off towards the fan. Aro closed her eyes, not wanted to see if they hit the fan blade or not.

---

"Aro!" Ezerial's voice made her open her eyes. She looked around. They were at the top of the castle some how, few feet air born. She looked around in awe at the site. Dark and lush green trees lined the mountaintop that created the bowl-shape towards town. The tree stretched back and seemed to melt into the glittering blue water of the sea. Following the sea, her eyes met the horizon where the sun was only a little ways from reaching sun set. The sky to her other side were darkening, while the sky near the sun still were a cheerful bright blue. She looked back at the bowl. Everything was cleaned up, and a cart sat on the middle of the path with a lonely figure on it.

"Guzen, is that Cap?" She asked, looked down. Guzen looked as well as the peak of 'flight' was achieved.

"…Looks like it…"

"Luffy, when we land, I want you to tell Cap to head to Iryoku. Then, you and your crew set back on your path. I don't want to delay you all too long with our problems."

"Worry about problems as they arrive. I want to know how the hell are we going to land safely?" Ezerial looked at the quickly approaching tower roof. Aro looked as well.

"Good idea… any ideas?" She wrapped her arms around Luffy's neck, fear finally taking a hold of her with their height.

"Gomu gomu no—"

"He has one." Ezerial held tight to Luffy's arm.

"—Fuusen!" His body started to grow to a large ball shape. They hid the castle and bounced up a bit. He deflated and they all fell from some-what a safe distance to the castle roof. Aro let go of Luffy and Guzen let go of Aro. Ezerial hesitated, and let go. Aro used her cat abilities and landed on her feet and hands. She let her knees and elbows bend so she didn't break her legs. She landed like any other cat would: near spread eagle. Guzen landed on one foot, and changed the direction of the force from the land into a small jog forward. He stopped, looking over the edge to the back of the castle. Luffy landed on his rump, but seemed unharmed. Ezerial landed and instantly went to a kneeling position, one hand on the ground for support. Aro blinked, finally noticing what Ezerial had on under the cloak he normally had on.

He had a plain white dress shirt with long sleeves, a red cloth that tight loosely around his neck and came to just below his rib cage, pure black dress-looking pants, and black boots that looked very dressy. She tilted her head to the side standing.

Ezerial looked around, standing. "Where did she go from here?"

"Down the wires." Guzen's voice got everyone to look at him. He looked back at them, pointing down thick metal wires that were built into the castle and went diagonally towards the rocky hill behind the castle.

"How? That thing would cut right through her." Luffy said, frowning.

"Turned her feet into two metal spikes, giving her not only balance but a way down…" Aro muttered under her breath. She turned to Luffy, "Thank you for your help Luffy. I'm sure you'd rather be back to your adventures on the sea."

Luffy opened his mouth to speak, but Ezerial cut him off, "You've been a great help, honestly. Just tell Jishin that he needs to head to Iryoku."

"Who's Jishin?" Luffy asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Cap." Guzen and Aro said at once. Luffy hesitated, and nodded. He turned to the other side of the castle and stretched his arm to a lower part. Aro looked away.

"Gomu gomu no rocket!" She knew he was gone now.

"Right… time to play trackers…."

"Now, how do you suggest we get down?" Ezerial looked at her, slightly annoyed. She looked at him, eyes slowly making their way to look over his shoulder. She slowly smiled. He blinked, "What are you planning, Aro?"

Author's note: Okies, I have a lot of free time, so... Hopefully I'll get a lot of chapters up, I'm shooting for two just for today! -smiles- Thanks for reading with me! And if you'd be so kind is go to my profile on here, and read the bottom part. I would really like to hear what you all think should happen either by e-mail or by review! Thanks! -Tori