NOTE: Sorry for the wait! I had a MAJOR brain fart! –bows- GOMENASAI!!!!

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own One Piece or Axe

Chapter 43: The Sand Labyrinth IV

"How did we end up on the ground again?" Aro mused, kicking the sand.

"I couldn't keep my balance cause I'm carrying Kit, you fell because something pushed you. Again." Axe grumbled he trudged through the sand. Aro blushed slightly.

"Not my fault…" She muttered. "How long have we been walking?"

"A few hours." He looked at the sky; "In about three hours it's going to be too dark to keep walking."

"How do you know?"

"Just look, and you can tell. Plus I was making observations while we were walking yesterday."

"Jeez…" Aro sighed, "I'm getting tired…"

"It's from the sudden drain of adrenaline. Fatigue always comes after."

She paused at the end of the corridor where a lush forest started. "I don't want to go in there…"

"You're not the only one." Axe gently put Kit on the ground. "We've got to make a camp. I don't see a safe house anywhere."

"It's the second day… maybe there are only safe houses on the first day." She walked to the edge of the forest, looking inside it. Her ears perked up as she strained to hear movement. After a few seconds, she turned back to Axe; "I don't hear anything in there, so I guess we're alright to just sleep on the ground."

"First thing's first," he turned to Kit. "We've got to get her awake again."

Aro glanced back at the woods and walked over, "Any ideas?"

"Not really…"

"Just let her sleep it off." Aro sat down Indian style beside Kit. "Man… I'm starting to think this competition isn't worth all this…"

"I know what you mean." Axe sat down on the other side. "This thing is getting ridiculous." He counted off on his hand; "Mutated frogs, mutated snakes, sand sharks, giant scorpions, sand pits…" He shook his head, "This sounds like someone's science experiment."

"Yeah…" Aro hung her head, "I'm sick of this… I want to go home now…"

"You came here alone. It's your fault…" Axe leaned back, eyes closed, and shoulders relaxed. "This is pointless… what good is the challenge if even sleeping gets you killed?"

"You know… I say we find a way to by pass all this and just get it over with!" Aro jumped to her feet, hands in fists at her sides. Her eyes were filled with a beast-like rage.

"Sit down. Getting angry about it won't do anything." Axe looked around. "We should worry more about trying to find something to eat."

Aro's shoulders dropped as she plopped back down, face in a twist of emotions. She looked at Kit, "Hurry and wake up, Kit…"

"Excuse me." Aro and Axe glanced at where the voice came from. A man with short blond hair slicked back with gel, bright green eyes with yellow around the pupils, and in the basic brown get-up of a bandit with a rapier on his hip. "Would your party be too full for one more member?"

"Who are you?" Aro asked, getting to her feet.

"I'm Pierre." He made a sweeping bow that would have been perfect with a hat. "My partner didn't make it past the last sand sharks, and I'm afraid that I don't have the skills to continue on my own." He sat up now, looking at them. "I wish to get out of here alive, winner or not."

"What makes you think we're running a survival party."

Pierre blushed, looking greatly embarrassed. "I just figured that… two to a group… and you two both seem to be leaders… and…"

"I don't see anything wrong with just traveling together…" Aro muttered.

"You're right, Madam, absolutely right. I beg of you, please let me travel with you." He bowed again, but this time, he stayed down. "I beg you."

They exchanged glances. "Again, I don't see anything wrong with just traveling together." She looked at the woods, ear twitching.

"Thank you!" He stood up, smiling brightly. "I an forever in your debt, madam!"

"It's Aro," She got up and started to the woods again; "Axe, and the sleeping one is Kit."

"Madam Aro, Mr. Axe—" He stared at Kit. Suddenly, with anger, he pointed at her. "Vial being!"

Both turned to him. "Who?"

"This woman! This is the woman that attacked my comrade and myself! How dare you house her with you!"

"Wait, come again?" Axe stood up slowly, watching him.

"I didn't recognize her at first, but this is the same woman that led my ally and I astray!"

"How can that be when she's with us for nearly this whole predicament?"

"It was her!" He drew his sword, eyes never faltering from her unconscious figure. Axe stepped in his way. "Get away from her! She's—" A small moan came from behind Axe and Kit slowly sat up.

"Ah… my head…" She glanced around to gather the situation. "Mr. Axe?"

"Killer!"

"C-come again?"

"You led us astray!"

"You must have mistaken me for my sister Kat—did you see her? She looks just like me but every thing's flipped to be the opposite." She motioned to her hair.

"W-what do you mean?" He lowered his sword slightly.

"Was she cocky, over confidant…" Aro suggested, starting into the woods.

"Ms. Aro? Do you have ADD or something?" Kit asked, standing up slowly.

"No, I smell something good…"

"Something… what?" Axe glanced back at her.

"Something good—AHA!" She disappeared into the darkness. Axe turned back to Pierre, frowning at him. "I found it!"

"Found what?"

"The safe house! My suspicion was right: one shows up every night." She climbed back out, pulling thorns from her hair. "Though, it's kind of in a brier patch…" She laughed slightly.

"Good work." Axe turned to Kit, pushing her lightly toward Aro. "We better hurry and get through this. I don't want to risk any more trouble here. You can come too, Pierre, but if you draw a sword on Kit again, you might be dead in a matter of seconds." He followed Kit to Aro. "Understand?"

"Yes… sir…" He said slowly. As the two disappeared into the woods, Aro looked at him from the edge of the forest. "What?"

"You don't… smell normal."

"We've been in the woods for a few days without bathing water. You smell funny as well."

"Not nasty, but just…" She turned slightly, "funny…" She followed Axe and Kit while Pierre gave her an odd look. "COME ON, PIERRE!" Her voice resounded in the woods, followed by a laugh.

"Shut up Aro." He heard quietly from the same direction. "Give our location out to everyone!"

"We're at a safe house, you shut up."

Pierre shook his head lightly with a cold grin. "If only you knew how safe those houses really are…"