Ah, thanks for the idea Shiningheart~~ And don't worry- the king got his comeuppance. He wasn't, however, stripped of the crown- he learned his lesson after two weeks of arduous 'villager work'. I don't think he'll be raising taxes anymore.

This is a really short chapter, ok? I'm gonna have to use the usual 'school crap' excuse. BUT IT IS VALID OKAY I'VE HAD SO MANY FREAKING TESTS TO STUDY FOR IT ISN'T EVEN FUNNY.

CHAPTER FOUR: The Truth Behind A Name

So when you feeling crazy, and things fall apart,
Listen to your head, remember who you are,
You re the one, you re the unbreakable heart.


"Willis! Willis- you've got to help!" The door flew ajar with no time for a protested squeak, and standing in the frame was a woman. Scarlet hair hung in tangles down her back, matted to her scalp by rain. She wore a plain brown dress, feet bare, a dirty painter's smock tied around her waist. Her chest was heaving with exersion, and her face was a mask of panic, eyes wheeling in their sockets and mouth gaped.

"What do you- Mai?" Willis stomped down the steps once he saw her, like a bat out of Hell. A crack of lightning behind her had Mai nearly dropping the bundle in her arms in shock, and she trembled, moving away from the door. Willis kicked the door shut, surprise still etched on his face, and guided the feverish woman to his living room. He sat her down on the worn floral sofa, and wrapped a frayed terry-cloth blanket around her shoulders.

Mai took a few calming breaths, though there was still an animalistic intensity in her icy blue eyes. She thrust the easter green bundle at Willis as if it had a disease. "What- a kid?" Willis' eyes popped out as he saw the cherubic features of the child before him, face flushed from crying and eyes screwed shut. "This isn't-" he started, but was thrown off by Mai's furious expression. She looked like a lion, hair that was already starting to dry fanning out with static. "Yes, it is. As of one week ago," she said stonily.

Willis glanced once again back at the baby. It did sort of resemble him, but that was the least of his concerns. "One WEEK? And you didn't tell me? Why all of a sudden?" he demanded, grinding his teeth. He should have known the woman would take so lightly her own child, not even thinking to tell the father. "Because I need to escape. Just for a little while. I've caused some problems with a few people I probably shouldn't have," she confessed, looking a tad sheepish.

"And you just want to leave it here. With me. What about the rest of the family? I'm sure out of the twenty plus of us, you can find someone better suited for the job." Mai shrugged noncommitally and said, "I won't be gone that long. A year. Tops. Just until they think I've moved on." Mai stood, and the feverish look was back on her face. The blanket fell away from her. "Just tell the rest of the family that I've taken a cruise. Or something. His false name is Will."
Mai was out the door before Willis could even ask her the child's name. He glanced down at the child, and frantically began to rock it as its face screwed up. "If she's not going to name you, I will... Alexander."

The baby's eyes opened for a moment, just a split second, but it was enough for Willis to see the sleet gray eyes. They stared at him, seeming to know everything that had transpired. Intelligence that only came with relation to Mai. Alexander seemed to smile at him, gurgling his approval quietly. "I hope you aren't going to be a hassle," Willis groaned, though inside, his ice heart seemed to melt.

"Meshimeshimeshimeshimeshi," Eri grumbled, emerging from the girls' quarters wearing the clothes she'd worn yesterday. They were wrinkly, and smelt like copper and sweat, but she paid it no heed. She stumbled up the stairs and threw open the door, to the bright morning sun. "Mornin'," Raiden said to her left, and she looked over, eyes still half bleary from sleep. The first mate was sitting atop the ledge of the Sonata, a fishing rod clasped loosely between his legs. If a fish were to try and tug now, she had no doubt it would fall into the ocean.

As if sensing what she thought, Raiden transferred the handle to his hands. "I'm catching my own breakfast." He looked absurdly content, relaxed with his bare feet dangling off the edge. "But if you're not interested in waiting, I think Will's making oatmeal in the kitchen."

She needed no further words, and climbed the steps, hunched over like she had osteoarthritis. The door to the kitchen burst open, and Will flounced out, wearing no shoes, black sweatpants, and a gray muscleshirt. A serving tray clasped in his hands held three bowls of oatmeal- which actually looked appetizing, Will having cut a few strawberries over each.

He brushed past her casually, and flopped down to the poop deck, seating himself on the wood. "He included everying we'd ever need, ever. And yet, he managed to forget the table," he explained as Eri doubled back and sat beside him. Her hand flashed out, and suddenly, she was shoveling spoonful after spoonful into her mouth. "You're not a bad cook," she commented, mouth full. Will didn't answer, instead turning over his shoulder.

"Oi, Naifu, you can hunt later. Nobody wants fish for breakfast," he said loudly. Raiden seemed to weigh his options for a few moments before reeling in his bait and setting the pole onto the ground. He dropped down next to Eri and grabbed a bowl. "When you said weird, I thought it'd be much worse than this," Raiden said, swallowing a mouthful. Eri nodded in agreement, and ran a long fingered hand along the deck.

"It's really pretty," she said, "And I get a special seat." Eri jerked her head backwards to indicate the cheetah figurehead. "Of course that was your main concern," Will grumbled, fishing a strawberry out of his bowl with his spoon. "I'm just happy there's space to... you know, do stuff," Raiden admitted. He couldn't imagine using that little rinky dink boat with three people in the East Blue, much less the Grand Line.

Eri, done with her bowl (of course, way before anyone else), set it back onto the tray and rushed to her 'special seat', flinging herself down and using the cheetah's ears as hand holds. "Oi, whn do we reach that citrus island?" On cue, Raiden and Will fell back in woe. "It's Orange Town, you idiot. And if there's no storm, we've probably got... a few hours. Noon, maybe."

They'd been travelling for days. Though she loathed to say it, Eri had gotten a bit bored, having no action and just floating around. She'd even resorted to practice spars with Raiden, without the use of her devil fruit powers. And she'd be the first to admit, that if she hadn't ate the Mist Mist fruit, he'd have killed her in their battle. There was only so much Juno could do with a girl he could balance on his pinkie finger. Eri didn't like to think that she was just a weakling without the fruit, but she knew that if she was to ever become Pirate Queen, she'd have to work much harder at her own physical strength. Though she thought his 1,000-pushups-a-day rule he set for her was stupid.

"I doubt we'll get anyone interesting in this Orange Peel place anyways," she pouted. Nobody good came from little towns in the middle of nowhere. "It's Orange TOWN, dobe*. And that's not really our main concern. We're running low on drinking water," Will snapped. Eri's eyebrows furrowed, and she pointed at the ocean in confusion. "But we've got plenty right here!"

At this, the two men yet again flopped onto the deck. "That's full of salt, idiot. You can't drink seawater," Raiden informed, finishing his bowl and setting it back onto the tray. "But... it's water..." Eri mumbled, a crestfallen expression on her face. She gripped onto her hat as the ship seemed to freeze and turn randomly.

The ship jerked unsteadily, and the rest of Will's breakfast made itself at home on his shirt. He grumbled something under his breath. "Oi, Eri, whaddaya see up there?" Raiden called, half-laughing at Will's scrunched up face. Eri's hands gripped the cheetah's ears tight enough to leave minute fractures in the wood, but when she looked at them, she was grinning. "Sugee~! It's a whirlpool! Freakin' HUUUUUUGE too!"

Her shipmates shot eachother looks and jumped into action. Raiden ran to the control room to steer the ship clear of the threat, and Will merely sprinted to Eri to get her off her 'special seat'. "NONONONONONONO! THIS IS COOL! GETTTTT OFFFFFFFFFFFF!" she screeched slapping at his hands as they wound around her torso and pulled. Her grip tightened on the ears. "If you use those as a hand hold, I've no doubt they'll break away," Will warned, and tugged harder.

She released the ears with a horrified expression, and the two tumbled back. Eri's pillow was Will's abdomen, and Will... his pillow was the tray he'd left on the floor. He winced as the edges dug into his back, hard enough to leave bruises. "Off." He shoved the girl off of himself, but before she could sprint back to her seat, Will lifted her over his shoulder like a sack of flour and carried her down the stairs into the underbelly of the ship. He threw her in the girls' quarters and slammed the door shut, holding the knob.

The ship veered violently, and he nearly fell, but kept his grip. Eri was pounding on the door wildly, screaming like some kind of rabid animal. "SSSEEEEEEEEEEAAAAATTTTTTTTTT !" Will was pretty sure his eardrums burst that day. "NO!" he yelled back, slapping the door on his end loudly, "IT WILL SURVIVE WITHOUT YOU!"

That was something he should have never said.

"At first, I was afraid, I was petrified,
Kept thinking, I could never live without you by my side,
But then I spent so many nights thinking, how you did me wrong,
And I grew strong, and I learned how to get along!"

'Oh sweet Lord in Heaven, please spare me,' Will begged mentally, frantically attempting to drown out Eri's singing voice. If there was ever a song that Eri should never sing, it was one by Gloria Gaynor. "WE'RE GOOD!" Raiden interrupted, his silver head popping into view by the stairs. 'Thank you,' Will sighed, and released the knob.

Eri burst out heaving for breath as if she'd just ran a marathon. "You lock me away again, and I will kick you," she growled, pushing past him and trudging towards the stairs. As she passed Raiden on the stairs, she shot him a dirty look. "You're no better." Raiden showed his palms and played an 'innocent' face, though she could tell he was laughing on the inside.

~~~ TIME SKIP-TO-MY-LOO ~~~

The trio were sprawled on the deck of the Sonata, staring at the blue sky above them. Boredom had kicked in after the freak whirlpool, and not even tag could get their spirits up. "Hey, Will. Make me a sandwich," Eri said loudly, interrupting the silence. Will lifted his head lifelessly to glare at her. "Not your housekeeper," he said, and his head flopped back down. Eri blew a raspberry at him. "We're on a ship, not a boat," she corrected.

"She's got a point." Raiden sounded just as dead as the others, except he was casually flipping his fish hook knife in the air, hoping it didn't slice his neck. "Shut up, Naifu. I'll show you a point." Will didn't elaborate, and none of them questioned him. Probably too lazy to try, he thought. "When do we get to tangerine island," Eri asked, flopping onto her stomach.

"It's Orange Town. And I told you. Around noon." There was a collective groan from Will's companions. "Lets play truth or dare," Eri suggested suddenly, sitting up. Raiden followed, albeit hesitantly, and said, "What's that?" Will saw her shoot him a horrified look. "You don't... that's a real shame."

As she explained the simple rules of the game, Will sat up as well, resting his chin on his fists. He felt like he was at a teenage girl's slumber party. "Okay, I'll ask you first. Once you answer, you ask Will, and then Will asks me. Kay?" Raiden nodded, though he didn't look very enthusiastic. "Truth or dare," Eri prompted. Raiden scratched the back of his neck for a moment. "Uh, dare. I guess." Will stifled a chuckle. Eri would probably give out the worst dares ever. He should've known that.

"I dare you to go lick the mast." As usual, she didn't disappoint. Raiden's nose crinkled in distaste. "If I get some kind of life-threatening disease, you'll be recieving charges," he grumbled, brushing off the seat of his pants and striding up to the mast. He squeezed his eyes closed as he leaned forward and gave the wood a short lick. Almost immediately, he spat, and rubbed his tongue with the collar of his shirt. "That was disgusting," he said as he went back to his spot, "truth or dare."

It took Will a moment to realize that Raiden meant him. "U-Uh, dare," he said quickly. Truth didn't seem like a very manly thing to do. Raiden smirked. "Chug one gallon of seawater." A few minutes later, an empty milk jug full of the greenish water was in his hands, and he was staring down the nozzle with a nauseated expression. "Okay. Fine." Will took a deep breath, and lifted the jug to his lips, allowing the water to gush down his throat.

The water tasted like fish, grass, and most of all, salt. Almost immediately he began choking. Eri and Raiden, of course, were having a grand old time, slapping their knees at his face. "Have you noticed he makes that face alot?" Raiden punched Will's shoulder goodnaturedly. Will almost made it. But the time came when his stomach had to relieve itself, and he ended up half overboard, giving the ocean back its produce.

Raiden and Eri were still laughing when he returned, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "Eri's turn," he sang maliciously, "Truth or dare?" Eri, suddenly frightened of this side of Will, blurted 'truth'. "Alright then. Are you on THAT side of the fence?" Will had actually always wondered this. Eri seemed to show little regard for men besides innocent friends.

Eri tilted her head. "I don't see a fence." She made a show of peering into the distance for the fence that was not there. Raiden scoffed, "I don't think she has a preference. " That was probably true. Will had only half-expected Eri to respond like a normal person. She was just much too clueless. "Moving on," he suggested, disappointed.

They took turns, until the time came where Will tried to draw the line. Raiden had asked the question, and Will had answered 'truth', instead of 'dare'. And Raiden asked another million dollar question. "What's your real name?" Will immediately clammed up. Sure, these people were meant to be his nakama- but he didn't know them, not really. They knew his goal, but not much else, and to him, that was perfectly fine.

"U-Uh, well..." he muttered, biting his cheek. "Awh c'mon. You can't just go around hiding everything forever. We'll figure it out eventually," Eri whined, latching onto his leg with her iron grip. Raiden clasped his shoulder encouragingly. "Spill. I've been curious. What's so special about it that you have to go around hiding it?"

Will knew that these people were outsiders. They wouldn't know his past if he didn't tell them. He didn't have to elaborate, he just had to say it. Besides, he doubted those scum would recognize his name now. He'd kept it hidden so long, it hardly sounded like his anymore. It wasn't attached to him- for Will, he was always just Will. His head wouldn't turn if someone called him by anything else. But yet... it felt odd to reveal it after all the years of keeping it on the DL.

"My birthname is Alexander. But I don't respond to it." Will had added the last part quickly. He wasn't going to take a chance. Those men were as vicious as they were in abundance. He wouldn't be surprised to find them here, nor would it come as a terrible shock to find them on some obscure island in the Grand Line. "Ok then," Eri replied, and the game went on.

Will didn't pick 'truth' again.

~~~TIME SKIP TO MY LOO~~~

Eri sat in the girls' quarters, a worn leather photo album in her lap. She laid back, the cot jerking unsteadily, to lift it above her head. There was a small, dainty padlock that closed the two covers together. It smelt like parchment, old ink, and dust. She didn't exactly know what it had in it, but she'd stolen it from Will's room as he cooked dinner. Surely he wouldn't mind- she WAS the captain, after all. And she was curious. He hadn't elaborated at the truth or dare game, and she wasn't mean enough to pry. Stealth was the only way she was going to calm her raging thoughts.

She inserted the thin brass key into the lock, and turned. The clasp popped open with a soft 'click', and she removed the lock. A quick scan of the album proved that he didn't have that many pictures in it, about six in total. The first one was yellowed, and crinkled in the corners. A small coffee stain dotted the center of the picture, though she could see it. A younger Will was staring at the camera, unsmiling, with his father's arms around his shoulders. They stood in front of Willis's home, though it had been painted brown instead of blue.

The next was of just Will. He sat at the head of a long oak table, a festive red cone hat atop his mussy red waves and a cheerful grin on his face. Before him was a large chocolate cake, nine multicolored candles imbedded in its top. 'His birthday,' she guessed, and flipped the page. Will's father was standing in the middle of the shipyard, two stacks of lumber on his shoulders. Sweat was turning his white shirt yellow, but the man was smiling. Eri's eyebrows raised; she'd never seen him smile before.

She flipped. Will, and some boy he vaguely resembled, were lying in a corn field, grinning childishly at eachother. They were both bandaged heavily, bruises dotting the light skin and small cuts criscrossing their limbs, but they were cheerful. Another flip, another picture. And this one was sombering- Will, alone, in a black suit. Perhaps fourteen. He carried a single white flower in his hand as he looked down at the freshly moved soil. At the head of the grave was a bright yellow cross, a small inscription in its center.

The last picture had no Will in it. It was in black and white, a much younger Willis and some woman Eri didn't recognize stood in front of the house again. Her wickedly curly hair was strung against Willis's shirt, and she looked content, though she didn't smile. Willis was grinning, his eyes looking down at her as if she were the best thing since ice cream. His arms were wrapped loosely around her waist, and hers were arched behind her, curling around his neck.

Eri closed the album and locked it again, sliding off her hammock. She peeked her head out the door, listening intently. Soon enough, steps were stomping on the roof above her, and she grinned in relief. She was just below the kitchen, which meant Will was still at work. Eri sprinted down the hall, entering the darkened boys' room quietly.

It smelt like dirty socks, so she stuffed her nose as she tip toed to Will's bedside table. His side of the room was almost stripped bare, while Raiden's crap was flung everywhere. She slid the album into the drawer, put the key back in its place behind the shade of the lamp, and retreated. Her mission was a success, but from the twisted feeling in her gut, she definately didn't feel like it.

~~~TIME SKIP-TO-MY-LOO~~~

Dinner was a quiet event. Eri had done her damnedest to strike up a conversation, but today just wasn't a talking kind of day. 'This is how it goes,' Will thought, 'some days we rant on and on about the sheer number of penguins in the North Blue. And some days we sit here, not really talking but at the same time communicating everything we need to.' He stood up from his crouch on the deck, his empty plate atop the tray, and stretched his sore back. He'd never gone days without exercising before- helping his father out at the shipyard had been enough. Not to mention his frequent visits to the dojo.

Now, he was bored out of his mind, and he could practically feel the weight adding on to his abdomen. He felt confined. Yes, they had reached Orange Town, but they hadn't really explored. In fact, the only thing they did once they got into town was purchase supplies from various shops. He could tell Eri was revving to go- she had that bounce in her step, the peculiar glint in her dark eyes, and that cheek-stressing grin on her face.

Raiden, on the other hand, looked half dead. He'd ate himself into a stupor, piles of dishes stacked beside him. The man stared up at the setting sky whilst rubbing his suddenly round stomach, as if thanking the heavens that he was fully fed. Will unconsciously shivered. Right now, Raiden looked perfectly at ease, though Will had seen how little he'd cared when he took that guard's life that day. He'd seen the brewing rage in his metallic eyes when the king had flew at them and immediately taken them hostage. Will'd felt the waves of strength that seemed to pour off him when they'd had the sword pressed against their necks.

And yet, Raiden hadn't moved a muscle to defend himself. Granted, Will had seen him move his hand to his knife, though he didn't think that was to attack the king. It was a message to her. 'I'm ready when you are.' Will didn't think he could have that much confidence in Eri, at least until he'd heard what she'd had to say. He understood now why Raiden had let their captain do her thing, though he still didn't think he'd do it- not even now, after he'd seen her kick the man's ass.

"Let's go into town, Rojin-kuuuuuuun," Eri was begging, her spindly limbs wrapped around the knifesman's right leg. Some time in his musings, the man had gotten up, and seemed just as irritable as usual. Raiden waved the leg in the air wildly, yet fruitlessly, as Eri just held on tighter. "You honestly think we're going to get a guy in a place as small as this," Raiden questioned, exasperation coloring his tone.

Will couldn't help but agree. There was no chance a sleepy town like this would have anyone akin to what Eri was thinking of. It looked more like the place of people who left their front doors unlocked at night, and protected themselves with the base of a maple broomstick. Not a place that churned out swordsmen and snipers with the rise of the tide. "Yes, I do. And anyway, I want to sing tonight~!" Eri had made sure to sing the last part of her sentence. It hadn't sounded all that bad, though it was too light and... fluttery like to really catch his ear.

"You're ridiculous," Raiden told her, finally giving up the battle and limping to the lip of the ship. He jumped up onto the ledge, Eri still on his leg. "You wanna come? Or do you wanna babysit the ship?" The knifesman looked over his shoulder expectantly at Will. Who, after a moment's hesitation, jerkily nodded his head and followed him. As he landed safely on the rocky sand of the shore, he heard a loud splash, and Raiden scream a few profanities.

The man returned sopping wet, a disoriented Eri's collar fisted in his hands. "She made me off balance," he admitted, looking bitter. Will blinked once; twice; before shrugging and turning his back before the knifesman could see his smile. He could hear the two bicker as they made their way up the steep path cut into the gray rock, mostly about Eri's apparent inability to stand on her own two feet. "Diiii-zzzzzyy!" Eri giggled loudly.

Will thought this was the best part about being on the crew. In the short time he'd known them, he already understood what it meant to be with Eri D. Monkey. It meant danger, certainly, meant a bad reputation and a high chance of getting caught. But it also meant that he'd have at least a roof, however unsteady, over his head. People who talked with him as if he were their friend, and not just some odd guy that just didn't quite fit in.

Plus, it helped that he was just that close to his sister. He already knew their ambitions- hell, Eri announced it thrice a day- and those ambitions brought them to the Grand Line. His own goal wasn't as fantastic or unreachable or incredible as their's, but it took priority over all else. Eri was going to be the Pirate Queen, Raiden was going to be the best (and perhaps only) knifesman in the world, and Will was finally going to find his sister. That was just how it was- no doubts in their minds, and he felt that there was no longer any doubt in his own either.

The steepness fell to flat land, and they were now on a dirt road, that cut between a few trees to wind into the dense forest before them. A light breeze seemed to wrap around him like a chilled blanket, making him raise the collar of the thin black jacket he'd so thoughtfully put on when the light had faded slightly from the sky. "Are you sure we couldn't wait till morning? It's already kinda dark," Will complained as the rest of his companions joined him on the precipice of the treeline.

"You know the baddies don't come out to play till the haunting hour," Eri said in a low voice, wiggling her fingers at him for the full effect. Which, as it turned out, didn't really help at all- she had a wide grin on her face as she did so. "That's just your beliefs, Mizetto. Now c'mon." Raiden started forward, fingers twined behind his head. He didn't stop to look back to see if the others were following. Will and Eri exchanged looks, before rushing after him, Eri yelling, "I'M CAPTAIN, dammit!"

They caught up to him easily enough, though now they were swamped in darkness, the dying sun completely blotted out by the branches of the trees. Raiden fumbled around in his shorts for a moment, before unearthing... a matchbox. Will felt like facepalming for his own stupid thoughts. Of course he didn't carry around a torch for this kind of problem. The knifesman lit a match, and it gave off a minute amount of amber light.

"That's just pitiful," Eri sighed, wilting like a flower out of sunlight. "What, you thought I carried around a tree branch in my pants?" Raiden defended, though he too looked a bit sour. Will grimaced, 'Yes, that's exactly what I thought.' The three continued, Raiden ranting on about how they should've waited until tomorrow and Eri retorting with the same old, "STRONG PEOPLE KEEP TO THE NIGHT!"

Will seemed to be the only sane one in the group. He didn't raise his voice the entire way to the town, instead focusing on the path ahead of them. It was easy to get lost in a forest at night. "Ahhh, civilization!" Eri said in relief. It didn't look like midnight in the town- which surprised Will. When they'd gotten their supplies earlier in the day, it'd looked droopy and lifeless. Fantastic for old people to retire in. But now, every house light was on, shouting coming from numerous buildings. Pedestrians were walking the street, laughing and talking with one another.

Eri had already staked out the bar they would invade. So she beelined towards the joint, dodging around a few people to get there. "It looks like a friggin' dump," Raiden complained, dragging his feet as he walked. Will agreed; their sign (Big John's Pub) crooked above the doorway, which was only shielded by two cloths hanging from the top of the frame. It looked like it would collapse after one well aimed punch to a wall. "Oh well," Will replied, climbing the rickety steps and hoping they wouldn't crack under his weight.

The two entered, and winced at the lack of lighting. There was no overhead lighting, instead it was provided by dim kerosene lamps on each table. The only illumination seemed to come from the stares the patrons gave them, like they shouldn't be there. Will craned his neck, and found Eri unsurprisingly at a mostly-empty bar, kicking her feet happily in the air as they didn't reach the floor.

The two dodged around a few chairs to get to her, and sat beside her. "Are you just going to sit there and wait?" Raiden asked, leaning forward to stare at her around Will. "Well yeah. I was gonna order food too, but nobody's here," Eri pouted. It was true- the bartender was missing. There was numerous people who kept glancing nervously towards the empty area, not impatient but genuinly worried.

Raiden turned around and poked the nearest townsperson. The middle-aged man turned with raised eyebrows, as if shocked anyone would want to talk to him. "Does anyone know where he went?" he asked, not bothering to elaborate at the knowing glint in the man's eyes. As the man was about to answer, the curtains blew in, with such a force that they flew into the middle of the room and landed on some poor soul's head.

A tall, barrel-chested man stood in the doorway, a fierce smirk on his face that seemed to eccentuate the growing feeling of danger that lifted Will's hackles. There was a broadsword strapped to his back, and two long daggers sheathed at his waist. His coat was open, showing off a scarred torso. His legs, exposed from the knee down, were muscular, and he had more hair on his calfs than Will had on his head.

"Where's John!" a brave girl in the back shouted. There was a collective gasp as everyone turned to look at her. She didn't look like she belonged in the hullabaloo, a bit more unique than the typical brown-haired brown-eyed joes that graced the area. Her dark blue hair was pulled into a half-assed ponytail at the base of her neck, and despite not being much taller than Eri, the fearful look that entered the other patrons' eyes was not present. She stood with her feet apart, knees bent as if readying herself for impact.

The man's eyes seemed to bore into her, and Will felt Eri rise and disappear into the crowd of chairs, her hat atop her head. He refocused his attention on the man, and heard the next awful words. "Was that the guy I just killed yesterday? I wouldn't know!"

*** FLASHFORWARD ***

He leaned down, and rested a hand on the girl's shoulders. "What's your name?" The question was partly to calm her, partly to lure her attention away from what was happening in front of them, and partly genuine curiousity. She looked up at him, with eyes the precise shade of ocean water. Before, they had been deceptively wide and innocent, without her even trying. And now, it seemed like all the deception was gone- she looked vulnerable, for the first time. Her voice wobbled as she whispered, "I don't know."

*** END OF FLASHFORWARD ***

*Dobe - loser, moron

Meh, I thought it was fine. Probably should've waited for Orange Town for the next chapter and focused on Will- cough, Alexander, cough- but we all make mistakes. Also- the first chapter of my story Kamikaze (the Fenny story I told ya'll about, few chapters back, remember?) is up on FictionPress. s/3094029/1/Kamikaze Check it out kay I like it.