Last time:

"Shishishi. It's Shanks. Senny told me we're supposed to keep an eye on Shanks."

"You mean we're going to tail THE Red-haired Shanks, one of the four Yonko?" Nami all but screeched.

"Yup, that's him. It seems him and Shirohige (Whitebeard) are having a meeting. We're going to observe their behavior, but we're not going to attack them at least if they don't start anything first." She said in her captain voice.

Sanji's POV

After Garp hightailed out of the room. Ussop and Chopper started panicking once again. If it wasn't so pathetic it would be funny as hell. Luffy didn't have the same qualms and was laughing till tears were coming out of her eyes. Nami-swan looked annoyed with whole situation, but even the frown on her forehead didn't lesser her beauty, my lovely angel or was it goddess?

Chopper's POV

"Will you two knock it off?" that was the only warning before Nami exploded and punched me and Ussop on the head. I was lying on my back and seeing start before getting up. I heard Ussop saying to Nami about how unfair she is. Nami was being scary so I ran and hid behind Luffy, because I knew that it would be the safest place to be. When I looked at our captain, she wasn't taking notice of us, she was in her world. Her hand was on her treasure and she had fond expression on her face.

"Are you going to tell us something about the shitty bastard yourself or do we need find out everything by ourselves?" The question Sanji asked caused Nami and Ussop to stop their arguing and Luffy to look at us with very wide grin. This caused us to worry, it was the very same grin she had, when she told us that we're storming Enies Lobby. So in other words it was very predatory and crazy looking and it would cause even the bravest warriors to shudder from fear. But then her expression changed to one of childish glee and we sighed with relief.

"Shanks, one of the four Yonko. In other words, very strong pirate with big and loyal crew. Our mission is to follow him and report any suspicious moves. The 'us' mean Strawhats and Garp's crew, he kindly lend to me. The reason why we were chosen this role is because of we are the only ones strong enough not to get killed if it comes to fight and with free time to look after them. And because Senny thinks we won't initiate fight with them like many others would. As you could hear from Garp, we're departing 7 days from now, so be ready by then." She said to us in excited voice, but then looks at ours faces and continues. "But that's not what you were asking. Truth be told, me and Shanks know each other, he's the one who gave me this old straw hat. He saved my live when I was still kid." She chuckled at our surprise, we didn't think she can say anything to shock us more, but we were proven wrong when she whispered. "He's the one who saved my life when I was kid. I'm the reason he lost his arm." When she said the last sentence there was only silence. 'BAM' Ussop fainted.

"Doctor, someone find doctor. Ussop passed out. Someone help him." I was yelling at everyone to do something. "Chopper, you're the doctor." Nami and Sanji chorused together while pointing at me. "Oh, you're right." I answer with surprise.

Luffy was calmly poking Ussop and asking if he was dead. This led to Nami punching Luffy for being heartless. And Sanji being Sanji was doing that weird noodle-dance, as Zoro call it, and yelling "Nami-swan, you're beautiful when you're angry" I asked Robin once why he keeps doing it, but she just smiled at me and said he's doing it because he's Sanji.

"Oi, oi! Are you serious?! You're friends with one of the Yonko and didn't tell us! Why?!" Ussop was once again awake and immediately questioning Luffy. "I never said anything about us being friends." Luffy answered while pouting before continuing where she left off. "He's more like father to me, you know. And I never told you, because you didn't ask." This had us falling anime style, after we pulled ourselves together Nami muttered 'Only Luffy' while shaking her head.

Nami's POV

"I know by now you must be wondering, why am I marine. Or about my past and I will tell you all. But not now, it's not right time." Luffy told us this and had us curious about her even more. We didn't ask Luffy about her, it was kind of unwritten rule, but now I'm left thinking about possibilities of her past. The four of us (Sanji, Nami, Ussop and Chopper) were always wondering about Luffy's relationship with Vice-admiral Garp. Even thought her relationship with the Admirals is weird as well, it feels different than the one she has with Garp-san. Then there's the part she wants to be King of Pirates even if she's marine. That she had rank of Vice-admiral at age of thirteen and the x-shaped scar that's total taboo to speak about. These things may not be that important because they know their captain. How stubborn she is, her love for nakama and the wrath at these who dared to hurt them or her straw hat. How much she loves meat. How it seems she can see your soul, your very core, yet completely oblivious to sarcastic comments or flirting. The way she looks at things, what is completely clear to anyone else is mystery to her and the things even genius may have trouble to understand is clear to her like 1+1. Her captain is enigma, unique and like the rest of Strawhats she wouldn't have it any other way.

"If everything is going to according to plan, we won't return. Be prepared for this option. I now know where it's supposed to be and if I find it, I'll be finally free. We'll be free." She said it all aloud, but we understood only first half. What's it, which Luffy mentioned? Is it the reason Luffy became a marine? And who's we, because I don't think she meant us.

"We might finally get out of here? And what do you mean by the rest Luffy?" Sanji asked question we wanted answer, but if we hoped for some explanation we could understand we were letdown. "Yup, there's someone holding my leash, but fortunately it has quite the reach and is easy break from the hold, if the time is right. And yes, we'll join others, very one way or another. After this week, there won't be way back for me. Nami could you among other things steel keys to the seastone cuffs? It could be useful in the future."

"Hai, captain." There's nothing to say, she will tell us everything when she's ready and gave us headache from sheer impossibility of her past. We drop this theme and think about what we need to do before leaving. If we won't be returning I could nick some gold, the keys captain wants for me, probably should take some of the maps… Ahh, couldn't she tell me sooner!

"I know everything necessary about red-haired pirates, but almost nothing about whitebeard pirates. Robin, could you look at the files and find things we should know or things that could be important in future. I'm not telling you to look at everyone's files. Just the commanders or if there's someone suspicious I want to know about him. Would you be so kind?" Luffy asked Robin. More like ordered, but she's right information like this might be very important in the future. (Robin used her DF and made double of herself, no one except Strawhats know about her presence in Marineford.)

Robin chuckled. "Hai, captain-san. I'll look into it." And I think Robin planned to do this even without Luffy telling her to. But that's expected behavior of Robin.

Suddenly Luffy planted herself at the floor and at our bewildered expressions she only said. "All this talking made me hungry. Sanji! MEAT!" She said with serious face and had us all laughing. All the traces of tension that were created during conversation simply vanished like by some magic.

Now it's finally getting interesting, only 7 days in Marineford and than they will go after Shanks. Can't wait, I really hope it will spike from there and in the meantime you won't die from boredom.