Author's Note: 'punches the air' HA! Two chapters in one day! How's THAT for dedication!? 'cackles madly' Ah, the wonderful effects of exotic tea...

This chapter was pretty intense to write! I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece

Chapter Three: Crying?

It was late afternoon when the Straw Hats reached the dock of the closest town. It was a small and cheerful looking town, with laughing people and children playing in the streets. They met up together on deck before they entered the town.

"So what do we do?" Chopper asked. "Hoshi could be anywhere on the island."

"We need to gather more information first," Nami replied. "Everyone, find out anything you can that we don't already know about this island. Even the smallest detail might help us track down Hoshi, so don't start any fights or do anything that'll get us kicked out of town. Got it?"

"Aye," everyone replied.

"We'll meet back at the ship at nine o'clock, so just make sure to be back here by then. Don't do anything reckless!"

Later, Zoro was walking by himself through the town. Looking at this shop and that, none seemed to be very promising for finding any information. Finally, he gave in. He had to start somewhere… so he walked into a dingy looking tea shop. An old woman sat behind the counter. "Customer?" she asked. She scrutinized him through half-moon spectacles. "The ever-alert, the conscientiously wakeful, how many fine things they fail to see."

Zoro blinked. "Er… okay. I'm here to ask a couple questions. Do you think you can answer them?"

"The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible."

"Okay…" Great, the obassan's lost her mind… Zoro walked up to the counter. "Is there a laboratory in the forest?"

"Man needs difficulties; they are necessary for health."

Zoro's eyebrow twitched. "Is there one or is there not?!"

"The things we seek are normally so close to our eyes that we cannot see it."

"Look, I'm searching for someone, and I think she may have went to that laboratory," Zoro finally burst out. "Can you tell me where it is?"

"To make a young couple love one another, all that is needed to do is separate them."

Zoro waved his hands in the air, a red tint coming to his face. "W-what are you talking about? It's not like that! She's just my nakam-"

"It is a profitable thing, if one is wise, to seem foolish."

A stress mark appeared on Zoro's forehead. "Forget it," he muttered, walking out the door.

"Look too hard, and you will never find the thing you seek."

"Whatever." Zoro put his hand on the door and opened it.

The woman watched him leave. As he was closing the door behind him, she suddenly said, "Give it up. If she was taken there, she's not coming back."

Zoro turned and narrowed his eyes. "She wasn't taken… she went there of her own will."

The woman's eyes widened. "Then she's good as dead, you mark my words."

To her surprise, Zoro grinned. "You know," he said, "She's not one to die that easy." He closed the door behind him and walked back out onto the street. He looked at the sky. "It's getting dark… I'd better be heading back." He looked up and down the street. "Now… which way is the harbor?"

Watching him go 'cough' the wrong direction 'cough' through the windows of her shop, the old woman folded her hands across her belly and chuckled. "Kids these days…"

Zoro finally found his way back to the ship… an hour late.

"Jeez Zoro, where were you?!" Nami demanded. "We were all worried about you!!"

Luffy laughed. "Did you get lost again, Zoro?"

"SHUT UP!!"

"Did you find out anything, Kenbou-san?" Robin asked.

Zoro scowled at the planks. "No."

Usopp sighed. "There're seven of us, and none of us found anything? Does anyone find that a little suspicious? It's like the people are hiding something if you ask me."

"That certainly is a possibility," Robin commented. "However, I heard one thing…"

Everyone looked at her. "What?"

Robin smiled. "I heard a rumor that the people were scared to go into the forest at night, because strange creatures that are neither man nor beast come to life at night."

"N-neither m-man or b-beast?!" Usopp asked. "We should probably stay away from the fore-"

"YOSHA!!" Luffy yelled. "Everyone, get ready! We're going to go into the forest tonight and find Hoshi!"

"B-BAKA!!" Usopp yelled, anime-crying. "What if s-she's not even i-in there to begin with?!"

"Well, I hate to say it, but Luffy's right," Nami sighed. "It's the only lead we have so far."

"Noooooooooo…" Usopp moaned, sinking into a trembling puddle on the deck.

"413, is it?" A man opened the door to Hoshi's room, interrupting her nap.

She scowled. "What do you want?"

"Please come with me. We are ready to run some tests on you."

Hoshi sighed and sat up. She was about to walk out through the door when the man stopped her. "Wait."

"What is it?" she growled. "Let's get this over with already."

He held up a silver bracelet. Hoshi froze when she saw it. "I have been ordered to put this bracelet on you, so you will not be able to resist or try to escape."

It took all of Hoshi's willpower, but she grimly held out her wrist. "I guess people here really don't trust me anymore," she muttered, before the effects of the silver took over. She fell, all the strength gone from her limbs, into the man's arms. He put her into a dog crate and rolled her away on a trolley.

The man chuckled, and spoke as he wheeled it along. "I've not been here too long myself, but the rumors I've heard about you are exceptional. Is it true that you managed to set half the lab on fire in an attempt to burn down the whole building when you were four?"

Hoshi scowled. "I was little then. I didn't know that cement wouldn't burn."

The man laughed. "I wish I could have seen it! Is it also true that you escaped by first killing several of the personnel to get into the lab, then knocking over a lab bench with explosive chemicals that blew a hole in the wall?"

Hoshi's scowl deepened. "I don't remember," she lied. "It was something like that, I guess."

"You speak as if you're some sort of war veteran here!" the man chuckled, still amused.

The shadows on Hoshi's face deepened. "You have absolutely no idea."

"Ahhh… what are we doing here?!" Usopp moaned, clinging to Sanji's arm.

"Get OFF me, you parasite!" Sanji growled, kicking him away as he held up the lantern.

"OUCH!" Usopp yelled, clutching his nose.

The Straw Hats were tramping down an overgrown trail, going deeper and deeper into the forest.

"What exactly are we trying to do again?" Sakura asked hesitantly, holding Robin's hand.

Robin smiled. "We are trying to find one of these rumored creatures. It may help us to find out where Hoshi has disappeared to."

"But t-that's scary!" Sakura protested.

"You didn't have to come, you know!" Nami chided from up ahead. "We told you that you could stay on the ship if you wanted. You're just a kid, after all."

Sakura shook her head. "No! Alone on the ship is scarier than in here with everyone."

Robin smiled.

"MOOOOOONSTERS!!!" Luffy called. "WHERE AAAAARE YOOOOOOOOU?!?!"

"AH! Luffy, shut up!!" Usopp moaned. "They'll hear you!"

"That's what I want! We're trying to find them, aren't we?"

"I wonder if I'll be able to talk to them," Chopper wondered. "Are they more animal or human?"

"Who knows?" Zoro growled. He kept one hand on his katana. Something about this forest just set his nerves humming in a way he didn't like.

"Huh? What's that over there?" Luffy pointed. There was a twin pair of small glowing lights in front of them. They blinked.

"AHHHHHHH!" Usopp yelled, running in circles. "MAKE FOR THE HIGH HILLS!! SOMEONE DO SOMETH- mmph!" Robin sprouted two hands and muffled him.

"Nagahana-kun, it will be impossible for us to make contact if you keep yelling like that," she chided gently.

"I don't want to make contact…" Usopp moaned.

The eyes edged closer. It spoke. "W… who are… you all?" it asked hesitantly. It sounded like a very young child with a bad cold. "P… people never come… into the forest at night." It came into view. A small boy looked up at them, but he wore nothing but a pair of trousers. He had green, scaly skin and purple ridges ran down his back and his… tail. His pupils were slits set into dark brown eyes. He had a head of mousy brown hair, but he flicked out his tongue. It was split at the end.

He looked at them with sad eyes. "Who… are you?" he rasped. "Not… from… that place… normal…"

Usopp hid behind Zoro. Luffy bent down and held out a hand. "Yo! I'm Monkey D Luffy, the man who's going to become Pirate King!"

Everyone sweatdropped. "Oi."

The boy stared uncomprehendingly at the hand. Suddenly he curled into a ball and shivered, tears starting to come out of his eyes. "Nooo…" he moaned. "I don't… want to…"

Luffy looked alarmed. "You don't want to do what?"

"No more… tests… they hurt…!"

"Hey, take it easy. We're not going to do anything to you," Luffy grinned. He patted the lizard-boy on the head, ruffling his hair a bit.

There were shadows under Nami's eyes. "Hey… are there more like you? I mean, they're sort of half-human?"

The boy looked up and slowly nodded. "Lots."

Nami clenched her teeth. "This is so cruel…" she whispered.

Robin put a reassuring hand on the navigator's shoulder. "Calm down," she advised.

"What can the World Government be thinking, making kids like this?!" Nami started trembling in rage. "This is unbelievable…"

"Hey, kid," Zoro said. The boy looked at him. "Can you show us where you come from?"

The boy looked confused. "W… why?"

Luffy answered. "We're going to tear down that place until it's nothing but dust," he said cheerfully.

"Hang on, since when was THAT part of the plan!?" Nami yelled. "We're here to SCOPE!!"

"One of our nakama came from here, but she went back without telling us why," Luffy continued. "We've come to get her back."

A light of recognition lit up in the boy's eyes. "Phoenix girl?"

"You know her?!" Suddenly, everyone was listening.

"Saw her. Went… and talked to the boss today… yelled at him… boss laughed at her. She… tests being done now. White coat people very happy," he said hesitantly.

Sakura ran up to him and grabbed his shoulders. Her eyes were furious. "What are they doing to Kaizoku-neechan!?" she demanded, shaking him.

He stumbled backwards, looking terrified. "Don't… don't know!" he cried. "Tests! Needles! Silver! Don't know!"

Zoro narrowed his eyes. "Silver?"

"If I show… what will you do?" the boy asked.

"I already said," Luffy said, standing up. "We're going to find Hoshi, then destroy it."

"NO!" The boy grabbed Luffy's pants. "Don't! Please!" he begged. "Most of us inside too!"

"LUFFY!" Nami yelled. "We're going to see where Hoshi is! Don't worry, we won't destroy the place if we can help it," she smiled.

"P… promise?"

"Yes."

The boy still looked suspicious, but he walked off. "Come."

In the light of the lantern, the Straw Hats could just barely see the number 653 tattooed onto his left shoulder as he walked.

Hoshi waited in the small room, huffing and panting while they reset the maze. She wasn't allowed to fly, and there were booby traps through the whole thing if she went the wrong direction. Burned, cut, and bruised, she had done this damn thing six times already… and they were making her do it again. She looked at the small paper cup of water. She wanted to drink it so badly… but they had put drugs in it to see how that would influence her progress. It was just torture.

The door began to open. Hoshi braced herself when suddenly, a voice boomed over the loudspeakers. "BRING 413 TO THE BOSS, IMMEDIATELY. I REPEAT, BRING 413 TO THE BOSS, IMMEDIATELY!"

She stood. Hoshi honestly didn't know if she was going to be able to do this… but she had too. Her nakama were on the line.

When she was brought to the boss, he just smiled down at her, bouncing her crystal in his hand. "Keep your side of our agreement, and I will keep mine."

"Understood," she said blandly. Then she was led to the front door of the building. They put her outside and closed the door. Hoshi sat on the grass and waited.

She didn't have to wait long.

"HOSHI!!" Luffy's voice rang out. "HOSHI! YOU'RE ALRIGHT!!"

Hoshi didn't respond. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, and coldly locked down her feelings of hurt and hope at hearing his voice.

The Straw Hats all ran into the clearing, led by one of the other specimens… the lizard boy.

"Hoshi! What happened to you!? You're all cut and bruised! Are you alright?!" Nami asked.

"No."

"That's good to hea- wait, what did you say?"

Hoshi looked up, her eyes cold. "Why did you all come here?"

"To get you back!" Luffy stated.

She raised an eyebrow. "And when did I agree to that? I don't want to come back onto your damn ship anymore."

Luffy laughed. "Cut the jokes! Let's all go back togeth-"

"Who said I was joking?" Hoshi stood, her eyes shadowed. "If you guys don't leave… I'm going to kill you all myself," she told them.

"Kaizoku-neechan!"

"You've brought the brat along too?" Hoshi laughed cruelly. "I didn't want to have to become a child killer either, but if that's what it takes to make you all leave…" She raised her arm and pulled her whip out of the air.

"Kaizoku-neechan!" Sakura was crying. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, you're doing this because of what I said earlier, aren't you!? I didn't mean it! I don't want you to die, and I don't want you to go to he-"

A crack split the air. Sakura cried out, clutching her face. A small cut was bleeding on her cheek.

"Hoshi!" Zoro said firmly. "Cut the crap already, let's go back! Why would you want to come back here anyways?!"

At this, Hoshi almost felt her defenses fall. Zoro… "I said it once already," she stated, looking right at him. "I hate you, and I hate this whole bastard crew. All of you get out of here, before I kill you all." She cracked her whip again. A crack in the earth appeared an inch from Luffy's foot. "That was your warning shot. Leave."

Luffy's eyes were hidden under his hat. "Hoshi. Why are you crying?" he asked.

"What the hell are you going on about now?" Hoshi demanded. "I'm not crying."

"You're not, but your heart is," he said. "I can hear it."

Hoshi faltered, before she gave Luffy her death glare. "Cut the crap and get the hell out of here, you bastard!" she screamed, cracking her whip again. It sliced Luffy's arm. He stumbled back a little, but held his ground.

"What the hell are you doing, Hoshi?!" Nami yelled. "Cut this out and come back with u-"

"YOU guys cut it out!" Hoshi shouted. "I'm sick and tired of you all!" Demonic energy started to swirl around her, singing on a minor note. "Get the hell out of here, or I'll blow you all out myself!"

653 whimpered. "Phoenix power…"

Luffy looked down at him. "There's no need for you to stay," he told the boy kindly. "Quick! Go hide yourself somewhere!"

The boy ran. Hoshi chuckled darkly. "Whoever he was, that boy was right. If you all don't leave now, you're going to get a taste of why phoenixes were feared throughout the whole world!"

Luffy just looked at Hoshi, his face expressionless.

"Luffy!" Chopper yelled over the roaring wind that had suddenly picked up. "What do we do?!"

"Hoshi," Luffy roared, his eyes widening. "What the hell are you thinking?!"

Hoshi's eyes were dull and lifeless. "I have no obligation to tell you that." She moved her arm in a sweeping motion.

No one had any more time to do anything as they were blown out of the clearing and into the air by the wind, being roughly handled. On his way up, Zoro saw something that made his already confused thoughts just become even more confused… but he had no more time to think about it as they all sailed in an arc through the air to land at the edge of the forest.

"AND DON'T COME BACK!!" Hoshi's voice screamed in the dying wind.