DreamergirlxXx - Cookies are any kind that you want. That's the great thing about getting them over the internet. OMG! I get to have another virtual sugar rush! Yays! Thanx, I'll share with you!

xX-Avast-Xx - She did say something, but since it was Zolo's POV, you don't get to know... yet... don't worry, Aly will play with fire alot more in this story. And yeah, Avatar's a pretty cool show, though I really didn't make the connection untill you mentioned it. I guess the idea was floating around in my brain and attached itself to this story... yeah... cyber aero bar! Yay!

Mirathin - Another virtual snack! Today just keeps getting better. And yep, Aly can play with the elements. Just imagine the endless possiblilties... with limits of course... yeah...

mechanical -kitten - Wow, you wrote a long one. That's okay though, just more I get to write back. Yeah, Zolo's face would have been priceless, but we'll get to see a similar look later on. When? Wouldn't you like to know... A Sanji manipulator?... I guess, but not so much... I'll have to add that somewhere... I'm gonna have to find an Aero Bar...definatly gonna have to find one... as for Starburst jellybeans, they sell those for cheap around here. I'm in New York. Where be you? Cause maybe that's why I can't find an Aero Bar... whatever... spiffing is a cool word... Thanx for the end of chapters thing. It's always nice to know you're doing something right. But considering I've got 40 reviews and I'm on chapters 1-6, I think I just might be doing something right... See! I wrote a really long winded response back... told ya...VIRTUAL CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM! YEEEESSSSSS!

YounamemeAkira - Want more? Okiees, here be more.

icefox35 - Yep

Mischievous Sin - I know. Being able to burn things on a whim is pretty awesome. Wish I could do that... Yes! Pie!

Wow, I get alot of cyber dessert from you people. YOU ROCK! Puttin that out there. Okay, here's chapter 7! It's kinda a filler but hope you enjoy it anyways. Teaser: It's setting up for later. What comes later? Wait and read!

Edit: Yet another Oni Giri edit. Really, this is getting rediculous. Every time I go to edit one of these, I get the image of Zolo running around with his swords yelling 'rice ball'.

Chapter 7

Recent History and Deadly Dreams

Aly's POV

Yawning, I stretched on the sofa, surprisingly comfy for such a worn object. Throwing off the blanket, I put on some of the clothes Nami had lent me and went outside. Cool, pre dawn air rushed in to meet me, and I quickly closed the door before the draft could reach the still sleeping Nami. I've only been on the ship for two days and I already learned not to interrupt the navigator's beauty sleep. Going down to the kitchen, I was greeted by the scent of breakfast cooking.

"Morning Sanji." I said, plopping down at the table.

"Good morning fair maiden." The cook almost touched his toes with his forehead as he bowed. "Unfortunately, the meal isn't done yet, but you can have some of what's ready."

"Thanks, but I can wait another 15 minutes to eat with the crew." I smiled as he shrugged and turned back to the stove.

Honestly, I don't know why I got up so early today. Chopper, who I found out was the doctor, said I should be getting as much rest as possible. But what was the point of waking up and trying to go back to sleep?

I was jolted out of my reverie as Zolo bumped into me, sweaty and smelly after his morning work out, making me wrinkle my nose. Without a word, he filled a giant cup with water, gulped it all down, filled it again, and sat at the table, glaring at me from over the rim. I raised an eyebrow at his overly hostile attitude. Usually it wasn't until the afternoon that he started glaring at me. At breakfast he just ignored me.

"Is there a problem?" I asked him, watching him out of one eye. Thanks to peripheral vision, I saw Sanji turn from the stove to watch Zolo and I. The swordsman grunted at me. "Really? Wow. That explains everything."

Putting his water down, Zolo scowled at me.

"Who are you? Really?" he asked.

"What?" I said, completely thrown off guard by the question.

"You heard me. There's no way, not even in the Grand Line, that we would find you on that ship. That you would know what the Gum-Gum Fruit is. And that, by some freak of nature, you have the magical ability to control the weather. Oh, and let's not forget the fact that you actually blocked my Oni Giri attack, something only one other man has been able to do. Who are you? Some one from the Marines? Or maybe a bounty hunter waiting for someone stupid enough to pick you up?" Clearly done with what he had to say, Zolo stared at me, waiting for an answer.

"How can you speak like that to a lady? Were you raised in a barn you-"

"Sanji." I stopped him mid insult, making him look at me. "If Zolo wants to know, then he can know." My voice was dangerously quiet, my eyes boring holes in Zolo's. To give him credit, he didn't even flinch at my icy glare. "What do you want to know, huh? Why I was on that ship, just waiting for someone to find me? Well here's to honest to the gods truth.

I ran away from home two years ago. Why? Wouldn't you like to know. After reaching shore on an island a fair distance from my home, I began traveling the sea with a group of people on a cargo ship called Lightning. I spent a happy year there, working among the crew in return for the voyaging. I was close to the captain's daughter, almost like a best friend, when a pirate ship attacked us. We fought, and the captain was killed. The pirate captain agreed to let one of us go, either Marie, which was my friend, or me. And Marie said, take her. So they did, then sank the ship by cannon. Later, I escaped the pirates, only to be caught by a group of slave drivers two months later. They sold me to that ship you found me on, at first as a slave, then I graduated to plaything. And then, when I drowned one of them with only a cup of water, they found out about my powers and made me use them for their own greedy reasons." I was standing now, rage barely kept in check. "So because I was on the inside circle, I started helping all the other slaves. Sneaking them food, caring for them when they were sick, bringing them clothes, all sorts of things. Then, we started organizing a rebellion. It happened alright. I stole the keys and set them free. They grabbed what weapons they could and started fighting the pirates. Too bad no one won." At this point, my eyes stung with unshed tears. "I was the only survivor of that battle and by some miracle, a ship happens to come by after only two weeks. But it's a pirate ship. Then you and your little friends had to come exploring after I was stupid enough to show myself. And you know the rest from there. And here I was just thinking I had landed amid a decent group of people. Hah, too bad they just can't trust me for five freaking seconds. So, thank you Zolo, for allowing me to speak of my past, cause you know, I just wanted to relive it one more time."

With that I stormed out of the kitchen, leaving a speechless Zolo and Sanji behind. I ignored the rest of the crew, who were just entering the kitchen, and walked right out to the deck.

It just had to be today. Just had to be the day that someone gets me to bring it all up, that makes all the memories of that horrible time of my life come flooding back. Because today marks two years since I was stupid enough to leave, no, to run away from my problems in hope of restarting what I couldn't stop. I clenched my hands into fists, willing them to stop shaking from the sheer terror that came from the past seven years of my life.

To be perfectly honest, I hadn't expected to survive the rebellion. I hadn't even expected us, the slaves, to win. Well, really, no one wins when everyone dies. I was so ready to face what was next, whether it be heaven or hell. But no, the gods have other plans for me obviously, cause here I am, stuck on a boat with Zolo.

Zolo… I haven't even known the guy for a week and he's already acting like I'm the worst thing to ever happen. And even though he's about 19, just like me, he treats me like I'm some helpless child he found on the street. I don't know whether I hurt his pride or what, but it's getting to be annoying…

And to be perfectly honest, once again… I had hoped that… maybe… he and I would… I don't know… get along? I've heard a lot about him, and he wasn't described as a bad guy. A bit head strong, just a tiny bit suicidal towards his dream of becoming the greatest swordsman in the world, but not a complete jerk. I mean, he was left alive after all, so Mihawk must have seen something in him, right?

You know what, screw Zolo. If he wanted to be an asshole, be my guest. Hell, that may even be his normal attitude. But if it was, then I want off this ship as soon as possible. I escaped that kind of people before. I was not going to put up with it again.

"Hey."

I looked up to see Sanji standing there, balancing a tray of food on one hand.

"Hey." I said, removing the tray as he sat down beside me. "What's the occasion?"

"Chopper said you need to eat something, or you'll never fully recover." He said, gesturing for me to eat.

"How thoughtful of him."

"It is his job."

"Hm."

We sat in silence for a moment as we ate.

"I'm sorry. About what happened in the kitchen. That wasn't meant for you." I said.

"I know. Zolo can be… a bit of an idiot sometimes…" Sanji said.

"Sometimes?" I laughed. "It seems to be his default setting."

"Yeah, some days I think so too. But he was way out of line pushing you for answers like that. And I'm not even saying that because you're a woman."

"You seemed to have a certain weakness for them, so I noticed." I smirked when Sanji simply nodded. "On that note, I really wish you would call me by my name. Regardless of what people say, you can't wear it out."

"Alright fair- … Aly." He paused for a second. "None of us on this ship have a happy past. And I wouldn't expect you to either."

"Thanks Sanji, but that wasn't my past." I smiled sadly. "My past comes on a need to know basis and right now, no one needs to know."

Sanji nodded understandingly and we spent the rest of the meal talking of past adventures, the non painful ones. Finally, Sanji decided he should go check on the situation in the kitchen. Agreeing, I climbed to the crow's nest for the watch duty I'd been assigned and allowed my mind to split in half. One half diving deep into the task of planning what to do when I got home, the other half registering the horizon as I scanned it. I heard the door to the ship open, a few words exchanged, and the door closed again. Glancing downward, I saw Zolo walking across the deck, probably to find a good place to nap the whole day away. Finding the said spot, he plopped down, folded his arms behind his head, and promptly began to snore. I think I literally sweat dropped at this display.

Making a cushion out of my arms for my head, I let my gaze rest on Zolo. Maybe if I stared at him long enough, I would figure him out. I found my eyes tracing the curves of his muscles, the short bright green hair, the angular qualities of his face. Suddenly, a thought bubbled up in my mind.

Zolo is kinda cute…

I can't believe myself! I had just gotten in a fight with this guy and now I was checking him out?!?!? Had I unconsciously forgiven him that fast?

Though, really, he couldn't have known what he was getting into when he asked about what happened. It's not story often told I guess… Another thought came to mind.

We're a lot alike.

This thought I regarded with a bit more acceptance. In retrospect, I guess we were similar. Our dreams led us down a one road path that stretched forever until we came to that fork in the road. The place where we either succeeded or died. Zolo had already gotten an extension when he reached that moment. I wouldn't be so lucky. Because for me, once I started that path, I couldn't stop. And either I won or lost. Lived or died. Became a full fledged Elemental or died trying. My dream had no second chances. Only the determination, endurance, and fate of the one attempting to succeed. My dream had two choices.

Live or die.