Greetings from my world everyone! It's a pretty scary place, but everyone there says hi! Anywho, I think I'm updating too fast cause only a couple people revieweded. Is there even such a thing as updating too fast? No, I didn't think so...

Mirathin - YES! ONE PIECE PLUSHIES! I can never find those! Or am I just looking in all the wrong places? That's also possible...

Mischievous Sin - Yay! Sugar insted of salt. Just like the riceball that girl gave Zolo when he was imprisoned at the naval base! I don't know the storyline by heart... of course not...

icefox35 - I would love to hear about your characters. But I already messaged you so you probably know that...

DreamergirlxXx - I'm god huh? Never got that one before...Oh well, enjoy yourvirtual sugrar rush.

mechanical-kitten - Australia? That's awesome! I have a friend that just went there last summer for a people to people trip. And I've been asking around about the aero bars and apparently, I'm just plain ignorant... So I plan on buying an aero bar as soon as I find one! And so the quest begins...

Yay! Just thought I'd say yay for no apparent reason... anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter. There'll be a bit of Zolo's pov in the next chappie (if I remember) so he will be back. This chapter is mostly just character development... mostly... Enjoy! And don't forget to review!

Chapter 8

Whispers on the Wind

Aly's POV

Regardless of my new found ability to automatically forgive Zolo, I avoided him for the rest of the trip to Synatra, an island port on the way to my home. The plan was to stock up there and then head for the small archipelago that was my home. I spent most of my time in the kitchen with Sanji, occasionally helping out the other crew members with the odd jobs of running a ship. When outside, I sat up in the crow's nest, placing myself as far away as possible from the ever snoozing swordsman on deck. I practiced my elemental skills as soon as Chopper cleared me, fearing that if I got rusty I wouldn't be ready for what was to come...

Just a bit of philosophy, life doesn't make sense. Never has, never will. The greatest scholars, philosophers, and random people on the street have all pondered the same questions. 'What will life bring next? Why?' I had pretty much thought I had my life all figured out. One miserable thing after another with no distractions until I achieved my dream. I could go from there later, providing there was a later. But I wasn't ready for the curveball life threw me next.

"How long do you figure we'll be here?"

"Two or three days tops. Depends how long the guys take."

"Ah."

Nami and I stood on deck, admiring the scenery Synatra had to offer. It was a beautiful island, a forest with trees trapped in autumn's colors and snow capped mountains rising in the distance. The town was small for a port, but large enough to be comfortable in.

Luffy ran off as soon as we docked, apparently to find some restaurant so he could eat meat… Sanji went in search of provisions. Usopp was looking for new stuff to add to his inventions. Chopper was stocking up on medical supplies. And Zolo… he had taken off for the mountains. Nami said probably to train.

"Hello?" Nami said, waving a hand in front of my face.

"Wha?" I said, shaking my head.

"I said, let's go shopping! You can't wear my clothes forever!" she said, swinging a purse over her shoulder. "Come on!"

"But… I don't have any Berries…" I said. Nami only grinned.

"Well… I'll lend you some, but only if you pay me back with interest."

Biting my lip, I tried to think of something I could give her. At the moment, I had nothing, but when I got home…

"I can pay you back when we get to my home, but for now, I guess I'll take the IOU." I said.

"Great! Then let's go!"

By the time we returned to the ship, I had five bags of clothes and a debt I would defiantly regret later. The sun was just touching the sea, turning it a brilliant golden orange pink. Sighing, I set my bags down and watched the sun sink into the sea.

It was moments like this that I almost regretted the risk I was taking. It would be so easy to let it all go. Sit here on the beach every night, watching the sun set and the stars rise. To spend each day living a simple uncomplicated life. To let my elemental past slip into memory. But I wasn't where I was today because I took the easy route. I was here because I wouldn't give up and this moment in life was no different.

"Nami! Aly! Dinner's ready!" Sanji's voice wafted up onto deck.

Heading down to the kitchen, I found everyone else already seated and stuffing their faces.

"Where's cabbage head?" I asked, taking a seat next to Luffy, which was dangerous when you actually wanted to eat.

"Still out training, most likely." Luffy said around a mouthful of food. "He does that a lot when we dock somewhere."

"Does what a lot?" I asked, filling my plate with Sanji's latest.

"Stays out training the whole time and comes back at the last second." Nami said. "He usually makes us late because Luffy won't leave without him."

"Wow, I wonder why…" I mumbled sarcastically.

"Yeah, some days he makes us all wonder. The only good thing he's good for is fighting. At least he's devoted to something." Sanji said.

Devotion huh? If it was just devotion, Mihawk would have just killed Zolo and gotten it over with. No… it was something else. Something beyond the description of words, because devotion wouldn't have changed Mihawk's mind. And trust me, I know Mihawk would have killed him otherwise. I know…

"Where is he? That stupid swordsman has gone too far this time…"

"Oh calm down Sanji. He's probably so wrapped up in his own world he lost track of time."

"Then why is Aly so worried? I hate to see a pretty girl in distress…"

I half listened to the conversation that drifted up to my perch in the crow's nest. Nami and Sanji were out on deck, talking softly. The only reason I could hear them was because I was listening to the air.

We had been docked in Synatra for three days now, quickly approaching a fourth. And still no sign of Zolo.

The whole crew had assured me that this was normal, that there was nothing to be worried about. But I was anyway.

Sometimes, the elements tell me things. Words and whispers carried in air and earth. Visions appearing in water and fire. Sometimes they were important, most of the time not. Glimpses of the future, epics of the past, the lives of people half a world away I didn't even know, I saw them all. Never enough to qualify me as full fledged oracle, but enough that I trusted what I saw or heard. And right now, I was pretty afraid of what the wind was telling me.

Forest… monster… fight… swordsman… blood… death…

Fragments? Yes. Something not to be concerned by? Hell no.

I looked up at the moon shining down on me, wishing that I could just let it go. I mean, I had ignored Zolo the entire trip here, wishing he would disappear. And now that he had, all I wanted was for him to be snoozing on deck, wasting the day away.

Not that I cared what he did or whatever. I just wanted to get home…

For my peace of mind, I'll keep telling myself that.

"Aly? Come on, it's midnight. Let's go to bed!" Nami yelled up to me.

I climbed down the rigging and walked silently into the cabin. But instead of pajamas, I grabbed a sweater.

"I'm taking night watch." I informed Nami as I walked back on deck, pulling the sweater over my head. "Don't wait up."

"Aly, he does this all the time. It's not like he's gonna die out there-"

"Don't say that." I said sharply. "Don't even think it. It's different this time. You're his crew, you guys should have felt it by now."

Her silence was all the answer I needed. Turning back to her, I saw her staring at me with a strange look.

"What?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"You… you don't like Zolo? Do you?"

I think my jaw made a clunking noise as it hit the deck. It was a good thing it was dark because my face turned the color of Luffy's shirt.

"Excuse me?" I said, amazed someone could even ask that question.

"I've seen you looking at him." Nami said, a smirk creeping across her face. "You do like him, don't you?"

"He's handsome, I'll give him that." I said, trying desperately not to loose what little sanity I had after that comment. "But like him as in attraction, no."

"But you just said he was cute." Nami teased.

"Nami, there's a lot more to love that thinking someone's cute and having a deeper level of understanding than what's on the skin. Trust me. I would know." The serious tone of my voice erased her smirk, replacing it with a look of confusion.

"From personal experience?" she asked, no longer joking.

"From a past that comes on a need to know basis." I said. "Look, I'll give Zolo tonight. If he's not back tomorrow, I'm going out looking for him."

"If you don't like him, then why are you so worried?" Nami asked. I was silent, trying to find a way to explain my powers to her.

"The wind… has brought me a message." I said. "A message that speaks of death."

Suddenly, the air suddenly got colder. And it wasn't from the weather.

It was from my heart icing over in fear.

Fear for Zolo.