Hey everyone! Well, school has officially started. I've only been back there two days and I've already decided that I hate humanity... this cannot end well... On the up side, I will now have plenty of time to access computers, which means I can type more chapters until my fingers bleed! Yay! I'm sure everyone will be thrilled to know that the next chapter is already half done! Whoot! On to the reviewers!!!

This chapter is especially dedicated to Soldier Heart, who sent me a very hyper pm and 100 boxes of chocolate (apparently). Thanks so much for the insperation!!! You can keep the coffee! Don't worry! I won't take it from you! (backs away slowly) And as for Zolo and Aly, you'll just have to wait and see!!!

Hibiki-chan - Glad to have you back! Enjoy the chapter!

Saundra - Thanks! Here's a new chapter!

God'schild777 - I'm glad you like the barriers! They kinda began as a spur of the moment thing, but I really liked the idea, so they stayed! Nah, they couldn't kill the crew. Even without Aly, they're stronger than that. It just worked to my advantage to make them screaming morons! Enjoy the chapter!

Critias - ROFL! I never thought of it that way! Indeed, those are very naughty flame thingies. Yeah, I don't know much of how Robin acts (still trying to catch up on series), but I've always seen her as the eye of the storm. Never freaks out, always has this calm smile on her face, kinda creepy actually. But poor Aly just needed a direct answer, she was too busy freaking out over the crew (coughZolocough) to make her brain function properly. That's okay that you forgot-ed! That's mostly my fault for not updating in a while... Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 20

Seas of Danger

Aly's POV

I cracked my eyes open, feeling them sting at the salty sea water. I began to look around, but was temporarily blinded by my hair. It swirled around me, wrapping around my neck, clinging to my face, and brushing my arms. Of course, the one day I left it down was the day I had to be submerged by a giant wave. I would have brushed it away, but I was a little too concerned with keeping both hands firmly attached to the railing. My feet had parted company with the deck long ago.

Looking around, I began to take stock of the situation I had put us in. The crew was scattered about the ship, clinging for dear life to the rigging and railings. Many had their eyes squeezed shut, except for one. Luffy had his eyes wide open, a wide grin on his face. I briefly wondered how he managed that without losing air. Well duh! Luffy grew up in an ocean side village. He told me that himself! Man, my memory was going down the drain…

Suddenly becoming aware of the hissing noise reverberating through the water, I looked past the bow to see a wall of white. Steam. From the wall of fire that I had just launched us through via a giant wave. Right… Oh shit…

The ship shot out of the water, flying through the air before landing with a giant splash. Everyone on the ship bounced back onto the deck. I was on my feet and leaning over the aft railing the moment I regained my balance. The firewall behind us was collapsing back into the sea, hissing and sizzling as it went. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Is everyone okay?" Usopp asked, picking Chopper off the deck.

The crew was soaked. It was rather funny, seeing everyone so disheveled. Especially Sanji, who always seemed to have it together. But other than that, everyone seemed no worse for the wear. Luffy must have seen me join the outskirts of the group, because he immediately bounced over.

"ALY, THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!" He yelled in my face, throwing his arms up and acting like an idiot.

"Thanks." I replied, laughing at his hyper activity. I guess treating life threatening experiences like they were everyday occurrences were just part of Luffy's charm. Or they were everyday occurrences and I was just as insane as he was.

"That was some quick thinking." Nami said, running her hand through her sopping hair. "Although I wish you could have given us some warning."

"With all of you running about like idiots, there really wasn't much time." I said, grinning at the embarrassed looks. "But if you want to thank someone, thank Robin. It was her idea."

While the hyperactive crew clamored around Robin, I leaned against the wall of the kitchen. Hoping it looked like I was simply standing back and watching the scene, I attempted to get my vision to focus like it should. Creating a tidal wave in roughly three minutes while dividing your concentration to rounding up your crew isn't as easy as it sounds. And it doesn't sound all that easy in the first place. My reserves were completely drained for the moment. I don't want to pull another stunt like when I first came on this ship, draining myself to the point of not being able to do anything. I was too close to home for that to happen…

"Aly! Come on! It's time for breakfast!!!" Luffy said, grabbing my arm and dragging me into the kitchen.

I managed to keep my balance long enough to sit down at the table. Watching the crew gather round, I couldn't help but smile at their antics. Life, although difficult, was good.

Until a certain swordsman with whom I had some things to talk about but really didn't want to right now while I was tired and hungry sat down across from me.

I stretched luxuriously, yawning as I persuaded my body that nap time was over. Using my arms, I propped myself into a sitting position and sat up. The sun was high in the sky, warming the deck as the crew went about they're daily stuff. Usopp tinkering, Nami sunbathing and reading her newspaper, Luffy perched on the goat's head, and Sanji puttering in the kitchen. Oh… and Zolo… was training. I frowned slightly as I leaned against the railing of the ship.

Breakfast had been an interesting affair. Somehow, Zolo and I managed to interact with the crew normally without actually speaking to each other. The table and the rest of the crew had become quite interesting to watch, as I couldn't very well look across from me. Not when an irrate swordsman was glaring at the side of my head.

How do I know he was glaring? I made the mistake of making eye contact at some point during the meal. While no particular emotion was directed towards me, it was what I saw going on behind his eyes that disturbed me. They say eyes are the gateways to the soul. Well, if that's the case, then a very bloody, very drawn out, and extremely violent war was now Zolo's soul. In which case, I would very much like to stay out of it.

Food had restored some of my strength. So for the rest of the morning I took a leaf out of Zolo's book and napped on the deck. The swordsman ended up training on the other side of the ship, as far away from me as possible.

Now, taking into consideration that we hadn't spoken since the… kiss… I wasn't quite sure what was going on. Sure Zolo wasn't the most romantic person ever, that position was filled by Sanji, but he wasn't one to hide something for long periods of time. If there was something he wanted to say, he said it. And now it looked like he had plenty to say, but for some reason was keeping quiet. That could only be defined as bad. As for me, my emotions were a bit varied. I was confused. Obviously. I was a bit pissed that he was skirting around whatever was bothering him. I was too afraid to ask. And above all, I was too stubborn to let it bother me. So here I was, going about as if nothing was wrong and nothing happened. It probably wasn't the best choice ever, but being so close to home was grating on my nerves and I just wasn't up to volunteering for an emotional rollercoaster when I knew I was promised one the moment I set foot on my island.

I sighed, flopping back down to the deck. Raising my arms, I reached for the sky, imagining that I could capture one of the big fluffy clouds and let it carry me away from all my troubles. Instead of getting that wish, I noticed that my usually pale skin was getting the beginnings of a tan. Now THAT was enough to brighten my mood!

The rest of the day passed rather slowly. I realized that I really didn't have a hobby like everyone else. So I read Nami's paper. I helped Usopp with one of his inventions. I tried to help Sanji with some cooking, but was turned away at the door… With a snack. I stayed FAR away from the sea weed head. I didn't disturb Robin or Chopper. The former was reading a book and I don't mess with book readers. I've gotten hit by them more than once for interrupting their reading session. And Chopper got left alone because he was absorbed in some doctor thing and apparently didn't take well to people interrupting him. I practiced with my skills a bit, entertaining myself with turning a suspended puddle of seawater into as many different shapes as possible. But that quickly became boring. So I ended up returning to my nap spot, staring at the sky in the hopes of some excitement.

"Hey Aly!"

I looked to my right, where Luffy was occupying his favorite seat.

"Yeah?"

"Is that your island?" He asked, pointing to something out of my line of vision. Getting up, I leaned over the railing. There was a speck on the horizon, hardly big enough to see.

"I guess so…" I said. Some kind of finality settled on my shoulders. This was it. Home was in sight. I was too late to turn back now.

"Cool!!!" Luffy yelled, throwing his arms up into the air. He bounced off towards Nami. I assumed that he was going to inform the navigator in the loudest possible way that we were close to my island.

That left me leaning over the railing, staring blankly at the speck in front of me. My mind was awhirl with thoughts. The only ones I managed to consider for internal conversation weren't pleasant ones. What would my village's reaction to my return be? My family's? Liam's…? Would they let me take the Trials? What would I do if they wouldn't?

Should I let the crew come with me? Would they listen if I asked them to stay on the ship? What would Luffy do when he found out I couldn't possibly be on his crew because I had siblings to take care of? What would Nami do when she discovered the Berries I promised her weren't mine to give? What would the rest of the crew do when they saw the villagers? Or when the villagers saw them? What would Liam think about me traveling with pirates? Or with the pirate men? Or with Zolo?

What would Zolo think when he saw my home? What would he do when he found out Mihawk was there, probably waiting for him? Would he try to fight him? Would he win? Would he die? Would the villagers even allow such a fight to take place on the island? Would they stop them? Would I stop them? Could I stop such a fight? What if I tried to stop them and they wouldn't? What if Liam tried to stop me from preventing the fight? Oh dear gods, what would Zolo's reaction be to Liam? Sweet, kind, over protective Liam? What would the swordsman when he found out about our so-called engagement? What would Liam do if he found out I had kissed Zolo?

What if those two started fighting? Liam was good with a sword, and he was pretty proficient in the Elements. But Zolo's insane strength might be enough to over power him. What if they fought? I wouldn't be able to break up that fight very easily. They wouldn't harm me. Well, I know Liam wouldn't, but would Zolo in his current state of mind? No. No, he wouldn't… Would he? What if-?

"HEY!!! LOOK AT THIS!!!"

I turned to see Luffy standing dangerously on the railing. One hand was pointing to something in the water, the other was on his hat. That meant nothing were dedicated to keeping him balanced as he leaned over to get a better look at whatever had caught his interest. I blinked. There was a splash, and Luffy was gone from my sight.

"LUFFY!!!"

It took less than a heartbeat for me to be sprinting over to the railing where the rubber man had fallen. In the few seconds I had to look, I saw Zolo with one leg up on the railing, looking with all intents and purposes to jump in after his captain.

"ZOLO!!! DON'T DO IT!!!" I found words leaving my mouth even though my brain didn't have a thing to do with it. "YOU'LL DIE!!!"

He paused, then turned to look at me as I ran past. Not having time to get a good look at his face, I put my hand on his shoulder. I used it to get myself up and over the railing at the speed I was currently going. As soon as I was clear of the railing, I gave him a gentle push back onto the deck.

Then the water closed over my head.

Immediately calling on my Elemental powers, I took a deep breath of sea water and propelled myself down. Luffy was sinking fast. I could still see him, which was better than nothing. But even the slightest disturbance in this water was fatal. I just had to hurry before Kaijin got here…

A dark shadow passed below Luffy, far in the depths of the ocean. My eyes widened as I kicked more furiously, getting within reaching distance of the pirate. I grabbed the hand he extended to me. Turning around, I began to hightail it to the surface, Luffy's arm over my shoulders. My extended senses could feel the water below us shifting as something big began to immerge. The grim realization that we wouldn't make it to the surface in time hit me.

I stopped swimming. Luffy gave me a look of confusion. Pushing him behind me, I glared into the depths as the shadow started to gain on us. Bubbles erupted as it sped towards us, green scales becoming more apparent in the water filtered sunlight. It twisted and turned up towards us. I could just catch a glimpse of light reflecting in red eyes… oh shit…

A roar blasted through the water with enough force to send me backwards enough to hit Luffy. I didn't have time to plan anything, before the beast arrived.

A very serpentine looking, rounded, green-blue scaled face was suddenly right in front of me, roaring at us again. No time, no time, no time! A huge mouth full of fangs opened up. And I did the only thing I could think of. Pulled my arm back and punched it square in the snout.

The hit had about as much force behind it as water resistance would allow, and even then it must have only felt like a bug bite. But a moment later, the cavernous mouth was closed and a red eye was staring me down. I glared right back, trying not to blink. The red slowly dissolved into black. Hesitantly, it bumped it's nose against me. I smiled and scratched it's scales gently.

And at that exact moment, my powers gave out.

My body suddenly had one command. AIR!!! I was rushing up through the water, lying flat against something, when the ocean fell away and air replaced it. I lay on something rough and wet, coughing for breath as I listened to familiar voices yelling. Looking up through a curtain of hair, I watched Luffy slide down the scales and onto deck. He started bouncing around and yelled about how awesome that was. Nami and Usopp wasted no time in smacking him over the head.

Slowly gaining my hands and knees, I watched my arms shake. I felt around inside myself. Breathing a sigh of relief, my Elemental powers were still intact. It was just my stamina that had given out. Moving carefully, I got myself into a sitting position. I brushed the hair out of my eyes, absently scratching behind one finned ear of the beast I was sitting upon.

"Thanks Kaijin." I said softly, listening to him do something akin to purring.

"Aly! Are you okay?" Nami yelled at me from the deck. Apparently she had beaten Luffy enough for one moment.

"Yeah." I replied, sliding down Kaijin's face just as Luffy had. "I'm fine-"

As soon as my feet had hit the deck, my legs gave out from under me. I sat down with a thump, watching as the world slid in and out of focus. Nami was crouching in front of me, yelling something. I watched her hazily as she looked at me with concern, then stared at something next to me with alarm. I looked to my side to see a green-blue blob. My vision sharpened for a moment, and I made out a tail, finned ears, and webbed feet. I half laughed as he scrambled into my lap.

"Just can't leave me alone, huh Kaijin?" I muttered, playing with his tail as he settled himself on my lap. Chopper appeared in front of me, or I'm guessing that's what the brown blob was.

"I need you to tell me what's wrong." He said in a very professional voice.

"My vision's kinda blurry. Keeps going fuzzy and back." I told him, trying not to slur my words. "The world keeps spinnin'. I'm really tired, and my legs feel kinda like jelly."

"Has this ever happened before?" The deer man asked, taking my vitals and all sorts of other things that doctors do. I had to kick my brain in order to answer his question.

"Yeah, it did once when I was little. I was working too hard. Wasn't eating enough, wasn't getting enough sleep." I told him. The little doctor's face scrunched up.

"As a doctor, I suggest that you rest for the remainder of the voyage." He scolded. "Stop over exerting yourself. You know your limits. Don't overuse your powers. Sanji!" Chopper called the cook over. "Make sure she eats something. Right now."

I stared blankly at the deer man. He hadn't told my anything I didn't know. And more importantly, it seemed like he wouldn't try to stop me from using my powers once I got home. If there was one thing, I couldn't be anything less than at my full potential once I got to my island. Gods only know what was waiting for me…

My body slowly realized that it was moving, heavily leaning against someone tall and solid. I looked over to see Sanji, who smiled at me when he realized I was looking in his direction. My gaze started to wander about the ship. It was only when my eye caught sight of green hair that I realized what I was looking for.

I stared at the turned back of the swordsman. As the kitchen door closed, I could just see him glancing over his shoulder, face unreadable, in my direction.