The yuletide

For many people in the North the sixteenth of December is a very special day. It was the day where they celebrated the birth of the Lord. When the bells ring people from all over the country would chant the sacred song and hasten earnestly to the remembrance of the Lord and leave their worldly business. Then the men would slaughter one of their livestock. The women would prepare the traditional banquet. The children would eagerly open their beautifully wrapped presents. Whole families will sit around the biggest table set up in their warm home as the mothers serve their wonderfully prepared meal. There shouldn't be anybody sleeping with an empty stomach that day. And for those who are fortunate enough to live in the capital, the royal family would invite their citizen to come and have a feast with them in the castle. It truly was the happiest day of the year for the citizen of Thule. But, they know the yule celebration would never be the same again. Not since that night. That one fateful night that changed the kingdom forever.

Leo was lying face down on the cold floor of his cell, his attire which consists of long-sleeved shirt, a pair of dress pants and tie were still left unchanged since the day he was banished there. The only difference being the pair of seastone cuffs that were locked firmly around his wrists which acted as a constant reminder of his current predicament. Struggle as he may, the cuffs were locked tight and there was no forcing it open. It wasn't only the cuffs, it was the whole room, sucking his whole energy with its seastone-made enclosure. He felt like drowning but without the way out.

The room was completely dull and bare, save for the lone toilet bowl in the far corner. It would have been impossible to know how long he's been locked here in this windowless room. Once a day (or what he felt like once a day) some green gunk he'd translated as 'food' would be dumped into the room through the slot on the rusted metal door, it was the only way he keeps track of time in this hellish existence.

The initial shock had worn off after a while. But the terror was still in there messing with his thoughts and emotions. He'd screamed and yelled in pure frustration. He'd punched and kicked the door to no avail. It wasn't the darkness, it wasn't the loneliness. It was his own voice, one he didn't remember to ever speak, had become a constant companion in his isolation. It kept repeating the same thing over and over again, eating away what he once was and held so dearly bit by bit. He didn't know how long he'll last, the memory of her kept him from giving in but even that was wavering.

The loud banging sound coming from the opening of the locks pulled him away from his thoughts. He turned his head and squinted his eyes as a sliver of light from outside shone his dark corner. It took some time for his eyes to adjust to the brightness as the heavy door continued to swing open. From his angle he could only see the blur of the shoe of the visitor, he didn't know who it was but he knew he was going inside. That was all he needed to know.

He quickly got back on his feet, and stealthily pressed his back against the wall next to the opening door, he felt his heart pounding in his throat. This was his only chance.

The visitor entered. It was a man. His medium stature outlined by the lights behind him but because of his position Leo couldn't see his face very clearly. The door slammed shut behind the man and Leo swiftly wrestled the man into the ground, one hand over the man's mouth. He quickly reached for the man's pockets, for something...but he only found a dial in his pocket. He tossed it, not even caring what its purpose was. He got back to the man, he looked at the man's eyes, confused, why didn't he bring any weapons? did he have a death wish by going into the lion's den alone and unarmed? Then he saw it, the glimmer, even though it was pitch black in there, that eyes, it couldn't be anything but the doc's.

"It's me. Leo"

"You've got to help me end this!" Leo said in a hitched voice that cracked with desperation.

"Calm down" said the doctor who was still pinned to the ground

"I-I-I need some help, I can't do it alone, they won't let me!"

"I'm not going to let you kill yourself!"

Leo grabbed the doctor's collar "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, HE IS ME!"

"It still is not your fault Leo"

"I-I-I did it...he told me I DID IT!"

The doctor just lay there, he chose to keep his silent and let his son let it all out

"Y-y-you need to lock me up somewhere, not here, this is not enough, he'll escape I know it"

"That wasn't you Leo, it never was"

Leo's breath getting more unnatural as he took in the words "WHO IS IT THEN!? TELL ME, Y-Y-YOU DON'T GET TO KILL HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AND GET AWAY WITH IT DAD, IT'S JUSTICE YOU TAUGHT ME THAT!"

"Listen to me Leo..."

"NO! D-dad you listen to me, if you love me, please let me end this...I-I can't see it anymore dad, I-I just can't" Leo let go of the doc as he slumped back on the wall behind him. His eyes glistening but he tried to not let it go in front of his dad.

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry I disappointed you…" the doc moved in front of him

"Just give me something, something please, PLEASE"

"I didn't come this far to see you kill yourself Leo"

"WHAT IS IT THEN!?" Leo yelled at his dad's face, frustration overcoming his senses.

The doctor reached his hand out in the darkness for something, "this" the doctor took the dial from the floor.

"I-I don't understand..."

The doctor replied by pushing the button on the dial which was revealed to be a tone dial.

There was the static noise typical of a tone dial then Leo began to hear it, he immediately knew who it was.

"I've fought so hard, we, have fought a battle that we could have won but the world isn't just ready for it yet" there was a light chuckle from her before she continued, "who would have imagined that keeping alive would be this difficult..." she paused, "but i'm still here, my father may be gone, but i'm keeping my promise, for you my dearest citizen, I am going to try my best keep up with the challenges that live have put forward for me and this great kingdom. Justice must prevail"

"Just in case I didn't make it, I want-" suddenly the loud bang of a door being forced open interrupted the recording.

"Where's everybody? Where's Leo!?" the voice became barely audible, Leo could imagine her hiding the recorder out of sight of the perpetrator.

"kukukuku I took care of him, he's waiting for you on the other side along with your precious father kuhahaha" right at the moment Leo realized that this man could not possibly be his 'other' side. Even though they were different, he still shared his voice and certainly it wasn't his laughter.

"It's impossible! You can't possibly defeat them!" she retorted

She was replied with more condescending laughter, "will you please move away from the window Your Highness"

"I'm saving the best for last, you should be grateful for that" then there was the sound of his steps coming closer to where the recorder was. "If it's any consolation, I'm going to try to make it as painless as possible"

"Why!? Why did you do this? You're not one of them" the man tsked at her, "I'm just a guy who's up for the right price"

"You killed my father, my brother...I'm the ruler of this country now, my people need me, they need to know the truth, tell me how much do you want?" the guy chuckled "You Royals really think your money can buy anything don't you? look, you're really a sweet looking girl if you weren't on my list i'd have spared you but right now but I'm afraid this is out of my hands"

"What did they offer you? just tell me what it was and i'll double it!" there was a long silence before there was the sound of the clacking of the shoes again "it doesn't matter what they offered, spoiled little Princess like you need to understand that if you play with fire sooner than later you're going to get burned"

"Any last words?"

"Yes" she inhaled, "I...have no regrets"

Their voice became distant and it as accompanied by a subtle and continuous whistling sound. Then there was silence. A loud static then it was finished. The grainy sound made it difficult for him to convey the conversation but there could be no mistake, it was her voice.

"It was taken right at that night, before she...was found"

"Where did you get it? How did you get in here!?"

"That's not relevant" the doc still looked at Leo

"It wasn't you, there's nothing you could have done"

"B…but I failed all those people, I failed her" he ran his fingers through his hair

The doc let go of the hug and for the first time, he saw his son after he'd left home. Honestly, he never thought when he bid farewell to his son it'd end up like this. His face looked tired, his chin unshaved, he smelled bad, this thing's really done a number on him. "Leo, I was the one who raised you up from when you were little, I'm the one who trained you, I know who you are Leo and you are no murderer, you're a fighter, you don't give up"

"You haven't failed her, failing her means you're letting her sacrifice gone to waste, failing her means letting that man goes away"

"Then tell me, give me a name"

"He goes by the name of Crocodile, in the underworld he's known as a soldier for the Revolutionary Army, the Marines have several files about him"

"Then surely they know I'm not him? I'm not in the Revolutionary Army, I've never even met them"

"You're not, but you're their fall guy, 'your' doing made the headline all around the world Leo and the public will want some answers and the Marines would all be too happy to pin this on the Revolutionary Army, with or without Crocodile"

"I just can't...this is too much" Leo shook his head, all this theories sounded like something out of his comic books. But as it's been proven time and time again, real life and comic books were not actually that different.

"I just want you to stop blaming yourself for this, i'll do anything in my power to get this guy but until then you have to be strong for me"

"T-this this voices, he…kept whispering to me that what happened that night…I kept denying him but I can't get him out of my head father, I cannot hold out much longer, he's getting stronger, I don't know what's going to happen to me when that happens, I'm really scared"

The doctor frowned, "Leo, listen to me" the doc gripped his shoulders firmly to get his attention "He can't do nothing to you, as long as you're in the guard of a seastone he won't ever take you over, he has no body that's why all he could is taunting you with this terrors. I fought him that night remember? He's nowhere as strong as that"

"But you don't know that, you don't know what's happened that night, only fruit user could have done that in such a scale and I CAN do that to someone else's kingdom, not now but someday..."

"Leo, what that man did wasn't caused by his devil fruit, he had a choice and he chose to take the bad path, it didn't mean that you have to take the same path as him...look I've told you before, when I was in the Marines I have many fruit users comrades, we fought together, we protected each other, we have the same ideals, many ordinary and fruit user Marines alike have died that day and they died a hero. This 'other side' of you is not caused by your fruit Leo, you must always remember that, it's feeding on your stress and your frustration. He likes it when you're weak because that's when he's at the strongest, and that's exactly why you must stay strong"

"Leo, they're going to send you away soon, guilty or not, and I'm not sure if they'll ever allow me to visit you again…"

"Where?"

"Impel Down, they're going to try you there"

"Yeah maybe that's where I belong eh dad?" he's really thought this through, the doctor thought. Decades of serving the Marines have taught him that human psyche is a frail thing. Here, the punishment wasn't even the main issue, no, the most traumatizing factor was the fear of seeing your consciousness being replaced right in front of your very own eyes. The total loss of control and one's realization of being at the mercy of something foreign and deviant is enough to bring down even the toughest men.

The doc sighed "I've thought about this a long time and I really wished to God it wouldn't have to turn out this way...but it seems like there's no other way"

The doctor moved his hands so that both of his hands' index and thumb finger touch each other, then they mashed it together with the other hand and slowly separated them. It looked ridiculous, even Leo didn't know where the doc was going with it.

With the fingers still like that he turned his head to Leo, "What did you see?"

Leo immediately realizing what the question was about immediately used his Gyo on his eyes, then he saw it, it was a thin red line. It was thinner than a hair cut into 10 pieces, he'd have missed it if it wasn't for the glowing red aura emanating from it. Leo realized it was a thread of the doc's haki.

"Do you still remember when I told you people could place their haki on other things besides from their own body?"

"Yeah, I remember Danny saying that the Blackwood trees have peoples haki in them, though I didn't know it could be placed inside another person's body"

"You're about to learn that it's quite possible, but I need your full attention in this in order for this to work"

"You see Leo the thing about haki is, you can shape and mold it into whatever you like. You can amplify your strength with it, your defense, you can touch fruit users, you can use it to do anything if you can convert your raw haki into the desired hatsu"

"You're saying I can tell my haki to stop him from taking over my body? Just like that?"

"The problem with that is, this other you, he's a part of you, he can control your haki just as much as you can. That's why I think no matter you hard you've trained your haki he still managed to overcome it"

"Then what's the point of wearing the seastone bracelet then?"

The doctor was silent for a moment

"It was your late father's, can't you feel it?"

Leo's eyes widened as he realized.

"It's been a very long time since he put his haki in that bracelet, his haki decays overtime of course, it's still there making sure you're safe but i'm afraid it won't last long now, that's why I think this'll help"

"I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner, I thought all this time it was the some kind of an effect of the seaston...b-but...it is my father's haki all this time?"

"He was a very powerful man"

"So, how do we do it?"

"You have to state a condition and then pledge"

"Condition?"

"Like poker, the more you have at stake, the more determined you are to win it. It also plays a great part in this, the more serious the pledge is the more it stays true to your wish, because Leo, there's no absolute guarantee that this will work just as there's no way you can make yourself invincible through your hatsu"

After awhile Leo nodded, he took a deep breath, "okay let's do this"

"My wish if I ever could get out of this, is to find that man who's done all this and not only him, I want to bring justice to every single person who're responsible for this"

"I want my haki as well as my fruit ability to be used only to assist me in that and NOTHING else"

"-and i'll die if I break the rule"

The doctor looked at Leo's eyes and understood his son's wishes.

"Very well" the doc neared both his hands to his chest and moved it as if he was tying his haki into something inside of him. He didn't feel anything though.

"Wow, that was quite painless"

"I could make it painful if you wanted me to" the doc said as-a-matter-of-factly.

"One more thing Leo, I know that you hate your fruit ability and want none of it but I want you to understand that your ability is special, there's no devil fruit that is exactly the same as each other in this world. People out there search the seas to have that kind of power and would do anything to get it. Don't slip, you cannot let anybody know about your power whatever the reason is, promise me this"

"Well, they already kind of knows my power"

"Not specifically, all they know is that you killed all those people, how you did it is still pure speculation"

"So...what? I killed them with my haki?"

"It doesn't matter what you say, they want a scapegoat they got one and they'll still send you away whatever your answer's going to be. Anything but the truth"

The doctor put his hands on his son's shoulders "Leo, you have to be strong for this okay? You CANNOT give up. The place that you're going to is what's possibly the most dangerous and unforgiving place for outlaws. Don't let your guard down and keep practicing the moves that I've taught you anytime anywhere you could"

"You think...?"

"Leo, when you're tried in Enies Lobby, you're never going to see the light for a long time and Leo, believe me if there's a way somehow I would break you out of here right now b-"

"Father, you've done more than enough" Leo said. This was his problem not his. He couldn't drag his own father into this mess. He didn't want to lose him like he lost her. No, he was going to be a man and face it like one.

"I assure you i'd do anything I can to clear you out of here, i'll call some friends and get the guy who's behind this out of his hole"

"I-I guess this is goodbye then?"

"Until then Leo"

"Until then father" Leo hugged his father, a little longer than usual this time. He was savoring his smell and his warmth, he didn't know if he'd ever get the chance to meet him again.

More than thirteen years later

Leo ran faster and faster. So fast that neither of them wouldn't see see him coming. There can be no mistake. He's waited too long a time for that. He was really close now, it was so close he could smell his scent from here.

He leaped.

The lava Marine realized it a little too late, Leo's prison issued shoe landed hard against the side of the Marine. In less than a second the Marine was already halfway flying towards the ruined fort inland but Leo didn't give it a second glance because he had more important matters to settle.

"YOU!" Crocodile yelled, he was so surprised he didn't realize he's gnashed his fine cigar against his teeth

"I'm not going to let you escape this time Crocodile!"

"Tell me the people responsible for that night, was it the big boss himself, Monkey D. Dragon!?"

He focused all his attention on his single greatest foe alone afraid that a single distraction would let this man slip away. He could see it clearly. The paleness of his skin, the scar that cut through his face and the dark shadows under his eyes. Impel Down has really did a number on him.

Crocodile spat "I've got nothing to say to a loser"

"Well, it looks like I've given Magellan too much credit, in the end I have to do it all by myself!"

"DESERT SPADA!" Crocodile yelled as he produced a wall of sand from his hand. It struck Leo right in the middle, slashing his body in two with his head completely gone.

Crocodile smiled, he couldn't believe it would be this easy. But to his surprise, the two parts of Leo's body which were still intact remerged, by filling out the void space in the middle from each of the remaining body parts, the last part to be regenerated was his head. "What did you expect by attacking a logia with a weak attack like that?" Leo taunted. Since that night he's trained reflex so that his body would turn to his element without waiting for his command as suggested by the doc. This was the first time he actually saw his improved reflex in action.

"Kuhahaha so it has come to this isn't it? Basic fights? Is that what you're aiming at?"

Leo smiled, "now's a good time as any to see if your basic is as good as your ability"

"kukukuku looks like I have no choice"

"You didn't give her any either"

"Who...?" Crocodile was silent for a second, recalling what his foe referred as 'she' "Ah...the beautiful sweet dead Princess of Thule! Well I did give her a choice"

"W-what!?"

"Die...or be my slave kuhahahha"

"You really want to die today aren't you" Leo murmured as he prepared his attack. He lunged himself at his foe with the improved soru that the doctor had managed to teach him. He was sure that a man like Crocodile understood this move himself so he only had element of surprise on his side and also he wouldn't want his arm to be met with his 'water-suction' ability.

It was successful. Crocodile was taken completely by surprise and could do nothing as Leo sent his fist right into his nose. This was not the speed of the punk he'd fought years ago.

Leo wasted no time and sent another punch at the disoriented Crocodile's face. Before Crocodile could even get back to his senses Leo had already taken Crocodile by his hair to keep his head up and swiftly pounced his temple. He hadn't let go of his head and used the opportunity to send his foe a barrage of punches. Leo took him by the neck, "THE NAME" he demanded, but Crocodile just looked at him with that disgusting smile of his, Leo immediately slammed his face at the cold hard surface.

"GET UP!" Leo pulled his foe up and sent him to nearby ship with a powerful uppercut.

Seconds later Crocodile showed up from the opening his smashed-up body had produced. His looks perfectly conveyed his embarrassment and anguish.

"I didn't recall you being this weak, I think people over there is even stronger than you" said Leo referring to the group of Marines and Pirates fighting nearby. "At least they know how to fight and i respect them more for that. While you! You're like a weak bullied child who's hiding behind his momma's back, you're NOTHING without it!"

"Do NOT compare me to those useless fools" Crocodile said as he dusted off his fur coat. "Who needs basic when I can have the power of the Devil himself in my hands"

"Ready to talk?"

Crocodile dispersed into sands and they scattered all around Leo. He couldn't sense his haki now.

"DESERT LA SPADA!" Leo saw movement out of the corner of his eyes.

On reflex Leo shielded himself with his arms, his reflex was spot on as multiple massive solid blades made of compressed sands struck and annihilated his body completely.

He cursed, being a logia that means he was impervious to most physical attacks which means that the attack was nothing more than a distraction and that Crocodile had something bigger in store for him. He just hoped he wasn't that big of a coward to use such attack to flee.

He was right. As he reformed his body, starting from head to toe, he saw that the amount and density of the sand that whirled around him was already triple the original size, he couldn't even see past the sand.

So this was how that bastard was going to fight him. By hiding himself behind his sands so that he couldn't sense his haki. He knew that as long as he was in his sand form his haki would be concealed. He heard several crashing sound nearby and heard the cracking of the frozen sea surface getting louder and louder. It was undoubtedly heading for him now and then he understood that Crocodile was targeting for the single weakness that even him couldn't ever negate.

Because of the blinding sandstorm he didn't know exactly where or how big the cracks were, but he knew it was coming to him fast. Forgetting about his foe, he turned and ran. He didn't know where he was headed as the sandstorm seemed to follow him everywhere he went. The crackling noise was now reverberating all around him, he didn't know which way he was supposed to take. Not wanting to taking rash action he stood still, trying to listen to the source of the cracking sound. He then heard Crocodile's laughter all around him. "FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN!" Leo shouted at the sands encircling him.

Then the blurry shadow of a cannonball accompanied by a noise akin to loud whistling burst through the wall of sand and went past him. It had sounded like it was only a few inches away from his right ear, he could even feel the breeze. Immediately afterwards a horrific explosion shaken the frozen sea right behind him. The noise was accompanied by strong radiation of heat and a shock wave that knocked Leo off his feet. The shockwave also swept away most of the sandstorm, clearing the sight for him. Leo didn't know what hit him but he knew it couldn't be Crocodile's doing. Still lying on the ground he saw the crater and the resulting cracks from the explosion, it was spreading. He immediately stood up only to be shaken by another explosion.

I know the sound very well, this is no Crocodile or any fruit users' doing, these are artillery fires which are clearly being targeted at me. He saw another cannonball flew through the sky at his far right...Or not

He saw the Pirates jumping off the platform ahead to their ships. Some were already climbing the nets onto their stuck ships. "C'MON, LADS, SHOOT IT WITH EVERYTHIN' WE GOT!" a pirate yelled from their ship.

A little relieved that he wasn't being targeted by the Marines, or anybody for that matter, he immediately got his attention back to Crocodile who's managed to slip away in the midst of the bombardment.

He looked around the now not-so-empty ground and found no trace of the fur-coated nemesis, "DAMMIT!"

"DON'T YOU RUN AWAY FROM ME YOU PIECE OF SHIT! GET BACK HERE YOU YELLOW!" Leo went around shouting foul words at his nemesis wishing to provoke him to attack him, which unfortunately has worked only at eliciting a couple of annoyed glances from the fleeing Pirates.

More Pirates descended form the mainland onto the frozen sea and making his search even more difficult. The shouting, the explosions, the swooshing sounds would have deafened him if he wasn't so engrossed in searching for his foe.

Then he saw it. The sand. No sand moved like that. "GOTCHA!" Leo enthusiastically shouted as he started to run after the hovering sand, shoving people out of his way, several of those people yelled at him but paid no attention to them, all he cared about now was to end it once and for all. Soon he realized his mistake as his feet caught something which made him tumbling into the ground. It took a while for Leo to realize that his foot wasn't only caught in something, it was also restrained by something which was very solid. Somehow this reminded him of that sadistic warden back in Impel Down who'd trapped his foot in a similar fashion. He was almost expecting for the electric surge if it wasn't for the groans of the similarly trapped pirates all around him.

"Oh shit they all got caught!" a nearby fleeing pirate shouted. "They're done" shouted another, most didn't even spare a glance as they ran past them. Leo was surprised nobody cared to save their buddies from the 'binding'. What he didn't know was that they've encountered and evaded her enough times to understand that once you're caught by her 'cage' then you're as good as dead.

"What the HELL is this stuff made of?" Leo grunted in frustration, the black 'thing' was tightly and rigidly locked around him like cuffs. Only this one flawlessly followed the grooves of his legs as if it was specially molded for him. And not only that, his acid was also rendered useless against it. No way could this be an ordinary lock, there's not even a keyhole...it's times like this that I wish I know how to shapeshift!

"Bring them back to the HQ and see if any of them is on the poster" a feminine sound full of authority blared from behind him but Leo was too busy trying to get his foot out of the strange binding to care.

The sound of the heel of her boot went around the crowd of the captured pirates and stopped right in front of Leo. Leo saw the feet of the woman, a cigarette dropped right in front of him. He looked up to see what her problem was.

"You...you're still alive"

"H-hina?

It was so unexpected that it'd completely taken the breath out of his lungs. The Marine officer standing in front of him was none other than his former childhood friend. Hina. Her hair was still as light and magnificent as he'd remembered, only this was longer. She also looked more mature with the business-like attire, dark red lipstick, and the cigarette...and is she wearing a make-up? Oh and of course her curves, looks like she isn't so ashamed of her 'gift' anymore. Now that he thought about it, it shouldn't be this surprising to see her here fighting pirates wearing that prized Marine officer coat, after all she went to the same school as him and if anybody was going to make it high in the Marines it would be her. Well, he always joked that it'd be him first then her, but seeing how things has turned out, it'd be safe to assume that he'd no chance of even being accepted as a latrine cleaner in the Marines' most secluded, smallest, and insignificant post.

"So, you're a Capt-" ***SLAAPPP***

The sudden slap that crossed his cheek stung like hell. He certainly hadn't expected that coming from what he thought as one his best friends.

When he looked up at her again her eyes were furious and her lips was quivering, "DON'T" she warned, her voice stuck in her throat, "t-talk back to me"

He looked at her confused. He didn't remember ever hurting her, heck she even gave him a 'good luck' kiss when he shipped out to serve at the capital. That was the last time he'd seen her. He was half-expecting her to explain it when she continued with a cold sarcastic smile, "of course you don't know". She grabbed his arm before she yanked him away from the rest of the captured pirates. Her subordinates fortunately knew better than to ask her.

After awhile of walking in silence with Leo futilely trying to ask her what the slap was for they stopped. They were still on the middle of the frozen sea but out of everybody's sight. He sighed with relieve for that, at least she didn't throw him to the HQ herself.

She turned to face him then she just stood there scrutinizing his sweaty, unshaven, and disheveled appearance.

"Uhm...How are you?"

Instead of replying Hina pushed him down into a kneeling position, then without warning roundhouse kicked Leo. Leo tumbled back, the stinging feeling in his nose told him that it was broken.

"Not so tough now aren't you!?"

As soon as Leo resumed his position he was met by one of her kicks again.

"DOES IT HURT LEO? HUH? DOES IT HURT!?" she yelled at him almost maniacally. He could just turn into 'liquid' anytime but that'd mean hurting her who was clearly confused. His head started to hurt, but this wasn't the kind of pain he got when someone bashed his head into a wall, no, that's happened too often for Leo it wouldn't have had an effect on him now. This was what he usually get when he tries to think too much usually in an attempt to make sense of things, things like mathematics or politics. This woman, couldn't be his friend, this was not the shy but gentle village girl he knew who lived with her grandparents in a mansion in the forest and kept countless of pet birds in her backyard. This was a monster wearing her skin.

She beat him couple of times with his face, now barely recognizable, being her favorite target.

"It's okay" he unexpectedly said beneath the swelling mess that was his face, "it's okay"

"W-WHAT!?"

"To cry...it's okay"

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?" she kept yelling this at him but the slight quiver in her voice didn't escape him. She kicked and punched him some more, they were weaker now, more random and they missed all the pressure points. He could feel tiny sprinkles of tear drops moistening the skin of his naked broken limb.

"Hina, for whatever it is you think I've done to you...I apologize" ***BAMMM*** another punch. He winced. Normal punches wouldn't usually hurt him since he could always shield himself with his haki but this was somehow felt like he was being punched by brass-knuckles. Brass-knuckles that were ten times harder than the ordinary and she didn't even know how to regulate her haki yet.

"Sorry? SORRY!?" she chuckled lightly "SORRY IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" ***BAAAMMM*** this time it was so hard it sent the back of his head smashing against the chilled ground.

"YOU TOOK AWAY THE ONE MOST PRECIOUS THING TO ME!" Leo expected more painful outburst this time but was surprised when all that struck him was a petty punch. Through the blur that was his vision he could make out her figure now slumped on the ground, the memory seemed to have hit her hard but it never crossed his mind to take advantage of it and run. He instead broke the binding around his hands and pulled himself closer to her. Despite her state she didn't miss the sound of her binding being torn open, she wiped her tears off her eye and was surprised to see that Leo's arms were free.

"Wha..? How-d you?"

"My arms are considerably stronger than my legs" Leo said through his swelled lips, but it came out as some weird murmur in her ears

"Don't come any closer!" she said as if the lump of meat before her could do anything to hurt her.

"L-listen to me Hina" **cough** blood spurted from his throat, "I was framed...I-it wasn't me, thirteen years ago...it wasn't me. You must trust me for this, i didn't do it, I'D RATHER DIE!" Leo said as trickle of blood trickled down from his mouth down onto the ice.

For a moment they both just stood there, Hina looking at his eyes, searching for something in his chartreuse eyes and all she could find was the boy that gave her his coat and accompanied her back to her home when it was hailing outside. The boy who she had her first kiss with when they were just ten under the mistletoe. Though it was more of an experimental thing than anything serious. Thinking about it, she remembered having a small crush on him back then but gave up when she realized he wasn't at that stage yet where he could see her as any other thing than being 'just one of the boys'. Back on the ice cap, she wanted so badly to believe him, that those eyes could not possibly be capable of holding such lies, but she could never do that if by believing him it means betraying her memories of her late parents.

"NO! It's not right!" she said, more to herself than to the man in front of her. She was certain he could see it in her tearing eyes more clearly now. She cursed herself for being this much of a pathetic sucker.

"Just give me a chance, one chance to make this right again. The man who's framed me and responsible for all of this is here, in this place, I was chasing him. After I get that man you can bash me all you like, just give me this"

"Hina don't believe you" she said in the third person, old habits die hard.

"I'm not a monster Hina, I have no reason to kill all those people, you know me...just this time, let me go" Those darned eyes again

Her face told him how conflicted she was. But after a moment she seemed to have made up her mind as she moved closer to him...and...

"Let him go"

The voice rang from out of nowhere. Hina immediately turned her head to see a man wearing a worn-out Impel Down inmate uniform standing not far from them, a funky-looking katana in his hand.

"Who are you?" Hina let go of Leo and turned to face the figure

"I'm his partner"

"His partner!?" Hina looked back at Leo, a bewildered look on her face. "He's not...I can explain!"

"Hina should have known better, you really are nothing more than a member of the filthy Revolutionary Army...!" she said fixing her gloves with her back to him.

"Who's Hina?" the samurai asked, slightly puzzled

"NO LISTEN HINA! WHAT YOU WANT IS ME NOT HIM!"

But Hina was already charging at Hayato with all her might, this time Leo was even sure Hayato wouldn't be able to get out of this.

"SHE'S A FRUIT USER!" he warned, that was the only assistance he could offer to his friend and he hoped his friend knew what was best for him and just run away. There was no reason to bring Hayato into his problem.

"MANGETSU DAIKON KIRI!" Hayato chanted his move but it didn't seem to hit anything. Leo didn't know if he should be grateful knowing that his friend cared about him enough to try and get him out of his own mess or not. He just wouldn't be able to forgive himself if Hayato was recaptured because of him. But then he felt the coldness of the binding around his legs to be loosening. He looked down and saw that his feet was free. Then he saw that Hina had already had his friend's wrists trapped with her 'cage' though he hasn't quite let go of his katana.

"STOP IT!" Hina cast a side glance, she didn't expect him to have that much strength left after all the beatings. Hina turned to face her former best friend. Hayato used that opportunity to place the katana between his mouth and proceeded by sawing the binding around his wrist with it.

"Hayato, stay away, I've got this"

"You're done Leo, Hina is taking you in"

"I just wish things could be different for the both of us"

"Gas: Phosgene" Leo chanted

"You're not talking Hina out of this again convict"

"It's over"

"What is?"

"I'm sorry, but there's just no other way"

"What are y-" she'd stopped walking as the gas began to take effect, "...Leo what did-" her eyes widened in terror while at the same time she clutched her throat as if something was suffocating her. She tried to say something but it was stuck in her throat and all that came out were short strangled gasps.

"Ssssh...now, there's no use fighting it" Leo said, now he was the one approaching her. Leo took her clawing hands as she looked at him, more terrified than ever with this almost godlike power she'd never known his friend to possess. He held her gently as she lost her balance and put her gently on the ground. Her terrified eyes still fixed at him, a tear from her brown eyes ran down her cheek. Despite of all that has happened Hina couldn't believe that this was happening to her again. This was too painful, of all people, of all her enemies, she was going to die at the hands of her own best friend. She looked at the bright chartreuse eyes one more time and they calmed her, it made her somehow believe that this was all just a dream and she'd wake up in her tree house anytime now.

"Leo come on! The ship's sailing" Hayato yelled

"SHIP!? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?"

"the ship's that's going to take us out of here!"

"I THOUGHT THEY WERE ALL TRAPPED FROM THE ICE?"

"Fruit users"

"Ah, that explains a lot"

"WHOA!" Leo slipped as the 'ground' rocked. He looked around and saw that the frozen sea surface was sloping. It was getting unstable with some parts of it already cracked and some even gone completely. He looked back to see if Hina was alright and was relieved when he saw some of her subordinates have come to her aid. Her face now covered with gas mask, though covered, he knew she was looking right at him. He turned but then slipped again, this time his feet was unable to get any grip on the slippery surface. He looked down to where he was sliding and saw that there was nothing but the rolling sea that awaits him there.

"LEO!" Hayato realizing that his friend was not behind him has become alarmed. He heard his pal shout his name. He quickly hopped to the piece of ice that his friend was sliding from and quickly balanced it with his body weight. It was for the time being flat and stable again.

"LEO WE HAVE TO HURRY!"

"I-I'm sorry, I was..."

"COME ON!" Hayato had hopped to the other piece, meaning that he had no choice but to hurry if he doesn't want to slip again.

Both men ran side by side to balance the ice which was getting more and more shaky and unstable. Leo just now realized how dire the situation was. They were the 'bad guys' to board a ship and the Marines not wanting a single pirates to slip from their fingers were hot on their tails. Light sabers melted the ice all around them, in a different circumstance he'd have been awestruck it. He could see the ship on the edge of the thawing frozen sea, it truly was the sole ship left, if they didn't board that ship they'd be done for. Leo fastened his pace then, "soru" he kicked the air and flew. This was a make or break time. As a result of injuries he attained when he was training with the doc his lower body had never been as strong and durable as his upper body and he rarely use soru for anything other than surprising enemy like he did in earlier fight because it put great strain on his legs. If he didn't make it, he'd fall and the force alone would send him right through the ice and down below.

Hayato seeing that he could depend on his friend's pace, turned around and destroyed all remaining ice between them and the pursuing Marines with his whip-like katana. Effectively isolating them from the rest of the island.

Leo used his last energy launched himself with his soru onto the deck of the ship. With no energy to control his descent he landed on his back with a tremendous force. Luckily everybody cleared out the space just in time. It surprised everyone onboard for they thought he'd never make it. Several people started to clapping as a result while the rest chose to whisper among themselves.

"Wow man you're lucky! We nearly left you there" commented one of the spectators.

Someone kneeled to take a look at his face and grimaced, "did an admiral step on your face or something!?"

"Where's he? Where's Hayato?" Leo grabbed the guy's forearm

"Ye' mean the other guy? He didn't make it"

At that he immediately stood up and ran to the very back of the ship. There was Hayato running on the edge of the frozen sea still looking for a way out.

"HAYATO!"

It took him several calls for him to get his attention

"WHIP IT HERE! WHIP IT TO MY HAND, YOU CAN DO IT COME ON!"

"IT'S TOO FAR!"

"YOU CAN DO IT COME ON! OUR PROMISE REMEMBER IT, WE GOT IN TOGETHER WE GET OUT TOGETHER!"

It seemed to convince him as he whipped his katana back then lashed it at Leo's naked open hand. Leo caught it. People around him winced witnessing the scene. A man willingly risk his arm with just to save his friend. Despite his haki, blood started gushing from the grip but Leo's got it. He'd never let it go but it still wasn't enough.

The spectators all around him quickly ripped pieces of their clothes off and helped Leo pull the elongated katana and in a minute Hayato was onboard. Everybody started to cheer happily but unfortunately their happiness was short-lived as someone from the front shouted that the Gate of Justice has been successfully closed. There was no other ship but theirs. The cheering quickly stopped and the atmosphere became somber as people slumped on the floor, frustrated and some has already resigned to their fate. Some suggested the captain to shoot at the gate but he already knew better. They'd assumed that Whitebeard would survive and kept the gate open for everybody so all plans went to hell when that didn't happen. It was every man for himself.

"Cap'n this man wanted ta' speak t'you"

The bearded captain turned around and saw a tall and quite badly beaten-up fellow in front of him. His face seemed to have taken most of the hits as it was barely recognizable. They were dark blue, with swellings as big as tangerines, he was surprised this man could still stand here and tried to have a conversation with anybody.

"Tell your men to position the broadside cannon parallel to the thing, i'll take care of the rest. When I gave you the signal you order your men to fire at the gate"

The captain figuring that this was no time to be doubting a fellow escapee and that it was better than letting themselves become the Marines' pitiful cannon fodder he nodded and briskly ordered his helmsman to do what Leo'd ordered. Everybody stood up, thinking that the captain had finally managed to find a way out. Though they were not quite sure as to what the plan was since the gate was still closed the glimmer of hope was back in their eyes.

Leo climbed the yardarm and walked onto its edge. It was the closest point to reaching the surface of the mighty gate. Freedom awaits him behind this gate, this was the final push.

"Gylfen, please give me strength to do this" Leo prayed

He reached out his arm to touch the gate surface but it still wasn't close enough. He couldn't get any farther as the surface's gotten much narrower.

"STEP ON THE ROPE SON!" the captain shouted

"What?"

"THE ROPE UNDER IT, STEP ON IT" he looked down and found a series of rope beneath the yardarm.

He carefully put his feet one by one on the lifeline and once he got himself balanced he slowly moved to the very end, arms clutching the yardarm tightly.

He reached out but he still couldn't feel it. But it was close, very close. He inched himself closer now risking his balance, and he only pointed his left index finger as it was the closest. Then he felt it, the solid surface of the gate.

"Aqua regia"

Then a liquid of bright orange, resembling that of an orange juice spread from the tip of his index to the whole surface of the gate. Leo didn't doubt it'd spread, it was practically the first trick he learned about his acidic power, but he wasn't sure how long it'd take for it to work on this obviously top-of-the-class material, or if this would work at all. He looked at the opposite direction, at the crumbled Marine HQ, the sun was setting behind it as the evening grew near, and he caught the sight of several Marine battleships trailing behind. They'd catch up in less than a few minutes.

"Marines off the portside!" Leo alerted

Seeing that the acid's spread and absorbed into the surface especially the hinges Leo gave the captain the signal.

"VOLLEY FIRE!"

Leo quickly grabbed the yardarm tightly as the broadside cannons were fired simultaneously. The recoil alone was enough to rock the ship but the gunners wasted no time to reload the cannons as they quickly fired at the unrelenting gate again and again. For about 3 minutes the men had managed 20-30 salvoes in short equal intervals. After the barrage a horrific grating sound blared as the left side of the gate gave to the combined acid and cannonballs, and crashed onto the sea behind it. Leo could hear the clapping and the cheering from the deck. The Captain looked up at Leo and gave him the thumbs up.

"Hard-a-Port!" ordered the captain loudly.

Once he was back on the deck and sure of the success of his escape he quickly approached the Captain for he just remembered something: He was now alone, along with Hayato in this alien sea. With Crocodile gone he's got nothing to work on, if anybody here knows about this sea and its long-time residents it should be him. Maybe he could help him with his quest and provide the doctor's whereabouts. Leo smiled, it's been a long time, he never thought he'd take him up on his offer.

"Captain, where are we heading?"

"Why, New World of course!"

"B-but I need to go to Jaya!"