Pointless Report:

Gyahahaha~! Yes! Finished this chapter in 3 days! *fist pump*

By the way, there'll be no updates next week because… *deep breath* I'm going on vacation! *smiles*

That's all for now! See you!

The next few years seemed to blend together and over time Mariko became more distant and alone. She learned some vital life lessons.

The world is a cold and cruel place, so in order to survive you have to be colder and crueler.
2. When you're street fighting, aim for either the face or the groin, if you do manage to land a hit, either finish the guy off or run like a bat outta Hell away from there.
3. If you get into a fight, win.
4. Marines don't like it when you steal from them, and neither do pirates.
5. If you don't talk to anyone, you're less likely to get in trouble.
6. Sea kings are sometimes nicer when you've fed them your lunch.
7. Animals are nicer to you then people.
8. Yukio doesn't like animals…or people.
9. Wearing black helps when you're sneaking around at night.
10. Nothing is ever as it seems.
11. Everything happens for a reason.
12. Never show weakness or fear, show no emotion at all.
13. Always carry around your backpack. You never know when you might need to suddenly leave an island.

-This is a time/scene skip…this is the only way Fanfiction'll let me divide things…Ignore this-

7 years later, when Mariko was 13, she became a full-fledged witch and priestess. Though she had several scars that would never fade and had become sullen and truculent, she felt proud and smiled for the first time in years. She was rewarded with the priestess, "King" tattoo, on her back and was able to make her own symbol, which as tradition, she tattooed on her body.

'Where do you want to put it?' Yukio asked as she looked over Mariko's sketch of her symbol.

Mariko looked at the paper thoughtfully. 'I think I'm going to put it on the back of my hands.'

'Why? You only need one.'

'I know. It's just…so much blood has stained my hands. I don't regret anything I've done and never will. I want to be sure I live my life without any regrets. I use my hands for everything I do. So by putting my symbol on my hands, I put my soul into everything I do.'

Yukio stared at her for a minute. 'You know what brat?'

'What?'

'You think too much.'

-This is a time/scene skip…this is the only way Fanfiction'll let me divide things…Ignore this-

The first thing she felt when she woke up was a dull ache in her head. She opened her eyes but quickly closed them. Her eyes felt teary and were stinging faintly as the uncustomary light hit them. She twitched her fingers experimentally, nope, they still worked. Her mind felt drowsy. She was aware of the gnawing hunger that curled in her stomach.

She tried to open her eyes again, slower this time. She peered around. She was in the cabin. No one was there. She weakly pulled the blankets off her body and was faintly shocked when she saw how her skin hung loosely on her skin. She could see her bones easily. It was a small miracle that she was still alive. She ran her fingers through her hair. 'Of course it's greasy. What was I expecting after being asleep for so long?' She muttered to herself.

She dragged herself out of bed, but fell when her knees gave out. The unnatural sleep had made her uncoordinated as she struggled to stand. She gritted her teeth as she leaned against the wall for support. A thought flashed through her mind. Feeling ashamed, she pulled herself up.

'I need to find them.' She repeated to herself as she hobbled to the door.

'I need to find them.' She limped down the hall.

It took almost all her strength but she finally made it to her destination, the galley.

She was panting heavily and her body kept shaking, having not moved in (what she guessed) quite a while. She nearly fainted as she opened the door and walked in.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared. Standing before them was almost a skeleton. Skin either drooped or clung to her bones. Her cheeks were hollow and her eyes were sunken. She looked like the walking dead.

A weak smile spread across her face. 'I'm sorry,' she croaked. Black dots danced before her eyes as she felt herself fall forward. She was dimly aware that someone caught her and felt herself smile despite the pain.

'I'm alive you guys,' her smile seemed to say, 'I'm alive…'

-This is a time/scene skip…this is the only way Fanfiction'll let me divide things…Ignore this-

The next time she woke up there was someone there waiting for her. She smiled and felt tears flow down her cheeks.

'I'm sorry,' she said her voice almost inaudible.

Law looked at her with a mixture of surprise and annoyance. 'What're you saying sorry for? We're just relieved you're awake!'

She smiled sheepishly. 'I just meant that I'm sorry for worrying you.'

Law relaxed. 'Well at least you're better now. You hungry? You've been out for almost 2 weeks.'

She accepted the food gratefully. 'Only that long?' she asked shoving the food into her dry mouth.

Law laughed. 'You seem almost disappointed. How're you feeling?'

She paused for a moment before giving him a weak smile. 'Like I got into a fight with a Sea King.' She confessed.

Law smiled as he watched her demolish her food.

'Answers,' she said after finishing her plate, 'you're probably wanting answers.'

Law shrugged. 'Well it'd be nice if the rest of the crew and I knew how you were able to stop a bullet from hitting me, kill 2 marines without touching them AND shoot fire out of your hands.' He said sarcastically. 'By the way, here're your gloves, or at least what's left of them.' He picked up two burnt rags she'd failed to notice, sitting on the side table.

She took the remnants gingerly and sighed before stuffing them in her pocket. 'Well you better get the crew together, cause it's a pretty long explanation and it'd save everyone the trouble if I told them myself.'

Law raised an eyebrow. 'This is going to be interesting.'

'Oh, you don't know the half of it.'

-This is a time/scene skip…this is the only way Fanfiction'll let me divide things…Ignore this-

'…And then after a few years, we ended up at Shabondy Archipelago which is where you guys came in… any questions?' Mariko asked before slumping into her chair, feeling slightly exhausted after the long explanation. She looked around the room, everyone was silent. If the circumstances had been different, she would've laughed at their expressions of shock, surprise and disbelief.

Law cleared his throat, ending the silence.

'So what kind of…spells have you learned so far?' He asked politely.

'Oh, several actually, some actually do something unlike the almost useless ones I learned on Hōseki. And Yukio taught me a few other skills over the years.' She said dryly.

'What kind of skills did she teach you?'

'Oh well, you know the basics. A bit of pick pocketing, how to sneak around at night without getting caught, some street fighting, spying, how to aim and throw knives, how to handle a gun…you know, basic life skills…Oh, and a bit of cooking and dancing!'

Law blinked. 'Well it sounds like a pretty shady lifestyle…I can understand cooking but why dancing?'

Mariko laughed nervously. 'Actually it's come in handy quite a few times. Dancing teaches you balance, increases stamina and flexibility. Also,' she blushed faintly, 'Yukio used me as a bit of a distraction when she needed to draw attention away from herself.'

Law considered commenting but decided against it.

'So how many spells can you use before you pass out or…?' Jean Bart began.

'Die?' She guessed. Jean Bart hesitated before nodding.

'Well there are 3 levels of spells, hakujaku (weak), abere-ji (average) and tsuyoi (powerful). Currently, I can handle 9 hakujakus or 6 abere-jis or 3 tsuyois.' She explained.

'So that means 1 tsuyois equal 3 hakujakus or 2 abere-jis. So how much did you use against the marines that made you pass out for so long?' Bepo asked.

Mariko sighed. 'I used a hakujaku when I protected Law from being shot, a tsuyois when I killed the two marines and an abere-ji when I shot the fire from my hands. So a few more spells and I would've never woken up.'

Law chuckled at the casual tone in her voice.

'By the way, did you guys ever find out how those marines got onto the ship?' She asked suddenly, changing the subject.

'During the fight, those marines used a small boat to get to our ship. They used the smoke as a cover. That's why you never smelt them.' Bepo explained. 'It's not your fault.' He added. She looked down at the floor, she still felt responsible.

Law glared and shoved some more food in her face. 'Stop apologizing, if you really want to make it up to us, then eat this and go back to bed. The sooner you get your strength back, the sooner you can help out. I have a feeling we'll be making landfall soon.'

Mariko took the plate and felt herself smile, though she wasn't quite sure why.

-This is a time/scene skip…this is the only way Fanfiction'll let me divide things…Ignore this-

Mariko looked out at the vast sea. It'd been a few days since she'd woken up and this was her first time going on deck.

'Feels good huh?'

She turned to see Bepo practicing his kicks.

'You bet! I feel a lot better today.' She brushed her hand against her cheek. Her body was slowly regaining its strength, color had come back to her cheeks and her bones were less noticeable. 'Hey have you seen Law? I need to ask him something.'

Bepo took a swig of his water. 'I think I saw him in the galley, he's checking the status of our food supply.' He said panting.

'Thanks!' she called going below deck. She never had any problems talking with Bepo. 'Maybe it was because he's a bear.' She thought. After all, animals never judged her like people did…

She started to run to the galley but was panting after a few minutes. 'I need to get my strength back up. If I'm getting tired after a bit of a run then I don't have a very bright future in the New World.' She muttered.

She pressed her ear against the door. Yep, someone was in there. 'I'm really going through with this aren't I?' She asked herself in disbelief. 'No regrets.' She promised herself as she turned the knob and walked in.

Law was standing near the kitchen talking to a few of his crewmen. She stood there like an idiot wondering what she should do. 'Shit, other the Bepo and Jean Bart, I don't know any of the crew!' she thought to herself.

She felt like slamming her head against the wall in frustration. 'What do I do? Do I interrupt? Do I wait until he's done? Do I leave and ask later?' She thought panicking. She gave herself a mental slap. No, she wasn't going to run away like a coward. She leaned against the wall and waited patiently, resisting the urge to shout and get his attention.

Finally, Law noticed her. Looking mildly surprised, he motioned for her to come over. She chewed her lip nervously but reluctantly moved.

'This is unusual seeing you walking around.' He commented. He smirked at her obvious discomfort. She glared but said nothing. 'So what's happened that you've suddenly decided to grace us with your presence?' he asked. Her hand reflectively curled into a fist. 'I just wanted to know if…' she mumbled.

'Know if what?' he asked grinning.

Oh how she wished she could punch him right in the face. 'I wanted to know if…you had anything you needed me to do.' She finished quickly.

Law's grin widened. 'I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that. Could you say it a bit slower?' She felt herself twitch. 'I only meant was there anything I could do, like a job or something.' She said slowly. 'Don't lose your temper.' She repeated in her head.

'Or am I using too many big words for you to understand?' she retorted.

Law chuckled. 'This is a pleasant surprise, can't say I was expecting that.' He paused to consider her question. 'Actually, there is something you could do. You could be our ship's lookout. You already tell us whenever there's a ship coming and from what direction.'

She raised an eyebrow and the suggestion. 'You're serious?'

'Why wouldn't I be?'

She narrowed her eyes. 'You know, technically, I'm not a part of your crew.'

Law pretended to think for a moment. 'You wanna join my crew?' he asked.

She growled. 'I'll take that as a maybe.' He said brightly. 'Zeke, could you take her to the supply room so she can get herself a pair of binoculars?' he asked one of crewmen he'd been talking to. He turned back to Mariko. 'Follow him.'

Mariko's legs suddenly started moving on their own. 'Shit,' she muttered, 'I can walk on my own you know!' She yelled at Law. He smirked looking incredibly amused. 'Jackass!' She screamed following Zeke out of the room.

-This is a time/scene skip…this is the only way Fanfiction'll let me divide things…Ignore this-

She examined a pair of binoculars. 'Not that one.' She muttered. She could feel Zeke staring at her. 'You don't have to hang around. I know what I'm looking for.'

Zeke shrugged. 'It's not like I have anything to do at the moment.'

She looked him over: usual Heart pirate suit with Law's Jolly Roger on the back, longish red-orange hair and a blue-green hat with a pink visor that hid his eyes.

'What exactly are you looking for, they all seem the same to me.' He said dully.

She rolled her eyes. 'I'm just looking for one that'll fit me and isn't too heavy.'

Zeke watched in silence as she rummaged through the shelves and boxes. 'So you're really it eh?'

'That depends what you're definition of "it" is.'

'I mean you're the one everyone's talking about. The girl the captain bought at Shabondy.'

Mariko flinched at the term "bought". '…That's me…Why do you ask?' she asked suspiciously.

'It's just there're all these rumors about you. Like how some people claim that you can kill without touching them or how you can shoot fire out of your hands.'

Mariko looked over him skeptically. 'And you don't believe them?'

He shrugged. 'Seemed pretty farfetched to me.'

'Weren't you listening when I told everyone about myself when I woke up?'

'Sure I listened, but I don't know. It could also mean that you're crazy.'

She smirked. 'So I'm guessing you weren't on the main deck when the marines attacked.'

'Nope, I was below deck getting more cannon balls.'

'And you don't believe me at all?'

'Not unless you can prove it.'

She ruminated. A smile stretched on her face. 'Alright, bring me a glass of water and I'll prove to you I am what I am.'

Zeke looked mildly surprised before disappearing down the hall.

She watch in triumph at getting rid of him, if only temporarily. 'Now maybe I can look in peace.' She muttered to herself.

Unfortunately, Zeke wasn't gone for as long as she'd hoped.

'Here's your water, what're you gonna do with it?' he asked curiously. She smirked. 'Watch this Mr. Skeptic.'

She held the glass with both hands and stared deeply into the water. 'Tenenit!'

Her eyes dark purple eyes flashed black and the water seemed to quiver and move. The once clear liquid turned to a dark honey color. Her eyes reverted to their original color.

'Is that…sake?'

She grinned slyly. 'Why don't you try it and find out?'

He took the glass and after a moment of hesitation took a sip. 'It is sake…' She smiled at the look of wonder plastered all over his face.

'So you're the real thing…' He said in awe. She laughed. 'Isn't that what I've been telling you?'

'Why'd your eyes change color?'

'Without going into the technical terms, they do that whenever I use a spell.'

'That's awesome! So you really are a witch!'

'Please don't call me that.'

'Why not?'

'It makes me feel weird…And I'm only partially one.'

He looked at her thoughtfully. 'So you're probably one of the strongest people onboard…'

She made a face. 'Hell no, actually I'm pretty weak.'

'Ok so you get a little tired, that's not much.'

'Actually that's not all.'

'Ok like what?'

She paused. 'Seastone, if it touches my skin it burns me, there's a mineral or something that only reacts to those gifted with a little magical talent. There's also the fact that I'm not completely a witch, I've never even met one before so I have no idea if I'd be able to beat one. And I only know enough street fighting to get me away from thugs. If I went against a martial artist like Bepo…he'd probably kick my sorry ass.'

Zeke stared at her. 'Why are you telling me all of this? I just met you.' She blinked. 'I dunno, I guess I just feel like I can trust you…' She leaned forward. 'So don't betray me or I'll make sure you suffer.' She said darkly, smirking at the confused look on his face.

'I found some binoculars, anything else you need to show me?' she asked suddenly changing the subject.

Zeke shook his head. 'No, I think you'll be fine for now.'

'Thanks for helping me out, see you.' She turned to leave.

'Hey Mariko?'

'What?'

'You should really start interacting with the rest of the crew. You know, to get to know everyone. It's not good for you to be alone all the time.'

She smiled. 'I'll consider it.'

Things were starting to look up.

-This is a time/scene skip…this is the only way Fanfiction'll let me divide things…Ignore this-

'So we're dealing with the Heart pirates, their captain is Trafalgar Law with a bounty of 200,000,000. Is that right?' Bishamon asked sternly. 'We need to be sure that these are the pirates we're looking for. We were already delayed coming here because of those damn marines blocking the entrance to Fishman Island. We don't have time to chase after the wrong pirates!'

Bishamon glared at the trembling young man. 'I-I'm certain it was them. I recognized Trafalgar from his wanted poster.' The man said defensively.

'Tatsuya, you were posted here on Honjin specifically to locate either of the women. I haven't time for any uncertainties and the lord doesn't either. We need to be sure she's traveling with them!' Bishamon growled.

'I saw her get on their ship when they left. Even if she's only with them temporarily at least we'll know the log she's following.' Tatsuya confirmed.

Bishamon looked deep into Tatsuya's eyes, as if staring directly into his soul. 'You know Tatsuya, if you're wrong about this. I don't care what my orders are. I'll find you and make you pay.'

Tatsuya could only watch as Bishamon left his house. When he was sure Bishamon was out of earshot he collapsed on his couch. 'Even after all these years he still scares the shit outta me.' He thought.

'Oi! Who was that guy who was just here? He looked like a psychopath.' Tatsuya looked up to see Yoko standing at the doorway. He ran his fingers through his blond hair. 'He's just an old acquaintance who decided to stop by.'

Yoko snorted. 'You've met a lot of weird people, Aito, you know that?'

Tatsuya Aito smiled weakly. 'You'd be surprised.'