Minawa: this will be the final chapter (I think...) so I want to thank you all who've read this far and enjoyed it.

Mika: Yeah, real good times.

Minawa: We'll probably be back, right?

Mika: Yeah, knowing us...probably.

I had never seen anything like this before. Movies from World War 2 was nothing compared to this. We had eventually beaten Spanda's marine soldiers but now the Buster Call was getting started.

The attacks whistled over our heads like firework and in the distance large buildings crumbled. The whole place seemed to be on fire. I felt myself choke with my heart in my throat. What the hell is this?

"This is crazy...Oi!" I heard Franky say. I glanced at Robin, sitting on her knees with her eyes shut tight, trembling. This was what she'd been talking about and now as I watched it happen...I understood her fear. It was as if having the whole US army attacking your friendly neighborhood. Terrifying and lethal in every way. Even the marines, friends of the attacking ships, ran for their lives. What people would attack their own kind? Now I knew for sure, being a pirate was way better than belonging to the marines.

I clenched my hands and turned on the others. Franky would get Robin. I had to find Zoro. I couldn't have him run around, getting himself killed in all of this.

My nose stung as I fought back the tears, hoping I wasn't too late.

I ran into the great hall, not very surprised half the west wall and roof being gone. There was a battlefield right outside the door. I glanced around quickly and let my eyes fall on green hair. Relief flooded my chest as I knew he was alive and well, still standing to fight the guy in front of him.

He was so into the stare down with his enemy that he didn't hear the sound of the cannonball or see the shadow it cast on the spot he was standing. It would end up being a huge blast, without a doubt. I couldn't simply stand still and let it happen.

I threw myself on him, the force pushing him across the floor in a heap of arms, legs and swords. He glanced back at me angrily before finally noticing the sound of the cannonball. `Took him long enough´ I though and smiled. I had landed on the ground because of the tackle, leaning up on my elbow. I didn't even realize I was crying when our eyes met and his widened in panic.

I didn't even notice the blast, it was too quick. After a flash of light and a familiar sensation of falling the world around me became black.

I'm sorry my daughter...there is no other way

I could hear a worried voice far away, somewhere in the back of my head.

That's right. I screwed up big time. A bitter taste swelled in my mouth and I knitted my brows together in annoyance. I only wanted to protect him.

"Mika"

Tears built up in the corners of my eyes and slowly rolled down my cheeks, tickling my earlobe.

"Mika!"

My eyes shot open and I found myself staring up at a ceiling I thought I'd seen in a dream, so very long ago. My eyes widened in shock when I realized it was the ceiling of my room. My old room.

"Mika…" I heard her say. I turned towards the familiar voice and saw her sitting in a chair, next to my bed, tears running.

Mom.

I sat up and stared at her, happy but confused. She hugged me tightly, saying my name over and over again. I smoothened her hair and hugged her back. My arms ached in the act. I glanced down at them and saw, thanks to the fact that I was wearing a t-shirt, that bruises and cuts, which had been covered by band-aids, covered them. I almost sighed in relief, knowing that it had all been real. I had met them. A sudden feeling of despair hit me as I pulled Mom back into my view.

"When did I get back? What happened?" I asked her desperately while gripping her shoulders tight. My sudden outburst of questions surprised her slightly.

"I found you on the bridge, just like when you were a baby, covered in snow. It was early this morning…" she said, cupping my cheek. It felt nice. I nodded.

"I died, I think…" I said, almost in a whisper.

Mom smiled at me gently and patted my head. I who hardly had any tear channels cried like never before. Partly because of the shock after "dying" but also because of the lost. The crew I had grown so close to was now in another dimension, far away from where I was right now. I hadn't had the chance to say goodbye.

Mom and I spent that night eating dinner together, watching Avatar and snuggling in the couch with a box of chocolate. It was nice to feel safe for once but I still had that sad feeling coming over me. Mom said I should just give it time.

The next day was a Sunday so no school, thank god. Still, I felt alone since Mom had left for work. She'd insisted on staying home all day before I made her go by shoving her out the door. Instead I called my best friend, Alice.

"Hello? OMG, is it you, Mika? Where the hell have you been? I've been soo worried, you just disappeared! I'm coming over right now!" she yelled at me and hung up. I hadn't said a word and still she was outside my doorstep15 minutes later. I opened the door to let her in, surprised by her heartbroken face, snot and tears running heavy.

"Mika!" she whined and glomped me. Oh, it hurt so bad...

I hugged her back and just like that she spent 10 minutes just crying into my chest. I shut the door and peeled her off me.

"Okaaay...I'm gonna change now since you've gotten me all sticky..." I said, receiving a giggle from Alice "and you will go and make hot chocolate." I said and went upstairs. That hug had really hurt...

"Where have you been? I mean just look at you, She-Hulk!" Alice asked, pointing at my new muscles. I looked at her and squinted my eyes.

"You wouldn't believe me even if I swore the Holy Code." I mumbled, sipping on the hot liquid. Alice sighed. The Holy Code was our most secret agreement as BFF, one where we couldn't lie to each other no matter what.

"Tryyy meee." Alice said, pushing to know. I bit my lip.

"You know that series, One Piece?" I said. Alice stared at me in shock.

"You mean as in the manga/anime? Have you actually paid attention to what I was yibbering about?" She asked in disbelief. I shook my head.

"You'd expect me to remember that? No way, I just ended up in their world and met the characters and then died just to return here." I said ultra fast in hopes she wouldn't hear me. By her expression, she did. She made a suspicious face.

"Swear on the Holy Code?" she asked. I nodded, sadness coming over me again. Alice was just about to jump into a fan girl fit when her eyes met mine. She suddenly looked worried.

"Oh...Mika, I'm sorry. You died?" she asked and moved over next to me on the couch.

"I just wanted him to be safe..." I cried into her shoulder as she rocked me back and forth in comfort.

2 weeks past and with all the school I had to catch up to and all my friends asking where I'd been the past months, I had no time to let my mind stray back to that world or the crew. It was too painful.

Alice had tried to cheer me up by dragging me around in town, joking about everything not related to dimension traveling or manga, which was big for her. She knew I didn't want to talk about it since I had almost broken down after seeing One Piece posters on her walls.

"It is Christmas soon, have you gotten your Mom anything yet?" Alice asked as we walked toward my house after school. I shook my head and shrugged.

"I haven't asked what she wants." I said. Alice smiled and started counting all the gifts for her family members.

We suddenly reached the bridge, the one I had been found by my Mom now twice and as we started walking across it a light snowfall hit us. I stopped halfway, glancing out over the river running under it. It hadn't gotten frozen over yet because of the strong current. Alice looked at me worriedly, I knew, but she hit my arm playfully.

"Thinking of jumping? Because if you do, I'm not getting wet for your sake." She said. I giggled and smiled at her, all too knowing of her kind of character. I glanced at her and suddenly noticed a shocked expression that quickly turned into a smile. I turned and looked back the way we had come from.

He looked like a normal guy, really, with a pair of worn out bleached jeans, sneakers and a black winter jacket with a furry hood. The only thing standing out was his green hair shining brightly against the snow. I felt my tears fill up my eyes. God, how I cried these days! He'd pay for this...

I dropped my bag and rushed over, throwing myself into his open arms. He caught me and spun me once before my feet touched the ground. I heard Alice squeal behind me but I only care about holding Zoro close to me.

"Mika..." he whispered into my hair and instantly I felt happier than in weeks. My eyes locked with his only a few moments before his lips met mine and I let myself go completely into the kiss.

"Mika and Zoro, sitting in a tree...K-I-S-S-I-N-G~." sang Alice, making me break loose from Zoro and smile at her like an idiot. Sanji turned to Alice.

"Do you know Zoro?" he asked her. She giggled at him, a heavy blush spreading.

"Oh, you don't know the least, Sanji-kun~" she said. He looked at her confused as she ran over and hugged Chopper, freaking the poor guy out.

"She's harmless, I promise!" I yelled over to the crew. Zoro gripped my cheek, turning me to face him.

"Only look at me, Mika." He said before our lips met again, this time not breaking away for while.

After a few introductions, which went quickly considering Alice already `knew´ the crew. She promised to tone down the fan girl in her if I'd let her stick around. I laughed before inviting them all to dinner. They gladly accepted and as we started walking, Zoro's hand holding mine and keeping it warm.