Yeah, it took a little while, but I didn't think I would have worked the way I wanted it to if I introduced the crew too early on in the story. We also still can't forget about Law...which will be either in the next chapter or two after. During the next few chapters following this- walso will find out what Sakazukis' feelings on her abandoning her post are- needless to say, it will be a shit storm. Thanks for reading!

Old Friends

The two of them walked briskly through the town, headed towards the ship of the Whitebeard crew. As much as Aiko was excited to see old friends, the thought still remained about the tragedy of their captain. It didn't take long for them to reach the gigantic wooden structure. She had forgotten how big their ships had been, even now as a fully grown woman, it's enormous size still had her in awe.

Izo released her had as they boarded, looking every which way for a certain blonde man. He motioned for her to follow behind him while they searched the vessel. Crew members lounged around, and some scurried about taking care of whatever business that had to do.

"Izo..?"

"Yes my dear?"

"How long have you been on this island?"

He paused mid-step. "Oh about two days. Although this was never part of the Whitebeard territory, Pops loved this island, especially for their quality saké."

Aiko giggled at his answer. "He really did have a thing for fine saké."

Past tense. Damn. It was really true, he was gone, and saying things regarding that fact, felt like acid on her tongue. It made her stomach flop, in awkward ways and her throat extremely dry, as she forced herself to hold back the tears and mixed emotions welling up inside her.

The pair stopped in front of a door far below deck. It was the hall where all the commanders aboard the ship slept. With a loud knock on the wood, Izo called out to see if, and he most likely was, behind that door.

It was silent for a few moments, but soon a soft sigh was heard, and the movement of feet approached them.

"What the hell is so important that you need to bother me while I'm working?" A pair of lazy, and most likely tired eyes stared at the cross-dressing commander outside his door.

He smiled. "I found something quite interesting and beautiful in town today."

Behind Izo, Aiko blushed shyly. It wasn't too often she got a compliment, it felt embarrassing...but somehow really nice.

"Oh? Did you really come to bother me about something so trivial..." The blonde didn't get to finish his sentence, letting it trail off as Izo stepped to the left just to show him exactly, not what but who, he found. Behind him, ice blue eyes, tan face, and black hair greeted him with a sheepish wave. A person he remembered all too well.

How long had it been? Probably twenty years, give or take. The child that snuck aboard their ship so long ago, was standing right in front of him. She had grown, and Izo was right, she had gotten beautiful over the years.

"Um hey...?" She greeted, as if almost unsure of herself, judging by his reaction to seeing her. "Izo...maybe this wasn't such a good idea? I really don't feel comfortable bothering him."

Marco continued to stare- and not for the reasons you might think. It was baffling to him that they would run into her in such a place, surely she wasn't traveling alone like she had been back then.

"Yeah..he's just staring me I think I'm gonna head back into town... It was nice seeing you two." She sighed, turning on her heel to make her exit.

A hand on her shoulder stopped her from leaving.

"Sorry. I'm just really surprised that I'd see you again." Marco replied releasing her, and running a hand through his blonde locks.

"Hm? I guess...kind of an interesting coincidence, if any." She shrugged, looking over between the two commanders.

Marco sighed again, and shut the door to his room and his work behind him- Ushering the group up towards the deck. He leaned against the railing of the ship, and she sat next to where he stood on the deck. Izo murmuring about having some things to take care of, leaving the two old friends alone.

"So what're you doing all the way out here? Last I heard, you wanted to become a damn Marine." He sneered as he said the last part of the sentence, the mere mention of that made his blood start to boil. He wasn't mad at her, he simply just couldn't stand for the bastards who claimed to be for, 'Truth And Justice'.

"Yeah...after I snuck away from you guys, I pretty much spent a great deal of time trying to become a Marine. I abandoned my post as Vice Admiral, around five years ago...My superior was probably not very happy about that, but then again he's bat shit crazy and never happy about anything unless it's maimed, dead, or dying." A deep scowl worked it's way onto her face.

Marco, who had been looking down at the woman next to him, quirked up and eyebrow at her statement.

"Abandoned your post huh? And a as Vice Admiral...no less. Hell if anyone of the commanders on this ship did that I'd have their heads. Who was your superior?" He questioned.

The scowl only darkened, and you could see rage and confusion welling up in her otherwise blue eyes. She didn't like the answer to that question, and neither would he. The bitter taste of bile filled her mouth as she muttered the answer in a harsh tone.

"Sakazuki." One word. A single name. A name that sounded like glass shattering.

Marcos face distorted, almost as much as hers. The man who killed Ace, and assisted in Pops' death. It had been damn near a year, but the pain was still there. Deep, deep down, in the far recesses of his slain heart. The image of that day had been burned into his memory, but being a son of such an amazing man, he would have no hearing of continuous mourning. Pops would want his sons to thrive, and carry on his legacy and beliefs in his place.

Aiko speaking in low tones, tore him away from those damning thoughts.

"The ship I'm working on, told me that you often visit this island around this time of year. In all honesty, I was quite excited about it, but then I realized what happened not so long ago. I came to offer my condolences to you." She spoke, looking up at the man who seemed not to have aged whatsoever from the day she met him.

"Well thank you. I'm sure Pops is smiling right now. It's hard getting and moving on, but I know for a damn fact, he would be turning in his grave if we kept being destroyed by what happened. Regardless, I am amazed that, that son of a bitch, Sakazuki hasn't issued a bounty on your head."

Aiko laughed at the last part of his sentence. "It's true, maybe he's just waiting for the opportunity to kill me himself..."

'Maybe those people who are after me were sent by him to bring me in? No. Akainu doesn't work that way. If he wants results he doesn't wait around for someone else to deliver.'

"Oi. Something wrong? You look pretty skittish."

"Hm? What...oh um no. Just thinking about some stuff.."

"Like?" Damn. He was surprised how unusually talkative he was being today. He hadn't really left his quarters and spoken to anyone in a few days. The fact that he also hadn't seen her since she was a small child, and they picked up basically where they left off- Interesting indeed.

"A lot of things. Rather not bore you with details, but I got a letter not too long ago that some people were after me. So I left my ...I guess you could say 'home', in order to find out why. Someone with the initials, D.M., sent the letter. I have no idea who it is, and why they would give a shit."

"After you? Well I'm not sure if that's really anything I can help you with. However.." He paused, taking out a small slip of what looked like to be paper and handed it to her.

Quizzically she took the small white square, examining it. "Is this?" She asked looking at him.

"My virve card." He smiled lazily.

"Why though? I'm perfectly fine taking care of myself...hell I made it this far with only a few scars."

He sighed. "It's not that I don't think you can take care of yourself. But Pops would want me to do this, because even though you snuck aboard this ship full of pirates, no less, he loved you like you were one of his own. Do you remember? He didn't even have any sort of anger when he found out. He enjoyed your company so much, and was quite worried when he was told you just disappeared that day."

It hit her like a fuck ton of bricks. That moment so long ago, was her last good bye to the old pirate. The last one she'll ever have. The tears that had probed at her eye earlier, started flowing uncontrollably as reality hit her once more. Marco who had been standing next to her, frowned, taking a seat next to the distraught woman. He wasn't too sure what to do, or why she was crying for that matter, but it must have been something he said. It wasn't his intention to hurt his friend and make her cry, so in the end he found himself pulling her into his arms- hugging her until her crying had ceased.

The sun was starting to go down over the ocean. Aiko who had been brought aboard the ship, courtesy of Izo, had been chatting away for a few good hours with the First Division Commander. The light of the sun hitting the water caused her to wince slightly, as it blinded her eyes. She literally spent a whole day on their ship...even forgetting to eat. Hiro must be worried as well.. But somehow as she scrambled up from the deck, she smiled softly, looking down at the pirate.

"Sorry for keeping you from your work all day, I didn't even realize how much time had passed... Truly sorry Marco. I need to go grab a bite of food, I haven't had anything to eat since early this morning..."

He gave her a lazy smile in return, pulling himself off the ground as well. "Don't worry about it, I'm sure, though still an odd coincidence, Izo probably brought you here to get me to finally leave my room."

Aiko snickered at his statement. "You guys really haven't changed all that much. Especially you, Marco."

"Oh? How's that?"

Rolling her eyes mockingly she poked a finger into his bare chest. "You always work hard...sometimes too hard or too much. That much I can remember."

He chucked at such an obvious answer. "It would appear so. But someone has to keep these bastards in line, and shit running smoothly."

"I suppose so. Well anyway...it was nice seeing you, if you could, tell Izo I said goodbye and it was also nice seeing him."

He quirked up an eyebrow at her words. "You don't have to leave. Stay for a little while longer if you like, I assume we are going to have another party tonight."

"Party? What for?"

He scratched the back of his head, as he watched the men of the crew start loading things onto the ship, and taking them below deck. He was about to say something, but was cut off by a familiar voice.

It was Izo, and he was running up to them happily.

"My dear! He's right, we are having a party. I spent all day preparing things for this unexpected and lovely visit from you."

Shocked and utterly stunned by his words, Aikos' face flushed slowly. "So this party is for...me?" Her voice became tiny and soft.

"Well of course! You were like one of the family back in those days, though it was for a short while, you managed to fit in perfectly. Even now I still consider you a part of our family! I'm pretty sure I can speak for this workaholic as well!"

Her flushed turned redder. She had never had a party thrown specifically for her...and especially not for something so...coincidental. She never really had a 'family'. Even with Mona, she still felt somewhat out of place. Back in Providence, her father would just take her on an adventure for her birthdays...regardless of what his first wife thought of his bastard child. Jealous bitch.

"I think she's in shock, Izo." Marco chuckled deeply, as the two stared at the silent woman.

"You really...don't have to go through all this extra trouble just for me." Managing to calm down and properly create a sentence.

Izo would hear no more of it. She was staying. End of discussion. Clasping her hands between his own, he looked her dead in the eyes. "Darling if you don't stay for the party, then it would be all for naught."

She thought about it, if he actually went through the trouble of preparing something for her, only to watch her just back out...that would be twice as troublesome. Sighing, she nodded, and he grinned back- squeezing her hands lightly.

"Alright. But since you have people you are traveling with, you should probably let them know that you're in good hands for night."

He was right, she had to let Hiro know, she didn't want him worrying any more about her than he probably was now. After Izo released his light grip on her, she turned to leave the ship.

With her back turned, he used a finger to jab into Marcos' arm.

"What?"

"Go with her."

"Why?"

Izo rolled his eyes. "It's not safe for a pretty woman to be walking alone during the night, especially on an island she knows nothing about."

"I'm sure she can-" he started to say, before thinking about his friends' words. He was right. Dammit. With a groan, looking at the cross dresser, he started after the girl.

Slowly he caught up to her as she made her way down the docks. As Aiko heard footsteps approaching, she turned around to see who it might be. She didn't want to have to fight or anything. Upon noticing the commander, she smile warmly, stopping in place.

"Did you need something?" She asked putting a cigarette into her mouth, and lighting it.

He ran his fingers through his hair nonchalantly, and shrugged. "Izo suggested I go with you; he said-and I quote, 'A pretty woman should not be walking around alone during the night, especially on an island she knows nothing about.'"

That made her laugh, and almost choke of the thin white smoke.

"Seriously? I'm near thirty dammit. Though That's pretty nice of him. Well if that's what he wants, and you actually followed me this far, I won't make you go back."

He smiled at her, shoving his hands into his pockets, and following alongside her.

Hiro had been mopping the deck, when he noticed his hired help walking up in the light of the sunset. But his eyes widened, at the company next to her. He knew the Whitebeards were not the violent type, like other pirates he had come across before on a different islands. Still, he wasn't too big a fan of pirates in general.

Aiko grinned waving to him as she and her...friend? walked up to his ship. "Hiro!"

With a small smile, he acknowledged her presence, as well as her company's. "I am glad to see you are unharmed. I haven't seen you all day, and I was starting to worry a bit. Even the crew was starting to get concerned."

Aiko frowned. "I promised I'd be careful, you know."

"I know. But think of it from our point of view, some of us have children damn near your age. We're parents, and always will be concerned about the youngins. Especially women, I have two daughters for example."

"I'm sorry, but I'm here, and I just came to tell you that I'm alright. However... The Whitebeards are throwing me a small...well not exactly I'm going to assume, party tonight. I was wondering if it was alright if I could possibly stay the night, and meet you in the early morning."

Hiro pondered of her words, as long as he'd known her, she always kept her word. It would be nice to see her with some friends for once. Smiling, he finally agreed.

Her eyes sparkled with excitement, at his willingness to let her go.

He turned to Marco, who had basically just been a bystander until this point, and gave him a stern look. "You take care of this woman. She's a gem, and though I know you would never bring her harm, I still worry. So please bring her back before the sun rises tomorrow morning."

Marco gave the man a curt nod of compliance, and then turned to his friend. "Ready? Izo is probably wondering what's taking so long. And at any rate, I'm sure you're starving by now since you mentioned about not eating anything throughout the day."

Damn he was right. Her stomach gurgled quite loudly at the mere mention of the word, 'eat'. The three of them laughed at the funny noise her body made. With a quick bow, and a wave, she and Marco turned to head back towards the ship.

The celebration had reached full swing not too long after their arrival back. Most of the crew had remembered her, others not so much. Though it was pretty apparent, that they too, saw her like one of their own. The ones that did remember started asking questions, and soon she was encircled by a rather large group of men, and even a few women.

Off in the distance a set of lazy blue orbs watched her regale the crew in a few stories. Laughing, drinking, and having an otherwise blissful time of merriment. If Ace were still here, he probably would have tried running off with her on some crazy adventure. A small smile was formed on his lips at the thought.

'This woman is a gem..'

The man, Hiros', words echoed through his mind. She had most definitely changed from all those years back, but the maturity she had held back then, even for a child, had never left. However, as it stood now, he couldn't see her as that small child at all, it was strange.

"Why are you lounging around by your lonesome over here? You're not gonna join in on the festivities?" A gruff voice popped up next to him. It was Jozu- the man who had actually found the girl wandering through the , Moby Dick, that fateful day.

Marco shrugged, taking a sip of his drink. The two literally spent damn near an entire day together, not to say that it wasn't fun, but she should be hanging out with the rest of the crew as well.

"I have a drink don't I?" Was all he said, shifting his eyes to the left.

"Valid point. But that doesn't explained why you're by yourself."

Marco rolled his eyes, setting his drink on the railing, and turning his comrades increasingly intoxicated states.

"I have a few things on my mind."

"Very well, do as you please, just try to have fun for once. The rest of the crew seems to be quite taken with her." And with that he was left alone again.

Aiko wasn't the type of person to cut loose, at least no very often. She had been deeply conditioned by Sakazuki to always be on your toes- and strong drink is the weakness of a poor soldier. But today? Today was different, a happiness welled up inside the woman; and for once in a very long time she was truly happy...and very drunk.

She excused herself to find a bathroom for a much needed tinkle. By either standing up too fast, or drinking more than she remembered- and hopefully it was the former, it caused her to sway and stumble on her feet. She sprinted to the entrance below deck, running into someone on her way down. 'Not again...? Seriously.'

Her face was flushed, from the alcohol as she looked up to apologize. Seeing her beautiful friend, she quickly bowed an mumbled an almost indecipherable sentence.

"Woah...slow down my dear. What're you doing down here when you should be up on deck?" He asked, gently cupping her cheek in his hand.

Her face winced, at the growing sensation in her bladder, "Gotta pee...like really bad..."

Izo laughed loud enough that his voice echoed through the halls. Smiling he linked her arm with his own, and showed her to his quarters for a bathroom. She burst through the door after a short while, with a look of relief on her face.

He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, shaking his head with a smile. "Darling you seem to be very drunk. Are you sure you're gonna be okay."

Humming a sweet tune, she nodded at her friend. "Hiro told Marco to take care of me, haven't seen him since we got back though..but it's fine, I promise I won't wander off." Her voice getting softer as it trailed off into the silence of the hall.

"Is that so?"

Once the arrived about deck, Aiko slipped her arm out from Izos', and scampered away for another drink with the rest of the crew. They greeted her with cheers as she sat back down in her previous spot.

On the completely opposite side of the deck, a man sat, leaning up against the wood.

"I knew I'd find you here. You're not going to hang out with everyone?"

A shrug. "Is it really that important that I do right now?"

"Harsh words. I thought you'd at least want to be around the girl." He pried.

It was true, he wanted to be near her, but there was something tugging at his gut about it. Just like back then, she'd disappear, and then what? Another twenty or so years would pass? Another thing bothered him. It was like the little girl he met never existed- even though it was the same person from before.

Izo quirked up an eyebrow as he waited for his brother and fellow commander to answer him. Just as he was about to try and jostle even the smallest string of words from him, he noticed a figure approaching.

Still humming her tune, she placed a cigarette between her lips, and leaned up against the rail; drink in one hand, lighter in the other.

She stared off as she thought about her next plan of action. It was a far journey, but she did have one eternal pose that would guide her there no matter where she was. But the closest island that would be their last stop was still far away, meaning if she had waited until that point, she would indeed have to figure out how to get the rest of the way.

Groaning, she blew out some smoke, and slumped to the ground, sticking her feet over the side of the ship, between railing posts. Gulping down the remainder of beer in her mug, she sighed, laying her back on the wood.

Izo, who had been watching her silently, knelt down beside her; brushing loose strings of hair from her face. Startled- she sat up abruptly, at the jarring physical contact.

"You scared me Izooo~" she giggled, in a drunken tone.

His eyes widened at the level of intoxication on her face. She was positively wasted! Turning to Marco he frowned, as he laid his lazy eyes on her.

"You were supposed to be taking care of her! Look at how fucked up she is." Even though it wasn't really the blondes fault, he had acknowledged he would take care of her.

"Are you okay? I think you need to go to bed, Aiko." He asked in a concerned voice.

Her lidded eyes, soon beamed with excitement upon seeing her friend. Happily throwing her arms around his neck, forcibly pulling him into a hug. He smiled at the warmth of her body, almost flush with his own. Making Izo clear his throat.

"Yeah. I know I'll put her to bed. Jeez. I didn't think she would end up wasted."

"Well she is an adult you know. But it would seem that she might've bitten of more than she can chew- assuming she doesn't drink much, or very often."

Slightly annoyed, Marco scooped up the woman who still was clinging to him with her arms around his neck, bringing her down to his quarters.

The breath on the crook of his neck was hot as she muttered something against his skin. Shaking his head, he opened the door to his room, gently laying her across the sheets.

Placing a hand on her shoulder, he tried to see if she was indeed asleep. She blinked a few times, looking around to gather her surroundings.

"W-where am I?" She slurred, attempting to sit up, but to no avail he held her down in place.

"You're in my room. You are wasted so I brought you here so you could rest. Remember you have shit to do tomorrow for that Hiro guy."

'Dammit all. That's right.'

"I'll grab you some water." Having said that he left her alone for a short while.

The lighting was minimal, but she could make out the bed, rows and rows of rolled paper and shelves of books. A desk, with more papers and instruments, as well as a pair of glasses.

This room looked a lot different than Izos', but that's pretty much to be expected. She sighed as she let her limbs stretch out across the soft surface. A soft knock came from the other side of the door, signaling his return.

"Thanksh."She smiled, forcing away the heaviness in her body, as she sat up slowly.

"Now get some rest." Marco ordered Aiko as soon as she finished her water.

"Wait where will you sleep if I'm using your bed."

"Hm? Where do you think? Same place as you- don't worry I'll be a complete gentleman."

Aiko laughed loudly, "I'm sure you will. Jus' don't get mad if I try to cuddle."

He nodded, before leaving the room so she could sleep.

I had trouble writing this chapter; I stayed up until 4:30 this morning writing this because my insomnia is so bad right now. Ugh. Also I have work for the next few days so I probably won't be updating. If I miraculously find some time, maybe once every two/three days. Then it's vacation time. Go California!