Ten long months go by. Let's see how Rory is doing, shall we? (This chapter might not be that exciting. Just saying.)

~R~

You know, I feel like I really must question my mother's teaching methods. I thought it started off harsh, but looking back, I realized she was going easy on me at first. The insults, belittling me, pushing me around... That was a cake walk compared to what I have to put up with now. She really is a witch. I must commend my father, whoever he is. He must have been a pretty brave guy to spend a night with her.

I spent four months dealing with that torture. (Actually, it was heaven compared with what I'm dealing with now.) After four months, Grace decided I had learned the basics of what she was teaching me. To be honest, I didn't even know what she was teaching me until after she booted me off the island. She claimed she was going back to work. She did go back to work like she said. However, I thought she would be going after Whitebeard again.

Nope. She gave me a one day head start and has been after me ever since. For six months I've been honing the skills she taught me. Subtlety, speed, focus. She taught me all of that. I even learned to use a little haki. I've been island hopping these last few months with Grace and her subordinates on my tail. It's gotten easier to lose and confuse them. The subordinates, I mean. Grace had to know where I was I had a feeling she just gave me a break. Not much of a break though. I've learned that she'll make a move during the night as well as the day, forcing me to sleep with one eye open. I've never been worked so hard in my life. I was always carefree with nothing to worry about. Now I had to watch my back. For my own mother.

I smiled a little. I will admit that I'm grateful to her. Her methods are unorthodox, but I feel myself getting stronger with each passing day. Maybe not physically, although I've gotten faster. My mind has been working in overdrive. What I can't accomplish with brute strength, I accomplish with clever schemes.

Another upside is that I've gotten a nickname and a bounty on my head. It's not like I've done anything incredibly noteworthy like some other pirates. It's just that I've managed to escape from multiple high ranking marines, not just my mother, and that earned some fame all on its own, I guess. The Silver Ghost, they call me, because I can appear in a town for a day, and then vanish as though I were never there. It's pretty cool if you ask me. My bounty is nothing special. Forty-five million is nothing compared to a lot of pirates I actually knew. For example, it was less than an eleventh of Ace' bounty.

Ace...I wonder if he's seen my wanted poster. I wonder how he's doing. It's almost been a year since I've seen him. I don't think he caught up with teach yet. I think I would have heard about it if he had. In a newspaper, or maybe someone from Whitebeard's crew would have found me. I gave Marco a vivre card when I left, though I asked him not to come after me it was absolutely necessary.

I missed them. I think I've learned all I can so far. Maybe its time I head back. Unfortunately I have no idea how to find the ship again. I had been in such a hurry to leave, I didn't get a vivre card or anything that would help me find a Whitebeard pirate.

Oh well, I'll figure that out somehow.

Right now, I'm hungry. I need to find a restaurant. And possibly someone who knows where I can find the old man's ship.

~A~

I was eating when I first saw it. I was scarfing down a generous portion of food when I looked up at the board where they keep wanted posters. I nearly choked when I saw Rory up there. Her poster was off to the side, less important than the guys who had bounties in the upper hundred millions. But she was there! She was wanted. Why? How?

The Silver Ghost. Everett D. Rory. Wanted dead or alive (It always says that). Worth 45,000,000 beri.

I got up, leaving my food forgotten on the table and tugged the poster off the wall. No one would miss it.

In the picture, Rory seemed to be minding her own business, just walking down a street. She was looking away from the camera with a blank, relaxed expression. Her hair was longer, about long enough to reach just below her shoulder blades. She was wearing a white, long sleeved, collared shirt with a black waist cincher. I smiled. As always, she wore black leggings and knee high boots. Not too much had changed. She carried her bow and had her quiver of arrows strapped to her back.

I had so many questions. Why was she all on her own? When did she get a bounty? Why did she get a bounty? The Silver Ghost? What's up with that? It sounds cool though. How was she doing? What was she up to?

Rory was a I sighed and folded up the poster, putting it in my pocket. I miss her. It'll be nice to at least carry a picture of her now. I sincerely hoped I could see her again soon. Its been so long.

I also prayed she would stay safe.

~M~

A note was all we got when she left. A note and a vivre card. Part of me was livid and wanted to bring her back, to reprimand her for not telling anyone in person. But another part of me decided it was a good thing to let her leave for a while. Not because we didn't want her around. Honestly I thought it was great that she was doing something productive. Productive indeed. Little Rory got herself a bounty.

I've heard some rumors floating around. There one day, gone the next, hence her nickname. She's escaped the marines' clutches on several occasions. High ranking marines, too. Pops was proud of her for working so hard. Truth be told, so was I. Especially since she had the guts to deal with Vice Admiral Grace all this time. Kudos to her.

Thatch would have been impressed. It didn't hurt so much to think of him now. I wouldn't say anyone is over it, but we've managed to move passed it for the most part.

I pinned Rory's poster to the wall on the deck, where we put everyone's wanted posters. It was like a wall of fame sort of thing.

"Oi! Red Hair's ship is coming closer!" Someone shouted.

Oh jeez, what did he want? I warned the less experienced guys to stay back. It was too late though. They started dropping like flies. They'd be fine, but I don't appreciate having my friends get knocked out. Damn that redhead. He had the nerve to ask me to join him. I turned down the offer heatedly.

Pops and Shanks exchanged a few words in greeting. The redhead brought some special booze, and then a pleasant conversation followed. At least, it started out that way. Shanks brought up a touchy subject. He warned the old man that Ace wasn't strong enough to face Teach, and even told him to stop him.

Whitebeard didn't take kindly to that. He wouldn't put up with someone trying to order him around, especially not an enemy.

I sighed. I knew that bastard would cause trouble. The fight that followed ended quickly enough. Luckily there was little damage done, to either side. It could have been a lot worse. After all, two Pirate Lords had gotten into a fight. I warily watched the red haired pirate head toward his own ship.

His eyes flitted toward the poster wall and he stopped for a second. I only saw his expressions for a moment. First he looked curiously at one of the posters, with what I could only imagine was fondness in his eyes. (That's weird enough in itself.) Then his face changed to something I could only describe as an indignant pout. I can't be completely sure though. It only lasted a moment. And then he was gone. He got on his own ship and left us in peace.

I walked over to the poster wall. Who was he looking at?