Special author's note:

It helps if you listen to the song Mother Sea during the flashback bits. With the first one it's your own choice, but the ones after that I highly recommend it.

Now on with the story!

We both stepped back. We bowed, Zoro sheathed one and took the Wado Ichimonji from his mouth, "You're good."

"You're better." I sheathed my swords as Zoro slid the white hilted sword into its similarly white sheath.

"Heh. Matter of opinion." It looked like he was about to put his third blade away, but he slashed at me.

"What the hell?!" I dodged, "Zoro!? What the shit!?" He frowned, looking at the sword. I stared at it, and just knew. "A Kitetsu?! You're using a Kitetsu sword?! Are you nuts!? Those things are cursed!"

"Kitetsu the Third..." He glared at the blade, then sheathed it.

I rubbed my forehead, walking away from him, "A Cursed sword? You're crazy..."

"Hey! If you got something to say, say it to my face!"

I turned pointing at him, "Like I have anything to say to a crazy man who willingly uses a cursed sword!" I hissed, "That thing is going to kill you one day, or at least get you seriously hurt." I grit my teeth, He was insane! He was going to end up dead before he even got a chance to become the greatest in the world.

I left the boat, checking on Luffy's project, which he wouldn't let me see, though with all the black, yellow, and white paint I could guess.

Usopp was having a lot more trouble getting the mast back onto the ship than Luffy had taking it off, but Luffy's super human. I lent what strength I had, Zoro ended up pulling it all the way onto the ship, and by that time Luffy had finished his project.

"There!" He smiled triumphantly, covered in paint splatters as he held an insanely large brush in one of his hands. "It's done!"

I twitched, looking at... his.. the... that. I glanced up at our flag, and noted the disparaging gap in artistic ability. "Luffy... didn't actually... make our flag did he?"

Nami shook her head, holding one of her maps in one hand, and a compass in the other. "Usopp ended up drawing our flag in the end."

I nodded.

"Consider this a symbol of my promise to come back and fight with you." He really seemed proud of his... thing. "Of course it's a rush paint job." I laughed slightly, "So you'll have to be careful and not hit your head or you'll rub it off. Understand?" Laboon wailed in understanding, Luffy smiled wider. "Good whale!"

You had to admire how complex Luffy's plan was in its simpleness. Then again, he really did believe with all his heart that he would be king of the pirates.

Usopp brought up the extra wood from below deck, then stopped, "Hey where'd they go?"

Nami leaned forward, "Hm? Oh them? I guess they slipped away while we were distracted by Laboon... I wonder who they were."

With a moment to finally relax the crew began doing what they do best.

Well... I wasn't exactly doing what I do best, but ya gotta cut me some slack, I couldn't remember what I do best. I was actually doing what I could to help Usopp. He had a lot to do since he had to fix the steer and the mast.

He slammed the hammer onto the nail. "Yep! This is my life now. Luffy breaks it and I fix it!"

I sighed, he had been complaining like that since we started. I turned slightly, making sure to keep a hand on the new metal plating we were adding around the break, so I could glare at Zoro who was- doing what he does best- sleeping. "Hey sleepy head, wanna help a little?"

"Ehh.." He moaned out.

I turned back to the mast, holding my hand out to Usopp, "Here, let me take over for a bit."

"No, no. It's fine..." He leaned back, shouting at Zoro, "I just wish some people would help out more around the ship!"

He shifted in his sleep.

I shook my head, "I just don't get it."

Usopp and I continued to fix up Merry until and unearthly shriek came from the area near the lighthouse.

Sanji was the first one over, which was surprising because he was carrying four huge plates of food, one in each hand, one on his head and one on his leg. "Is there some problem, dearest Nami? If it's food you're worried about then worry no more!"

Usopp climbed up just ahead of me, "Did somebody say food?

Luffy wondered over, "What's going on?"

I shrugged, dusting myself off.

"No, you idiot!" Nami said, quite obviously distressed. "The compass is broken!" We all leaned in, "The needle just spins, it won't stop!"

I felt like I knew why... Shanks had explained somethings about the Grand Line, It was hard to get at, I think we'd been drinking that night. Actually... I was very sure. "Hm..."

Sanji carefully slid the plate of food on his leg onto the table so he could get a better look. "You're right..."

Luffy stared at it with interest. "Whoa, this is cool."

Crocus turned to us, "It is sadly apparent that none of you have even the slightest knowledge about how things work here." I could hear the hope for us die in his voice. "Did you all come here to die?"

Luffy was completely ignoring him, honing in on the food. "Nice spread."

Sanji pushed the captain away. "It's for everyone."

I crossed my arms, biting my lip, as Crocus continued, "There's nothing wrong with your compass. The Grand Line has little regard for the rules of the sea, common sense is useless here."

"The needle, why does it keep spinning?" Nami asked.

I squinted. "Uhm... My old captain explained this to me... something about... magnetic minerals in the islands on the Grand Line..."

"That is correct. And the winds and currents are unpredictable. As a navigator I'm sure you can appreciate this dilemma."

Nami rightfully seemed distressed, "So if we don't have a way to tell the direction we're going this entire journey is hopeless..." Usopp. Sanji, and I gathered around, this was serious, Luffy, on the other hand, was digging in to the meal Sanji had prepared. She smiled, rubbing the back of her head, "I don't know what to say. We're screwed!"

I sighed, "What a way to give up."

Usopp didn't take her comment as lightly I had, "Hey! You're the navigator! Navigate us outta here!"

"Yum! This is delicious you should come try some!"

Nami turned to us, Would all of you just shut up for five seconds! I'm trying to think here!"

"The nose is the tastiest part!"

Crocus shook his head, "If you have any hope of navigating the Grand Line,"

"A log pose..." It was slowly coming back to me.

"Shanks... Whaz that thing the navigator has on hish arm?"

The red-haired drunk man looked over at me, "That, Leanah, ish a log pose. You need it on the Grand Line."

"OK." I took a drink, then pushed the glass away, then frowned "I donn get it, why do you need a special kind of compass for the Grand Line?"

He smiled, "I'll explain the rest to you later, I promise."

"It... stores the magnetic pull of an island doesn't it?"

Crocus nodded, "Yes, exactly."

"Ish it odd looking?" Luffy asked through a mouth-full of food.

"Why yes, it does have a rather odd shape, why?"

His hand stretched up to Crocus, holding sort of a ballish compass, "Shomthing like thish?"

"Exactly, only a fool courting disaster would attempt to travel the Grand Line without one."

Nami nodded. "Understood, excuse me for one second." Nami turned, very calmly, then punched Luffy in the face, "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME YOU HAD ONE OF THOSE LOG THINGS?!"

Not missing a beat, Luffy sat up, "I found it on the deck, I bet those two weirdos left it behind when they escaped."

"Did they?" She asked dangerously.

"Why'd you hit me?"

"Because."

"Oh, OK."

The navigator walked over and took the log pose from our captain, after a moment of inspecting it she said, "That's funny... there's not a dial face on this."

"You don't need one." Crocus said, "It's a special kind of magnetism that runs through the Grand Line. Complete with its own set of rules that makes it possible to get around."

"Well how kind of it." I said jokingly, causing Nami to glare.

"By measuring the level of magnetism between two islands you can chart a course through the Grand Line. The log pose method is really the only way to get around. As it turns out, Reverse Mountain is a great place to start a journey since it produces seven different levels of magnetism." He seemed like he had explained this to many travelers before. "But it doesn't matter which course you choose, eventually they all pull against each other making one route, and the island at the end of that route..."

"Raftel." I said, crossing my arms. Shanks didn't talk much when I asked about the latter half of the Grand Line. In fact, he didn't talk much about the first crew he was on at all. I knew why, Benn had explained why, the most I could get out of him was a few island names and maybe, if he was really drunk, a story.

"The last and most mysterious island on the Grand Line. It's existence was confirmed by Gold Roger himself, the only known person to have traveled the Grand Line in its entirety."

"Raftel..." Nami frowned slightly.

Usopp on the other hand was smiling, "That must be where the One Piece is hidden!"

"That is the most predominate theory. But no one has been able to set foot on Raftel island since..."

Luffy smiled, biting off a piece of bone, "Donn worry, we'll know soon enough." Crocus looked at Luffy, almost as if recognizing him. Luffy leaned back, "Pfft. Well, I'm done, you guys ready to go?"

All of the food was gone. All of it. "I told you that was for all of us!" Sanji shouted.

Usopp stared at the plates, "He... even ate the bones!"

I facepalmed, "Luffy... You idiot."

Nami wasn't listening, she was too busy admiring the log pose. "A log pose! We have to take great care of this, it's the key to finding the greatest treasure of all time!"

Sanji shifted his weight, "You greedy bottomless pit! You ate the meal I made for Nami and Leanah!" Luffy looked over at the chef, "Well I hope you saved room.." He swung his right leg around kicking the captain in the stomach, "For you dessert!"

Luffy was sent flying, causing a rather strong gust of wind. Strong enough to say... shatter the fragile glass on a log pose. Nami's face went blank as she made small squeaking noises.

I stared in horror. "The... Log... pose."

Luffy sat up, moaning, "Oww... why is everyone hitting me today?

Sanji towered over him, "You selfish bastard, never thinking about anyone but yourself." They were blissfully ignorant of what had just happened.

"Sanji." Nami said brightly.

"Yes?" He asked, turning to her with a smile.

"BOTH OF YOU GET OUT OF MY SIGHT BEFORE I WRING YOUR NECKS!" She kicked the two of them into the air and into the sea.

I sighed. "I'll go save Luffy..." I turned, and ran, gaining speed so I could dive easier. I broke the surface of the water, squinting into the murky depths trying to catch a glimpse of Luffy.

"Hey, Leanah." Shanks said one day as he was taking me through training exercises.

"Yeah?"

"Can you swim?"

I was a little confused by the question, "Yeah, I think I can. Why?"

He stopped, "Well, you still haven't been able to remember much yet, and I just realized we haven't tested to see if you have a Devil Fruit."

I swam down searching for our captain, I spotted his hat and tried to swim faster.

"And that has to do with swimming because..."

He looked up at the sky, semi-lost in a memory. "Devil Fruit users can't swim. Amazing abilities, in exchange for their ability to swim."

"Do you know a Devil Fruit user?"

He smiled, "Lots, they're everywhere on the Grand Line, but there's one..."

"Luffy?" I guessed.

He nodded. "Yeah. If only I had been watching more carefully..."

I knew this mood,I had to think quickly, "Hey, could you show me that last move again? I don't think I got it right."

Shanks smiled brightly at me, knowing why I had done that. "Of course."

I looped my arms around the rubber boy, then propelled myself upwards. Sanji swam passed me, stopped and turned. He was holding two people, I gave him a questioning look. He shrugged, we surfaced and Laboon gave us the extra push we needed to get to land.

"Oh good, I'm not dead." Luffy said.

I looked over, Sanji had saved Mr. 9 and Ms. Wednesday, something still didn't feel right about them, I pushed myself up, Sanji offered to help but I told him to go help Ms. Wednesday. I got to my feet completely soaked, "Aw man... This will take forever to dry." I looked down at my nice black button up shirt. "Oh well, if wine stains can come out..."

Mr. 9 began to get to his feet, "Um... Hey, we need a favor."

I pulled Luffy to his feet and we walked over to the table, Luffy perched himself on the table, I stood by the similarly soaking Sanji.

Ms. Wednesday bit her thumb nail then got down on her knees, "We need a ride."

Mr. 9 knelt down next to her, "To Whiskey Peak."

"Whiskey Peak? Huh, that's a funny name."

Usopp was standing behind Luffy, but slightly to the side so it didn't seem like he was standing behind him, "So what is it?"

"That's our home!" Mr. 9 said, almost sounding offended, then quickly added, "Uh.. sir."

Nami was sitting just in front of them, "What about your ship? How are you stranded?"

"Well..." Ms. Wednesday started, "It was destroyed..."

Nami leaned in, "Asking us for a favor is pushing it Mr. 9, especially after you tried to kill the Whale."

Usopp crossed his arms, "What's with the wardrobe? What are you supposed to be?"

"I am a king!" Mr. 9 declared.

The navigator pinched his cheek, pulling it harshly, "You're lying!"

The strange man was about to say something else, but Ms. Wednesday cut in, "We can't say."

"She's right! You have to believe us, our only motive here is getting home. We would tell you everything if we could, but..."

"Mystery is our company's motto."

"You see we have to be mysterious, it's kind of a rule."

"We have faith in your character, can't you give us the same courtesy?"

There were pictures playing in my head again, I gnawed on my lip, I couldn't see them and I doubted I see something that would give me a jolt like last time.

"Please, we're begging you, show some mercy!"

Crocus stepped forward, "Don't do it. These two fools are dishonest to the core, they can't be trusted."

Nami stood up, pointing to the broken log pose on her wrist. "Listen, I should mention our log pose was broken and we don't have another one... So... Still wanna ride with us?"

"WHAT?" Mr. 9 shot up, "YOU BROKE IT!? That was mine! Those aren't cheep you know!"

"You're stuck here too!? How long were you going to make us beg before you told us!?"

Nami turned, "Whoops, I forgot to mention that Crocus gave us his."

I raised an eyebrow, turning to Sanji, "He did?"

The chef shrugged, pulling out a cigarette.

"It's alright, you can ride with us." Everyone stared at Luffy in shock. "You said your home was called Whiskey Peak? We'll go there."

Usopp slammed his hands on the table, "Why? These two are obviously shady characters, why would we take them anywhere?"

"It's fine." Luffy repeated, "Don't sweat the small stuff we'll be alright."

"Choose your route carefully." Crocus said, eyes fixed on Luffy. "Once you leave here you'll be committed to that course."

Luffy looked back at the old man, "That's alright, if we don't like this route, we'll try a different route next time."

Crocus smiled, he saw something in Luffy that must have reminded him of someone else. "I see."

Luffy set his eyes on the ship, "OK, it's time to get going." He jumped off of the table, stretching up, "Now that me and Laboon have an understanding, I can leave with a clear conscience."

Ms. Wednesday stood up, "Now hold on, just who are you?"

"Hm? Me?" He turned to them, victoriously, "I'm the man... Who's gonna be king of the Pirates."

The two shady people shared a look, then chuckled.

I looked at Crocus, "So about how long until our Log pose sets?"

He pulled his log pose out of his pocket, "Right now it's set for a different course, It should be set by sundown."

It was just after noon. "Sanji, I hate to ask... but could you go make us something else?"

He took a drag on his cigarette. "No problem, especially since Luffy inhaled what we were supposed to have." The chef made his way back to the ship, Mr. 9 and Ms. Wednesday separated from us to plot what ever they were plotting, Usopp went back to fixing Merry, wisely keeping what ever thoughts he had about Luffy's captaining to himself.

After lunch, I walked over to Crocus, hands in my pockets, "Hey Crocus... Can I ask you a question?"

The lighthouse keeper looked at me, "Ask."

"The... crew you sailed with... when you went to find out what happened to Laboon's friends... Who did you sail with?"

The man just smiled, "Just some passing pirates."

I bit my lip, But... Captain talked about getting someone around this area on the ship... I shifted, Then again... he was drunk... "Oh... I mean, I know it must have been pirates, not many ships pass through here I would imagine..."

"You would be correct."

I sucked in a breath, "Well.. I was hoping you would just... I donno..." I shifted, crossing my arms. "Confirm... a theory."

"I sailed with a great man." He looked off toward the ship.

I knew that was the most I was going to get out of him. "... I do have another question." Crocus looked back at me, "About... oh... two... three weeks ago a ship would have come through here... Um... He.. would've had red hair"

"Ah, so you're the young woman he spoke of."

"So he did come through here?!" I was smiling now.

"He did. He left something for you as well." Crocus turned and walked into the lighthouse, I followed.

The inside of the lighthouse was doing much better than the outside. It was truly amazing considering the beating the outside had taken only hours ago. The interior was very sparse, only a few lights, it obviously hadn't been truly lived in for quite sometime. Understandable, he had probably been living in the house on that island-boat he was using to care for Laboon. He shifted through a seemingly resent stack of things. "You are Leanah, correct?"

"Yeah." He dropped a parcel in my hands. I glanced down at paper on the parcel.

To: Leanah

From: Shanks.

I tore it off. Underneath the paper was a letter and a box. It was a very simple letter.

I forgot to give you this.

I know you'll get it.

You're too adventurous to just sit around in a town for the rest of your life.

Until we meet again.

"Bastard." I sighed. A memory from before we parted ways rising to the surface again.

"Did you remember everything?" Shanks asked for the millionth time.

I made a face at him, "Yes, I remembered everything, Jesus, when did you become my dad?" I turned to my suitcase carefully shutting it.

He smiled. "I just wanna make sure you have everything. Wouldn't want to leave anything on the ship, now would you?"

"Shut up. You make it sound like I'm leaving home." I felt like I was leaving home. A home. I cared about this ship, and these people. They were... like family.

"You are, in a way. Lots of the crew think you're family."

I felt like I was punching myself. "Please... stop... stop talking... Yer gonna make me cry." I snapped the latches shut and turned to Shanks. "I still have to say good bye to everyone."

"Make it good."

"Of course I will. I don't know if I'll see you again."

He smiled wider, "If?If you'll see us again?" Hr hugged me next to him in a death grip, "How could you say that. Of course we'll see each other again!" Shanks pushed me out the door, "Now go. You have a lot to do before we reach Lougetown."

I stumbled out, turned and said, "Right. When." I ran down the hall of the ship, as much as it hurt. It was time to say good-bye.

I started crying. "You freaking bastard. Turns out you're the one who forgot something." I laughed, pocketing the note and slipping the box under my shirt where it couldn't be seen.

"Are you alright?" Crocus asked as I wiped the tears away.

"Yeah.. yeah.. I'm just gonna kick his ass the next time I see him."

I left the lighthouse, got on the ship, and retreated to the girl's room. I put the box in my suitcase, vowing I would open it later. After all, by that time it was almost sundown.

I stood on deck, next to an, amazingly, still sleeping Zoro. "Well, you should be good to go. The log pose has had plenty of time to store the route." Crocus was talking to Nami who still hadn't gotten on the ship yet. "The needle should be pointing in the same direction as the map."

Nami smiled, "Uhn. It's pointing directly to Whiskey Peak." She quickly came aboard Merry.

Luffy leaned over the railing, shouting to Crocus, "See ya, pops! Thanks again for the log pose! Take care!"

Crocus shouted back, "Have a safe trip, my boy!"

The captain held his hat in place and turned to the giant whale, "I'm off, Laboon, be ready to fight when I get back." Laboon let out a wail of agreement. "Alright, next stop! Whiskey Peak!" He turned to us, "Ready gang? Let's set sail!"

Usopp and I whooped and cheered as Sanji raised the anchor. Laboon let out one last wail for us. I assume it was a good-bye wail.

I smiled, We were off again! Another adventure. The second of many. But that didn't matter then, what mattered was the thrill of meeting new people and the wonders of the mysterious Grand Line.

And, as always, none of us were truly prepared for what awaited us on the Grand Line. None of us could have guessed the very turbulent first full day of sailing that was coming. But, unpredictable is the Grand Line's motto.

Author's note:

OK... This chapter is about 10 pages long... That's a lot. Plus this chapter was mostly filler or explanation that most of you already know. All that's really new are the flashbacks and the mysterious box Shanks left for her.

Anyway, I have so much planned in this story, I've got everything up to Water 7 planned out and actually some parts of the two year time skip as well. There's one character I'm really looking forward to y'all meeting. She's a real piece of work, and I think you'll all hate her.

Your ever willing author,
Kari910