Author's Note - I was torn on whether or not to preform a time skip or not. There is a lot of story left, but i wanted to get to Raftel soon, so i decided that anything important could be filled out in flashback or stories. So, here we go!

Disclaimer : I do not own One Piece or any of the other fandoms from which names, places, abilities, or references are taken! Imaginary points to anyone who catches said references throughout the story and PM's them to me. Dunno if you'll get anything real, but i give sneak peaks and deleted scenes to my repeated reviewers, so it isn't unthinkable.

Chapter 17 - The Problem Children

It's been one year now since I parted ways with the Straw Hat Pirates, and I still remember them all as clear as day. Roger, of course, sticks in my mind most of all. The daring, honorable, calm red head who I fought so briefly against. Although for my own benefit, I reserve it for only rare occasions, I have employed his trick more than once, each time gaining an upper hand in battle.

David has really proven me wrong. He's been the best shipwright I could have ever asked for. Apparently he neglected to mention that Franky trained him personally before he got his job at Gally La. He's now an indispensable part of my crew.

My first few weeks after being expelled from the ranks of the warlords was difficult. Wherever I went, people knew my face. Marines would not hesitate to hunt for me since I was a pirate, and pirates frequently tried to kill me for giving my allegiance to the government, even for a short time. Becoming stronger was a necessity, not a choise.

I became closer than ever with my crew after they waited for me so loyally. I had never thought of them as my friends before. I always considered them subordinates that I had a duty to protect, and who had a duty to follow my orders while they chose to sail under me. Now we are closer to equals.

Ace has left a lasting impression on me, on how not only a captain, but a human being in general should act and treat their fellows. When he fought, he stood side by side with his nakama, directing them to fight at their best for the safety of everyone, never taking his own safety into prime concern. When things were bad, he was there for his crew, and they were there for him. He had proven in the short days I had known him that he was strong and wise beyond his years. A born leader.

The others left marks in my heart as well. Cora, heartbroken and hysteric over the loss of her friend. It was clear she cared about him deeply, even if neither of them seemed to admit is was more than friendship. Kuina, who was always there to support her captain. Olivia, who was kind to the point of her own suffering, though she proved there was some steel in her. Callan, who had stepped in and calmly kept the crew together and in order while his captain was hurting so deeply. Steel, who was quiet and watchful, but always seemed to appear when he was needed, if only to lend a helping hand to a nakama.

Then there was Soul. I knew he had been declared dead before I left, but the next set of bounties that went out indicated otherwise. I hoped he was alright. I had seen him once, and never spoken to him directly, but he felt the same as the captain when he stood there between his nakama and danger.

The past year has seen a lot of changes. The last two warlords were decided upon, taking my place and the place of Flint, who had been defeated months before. Sean and Felix had come after me with a fury, but found I was not so easily defeated when I was not already crippled. On our last encounter, I managed to sever Sean's right arm. I don't know if he can use his ability with his left, but he hasn't been expelled from the warlords yet, so I must assume they still have a use for him.

I visited the grave of Roronoa Zoro, torn between sorrow that the world had been robbed of such a remarkable man, and joyful that I had the privilege of meeting his own living daughters. There were three other graves on the island, each marked by the name of a great pirate. Fire Fist Ace, Straw Hat Luffy, and Whitebeard accompanied him in the afterlife.

As we traveled the Grand Line, I improved my swordsmanship at every turn. I studied under every master I met, and challenged every possible rival. I still strove to match the man I had idolized since I was seven, but I knew there was no way I could fight with a sword clenched in my teeth. I now carry two swords, and they give me some confidence that maybe I will achieve his skill someday.

The first great sword I found was given to me by a revolutionary who had known Zoro personally. Tashigi had once been a marine and hated Zoro, but soon came to respect him more than anyone but her close friend and superior Smoker. She had found a sword she once intended to give to Zoro, but had never found the opportunity. She warned me of it's curse, and told me the story of how the legendary swordsman had come to posses the little brother of the one she offered.

I calmed my heart, and tossed Shodai Kitetesu into the air, my arm out stretched beneath it. I knew if it's curse claimed my arm, I would never become a great swordswoman. When the blade spun around my arm without so much as scratching me, Tashigi had been near tears. She assured me that next to Zoro, there was no one better suited to the sword than myself.

It was sharp beyond belief, and heavier than any katana I had held before. When I struck, there was power behind it. The cursed blade seemed to seek out the blood of those I fought. I remembered something the doctor of the Straw Hat crew had told me once. One of Zoro's swords was a 'problem child'. Combined with the fact that he owned one of the cursed Kitetsu blades, I was certain I had my very own problem child now as well.

With the black blade Yoru, the white blade Wado Ichimonji, and the black blade Shusui buried with Zoro, I set out to find my second sword elsewhere. The world only knew of twelve of the highest grade swords that had ever existed. I had the good or bad fortune to find the thirteenth. A lost cursed blade that I named Reidai Kitetsu. Now, with my two problem children, and a crew I have new loyalty and respect for, I am on my way to meet Ace and his crew again.

The government had sent out a brief hold on all further pursuit of the pirates once they entered the New World, but when the Black Wing Pirates overthrew Hancock and claimed her territories, the chase resumed. I knew I would be hard pressed to catch up to them before they reached the end of the Grand Line, where even I would likely be unable to survive, but I had to try. With the might of the marines and the warlords bearing down on them, as well as one of the three emperors, I knew it was my duty to stand by Ace's side.

I confess, I am excited to see Roger. The last time we fought, I only had a feeling, but when they had passed through Mariejois like a typhoon, I became sure. He was the son of the emperor Shanks. This fact should have made me terrified to cross blades with him again, but I knew there would be no malice in our combat. Only a test of our skills to see how far we had come.

They've shaken the world more times than I can count already.

I was able to sneak into the marine base where the warlords had been stationed and speak to Mihawk. I told him, his wife, and his little sister than Steel was happy. He was a member of the Straw Hat Pirates now, and they would take care of him like family. Although Pascia and little Sabre were still upset, Mihawk accepted that as the best thing possible. He held great respect for Luffy and Zoro, and he was at peace to place his trust in their children.

There was a rumor that the government tried to assassinate one of their retired veterans. Monkey D. Garp escaped unharmed, at the age of 99. It was unbelievable he could still take on CP9 at his age, but as Franky had told me, the Will of D was a powerful force.

Dragon was traveling with the Revolutionaries again, although he was technically still retired. I got the feeling he didn't want to bring any trouble down on the peaceful island he was staying on if the government sent CP9 or the like after him as well.

Alabasta was officially an independent nation, no longer part of the World Government's extensive domain. With the help of the revolutionaries, they were able to declare their complete independence. It was a monumental landmark in history. They were the first kingdom to retract from the World Government in over 800 years.

There was talk that the government had reinstated the practice of slavery, but only for those convicted of piracy. They justified it as more merciful than death, but I know better. To any pirate, stealing their freedom would be ten times worse than stealing their life. There had been a vicious increase in activity by the revolutionaries after this announcement.

During my brief time in the company of the revolutionaries, I learned from Tashigi that Roger's sword was of the highest grade as well, known as Jokakou. Legend said it was permanently imbued with the power of armament haki from it's time in the hands of a true master. It's owner had died, but forced the last of his will into the blade, making the haki lasting. I can't wait to tell Roger about the history of his sword.

I try not to think about him so much. After all, I know he and the doctor were close before I met them, and in the last two years, it was unlikely they were separable. Despite this, I still look forward to seeing him again with more anticipation every day.

I've seen his father in person once, now. He was an impressive man. Tall, broad shoulders, and his very presence was enough to make me weak in the knees. Many of my crew mates could not keep their feet as he walked by. I've heard of the most powerful form of haki before. Conqueror's Haki. The ability to crush your enemies with the strength of your will. The legend was that Luffy's was the most powerful ever seen. Even before he had mastered it, he had brought down half the world's marines in an instant. By the time he reached Raftel, he could make sea kings run like mice.

Would Roger become that strong?

By far the most impressive thing I've seen on the Grand Line was what I've been told was the second battle between Marco the Phoenix and Nathaniel the Black Dragon. The mighty power of the flying lizard was awe inspiring, but there has never been a thing of more deadly beauty than the phoenix rising into the sky, flickering blue and red and violet flames. The battle was considered a draw, but it looked like Marco came away in better shape, if only barely.

I spared with Vista, once of Mihawk's old challengers, and was proud to be able to keep pace with the swordsman of an emperor. I knew my endurance would not be able to last as long as his, so we called the match early. I stayed with them the longest of any of the Straw Hat allies.

I sparred with Vista several times, and became close friends with Haruta. By the time I left, I wished I had an Alliance Pose to lead me back to them.

My crew has grown stronger than ever, and the warlords pose little threat to me as long as I only have to fight off one or two at a time. The one time Aaron joined forces with Felix and Sean, I nearly lost my life, but luck was on my side. A storm rolled in, and with it, the revolutionaries.

I have the feeling there are forces at work I do not have the tiniest understanding of.

"We're getting close, Ace." Soul leaned on the staff of his scythe and looked out at the ocean before them. "Think we can expect a similar welcome to Raftel as your father?"

"I imagine so." Ace smiled calmly, sitting on the head of the roaring dragon figure head, his back leaned against one of the many spikes that flowed from it's head and neck. "Do you think we're ready? The Black Wing Pirates... The Seven Warlords... The Marine Admirals... We may have to face all of them. Can we do it, Soul?"

"What do you think, Captain?" Soul grinned. Ace returned the smile and looked back at the ship and his crew.

"We can. We will." Ace relaxed his muscles and began to think through his strategy in his mind. He had finally mastered the third haki a few months ago. One of the warlords had taken Kuina prisoner, intending to sell her as a slave. The man had barely escaped with his life. The wave of Ace's Conqueror's Haki was powerful enough to fracture the frame of their ship and bodily knock half his crew into the ocean.

Soul had improved his skills and had mastered the first two forms of haki, although he was yet to exhibit the third. He rarely stored his scythe now, preferring to carry it over his shoulders, always at the ready. He and Cora still hadn't admitted to any sort of affection, but they had learned to fight together seamlessly. She had been determined never to leave his side again. After four months of rigorous practice, she had finally grasped mantra.

Steel had sent a tone dial to his parents, and to his great surprise received one in return. They informed him that Rachel had already told them about the situation and that his father was proud of him. His little sister said she missed him and he had to come home okay. He had cried, but sent his reply, including a special tone dial for Sabre of him wishing her good night.

They discovered that although sea water still rendered him powerless, sea stone had no effect on Callan's angel ability. With his natural mantra abilities, mastering armament haki was a simple matter for the winged man. He'd found spears to work well with his particular skill set, raining them down with deadly accuracy, coated with haki that caught logia users off guard.

Roger's skill with a blade was still a far cry from the great Roronoa Zoro, but he could hold his own against anyone short of an emperor. He'd asked Soul if there was a way to make a new needle of their alliance pose that could locate Rachel, but the shipwright informed him it was impossible without the target in hand to calibrate it to. Olivia had been less than pleased by his interest, but accepted it grudgingly.

The doctor had regained her cheerfulness once Soul had returned to them, and although she no longer allowed herself romantic interest in the cook, she still gave him her company as often as ever. She had sent a letter to her mother after the ex warlord had departed asking for more details about her ear ring, and was surprised to receive a quick reply at their next stop. She now knew she carried the ear ring that symbolized Shusui, the black blade that was much stronger than it appeared. Kuina carried the one for Sandai Kitetsu, and later Yoru. Their mother held the symbol of Wado Ichimonji.

Kuina tried out several new styles of fighting, imitating Callan's dials, as well as Cora's knives, but in the end, she was best with her dagger, jumping into battle and back to safety with her sister. Together, they had perfected a new technique that had won them several fights. They would grab a victim mid jump and release them again mid jump, throwing them with terrifying speed, usually into something hard and unforgiving.

"Captain! Ship approaching!" Steel called down from the crow's nest. Ace stood up on the figure head and looked out at the horizon, catching sight of the ship.

"Can you identify it?" Ace called up to the sniper.

"Flag is black, white skull, two crossed katana behind, a green bandana, and two gold ear rings. Guys! I think it's Rachel!" Steel shouted, climbing down to the deck as fast as his arms and legs would carry him.

"Really? I wondered when I'd get to actually meet her." Soul walked to the railing nearest the approaching ship.

"Roger, get lunch together for her crew as well! We'll have a feast to celebrate!" Ace laughed and jumped down to the deck smoothly. "Soul, you have that Alliance Pose ready?"

"Yeah, right here!" He pulled the item in question from nowhere and opened the bottom panel. "After I calibrate it to hers, we'll be able to find her as well as she can find us!"

A few hours later, the former warlord was on their deck, smiling happily at her friends.

"I'm glad I made it before the fun started!" The swordswoman said. She caught sight of Roger and drew her sword. "Ready?"

"Any time, any place!" Roger slid the sword from his hip and the rest of the crew backed up, leaving them space to fight.

"That sword of yours. It's name is Jokakou. It is one of the thirteen highest grade swords in the world, and it is permanently imbued with the power of armament haki. You should be proud to carry it." Rachel said to him calmly.

"I thought there were only twelve."

"So does everyone else. But it turns out the great master sword smith Kitetsu had one last surprise." Rachel drew her second blade, taking a defensive stance. "I studied with one of the revolutionaries this past year. They saved my hide when three of the warlords ganged up on my crew. That's how I learned about your sword and got this one." She waved Shodai Kitetsu gently. "Then I searched the New World until I found the island where Zoro reforged Yoru into a katana. I found the crypt of Kitetsu, and that's where I found this. Reidai Kitetsu. The last blade he ever forged, when his curse was at it's strongest."

"Last? Ah, I see. They had it backwards, then." Roger smiled.

"Exactly. Sandai Kitetsu was the first of the series. He made it shortly after he learned his death was approaching. Nidai Kitetsu was next, and Shodai Kitetsu was the last he ever released. They weren't numbered in series, they were a countdown to his death. The inscription in his crypt said his heart stopped the instant he declared this one complete." Rachel swung the sword and marveled at it's beauty. It was the same weight as Shodai, but more perfectly balanced, and impossibly sharp.

"Sounds like you are carrying a lot of cursed metal around." Roger laughed and ran forward, swinging his sword a few times, testing out how much she had improved. She blocked every blow easily, swiping out once herself, leaving a tear in his shirt, but not his skin.

"They're not so bad. Just my very own problem children. They behave pretty well for me, as long as I take good care of them." She advanced this time, executing a series of careful lunges, two knocked aside, one snipping a small lock of red hair off the man's bangs.

"Nidai Kitetsu is out there somewhere. I may have to get a problem child of my own." Roger moved in closer, twisting his sword to knock both of her blades away simultaneously, then whipping the very tip over her ear, leaving a patch of her hair visible through her bandana.

"Nice move! You've gotten better!" She laughed and spun, turning one sword as she did so and driving both into the hilt of his, knocking it from his grip so it rattled on the floor. "I have too!"

"You sure have." He rolled forward, snatching his sword from the ground and slashing twice past her shoulders. Each one was knocked away. He blocked a lightning fast blow aimed at his ankles, then landed another scratch on her bandana, leaving her hair visible above both ears now.

"Watch it! I like this bandana!" She slid Shodai Kitetsu so that she held it by the very end rather than against the guard and swung both swords together. Her trick worked and Roger only retreated enough to dodge the properly held blade, the other slit his shirt across the chest. He shook his head, noticing her new grip.

"Clever, I've never seen that one before. Sacrificing strength for reach." He tried it experimentally, knowing she would block it. He wanted to see how it felt. He approved, dropping it back to it's usual grip and singing. The instant before impact, he left his wrist relax. Her blocking move met with no resistance and carried her farther than intended, leaving him open to snip a hole in her pants just over her knee.

They went on for nearly an hour, trying every knew move they had learned to catch the other off guard. By the time they were done, their clothes were ragged and they were both dripping with sweat. Roger took a moment to catch his breath, then had the twins help him carry food out to the deck. Soul set up simple tables anywhere there was convenient seating.

The Straw Hat crew listened to Rachel's men tell stories about all the things they had seen, while Rachel sat side by side with Roger, laughing and talking about whatever crossed their minds. Olivia sighed but smiled, choosing to be happy for her friend and jumping to the roof to sit next to Callan. He had taken to perching above the kitchen like a giant bird.

"Not feeling social today?" Callan asked her, scooting slightly to make room for her on the edge of the roof peak.

"Not really. The weather's nice up here. View's not bad either." She grinned and grabbed a piece of fish off his plate. "I'm surprised we haven't seen you swooping and snatching fish out of the water like a seagull, bird boy." She nudged him. He laughed and spread his wings, providing instant shade for them both.

"Hey, be nice. This bird boy would have speared you a dozen times if I weren't good with mantra. You are really bad at jumping where I'm aiming, you know." Callan retaliated by confiscating a piece of friend vegetable they still didn't have a name for. Roger had found it on an island they visited and, with the mind of a cook, decided to try and eat it. They were all glad he did.

"Yeah, yeah, thanks for all the quick saves." She sighed and leaned back, almost jumping when his feathers brushed the back of her neck. He moved his wing to give her room.

"You are being very nice about her snatching him away from you. Most people would be at her throat." Callan didn't look back to see her blush.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said.

"Uh-huh... Whatever." He retracted his wings and flopped back on the roof next to her. "Deny it all you want. Everyone knows."

"Yeah... And he made his choice. I'll respect that." She groaned. "Wish I didn't have to watch it though."

"Watching someone you are interested in when they are with someone else is one of those parts of life that no one likes, but few get to avoid." He looked at her pointedly, then rolled his eyes when she didn't notice.

Back on the deck, Soul was showing off his G.P.S. to David, and offering to help the shipwright make one for The Wave Tracer.

"So it triangulates your position and direction using a set of Eternal Pose needles... Brilliant. Wouldn't two have been enough though?" David asked, looking at the inner workings. Soul nodded.

"It would have, but this made the design more effective at the edges of it's range and near any single focal point. With only two needles, there would have been major errors any time we approached the edge of the map or either island." Soul explained. The other shipwright nodded.

"That makes since. If only one out of two agree, you don't know which is right, but if two out of three agree, you've got a much better idea." David said. Soul grinned.

"Exactly!"

As the two continued discussing possible designs to incorporate into Rachel's ship, the captain herself was deep in conversation with the cook.

"I think you might have grown an inch or two since I last saw you!" He teased. She stuck her tongue out in a show of immaturity she couldn't imagine herself preforming while in the ranks of the warlords.

"Maybe you shrank!" She countered.

They sat, shoulder to shoulder, at the bottom of one of the sets of stairs leading to the upper deck. She had removed her green bandana and was repairing it with a needle and thread that Kuina had offered her. Apparently she had to repair Ace's hat from time to time and had begun keeping such supplies on hand.

"I'm 21, I don't think I'm due to start shrinking for another... sixty years?" He said. "You'll start shrinking first. That will be a sight to see. You. Even shorter." She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Jeez, how old do you think I am? I'm only 26. I'm not going to start shrinking much before you do." She finished stitching the two holes and reached up to tie the strip of green over her head again. Roger caught her arm.

"You look nice with your hair out. You shouldn't keep it covered up all the time." Roger grinned as she blushed and put the bandana in her pocket. Her hair was an ashy blonde that sparkled gold in the sunlight. He noticed another bit of gold. "New ear rings?"

"Yeah! I thought since I'm striving to be like Zoro, I should have one for each of my swords as well. You like them?" She asked quietly.

"I do. Very dashing." He gently flicked one, causing it to swing. She blushed slightly darker and put her hand over her ear.

"Don't do that! It's feels weird!" She growled. He laughed and flicked it again as soon as she moved her hand away. "Fine! I'm putting the bandana back on!" She reached for her pocket, but he caught her hand, holding the other hand up in surrender.

"No, I'll stop." He didn't let go of her hand, and she didn't pull away. "So you're carrying two demon splitters. That's more than Zoro tried."

"Yeah... I hope it doesn't come back to bite me." She sighed and leaned against his shoulder. "I don't need any more bad luck to come my way. I'm sure I'll get enough of that allying myself with you guys."

"Definitely. Hell's going to rain down on us in a few weeks." He gave her a curious look, then smiled and squeezed her hand. "Glad you'll be there with us. We'll need you and your problem children."

"And you'll have us." Rachel intertwined her fingers with his, smiling.

Across the deck, Ace sat back to back with Kuina, watching the two.

"Is Liv alright?" Ace asked.

"I think so. Still as oblivious as a brick wall that Callan likes her, but she's dealing with Roger pretty well." Kuina glanced up at the thief and doctor sitting on the roof. "What about Soul and Cora?"

Ace laughed a little at that.

"Speaking of brick walls and their obliviousness..." He sighed and leaned his head back on her shoulder, his hat setting beside them in easy reach. "You'd think her complete breakdown when he vanished would have tipped one of them off."

"You're one to talk. It took you how many years to kiss me?" She elbowed him as she leaned her head back to match his. "We'll survive this, won't we?"

"Of course. It's what comes after that I am worried about..." He whispered, near her ear already.

"And what exactly comes next? You still haven't explained about this deal yet..." The navigator felt her captain tense behind her.

"I don't know, really... It was... Unreal. Terrifying. Some dark entity who commanded the shadow monster like a pet kitten offered to return Soul to us if I agreed to destroy his brothers, but from what I understood, his brothers were the government and the warlords... I'm hoping things will become clear when we reach Raftel." Ace explained. Kuina thought about it and nodded.

"Waiting seems like all we can do... We need to deal with things as they come to us." She said.

"Yeah... But I did find the answer to one mystery. This entity created the devil's fruits. He offered some to me, but I refused. I was already going too far in to debt with a being like that." Ace shivered.

"It'll be okay. I think we have enough abilities on our crew." She yawned. "I think I'm ready to get to sleep."

"Looks like you're not the only one..." Ace gestured pointedly to where Roger and Rachel were walking, hand in hand, toward the sleeping quarters. Kuina blushed.

"They move fast..." She chanced a look up at her twin. The doctor was sound asleep on the roof, resting on the thief's wing comfortably. "At least Liv didn't see that. She'd have a cow."

"I think I'm going to stay up a while longer. Good night, Kuina." He kissed her cheek and she grinned at him, kissing him firmly on the lips before turning away.

"Good night, Captain."

Sitting against the railing of the ship, away from the partying pirates, Soul and Cora dangled their feet over the water.

"Scared?" Soul asked. She shook her head, her hair falling in her eyes. She glared at it and shoved it back. Soul took her hand away and concentrated, using his Ope Ope no Mi powers to trim the offending strands.

"You're getting better." She smiled. "Thanks for the hair cut. I could let you trim the rest of it up, if you like."

"Not worried I'll accidentally cut your head off?" Soul teased. She giggled and tugged on a bit of his hair.

"Well, just remember I'll be cutting yours in return, so don't give me a reason to make you look like an idiot." Cora smirked when he put his hands protectively over his head.

"Fair enough." He looked over his shoulder in time to see a red head and a blonde sneaking into the sleeping quarters. "Looks like someone has some catching up to do in private." He laughed and turned back to find Cora's face inches from his. She grinned when his eyes widened and he almost fell onto his back, grabbing the railings to hold himself up.

"Olivia and Callan are on the roof, Rachel and Roger are sneaking off, Kuina and Ace will probably be doing the same any minute, and Steel is probably passed out in the crow's nest, listening to his last message from home. We're almost to Raftel, Soul. Seems silly to leave any unfinished business when any one of us could die." She didn't move away from him, but she didn't back away any either.

"You make a good point." He smiled and kissed her briefly on the forehead. "But none of us are going to die, so we can finish that after we win."

Rachel's back! Next chapter, we meet the marine admirals, as well as the rest of the warlords.

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