The Chronicler

by C-Hablerie

Reality is law. Logic is king. Reason is good. Throw all these out the window and all you are left with is the reality you make for yourself. Some call me The Chronicler, and this is the story of the story I lived. And how I came to chronicle the Legend of the Straw Hat. "I have no idea where I am.[Officially Cancelled. Rewrite: 'Imagine Dreamers', in the making...]

10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: From A Certain Point of View...

Nami was angry.

Not, scratch that. She was fucking furious!

How dare that... that... dress-wearing asshole toy with her in such a manner. Abel had to know, he couldn't be stupid or dense enough not to! That was a fact. And yet he still had done everything to make Nami want to break every single miserable, unbroken bone in his body!

Yes, Nami was very livid at the moment. But that wasn't the worst thing. Oh no.

A part of her was upset about it!

She couldn't understand it. Why would she feel bad at being rightfully furious at one of the most bi-polar jerks she'd ever encountered? It made no sense!

At first, he'd been pleasant enough, she admitted that. Back when they picked him up from Gaimon's island. A bit prickly and testy, but she could understand that. Isolation doesn't do good to anyone. Heck, the two had even gained some respect for one another due to being voices of reason on a ship of crazy idiots!

Then she knocked him hard on the head, gave him a concussion that could've lead to him drowning. Thinking back to it made an unpleasant squirming make itself known in Nami's gut. She recalled, for a moment, that she'd killed him. All because she hadn't really paid attention or fully realized just how frail the man truly was. She had no one to blame but herself and had felt immense guilt over the matter.

But then, at Arlong Park, he'd callously shot Zoro to save his own skin. Such a blatant move of self-preservation with no qualm about morality. At that moment Nami despised him for his cruel disregard of what he did, and she knew he felt no shame for the act. Yet before that, he'd apparently already figured out her act and had seemed... proud and accepting.

Then, even while having no reason to do so, he'd saved Nojiko and protected her treasure. He'd even fought Arlong, and did so with little effort, before having the gall to lecture the Fishman on his misdeeds while knowingly injuring himself to prove a point. Never in her life had Nami heard words spoken with such passion and determination. It was almost supernatural how strong the meaning behind his words were in that moment.

Nami just... couldn't settle on what to think about the man known as Cain Abel. Especially after he'd invited ARLONG of all people on the Merry. That action alone made Nami's blood boil due to years of mental and physical scars. But then he'd go between being sincerely caring and an absolute asshole. And to make it all the worse, he reminded her of Bellemere of all people at times!

'Damnit! Why do I have to know that that fucker is an actor?! That makes getting his personality down so much harder! Why does he have to be so confusing? AAAAUUUURRRGH!' Her mental screaming was so intense that some people she walked past felt shivers in their spines.

Unknown to Nami herself, her internal conflict was very much showing on her face, explaining why the crowds were giving her a wide berth. That explained how she'd never bumped into anyone while stalking the streets, stuck in her thoughts.

Until she did.

"Off!"

"Ah!" A sound of objects falling on the ground ensued.

Nami stumbled back, her head finally clearing and realizing she'd just walked into someone. "Oh, I'm sorry! I wasn't... looking..." She looked down at the ground. She saw who she'd knocked over. The second thing she noticed was a number of bags holding clothes, she assumed. But the first thing... it was far more striking.

On the ground, rubbing her lower back, was a woman of rare beauty. Her skin was light and fair, her facial features a perfect blend of youthful cuteness and mature beauty. Her waist-length brown hair was shiny and seemed smoother than silk. And she had quite a lithe and graceful figure, not to mention... plentiful assets.

But what was even more eye-catching was her apparel. It was very striking due to its warm golden and orange colors as well as its long, flowing hems on both the sleeves and the skirt, though it didn't leave much to the imagination and showed a lot of skin. She wore an ensemble that Nami didn't quite recognize at first, but seemed to resemble the clothing of an exotic dancer.

"Oh, no! I'm sorry as well," The woman said, a bit flustered. "I was a bit out of it, so I am to blame as well." Nami broke out of her momentary lapse in brain activity because OH GOD THIS WOMAN WAS BEAUTIFUL!

Nami was fairly certain she wasn't into girls but...

She shook her head to clear it of such nonsense and gave a strained smiled. "Well, I'm still sorry, " she said, noticing the dropped bags on the ground, some of their contents(clothes of many varieties) splayed on the cobblestone. "Here, let me help you with these."

The woman smiled sweetly at the offer. "I'd appreciate it."

Nami would deny that her heart skipped a beat at that smile. It never happened and even the idea of such was absurd.

In a few moments, Nami had aided the woman with her bags and returned them to her. The woman held two bags in the crook of each arm, smiling warmly at her.

"Thank you kindly, miss," the woman said with a slight appreciative bow. "May I ask your name?"

"Oh, er, Nami," The navigator stammered, uncertain as to why. She was nervous for some reason. "And I just did what anyone would've, really, miss..."

The woman's kind, patient smile never seemed to waver, despite Nami's apparent awkwardness. "You can call me Hari if you want." she introduces herself. Nami stared at the beautiful woman before finally noticed her outstretched hand and that the woman had tried to initiate a handshake.

Which Nami had left hanging there for a good minute.

Nami flushed of embarrassment at being so rude and spacey. "Ah, sorry!"

"Please," the woman named Hari raised her hand in a calming gesture, "there is nothing to be sorry about."

Nami could only manage an awkward laugh at her very uncharacteristic behaviors. Something about this woman- Hari... there was something about her that made her feel off. But not necessarily in a bad way. It was kinda good, but not. Nami felt very confused.

Seeking any kind of way to break out of her... thing, her mind brought her to the bags of clothes she'd just helped pick up.

"Oh, umm, could I ask something?"

"Yes, please do," Hari encouraged.

"Well, it's just that... I'm looking for a clothing store and you seem to have been to one. So..." Nami wasn't lost, not really. She just needed an excuse to get away from the woman making her so nervous for some reason.

"Say no more," Hari nodded in understanding. "I was just at this fine place. I can show you if you'd like." Oh, crap baskets! "Think of it as a sign of my appreciation for helping me."

"Sure!" Nami replied with a thankful smile. That was on the outside. Inside was something more like: 'Gaaaaah! Why did you say yes?! You could've just asked for directions! Now it feels extremely rude to decline!'

"Wonderful!" Hari exclaimed joyously without raising her voice. "Please, follow me."

Without having much choice, Nami obliged. For a while, she was glad to be walking behind the beautiful woman in silence. The way her hips swayed was really something to behold-

*Slap*

"Are you alright?" Hari questioned, looking back at Nami.

"Hmm, yes! Perfectly fine," Nami answered quickly as if the bit of red on her cheek didn't exist due to her slapping herself. 'What is happening to me?!'

Hari's brow raised, just a little. Her blue eyes softened in an almost motherly manner. "Something is bothering you, isn't it." Nami stumbled little, almost tripping. Was she that obvious? "Would you wish to talk about it? I'd offer my counsel if you'd have it."

Nami bit the inside of her cheek nervously. She didn't necessarily want to think of... him. It might rile her up again. But... she also felt like she could trust Hari. A part of her wanted to speak of what was causing her such mental strife.

'Oh, to heck with it!'

"Well," Nami started, "there's this guy on our crew. And he's... he makes no god damn sense! One moment he's an unbearable asshole and then at times he just... he just starts being all kind and considerate before going back to doing something infuriating. It's just- he drives me up the wall!" She'd raised her voice without meaning to, she noted, and let her shoulder s slump. "And I don't know why! I just... don't understand."

Hari observed her with comforting eyes and even a hint of understanding. "Hmm, I see," she commented, thinking. "Is this crew mate of yours an actor, by any chance?"

"... Yes?" Nami answered, a bit confused by what that had to do with it.

"Ah, that would explain it," Hari quipped at the revelation.

"... I don't get it," Nami deadpanned. Hari just smiled at her sweetly. 'So pretty...'

"Miss Nami, I am quite knowledgeable on the... occupation of acting," Hari calmly explains. "Acting is all about becoming someone you are not. And this someone sounds like they've kept up an act for so long that they don't quite remember who they are supposed to be anymore. It can happen sometimes too natural talents. So when they try to act against their set character, it comes off as odd and inconsistent."

Nami blinked twice. That... actually made a fair amount of sense. Thinking back, an image came to mind. The one Abel had shown on a few occasions. When he let his 'mask' slip off. A cold, barren expression. A face devoid of any shrivels of warmth or humanity. An empty husk of a human being. If that was the real him... then that would mean...

"Oh, here we are!" Hari's exclamation made Nami snap out of her musings. The woman gestured at the building to their right. "This is the place I was talking about. There are a few more in the general area, so you have options."

"Ah, yes. Thank you, Miss Hari!"

"Please, just Hari will do," the exotic woman said with a small giggle. She turned, looking over her back at the orange-haired girl. "And now my debt is paid. It was a pleasure to have met you, Nami," She gave her a smile that was warm and radiant like sunlight. "I hope I was of help, and I hope you have a good day., May our paths cross again someday."

"Oh, I hope so- I-I mean, ah, g-good day to you too! Yeah," Nami stumbled her way into a sentence. Hari just giggled in a way that Na- ANYONE would find absolutely heart fluttering.

With one final nod in her direction and friendly wave, the exotic woman walked off and soon disappeared into the crowd, impossibly enough. Nami would have wondered about that particular feat.

That is if she wasn't leaning heavily on the wall of the clothing store, heaving, face flush like a tomato and clutching her chest which was beating mile-a-minute. 'WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!'

She continued to have a... a thing for a few more minutes. If Nami hadn't been so distracted the whole time, she might have realized something odd. The whole way to the clothing store, the only time a soul had paid any significant attention to Hari was when she bumped into her. A frankly impossible thing considering the woman's incredible beauty.

It was as if she wasn't even there.

-o~O-O~o-

'Well, that was a good haul, If I dare say so myself,' Sanji thought, slightly patting himself on the back for a job well done. And why shouldn't he? The markets of Logue Town had proven to be well worth its reputation. He'd heard about it back at the Baratie at times when their suppliers came to stock them up, but to experience it himself... he was glad he'd come along with Luffy.

So, with his purchases made, he'd set the bag containing the foodstuffs down and taken a small break. It was a bulging thing, especially the massive thing poking partially out of it.

He grinned at himself, recalling the Elephant Tuna he'd found and bought. Such an amazing find couldn't just be ignored. It was a delicacy and a fairly rare ingredient. The things he could do with that sea creature... He was certain Nami-chan would appreciate it.

And then praise him and tell him how dependable and amazing he was and how she could always depend on him!

Sanji had a weakness for women, he was aware of that and considered his taste in women to be of the highest quality. He knew Nami used this weakness of his to make him do things for her, but Sanji didn't mind at all. He was just happy to serve such a youthful beauty as Nami-chan.

But the fact was, Sanji had an eye for all women. It was something he just couldn't help. Sure, he mainly gravitated to the more beautiful ones, but a lady was a lady in his mind, no matter the appearances. He was shallow when it came to women, yes, but not that shallow. He was a gentleman, after all.

It was hardwired into him by that old bastard Zeff that hitting a woman was the lowest of the low. Something so unforgivable that anytime he'd even thought of throttling a particularly rude female customer during his boyhood, Zeff had knocked a few more bumps into his cranium with his peg-leg.

Sanji was fairly certain the old fart was slightly psychic.

Anyway, thanks to this method of enforced mental conditioning, Sanji couldn't hit a woman, even if he wanted to.

Which was odd, considering how he hadn't been able to lay a hand on his fair, pale skinned Dark Angel. The ocean blue eyes sparkling, gazing at him in appreciation and... something more.

''These sausages you made are just amazing, Sanji darling~" the mental version of the Dark Angel spoke, licking her lips seductively and fluttering her lurid eyelashes. "I could offer you one in return, my Kitchen Prince..."

"AAAAAAAH!" Sanji screamed, clutching the sides of his head as if in pain as the... horrifyingly enticing image formed in his head of the person he knew to be a MAN! Abel wasn't a woman, damnit! He just looked like one!

... And could sound like one.

... ... And could act like one.

... ... ... And could trick Sanji into doing things for her- him by acting cute and feminine.

... ... ... ... And Sanji had failed thrice to kick the daylights out of that feminine bastard, his body missing his kicks on ingrained instinct Old Man Zeff had beaten into him.

'God damnit!' Sanji cursed mentally, almost ready to cry. 'What has that damned trap done to me?!'

Sanji liked women, damnit! Ones with beautiful faces and fair skins! He liked natural charm and feminine grace! He liked girls in dresses who had a sense of style! He like curves and boobs!

... All of which Abel possessed. Her-his outfit made it hard to tell, but man did have some curves to him unless he wore a corset. Sh-HE was was flat as a washboard, however.

The Dark Angel jumped into view with a spring in her step and did a cute and graceful twirl, stopping to wink playfully towards him, tongue held out in an adorable fashion. She giggled, her arms held behind her back, which only accentuated the harmonic way her chest bounced alongside her breathing.

*Boing, boing*

"GAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Sanji screamed once more, falling to his knees like a man defeated, ignoring in his distress the many odd looks he was getting from the passer-bys, because WHY THE HELL DID HE IMAGINE ABEL WITH BOOBS!?

Sanji might have coughed up some blood. He wasn't sure, his mind was in a disarray. It wasn't that he didn't like... Okay, he didn't like Abel at all. The... guy just rubbed him the wrong way, and his teasing didn't help a damn bit! He just wanted to smack that bastard for daring to mess with his mind in such a manner, but he wasn't so sure he could.

Forcing himself to calm down, he had to admit that he didn't hate Abel for his... lifestyle choices or how he chose to carry himself. He wasn't that petty or hateful. Hell, he could even find positive and admirable traits in the guy if he really tried.

But the man was a consummate liar and a pretender extraordinaire, a born naturally at that. He more often seemed to be honest and genuine, but the fact was that even Sanji couldn't tell with certainty what was true and what wasn't. A credit to his claims to be an actor. But everything about Abel felt so... fake. Convincing, but fake. All appearances and no substance.

And he was crafty. Frighteningly creative and obviously very intelligent. Abel was the type that used any method accessible to succeed in his goals. And that made him dangerous. What more, when combined with all above, it made him unpredictable. Ergo, even more dangerous.

Sanji didn't hate Abel, at all. It was just what his presence, his being, brought up memories from parts of his mind that he wished to just leave alone.

Everything about Abel reminded him of... of home. Before the Baratie. Of...

He shook the oncoming memories away before they could fully form. Instead, he focused on something that did piss him off.

Arlong. And by proxy, Abel for being so foolish by bringing him along.

Sure, the Fishman had behaved himself up to this point and was even alone(in practice, at least) at the ship, so Sanji couldn't really pass judgment before something happened. Maybe Abel had a point with bringing Arlong with them, to give the Fishman a second chance.

But Arlong had hurt Nami, very cruelly and very deeply. She'd essentially been his slave for most of her childhood. That Sanji wasn't about to just forget and forgive, and something told him that Abel didn't expect him, or any of the crew, to do so. But the cross-dresser himself seemed to have faith in the Fishman.

That, or some convoluted scheme. That was also a strong possibility with that guy.

But Sanji would keep an eye on it. He wouldn't trust Arlong by any means, but he should give the guy a shot. For the Fishman to prove him wrong. Abel, too. He knew people could change and overcome their pasts, no matter how terrible, if they tried.

He knew from experience...

...

Okay, his head was a lot clearer now. Perhaps now was a good time to get going.

Something told him that trouble was on the horizon.

-o~O-O~o-

'Scrap metal, lead, gunpowder, glue, rubber bands... lots of rubber bands,' Usopp ran a list through his head as he perused different shops for anything even remotely useful. He'd done that for a while, and while his search hadn't found anything too special it was far from fruitless. Abel's list were broad and often very specific on what they needed, and some of these things Usopp doubted actually existed. Be they materials or tools.

Still, because it was on the list, he looked around and asked about them.

Usopp and the cross-dresser had spoken at length only a few times, but those few times were enough for Usopp to reinforce his conclusion on the man. Abel was absolutely brilliant! He proposed ideas he could never have dreamed of and had already worked up a theoretical method to enhance the power of Usopp's own explosive ammunition. They'd even figured out a way to replicate Abel's basic bullets.

They just needed something to make molds to reproduce the casings. Speaking of Abel's bullets, they were a lot more advanced than anything Usopp was used to. They were way more intricate than a simple metal ball and possessed greater penetration power. The only downside was that they weren't sold anywhere, so they had to make them themselves. Something Usopp was used to doing with his own weaponry, and now he had a very talented person to help. It should be a cakewalk!

They still hadn't taken a look at Abel's more... unique ammunition, simply because of their limited numbers and that... well, neither of them wanted to fiddle carelessly with a round that creates a mushroom cloud by exploding violently or immolates everything in near vicinity. And who knows what the remaining three types do!

Okay, that one was not completely true. They'd easily deduced that one type of bullet was hollow and empty and had a tip made of thin glass. Abel had a myriad of ideas for it within the minute of the discovery but apparently hadn't figured out how to actually do any of them.

They'd decided to not poke a sleeping dragon until Abel could reliably use both of his hands. He'd assumed that he had a rough idea on how to defuse them safely so they could examine the contents. And who knows, maybe replicate the effects. They just needed the tools and materials to make it happen.

Usopp thought highly of Abel. He was really smart and knew his stuff. And he was so confident, direct, brave and even commanding. He could, and likely would fight despite having a massive disadvantage in his frailty. He was level-headed, like Nami, but more... mature? He was older than any of them, after all. More experienced in life. A real adult.

Everything Usopp... wasn't. But what he wanted to be. Maybe that was why he had such high views on Abel while the others... well, they didn't hate him, per se. Just... didn't know what to think of him. What with the whole Arlong situation.

Usopp couldn't lie to himself. The Fishman scared the pants off of him, and he'd tried his best to not get anywhere near him. But he understood what Abel was going for, and could actually even support the thought behind it. Just as long as it didn't involve him being near the guy who had tried to kill all of them.

Okay, so even he had his doubts, but that was just healthy. Right?

Usopp shook his head. Not the time for these thoughts. He looked over the list and was still a bit surprised at the different kinds of metals and chemicals on the list. Abel hadn't exactly informed him of what all these were for, but if it was him then it had to be something great!

Still, partially unaware of it himself, a part of him gnawed at his soul. A gnawing of self-doubt and jealousy.

-o~O-O~o-

Roronoa Zoro was a simple guy. He had a simple goal: to be the best swordsman in the world and defeat Dracule Mihawk. He did things the simple way, by fighting and brute force. But he wasn't as simple as some might think.

Zoro was smart, in his own way. He was perceptive and could read others to determine what sort of people they were, more so when it came to fighting. Maybe that was why he was so wary of Abel.

It wasn't that complicated of a thing, really. Abel had himself stated that honor had no place for a man of his caliber, and Zoro had seen enough to know he meant it. Abel was the type that cheated, schemed and in general, did not play fair. He made his own rules, which made him dangerous.

It also made him unpredictable, and thus difficult to trust. Now, Zoro knew enough of the guy that he could see that there was good in the guy somewhere in that guy's soul. But that was sidelined by another thing Zoro had noted of him.

Abel was a faker. Almost every word out of his mouth could potentially be a lie and every action another ploy, and that didn't really encourage trust. Lately, his doings had made Zoro question if even he knew what was true or false anymore.

Sometimes he did the right thing, like with helping Nami. It held no profit for him and put his life at risk. It seemed like a pure act of good will. But then again, he had essentially left Zoro to the Fishmen after shooting him, no less. Just to save his own skin and get out with his things.

The less said of the whole Arlong situation, the better. Let's just say that Zoro was open-minded but cautious for now.

Cain Abel(Zoro doubted that was his real name) was an enigma. But he was an enigma Luffy had chosen to join them. Zoro knew that Luffy was... well, a moron, but his judge of character was generally on point. So if Luffy was willing to have faith in the man known as Abel, the Zoro would keep an open mind.

If a hunch he had was right, then Abel- or whomever he was -deserved as much.

Letting out an annoyed breath and a low snarl, Zoro simply tried to focus on the more pressing matter. Like how the owner of the weapons shop he'd finally found had tried to swindle him into selling Wadou Ichimonji. Something that just wasn't going to happen! It was a precious keepsake and gift, after all.

He didn't appreciate running into that glasses-wearing fake Kuina though. Not at all. She might look just like his best friend, but her attitude was just unbearably annoying. The resemblance just made it worse.

She did help in exposing the owner's attempted scam though. Not that Zoro didn't think the woman was a good person or anything. She just... rubbed him the wrong way personally.

He was fully prepared to go about his business when someone new spoke up

"So you got caught, old man?" A man's voice called out from the door. The voice sounded a bit hoarse and dry. Footsteps rang about the shop, alongside a jangling of metal. Zoro and the two others turned their attention to the new arrival.

Immediately Zoro's honed senses flared to life. Just from the rather basic looking katana on his hip, he could tell that this was a swordsman. His apparel held some resemblance to the kind of armor worn by the samurai of Wano Country to battle if the stories were to be believed.

His face was angular, handsomely rugged some would say. His most striking physical feature was his hair styled in a rough ponytail, which seemed almost silver in color, but on a closer look, it was light golden instead. And his face possessed some small scars. There was no doubt in Zoro's mind. This man was a warrior, and a pretty good one too if his gut was right.

"Oh, shut it!" The shop owner snapped at the man. "Can't blame a man for trying. I got a business to run."

"Careful," the man said, tone full of dry wit. "You get any saltier, you'll end up a sea man." He then walked to the counter and Zoro noted the large sack slung over his shoulder. It gave off a peculiar symphony of sounds with each step that moved it. The sound of metal scraping metal.

The man dropped the sack on the floor with a thump. Clearly, the weight was not quite insignificant. "Here's what I scrounged up."

The top of the sack had dropped open enough to reveal the contents within. A plethora of weapons of different kinds. Swords, knives, axes, hammers and even what might've been spear tips. Overall, a lot of potentially deadly steel.

"Excuse me, why do you have all those weapons?" Not-Kuina asked the samurai(?).

"Hmm?"

"Oh, this? William and I have a small... partnership," the owner answered in the man's stead.

"More of a deal," The samurai-like man replied.

"Well, alright, but," Not-Kuina said, "what is with all these?" She gestured at the bag William had carried in. Zoro could now spot its contents and prove his earlier guess.

The bag was filled with different weapons in moderate or less-than-moderate condition. Swords, axes, small knives, you name it.

"Well, miss Tashigi," the owner took over. "The deal was that William here would bring me... let's say 'confiscated' weapons, and I would provide him temporary lodgings and some pay."

The Not-Kuina's eyes narrowed with a dangerous edge as she glanced at William. "Confiscated?"

"Criminals, pirates, troublemakers," the swordsman answered lazily, leaning back on the wall. "Stupid people starting fights."

"Yes, and then I either resell them or use the metal to forge new product," the owner added to the man's non-answer. "It's all perfectly legal, I assure you. No need to got to your superior. I got an okay from him."

The tension in Nor-Kuina eyes mellowed a bit. "Well, if Captain Smoker says it's fine..."

'That girl's a marine?!' Zoro screamed on the inside. Damnit, just what he didn't need to add to this whole mess.

"So... you're a swordsman, William-san?" Not-Kuina asked the older man. Something about her question seemed to amuse him, as he shrugged with a faint grin.

"Some have called me that," the samurai replied, "amongst other things."

"I figured. You look the part." Tashigi said. She looked curious. "Are you by chance a samurai?"

"Samurai?" the man responded, sounding a mite amused. "No, though that also was something I've been called."

Sensing that he wouldn't learn much more of the man(and to ignore the ensuing gushing from the Not-Kuina), he tuned them out and started searching the barrel. Most of the swords seemed of less-than-ideal quality and unremarkable. He wasn't expecting anything but some cheap replacements.

That is until his hand touched one specific hilt. His body tensed. He could feel something powerful from the blade he touched, but also malevolence.

"Hmm?" Zoro hummed aloud and pulled the sword out in its entirety. The more he looked at it, the more unsettling it seemed. Unknown to him, the mock-samurai eyes narrowed in the direction of the blade.

"Oh, did you find something?" Not-Kuina asked. Zoro was too occupied by the strange feeling blade to actually be annoyed that she was pestering him again. ".. Wait a second! Is that..."

"Wouldn't recommend that," the mock-samurai quipped from his spot by the wall. "That sword: it's cursed."

Zoro's eyes narrowed in the man's direction "You can tell?"

"I can sense it," the man answered with a curt nod. "That blade want's nothing but blood and death. Best not to bother with it before it wants yours."

"He's right!" Not-Kuina exclaimed, looking into that notebook of hers. "Unbelievable, that's a Wazamono grade sword, the Sandai Kitetsu! How is something that valuable in a bargain bin?"

Zoro looked back at the blade. He could definitely feel what the man had spoken about. And yet, he could tell that this was a very good sword.

"I'll buy it," Zoro stated firmly.

"Absolutely not!" the shop owner. "I'm sorry, but my partner there is correct. I can't sell that cursed sword in good conscience."

"So you do have standards," The mock samurai's jest was ignored.

"That sword is one of the tree Kitetsu blades, made by the great yet mad swordsmith of the same name whose madness was passed onto his creations," the shop owner kept going. "Any man who has picked up one of those swords was also felled by them. It's a sword so bloodthirsty that it wants to slay all, including the one who wields it."

Zoro drew the blade from its sheath and regarded it. True, the more he looked at it, the more his honed senses could tell the sword had an... aura about it. A miasmic cloud of death and hate.

Zoro got excited at the prospect of wielding such a fierce weapon. "So what you're saying is," Zoro started, a small grin forming on his lips, "is that all I need to do is beat the dumb curse of this thing?"

"What?!" the shop owner and not Kuina exclaimed in unison. The mock-samurai just kept a silent watch on the whole situation.

"Are you crazy! That's impossible!" the owner yelled. "That sword has caused the deaths of hundreds. There's no way you'd survive!"

"Really?" Zoro asked. "Then let's test it out!" He threw the bare blade in the air and held out his arm. "This curse against my luck!"

Time seemed to slow down as everyone looked on at the moss-headed swordsman's insane action. The blade spun upwards before starting to fall, no doubt cleaving swordsman's arm clean off. And as the blade descended...

It sank into the floorboards. Zoro grinned victoriously. His arm was untouched. He took hold of the hilt and pulled the cursed blade out, holding it with slight reverence. "I guess I win, eh?"

The tension of the situation disappearing, Not-Kuina fell on her knees as her legs betrayed her, both out of relief and awe at such courageous, if foolish, act. Even the shop owner was stunned by Zoro's brazen defiance of any and all logic.

"I'll take it. How much?" Zoro spoke up. He was a bit surprised at the shop owner holding his hand out in the universal stop signal.

"If you'd wait just a moment!" He then ran off to the back of the shop. Zoro blinked in confusion but noted the new fire in the owner's eyes.

"Y-y-y-y-you," he heard Not-Kuina stammer from the floor. "You're insane!"

"And better for it, I'd say," the mock-samurai stated, stepping away from the wall he'd been leaning on.

"W-what?! How can you say that?" Not-Kuina's outburst was ignored as the mock-samurai regarded Zoro with a pair of serious, almost hawk-like eyes.

It reminded Zoro eerily of Mihawk.

"Take good care of that blade," the mock samurai said in a severe tone. "It respects you know. Best keep it that way."

Zoro just nodded in acknowledgment at the very wise and insightful words. He regarded the man before him, seriously this time. The man knew what he was talking about.

Zoro's eyes narrowed just a fraction. Just for a moment, he thought he'd felt something around the mock-samurai. A presence.

"Sorry for the wait!" The shop-keep returned, holding out a new sword. "You needed two swords right? This blade is a family-heirloom, and I'll give it and the Kitetsu for free!"

Distracted by Not-Kuina's flabbergasted reaction at apparently another rare and famous sword, Zoro almost missed the mock-samurai speaking to the owner.

"Well, I'll best be off. I'll come around later for the payment." Without waiting for a reply, the mock-samurai walked out.

Zoro watched the man leave, now resolute in committing the man's name to memory. Something told him that he should watch out for this William guy in the future.

He, of course, accepted the sword, as it was a gift. No use throwing quality away, and the owner wanted him to take it. Now he had the swords he had come for. Without paying a single Beri at that! So that only left him with the paper he'd folded and put in his haramaki.

"Actually, there's one other thing you could help me with," Zoro began, pulling out Abel's note.

~Meanwhile, just outside~

"That guy sure is something, isn't he," William said, apparently speaking to himself. "Him and that girl both hold potential. I wonder how their paths go from here."

He chuckled briefly before turning serious. "That sword... you sensed it too?" A second passed. "It's well on its way to turning. The corruption within it is strong. That man has some serious will to be able to earn its respect. Maybe he can even tame it."

He regarded the air around him. "Well, hope it works out for him. We'll be leaving soon enough if you're right," he muttered, walking off to nowhere in particular. "Let's go, Saoirse!"

And the air around him, if one listened with a clear mind and a forged soul, momentarily chimed a response.

-o~O-O~o-

"Why is this place so big!" Luffy whined in frustration. He'd wandered around for a good long while, and still hadn't found the execution platform. Logue Town was just too big and too many roads and alleys and other stuff!

Luffy knew he wasn't smart, like Usopp, Nami, or Abel, but he sure as hell thought he had a better sense of direction than Zoro. So this shouldn't have been so hard, darn it!

The mounting frustration led Luffy to run around aimlessly like a headless chicken, swearing he'd walked past a certain cross section at least three times now. The young boy's impatience was beginning to show on his face it scrunched up in a fairly humorous way.

It was no wonder that in his blind rushing he inevitably barreled straight into someone while rounding a corner, causing the person to get knocked over by the Straw Hat's surprising velocity.

Only, that didn't happen. Instead, Luffy felt his arm get grabbed as his whole body was tossed upwards before getting slammed face first into the cobblestone below, another hand firmly clasping the top of his hat-covered nogging.

"Ow!" Luffy mumbled into the stone, though the apparent assault didn't actually hurt that much. Sometimes being rubber was just really, really neat! Still, the arms holding him down were fairly strong and reminded Luffy of one of those grappling techniques Gramps had used on him once or twice.

"Hmm?" A voice hummed neutrally, before speaking apologetically. "Oh, I'm sorry!" The hands left his body, allowing Luffy to pull himself off the ground and to a sitting position. The voice sounded old and tired. "My apologies, young man. I thought I was being assaulted for a moment there. You're unharmed, I hope?"

"Yeah! I'm good," Luffy quipped jovially, turning to look at the guy. He was indeed an elderly man, with a bushy gray beard that covered his mouth and squinted eyes that seemed to be almost completely shut rested behind round spectacles. His face was wrinkly and clearly showing his age. The man's face still conveyed a sort of gentle kindness that Luffy found really reassuring for some reason.

He also wore a really cool looking black uniform. A long coat with red linings made of some type of leather that almost reached the old man's feet. A matching black and gray beaked cap rested on top of his head. And finally, over his coats and on his left bicep was a red armband with a nifty looking symbol that Luffy found strangely cool.

The man also had two long, straight single-edged military sabers with hand guards over the knuckles. The ceremonial looking handle and the arm guards seemed gold plated. But Luffy didn't pay much mind to those.

"Wow, you're old," Luffy said in his usual tactless manner.

Strangely, this out of nowhere comment made the old man laugh. "Hohoho! Why yes, I suppose I am a bit on the ancient side of things!" the old man said in good humor.

"Shihihihi!" Luffy laughed with him because it made sense. "Hey, sorry for running into you, old man."

"And sorry for making you acquaint yourself with the road," the uniformed old man replied with an apology as casual as what he received. "I'm afraid that some old battle instincts took over for a moment there. Can't help that a war dog like me overreacts from time to time, hohoho!"

"You're a soldier? Like a marine?" Luffy asked, not quite stopping to think of the implications if it were so.

"Oh, not quite," the old man replied, brushing his beard with a hand while the other rested behind his slightly hunched back. "While true that I was a soldier, I was not a marine way back when."

"Ohhh!" Luffy 'oohed in amazement. If that grapple was anything to go by, not to mention how fast it happened, then, "You must be pretty strong, huh, geezer?"

"Oh, so now I'm a geezer, am I?" The old man said, feigning outrage while still maintaining a kind visage. "Why you youngsters today! I'll have you know I'm at the strapping young age of 89! Why I am the epitome of youthful vigor!" The elderly man then tried to stand straight and pose heroically with his fist raised in the air-

*crack-pop*

-before slouching right back and rubbing his now aching back. "Augh, darn it all..."

"Hey, you okay, gramps?"`Luffy asked in genuine concern.

"Oh, don't worry, young man," the old man replied with a nonchalant wave. "It's just this old back of mine acting up on me, again. I'll admit that while I'm no one's grandpa, I ain't no spring chicken either. You needn't burden your mind with my well-being."

"Oh. Okay."

"Well, that was fast. Hohoho!" The old man shook his head in amusement as he chuckled. "I'll have to say, that was the first time I've found myself enjoying my free time. Thank you, young man."

"It's nothing," Luffy said off-handedly, focusing on something else. "You're really great, for an old man! That armband you have is really cool-"

"There is nothing good about it!" the elderly man spoke with such sudden heat and vitriol that it made Luffy jump back in surprise. The man's eyes were opened a little into a truly dangerous looking glare. Then the moment passed and the old man seemed to regain control of himself and returned to his kindly appearance, though now looking a bit sadder with how his features drooped. "Sorry for getting heated on you, my boy. You couldn't know, so I had no reason to do so. I'm sorry. I hope you can forgive an old man and his grievances."

"It's okay," Luffy said easily, though now he was wondering. "Hey, old man! Why'd you get so mad just now?" And a curious Luffy was hard to reign in, something the elder man seemed to sense.

"Very well," the old man said quietly. "I get the feeling you won't stop until you hear of this, so I can't stop you."

He placed his right hand onto the red armband with an angular black mark on top of a white circle. His features looked sullen and weighed down by something. "... This armband is what remains of my time as a soldier, aside from my uniform and weapons." The old man squeezed his right hand, grasping and crumpling the armband on his left bicep.

"This band bears a mark of the country... no, the idea I fought on the orders of." If possible, he seemed to slouch, even more, an invisible weight settling comfortably on his shoulders. "Though I'd hardly call what I did fighting for a cause. Cold blooded murder is what it was.

"Under this mark, I slaughtered my enemies, executed my deserting allies and murdered countless innocents for no other reason than being different. It is a mark that spoke of a perfect race of beings, mere hubris spouted from the mouth of a madman. A corruption of a symbol that used to hold spiritual significance that man turned into a vile atrocity that provokes hatred and shame from all who know of it it."

Luffy kept staring sympathetically at the man who seemed to show every single year of his age and piled with much, much more. He knew this meant a lot to the man, so he stayed silent and let him go on.

"... This mark I bear is not one of honor, or fealty, or pride," the old man said, almost in a whisper. He sounded tired. And more than that... "This is a mark to be carried in shame. Shame for what was done. Shame for what wasn't done." He quit looking at the armband and looked straight at the young man before him. "It's also a reminder to never forget. And to make sure I never stray from the path I took to walking so long ago, and that I keep the promise I made with my comrades."

Luffy nodded. He got what the old guy meant, even if he didn't quite understand all of it.

"That's great, though!"

"... Excuse me?" The old man blinked owlishly, for once opening his eyes really wide open. They were gunmetal gray.

"You did bad stuff, right?" Luffy asked. "I don't really get all that, but that thing makes you do good stuff, doesn't it?. So it is really cool!"

The old man blinked a few more times at the boy who spoke so straightforwardly. He lowered his gaze slowly, his shoulders beginning to shiver.

"H-hey, old guy?" Luffy asked, a little concerned. Had he upset the old guy? That wasn't what he wanted.

"... Ho..." The elderly man mumbled in a low voice. "Hohohohoo! Hohohohohoo!"

... Or, he'd start laughing like he'd just heard the funniest thing in the world. That made Luffy's spirit instantly soar. He wasn't sure exactly what he'd done, but he was okay with it.

"Hohoho... My, I haven't laughed like that in ages!" The old man wiped some tiny tears of laughter off the corners of his eyes. He seemed to be smiling warmly at the young man. "It's been a very long time since I've heard such a positive spin on it, though I fear what that says about me." He bowed his head in appreciation. "Thank you, young man, for making this old fools day."

"Shihihi! No problem!" Luffy accepted the thanks with no resistance. Then his mind suddenly caught up with him, reminding him of his original goal. "Oh, shoot! I forgot what I was doing." He got off to running, waving back at the old guy. "Bye, old guy!"

The elderly man in the black uniform waved back with a kindly countenance, the weight on his shoulders seemingly lifted, or at least lessened considerably, as he watched the odd but kind young man disappear around the corner.

...

Only for him to poke his head back and look at him. "Oh, right! Do you know how to get to the place Gold Roger died?"

"The execution platform?" The old man tilted his head a bit to the side as he pondered. "I believe you go the way you were going, then after three blocks take a left and keep going forward. You'll end up there in no time."

"Oh, I get it now! Thanks, old guy! Bye, old guy!"

And then he was gone. The old man chuckled to himself and began walking the opposite direction.

"What a strange, yet invigorating fellow, that young man," he mused out loud as he went on his s bit more merry way.

"... Oh, shoot! I forgot to ask for his name!" The old man realized. Then he shrugged. "Oh well. Next time, if fate is willing."

-o~O-O~o-

Why was he here? On a ship of the people who beat up his men and that by all rights were, and at some level still are his enemies? Why was he standing around on the rocky shoal, in the pouring rain? And why, in the name of all that was holy, was he made to fight something a measly as an overgrown cat?!

"Go get him, Arly!" the annoying voice shouted from a safe distance. As in, from the ship, peeking over the railing he was hiding behind.

"Don't call me that!" he snapped back, more animatedly than he'd was used to.

"I believe in you, buddy!" the fool shot his arm up high in what he must've thought to be an encouraging gesture. Arlong found it more irksome than anything. "Show that kitten a what-for!"

"WOULD YOU STOP HIDING!" Arlong turned to yell at the coward on the ship.

"Fuck no!" the audacious man snapped back with cheer that could only be to aggravate him further. "I'd get torn to pieces! ... And my gun isn't loaded."

"Then load it!" Arlong yelled.

"Bitch, do you realize how hard that is with one hand?!" Abel screamed back, this time with more real heat.

"At least you'd be of some use!"

"I am plenty of use, you blowhole! I make for amazing eye-candy!"

"Umm, excuse me, but could you not ignore-"

"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!" both of them snapped at the intruders, both the lion and the tamer flinching at the sheer animosity aimed at the animal-tamer duo of Buggy Pirates in that single instance. Richie and Mohji both broke into cold sweat, despite the cold rain, and were soon enough once more ignored as the Fishman the guy wearing a dress kept yelling at each other.

They'd been ordered to burn the ship, but the first time Mohji had been scared off by an insane man wearing a dress. When he gathered himself to try again, with Ritchie this time, he was faced with something even more terrifying.

Despite thinking highly of their skills and strength, even Mohji and Ritchie knew not to tangle with someone as infamous as Arlong the Saw. Who was, for some reason, with the Straw Hats!

"Why are you being so difficult? All you need to do is beat up the big, bad kitty!" Abel yelled, pointing in the general direction of the large lion.

"I don't take orders from anyone, least of all you! You're a part of that Hammer's crew, this has nothing to do with me!" Arlong snarled loudly, baring his teeth.

"Then why the fuck did you get down there when I asked you to?" Abel cried out, incredulous. "I was nice about it and everything!"

"I was just done of waiting around in the rain, doing nothing and forced to listen to you!"

"Fucks sake! I am trying to be your friend, so stop resisting, you stupid mackerel!"

"What did you call me?!"

"A FRIEND!"

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT AND YOU SURE AS HELL KNOW IT, HUMAN!"

"OH, SO NOW THIS IS A RACE THING, IS IT, YOU BLOATED PUFFERFISH?"

"To be fair, those insults aren't helping," Mohji quipped up before Ritchie could cover his master's mouth in terror.

"Silence, nobody!" Arlong snapped at the duo.

"Yeah, you've not involved in this anymore!" Abel yelled.

"I feel pretty involved..." Mohji sweatdropped, along with his lion companion. He was summarily ignored once more.

"Oh, this is so YOU!" Abel screamed at the heavens before glaring at the Fishman. "Always having to dig your heels in! Start communicating, for fuck's sake! Why don't you step out of those girly clothes, man up and start sailing on the S.S. Get Along!"

"Brazen words from a man wearing a dress!" Arlong insulted the cross-dresser.

"HEY!" Abel exploded with righteous fury. "FUCK YOU! I'M FABULOUS, UNLIKE SOME ASSHOLES!"

"Not from where I'm standing," Arlong muttered loudly, seeming to calm down somewhat.

Abel kept glaring intensely at him. "... Your hat is stupid and your shirt is tacky!"

"YOU TAKE THAT BACK!" Arlong exploded.

"SEE, MOTHERFUCKER? WE'RE NOT SO DIFFERENT, YOU AND I!" Abel yelled, pointing between the two of them with his good hand.

"I AM NOTHING LIKE YOU!" Arlong yelled back indignantly.

"SHUT UP AND BE MY FRIEND!" Abel responded heatedly, waving his good arm very animatedly, steam blowing out of his ears from frustration.

"... What the hell am I watching here?"

Mohji and Ritchie jumped to hold each other at the sudden, very much not their voice breaking into the shouting match. Even Abel and Arlong took notice and turned away from their heated debate.

The familiar faces of Nami and Usopp stared at them, one in confusion and one extremely annoyed.

"HE STARTED IT!" Abel screamed at the top of his lungs, fingering Arloing as the one at fault.

"I did no such thing," Arlong growled more sedately.

"I don't care who started it!" Nami roared at the both of them. "We've got a situation and we need to go, NOW!"

"FUCK'S SAKE, WHAT DID HE DO!?" Abel screamed at the sky.

"Marines," came Nami's quick and short reply. "Now shut up and help us get this stuff on board!" The order was punctuated by her jerking her thumb at the rather large sacks behind her and the sniper.

"YOU HEARD THE GIRL!" Abel kept yelling loudly. "CARRY YOUR WEIGHT, ARLY!"

"Stop. Calling me that!" Arlong snarled through gritted teeth.

"Why are you still yelling?" Usopp asked through his baffled stupor at seeing something as weird as Arlong of all people in a shouting match with the resident adult of all people.

"..." Abel didn't answer immediately, seeming to seriously contemplate on the question. "... I'M STUCK AT 'ANGRY'!" he yelled, yet again. "I'VE GOTTEN WAY INTO THIS MINDSET AND NOW HAVE TROUBLE SWITCHING OFF! PLEASE CARRY ON WHILE THE PROBLEM IS ADDRESSED!" He then punched himself, causing him to fall over and out of sight. "Better!"

Everyone present sweatdropped at the sight. When it became clear Abel wasn't getting up to help them(how could he?) Nami took charge.

"Okay. Arlong, Usopp, get this stuff on the ship and prepare to go at any moment," Nami gave orders. When Arlong seemed to be about to say something, she didn't let him. "Right. Now!"

Arlong, a little put off by the sheer vitriol in his former cartographer's voice, just decided to shut up and do as told. This time. But before he could take more than two steps, a bullet sped right past him.

"Firing Squad! Take positions!" the marine in charge ordered as their men approached the pirate vessel, guns primed and ready.

"Damnit, they caught up!" Nami cursed while Usopp began to panic. The marines line up very quickly, weapons pointed at them three pirates on the shore.

"Take aim!" The marine in command ordered. "Fire-"

"Doomsday!"

His order was interrupted by a massively powerful explosion smack dab the center of their formation, the force of which threw every single marine on the ground while the blast itself suffocated their screams. The distinct miniature mushroom cloud made it clear who was responsible to those in the know.

"Kehehehee!" Abel laughed, his rifle perched on the rail of the Going Merry. "Damn it, if that isn't worth the hassle loading is!" He glanced at his crewmates and Arlong severely. "Hop to it! I ain't exactly in top form!" Then he ducked under, likely to load again.

The unlikely trio then rushed into action as the Marines were in disarray after the attack. Nami grabbing the lightest load(the clothes), Usopp handling the food, while Arlong took the two massive sacks containing the materials for Usopp and Abel, the heaviest of the lot.

As they were running for it, the marine in command tried to prepare for another volley of gunfire. "Every capable soldier, line up in formation! Prepare to fire at will! We mustn't let these criminals flee!" The less injured soldiers immediately started forming up like a well-oiled machine, their training showing. Within moments their formation was complete and guns ready. "Steady your aim! F-"

The oddly muffled sound of a gunshot was all indication of what happened as the marine in command fell over backward with a small hole in his forehead. This immediately caused the men in the formation great amount of distress.

On board of the ship, a certain person chuckled coldly. "Military strategy 101: Eliminate the commanding officers to disrupt the units below them," he recited with a slight murderous grin. He then ducked back down as Nami, Usopp, and Arlong jumped on board with their cargo.

Then the water near the ship splashed from a heavy impact, causing the entire ship to rock violently. It sent just about everyone, save Arlong who had a firm hold on the mast, tumbling helplessly.

"Shit, they have cannons!" Nami cursed. "At this rate, Merry is going to be sunk!"

Abel dragged himself up and looked over the edge, trying to pinpoint the canons locations. He frowned. "Damn, those are well hidden. I can't see them because of the rain!" If he could, then all he'd need is a Doomsday Round for each of them.

Nami hurried and began to raise the anchor, much to Usopp's disbelief. "Wait, you're setting off? But Luffy and the others aren't back yet!"

"We don't have much of a choice!" Abel replied in her stead, trying to load his gun in the midst of the situation. "If we don't book it, we're done for!"

"He's right," Nami agreed with the difficult to understand man. "As long as the Merry is fine, we can work up a plan. Now, everyone helps with the sails! Yes, even you, Abel!"

"Damnit to hell!" Abel complained but got to work due to the urgency of the situation, as another cannon ball just barely missed the ship, causing him to trip and fall on his face rather painfully. Nami honestly felt bad for him.

The large sail was soon unfurled and the ship started moving. But it was a slow start.

"Nami-san~!" A voice cut through the rain and the wind. Nami immediately recognized the swooning when she heard it, looking to see Sanji running by the ship on the shore.

"Sanji!" She exclaimed. "Where are Luffy and Zoro?"

Immediately the swooning disappeared, replaced by an annoyed frown. "Those two can handle themselves!" Unfortunately, the marines were quickly catching up and were upon Sanji in moments. The cook took to defending himself as well as he could, kicking any and all marines who got in his way, but they were persistent and many.

"He's outnumbered," Abel remarked coolly. "Those guys just keep getting up for more punishment. That's kind of badass."

"Abel, don't compliment the enemy!" Nami reprimanded the man.

He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "The law is my enemy? I mean, I'm a rebel and all, but I never thought I'd be on this side of the fence. Quite the paradigm shift."

"We don't need your bargain bin philosophizing! He needs help," Nami screamed at the infuriating individual that just couldn't pick a mood.

"I can cover him if we got closer!" Usopp offered up, only to be shot down.

"We can't, the tide is too strong to return to shore!" Nami rebuked the idea.

"I might accidentally hit him in that chaos," Abel quipped his own thoughts on the situation, sounding way more detached than a sane person should. "The rain is really fucking with my aim at this distance."

"We can't just leave him there! He'll get overrun!" Nami stated, a slight panic settling in her tone.

"Damnit all..." Usopp hissed through his teeth, propping his leg on the railing and fully preparing to jump off to be of some help. That is if a hand hadn't clasped onto his shoulder part way.

"Wait," Abel said, now in a serious tone. "I got an idea." He then walked off- Nami and Usopp watching him all the while -and stopped by Arlong. The two had a staring match in silence that honestly made both of the observers nervous. "I won't call you Arly-" he ignored the growl from the Fishman "- ever again. I also won't call you any other embarrassing nicknames. I, Cain Abel, swear so on my name."

"..." Arlong glared at him for a moment before breaking eye-contact, walking over to pick up the Kiribachi, his massive saw-like sword and promptly jumped over the edge into the sea with a splash.

Abel just turned to look at his two crewmates smugly, arms on his hips and chest puffed up in pride.

"D-d-did you j-just..." Usopp asked in quivering awe.

"Yes," was all Abel said. Nami just buried her face in her palm.

"Whatever," she said in a defeated tone. "Let's just get the hell out of dodge! We'll figure things out after we're out of cannon range."

Her, Usopp, and Abel hurried to take positions, Abel taking care of steering as an excuse to avoid hobbling around in the rain. An excuse Nami was too busy to have problems with.

Meanwhile, on the shore...

"Damn bastards," Sanji grumbled, kicking another marine in the face, followed by kneeing another in the gun with enough force to send them flying a few feet. "They just aren't letting up."

Compared to Sanji, these marines were nothing. Just small fry. But even small fry get dangerous when they surround you and outnumber you by a lot. The fact that some kept getting up was making things less than ideal for the cook.

"Stop resisting, pirate!" one of the marines ordered. "If you come peacefully, we will show leniency!"

Sanji scoffed, preparing for another assault from all sides. "Not happening, you shitty bastard!"

"Marines, get him-" and for the third time this day, the marine giving orders was interrupted by something springing out of the water. A metallic glint was all the marine could process before he and a number of others were swatted aside with great force as something rushed through their ranks.

Not questioning the turn of events, Sanji took the opportunity and kicked a few marines aside as he leaped out of the encirclement he'd been trapped in. Not far from where he now stood he spotted another person in a crouch. And that someone was holding a very strange sword he'd seen a few times.

"Why are you here, fish-bastard?" Sanji questioned the Fishman, not actually caring for his reasons for saving his bacon.

"Getting rid of an annoyance," came Arlong's answer as he stood up to his towering height, the saw-sword coming to rest on his shoulder.

The marines, for their part, were now a quivering mess.

"H-hey!" one stuttered. "Isn't t-that Arlong the Saw?"

"What is he doing here?" Another asked in minor distress. The Fishman in question scoffed at how his name preceded him. He hated to admit that the cross-dresser had a point about him being easily recognizable.

"W-we aren't prepared for this!" a marine cried in outright panic. Seemed like the sudden loss of a commanding officer had really messed with their morale. Something Arlong was fully willing to take advantage of.

"Shahahahaa!" He laughed cruelly, causing some marines to step back as he brandished his Kiribachi. "Of course you're not prepared! Marines like you are but mere insects compared to the might of a Fishman!" If there was one thing Arlong knew, it was how to frighten the weak-willed. He pointed the Kiribachi at the lot of them and sneered, showing off his predatory teeth. "Come now, who of you foolish humans want to be the first to foolishly sacrifice their life for my amusement?"

Sanji had to give the Fishman credit. The marines were quaking in their boots at Arlong's natural intimidating nature and infamous reputation. He had no doubts that they'd be able to take the marines on together. He still didn't like the Fishman, but he could respect his strength.

But the chance to fight never came as an unnatural outpour of wind swept over them, strong and forceful enough to force the two plus all the marines off their feet.

All Sanji could do was grit his teeth as the wind carried him off for a time until he suddenly landed harshly on a stone surface. It was much too smooth to be the shoal he and Arlong had stood on moments before. Sitting up, he found himself amongst rubble and in Logue Town's sea side area. It was in shambles, likely due to the strong gale from before.

Sanji looked around and spotted Zoro, Luffy, and even Arlong within close vicinity. It was almost too convenient how that wind had brought all of them this close to one another.

"What the hell was that?" Arlong mumbled, standing up from his own bed of rubble.

"Don't know," Sanji responded, really feeling like a smoke right now.

"Hey, what are you two doing here?" Sanji heard Luffy ask, confused. All Sanji could afford him was a shrug.

"LUFFY!" the voice of Nami came from a distance, where everyone could still see the Going Merry bouncing on the strong waves. She called out for them, and it didn't take Sanji long to understand why.

"Nami!" Luffy shouted back.

"We need to think fast before they drift too far for us to reach!" Sanji spoke up with the urgency the situation deserved. Much to his surprise, Luffy's eyes shone in a very un-Luffy-like fashion.

"I got it!" He exclaimed and ran off, jumped and grabbed onto a nearby metal railing, his arms stretching. "Gum-Gum..."

"Shit..." Zoro whimpered(though he'd never own up to it), having a bad feeling of where this was going.

"He wouldn't," Sanji tried to convince himself and failed. "H-hey, where are you going?" He then saw Arlong walk away at a brisk pace and jump into the sea.

"ROCKET!"

Just in time for Luffy's elasticity to shoot him off into the air, along with the swordsman and cook, sending them flying in the direction of the ship. Thankfully, instead of overshooting the mark, they were caught by the sail and fell onto the deck.

Eyes closed in anticipation for the impact, Sanji quickly noted that his landing was... surprisingly soft.

"Aaaaaaaaah..." Something wheezed from underneath him, causing him to open his eyes and look beneath him, only to see a very familiar body underneath.

"Oh. Sorry, Usopp." Sanji says in a sorry-not-sorry way and promptly gets up. He got garbled nonsense in return.

"Glad you gaggle of tards managed to join us!" They heard the voice of Able yell from the steering lever. "If one of you wants to give this a go, I won't object!"

"I'm sorry?" Nami shot a snappish question in his direction. "I was under the impression you wanted that task."

"Girl, I am trying to steer a ship. In a storm. With one hand," was the man's dry retort. "This isn't exactly easy!"

"I'll handle it," the crew's swordsman volunteered and walked off to the wheel.

"Thanks, Zoro!" The whole ship lurched suddenly but was back under control within moments.

"H-hey, don't let go of it!" Zoro exclaimed.

"Mhm," Abel hummed a non-reply, joining the rest on the lower deck. "... Say, where's the big guy?" Coincidentally, Arlong took that particular moment to shoot out of the sea and land onto the deck right behind the cross-dresser, causing him to once more fall on his face. "... Whuih?!" he mumbled an annoyed complaint into the planks.

Arlong scoffed at the man's pain and went to sit on the deck as far from the others as he could.

"Woo! We made it!" The ever energetic captain celebrated, throwing his arms up victoriously.

Nami let out a long sigh she'd been holding for a while. "That was way too close for comfort."

"I thought it was fine," Abel said, getting up and standing tall. Something Nami drew instant attention to.

"Hey! You're standing just fine without you crutch!" Everyone took a look at Abel at the navigator's exclamation. True to her words, reality showed the chronicler standing on his own two feet.

"Oh, that? Yeah, my leg's been fine for a few days," Abel said, scratching the back of his head.

"They've- YOU'VE BEEN PRETENDING THIS WHOLE TIME?!" Nami shrieked in disbelieving anger.

"Yeh!" The cross-dressers audaciously frank response didn't do much but fan her growing wrath. But Nami knew better and made the herculean effort to calm her mind.

"And... And I dread the answer, but... May I ask why?" She asked as calmly as she possibly could.

"T'was funny," Abel replied with a jovial grin. At least, until the expression shattered into one of shocked realization and his hand came to bury his face in what seemed like shame. "Ah, damnit! I keep doing that." He mumbled something else into his palm that was just plain unintelligible.

Nami frowned at this odd shift. Then the conversation with the bombshell- Hari, came back to her.

'Acting is all about becoming someone you are not. And this someone sounds like they've kept up an act for so long that they don't quite remember who they are supposed to be anymore.'

And suddenly Abel's sudden floundering made more sense. He must've been an utter mess, unable to place what kind of person he was supposed to be. After the realization, Nami found it very hard to maintain her anger at the man.

Abel sighed and let one eye peek out from behind his hand. "BTdubs, my arm is fine too," he said, waving his cast around. "Someone help me get this off!"

"Okay, no," Nami stated firmly. "Your leg I can believe, despite your kneecap getting shattered, but there is no way your arm is all healed up."

"Wasn't that bad," Abel pouted. Actually, honest-to-God pouted. And it was... pretty cute, actually.

"Your forearm's bones snapped in half!" Nami pushed on.

The so called adult of their group glowered at her, but she didn't give his stare any ground to stand on, glaring back with her serious face. After a moment he let out a defeated sigh. "Okay, so my arm isn't all good," He admitted through gritted teeth. "But it's healed enough where I don't need this garbage anymore if I'm careful." He tapped his hard cast in emphasis.

Nami raised an eyebrow, much to Abel's annoyance.

"Okay, what the fuck? Do I look like the type to break their arm again? I am not that stupid!" he stated indignantly. "I value my health! I thought this was obvious?"

"Okay, okay! I get it," Nami raised her arms in surrender, clearly not getting any further here. "I believe you." Miraculously enough. Liar or not, Nami knew Abel valued his personal health above other things. Whatever that said about his character was best left unsaid.

"Thank you!" Abel said sedately, turning to walk away. Only to freeze a moment later. "Wait, shit! Those are still here!" he pointed towards the bags full of cargo. "That means everything is getting wet! Quick, someone helps me save the clothes!"

Nami sighed. "Of course that is what he focuses on." Still, she cracked a small smile. It was amusing in its own way, his seemingly earnest dedication to fashion.

But something needed her attention for now.

"Zoro!" Nami called out to the swordsman on the wheel. "Do you see the lighthouse nearby?"

"... Yeah!" Zoro replied after some searching. "What about it?"

"That is a signal that points towards the entrance to Grand Line," Nami explained. "Steer the ship towards the path the light is pointing!"

"In this storm?!" Usopp exclaimed and was whacked on the head.

"Keep hauling!" his taskmaster ordered. "A little wind never hurt any one. This drizzle is nothing!"

"That's the way to Grand Line?" Luffy asked, excitedly hopping in place near the railing, looking at the lighthouse in the distance. "This is it, huh? Where our adventure begins?"

"Yup!" Nami said with a grin, which Luffy met with equal force, and so much more. The boy captain stood tall and proud, addressing each of his crew.

"Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Abel!" He yelled out, each of them paying attention. "Let's go! To the Grand Line!"

"Of course, Captain," said Zoro with a smirk as he turned the wheel to guide the ship towards the correct direction.

"Sure, thing," Sanji replied, surely taking a drag from his cigarette if it wasn't raining.

"R-ready when you are!" Usopp exclaimed, trying to sound brave and eager, and somewhat floundering.

"Leave the navigation to me!" Nami said proudly.

"Kehehe!" Abel laughed in his usual slow cackle that was just slightly unnerving. "I find it hard to believe that I'm actually looking forward to this." He placed an arm on his hip and flashed a feral, toothy grin. "Let's see what madness I've signed myself for!"

Monkey D. Luffy just laughed loudly at his crew's responses.

-o~O-O~o-

From his spot Arlong just observed the madness of the crew whose ship he was on, staying in his own bubble of solitude. The swordsman was at the helm, focused on his task of steering, Nami making sure he didn't stray from the course. The long-nose and the okama were somewhere indoors, and the boy captain had disappeared somewhere.

That just left one unaccounted for.

"Hey."

Arlong glanced to his side to see one of the members of the crew. The cook, if Arlong wasn't mistaken. The young man looked at him with an unreadable expression.

"Thanks," the cook said evenly. "It might get a bit hairy with those marines if it wasn't for your intrusion. So thanks for that."

Arlong frowned. Was the human thanking him? That was something he definitely wasn't used to. It felt... strange.

"Just to be clear, that doesn't mean I'm going to start trusting you," the cook said, a serious look taking place in his visible eye. "I'm still keeping my eye on you for hurting Nami-san, you fish-bastard."

Arlong stared at that serious conviction his glare showed with his impassive one. There was strength in that one look, strength even Arlong could respect. "... Noted," he grumbled.

That seemed to satisfy the cook, who nodded at him once and walked off inside the ship. That left Arlong back with only his thoughts to keep him company.

He looked to his side, where the Kiribachi was put to rest. It had been ages since he'd last even thought of using the blade he'd carried ever since joining and later leaving the Sun Pirates. Back when it was used to cleave ships apart and shred his foes to pieces. And today he had picked it up again, to help a human at a request of another human.

That human... The one named Abel was an odd one. A weak, pathetic creature, who admitted to such a demeaning reputation. A pathetic weakling that, against all reason and logic, had overcome Arlong as if it was nothing but a simple puzzle. As much as it annoyed Arlong, he had been rightly beaten.

By all rights that should've been it, with Arlong just left there, immobilized by a poison. But then the man had started to, of all things, lecture Arlong. Somehow, thanks to that book he'd seen the man carry, he'd learned of Arlong past. And then... Arlong didn't know how to describe it.

For a moment, it was as if the man's words had grown so powerful that Arlong's mind was forced to listen to every word. To internalize and let them stick, instead of ignoring them like he might've done. Abel had forced him to face something he'd been lying to himself with for a long time. How his actions impacted his whole race in a negative way.

But that wasn't all it made Arlong's mind realize. And it was that thought, that one realization that had made all the difference, and just shattered his spirit. What he'd done for years, to the island, to Nami. What he'd planned to do to all of East Blue if he hadn't been stopped.

He'd been on a road to being just like the Celestial Dragons he despised more than anything in this world. A bunch of self-entitled bastards who thought everything belonged to them because it was their right.

The realization shook and disgusted him. It made his stomach churn and made his heart grow heavy. What would Fisher Tiger have thought of what he had been close to becoming? He would've been dismayed, of that Arlong held no misconceptions.

That was part of the reason he'd chosen to disband the Arlong Pirates. Because the whole thing had been corrupted, nay formed by that very same ideal. Like a festering limb, Arlong had decided to cut if off. But that choice, which he did not regret in the least, had left the Fishman with nothing. No crew, no allies, no nothing.

... Except...

'SHUT UP AND BE MY FRIEND!'

Arlong's brow furrowed. Friends? With a human? That was another first, and that made him feel equally strange. The old Arlong would've scoffed and felt insulted by the very idea. But the current one...

"Well, someone's frowning more than usual." The voice broke Arlong from his depressing thoughts. A glance showed it was the source of all his current problems. "Whatcha thinking, Arly?"

And like that, as if a switch had been flipped, he was mad again. And that anger was channeled into a fierce glare. "You..."

"Huh?" Abel tilted his head, sounding confused. A momentary look of thought crossed his face before it faded into a smug grin. "Oh, that. Yeah, I did promise on my name to stop calling you that, didn't I?"

Arlong grunted in response. Somehow his grin took even more smug qualities.

"Well, Abel Cain made that promise," he said, amusement clear in his tone. "I never broke any promise made in my name, now did I?"

Arlong raised a brow, faintly perplexed at what the okama was talking about.

"I knew it," another voice spoke up, the swordsman walking over to the two. "Abel... that's not your real name."

"Well, duh!" The man who called himself Abel answered frankly. "Aren't you supposed to steer the ship?"

"The course is fine, for now," the navigator cut in, joining the conversation. She didn't look at all amused at the new revelations. "So, I see you've been lying to us again."

"Yup," Abel confirmed, as frankly as usual.

"..." Nami took a long, calming breath. "Might I ask what your real name is?"

"Adam."

"Damnit, I thought so-" Nami started off annoyed before freezing in place to level a stare at the man. "Huh?"

"Adam," the cross-dresser repeated himself. "My real name is Adam. You don't have my permission to use it."

"And why's that?" the swordsman asked.

"Because it breaks character," the man known as Abel casually stated. "Tell you what, if you ever see me around without a dress or a wig, you can call me Adam. All other times I am Cain Abel, the fatal yet pretty lady-boy."

Nami sweatdropped. "Is everything acting to you?" she asked before shaking her head and seeming exasperated and annoyed. "What am I asking? Of course it is!"

Arlong didn't add anything to the conversation. Mainly because he didn't want to. Though that made him think back to his... less than graceful shouting match with a man who likes wearing women's clothing.

'Start communicating, for fuck's sake!'

True, he'd been less than... active in this... whatever this was that the cross-dresser was trying to do with him. Arlong just didn't believe there was point in trying. It wouldn't make a difference, he told himself.

Yet, his mind told him something else.

'What a coward thing to say.'

"So, I see your cast is off," Zoro noted while Arlong kept thinking.

"Oh. Yeah," Abel said, giving his newly freed right arm a modest flex, clinching the unused muscles. "Feels a bit off, not to mention slightly sore, but as long as I don't do anything too crazy it should be good."

"Thank God for small miracles," Nami mumbled.

"I take offense to that," Abel spat but quickly moved onto something else. "By the way. Zoro. About that-"

"I got it," the swordsman said. "Didn't take you for the type."

"Well, I am a man of many facets," Abel responded rather smugly. "I'll check it out later. When the weather clears up." He then turned his gaze skyward. "Hmm, now that my dress is utterly drenched, this is a good excuse to check my wardrobe..."

Abel slowly turned to look at Nami with a very frightening look.

"I brought you your damn clothes, stop looking at me like that!" Nami snapped at him.

"Oh thank you!" Abel trilled, doing an instant mood-shift to one of joy. "I was worried for a second that you'd snub me because... well..." and then he grew awkward as quickly.

"... Let's just say I had time to think," replied Nami enigmatically. "And I also found a shop that sold wigs, just so you know- AH!" Nami squeaked as she was pulled into a forceful hug, her head planted on the cross-dresser's chest to be mercilessly cuddled.

"Oh, I just knew I could count on you, Namikins!" Abel said in a tone that was too overbearingly happy to be fully genuine, yet did appear to be so. "This is why you are my favorite gal!"

"Please let me go," Nami glowered, but let Abel have his moment. In fact, she couldn't hide a barely restrained smile tugging at her lips.

Arlong frowned. It came to him that he'd never seen Nami smile. On some level, he'd always know that every smile and grin made in his presence had been fake. And in hindsight it was obvious. He'd taken the life of her mother, after all, her family.

Family. That was another thing that got Arlong thinking of things long untouched. He'd never really known his family. He'd never properly known his mother. His father abandoned him early on, only reappearing to drop some other child of his on Arlong and nothing else. If that had actually been his father. Arlong couldn't recall the face of the man, so it was possible.

The closest he'd ever had to a family was Shyarly, his supposed half-sister. And Arlong did care for her, that was a fact and he'd kill anyone that claimed otherwise or dared to harm her. He didn't blame his father's absence on her, she too had been abandoned, after all. But in a family, as broken as theirs that caring only took them so far. Growing up in the Fishman District didn't help matters at all.

But, problems aside, he still had a family, albeit a small one. A little sister, blood be damned. A sibling who, despite their differing opinions, was dear to Arlong, as were the rest of his race to a lesser degree. Maybe that line of thought made his mouth take initiative without his full consent.

"I'm sorry."

The silence following the words was deafening. Aside from the rain and the raging wind, all three humans in near vicinity just stopped. Abel had stopped while teasingly pulling Nami's cheek. The swordsman stood as firm and stoic as usual. But one thing united them.

The shocked look in their wide(or slightly narrowed in the swordsman's case) eyes.

"Okay. Out of nowhere, much?" Abel broke the silence, releasing Nami's cheek from between his fingers.

But Arlong paid him no mind, a sideways glance staying at the familiar navigator. Then he averted his eyes and stared at the wooden deck as if it were more interesting. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, voice tinting ever so slightly with discomfort at such a foreign thing as apologizing. "For... your mother."

Now every human's eyes really bugged wide open. Arlong gave a fleeting glance at them that chose to linger at Nami opening and closing her mouth like a fish. Trying to release words, only for nothing to come out. Despite realizing it might be considered inappropriate given the situation, Arlong found it very amusing.

"Y-you... I..." Nami helplessly floundered with her mouth, eyes darting all over the place. "... I need to go." Then she turned heel and speedily walked away. Somewhere that was far, far away from Arlong.

The two humans and a Fishman watched her sudden leave. The swordsman just shook his head with a slight frown. "I'll go help Usopp sort out the cargo." He said and headed to the insides of the ship.

"Uh, yeah. Do that," Abel called after him, sounding somewhat off-balance. Then he did his thing and just changed into a smugly grinning annoyance, leering at Arlong. "Kehehe. What's this? Was that sentimentality just now?"

It said something to Arlong himself rather than the man before him that he didn't snap back a biting response. The ensuing 'enthusiastic' pats on the shoulder did elicit an aggravated growl though.

"Oh, I knew you could do it!" Abel said joyfully. How genuine it was, Arlong- hell, no one couldn't tell. "See, I knew your festering heart wasn't made of stone!" He then switched to be more sedate, his smile less smug and more sagely. "After all, hearts made of stone don't fester in the first place."

Simplification: Arlong cared. And, as he was finding to be the new trend, he couldn't think about the man's words as anything but true. Something about his words just made them... resonate where otherwise they would have just bounced off.

"... Hrm," Arlong grunted, not quite able to form a proper response and watched as Abel shot him a grin a merrily skipped away. But not before slipping on the wet deck and groaning into the wet wood. That caused a very quiet chuckle to bubble in the back of his throat.

It seemed that something didn't want him to live a pain-free existence, judging by his various mishaps thus far. Arlong swore, that human got hurt more in a casual setting doing nothing than in the middle of a battle. It was... sort of an impressive feat, he supposed if you thought about it.

Case in point, all the damage caused by their "battle" was mostly self-caused, and all afterward were results of his own carelessness. If Arlong didn't know better, he'd have thought the man wanted to get hurt.

Moments passed, just Arlong enjoying sitting in the rain. Being a species that could live in the water, a little rain was downright delightful. It was oddly soothing. So he just tried to relax.

But, as it tends to be, all things come to a momentary end when something more interesting comes along.

"... Zoro, I'll bite. What's with the barrel?" Abel's question brought Arlong back from the confines of his mind, just as the swordsman laid a barrel smack-dab middle of the deck.

"Something I thought up," the swordsman(Arlong really couldn't recall the names of these humans, aside from Nami and Abel) said. "I recalled a little old sailor tradition, and since we're heading to the Grand Line..."

"Oh! Oh! I know this one!" the hammer exclaimed excitedly, literally jumping into the scene from wherever he'd been. "Yosh, let's do this! Gather up, everyone!"

Soon enough Nami, the cook, and long-nose joined the three other crewmembers around the barrel.

"Okay, for those uninitiated in seafaring tradition, what is this thing about?" Abel said a very thinly veiled question to hide his own ignorance.

"It's really simple really," Nami explained as if lecturing a student. "It's an old tradition for when a crew embarks on a grand voyage, where each member affirms their dream and goal with the rest of their crewmates."

"Oh," Abel said in understanding. "Yeah, now that I have context, my world had something similar. I think. Understood, Namikins!"

"Okay, I let you do that once. Never call me pet-names again!" Nami glared pointedly at the cross-dresser, who grinned viciously.

"I promise no such thing, for I am a miserable pile of secrets!" He cackled.

Something the man said confused Arlong, and he wasn't the only one who seemed to have noticed.

"Wait, 'your world'?" The cook quirked an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh yeah," Usopp quipped in realization. "You don't know yet."

"What?" the cook asked again. "What does he mean?"

"It means exactly what it means," Abel replied in an obnoxiously unhelpful manner. "I'm not from these seas. I'm not from this world. "

"Bullshit!" Sanji snaps. "Like hell, I'd believe such nonsense!"

"Actually..."

Sanji looked at Nami, shocked and looking slightly betrayed. "N-Nami-san, you can't possibly..."

"Silly Sanji! Abel doesn't lie," the hammer-captain stated matter-of-factly.

"Hey, let's not get ahead of ourselves here!" Abel protested indignantly, for some reason Arlong couldn't pin as anything but actual pride at his untruthful nature.

"Abel isn't lying, Sanji-kun," Nami spoke up. "He's proved his claims sufficiently to us before we met you."

Arlong's brow quirked up. The man was speaking the truth about such an audacious claim.

...

Then again, thinking back to it, apparently he also held a book containing his life story, so what is one other impossible thing on top of that.

"Okay, as much as I like the attention," Abel cut into the situation and gestured at the barrel ahead of them. "If it ain't that different from what we had back home, the captain goes first, right?"

The hammer grinned widely and nodded, lifting his leg and planting it on the top of the barrel. "I'm gonna be the King of the Pirates!"

Arlong recalled that claim when the brat had barged into his h... former residence/base and brazenly punched him in the jaw. He failed to see what the brat could hope to achieve in his time. They wouldn't be prepared for Grand Line, and they would soon learn that.

Next up was swordsman, following his captain's example, leg joining his on top of the barrel. "To be the World's Best Swordsman!"

Then Nami followed up. "To draw the map of the world!"

The cook was next. "To find All Blue."

"I- I..." Long-nose, was next, sounding less assured of his claim and hesitated a bit before planting his foot on the barrel as well. "T-T-To become a b-brave warrior of the seas!"

Arlong listened by for all these ambitions. They were all quite hefty goals to drive towards. What a bunch of arrogant brats, to think they had a chance in a place as cruel as Grand Line!

"... What the hell is with today's youth? Such grandiose aspirations," Abel complained to the pouring heavens, sounding like an annoyed old man. Arlong could relate. The crossdresser let out a sigh. "Well, I suppose I do have a dream, though nothing big like yours. I'm a modest man-" That was a lie if there ever was one "-so I'll settle for something simple, but considering my situation, all the more difficult to achieve than any of yours."

Arlong quirked a brow, again, at the odd proclamation. Everyone else's eyes were set on their chronicler in anticipation, but none as intensely as the hammers.

Abel lifted his left leg and placed it on the barrel with the rest. "To live a long, fulfilling existence that I can be proud of!"

Ah, now his claim made more sense. Considering Arlong had firsthand knowledge of how frail and pathetically weak the dress-wearing man was, that would certainly be quite the feat. The looks from the other crew seemed to come to the same conclusion, all trading out understanding and determined smiles.

Arlong's eyes widened just a bit as, for a moment, he felt that there was something greater present in the moment that was something that existed only at that precise moment in time. It was a new, foreign, yet oddly sobering feeling.

"LET'S GO TO THE GRAND LINE!" the hammer-captain exclaimed.

"AYE!" everyone else chorused as every member of the crew raised their legs and as one brought them down, shattering the barrel to pieces.

Arlong knew of this ceremony or course. The breaking of the barrel representing the crew uniting to defeat adversity. A touching sentiment, sure. But the Grand Line didn't much care for sentiment.

Also...

"Uh..." Nami spoke up suddenly, eyeing Abel, whose face was very oddly static. "Abel... what's up?"

Abel slowly knelt down and held his left leg. Or more precisely, his left kneecap. And then he whined in a very high-pitch voice. "Ahhh... Aaaaaahhh..."

"I FUCKING KNEW IT! YOUR KNEE ISN'T FULLY HEALED YET!" Nami yelled, vindication clear in her anger. "You're getting your ass to bed to rest!"

"... So, wait, the only place with actual beds in here is..." Abel wondered, dropping all indications that he was hurt. He then leered at Nami with an unnaturally wide and stoic grin. "Oh, how naughty of you~!"

"..." Nami glared daggers at the man but deflated with a deep sigh. "Whatever, just... get some rest, okay?" She sounded genuinely worried for his health.

Abel's expression flipped into a more sincere one, the gentle smile he put up appearing genuine. "Yeah, sure. Need to get changed anyway out of this mess before I get cold." He then tried to walk and failed to do so without almost tasting the deck once again, so Nami helped him back inside.

The rest of the crew dispersed to do their own thing, while Arlong went back to thinking. Every single one of these brats had a goal, a dream they wanted to achieve. What had just happened had caused him to ask himself a question. A question he wasn't sure he had an answer to.

What was his dream?

-o~O-O~o-

-Moments after the Straw Hats' Escape-

Marine Captain Smoker was extremely displeased, though that was hard to differentiate from his usual prickly mood. But it did make the atmosphere around him noticeably tenser.

Straw Hat Luffy had been right there! He had been at the mercy of justice, in Smoker's firm grasp. And then 'That Man' had arrived and ruined everything. He didn't know why. Smoker couldn't even begin to guess at the motives of the most wanted man in the world.

All he knew, all he needed to know, was that Straw Hat and his crew were escaping from him, the famed Smoke Hunter. A massive hit to his pride as a marine.

So he thought he had plenty of reason to glare murderously at the sight of the ship that grew ever distant in the stormy weather. If it wasn't so damned windy then he could've tried to fly after them with his Smoke-Smoke Fruit, risks be damned! This was personal now.

"Captain!" Smoker didn't avert his gaze at hearing the call of his subordinate. "I'm so sorry, I tried to stop them, but I-"

"Tashigi!" Smoker cut the woman off. She shut up and stood attention. "I couldn't care less for your failures at the time. It has happened, so stop beating yourself over it and focus on the present situation."

Tashigi's face grew firmer as she saluted in acknowledgment. "Yes, sir!"

"Harsh words, though no less true."

Smoker turned at the voice he had grown used to for the past few weeks, long enough to memorize it. Though maybe he should focus more; he hadn't heard the man approach him. "It'll mean little. Master Chief Petty Officer Tashigi, go gather the men and prepare a ship for pursuit!" To hell with it not being under his jurisdiction, his everything was telling him to capture that boy pirate!

"Yes, sir!" Tashigi ran off with obedience and professional pride that Smoker expected of his subordinate. It almost made him sentimentally proud.

Almost.

"Well, this detour of mine sure was more eventful than I'd imagined," the old man spoke, walking to stand side by side with the marine captain. He was stroking his bushy gray beard. He sounded oddly whimsical, not the subdued elder Smoker had grown accustomed to. "I'll have to admit, this made my trip amusing if nothing else."

"Should I expect a report to Marineford at my failure?" Smoker asked conversationally, eyes never leaving the pirate ship. He wouldn't lose their trail even for a second.

"Oh, I don't see why!" the elder man said cryptically. He used a hand to slightly prop up his spectacles. "After all, you have a job to do, don't you, Chaser?"

Smoker held back an annoyed grunt out of respect. He really didn't like that nickname the old man had given him. "I'll capture Straw Hat Luffy. I'll stake my pride as a marine on it."

"As I'd expect from you," the elder responded. He then seemed thoughtful as he brushed his beard with his hand "... Straw Hat? So that's who that boy was."

"You ran into him?" Smoker questioned.

"Briefly. What an interesting individual," the elder nodded as if affirming something internally. "Oh well, I'll leave you to it. I'd best continue to Marineford anyway. On God's grace, I hope my paperwork hasn't started a revolt due to negligence! Hohoho! Hoho..." Something seemed to come to him. "... Oh, shoot! I sure hope Bradley won't have my head for my improvised leave."

So that's what he called it now.

Smoker's brow raised just a smidgen. He hadn't seen the old man this amused at any point of his two-week long stay at Logue Town. There was still much, he reminded himself, that no one knew of the old geezer. Like why he wore that unusual uniform.

Commodore Das Messer was an enigma, but he was a very competent enigma. And a valuable asset to the Marines.

"Well, best of luck on your hunt, Chaser!"

"I'd appreciate if you didn't refer to me so casually, sir," Smoker grumbled. The old geezer just gave a short laugh and walked off with a casual wave before propping both arms behind his back. The old man's rheumatism was something Smoker could honestly sympathize with, especially after a long time doing paper work in an uncomfortable chair.

"C-captain!" Wonderful timing.

"Tashigi, I hope we're ready to pursue-"

"That's just it, Captain Smoker!" Tashigi cut Smoker off, very unlike her to do so, he observed. So he turned to look at his subordinate and saw... well, he didn't like what he saw. "The ships... the harbor... it's all frozen over!"

"WHAT?!" Smoker yelled, allowing surprise to get the better of his normally stoic character. "How can that be?!"

"I-I don't know, sir! It just... appeared and now all our ships are stuck!" Tashigi explained frantically.

Smoker bit the cigar in his teeth in half, the other half falling to the ground. He wasn't just annoyed anymore. He was confounded and livid.

Just what the hell had happened?!

-o~O-O~o-

"That should help those marines chill out. Heheh, 'chill'!"

A figure stood atop the highest rooftop near the port area and gazed out at the stormy sea. His gaze was not random or one of whimsy(maybe), but directed at the lone ship that was slowly disappearing into the horizon. He hummed in thought.

"So that's how it is?" The figure mused, phantom-stroking his chin, hiding behind the impenetrable shadow of his hood. His body was hidden by a distinctive black coat. The harsh winds blew the chains attached to his garment but conspicuously made no sound.

The Shrouded Figure was finding this whole dilemma all the more interesting, as he gained greater clarity of the situation.

"Definitely another Outsider, no doubt about it," he said to no one. "I've got a feeling I should keep an eye on those ones in particular. Heheh, eye!" He shamelessly chuckled at his own a stupid joke.

He poked the side of his hood in thought. "Now, what to do?" The Figure wondered. "Certainly that lot would have... interesting experiences down the line. Oooor," he twirled his finger around for no reason other than to do so, "perhaps I could check to see if there are any other interesting things going on in this world?"

He thought a moment, but only a moment, before he shrugged his shoulder and shook his head animatedly. "Nah! To hell with elaborate plans! I've done enough of those already. I'm over that." He turned away from the sea and reached out with an open palm. "Let's just see where the road leads!"

Out of nowhere, the air ahead of him ruptured, as a shimmering corridor of darkness appeared before him. Lowering his hand, the Figure looked back at the raging ocean, just for the briefest moment, before walking into that darkness with a lighthearted chuckle.

Then, as soon as it appeared, the darkness vanished, and the Figure was no more.

-o~O-O~o-

Oooh, what is this? Is it the author tipping his hand to give a glimpse of his cards? Unforeseen encounters AND a mysterious observer? How interesting!

This chapter was so hard! I swear I don't want to do multi POV chapters ever again. But something tells me I have to brace for the possibility. Anyway, I hope to have your intrigue, because... well, big things are coming. Eventually. Possibly. Maybe.

Not to mention this is the longest chapter I've written to date... Wow...

Anyway! The others have noticed/realized something about Abel. He's a very unreliable source of information. Everything you've learned of Abel up to this point? Might be a lie so good even he doesn't quite know if he's lying! Enjoy the ensuing uncertainty as it claws at your mind! MUAHAHAHAHAHAA!

Now, I wonder if people can properly identify the three individuals in this chapter and where they hail from? Shouldn't be too hard, I think. I'll only say that only Das Messer(which isn't a name, it's a title) is a fully original character.

-Poking That Canon With A Stick, C-Hablerie

PS.

An important message from the FanFiction Mental Health Board:

If your first thought after killing a person in cold blood is: "What a great strategic advantage this it!" YOU ARE NOT ALRIGHT!