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Water 7, Puffing Tom Train Station, about 90 minutes earlier.

The Sea Train Puffing Tom pulled into the Water 7 Station for the first time in 5 days. This was an annual occurrence for the Puffing Tom to stop its services to Water 7 during the annual event of Aqua Lagna, with the last train always departing before the tidal wave hits, whisking its passengers away from Water 7 to other islands to wait out the storm in safety. Though there are always those who choose to stay and seek shelter in the city's designated Safe Zones. Puffing Tom services continue as normal for all other islands during this time, except Water 7, which resumes 5 days after the event.

While Aqua Lagna only occurs during one night of the year, the sea is always rougher than normal in the aftermath. Additionally, the Puffing Tom's station is flooded, so the train has always waited until well after the event has passed before returning, giving the flooded station time to allow the water to fully recede and the Galley-la to make the necessary repairs needed for the train to return.

Today was the first time in 5 days that Puffing Tom was returning to Water 7, and like every year, it was filled with people, supplies needed for the city's repairs, and any orders from other islands that hadn't been delivered before the storm.

As the people exited the cars, La Volpe was among them. He was a tall man wearing a light brown top with darker brown sleeves and leggings, his face masked by the hood of his long grey cloak. He glanced around, taking in the sight of the busy station. He followed the directions of the station master, who was directing people to the exit and other workers for unloading luggage, supplies, and orders.

Once La Volpe stepped outside the station, he took a moment to observe the city of Water 7 in all its glory before vanishing into the crowd. La Volpe made his way through the city, listening to rumours as he went. He spotted the Galley-la workers starting the rebuilding process of the lower city, and many people returning and cleaning out their homes after Aqua Lagna. He had to stop and make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him when he saw two giants helping out with the repair work.

"Since when did Water 7 have giants?" he wondered.

La Volpe would have ignored them if not for Pauly being swamped by civilians and a few reporters demanding to know the Straw Hats' location or access to them.

La Volpe stopped to listen in.

"Pauly, Pauly, can you convince the Straw Hats to attend an interview or authorize us entry to dock and meet them?" the reporter said. "Why are you and Iceberg not letting anyone see them? Is it true that they jumped over five stories to save Iceberg?"

"What the hell are you bothering me for?" Pauly shouted back. "Can't you see I have work to do?"

"But the Straw Hats-"

"But nothing! Get lost!" Pauly shouted.

The reporter scurried away, and Pauly let out a sigh. "Vultures," he spat.

"Pauly, was that okay?" another worker asked.

"Yeah, Iceberg doesn't want those pirates bothered while they recover," Pauly sighed. "They'll emerge on their own. Till then, we keep the rats like that off them,"

"You got it, boss," the worker said.

La Volpe listened to the whole exchange. "So they are here," he thought to himself. He then turned away and started walking again. He was worried it would be hard to locate the crew, but as he walked, the Straw Hats' actions were the talk of the town, and where they were staying was public knowledge to almost everyone in the city.

La Volpe was surprised the Marines hadn't jumped on them yet, but they were probably cleaning up Enies Lobby on their end. La Volpe made his way up to Dock One, stopping to buy a newspaper from a stand and a pastry. He ate and read the paper as he walked, not bothering with any other articles other than the ones related to Enies Lobby. It had been front-page headlines for the last few days now. There was still no mention of Ezio, not by name or title, in the paper. The blame for Enies Lobby was solely on the Straw Hats. The government would be bragging if they captured or killed the Mentor of the Brotherhood.

When La Volpe first heard about Enies Lobby, he wasn't too concerned. He knew Ezio was supposed to be there when the Straw Hats attacked, but Ezio was highly skilled. However, that day Altair had called him asking if he had heard from Ezio or if the Mentor had contacted him. La Volpe said he hadn't heard, and then Altair hung up. Later, he also got calls from both Mario and Machiavelli asking the same thing. Again, La Volpe denied having any contact with Ezio at all. This made him start to be concerned about his friend, and what really set his worries off was when he received calls from Pala, Bartolomeo, Rosa, and a few other Assassins asking him if he had heard or knew where Ezio was.

However, it wasn't until the third day when he received a call from Leonardo Da Vinci, Ezio's best friend and closest confidante, who told him that the Brotherhood had compelling evidence to believe Ezio was dead. However, Leonardo didn't believe that at all and asked La Volpe to locate the Straw Hats. La Volpe had asked what evidence, and Leonardo hadn't specified. In the end, La Volpe had agreed to the request, as Leonardo stated that the Straw Hats would likely be at one of the islands connected by Sea Train.

La Volpe had immediately called Machiavelli, demanding to know what evidence Leonardo had been talking about. Machiavelli told him that several hundred Marines and CP9 leader had reported the Assassin Mentor fleeing Enies Lobby on the Straw Hats' ship, and Armament Haki had been used to help the pirates escape. La Volpe still didn't understand how that equated to Ezio being dead, and neither did Machiavelli. He just told the thief that upon hearing this, Mario had broken down and wept, stating that Ezio was dead and how he didn't want to be the one to break the news to Claudia and Maria.

Again, this didn't make sense to La Volpe. It wasn't that uncommon for strong pirates to use Haki. Sure, most of those who could use it were in the New World, but occasionally there were crews in the first part of the Grand Line who could unlock it or use it, and it certainly wasn't fatal to use. Quite the opposite. La Volpe decided to call Ezio's family about it, but when Claudia answered, she sounded like she had been crying and told him that she and Maria were in no state to talk. She apologized and thanked him for being a good friend to Ezio before hanging up. Even Mentor Altier wasn't up to talking to him.

This left one option: find the straw hats and learn what had happened, as Leondo requested. La Volpe was going to do that anyway, as it was highly unusual for the entirety of Ezio's family to write him off as dead.

So he sent out a call to his network of thieves on the other islands to keep an eye out for the straw hats, and word came back that they weren't on any of the islands connected by sea train. It just left Water 7, as La Volpe's men always evacuated it before its annual storm. La Volpe made sure he was on the first train back to Water 7, and he was glad he did because the straw hats were here. Now he just needed to talk to them.

When he approached Dock One, he was met by an overly large crowd gathered in front of it, people wanting to see and talk to the straw hats, with lots of reporters. There were some bigger workers outside on guard, keeping the crowd from entering. This didn't bother La Volpe too much, as he had no intention of going through the front door to begin with. He wandered along the wall, looking for a building or some kind of vantage point to gain access. Sadly, there wasn't such a point close enough that he could use.

He had to back off to avoid suspicion when the Navy arrived, as they quickly cleared the crowd away, including the Galley-la workers, out of the Dock. La Volpe moved into an alley to keep watch. The Navy was there for a good portion of the afternoon, but eventually they left without a single member of the Straw Hats in tow. Once the soldiers were clear, La Volpe moved and slipped inside Dock One unseen by the returning workers. Once inside, it was a simple matter for him to make his way unseen to the Straw Hats' residence, which was out of the way near the back of Dock One.

It had been easy for him to slip inside, however, when he got there, the residence was empty. La Volpe took a quick look around. He knew the Straw Hats couldn't have gone far, as there was a large pile of belongings and the beds weren't made at all, and there were several sets of clothes lying on them as if they had gotten changed quickly. Since the Marines hadn't taken them, they had to still be in Water 7.

La Volpe thought about leaving and tracking them down. However, the empty residence presented him with a rare opportunity. He might be able to find evidence of Ezio or where Ezio was while they were gone; La Volpe knew that priests didn't tend to talk or answer questions when asked. So he started by going through the pile of belongings. There was nothing too out of the ordinary about them, but he did wonder why there were a bunch of learn-to-read-and-write books among them. He sifted through papers, some half-drawn maps, and other supplies. Eventually, he found the log book and flipped through it. The last entry had been from the day before Aqua Langna had hit. All in all, the Straw Hats' belongings hadn't helped him much.

La Volpe stood up and took another glance around. Apart from the wardrobe, the only other cupboards were those in the kitchen, and a quick investigation showed they had nothing but kitchenware inside. That just left the only wardrobe in the room. La Volpe walked over to it and opened it. His eyes widened at what he saw. Ezio's robes hanging inside.

La Volpe quickly grabbed the robes and rubbed them in his hands, feeling and testing the material. It was the same material his cloak and clothes were made from. There was no mistaking it, the robes belonged to Ezio. La Volpe thoroughly searched the wardrobe; all of Ezio's weapons were stored as well. His sword, his dagger, his knives, the crossbow, his climbing glove, his pouches of poison and medicine, his throwing knives - they were all here. However, what made La Volpe's blood run cold was the last item he found.

Both of Ezio's hidden blade bracers were placed on a shelf.

La Volpe stared at them, his mind racing. Ezio would never willingly part with his hidden blades; they were his most prized possessions and a symbol of his identity as an Assassin. La Volpe quickly grabbed them, he knew how much these braces meant to him. One blade belonging to his father and the other having been designed and modified by Leonardo. Ezio never took his braces off unless it was to bathe and even then they were always within arms reach. The fact that they were here, abandoned, was highly unusual and concerning.

His mind raced to find a logical conclusion as to how the Straw Hats had all of Ezio's gear. However, the only conclusion he could come with was that they had removed it from him and La Volpe knew Ezio would never willingly allow himself to be separated from his gear; especially not his hidden blades. Either the Straw Hats had found his belongings after his disappearance or…Ezio was truly dead and they claimed his gear as their own. Neither option was good in La Volpes' mind, but one thing was sure; he needed to find the Star Hats.

La Volpe's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching. He quickly closed the wardrobe and slipped into the shadows, watching as a couple of Galley-la workers enter the room, chatting among themselves.

"Should we really be in here?" one asked.

"It's fine, we have a job to do," another said.

"Yeah but what if they come back?"

"Then we tell them we're here under orders," the second one shrugged.

La Volpe watched the workers from the shadows observing their movements with keen eyes, one of the went into the bathroom and the sound of pipes and metal clanking was heard while the other opened the cupboard under the sink and got to work. They seemed to be doing some minor plumbing maintenance, he continued to watch and after 10 minutes the Galley-La workers finished, they cleaned up any mess they made and left.

La Volpe waited for them to disappear before coming out of hiding. He knew he had to find the Straw Hats and get answers about Ezio's disappearance. But first, he needed to gather more information, perhaps there was something in the residence that would give a clue to what had happened to Ezio. He decided to search the rest of the residence for any clues that could shed light on what had happened before heading out to search for the Straw Hats.

La Volpe combed through the room meticulously, checking every nook and cranny. He found a very long shopping list, and a few notes on treatment for the Straw Hats but they were unrelated to Ezio's disappearance. He also found a map of Water 7 with several locations marked, for a brief moment La Volpe thought Ezio might be investigating something here on Water 7. However, on closer inspection the marked locations were different shops and tourist spots around the city. La Volpe did wonder why all the Mizu Mizu meat stands, Butcher shops and Alcohol shops were marked.

Concluding that there was no useful information on Ezio in the residence, he finished looking around and slipped out of the residence leaving no trace that he was there to begin with; looking through the Straw Hats residence hadn't helped his worries, it had made them worse.


Gally-la Pool

Ezio was currently lazing by the pool. Nami, Chimney, Kokoro, and Connor were playing in it, while Robin and Chopper were off to the side at a table with some cold drinks, watching the kids play as they could not go in due to their devil fruit powers. Sanji was by a barbecue cooking up some food. All of them were in their swimwear. When the Marines had to do some work on the inside of the residence, Nami announced she was going to spend some time at the pool. This prompted the rest of the crew to have some fun too, especially Sanji at the thought of seeing Nami and Robin in their bikinis. Ezio also jumped on the idea for the same reason.

Luffy demanded a barbecue and headed off to talk to Coby some more, and Zoro went with him. Sanji packed up some meat and veggies and headed to the pool. He had Chopper and Connor carry the items he needed. Ezio also offered to carry some stuff, but Chopper forbade it, just like he forbade Ezio from doing any actual swimming once he was by the pool.

"You shouldn't be doing any strenuous activities for the next few days," Chopper advised.

"But I can relax on a chair by the pool, si?" Ezio asked.

"That's fine," Chopper agreed.

So Ezio picked a chair with the best view and angle of where Nami was swimming and watched with a smile. It was good to kick back every now and then. Ezio didn't have much in the way of clothes, let alone appropriate attire for the pool, but Franky had been willing to lend him a pair of swim trunks.

After a while, Luffy and Zoro joined them. Luffy, like Robin and Chopper, didn't go in the water. Zoro watched the kids but kept an even closer eye on Connor. Not long after they arrived, Sanji declared the food was ready and equally served out Nami and Robin's portions.

Ezio got up and made his way over to the table. However, he stopped when Connor got out of the pool near him and Ezio noticed the boy had a bandage on his upper left arm.

"Connor, are you injured?" Ezio asked in concern, pointing to the boy's bandage on his arm.

Connor looked at him, and fear flashed in his eyes. Thankfully, Zoro had heard what Ezio had said and intervened.

"Kid, get over to the table before Luffy eats it all," Zoro ordered and held out a towel.

Connor was quick to snatch the towel and run over to the table. Zoro glared at Ezio.

"What?" Ezio asked.

"The kid's got a scar he doesn't like being shown in public. Leave it at that," Zoro warned.

"Odd reaction for a scar..," Ezio thought but gave Zoro a nod and walked over to the table and grabbed one of the kebabs.

The Straw Hats, Kokoro, Chimney, and Ezio happily ate the barbecue, and not long after they had started, Franky showed up with the Franky Family to join. They were also followed by the Galley-La Company workers, and their small poolside barbecue quickly evolved into a full-scale party. More and more food and drink were brought, music was played by some locals, Chopper and Luffy stuffed their faces with food and went about their usual party antics.

Zoro got into a drinking game, and Ezio would have joined him if he was not distracted by some attractive girls and the fact that Chopper had forbidden him from drinking alcohol.

All in all, it was a good time as more and more people from Water 7 joined to get in on the celebration. Despite the happy atmosphere, Connor wandered through the crowd, looking for a specific person who wasn't there. Eventually, he found himself near Ezio, who was flirting with a group of very young and attractive women.

"Ah Connor, having a good time? I know I am," Ezio asked with a glint in his eyes. He then noticed Connor's forlorn face. "Is there something the matter?"

Connor looked up at Ezio and then back over the crowd. "Usopp's not here," he said sadly.

"Usopp?" Ezio asked.

"Sogeking," Connor clarified.

"Ah, the sniper in the mask," Ezio remembered.

"Yeah, he's not here. We've never had a party without him, so it just doesn't feel right," Connor said.

"Maybe he'll show up later," Ezio tried.

"Yeah, maybe," Connor repeated in a sad tone.

Ezio observed the boy for a moment and then looked over the crowd, spotting all the Straw Hats busy with other party activities. Ezio supposed that this would be the best time to clarify certain things.

"Connor, can I ask you something... Are you happy with the Straw Hats?" Ezio asked.

Connor looked back at Ezio. "Yeah, why?"

"I was just wondering, it's unusual for a child your age to be with pirates and not with their family," Ezio explained.

"But I am with my family," Connor shot back. "The Straw Hats are my family,"

"I see... I did not mean to imply otherwise. I was merely concerned for your welfare," Ezio apologized. "Though I am curious what it is like to be part of a pirate crew. I never had that opportunity,"

"It wasn't great at first, but once Luffy came along, it's been so much fun. We see lots of islands, meet a lot of interesting people, and go on the best adventures. Luffy and the others even let me do things I wouldn't be able to do otherwise," Connor said happily. "Like go fishing, Robin, Zoro, and Sanji are teaching me lots of things. I get to listen to the most outlandish stories, and I even get to eat three meals a day and am allowed to sleep," Connor said happily. "Even though I don't sleep much, it's still great that I can,"

Ezio stared at Connor in shock. Of all the things he had expected, simple things like eating and sleeping regularly were not one of them.

"Connor, what do you mean the Straw Hats allow you to eat?" Ezio asked, concerned.

"I was part of a different pirate crew before Luffy's. They weren't nice to me, and it wasn't fun," Connor said carefully.

"Well, I'm glad you're having fun now. But you'll have to excuse me, there are some lovely belladonnas who I have left by the pool who cannot possibly enjoy themselves to the fullest without me," Ezio said.

Connor looked over at the group that Ezio had left. "They seem to be having fun to me," he observed.

"Yes, but it will be more fun once I get involved," Ezio claimed. He then walked off and left Connor alone. Connor spotted Zoro, who was in the middle of downing a large mug of ale with the Galley-la workers, and wandered over. He had a question for the swordsman.

"Zoro, can I ask you something?" Connor asked.

"Sure, kid," Zoro answered and started on another mug, as did the carpenters.

"Where do babies come from?" Connor asked innocently.

Zoro and the shipwrights, who were also participating in the drinking game, immediately spat out their drinks in shock. It sprayed all over the crowd but not on Connor. Though the crowd didn't seem to mind.

"What? Why would you want to know about that?" Zoro asked in worry.

"Luffy said his grandfather told him babies came from mountains, and when I said they didn't and came from the spirits, Robin said that wasn't true either. So where do they come from?"

"Ah…um…well…" Zoro responded sheepishly, looking around for a way out of this conversation. "You see…,"

"ZORO!" Luffy called. "HEY ZORO, COME HERE!"

"Oh, captain's calling. Got to go," Zoro said and ran off, thanking whatever god that was up there for the escape.

Connor looked at the other Galley-la workers, who were red-faced and avoiding his gaze. Knowing that he would not get the answers he sought, Connor went back over to the pool, jumped in to wash off the sprayed alcohol, and then sat at the table with Robin.

Robin looked a little shaken when Connor arrived, but she quickly recovered. During the party, Connor found Franky and told him his request for the new ship. Franky looked confused at the request, but nonetheless agreed to see what he could do. The party only continued to get louder and rowdier, and everyone who attended had the time of their lives.


Streets of Water 7

La Volpe was considering his options on how to find and approach the Straw Hats when he saw some people rushing towards him.

"Hey, the Straw Hats are having a party," one said, "and they're letting everyone join,"

"Alright, let's go. We can thank them for saving Iceberg," another said eagerly.

La Volpe blinked. He couldn't believe what he just heard. He headed to Iceberg's pool area and sure enough, the gates were open and there was a massive party going on. Not only were the local thugs, the Franky Family, there, but also the Gally-la workers, the giants, and more townspeople who were eager to join.

La Volpe entered the party and took a drink before he began to weave his way through the crowd to find the Straw Hats. He quickly identified them along with other people from the town, Iceberg, the Gally-la foreman Paulie, and Franky of the Franky Family. However, as his eyes trailed over the crowd, they landed on a familiar face by the pool. He nearly dropped his drink.

It was Ezio.

Ezio was here and alive. He was shirtless, wearing swim trunks, and talking to a group of girls who were swooning over him. La Volpe let out a sigh upon seeing him. He wasn't surprised. Of course, Ezio was flirting with girls. The thief had hoped he had grown out of that, but apparently, that was not the case. But he was grateful that Ezio was alive, even if he looked a little paler than normal.

He wondered why Ezio had not contacted anyone and why he had let his family believe he was dead if he was alive and well. La Volpe stayed on the edge of the celebration for the rest of the party, keeping an eye on Ezio the whole time. He watched as Ezio spoke to a child, flirted with some girls, and spent the night having a good time. The Assassin Mentor made no indication that he knew La Volpe was watching him or even there. But La Volpe was okay with that. He could wait until the party wound down so he could talk to the Assassin Mentor in private.

The party eventually wound down well after midnight, much to La Volpe's annoyance and amazement. Now there were sleeping forms of all the party-goers, including the Gally-la, Franky Family, and the Straw Hats, but also many townspeople. They all slept soundly, having eaten and drunken too much. Ezio was among them, and La Volpe moved to stand next to him and looked down at the sleeping mentor.

La Volpe watched Ezio for a few moments, waiting for the Assassin Mentor to react to his presence, but Ezio never did. Instead, La Volpe bent down and cupped his hand over Ezio's mouth. The second he made contact, Ezio's eyes snapped open, and he gripped his assailant's arm tightly, glaring up at them. However, Ezio relaxed instantly upon seeing that it was just La Volpe.

La Volpe put one finger to his lips, then made a follow gesture before he removed his hand from Ezio's face and stood up. He turned and walked off, and Ezio followed him out of the pool area and into an alleyway. They would have gone up onto a nearby rooftop, but Ezio took one look at the wall and shook his head. He wasn't nearly recovered enough for climbing. Once they were clear and far enough away from the pool that they wouldn't be overheard, the two faced each other.

"La Volpe? What are you doing here, my friend?" Ezio asked, a mix of happiness and concern in his voice.

"Looking for you," La Volpe answered.

"Why?"

The thief crossed his arms and looked at Ezio with a very serious expression "Because your entire family thinks you're dead," he said in a no nonsense tone.

Ezio was taken aback by this "What? Why would they think that?" though he was pretty sure knew the answer.

"You were at Enies Lobby when it was hit by the Buster Call," La Volpe claimed. "Have you even read any of the papers in the last five days?"

"No, but..,"

"Why not? If you were alive, why didn't you tell anyone, call someone?" La Volpe demanded. "Do you know how many calls I've had asking me if you've been in contact with me or one of my thieves? Palla, Bartolomeo, Rosa, Altair, Leonardo..,"

"La Volpe, slow down. Tell me what has happened. Why does everyone think I am dead?" Ezio asked, though he had a pretty good idea and it was more for his own personal confirmation.

"Five days ago, when the papers reported that Enies Lobby had been attacked by the Straw Hat Pirates at the same time you were supposed to be there, everyone began to wonder what happened to you. I'm fairly sure Altair contacted Mario and Machiavelli for more information," La Volpe explained.

"Reasonable," Ezio agreed.

"Yes, I started getting calls not long after that, all of them were asking for your whereabouts," La Volpe continued. "Two days later, I got a distressed call from Leonardo asking me to find the Straw Hat Pirates and telling me that Altair had evidence that you had died, but he didn't believe it. When I asked what that evidence was, he didn't say,"

Ezio gave him a serious look but let him continue.

"So I called Altair, but he didn't pick up. I called Claudia, and she sounded like she was crying and wouldn't discuss the evidence either. She only thanked me for being your friend and said she had to take care of Maria. Next, I called Machiavelli to find out what was going on, and even he didn't know. All he said was that you were seen by marines escaping Enies Lobby on the Straw Hat's ship that had been coated in Haki. And for some reason, Altair, Mario, Maria, and Claudia equated that to mean you had died," La Volpe explained.

"Wait, but how did they...Ajikoi," Ezio sighed. Of course, they would have talked to the Admiral and the Marines on the Buster Call.

"Aokiji was at Enies Lobby? And he let you and the pirates go?" La Volpe asked in shock.

"Yes, he had more pressing matters," Ezio claimed. "Can you tell me how my mother is?"

"From what I hear, not well. I sent one of my men to your island to check up on her, but...according to them, she's...well, she's falling back into the state she was in after your father and brothers' deaths," La Volpe said sadly.

Ezio nodded. He remembered what his mother was like after the death of his father and younger brother. She didn't eat or sleep, just sat in her room staring into space. Physically she was healthy, but mentally and emotionally she was broken. Nothing could bring her out of it until Ezio had brought her feathers and other collectible trinkets that his youngest sibling had enjoyed collecting.

"And my sister?"

"She is struggling. I don't think she wants to see Maria go back to the dark place she was in for so many years," La Volpe said gently. "Ezio, what is going on? I don't like being kept in the dark, especially when it comes to distressing news like this,"

Ezio let out a sad sigh, he'd never intend this to happen.

"It is... complicated. But I have three very powerful and very dangerous secrets that no one outside my family, a few trusted people, and a few very close people know," Ezio started.

"And I'm not one of those people," La Volpe stated, sounding a little hurt.

"No, you are. It's just that outside my family, only Leonardo knows all three. The first one is my evolved sight, which you are already aware of," Ezio explained.

"And the other two?" La Volpe inquired.

"The second and third are more delicate, and only my family knows about them. As much as I want to, I cannot tell you," Ezio said regretfully.

"I see. So after all these years, you do not trust me. Do you think I would use the information against you?" La Volpe accused angrily.

"La Volpe, I am not telling you because I do not trust you, but because my father advised me never to reveal these three secrets," Ezio claimed. "On the night before his death, he made me swear never to tell anyone,"

"Giovanni did?" La Volpe asked in surprise, staring at Ezio. Ezio hadn't told him out of lack of trust, but because of his father. La Volpe knew Ezio respected his father highly, so if Giovanni had instructed him to keep his secrets close to him and his family alone as a dying wish, then it made sense that Ezio hadn't said anything.

"But Leonardo and Altaïr know," La Volpe added.

"I cannot keep anything from Leonardo, no matter how much I try. As for Altaïr, he discovered one of the last two secrets, by chance. I was rather foolish in our earlier encounters and he happened upon it," Ezio explained. "But he does not know all three,"

"Hmph, while I respect that you wish to keep your promise to Giovanni, I do have to wonder how dangerous these secrets are," La Volpe commented.

"I fear for what will become of my mother and sister if these secrets get out," Ezio said gravely. "But if it makes you feel any better, Machiavelli doesn't know all of them either,"

"That does actually. Is one of these secrets the reason your family believes you are dead?" La Volpe asked.

"Yes, it is," Ezio confirmed.

"Very well, I will not ask you for details, but I must insist that you call your mother and alleviate her worries," La Volpe said.

"Do you have a Den-Den Mushi?" Ezio asked.

"I do," La Volpe replied.

"Good, then let us go somewhere we won't be overheard," Ezio instructed.

They headed back to the Straw Hats' temporary residence. Since it was the middle of the night, there were no Galley-La workers to see La Volpe. Once they were inside, La Volpe pulled out a Baby Den-Den Mushi and handed it to Ezio. The Assassin Mentor dialed the number and let it ring. The phone rang out, so he tried again and got no results the second time. The third time, however, someone picked up.


Auditore Villa

Maria lay on her bed with a dead-eyed look on her face. She showed no emotions or signs of life in her eyes. She had been like that for days, ever since hearing the news of her last son's death. Claudia, of course, had tried to comfort her and share in their grief, but with each passing minute, Maria seemed to slip further and further away.

It was dark and the middle of the night, yet Maria found no solace in sleep. Suddenly, the Den-Den Mushi by her bedside rang. Maria ignored it, having no desire to talk to whoever was on the other end, so she let it ring out. A few seconds after the phone went quiet, it rang again.

Maria continued to ignore it, but on the third ring, Claudia wandered into the room. She looked tired and it was evident that she hadn't slept much.

"Mother, at least answer your Den-Den Mushi," Claudia said, sounding exhausted.

Maria didn't respond, and Claudia let out a sigh as she walked over to the bedside table. She picked up the receiver and spoke into it.

"Auditore Residence," she answered.

"Claudia... it's me," Ezio's voice came through the phone.


Altair and Malik were walking through the villa. Altair, like Claudia and Maria, was grieving. Malik had sat with him and was keeping a close eye on him, mainly to make sure he didn't cause too much damage with his Devil Fruit powers, as Altair's fruit was heavily influenced by his emotions. They were walking down the hall when they both heard a scream coming from Maria's room.

Altair instantly vanished, and a strong wind tunnel blew through the house. The door to Maria's bedroom burst open under the intense air pressure, and Altair reformed, hidden blade drawn and at the ready. His eyes flashed gold as he darted over every inch of the room, looking for an unknown assailant and the one who was attacking Maria. However, his sight showed that there were no hidden enemies, but the Den-Den Mushi was glowing bright gold.

"Claudia... what was that sound... are you alright?" Ezio's voice came through.

Altair's eyes widened, and he retracted his hidden blade and ran over.

"Ezio, you're... you're alive," Altair exclaimed.

"Altair? What are you doing in my mother's bedroom?" Ezio demanded. "Actually, on second thought, I don't want to know what you're doing in my mother's bedroom,"

"It's not what you think," Altair shot back.

"Really? Because judging from the noise, it sounded like you burst in and likely blew the door off in the process," Ezio retorted.

"That is exactly what he did," Maria spoke up. Her voice was weak. "My son, are you truly alive?"

"Yes, mother, I am, and I am sorry that I have been out of contact for so long. It was not my intention," Ezio replied.

"Brother, when we heard the news... Uncle Mario said..," Claudia started.

"Ah, sister, not now. La Volpe is with me," Ezio interrupted.

"La Volpe?" Altair asked. "What's he doing with you?"

"Apparently, Leonardo did not believe the news of my death and asked La Volpe to find the Straw Hats," Ezio informed. "He did and found me in the process,"

"The Straw Hats?" Calida asked "why would be with them?"

Altair and Malik were walking through the villa. Altair, like Claudia and Maria, were grieving. Malik had sat with him and was keeping a close eye on him, mainly to make sure he didn't cause too much damage with his Devil Fruit powers, as Altair's fruit was heavily influenced by his emotions. They were walking down the hall when they both heard a scream coming from Maria's room.

Altair instantly vanished and a strong wind tunnel blew through the house. The door to Maria's bedroom burst open under the intense air pressure and Altair reformed, hidden blade drawn and at the ready. His eyes flashed gold as he scanned every inch of the room, looking for an unknown assailant and the one who was attacking Maria. However, his sight showed that there were no hidden enemies, but the Den-Den Mushi was glowing bright gold.

"Claudia… what was that sound… are you alright?" Ezio's voice came through.

Altair's eyes widened and he retracted his hidden blade, running over.

"Ezio, you're... you're alive," Altair asked.

"Altair? What are you doing in my mother's bedroom?" Ezio demanded. "Actually, on second thought, I don't want to know what you're doing in my mother's bedroom,"

"It's not what you think," Altair shot back.

"Really? Because judging from the noise, it sounded like you burst in and likely blew the door off in the process,"

"That is exactly what he did," Maria spoke up. Her voice was weak. "My son, are you truly alive?"

"Yes, Mother, I am, and I am sorry that I have been out of contact for so long. It was not my intention,"

"Brother, when we heard the news... Uncle Mario said..,"

"Ah, sister, not now. La Volpe is with me,"

"La Volpe?" Altair asked. "What's he doing with you?"

"Apparently, Leonardo did not believe the news of my death and asked La Volpe to find the Straw Hats," Ezio informed. "He did and found me in the process,"

"The situation in Enies Lobby... changed drastically. I offered my assistance in their endeavors in exchange for passage off the island and sanctuary. They agreed to both, and it is a good thing they did. For I truly would have died without their aid,"

"So you did use it," Altair said gravely.

"Ezio, what were you thinking?" Claudia scolded.

"I was thinking I did not want to be blown up by the Buster Call," Ezio joked back.

He then explained what had happened on Enies Lobby, the Straw Hats' entrance, and how it and their stunt had compromised his escape, and his only method of leaving was with them. The ship they escaped on was barely holding together.

"How long, how long were you..," Maria asked.

"Five days. In truth, I only really woke up today. The rest of the time has been too short for any kind of contact,"

"Five days... I... we left you alone in that…for 5 days," Maria gasped.

"Do not blame yourself, Mother. You did not know," Ezio responded.

"Where are you now? We'll come get you," Claudia urged.

"Water 7. The pirates are guests, and the mayor is protecting them from the government while they get a new ship built," Ezio informed.

Maria looked at Altair. "How soon can a ship get to Water 7?" she asked.

"Four days. If the ship leaves at first light and there is a constant, very strong wind in the sails, and the weather is on the ship's side," Altair answered, "which it will be because I will be on that ship,"

Maria nodded.

"Did you hear that, Ezio? We'll be there in 4 days. Until then, don't do anything stupid or get yourself killed," Claudia instructed.

"Claudia, please. This is me, after all," Ezio responded.

"We know. That's why she said it," Altair commented.

"Alright, Ezio, we're going to hang up and go pack. All three of us will need to be on that ship tomorrow," Claudia said. "And if you're not still alive when we arrive, I will find a way to bring you back and kill you myself,"

"And I will help," Altair warned.

"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him," La Volpe's voice came through.

"Wait, before you go. Altair, is Malik with you?" Ezio asked. "I need to discuss something urgently with him,"

"I am here, Mentor," Malik said, stepping forward. "I am relieved to hear you are alive,"

"Good. In my time with the Starw Hats, I have discovered some very interesting secrets that need to be recorded," Ezio said seriously.

"Secrets?" Altair asked in a serious tone with a hint of curiosity.

"Yes, the information I possess will change the world and the way we see it forever. I feel it must be reported while I have the chance, for I may truly be killed off this time simply for knowing," Ezio revealed.

Altair and Malik glanced at each other, wondering what kind of secret Ezio had discovered. Claudia and Maria also looked worried; they had only just gotten Ezio back, and now they learned that he possessed knowledge that could threaten his very existence.

"Malik, take note and be sure to record what I am about to tell you in our Archives," Ezio ordered. Malik looked at Claudia, and she quickly got a quill and paper ready, nodding in affirmation.

"We are ready to receive the information, brother," Claudia assured. She would write down whatever her brother had to say in Malik's stead.

"Very well... Malik, did you know that Straw Hat Luffy has a nickname for Altair?" Ezio asked in a light-hearted tone.

Altair's face fell. He wouldn't...

"Oh? Pray tell?" Malik asked, matching Ezio's tone and sporting an evil grin on his face.

"It's 'Alty'!" Ezio laughed. "Isn't that hilarious? I think I might start calling him that too,"

"It is, however, I believe I will continue to use 'Novice' when referring to our esteemed Mentor," Malik retorted. "Ezio call me that and I will kill you myself," Altair threatened.

"Yeah yeah sure you will…Alty," Ezio responded.

"You do realise I am going to be on the ship that collects you right?" Altair threatened.

"Now Malik I must know, have you been keeping up with the assignment I gave you?" Ezio continued ignoring Altair.

"I have Mentor," Malik agreed "However the last few days…I did not pursue it as it did not seem appropriate,"

"That is understandable, however now that it has been confirmed that the news of my death has been greatly exaggerated. I wish for you to continue the assignment I gave you and do double your efforts to ensure maximum distraction at all times. Oh and do not forget to add what I just reported to our historical Archives so future generations of Assassins may learn this wise and valuable secret,"

"Malik as Mentor I am overriding Ezio and ordering you to disregard those orders," Altair warned "Do not put that name in our Archives,"

"Very well Mentor Ezio, I shall endeavour to complete your assignment by the time you return," Malik agreed with a grin.

"Ezio when we reach Water 7 I will kill you myself," Altair growled.

"Now Mentor, while I have you I would like to discuss why you are over two months behind in your paperwork and a set schedule for your return as you will now have to redo it and catch up on the time you have been presumed dead," Malik stated.

"Oh…uh…oh no…what's that the marines are attacking water 7? Sorry Malik I would love to discuss this with you but I've got to go and ensure I do not get captured. Keep up the good work," Ezio said and the line went dead.

"I think I liked it better when he was dead," Altair huffed. But there was no malice or any indication that he meant his words "I'll go and make sure a ship is prepared,"

"Thank you, Altair, Claudia let us pack," Maria said.

"I will inform Leonardo," Malik said.

"Malik, on your way out could you also inform the night staff that I wish to have a light midnight meal. And send them my apologies for disturbing them but I find myself suddenly quite peckish," Maria requested.

Malik nodded and he and Altair left the room.


Straw Hat's Temporary residence

Ezio put down the Baby Den-Den Mushi once it went silent. He then looked at La Volpe.

"Thank you for that, La Volpe," Ezio said.

"My pleasure, now we just need to find a place to stay and lay…" La Volpe started, however, as he was talking, Ezio suddenly fell over. He caught himself on the table and took several deep breaths.

"Ezio," La Volpe said worriedly, reaching out to steady his friend. La Volpe reached out and found that Ezio had a fever. "You have a fever,"

"I know... I can... I can feel it…" Ezio said breathlessly.

"What…Where did this come from? You were fine moments ago,"

Ezio gave a weak smile "I wasn't actually…seeing you, the party…it took a lot out of me,"

"Is that why you didn't notice my presence when I wasn't hiding it?" La Volpe asked.

"Si but do not worry this will pass. I just need more rest," Ezio assured. "Help me to my bunk, and then you should go,"

"I am not leaving you like this," La Volpe urged.

"I will be fine, La Volpe. This is normal and the worst has already past. Besides, the Straw Hats may not take kindly to the fact that you were in their residence,"

"They will not see me. I could be standing in front of them doing a jig, and they would not even notice," La Volpe claimed.

"Don't be ridiculous, La Volpe. We both know you don't know how to dance," Ezio said with a smile. Suddenly Ezio swayed heavily and went limp leaving La Volpe to catch and fully support him "oh…I think…I think I'm about to pass out…" Ezio claimed.

"Ezio…Ezio stay awake," La Volpe urged.

"Please…go," Ezio begged softly and his eyes closed.

"Ezio, Ezio, wake up," La Volpe tried but got no response from the Mentor. La Volpe could tell from his breathing that he had fallen unconscious. Thinking quickly, La Volpe gently laid Ezio down on the floor and pulled out one of his own medicine vials. He lifted Ezio's head and tilted it back so the Mentor wouldn't choke, and slowly fed him the medicine. Once the vial was empty, La Volpe waited a few minutes, but Ezio didn't wake up. La Volpe narrowed his eyes; this was not good.

Assassin medicine could cure almost anything, from serious injuries to the deadliest of poisons. It was fast-acting and usually took effect within seconds. It should have brought Ezio round and cured his fever in under a minute. But Ezio showed no response to the medicine, and La Volpe checked his temperature; the fever was still there. The thief let out a sigh; he wouldn't be able to get Ezio to an inn unseen in this state. If what Ezio said was true, then if anyone saw him, they would alert the Galley-La company. If the Straw Hats came back and found him missing, they would know that someone had been in their residence, and La Volpe didn't want to know how they would react to that.

As much as La Volpe hated it, Ezio needed to stay with the Straw Hats, and he needed to leave. He gently picked Ezio up and moved him to the bunk that Ezio had indicated was his. La Volpe did his best to make the Mentor comfortable, and once Ezio was settled, he pulled out a chair and sat in the room, watching his friend.

"Ezio, I just promised your mother and sister I would keep an eye on you, and I intend to do just that. So, I will stay until I hear the Straw Hats return, and after that, I will keep a vigilant watch over you from the shadows until your family arrives," La Volpe vowed. Ezio gave no indication that he heard or even knew La Volpe was still there, but the thief expected this.

As he watched Ezio sleep, La Volpe replayed the night's events in his head. Ezio had given no indication that he was unwell; nothing about the way he moved or acted showed any signs of illness. Tired, yes, but not enough to cause this. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of secret Ezio had that would make him like this.

La Volpe sat in the room, keeping a watchful eye on Ezio as he slept. The flickering candlelight cast shadows across the room, and the silence was only broken by the sound of Ezio's uneven breathing. Something didn't add up. Ezio had always been a reckless and come off carefree, he liked to joke and have fun and could be quite witty. A show of defiance to the world that caused him and his family so much pain. However he was also incredibly cautious and careful, and it didn't make sense for him to suddenly fall ill without any warning. Ezio had mentioned that he had been Unconscious already for five days and judging from Maria's reaction to this La Volpe could only assume that she knew what was wrong with him. Ezio also said the worst had already passed and La Volpe didn't want to imagine what worse looked like; given how quickly this sudden fever was affecting Ezio now.

La Volpe kept his eyes focused on Ezio, his face pale and strained from the fever. Whatever had afflicted Ezio must have something to do with those secrets he mentioned.

As the night wore on, La Volpe remained vigilant, keeping watch over Ezio. He occasionally checked Ezio's fever and administered more of his own medicine, hoping that it would help or start to take effect. But it never did, after the third dose La Volpe stopped feeding it to Ezio. Every now and then he would glance out the window to check for any movement or activity. However no one was around nor did anyone approach the small residence.

About and hour before the sun rose, La Volpe heard footsteps approach. He quickly put the chair back where it had been previously and moved to a corner of the room, blending into the shadows, and watched as the Straw Hat crew returned to their residence. They were all tired, La Volpe knew they had been parting all night and they had fallen asleep by the pool. He doubted that is was proper sleep though. The green haired swordsman was carrying a sleeping child in his arms and as soon as he entered the room he immediately put the boy in one of the bunks and tucked him in.

La Volpe recognized Nico Robin in the group, and when she entered, she suddenly stopped and took a look around the room. La Volpe stilled, could she sense him?

"Something wrong, Robin-chan?" the blond man asked.

Robin didn't answer right away; she kept her gaze sweeping the room. Nothing was out of place, and her eyes lingered past where La Volpe was hiding. Finally, she looked back at the blond. "No, it's nothing," she smiled. "May I have some tea before bed?"

"Yes, Robin-chan!" the blond swooned.

"Oh, there he is," the red-haired woman said, noticing Ezio in his bunk.

A small, fuzzy animal ran over and checked on him. La Volpe slowly reached for his knife; if any of these pirates made any moves against Ezio, he would not hesitate to step in and defend his friend.

"Ah, his fever is back," the reindeer panicked, the sleepiness gone from his voice.

"Again?" Straw Hat asked. "I thought he was over that?"

"It must've come back from the party. This is why I told him not to overexert himself," the reindeer huffed.

"So are we going to have to take watches again?" the green-haired swordsman asked. "Because the kid is actually sleeping soundly for once, and I don't want to wake him,"

"It's not as bad as before, but we just have to wait till it passes and try to keep it from getting worse," the reindeer claimed. "I'll keep an eye on him just in case; the rest of you can go to bed,"

"How did he get back here on his own anyway?" the swordsman asked suspiciously.

La Volpe continued to observe the crew from the shadows, noting their movements and behaviour. They didn't seem hostile towards Ezio, which was good, and the small animal creature set about helping him. The others stayed up for a short time before one by one, they made their way to bed. After the Straw Hat crew settled in, La Volpe decided that Ezio was in no danger, and he slipped out of the residence unseen.