Silmeria - Thanks for being patient everyone. Enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer - I claim no rights to One Piece or Sentinel.

Chapter Nine - Behind Masks of Kindness

"...And that's how I ended up here in Syrup Village with Zoro." Luffy finished, his smile bright and his stomach full. Next to him, Zoro was snoring rather loudly with a trail of slobber going down the side of his mouth. It should've have been a cute image if not for the fact that Zoro was bounty hunter and a Beta Sentinel with senses compared to an Alpha, but Luffy let it slide. The food was good and heavy, after all and he couldn't remember the last time Zoro slept properly. It didn't take Luffy long to guess that it was probably since he left his home village. Despite traveling together for a long time, Luffy still had no idea where Zoro was from or whether or not the man had a Guide. It was dangerous for a Sentinel to travel the seas without Guide and vice versa, but deep down, he was glad that Zoro decided to stay.

"Amazing." Kaya breathed, clapping her hands and Luffy swore that he saw hearts forming in the girl's eyes. "It's amazing that you've traveled so far to find your Sentinel. Have you gained any clues?"

"Unfortunately, no." Luffy responded, nudging Zoro in the ribs, hiding his smile when Zoro snorted twice before waking up and rubbing his eyes, muttering that he was awake. The man wiped his eyes, his cheeks flushing when he realized that he had indeed fallen asleep at the table.

"Apologies." Zoro grunted out, sitting up and wiping his mouth and reaching for his water to clear his dry throat. "The story gets a little old after a while."

"Not old enough to fall asleep." Merry muttered from Kaya's side, reaching down and refilling her cup. "Really, I understand that you are Miss. Kaya's guest, but please, be more respectful towards her generosity."

Zoro waved him off, but gave Kaya an apologetic bow of the head, eliciting a smile from the woman who hid it behind her glass. "It's quite alright, Merry. I assume that it's a little boring to hear the story seeing that he actually lived it." Kaya folded her arms on the table, staring at both men with visible interest. "My parents promised Admiral Garp a gift and if that gift is a ship for his grandson then it will be granted, but it will take a while if you are willing to wait?"

"Of course." Luffy responded, as if the response was obvious. "Do you have a specific time table?"

Kaya turned to Merry who furrowed his brow. "Two months at the most."

Two months.

Luffy chewed his bottom lip at the time estimate. Anything could happen in two months time and honestly, he didn't want to spare it. Ace would most likely be in New World by then or even circled around and hit the Grand Line again and Luffy would lose whatever trail he had gained, but wasn't the trail already going cold? He didn't want to admit it, but the trail had been going cold for days and neither he or Zoro wanted to admit it, each believing that with time, they would find a clue that would push them back in the right direction, but no luck. So, in the end, it wouldn't matter if they stayed or not, they had no clue as to where they were going and they weren't going to get far without a ship.

"Very well." Luffy acquiesced, forcing his sadness down as he felt the precious time slide down the drain, slipping through his fingers like sand, but what use was it to worry about it now? They had acquired a ship and now it was merely a matter of time and patience before it was time to set off and sniff out another trail.

"Is that time not sufficient?" Merry inquired, his sharp eyes taking in Luffy's slumped shoulders and frown. He wouldn't remark that the Guide looked ungrateful, dissatisfied with the time stamp given, but one sharp looking from his mistress cut all inappropriate thoughts from his mind. It was Klahadore, however, who took the privilege-courage-to engage Luffy with a small, tolerant smirk that reached his eyes that caused Merry to take a closer in his mistress' direction. Klahadore's temper was legendary on the island and even someone as brass as he wouldn't dare invoke it. Despite looking prim and proper, Klahadore did possess adequate fighting skills and used them when need be, but Merry on the other hand, didn't have that same talent.

Which is why he left the more difficult situations in his co-workers hands and it always did work in their favor. If a method wasn't broken, then why bother fixing it?

"Is our time-table not agreeable to your journey?" Klahadore questioned bluntly, staring at Luffy and Zoro over the rim of his glasses. "I can assure you, Guide Luffy, that two months is a rush job according to most shipwrights."

Luffy's lips thinned and his eyes narrowed at the unspoken words. This was being done as fast as possible. You should be grateful.

"I understand." Luffy responded tightly, his jaw clenching. "Excuse me if I seem displeased with the time table that you given me and Zoro. I am quite grateful that you are giving us a ship in the first place."

"It is quite alright." Kaya spoke up before the argument could get out of control. "We realize that you are in a race against time, but we do want you to be safe on this journey. Well, as safe as the seas will allow you to be." Kaya leaned in closer, manners briefly forgotten as she met Luffy's eyes across the table. "I know you will see Ace again, Luffy. This, I believe. So, for the time being, why don't you rest and enjoy the island? We might not have much to do, but we do have much to explore and eat. So, again, rest and be patient with me, if you can."

Luffy shared a look with Klahadore before turning back to Kaya and nodding with a small smile. For someone as kind-hearted as Kaya, he would be able to wait. Not once did she push him, insult him nor make him think that he wasn't welcome in her home. This, he could do.

"Of course." Luffy responded, rising from the table and nudging Zoro as he did. "I thank you for the dinner, Alpha Guide Kaya." he bowed, once more nudging Zoro to do the same. "It has indeed a pleasure."

"Yes, I enjoyed the stories that you have told me about your journey. What will you do now?"

"I think that Usopp will take us around town this time. Properly." Luffy shot Usopp a dirty grin as the younger man groaned and rose from his seat, giving Kaya a pat on the shoulder as he joined Luffy and Zoro's side. "We'll return at a reasonable hour."

Kaya stared at them, sadness flashing through her eyes, before allowing a smile to pull at her lips. "Take care and be back soon, okay?"

Luffy wasn't expecting much when he got a tour of the village. What he wasn't expecting, however, was the massive cliff overlooking the ocean just a mile outside the village. He wasn't expecting the miles and miles of clear blue sea that reminded him of home.

He also wasn't expecting to be eavesdropping as the sun set into the sea.

"So, what's a Sentinel doing on a small island like this?" Luffy took a seat on the edge of the cliff, allowing his naked feet to dangle precariously over the edge, gaining more than one wary look from Usopp. "I mean, Syrup Village has got to be a little boring for you, right?"

"I know it's boring for me." Zoro muttered, lying next to Luffy and placing his arms behind his back, prepping himself for another long nap while the sun was still warm. "Nothing to do here but to catch bratty kids and look up aristocrats asses. No offense to Miss. Kaya, of course, she's good."

"Merry and Klahadore have been around for ages so I'm not too worried about them as much as I used to be." Usopp took a seat on Luffy's right, staring out at the sea with a tight sigh. "My mother, she's from this place and I was born here, of course and it's always just been me and her and my father, until my dad left."

"Left?" Zoro pressed quietly, his eyes taking Usopp's tense form. "You mean left and became a pirate?"

"That's right." Usopp responded, letting out a bitter laugh. "My mother got talked down for it as well. People whispering behind her back about how she's nothing but a pirate's whore and that it served as a lesson that she left and she was pregnant with child. Thankfully, those same people died in the pirate attack a year ago."

"Respect the dead." Zoro chided gently. "You know we Sentinels can feel their presence and they won't be too happy about you talking smack about them, you know?"

"Respect is earned, not given, Sentinel Roronoa." Usopp muttered cynically. "I have no intention of respecting people who talked my mother into the grave." his expression turned grim. "It never is good for a Guide to feel the emotional state of others constantly and her shields weren't the best towards the end."

"I am sorry for your loss." Luffy murmured. "Still, it's no good to still be angry with those departed people and their words. Your mother is at rest now and I don't think she would-"

"No offense, but I doubt you would know what my mother would want." Usopp cut in viciously before looking away and lowering his head and staring listlessly into the rough ocean waves and rocks below. "No one did."

"I might not have known her, but I do know, as a Guide, that she wouldn't have wanted her son to grieve over her, especially when she thought that he had a long life ahead of him. She probably hopes that he'll leave the island and run into his father one day and show him how strong he's become and that he'll show real courage instead of false camaraderie."

Usopp looked, shocked when Luffy met his stare calmly. "How-"

"He's not a Guide for nothing, kid." Zoro grunted out. "He's extraordinary at feeling your emotions, even if he is an Omega and the fact that I can tell you're lying helps as well. We make quite the team: Luffy and I."

"Right." Luffy agreed, sharing a mild grin with Zoro that was quickly stopped when the Sentinel froze on the ground. "Zoro? What's-"

"Quiet." Zoro murmured, lying still on the ground, his breathing obviously slowed. "I can...hear voices."

"What are they're saying?" Luffy asked, reaching over and placing a hand on Zoro's arm, helping the man expand his senses, his own frown tightening when the muscles tensed beneath his hand. "Zoro?"

"Bastard." Zoro snarled, ignoring Luffy's inquiring. "Bastards, the both of them."

"Zoro-" Luffy's hand was wrenched away when Zoro suddenly stood, his arm on his blade tightening to the point it cracked the sheath. "What's going on? What did you hear?"

"Kaya." Zoro began, shooting Usopp a strained look. "You have to hurry back to the mansion and make sure's she's alright, Usopp. Luffy and I will take care of the people below."

"What-"

"Just go!" Zoro urged. "Don't stop running, use your sight to your advantage because you're about to put that good aim to use. Trust me and go."

"...right. Right." Usopp turned on his heel and sped down towards the path leading towards the village, leaving Zoro and Luffy to themselves. "Good Luck!"

"What's going on?" Luffy asked, once Usopp was out of earshot. "Zoro-"

"Klahadore is a traitor." Zoro muttered, freezing Luffy's heart. "He wants to kill Kaya." Zoro grabbed Luffy's arm and started down the path that would lead them to the bottom of the cliffs. "I hope you're ready for a little fight, Luffy. It's time to get some practice in."

Luffy's heart skipped a beat at the thought. He never thought that he would be fighting on this small, little island, but this journey so far proved him wrong on every occasion, so what was the difference now?

"I'll fight. For Kaya. For Usopp and everyone on this village that bastard has betrayed."

Zoro smiled against the wind, the motion wild and full with blood lust. "That's the spirit. Let's go hunt some traitors."