The Turning of the Tide

While thick rainclouds gathered in the sky, Mia stopped in her tracks to survey the building storm. The sun was completely smothered by the gray clouds and a surge of energy that coursed through her bones told her that a huge storm was coming. Having that thought in mind, she picked up her pace and hiked deeper into the island's forest, keen on getting to shelter before the clouds burst.

During the four days that had passed following her escape and destruction of the marine's base, Mia had sought to get as far away from the scene as possible. Upon her escape and right after she had reached land, she'd collapsed on the beach of the nearest island, her body drained and exhausted. Mia woke up on the same beach by nightfall, rather surprised and relieved at the same time that neither the marines nor Mihawk had discovered her in her unconscious state. She wasted no time in putting more distance between her and what she could only imagine was Akainu's incredible state of anger. In the time she'd taken to explore the island, she found it was relatively small but was inhabited by a small village of people that thrived off the land and the privacy and isolation that came with it.

She entered the village nervously, knowing full well the marines were on the hunt for her now and Akainu probably wanted her head. Luckily the people received visitors and tourists very quickly and with a friendly manner. She didn't waste time locating the island's dock and immediately started looking for a ship that could take her to the Grand Line. Rather unfortunately, there was not a single ship or crew on the island that was capable, or brave enough for that matter, to take her to the Grand Line. A few fisherman that overheard her queries even laughed at her.

So she left the docks, disappointed and nerved bundled tightly in her stomach. She was a sitting duck for now, as she couldn't find a ship or crew to help her, and she feared running through the open ocean was a bad choice at the moment. Mia decided to keep her head as low as she could. She didn't have any money, so she figured the best course of action would be to reside in the forest until she could catch a lift off the island and to the Grand Line itself.

The first two days she spent living in a cave on the darker side of the island that the locals tended to avoid because of many predators. However, by the third day she had already gotten into the habit of visiting the beach she had originally collapsed on and found another collapsed person on the sand that afternoon.

His bizarre appearance meant he was anything but human. Mia was pretty sure because he had blue skin and a nose that resembled that of a swordfish. He was male, huge, definitely not human and by the look of his scars he was beaten up pretty badly. Mia guessed he was some type of shark-man hybrid, but nonetheless he was injured and alone so naturally she took it upon herself to drag his heavy limp form all the way into the forest and to her cave so she could help the poor soul out. By the time she got him there, she laid him at the base of the cave, where sunlight still reached, as it was not a very deep cavern. Situated next to a small waterfall and surrounded by thick green flora, Mia had to admit the location was stunning and the nearby water access made it easy for her to survive and heal her new friend.

She found his body responded much more naturally to her water healing treatment than any human she'd ever healed. Not even animals healed this fast. The only other creatures that responded this well to her healing was sea mammals and fish, and she was willing to bet by the gills on his nape that he was certainly more sea creature than human.

He'd regained consciousness by the time she had the fire going and peeled apart some fruits she picked earlier that day, and when he spotted her he'd nearly thrown her into the stream they were next to. He was livid, red with anger and deaf to any words of defence she shot at him. In the middle of his tantrum he fired down on her and called her a stupid human, and at that point Mia figured he wasn't up to discussing things calmly, so she swayed a thick line of water out of the stream and flicked it into his face. It knocked him out when he hit the ground and Mia winced when she saw the lump it had formed on the back of his head.

He was knocked out for another hour and by the time he was sitting upright and nursing a pounding head, she had already made dinner and boiled some water for tea using supplies she had gotten from the village. Not having any money at the time, it had been difficult but she had started bargaining by doing mundane acts such as sweeping out the store or washing or stacking racks at the market - in return she'd gotten some useful things, including an old-fashioned kettle with tea sackets, a blanket, a steel bowl, some crackers she had already eaten and a flask which turned out to be very useful.

The stranger, who obviously had remembered that Mia had taken him out with water, didn't lash out this time. Instead, he surveyed her with curiosity and didn't yell. He'd also noticed by then his lack of injuries and the fade in his scars. Mia then handed him some tea and explained to him how she found him.

His name was Arlong and he was a pirate, he told her. He'd recently been defeated by some punk and his crew and two girls with blue hair had thrown him so far into the ocean with their freaky water abilities that he had been too weak to save himself. At this point Mia had to sit down and regain some composure.

He'd gone face to face with Luffy by the way he had described it. The two girls were obviously her nieces and he mentioned that Nami had betrayed him as she was apart of his crew - not anymore, it seemed. Mia remained patiently silent throughout his explanation, only nodding and processing the information.

"You're like them, aren't you?" he'd said, narrowing his eyes at her. "Those girls who took me out. I can see some resemblance. You're sea witches, aren't you?"

Mia stared at him, amused. "Sea witches?"

"Like the one that battled Gol. D Roger all those years ago. Pirates make up stories about women who can control the seas. They cause storms and hurricanes that can take out an entire fleet," he went on, ignoring his cooled down tea.

Mia felt herself become uncomfortable. She decided to set him at ease - she wasn't a sea witch and neither were the girls that had cast him into the deep waters of the ocean, nor were they that powerful as the stories described. Arlong didn't seem convinced and he still had many questions, as she had for him. They went back and forth for a good few hours, even whilst eating, although he seemed to pull up his nose at Mia's boiled seaweed and coconut stew but took a few bites nonetheless.

Throughout their conversation Mia could deduce many simple things about Arlong. Arlong hated humans. He wasn't exactly coy. In fact, he voiced his opinion and emotions rather sharply, clearly annoyed with his current weakened state and that he was dependant on a human. He shut up rather quickly when Mia pointed out she wasn't human and she could easily have him out cold and on ice. Begrudgingly, he grumbled a thank you for her trouble and Mia nodded.

The conversation didn't seemed finished, but Arlong was still worn out from his recuperation and passed out shortly after dinner. Mia covered him with the blanket she had and sat in front of the fire for the remainder of the night, staring into the dying coals as she tried to make sense of Arlong's short explanations before she too fell asleep.

The following day Mia was the first to wake up. Arlong was still asleep so she quickly took a bath behind the curtain of the waterfall. The roar of the water didn't seem to bother him during his slumber, and to Mia it was arguably better than music. By the time Mia emerged from the water and swiftly clothed, he was awake and waiting for her beside the heap of ash that was last night's fire. After a mumbled greeting she inspected his wounds and concluded they did not need anymore water treatment. His body was still overworked however. Arlong whined that he needed protein so Mia, wanting to get away from him for a while, spent the whole day fishing on the beach where she had found him with a makeshift fishing rod.

So when the clouds started to signal a coming storm, she gathered the healthy amount of fish she had caught in large leaf wrappings she had gotten off a large tree and started off back towards the shelter. When she reached the cave, Arlong was nowhere to be seen but all her belongings were still in place. Mia set the wrapped fish down and rotated on the spot to try and catch sight of him. Not even a second later he appeared from the lush forest green and limped towards the cave.

Mia set her hands on her hips. "You're not supposed to be walking," she scolded him, but he ignored her and thrust something into her stomach that nearly knocked her over. Her hands grasped at the spot and she felt paper in her fingers. Curious, she took a look.

Her face. On a wanted poster. Mia grimaced. This was bad.

"Five hundred million beri," he grunted, plopping himself on the ground and reaching for the wrapped fish. Mia continued to stare at the picture. She was ashamed to admit what first caught her eye was how good she looked in the picture. The detail on her face and hair was amazing, and her eyes were big and lovely. No, the fact that she was wanted dead or alive completely flew over her head for the first few seconds.

She reached for her bag and sat down across from him. Careful not to tear the paper, she folded it neatly before stowing it safely in her bag. Nama and Razu would get a kick out of it for sure and Nera would be nothing short of furious, but that was another day's worries.

"What the hell did you do to the World Government to get such a damn high bounty?" Arlong voiced in a mixture of interest and amazement. He took one of the fish and drove his sharp teeth into it. Mia avoided looking at the spectacle of him devouring a fish raw and instead got busy moving the fireplace to the base of the cave so to keep it out of the rain.

"I sort of ...destroyed a marine base a few days ago," she explained in a dry tone, but the words sounded incredible coming out of her mouth.

Arlong had already swallowed the fish whole by the end of her response and he reached for the next one. "How the hell did ya do that? Splash water at everything?"

Mia huffed and stacked the firewood accordingly. The sky rumbled with thunderous echo that made her strangely anxious. "No, I destroyed the piping system and the infrastructure collapsed." She purposely left out the tidal wave she had sent into the building that ultimately caused it to collapse, though Mia reassured herself that the building would have tumbled into the ground anyway.

Arlong snarfed another fish down his throat. "Well shit, lady. That's crazy. And that's one hell of a bounty too. The marines must want your ass badly."

Mia finished stacking the firewood and then turned to Arlong. "Yeah. I need to get into the Grand Line. When I reunite with my nieces I'll feel a little better about the situation."

At the mention of Mera and Nino, Arlong's mood turned sour. He finished his fish in silence, only shooting her scrutinizing glances in between chewing and swallowing.

"What were you doing in the village anyway?" she asked. The first few droplets started to plop around them.

"I contacted my crew ...what's left of them anyway," he answered aloofly, finishing the last fish in a big gulp. "Their coming for me and they should be here in a few days." Mia nodded, taking in his information.

She then caught his eyes. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to take me to the Grand Line?" she tried, grinning sheepishly. He didn't smile back.

"Look, I appreciate you helping me and everything, but neither me or my crew are in any condition to go to the Grand Line right now. I need to get with my crew and figure out my next move." He seemed sure of himself, so Mia didn't ask again. He moved himself into the mouth of the cave to watched her start the fire as the rain started to pour down.

The rest of the evening Mia tried to make pleasant conversation, but Arlong seemed to be brooding. Why he was still sore over a lost fight was beyond her. He'd lost and he needed to get over it. But Arlong was bitter and Mia was sure it was in his nature to be unforgiving and relentless. On the whole, Mia just thought he was being stubborn but she left him to his silence.

"I think I need to leave tomorrow," she said all of sudden, almost without thinking the whole thing through. "I've been here for too long and the villagers have seen me more than a few times. Now that there's a poster out with my face on it I need to be as inconspicuous as possible. I'm surprised Mihawk hasn't found me yet."

Having already told him the situation with Mihawk, Arlong understood what she meant. However when she mentioned that she was leaving, his face grew angry and incredulous. "So now that I'm of no use to you, you're just going to abandon me?" he spat harshly.

Mia pulled a face and felt her patience snap.

"What is wrong with you? I never said that. You're being ungrateful and I'm pretty sick of you're sore loser attitude. I saved your life, I healed you and I fed you. I have no obligation towards you, especially to a such a hateful being like you. So shut up, because I'm in a bad spot and I don't have a crew that can help me or protect me." Riled up, she sprang to her feet and busied herself around the camp. "I hate it here. Everyone is so violent and high and mighty. And now I have a bounty on my head, that is nowhere near in correlation with my strength. On top of that, Mihawk is still out there looking for me, Mera and Nino are probably going to get bounties too and I'm stuck explaining to their mother why I let them run around playing pirate! Why? Because Nera just had to go and have some legendary battle with the Pirate King of all people! Way to go, Nera! All the bullshit you give me and I have to deal with your mess?!"

A large streak of lightning struck nearby - so close, Mia could feel the tremor in her chest and feet. Following the sudden rumble of thunder, she felt rather embarrassed that she had allowed herself to lose composure. She turned to Arlong to apologise, when he interrupted her.

"Alright, I get it. Geez." He snorted and then proceeded to stare into the fire. The thunder continued for a few more seconds and Mia continued to busy herself with small tasks around the campfire. She packed her bag and contemplated what she should do with the rest of the belongings she had gathered on the island. The logical thing would be to leave it for Arlong so he could get by a little easier while he waited for his rescue party. She calculated that he would be fully recovered in another day or two. To make things easier she would leave him most of her food supplies, so he'd have enough until then. After that, he was on his own. Mia could already tell Arlong had a hard time making friends, and his hostility and prejudice towards humans would make it hard for her to count him as an ally anyway.

No, it was best they part ways before they got too dependant on each other.

XxX

As planned , Mia woke up before the break of dawn, having fallen asleep early thanks to the lull of the heavy rain and the comfortable heat of the cave produced by the fire. Arlong was still snoring when she got on her feet so she decided to let him lie in and leave without saying goodbye.

Under normal circumstances she would have tried to do much more to help him than just provide for him. She would have liked to dig deeper into his character and try to see where his hatred for humans came from and what his past as a pirate made of him. Mia promised herself that if this whole mess ever cleared up and she crossed paths with him again, she'd try to become his friend.

Arlong gave her the blanket last night, probably his only act of chivalry she'd witnessed since meeting him, and she altered it by turning it into a cloak. The material was rather thin so all she had to do was tear it at a certain angle, tie a few knots and she could use it has a hood as well.

Her bag secured around her hip and her shoes back on, Mia tiptoed out of the cave. She took a moment to wash her face and fill her flask in the stream before setting off in the direction of the village. She figured she'd risk going through the village one last time, praying her cloak would add a little to her inconspicuity and hopefully make her invisible. The sun had yet to rise so she was also hoping that no one would be awake.

It took half an hour to trek through the forest that separated the cave from the village. Her shoes got dirty from walking through the mud and a lot of wet spots made it onto her clothing thanks to droplets falling from the tree tops. By the time she reached the edge of the village, she stopped in her tracks and scanned the area. The market was closed and the streets were empty.

She could hear music playing from the pub, so that meant someone was still awake somewhere. Taking a breath and feeling a little rejuvenated by the fact that she was finally on the go again, she found the courage to step into the path that lead into the village's main street. Puddles were everywhere, and she had a vague memory of Mera pushing Nino into a particularly big puddle way back when they were kids. A smile ghosted across her face while she made her silent journey. She kept her hood as low as she could and snuck peaks to the side every few seconds or so, something that made her paranoid very quickly.

The music grew louder and Mia also heard a window creak open somewhere. Soon she reach the pub that was blaring the music at such an ungodly hour and Mia was amazed by the fact that the villagers were still sleeping through it. The pub still had some chatter coming from it and Mia took a glance into the building's window.

She nearly choked on the air.

Sitting right by the window drinking a beer was Mihawk. Mia blinked. That was definitely Mihawk.

In moments like these time usually slowed down, but in this instance it sped up ten times for Mia. The sheer shock of seeing him right beside the window threw her off her guard. Despite how low her hood was, she made eye contact and the impact of his supernatural eyes sent waves of fear through her body. Mia wanted to run so badly, but her feet were firmly rooted to the wet ground. In the light shade of the village caused by the clouds still blocking the sun, he was sure to still recognise her.

He stared her down for a good couple of seconds. Calmly he continued to drink even as he looked at her, almost daring her to break eye contact. Mia was baffled. She was cornered and had not the slightest idea what to do next.

She blinked again. No, Mihawk was still there and she wasn't hallucinating. All of a sudden, she felt like a lost child and the urge to cry suddenly hit her harder than she ever experienced before coming to this world.

She couldn't run. The idea was laughable. His speed was unmatchable and he had already spotted her. What should she do? Wait for him until he came out? He seemed to be drinking at a very relaxed pace, so he didn't look like he was in a rush to catch her. He was still staring. Maybe he was playing with her?

Feeling a shiver from the cold of her wet clothes, Mia decided to give up for now. Her only chance of escape now was Arlong, but she'd rather take her chances with Mihawk than trust Arlong to save her. He'd never know she got caught anyway, so the thought left her mind as quickly as it came.

Mia gave up. Her eyes tore away from his and she mindlessly dragged her feet into the lively chatter of the pub as if she was just an everyday customer. She entered unnoticed, as everyone was either drunk out of their minds, singing and dancing or passed out on the floor. Mia spotted Mihawk by the very window from the outside.

It was like they had arranged a meeting beforehand by the lax way she was walking towards him, and he looked at her in a way that said he was expecting her all this time. Upon her arrival, he stood up and reached for a nearby chair to set a little too close to his own. He waited for her to step closer and held the chair open for her. Feeling disbelief by how the current situation was playing out, she shrugged off her makeshift cloak and draped it over the chair. Without looking at him and too scared to say anything at all, Mia took the seat and Mihawk helped her push it in like a perfect gentleman before taking his own seat.

When he sat down she became aware of how close they were. Their legs were nearly touching and she was hyper aware of the heat that came off his body. For once he was wearing a shirt, but the rest of his clothing was still the same as she last remembered it. Involuntarily she began to shiver. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. Mihawk, being decent, saw her discomfort and then proceeded to take off his jacket and drape it over her shoulders and she welcomed the heat that radiated from it.

The moment was so strange, so unspoken, though it was though he understood her perfectly at that moment. Words wouldn't be able to express her gratitude for his kindness at that moment, even knowing he was probably going to turn her in for that impressive bounty she now carried over her pretty little head.

Mihawk signalled his arm over his head and she turned her eyes to see a barmaid come closer. She reached the table and smiled at Mia, something Mia could at least return in the form of a grin. The smile from the strange young woman was oddly very comforting at that very moment. Perhaps she recognised Mia from the jobs she'd done in the village to gather some food and supplies in the past few days.

Mihawk ordered her some tea and the young woman smiled again with a friendly nod. She seemed to have qualms with her pub being run over by men that looked as if they'd broken a few tables and chairs and thrown up in the corner. Maybe business was bad and this was as good as it got. When she left, Mia felt strangely abandoned. She didn't want to be alone with Mihawk and the very thought made her heart pound. Sighing, she turned to look at him with shy eyes.

He caught her eyes and took another gulp of his beer before speaking. "You look good for someone who's been sleeping in a cave for the past five days."

The statement made her blood run cold. He knew, all along. He'd been keeping his distance and watching her from afar. Mia actually took her palm and lightly bumped it into her forehead. Neptune, she was such an idiot sometimes. He chuckled at her gesture.

"Now, there's no need to be hard on yourself. I only got here yesterday, and I was only half sure you were on this specific island," he said, sounding almost consoling. His words did little to comfort her. She looked up at him, self-conscious about her wild looking hair and musky scent she got from the forest.

"If you knew I was here, how come you didn't get here until yesterday?" she asked, slipping her arms into the sleeves of his comfy jacket. She rather liked the jacket. It was stylish, elegant, conveyed authority and power - just like him.

"I had to get my crew together," he pointed out, tipping his head in the direction of the group of rowdy men that occupied the bar. She turned to look at all of them and pulled a face of amazement when one of them nearly chugged down a whole barrel of beer and then promptly passed out. Mihawk chuckled as the other guys surrounding him simply laughed and left him on the floor. He caught the look she gave him.

"Trust me, they're much more charming when they are not so …"

"Inebriated?" she offered.

"I was going to say drunk, but yes."

Mia took a big breath out of the sheer anxiety that was gradually leaving her body. She hated to admit it, but she was getting comfortable with Mihawk's presence. She guessed it was because he was kind to her before anything else. On this thought, the barmaid had returned and placed Mia's tea in front of her, almost emphasizing Mia's point in the first place. She thanked the woman and then held the mug between her hands, feeling the warmth seep into her skin.

"I didn't know you had a crew," Mia mentioned, blowing on her steaming mug. Her tone was light, conversational, up to the point where it surprised her but also where she found she didn't care anymore.

Mihawk laid back in his seat. "Why wouldn't I have a crew? I'm a pirate, and a War Lord at that. Granted, many left my crew after I struck a bargain with the World Government and there a few younger additions to the group, but it is always handy to have them around in case I need someone to do dirty work for me," he said,draping his arm over the head of her chair. She struggled not to sit back a little more.

"But you obviously don't go everywhere with them," Mia noted, remembering the ridiculous little dingy he traveled around with, but also remembering him mention that it was not his real ship. She took a sip of her tea. It was lemon, maybe watermelon, but tasted similar to the tea she attained in the village a day or two back.

Mihawk shifted in his seat, obviously comfortable with the situation. "No. I know most of the oceans like the back my hand. By the time I had become a War Lord, there wasn't much of a need to see anymore of it. My crew tend to stay in a certain area, easy for me to find, but of course we stay in contact. My first mate takes charge so I don't need to take them everywhere with me," he concluded and finished the rest of his own drink.

"You're being awfully chatty this morning," she remarked, trying to come across cool and relaxed.

He smirked, tipping his hat in her direction. "Well, it must be because I'm happy to see you."

Mia blinked. 'Is he ...flirting with me? No, he must just be teasing.'

"Well, it's been a few days. I can only imagine how you've missed me," she countered, failing in trying to sound dry and instead came across rather uplifting herself. Good thing she didn't pull some kind of seductive face, and instead just appeared amused for the most part.

"Darling, the time away from you was pure agony," he voiced smoothly, flashing his brilliant teeth at her perplexed face. Mia felt close to fainting and but she caught the humour in his eyes, she clicked her tongue and lightly smack him over his chest. Out of good nature, he laughed.

"Don't say such things," she scolded him only to be met with another teasing grin. Clearly he was getting a kick out of this.

"You started it, my dear."

She blew air out of nose in annoyance and drank her tea while he busied himself in looking at things ...which occasionally was her, something she was pretty well aware of most of the time and fought hard not to show it.

"Well," she started, breaking the silence. "I can at least say that this is the most comfortable capture of my life. Thank you for the tea."

Mihawk adjusted his hat on his head, probably out of habit. "I'm not here to capture you," he stated simply and then caught her suspicious and unbelieving glance. "I'm not. I'm here to invite you to accompany me and my crew to the Grand Line."

She stared at him. Then at her tea. Then back at him. "The Grand Line? What are you going to do with me there?" She wanted to make herself doubt him, but she was actually having a hard time not believing him. Why she was so comfortable with him all of a sudden, she was not sure, but part of her knew why she was nervous and fluttery.

"Place you in Shanks protection," he answered without skipping a beat. "I was going to get you out of the forest today later in the afternoon, but you've put us ahead of schedule by simply showing up. But then again, I can tell you are a punctual type of woman."

Mia sat upright in her chair, only catching the first few words of his speech. She paused, unable to find her words, but Mihawk waited patiently and merely looked at her with what she could only guess was his way of showing sincerity. His golden eyes bore into hers and she found herself nearly choking up by the intensity within them. Instead, she found some tranquility and took a breath to steady herself.

"R-really? You're not going to hand me over to the World Government? Haven't you seen my bounty?" she asked, as if questioning his sanity. Mihawk merely shook his head and continued to look at her.

"I have no interest in the bounty."

"Why?" she asked softly, feeling her heartbeat pick up by the way he was looking at her. Little by little, she felt heavy weight come off her shoulders as he smiled at her reaction.

Mihawk then leaned in closer, and for a crazy moment she thought he was going to kiss her. Instead, he paused at her ear. "I saw what you did to the marine's base. "I was there when you destroyed it with that massive wave."

Mia paled. He saw. She could only imagine what he thought of her now. He probably thought she was some kind of freak or monster. Then again, fishmen like Arlong existed in this world, so at least she had her looks going for her which was nice. Seeing her shock, he placed his hand on her back and patted softly. The touch sent a spark up her spine.

"Even if I'm a War Lord, I'm still a pirate, and I was a pirate my whole life before I gave it up to become a War Lord. So I know as well as anyone that the World Government shouldn't get their hands on the power you possess, because there's no telling what they'd do with it. You met one of the admirals didn't you?"

"Akainu," she said without explanation, but he seemed to understand by the word alone what she meant.

"Yes, marines like him hate pirates. But it's not only the pirates I'm trying to protect," he continued, his hand still on her back. He sat up a little more straight and kept his voice low, so low she almost couldn't hear him over the chatter of his crew and the volume of the music. "The sea is in a delicate balance and the ocean's are very dangerous to anyone who doesn't know or understand it. The only people who defy this rule are pirates, and there are powerful crews out there. Crews the marines would want to put down no matter what the cost."

"So, you're doing this to protect the pirates?" she asked.

"That, and also the fact that I think the marines are a bunch of idiots. The World Government has its own corruptions and flaws - the fact that they use Pirates to keep other pirates in order shows the extent they're willing to go to keep balance and order. If they had control over your power," his voice dropped severely, "that balance would be ruined and the ocean's would descend into chaos."

Mia considered his words. She'd never seen him so serious, and she thought he was an incredibly serious person to begin with. If anything, he was a more serious pirate, and if there's one thing she'd learned up until now, it's that pirates felt more strongly about things that affected them personally than normal people. Mia nodded, catching her reflection in the window in front of them. She looked terrible and her eyes even had bags underneath them, mostly from all the stress she had to work through in the past week.

"You didn't tell me you were capable of such powers," Mihawk went on. "You had me convinced you were only a superior healer and you're fighting abilities weren't as good."

"I said I couldn't make massive storms and waves like Nera," she responded, taking the last gulp of her tea. "I never said I didn't have good fighting abilities. There's a difference between fighting and swaying, and unlike Nera, I can combine them without creating massive destruction."

"You destroyed a building," he pointed out,

"It was an accident," she snapped lightly, a twinge of annoyance finding its way into her brow.

"Whatever it was, it should be hidden and protected," he concluded as if making his point in one sentence and not wanting to discuss much further at the moment. He had a look that said he wasn't finished with the topic though, and Mia put it away in her head for later.

"So, now what?" she asked, looking over her shoulder to see most of Mihawk's crew passed out and/or sleeping. His eyes followed hers and he sighed.

"I suppose we wait until the afternoon when they've woken up and then we set sail immediately. There's no time to waste and I would lose my title as War Lord if the marines found out I was helping you."

"If they caught you with me, you could just say you captured me," she pointed out.

"Yes, but then I'd have to turn you over in that moment. I'm sure I could lie and say I wanted to deliver you personally and later say you escaped by the time you're with Shanks, but it would depend on the situation," he murmured, mostly to himself. Mia sighed, but felt tons lighter knowing that she was in safe hands now, and taking another glance at Mihawk and remembering how he took down Zoro made her sure he could protect her and deliver her safely.

Suddenly she felt elated. But the feeling was quickly squashed by another problem.

"What about my nieces?" she asked, looking at Mihawk with worry. He patted her back again lightly and then eased back into his seat.

"They're with the future pirate king, aren't they? I'm sure they will be fine."

XxX

A/N: Oh. Yes. Game on.

This chapter …I have mixed feelings about it, but after staring at it for five days and after editing it with ArkAngel1179, I think it turned out more or less the way I wanted. Thank you so much for the support so far! I love all your faces.

***REVIEW RESPONSES***

DarkAngelLida: I am so glad you enjoyed the chapter. It was actually more difficult to put together so I'm happy you're impressed with the result. Yeah, the greatest part is just having Mia have exchanges with other characters in One Piece. Please let me know what you thought about this chapter. I'm curious about your opinion.

Nowriting: Thanks so much! I'm glad she isn't perceived as some damsel in distress.

Vesper's Crow: When you have an almighty sister whose shadow you live in, I think you'd be hard on yourself about your abilities. I'm glad you enjoyed the scene; I was really excited about putting down in words! Thank you for your support, Crow.