"It's been a week since we snuck into the city, when do we actually do something other than eat and drink?" Mark asked Cliff in a whisper.

"When May comes back." Cliff answered him while drinking some juice.

"And when will she come back?" Mark asked again.

"When she feels she has enough information for us to act on." Cliff answered once again.

"But-" Mark's next question was cut off by Cassy running in and up to them,

"She's here! May's here!"

Within moments Cliff stood having taken a big gulp of juice to empty the glass and started to move towards the inn they were staying in.

As he got into May's room, followed by Cassy and Mark, he saw the entire crew assembled there, while May laid on the bed.

"Have fun?" Cliff asked Maya with a grin.

"Nope!" Came May's reply.

Before anyone else could even begin speaking she continued, "I checked on Mark's parents. They're safe and have taken a room in an inn on the other side of the city." At this Mark heaved a sigh of relief.

Continuing on as if she didn't hear Mark, "Plus, the marines here aren't very good at their jobs. I snuck in to the building they commandeered a few times with no problems. Twice in broad daylights even!" She bragged.

"May, how about you tell us what you learnt?" Cassy interrupted.

"Fine!" May pouted, "The marines are too overconfident in the vice-admirals' power. He spends almost all the time sleeping. And when he isn't sleeping, he's preparing to sleep! And there are no other marines even close to him in ability. We could them all out all by ourselves-"

"But not the Vice-Admiral. We would not be able to even touch him before we all die." Cliff spoke in a serious voice cutting her off.

"What about the security around the inn where Mark's parents are?" Cassy asked.

"None. It is the same as the city. A few patrols across the city but nothing impossible to sneak around. We could extract them tonight and be out of here easily!" (May)

"It can't be that easy?!" Mark cried out.

"Hate to tell you this man or maybe not, but the marines aren't really as tough as you think them to be." Taiga spoke.

"What?" Mark asked completely confused.

"The average marine is about as useless as a civilian, just with a weapon to swing around. The kind of marines you're thinking of, usually Rear Admiral or up." Cliff chipped in.

"And such marines aren't usually in the blues. They're stationed in the Grandline." Taiga continued.

Silence ensued

"So, what do we do now?" Mark asked after a minute of silence.

"Now, at night you and May will go to the inn where your parents are, explain everything to them, and get them to come here. Then we quietly move out of the city and back to our ship." Cliff said looking at Mark.

"I get me going but why May? I know this city like the back of my hand." (Mark)

"Safety." Mio answered.

Seeing the questioning look of Mark she elaborated, "Not just your safety but your family's too. You don't know when some marine might just happen onto you. There's a curfew here, no?"

Hearing this Mark calmed down and nodded his assent.

"Good! Now then we have till sunrise to get outta here! Get whatever sleep you need now; it'll be very likely we're gonna stay up all night." Cliff said getting a small cheer from his crew before he left to his own room.

…

…

…

Mark walked alongside May, sneaking around the dark streets. They watched as lights shut off in the houses. As the moon began to rise, they watched as marine patrols came in to the building and new patrol groups came out.

Following May's lead, Mark snuck around, keeping to the dark spots. He stopped when she did, and move when she did.

They crossed streets whenever he told her to as he knew the city better. Moving through the alleyways to avoid patrols.

This made him feel like he was a character in the comic books he read as a child. The main character was a hero who helped others from the dark. Always hidden, never seen but always managed to help. He too snuck around the marines like Mark was doing now. He too navigated alleys and streets like he knew the city like the back of his hand.

Mark felt some embarrassment well up in his chest as compared himself to his childhood hero. He shook his head and continued to follow his crewmates' lead.

But he couldn't shake off the pride welling up in him, as he fulfilled his childhood goal of being like the Help-Man, the hero he used to idolize just once in his life.

Now he just had to focus on his new dream, to learn all he could from all over the world about ship building so that one day he could make a ship just as good as the Roaring Tigress and the Oro Jackson, and maybe… maybe make one even better than them.

He shook off his thoughts and looked around. They were just around the corner from the inn.

As they made their way there, May pointed towards the first floor.

"That's where they are. 1st floor corner room to the left. Get up there and talk to them quick so we can get out of here." she whispered.

She gave him a hand up as he jumped onto the open window and got inside.

"Ma? Pa? Are you in here?" he asked.

"Mark? Is that you? What are you doing here?" a male voice asked.

"Yeah Pa, its me. I came to get you and Ma out of here." (Mark)

"Alone?" A female voice asked this time.

"No Ma, I'm not alone. I got friends helping me."

"And who are these friends of yours?" His father asked.

"…" silence was Mark's answer.

"The last time you made friends, you brought home pirates. So, tell me who are your friends this time and don't lie?" His father asked again.

Mark answered this time, "Pirates father. My friends are pirates. I joined their crew, in exchange for your safety!"

"Our safe-" Mark's mother was cut off by May's voice.

"Are you done or not? We need to get out of this city and fast."

"Who's that?" His mother asked.

"The crew's navigator. She's helping me and now you escape this city." (Mark)

"Wha-" His father started to speak before he cut him off.

"Listen Pa. I swam all the way to Track-Build Island where I found them. They had a damaged ship and I had the wood to correct it. I have their word that in exchange for me being their shipwright, they will ensure your safety by helping you move away from here."

His father took a deep breath and asked, "Which crew did you join?"

"The Roaring Tiger's." Mark replied.

His father nodded and went towards their wardrobe to start packing, while his mother came up to him and hugged him.

A few minutes later, his father had their luggage ready and came up to him, "Do not think for one second that this conversation is over. We will continue it when we get out of here."

Mark nodded and got to the window, about to ask something when May saw him.

"Mark, are you really going to get your parents to jump out of the window?"

When no response came for a second, she added, "I unlocked the front gate, get them out that way and we'll be on our way."

…

Once they were out into the city, they followed the same way back as they came this time even more cautious due to additions to the group.

They went past the inn where the crew stayed and moved towards the hole in the city walls. Getting through that, they found rest of the crew and little ways ahead.

"You're here, good. Have any problems?" Cliff asked.

"None." May spoke.

"Good, let's get going. The ship's a ways away. An hour or 2 walking." Cliff added the last part for the benefit of Mark's parents.

The crew nodded and moved, with Mark's parents in the middle of the group, Cliff and Cassy in front and Taiga in the back. The rest of the crew were all around their guests.

…

2 hours later, the crew and guests got to the cliff line while talking among themselves.

Mark was busy telling his parents everything that happened since he saw them last. The twins were talking to each other about the cannons aboard their ship. Cassy and Cliff were once again talking about Cassy being able to pull off her sword slash while fighting the sea king. Mio was talking to May about 'girl things' or atleast that's the answer Taiga received when he asked. Taiga himself was drinking while walking in the rear of the group.

Once they reached the cliffs, they moved towards the descending pathway towards their ship. Once near the ship, they jumped onto the ship, helped their guests onto the ship.

"Everybody ready?" Cliff asked once their guests had been shown their room and had come back to the deck after storing their luggage.

"AYE-AYE CAPTAIN" his crew added.

And then he commanded, "SET SAIL!"