A/N: Trying to get back into a writing rhythm again. Both my kids are sleeping through the night now, which means I get a little time to myself in the evenings now. Woot.

Ch. 5 – Cipher Pol

Helena sat up in her infirmary bed, feeling a foreboding that had nothing to do with the storm rising outside. As soon as she sat upright, Chopper startled awake from where he'd dozed off at his desk.

"Who the-, what the-!" he stammered out as he gained a grip on consciousness. "What's happening?"

Before Helena could respond, the door from the kitchen slammed open, jolting Chopper out of his chair completely.

"Helena," Zoro growled. He stood there dripping wet from the storm, clutching a bundled blanket to his chest. His eye flashed dangerously toward her.

She could see the others behind him in the kitchen. Sanji, Brook, Usopp, Luffy, all drenched and wearing uncharacteristically sober expressions. The captain had a look of blood-wrath to him, even.

Chopper intercepted Zoro before he could take another step into the room. "I told you she needs her rest…!"

Zoro just looked him pointedly in the eye and dropped the blanket he'd used to protect Kuina from the wind and storm. With the back of her dress still hanging open, her brand became instantly, inescapably visible.

Chopper gasped, losing all ability to form a retort.

"You said she was fine," Zoro said, his voice dangerously low and quiet as he addressed the doctor. "You didn't look at her for more than a second."

Chopper's shocked expression sobered. He must have realized a defense was pointless. "Sit her here," he said, indicating a chair. "That's an old wound at this point, but there may be something I can do to help reduce the scarring, if only a little."

"No, put her here," Helena said, swinging her legs out of the bed. "She needs it more than I do."

"You think?" Zoro growled, and Helena shot him a look.

"I thought she had already been tended to," she replied to his accusatory glare, "You said she was fine."

"And you said you would protect her!" Zoro snapped back.

Helena did not drop her gaze, though guilt shot through her afresh. She knew she deserved every word of censure he had in store, however publicly he meant to give them, and she would accept his anger with the dignity she owed him.

"I trusted her with you," he went on. He didn't shout. His wrath made his voice go even softer. "How could you let this happen?"

Kuina started to cry loudly. She had never heard her parents argue.

"Chopper, please tend to her," Helena murmured. "Zoro, everyone, I will tell you everything. But I would like to do it with some dignity, sitting upright and away from this infernal bed. Clothes would be nice as well."

"You're not walking anywhere," Chopper cut in.

"But-!" Zoro and Helena protested at once.

The doctor rounded on them, fresh bandages and an antiseptic for Kuina in hand. "If you're leaving this room, then Zoro is going to carry you everywhere, got it? No walking. No exertion of any kind."

Zoro and Helena exchanged glances. She could see his disgust, looking at her. – Like he was completely ashamed of her, as well he should be. Chopper may as well have asked him to carry the man who had wounded Kuina.

The little doctor didn't care. Putting the bandages and medicine on a table, ready for use, he grew to his larger form and attempted to gently ease Kuina from her father.

She clutched him tighter "Papa mad?" she asked. "I do somefing bad?"

Zoro's expression softened, and he turned his gaze from his wife. "No," he replied, embracing the child, careful not to touch the brand. He pulled away and looked her in the eyes. "You have been very brave. Can you be brave for Dr. Chopper now too? He's going to look at your back."

Kuina nodded, rubbing tears away with her little fists. She gave him her bravest smile, and Zoro ruffled her hair.

"That's my girl," he said.

He seated her on the bed beside her mother. Apparently unable to look Helena in the face now, he picked her up without meeting her gaze.

"Robin should have clothes about your size," Chopper babbled, indifferent to the discomfort the quarreling couple felt. "Well, go on then," he shooed, "Fill me in later. I want to know what happened too."

Dressed in some of Robin's more conservative attire, Helena sipped a mug of hot cider, surrounded by all the Straw Hats but Chopper. They had chosen to hold this particular meeting in the Aquarium room for comfort. Rain continued to pour outside, a surprisingly calming sound, particularly as it rippled on the surface of the fish tank. Oddly enough, though perhaps perfectly in keeping with the unpredictable nature of the New World, there was almost no wind or wave, which meant Franky could join them.

By the calming blue light of the Aquarium, Helena gazed over her new comrades' faces. They all clutched their own mugs, eyes alert, and none complaining about having been awoken in the middle of the night. The others, though irate on Kuina's behalf, didn't look at her with the same carefully reined in anger as Zoro did. His sympathy toward her plight had evaporated in light of her failure to keep Kuina safe. She preferred his quiet anger to their sympathy, though. She deserved his wrath after all.

Where to begin?

"I know you're all concerned about what happened to Kuina," she started, truly touched that they all seemed to care about her daughter's well-being to such an extent. Luffy cracked his knuckles, even as she spoke. "But I think to really understand, we may need to go further back, to what happened to Ilium itself. It could take a while."

"We've got a while," Franky put in. "The Sunny's caught in a Calm of some kind. No current. No wind. We won't be moving til this weather phenomenon passes."

"Never had a 'Calm' before," Nami grumbled.

Franky gave her a reassuring smile, "Your superrr prediction was still right," he reminded her, "It's raining, just not in a dangerous throw-you-overboard kind of way."

"If we've got a while, then we'll go back to the beginning," Helena said, brow furrowing pensively, "To when I returned to Ilium after dropping Zoro off at the archipelago…"

"You were at the archipelago?" Usopp cried, giving voice to everyone's look of surprise.

"None of you saw me?" Helena asked. "I saw all of you! From a distance of course. But Zoro didn't mention we were there?"

"He failed to mention he had a daughter too," Sanji pointed out, and the others chuckled.

"Ever the strong silent type," Helena teased, daring to glance his way and then wishing she hadn't.

"I wasn't supposed to talk about Ilium or its Queen, remember?" he retorted sharply.

His quiet but angry input effectively darkened the mood. The crew's titters fell silent. –It was just as well, this wasn't the type of story for titters and laughter. Honestly, if Helena could get by without having to relive it she would, but they needed to know everything, particularly if they were to protect Kuina in the future.

She cleared her throat.

"When I returned home, it was to an unexpected homecoming celebration…"

"Another party?" Helena groused as her designer sewed her into her formal attire. "Diddy, we just had the City of Dionysus Festival, and a Parade, and Funeral Games! Why on earth would we need another party?"

"Nysa insisted, your father agreed," Diddy replied with a shrug. "It's a good way to show you weren't just off on a vacation, right? I heard something about solidifying your union with Straw Hat pirates."

The ninety-year-old fashionista had thankfully ditched her usual false mustache and today sported a pair of ridiculously holey skinny jeans and a flannel shirt. Despite the immodest number of holes in said jeans, Helena envied her mobility:

"Diddy, you and I have had many a chat about how important it is for me to be able to move in my dresses…" the queen started.

The current concoction was a lot sleeker than the Queen was used to. It had long sleeves and covered her collar, but the golden fabric was skin tight. Not only did it feel pretty immodest, the lack of breathing room restricted her arm movements. Its pencil shape also hugged her hips down past her knees, making the use of foot swords, or really any practical sword stance, impossible.

Diddy seemed to blink at the sequined concoction in surprise, having just finished sewing Helena in. "Oh dear," she said. "I'm sorry, I guess I've just been a bit distracted lately…I don't suppose you heard?"

"About Agamemnon?" Helena prodded, sobering. How could she have forgotten that Diddy was Agamemnon's grandmother? "Yes, I did. Almost as soon as I disembarked actually. I'm so sorry, Diddy. They found him this morning, right?"

Diddy sniffed. "Dead in his own home, no one knows how it happened! – an aneurism the police suspect. Ha!" she seemed the picture of indignance. "Thankfully they haven't written off foul play. I'm sure the autopsy will provide more insight."

"He was wealthy and powerful," Helena said with a nod, "I wouldn't be surprised if he had a few enemies. He was a genuine patriot, though. His passing is a great loss to Ilium."

Helena wasn't just saying it to be nice. She felt his loss keenly. Agamemnon was the most powerful business man in Ilium, and had always supported her and her father unquestioningly. Though she wouldn't say that he was a close personal friend, he was undoubtedly one of her more trustworthy allies.

"Don't worry about the dress, Diddy," Helena reassured her. "It's lovely. I'll manage somehow. Bless you for even coming in to work today."

She didn't see, didn't even think to look for the sinister gleam in Diddy's eyes as the woman wiped away a crocodile tear. She had been Head Seamstress in the palace for decades, after all. – had made gowns for the last queen, and the queen before that!

"It's good to be busy," she said simply.

Nysa the party planner poked her head in, her purple hair gelled into its usual pointed swirl atop her head. She took a quick look at the queen, then nodded in approval. "Right on schedule," she said, to the point as always. "Band is set up. Guests on their way."

"You booked the group from Homer's right?" Helena asked hopefully.

"Virgil's," Nysa corrected, noting something on a clipboard.

Ah, yes. Homer's pub had burned down in the recent battle. The owner himself had been killed, but his brother-in-law, Virgil, had taken in the band that had once made Homer's into Helena's favorite place to dine.

"Glad they could make it."

"Wouldn't miss it," Nysa said.

Of course, her favorite singers would never turn down a request from the Queen. Helena soon managed to greet them herself, before many of the guests had arrived. She greeted a few of the members without formality, having known many of them since her childhood.

"Orpheus!" Helena called to their lead tenor. He didn't turn from tuning his guitar until she called out to him a few more times. The chronically sleepy man seemed sleepier than usual today. Either that or something was off. "Are you alright?"

He forced a smile at her. "Oh, yes, sorry your Majesty. I was just a little distracted."

Not just distracted. He seemed sad. He had the telltale look of freshly shed tears under his eyes.

Perhaps it was best not to press it. "Where is Sirena today?" she asked, speaking of Orpheus' wife, and the band's lead female voice.

"Sir-ena?" his voice cracked. "Oh, she wasn't feeling well. She couldn't make it."

"I'm sorry to hear that. You'll tell her she was missed, won't you?"

He grunted and bowed his head back toward his guitar.

Puzzled, Helena made to turn away but another band member greeted her:

"Did you hear, Majesty? Robertus and Gloriadne are back in town."

Helena smiled at mention of her two court dance masters. They had been abroad for over two years, picking up the latest dance moves. The band knew them well, as they had taught lessons out of Homer's old pub. They'd been extended the invitation to act as dance masters precisely because Helena had met and learned from them there first. "Yes, they arrived shortly after I did. I haven't seen them yet, though."

Orpheus coughed and muttered something under his breath while his bandmate rambled a bit about the dancers. Helena hadn't quite caught what Orpheus said, but she thought she'd heard the word "coward" somewhere in there. Before she could call him out, she heard a voice that made her sigh inwardly.

"There you are, mon."

Helena turned to greet Calypso Blue, forcing a smile. "Mr. Calypso, I didn't see you there."

Actually she had. She'd purposely gone to greet the band first. She knew Calypso meant well, and that he was an ally – she needed him here to train her in haki. Zoro himself had suggested it! – but if Calypso started flirting again she would probably slug him.

"You look amazing as always, 'Elena," he said, giving her the once over from her open-toed high-heel shoes (another oversight of Diddy's) to her chains of office, to the top of her corona. She cursed Diddy and her stupid, fashionable, completely restrictive dress design. A proper slugging was out of the question. "How was the trip with that pirate of yours?"

Well, if she couldn't hit him physically, she could always hit him another way: "It was wonderful," she said with genuine, if a bit overstated enthusiasm, "It was basically the honeymoon we never got to have."

"Oh, glad to hear it mon," Calypso went on, unfazed. "After all, you won't be able to see him again for a while." His confident grin made her want to puke.

"Well, as they say, distance makes the heart grow fon…" she stopped short as a squat man walked by. "What in Hades is that man doing here?"

By "that man" she meant none other than Monte Bags. He swung his umbrella around one arm, blowing bubbles from a bubble pipe as though he hadn't a care in the world. Helena swiftly abandoned Calypso:

"Bags!" she barked, marching up to him. "You've got some nerve showing up here. I seem to recall banishing you on threat of execution."

Bags turned to her, a look of mock surprise on his face. "Banished? Me?" he asked, eyes wide in mock surprise. "As I recall, you banished any and all world government officials. But you see, I am retired now, like it's my job. - A forced retirement, really, but you can't expect them to keep me on after what happened, can you? That's the second war we've had with Ilium on my watch."

Helena looked at him, fingers itching to grab at one of the many swords strapped to her person. "How lamentable for you," she seethed unsympathetically. "Fired from both sides."

"Lamentable indeed," Bags agreed obtusely. "Now that I'm free of my title as Ilium's World Government Liaison, I thought I'd come and apologize for my failings, like it's my job. It's clear that despite over thirty years of service, I never was the right man for the job. I'm sorry I wasn't able to prevent Ilium's relationship with the World Government from coming to such a frightful end. It's truly a shame."

Helena stared at him, her jaw frozen, unable to retort. Was it just her imagination, or did he sound almost sincere?

"I know I've been a bit of a cad in the past, like it's my job, but I do hold a great deal of respect for Ilium and her culture. This was my home away from home after all," Bags replied to her shocked expression. "Can we call it pax, your Majesty? I'd hate to leave on such a bad note."

He held out a hand to her expectantly.

The etiquette training that had been drilled into her since birth made her almost lift her hand, but the hurt ran too deeply for that. Meeting his gaze, she gave him a withering look:

"Bags, you're not welcome here," she told him. "Ilium was never your home."

"Can we cut the fluff?" Zoro demanded, stopping Helena mid-story. "What does this little soiree of yours have to do with anything?"

Helena met his hard gaze, and decided this pause was a good time to take a deep drink of her cider. It tasted amazing. She let the flavor distract her for a moment as the rest of the Straw Hats murmured to one another, agreeing with Zoro.

"It is everything," she said calmly at last. "For you see, just about every person I have mentioned had a hand in Ilium's downfall."

Zoro furrowed his brow. "A dress-maker, a party-planner, a singer? One of your idiot suitors?" By that Helena took him to mean Calypso. "What would any of them have to do with…?"

Robin spilled her own mug of cider onto the floor, eyes wide in apparent understanding. Helena went on as though nothing had happened:

"Because they were each elite undercover agents of the World Government's secret service," she said calmly. "You may not have heard of them. They go by the name of…"

"Cipher Pol," Robin finished for her darkly.

Helena stared as more furious energy charged the room. Franky noticeably gritted his teeth, Luffy's blood-wrathed gaze grew, if possible, more alarming. Zoro's anger softened, however:

"I should have seen it," he chided himself.

Helena looked over at him, seated right beside her on the couch despite it all. He hadn't touched his cider. "I knew most of those people my whole life," she reminded him. "So did my father. If we couldn't spot them, how could you?"

"Because I knew what to look for," he seethed. "Dammit, Calypso was so obvious about it too. –always teasing you when you asked where he'd come from."

"That's how they work, Zoro," Nami reminded him. "Hidden in plain sight."

"Who is this Calypso guy, anyway?" Sanji asked. He'd already retrieved a towel to wipe up Robin's mess.

"That's a long story," Helena said. "He was…a friend, at first anyway, and then…"

"…then a jerk who tried to get Helena to be his lover," Zoro added when she trailed off.

Sanji's curly brow lifted as he caught the way Helena flushed in embarrassment. "Oh?" the Love Cook observed from where he knelt on the floor, cleaning. "Am I wrong in surmising that it almost worked?"

"…everyone thought Zoro was dead," Helena defended uncomfortably. "But no, I don't think he ever would have succeeded. He was kind of a sleaze like y…" she clapped her hands over her mouth. "I mean…!"

Sanji gave her a wounded look. Zoro snorted, but he tried to hide it by finally taking a swig of cider. So he didn't hate her completely then, thank the gods.

"You are much more respectful," Helena insisted to Sanji diplomatically. "And I am sure you know how to take 'no' for an answer."

"Of course I do!" Sanji asserted.

"This Calypso," Robin put in, taking a second towel from Sanji before he could attempt to towel her off with it. She dabbed spilt cider from her lap as she spoke, "His given name isn't Blue is it?"

"It is."

Robin looked up at her, face taught. "Oh dear," she said in complete understanding.

Helena sighed and nodded. 'Oh dear,' was an understatement.

"Robin, you've heard of him?" Usopp asked.

"I've never met him, but he has a cruel reputation," Robin supplied as Sanji handed her a newly filled mug. "I get the feeling we are about to find out why."

Helena nodded. "I mentioned Agamemnon's passing. It was foul play, but not in a way I ever could have expected," she said. "He wasn't killed by someone who was jealous of his wealth or power. He was murdered by his own grandmother, and for no reason other than that Calypso ordered it."

"Why?" Usopp asked. "I mean, you mentioned his grandmother was Cipher Pol, but why order the death of their families? What purpose would that even serve?"

"Why indeed," Helena sighed. "Ciphor Pole had been hiding in my country for centuries now. These agents were under such deep cover that many had formed families. Calypso had them kill them to tie up loose ends. I presume it was also to weed out any agents who might hesitate in the takeover. Diddy? She was the only one who didn't hesitate."

"A ninety-year-old woman?" Usopp asked.

"A ninety-year-old assassin," Helena corrected. "She had the most family, and didn't seem to mind killing them all. Agamemnon was just the first one we found. She's as bad as Calypso, and almost as dangerous. Don't underestimate her because of her age."

"You're telling us this so we can be prepared," Zoro observed. Absorbed now in her tale, he didn't look angry anymore, just focused on the task at hand. Perhaps her inadvertent jab at Sanji had mollified him just enough for him to put his disappointment in her aside for the time being. "They're still out there, and are probably after you and Kuina, is that it?"

Helena nodded.

"Then tell us," Zoro said, "What exactly are we up against?"