"Are you idiots!?" Gin blurts out. "Did you not just see what Krieg can do!? All of you need to get out of here!"

Sanji slowly stands up, walking over to where the pirate is still on the floor. "Gin, listen, as a cook, I have thought of it as my duty to feed the hungry no matter what." He takes a seat on the edge of a table. "However, when all those bastards come in here with full stomachs, I will beat your mates to death, and you better not complain. If they try to take over this ship, I will do whatever it takes to protect it. No mercy for anyone. Including you. Do I make myself clear?"

Patty chuckles, "So first you save him, and then you plan to kill them. What great ideas you have, Sanji."

"Shut your trap, shit-chef."

Luffy plops himself down on the table right next to me, "See, he's strong. We need him with us."

"Like I care," Usopp looks over at Luffy with fear all over his face. "We need to leave here before it all goes to hell."

"Calm down," Zoro slaps his hand on the table. "Those pirates are starving and wounded from what their captain said, so I'm sure it will be easy to take them down."

I nod, "There's nothing to worry about with how strong we all are, so we can just relax."

"That's right," Luffy places a hand on my shoulder. "I've got to fight Krieg for talking down to you. Girls can be just as strong as guys, and he has to be stupid to think that I wouldn't stand up for mine. Plus, he's a strong rival, and it's better to take him down now then later."

"What about the fact that he came from the Grand Line and couldn't even make it?" Usopp questions as his teeth chatter. "Doesn't that freak you out?"

Luffy shrugs, "Not really. We're better than him anyways."

I giggle, "I still would like to ask Gin about it."

"Like he'll tell us anything," Zoro scoffs.

I lean to be able to see Gin, "Um excuse me, Gin."

"Huh?" Gin looks up. "Oh, the pretty girlie. How can I help you?"

"I was just wondering, you have been to the Grand Line, but you have no idea about what it was like. How come?"

His head falls into his hands. "Ugh, it's all a crazy foggy memory. We were sailing along, and then the seventh day, it all happened so fast. I can't help but wonder if it was a dream, or if it really happened. It is all jumbled in my head. One second we were alone, and then the next, he was there." He is shuddering as the memory of how it all fell apart comes back to him. "A single man. I don't understand how a single man could take out fifty ships."

I rapidly blink as everyone exclaims 'What?' or 'Impossible!'

"It all happened far too quickly. In the blink of an eye, our ships were sinking. We were lucky that a storm popped up, or else he'd have sent the flagship to the bottom with the rest! I don't know if any other ships survived. Gah, it was horrible. I still have trouble wrapping my mind around it. I just want to forget that man. His piercing hawk eyes could kill anyone with just a glance!"

"What?" Zoro mumbles, pulling my eyes to see him tense. His eyebrows pulled tight, and his jaw clenched.

"It was him then," Zeff speaks up. "There's no doubt in my mind that it was Hawk-Eye."

"Hawk-Eye?" Multiple people ask.

"You said his eyes with like that of a hawk," Zeff looks at Gin. "That's enough proof for me. Add in what he did to your ships, it had to be him."

"Who is Hawk-Eye?" I look around at the boys at the table.

"Not sure," Luffy shrugs.

"He's the man I've been looking for," Zoro answers, looking calm once again.

"Oh, I remember Johnny saying that he comes here," Usopp says.

"Hawk-Eye, I don't think so," a cook speaks up.

"There was some guy, Old Red Eyes," another cook says. "He drank so much win that his eyes turned red."

"Then he caught fire and exploded!" Yet another cook adds in with a chuckle. "Man, what a sight that was."

"That sea snake lied to me then," Zoro growls.

"Johnny?" I tilt my head to the side.

"What did you do this time?" Luffy questions.

"Nothing, nothing," Zoro waves us off.

"So this one guy beat your whole armada," Sanji stands up from the table. "That means you must have done something to make him mad."

"Nothing that I know of," Gin sighs. "He attacked out of nowhere."

"It's possible that you interrupted his day," Zeff says.

"Do you think this is a joke! My crewmates were killed!"

"Simmer down, I wasn't joking," Zeff places his hand over his chin. "That Grand Line is that kind of place. You're always on your toes."

"An anything can happen place, is that it?" Zoro asks.

"Yes, yes!" Luffy smiles, clenching his fists in happiness. "I've got goosebumps just thinking about it. A place where anything can happen! That's my kind of place."

I giggle, "Well, that's one reaction."

"Can you think of the danger that waits for once?" Usopp glares at Luffy.

"At least I know where to go now," Zoro leans back in his seat. "That Grand Line. I'll find him there."

"You're fools if you think that you will survive more than one day out there," Sanji shakes his head, taking a drag from his cigarette. "Except for you Akari," his voice goes up a few pitches. "You could never be a fool with how pretty you are. How about you just stay with me?"

"What a lovely offer, Sanji," I lean my head on Luffy's shoulder. "But, I'm kind of with the chore boy." I grimace, "Sorry."

He rapidly blinks as he looks between Luffy and me.

"There's no need to insult us," Zoro speaks up. "Even if what you said is true. When I decided to be the world's greatest swordsman, I gave myself up for dead. There isn't anyone who can call me a fool but me. My reasons are my reasons."

"Same here!" Luffy raises his hand as he chuckles.

"Well," Usopp takes a deep breath. "As a man I have to agree."

"Right," Zoro rolls his eyes as he conks Usopp on the head with the hilt of his sword.

"It flows through my veins, so I am just following my destiny," I softly smile.

"Stupid," Sanji looks away.

"Hey!" Patty calls out. "I don't care what any of your dreams are. Do you understand what kind of trouble is going to befall us? All of us!? Right outside these walls, those sea-wolves are eating and drinking and regaining their strength, on Pirate Admiral Don Krieg's galleon! The most savage pirates in all the East Blue! Leave your dreams until after we get through this crisis."

"He's right," I sit up. "We can't follow our dreams if those men out there take us out."

In the next moment, what I can only assume is the war cry of Krieg and his men fill the air. They sound like a pack of hungry wolves, which isn't far from the truth.

I wrap my arms around Luffy's arm, feeling calmer knowing that he is next to me.

"Don't worry, Akari, I'm gonna kick his ass," Luffy does his best to lean down and press his forehead to my own.

"Their cry is still creepy," I wearily smile.

"No matter what happens, we will defend this restaurant!" The cooks cry out.

I watch as the Baratie cooks stand in front of the front door, weapons ready to kill whoever steps through the threshold.

"Stand down cooks!" The enemy pirates scream as they start rushing in.

Then, the sound of splintering wood louder than I have ever heard explodes through the air. Through the hole where the front door used to be, I watch as the giant pirate ship is split in two by some unseen force.

"Whoa!" The cooks exclaim as one.

"What just happened!?" I release Luffy as I jump out of my seat along with the three boys.

"What did that!" Krieg screams as we all watch his ship begin to list.

"Nami!" I start running for an exit.

"Johnny and Yosaku are on the ship too!" Zoro calls after me.

"It could be too late!" Usopp groans.

Luffy is next to me in a second, and then so is Usopp and Zoro. Chaos is ensuing in the restaurant, but we can't seem to notice it at this moment. There are bigger things at stake for us.

The four of us skid to a stop as we reach the outside railing, looking out at a sea that is missing the Going Merry. A sea that is now strewn with a destroyed ship that does not belong to us.

"Brothers! Sister!" Johnny and Yosaku's voices grab our attention, causing all of us to look down at the raging sea where the two bounty hunters are.

"Johnny! Yosaku!" Zoro yells to be heard over all the noise. "Are you okay!? What happened to our ship!? Where did Nami go!?"

"We're sorry brother Zoro," Johnny cries. "They, they are, gone! Sister Nami!"

"She sailed off with the ship and all the treasure!" Yosaku finishes.

"What!?" The boys exclaim as one.

"No!" I scream, shaking my head. "She wouldn't do that! She wouldn't take the ship! We're friends!"

"But it is true, sister Akari!" Johnny calls out. "We're sorry!"

"How did it happen?!" Usopp calls out.

"She was looking at our stack of bounty fliers," Yosaku answers. "She couldn't keep her eyes off of one in particular, but it was no use, he disappear some time ago."

"We told her that, too!" Johnny adds.

"Then she brought our treasure over from our ship as we talked over the bounty. I found it strange, but didn't think too much of it. Then she said that she wanted to change clothes."

"So we had to turn around. We were looking over at the restaurant, and then the next thing we know she's pushed us into the water! We asked what she was doing, and she said, with the biggest smile, 'My job, dumb--dumbs. I rob pirates!' She said the ship was her prize, and that you all were just in a temporary partnership."

"All the treasure was too much for her to pass up."

"I can't believe this," I angerly pull the bands from my hair that are keeping them in pigtails.

"But, but," Johnny takes a deep breath. "She said that she had fun with you, Akari! And Luffy and Zoro too! She said to give you her best, and she hopes that you all will meet again soon!"

"Get them up here before they drown," I look around at the boys.

It takes a few minutes, but we are able to get the two onto the deck. They cough up salt water, taking deep breaths, and apologizing whenever they can.

"Damn that witch," Zoro punches the wall of the restaurant. "How could you have let her get away with that? How did you not see that her good behavior was just an act?"

I pout, "I really thought that I finally had a girl-friend. And now she's just run off, like none of us matter."

"She left us in a great time of need," Usopp angerly frowns.

"Wait, look out there," Luffy points out into the sea. "That's the ship, and I can still see it. That's the Going Merry!"

We all turn to focus in on the silhouette of a ship that is getting smaller as the moments go by. Soon enough it will be out of our sights, and we may never see Nami again. We may never have a ship like the Going Merry again, either.

"Yosaku, Johnny," Luffy turns to face the two men who let the ship get away. "Where is your ship? She didn't take it with her, did she?"

"No, no, it's anchored close by," Johnny answers.

"Zoro, Usopp," he now looks over at the two boys.

"There's no reason to go after her," Zoro waves the idea off. "She's a thief and a waste of our time."

"That's not true," Usopp says. "That's Kaya's ship, and we can't just let it go."

"I agree with Usopp," I raise my hand for a few seconds. "Besides, Nami has to have a good reason for what she did. Something she couldn't tell us. I spent a lot of time with her in the short time we were together, and I just didn't think she would be like this. It doesn't make sense."

"That's right," Luffy sternly says. "Nami is going to be our navigator no matter what. I won't think of having anyone else fill that spot on our crew."

The four of us look around at each other for a minute or so, talking without any words spoken. This understanding being passed between us all.

"Ugh, fine!" Zoro blurts out, placing his hand on his head. "You are such an annoying captain. Usopp and I will go get her."

Usopp dances around a little bit as I smile widely.

"Brother Zoro, the ship is ready when you are," Yosaku calls out.

"Luffy, Akari, you're coming with, right?" Usopp looks back as us before climbing into the small ship.

"There's no way that I can leave when the Baratie is still in trouble," Luffy says.

I nod, "And I will always stick right by Luffy's side. We'll do what we can to make sure this place stays safe."

"Be careful, you two," Zoro says. "There's no telling what is going to happen here."

"We know," Luffy turns to head back into the restaurant, but the scream of a pirate stops us in our tracks.

"It's him! Don Krieg, it is the devil that sank all our ships! He followed us from the Grand Line! He must have come to kill us!"

"Hawk-Eye," I choke out, looking back to see Zoro's face pale and sweat beads on his forehead.

"Is he really here?" Zoro whispers.

"Only one way to find out," I shrug.

The three of us walk back into the restaurant where everyone is talking about the man with the eyes like a hawk who's weapon he keeps on his back. The human that has transformed into a monster.

"That's right," Zeff crosses his arms. "Hawk-Eye is a master swordsman. In fact, he is the greatest swordsman in all the world!"

"Zoro, don't," I blurt out, but the swordsman is already walking out to where Hawk-Eye must be approaching. "Geez, he's going to get himself killed, even with how skilled he is."

"Come on," Luffy grabs my hand, pulling me back outside so that we can watch as Zoro talks with Hawk-Eye.

Everyone around us is talking about how Zoro is the infamous pirate hunter, and his impossible three sword style. He's about to face off against the man he's been chasing this entire time. The man that has the title that he wants.

"How did no one figure out who he was in three days?" I hold my hands out in shock as I look around at everyone.

"We do not have time for him to be some big shot," Usopp angerly exclaims. "The ship is almost too far away too see, and we're going to lose it forever!"

"Oh, Zoro," I sigh.

"Does your courage come from confidence or ignorance?" Hawk-Eye's voice floats to me as I focus in on the stand-off.

"Neither," Zoro says as he begins readying himself with his swords. "It is all ambition, and a promise I made a long time ago to a friend."

I wrap my arms around Luffy's middle without much thought of the action. I believe in Zoro, but that doesn't mean I can't feel a bit scared.

"Dumpling?" Luffy whispers, placing his arm around my shoulder.

"I can have confidence in my friend and still worry about him, right?"

"I guess so. This is what he wants though, so all we can do is watch."

"No one can beat up our brother," Johnny and Yosaku state. "Not a single soul."

"What if he has no soul?" I mumble, failing to lighten the mood.

Hawk-Eye pulls out a small sword that he uses as a necklace.

"What good is that?" Zoro says.

"When hunting, you wouldn't use a cannon for a small animal like a rabbit. Even with your reputation, you are still just a bunny compared to what I have seen. As you know, the Red Line and the Grand Line are what divide the world into the four seas. Out of the four, I have come to find that the East Blue contains the tamest of people."

I scrunch my nose up at that statement.

"I would use a different sword, but this is the smallest that I have," Hawk-Eye shrugs.

"So cocky for a man that is going to die!" Zoro shouts, readying for his first move.

"Small tadpole, stuck to his puddle. I think it is time you see that the world is a lot bigger than you think."

"Onigiri!

I hold my breath as I watch Zoro attack with all his might, and then get stopped with the tip of Hawk-Eye's tiny sword.

"Zoro?" Luffy cries out.

"How did he stop the onigiri demon cut?" Johnny exclaims.

"That move never fails!" Yosaku gasps.

Zoro lets out a roar as he steps back before attacking with all his might. Slashing at the man who is defending with a weapon not much larger than one of my shurikens.

"Brother Zoro! Keep going! You can't let him beat you!" Johnny cries out.

"Remember your promise, Zoro!" I call out. "Help it fuel you!"

Zoro seems to have a flash of energy as he strikes even harder for a moment before taking a step back.

"What is driving you?" Hawk-Eye speaks up. "You are fighting so hard, and yet you must know that you cannot win. A weakling like you."

"Our brother is not a weakling!" Johnny shouts out.

"I'll teach you a lesson old man!" Yosaku screams.

In the next moment, the two men rush forward in an attempt to rush to Zoro's aid.

"No," I release Luffy so that he can grab the two and shove their faces into the railing. "Stop this, Johnny, Yosaku. That is not your fight."

"Control yourselves," Luffy says through gritted teeth.

"Tiger...hunt!" Zoro exclaims as he spins into another move. Except this time Hawk-Eye takes his little sword and stabs him in the chest.

"Brother!!" Yosaku and Johnny now have tears streaming down their cheeks.

I feel the air rush out of my lungs as blood starts to stain his shirt. There's nothing for me to say that will make any of this better.

"Do you want me to slice your guts out?" Hawk-Eye taunts. "Why can't you retreat?"

"No," Zoro says through labored breaths. "One step of retreat means my vow, my ambition, everything that I have ever cared about, will turn to dust. My dreams will be forever lost to the