Chapter 23: Roguetown: Chizuru and the Wind of Fate

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece. If I did...well that would be frickin' awesome!

"I take it your the navigator that works for no one?

"Hehehehe...yeppers. My name is Chizuru,"

"I'm...,"

"Axe, Captain of the Axe-Head pirate crew,"

Axe stared at the young woman with hair like fire, both impressed and surprised at her knowledge of him. "News travels fast I see," he said casually, taking a seat. She nodded, "In more ways than just speech and print, Axe...,".

He looked at her and took of his hat, placing it on a nearby table, "So...what's your story? You study all this stuff on navigation, but you never work for anyone that comes your way with an offer," he asked. Chizuru smiled as she pulled her hat over her eyes, "I have my reasons...," she said simply.

"May I ask what they are?"

The girl with hair of fire chuckled, "You may ask, but I probably won't tell you what they are...just yet,". Axe couldn't help but smile as well, "I understand perfectly, Miss Chizuru,". The girl waved him off, "Aw, forget the Miss formality shit, ok? Just call me Chizuru...or Chi...or Chizzy...or Chiz...,".

Axe stared as the girl kept raving on and on about what he could call her by. This has got to be the strangest navigator, I've ever met... he thought to himself.

"...hey! You listenin' or what?".

He snapped to attention at the sound of Chizuru snapping her fingers. "Sorry about that, I kinda have a lot on my mind," he apologized. Chizuru shrugged as she stood up, "No biggy,". Axe watched as she walked around her home, gathering as many books and rolls of parchment as she could carry.

"Um...you don't really need to clean up, I don't plan on staying long...," he said slowly, reaching for his hat. Chizuru shook her head, "I'm not cleaning up, I'm packing up. I'm leaving town," she explained. Axe lowered his head slightly and looked away, then made his way to the door, "Oh, I see. Sorry for troubling you,".

As he opened the door, Chizuru brushed past him, a large backpack on her shoulders. Axe was finally able to get a good look at her. She wore a mid-thigh length beige skirt, a red sleevless tank top, knee-high beige boots and a smaller cowboy-like hat.

"So, are we going or what, Captain?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips. Axe stared at her, then slapped himself in the face, "I'm sorry, I must've been out of it worse than I thought earlier...what are you talking about?".

Chizuru smirked, "Baka...you need a navigator, and I'm a navigator...do I really need to spell things out for you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "But I thought you didn't work for anyone?" Axe asked, still confused about the turn of events. The red haired girl rolled her eyes, "Like I need to explain myself to you. So c'mon and lead the way, I gotta meet my other nakama right?" she asked turning around, back turned to Axe.

Oh boy. Another girl...Devon ain't gonna like this...

Speaking of Devon, he and Austin were currently standing in a very large area of the city, quite possibly the Town Square, staring up at a strange young man wearing a straw hat. The boy was standing on top of a very large, old looking structure. "That baka kid...he's gonna get his neck broken...," he muttered, shaking his head.

"OI! YOU UP THERE! COME DOWN AT ONCE!".

Devon's hands went straight to his ears and he turned to see a man in uniform, holding a megaphone. "Why?" the boy yelled back. The man rolled his eyes, but lifted the megaphone anyway, "That is under the preservation law of the World Government! So come down from there right now!" he ordered.He's not gonna get down...this kid ain't gonna listen Devon thought as he looked back up at the boy in the straw hat.

"C'mon! Why do you have to be such a spoil sport, officer-san?" the boy called from his spot.

Devon laughed loudly and walked up to the tower, Austin following him. "HEY, KID! Why are you up there anyway?" he yelled. The boy looked down and grinned widely, "This is the place where Gold Roger was executed! He's my hero, so I wanted to see the last thing he saw before he died!".

So that's why...

"If you don't come down at once, I will come up personally and arrest you! Here I come!" the officer screamed in his megaphone. Devon shook his head, "Ain't gonna work...," he murmured.

THWOCK!

A loud, dull ring and many gasps made Devon look over his shoulder. The man with the megaphone was now on the ground, the side of his head bleeding. His eyes wandered to a woman carrying a large, spiked mace. "Well this won't turn out well...," Devon said, looking down at his little brother, "Let's head back, this isn't our business..,".

The two of them made their way into the crowd, past the mace wielding woman, "Don't let us interrupt," he said to her as he walked by. The woman glanced at him and smiled, "Quite a gentleman...,". He waved her off and started walking again.

"It's been awhile, Luffy. I've missed you,".

Devon stopped in his tracks after hearing that name. Luffy?

-Flashback-

"Axe, I found this in the galley. Where'd you get it?".

Axe turned around to see Devon holding up the WANTED poster he had gotten from the Baratie, "Oh that? Just something I picked up," he said with a shrug. Devon turned the poster around and took a long, hard look at it.

"Hard to believe a kid like this is worth this much. I've done a lot of damage, and I'm not even worth a million Beli,".

His captain shrugged, "Some people earn their bounties in many different ways. He's the most wanted man in the East Blue, Devon. He took down at least three or four major pirate leaders here...that's why his bounty is so big,".

"So why are you keeping the poster?"

"...it's complicated,"

-End Flashback-

A loud explosion snapped Devon back to reality. The fountain nearby exploded into dozens of pieces. "Oh shit!" he cursed as he bent down and covered Austin with his body and the pieces came at them. He waited for the debris to smash into his body, but they never came. He looked up to see that the woman with the mace had stepped in front of them and the pieces were slipping off of her and flying in new directions.

Kirsty, Dusty, and Niri walked down the street, bags and sacks in their hands. "Geez...first we get lost, then we find each other...now we can't find Devon or Axe! WHERE THE HELL ARE THEY!" Niri screamed at the top of her lungs.

Dusty winced as she covered her ears, "You don't hafta yell, Niri!" she yelled back. Kirsty rolled her eyes, "You guys sure do make alot of noise. You're lucky we're not really tagged yet, because if we were, you two would give us away the moment we dock!". Both Dusty and Niri glared at her, "SHUT UP!" they yelled together. A loud boom echoed through the air and the trio stopped walking, the blast still echoing through the streets.

"What the hell was that?" Dusty asked, looking around.

Kirsty glanced at Niri, "You got any idea?" she asked.

"Cannonfire...,"

Above one of the large buildings of Roguetown, a figured draped in a heavy green cloak watched on as the events in the square began to take place.

"So many people...so many dreams...so many sacrifices to be made for those dreams,". The figure looked up at the sky, a firm look on his tattooed face.

Inherited Will. The Destiny of the Age and the Dreams of the People. These are things that will not be stopped. As long as people continue to pursue the Meaning of Freedom, these things will never cease to be!

He looked down as more and more figures rushed into and out of the square, droplets of rain beginning to come down from the sky, "If you wish to pursue your dreams...take out the obstacles that lie in your path...,".

Kirsty and Dusty dove for cover while Niri whipped out her pistol and began firing and/or pistol whipping any thug that came at her. "You know...," she looked at the two of them, "I would like some help here!".

Dusty peeked over the box they were hiding behind, "We have the utmost confidence in you, Niri! Go for it!". Kirsty's hands appeared and clapped, "Right on! Go Niri!" she cheered.

"I DON'T MEAN EMOTIONAL HELP!" their sniper friend screamed before shooting off another round at a random assailant.

"What the hell are you guys doing here?" an agitated voice greeted them. They all looked to see Devon and Austin fending off a few attackers as they ran toward them. Devon slashed three at once while Austin slammed his gloved hand into the stomach of one attacker. All the girls stared in shock as the back of the attacker stretched as far as it could go, before it split open and the man flew off, blood mixing with the rain.

"We heard a cannon go off, what's your story?" Niri snapped at the swordsman. "I ran into a problem!" he shot back. Kirsty shook her head, "Even with all this they still fight...," she murmured with a sigh.

"Um...guys...?"

They turned to Dusty, whose ears were flattened against her skull and her tail was perked up, all the hairs standing on their end.

"What?" they asked at once.

She gulped, "Hang on...,".

Before they could ask what she meant by that, a strange and unworldly thing happened. A tremendous wind blew through the square, knocking everyone off their feet. This wasn't any normal wind, this wind was very strong, and green...GREEN!

The five of them couldn't hold their footing for even a second. They were all lifted off the ground and tossed into the air. "GUYS! GRAB HOLD!" Kirsty screamed over the sound of the wind. She, Dusty, Niri, Devon and Austin took hold of one another and they held on for dear lives.

"OOOOH CRAAAAAP!"

Kilnorc: well this is up, I hope it's good, if not, gomen nasai. I try my best. ja ne for now!