Silence.

There was complete utter silence amongst them as they journeyed to the marine base. Not even the chirp of a bird but the sways of the whistling breeze.

Carried by their ankles, Zoro dragged a fainted Johnny and Yosaku, leaving a trail in their wake. He grunted in annoyance at dragging the dead weight, yet his friends weren't necessarily to blame for passing out. The green swordsman shifted his eyes to the silver-haired woman, strolling ahead of them a few paces away. His cheeks heated up as previous events resurfaced in his mind; he may not understand what her plan was in the first place, but her methods were definitely unorthodox, out of the blue, or to simply put it, they were unplanned. But out of all things she would have in mind, why did it have to include him in such a manner?

Zoro's gaze lingered on her as she kept her eyes ahead of the road. The red hue on his face spread to his neck as he gritted his teeth in embarrassment at the thought. A hot night together, seriously?! Out of all things she could come up with!? Ever since meeting her, Rue was unexpected, making it difficult to predict her next move. He noted that she was a quick thinker, thinking on her feet in ways he had never foreseen. His mind kept playing with the image of her playing the part in action. He shivered as his thoughts lingered on her glistening pouted lips, bashful ocean eyes shining under the light's caress shaded by silver lashes as she focused her gaze on the glass of beer.

Like the others at the bar, he was lost, under a spell, as she dipped a single finger in the alcohol. Her voice was as sweet as a melody, her movement graceful, and no one could look away. The liquid slowly travelling down her delicate fingers as she slowly brought them to her lips─

Zoro tossed his friends with such force at a nearby tree that they scrambled awake and alerted to the possible danger ahead. Quickly in a fighting stance, a large bump grew at the top of the heads of the duo of swordsmen. Realizing there was no threat, they glared at a flustered Zoro for tossing them like trash.

"You jerk!" They both yelled out with sharp teeth as they pointed a finger at him.

Ignoring their complaints, Zoro matched his pace with Rue while the other two trailed behind them silently. Though they kept their eyes elsewhere, not even taking a single glance at the woman. From the corner of his eyes, her expression was blank as usual, but the small furrow of her brow told him that she was deep in thought. The woman he met yesterday was completely different from the one today. She didn't speak much; even when she did speak, she wouldn't reveal much about anything.

Especially things concerning herself.

A woman full of secrets, a chest that wouldn't open no matter how he tried to pry it open. Even if asked straightforwardly, she would reply with a simple smile and speak in code. Don't get him started on the smiling; this woman would do nothing but tug her lips upwards at everything in sight. He was surprised that her face wasn't sore from repeatedly smiling all the time. He furrowed his brow at the thought; she kept her smile even when insults were hurled her way. Her lack of defense was weak, so weak she allowed someone to harm her. He squeezed the sheath of his word as he replayed the slap Rue received at the bar. However, to his surprise, he hadn't anticipated that Rue would immediately respond with a blow to the blond's face.

Unexpected indeed. Everything she did was unexpected.

"Uh, Roronoa?" Zoro raised a brow as they were back to last name basis, but pushed at the back of his mind. He hummed to indicate he was listening; thus, Rue continued, "Is something wrong?"

He blinked. Was he staring for too long?

"I was just thinking," He replied, gazing at the sunny skies. Then, he looked back at her and crossed his arms with a playful smirk, spreading his features, "How you put on quite a show back there."

Overhearing their conversation, steam left John and Yosaku's ears while their faces turned redder than a tomato as the moment replayed in their heads. A hot night with them!? Those words sounded impossible; they didn't think her words sounded real.

Rue felt heat rush to her cheeks as embarrassment enveloped her. She glanced elsewhere as she tugged the bottom of her sleeves, biting her lips to keep herself calm.

Yes, the whole ordeal was very much the most embarrassing moment of her life.

Could this have gone in another direction?

Yes...yes it could have.

Now, people think she did the deed with not one, but three men! She may be a quick thinker; however, that doesn't mean it would always be the best route. But it still worked in her favour; her hunch was right. Claudette worked in cahoots with the marine captain.

However, the woman was reluctant to mention his involvement in the matter. Not only was it bad planning on her part; Rue couldn't understand the end goal of kidnapping children in all this. In the end, it was all clear that this Claudette person somehow and someway liked the marine captain and wanted her affections returned. Rue almost rolled her eyes and questioned the woman's taste in men.

Though squeezing the information by provoking the woman was easier than anticipated, the blond may not have said that Alex was directly included in her plot, but it became obvious to her since she kept mentioning him throughout the conversation.

Who else could it have been besides the marine captain?

And since Claudette wanted to provoke her, Rue played along with the woman and turned the tables on her. She kept poking at the woman's insecurities which led to a little altercation, but in the end, Rue got the information she needed...Along with a crazy rumour involving her and a hot night with three strangers.

Yeah, it's no big deal.

Stopping in her tracks in a flustering mess, she stuttered as she bowed to three swordsmen, "I─I apologize; I needed the information on the children's whereabouts." Immediately, Johnny and Yosaku reassured her that there wasn't anything to be sorry about.

On the other hand, Zoro blinked. Not at why she did it, but her demeanour changed once again. She got flustered over this when she was the one who brought it up at the bar. He wondered, was this who she was? Was her little performance at the bar just a farce?

"And..."Rue continued her gaze to the dirt, "You guys don't have to come with me; I caused you three enough trouble."

"I-it's ok, Big Sis, don't apologize," Johnny told her while a red hue dusted his cheeks as he rubbed the back of his neck, "Besides, you helped us before."

Flustered, Yosaku nods in agreement, "We got food and a place to stay, thanks to you."

She flinched at how he called her; unsure of responding to their seeming kind gesture, she remained quiet momentarily before lifting herself again to meet their eyes. Though her eyes slightly narrowed in thought, her mind drifted to other possible outcomes if they were to get involved with her further with her. They were getting closer, and she needed to cut the connection between them and prevent a potential bond from forming between them.

The best way to do so was to break someone's trust.

"Even though I am a marine and have been using the three of you, you're still willing to help me."

She watched the duo freeze in their tracks as they gazed at her with wide gazes, jaws dropping to the floor, while Zoro stared at her with crossed arms, unfazed. The duo swordsmen were in disbelief at the kind woman, who they thought was a kind revelation.

"B-big Sis-"

"I knew who you were from the start," Rue continued, cutting off a shocked Johnny. She directed her gaze to Zoro, who stared back blankly, "Pirate Hunter Zoro."

His reputation travelled from island to island, enough for pirates to become weary of him since he captured them for money to get by as he searched for the one worthy of his blade. Though the marines left him alone because he did them a huge favour by doing their job, Rue hadn't expected to cross paths with him at such a timely moment. Unsure of his identity at first, he had seemed to fit the description of the rumoured pirate hunter. She thought using him to shield herself from the marine captain would be enough, but she underestimated his persistence.

And, oh, was he very persistent.

Struck with silence, Johnny and Yosaku shifted their gaze to a watchful Zoro. He made no movements as he observed her every move.

"I thought that having you guys by my side long enough would keep the captain away from me while I do my work," Rue looked up to the hill, towards the marine base in sight. "Along the way, I had to tweak my plans a bit, due to circumstances... though thanks to you, it made things easier too."

Circumstances were the underlying threat of jail, though Zoro knew he would have fought his way through either way and didn't care much for the empty threat.

"Do you get it now?" Rue told him firmly, hoping that it will be enough to push them away. " You're no longer of use to me."

Though it was directed at all three of them, Zoro understood it was really meant for him. To not dig any deeper, to not get involved further.

To leave the chest as he found it, sealed and not dare attempt to prey it open.

"You won't gain anything by being by my side," Rue shifted her eyes, reading into his pools of brown that stared right back at her. "It's best if we go our separate ways."

Johnny and Yosaku shifted their attention back and forth between the two of them as the conversation unfolded. They were a bit saddened by the whole ordeal of the woman hiding things from them, but in a way, they still liked her. After all, she gave them a meal and allowed them to stay on her boat for a night even though they just met yesterday. What person would go through all that trouble for strangers; it just didn't make any sense.

Like the duo, Zoro wondered about the same predicament. He has never met someone as confusing as this woman. One minute, she was as docile as a dove; the next, as cunning as a fox. He couldn't figure her out, yet in a way, she was intriguing. The woman had many sides to her that he may not understand, but somehow was up to the challenge to unravel.

"What if I don't want to," Zoro replied after seconds of silence. He searched her specks of blue that looked up at him, trying to decipher her thoughts. However, the conclusion remained the same, she revealed nothing. just staring for a moment before she turned away from him. Johnny and Yosaku are behind them, anticipating her next move.

He was sure he witnessed a frown on her face for a moment.

"Then do as you please."

Zoro wanted to push her buttons as if wanting to test the waters. "Like you said, it's hard to part ways after our unforgettable night." His smirk widened as he watched her stiffen eyes wide while a loud squeal left her lips. She opened and closed her mouth as if trying to speak, but her words got stuck in her throat.

Rue turned into a stuttering mess, while her cheeks heated up. "I-I already t-told you why I did it."Her voice got smaller, waving her hands around in a panic. Why did he have to bring that up again!?

For some reason, Zoro found her different expressions cute.

"Z-Zoro, seriously?!" Johnny and Yosaku sputtered while their cheeks became dusted in red.

Zoro shrugged in response, "Let's stop wasting time. Let's focus on getting the kids back." Completely pushed everything the woman said at the back of his mind.

Rue coughed to calm her heated face at the man's teasing. She didn't get it; she admitted to using him and his friends in her plot, and he was still willing to help. She watched his back walk ahead of her while the duo looked back at her with a weary smile and followed after him. She couldn't understand what he was thinking; she could only sigh. Instead, she strolled by the swordsmen's side in silence, putting the thought at rest.

Minutes passed and Zoro broke the silence again. "So..." He began looking around as the marine building slowly came into view, his tone low and mischievous, "Am I getting a round two after this?"

"PLEASE STOP!" Rue squealed, her face matching the sun's heat as she hid her face in her hands, while Zoro chuckled at how easily she got flustered. At the same time, the duo swordsmen in the back whispered to each other in the back at their interaction.

"There's no way he's staying just to help!" Johnny whispered to his friend.

Yosaku nodded, looking at Zoro's back with a grin, "Maybe he has other reasons for staying."

The green swordsman gave them both a good smack to the skull at their stupidity as he glared at them. They both muttered under their breaths as they rubbed their temple. His perception of her was correct since the moment he met her, something was off. Yet, her revelation didn't faze him; it didn't surprise him as much as he thought it would.

It was more so...What was her end goal in all this?

Though Zoro knew they would eventually part ways, for some reason, he wanted to stay just for a moment longer.

To help the children, yes, for the sake of the children.

Moments later, they arrived at the front door where two guards stood, guns in hand. They widened as the group approached group, especially at the docile smile directed at them.

"Men, would you be so kind as to let us in," Rue said, stopping right before them.

The guards blushed at the foreign woman's appearance. No men could resist such a beauty in their sights, but they knew they must follow orders.

When you see her, bring her to me, but don't be obvious about it! Their captain specifically ordered them to follow the plan he had in mind.

One coughed to simmer the hotness on his cheeks, "Miss Rue, what can we-"

Their eyes almost popped out of their sockets at the woman's identification. Flashing her ID from her pouch, she almost grinned at their paled faces as their pupils kept switching between her and her ID.

She didn't even let them finish as she pushed them both out of the way and kicked the door open, surprising the two. Without a word, she quickly made her way down the corridor. The guards shook like leaves taken by the winds as they watched her march down the hall; they knew they were in deep trouble.

Following her, Zoro, along with Yosaku and Johnny, peeked around the hall. In the middle of the corridor displayed a huge picture of the marine captain in all his glory. They deadpanned as the marine was mounted on a horse, hair soaring with his foot on a pirate's face that was courted in despair. Another portrait at the side showed the captain's face in a serious expression. It wasn't the type of portraits hung on the walls that disturbed them, but the endless number of pictures of him displayed through the base, in many styles, poses, and sizes. Clearly, these portraits exhibited were the same size as his ego.

An ego that was way too inflated.

"Uh...he sure...loves himself a lot..." Johnny commented as they ran through the halls, catching up with Rue ahead.

Zoro scoffed at his friend's words; love, in this case, was an understatement.

As they arrived, Rue opened the large wooden door to reveal the smirking captain with his arms folded on his chest. As the captain approached her, with a touch of his thumb, Zoro's blade lifted from its sheath as a warning to stay where he was as his brown eyes glared his way.

"Let's stop this silly game; give me back the children," Rue told him with a serious expression.

Unfazed by her attitude, Alex's smirk widened as he crossed his arms, "Who says I have them? I don't see them here."

She frowned, "I don't have time for this; our agreement has ended." A deep sigh left her lips, "I see no reason for you to kidnap the children."

Alex raised his hands in surrender, a stupid grin, which Zoro was prepared to cut from the man's face, on the captain's lips, "I could tell you where they are." Johhny and Yosaku blocked Zoro from intervening as the captain lifted Rue's chin with a finger, "under one condition."

Oh, here we go again.

Rue already knew where this was going, but decided against saying anything. Her stomach lurched at his lustful gaze as it became clear what he wanted from her. However, the children's safety was important; she would do anything to regain her daughter. "Which is?"

The captain smirked once again, "Ma-"

"Captain!" A subordinate shouted, barging into the office. Everyone turned their attention to him, Rue recognized as one of the guards from earlier. "The woman-", he managed to stutter out, "sh-she's"

Alex frowned at the marine soldier who dared interrupt him; he barked, "Spit it out! I'm in the middle of important business!."

"C-captain, she's..." the guard shook like a leaf trying to formulate a sentence. Alex yanked him by the collar, trying to force an answer out of him, "She's Inspector General, Sengoku's assistant!"

The room grew cold, a zen silence emitting in the halls of the marine base. The waves of the seas of the outdoors couldn't raise the atmosphere. The soldier's eyes almost fell out of their sockets as their jaws dropped, faces becoming as pale as ghosts. They shook as they screeched like banshees," What!?"

Elsewhere, bored out of her mind, Aisha wiggled around like a worm. Her eyes sparkled as she spotted a rare-looking insect. Covered in what seemed like fur to her, it had pretty orange poke dotted along its small frame; Aisha's eyes trailed the little creature, attempting to grab it. Her lips formed a pout as she realized she was still tied up. Taking a glance at her friend, Ayame's eyes looked into the distance, hoping to see someone come to their rescue. She frowned as her only response was the crash of the waves near the cave.

Aisha rolled towards her friend, bumping her leg as her innocent smile played on her face to comfort the brunette though the girl only stared back with a blank stare.

"My mommy save us!"

Ayame gazed back at the marine base ahead of them, watching the water rising to the surface, dragging the pebbles of sand and brushing the rocks. The sun was still a light on the horizon, its heat providing warmth.

Wanna know what else was in sight?

Not Aisha's mother.

"Yame?" She hummed in response, "No sad, my mommy is coming soon!"

Ayame almost scoffed at her friend's words, but didn't want to discourage her. She just wanted to go home to her own mother, but she knew that wasn't possible. What could Rue do? Bat her pretty lashes at the captain and beg on her knees to let them go.

She shut her eyes and sighed hopelessly, for she knew they were doomed. Her mind reminisced moments with her mother. Their shop thrived with laughter and smiles as they served their customers delicious delicacies. Though her mother was always drained from hard work at their shop, the light in her eyes when creating various types of food encouraged her to work hard for her mother since they only had each other to lean on.

Life has its ups and down, but they had each other.

Until the captain had to barge into it.

The man kept flirting with women in the restaurant; some were interested in him for his status and power, while others showed no interest. Unfortunately, her mother was a victim of the man's flirtatious attitude, which her mother rejected quite harshly by letting him know that even if they were the last two people on earth, she would rather mate with the lowest, most vile creature than ever be with him.

Well, she imagined that was what she had said since she was forbidden from repeating her mother's words.

Of course, the captain didn't like being humiliated, so he paid her back.

And, oh, was it pricey.

The sun blazing down on them dimmed, and the world grew quiet. The warmth and sudden coldness lifted her gaze to a looming figure, her pupils dilated. Decked like the darkness in the night sky, hair covered by a hood, and a long jacket covered his form, making it impossible to decipher any distinguishable feature.

Ayame froze, unsure of his next move, as all the mysterious person did was stare. She believed he was staring, though it was hard to tell due to the mask. It was as white as a pearl and shone like the finest porcelain and had a light blue wings on the bridge of the nose spreading unto the cheeks.

Slowly, she turned her attention to Aisha, who tilted her head in confusion at the intruder. Her pools of innocent brown gazing up at him with wonder.

It was clear the child didn't seem to recognize the figure at all.

Ayame was sure of one thing...This person definitely wasn't Aisha's mom.

꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂꧁꧂

Heellooo and Happy New Year!

If anyone still hasn't guessed it yet? Alex is basically Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, but like 5 or maybe 10 times more irritating LOL!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!