Chapter 19: On Our Way Again

Disclaimer: Don't own One Piece.

"Shouldn't we uh...,"

"Stop her?"

Devon, Kirsty, Austin and Niri stared at Dusty who was shoveling every bit of food around her. "Thish...ith tho good!" the kitsune cried, her voice muffled by the food. As soon as she finished her plate, she reached over and grabbed the food from her nakama's plates.

"HEY!"

"STUPID KIT, GIMME BACK MY STEAK!"

"That's rude!"

Dusty looked up to see everyone else glaring at her and she blinked, "What?" she asked, not noticing what she had done. Devon reached over and grabbed her by her arms and shook her around, "YOU STOLE OUR FOOD YOU BAKA FOX!" he screamed, shaking her.

A short distance away, Zeff and Axe stood, watching the others scream at Dusty. "Some group you got this time kid," the old chef commented. Axe nodded, "Yeah...some crew.," he turned to the old chef, "I got something ask of you, Uncle Zeff,".

Zeff glanced at him, "You know we're not related...,". Axe grinned, "I also know that it annoys you that I call you that. But seriously, I do have something to ask...it's a big favor,". The old chef looked back at Axe's friends, "What is it?" he asked. Axe put his hands in his pockets and looked around, "I need your logs about the Grand Line," he said very quietly.

The glare he got from Zeff made him sweat, "Please?" he added. Zeff shook his head, "Sorry kid no can do,". Axe fell over, but quickly recovered, "Oh c'mon, Zeff! Please, I can't go back there based on memories! We don't even have our own navigator yet!" he hissed. Zeff let out a loud laugh, "You don't even have a navigator, and you're goin' to the Grand Line? You piece of shit, you've gotten dumber since the last time I saw you!".

Axe whimpered and lowered his head, "Then can you at least help us in any way that you can?" he asked. Zeff smiled and started to walk off, "I'll see what I can do, kid...,". The young man watched the old geezer and sighed loudly, "Whew...almost blew it that time...,".

"Devon, you get the anchor raised up, Kirsty and Niri, check the supplies, and Dusty...go make yourself useful somehow,"

The crew climbed back onto their ship and went to do their orders while Axe stood on the Baratie's outside dock. Dusty looked out at him, "If we're doin' all this stuff, what are you doing?" she asked, her tail swaying from side to side. Axe smiled and pointed to something above and behind Dusty, "I'm admiring the thing I did!" he replied.

"Eh?"

Dusty turned around and looked up and she was surprised to see the sail had a large skull with a four axes surrounding it. Above it, was a smaller black flag with the same symbol. She recognized it as the thing that Axe had used to cover his weapon.

Man, he already had his flag figured all out. There's a guy who plans ahead...

"Oy, boyo! Take a lookit this!"

Axe leaned to the side to see a WANTED poster that Patty had in his hand. The poster had a large picture of a young man with messy black hair and a straw hat. His eyes went down and shrank, followed by his jaw hitting the floor.

30,000,000 Beli Reward

"Th...th...thirty million Beli? Holy crap, what the hell did this kid do, he doesn't look that strong!" Axe exclaimed, snatching the poster away from the cook. "That whippersnapper is the person Sanji left with a while ago. This came with the paper yesterday, and inside was the reason why the bounty is so high! He took down Buggy the Clown, Don Krieg, and ever the Merman Arlong!" the large man said proudly.

"Don Krieg? We picked him up a few days ago before we arrived...,".

Patty stared at him, "YOU DID WHAT? ARE YA MAD, BOY?" he grabbed Axe by the shoulders and shook him violently, "THAT PIRATE NEARLY TOOK OUR RESTAURANT AND NEARLY KILLED CHEF ZEFF! WHY DID YOU HELP HIM?" he screeched.

Axe wrenched himself free from the shaking cook and tried to make the room from spinning, "We didn't know what he had done, and they looked like they needed help so we helped them,". Patty glared, "You damn fool! If you helped them recover, they'll be back to take this place and this time we won't have Sanji or Straw Hat to-,"

Patty was cut off by a swift kick upside the head. The large man went flying across the room and through some tables. Axe adjusted his hat as Zeff lowered his peg leg, "So that's what happened to this place...well I'm glad you guys came out okay,". The old man nodded, "Yeah, but we'll be ok if they ever come back...Krieg knows not to underestimate us. Here...," he held out a wrapped object.

"Eh?" Axe looked down to see the object was square in shape and wrapped in brown paper, "If ya don't mind me askin, Zeff...what da hell is dis?" he asked, pointing to the object. "IDIOT!" Zeff whapped him on the head with his chef's hat, "This is a good luck gift to you, boy. Don't tell anyone else, otherwise they'll be wanting me to give them shit for any damn occasion!".

Axe grinned and tucked the gift into his jacket, "Thanks old geezer...,". Zeff made a very small smile underneath his mustache, "Now get outta here...,". The young man turned around and made his way back to his ship, then stopped. He looked over at Patty and waved, "Thanks for the news and the poster, Patty...I'll hang onto it!".

Once more, the ship and the pirates set sail after only spending a short time at the Baratie. Niri sat ontop of the edge of the Crow's Nest, Kirsty stayed in the infirmary, Austin went along with his chores of mopping the deck, Devon and Dusty practiced their combat using their Scythes and katanas, and Axe stayed at the helm of the ship.

If we can find a navigator...before we reach the Grand Line. We might actually have a chance. I got these kids into this and we're not stopping now... he thought as the Baratie began to disappear, I've made one big mistake. I'm not gonna make another...not like the last time.

He checked the map and compass and smiled. Even though he didn't know much about navigation, he knew enough to get him to the next town. The last town before the entrance to the Grand Line...the town where a great man was born and executed after claiming the title of Pirate King...

Roguetown. The Home of Gold Roger.

A small boat followed the ship, just far enough away not to be seen. A young man stared hard at the ship and the symbol that it carried. He had seen him at the Baratie, and was going to take him down then...but hid instead to bide his time and get to know about the crew he was with. Roguetown was a few days journey, even for a dinghy, but he would make it...he was strong enough.

His light orange hair swayed in the wind and his brown eyes continued to stare directly at the pirate ship. The longer he stared, the wider his smile grew.

Been awhile...Demon. This time, I won't lose to you.

Kilnorc: Hope this was a good chapter, and to those expecting action...believe me, it is COMING! i swear! ja ne!