.:. Where You Belong .:.

"Are we ready to set sail?" Luffy asked Nami.

She nodded. "I'll just need to give Franky the word and we'll head out for Fishman's Island, but…"

"What's wrong?"

"We're missing Jenka." Usopp finished for her.

Luffy looked around the ship for her and realized the situation. "Ehhh?! Jenka?! Jenka where are you?! OOOOIIIIII!!"

Chopper sniffed the air, trying to find a trace of her scent from when she saved him from the fake Straw Hats earlier. Thanks to his training, he caught it almost instantly. "There!" He pointed over to a building on the groves, but no one could see her.

Luffy squinted, trying to locate her. "I don't see her, are you sure Chopper?"

He nodded. "She's there. I can smell her scent."

"Oi, Jenka! Come on out!" Luffy called to her. "C'mon we're waiting for you! Let's go together to Fishman's island~!"

A cloaked figure revealed itself from the shadows and when it looked up, everyone instantly recognized the grey-blue eyes. "Jenka!!" Everyone shouted at her, smiling.

She just stared at them, not saying a word. "O-Oi, Jenka! Quit playing around and get on the Thousand Sunny before the navy catches up to us!" Usopp mentioned.

Bombs went off in front of the crew, but they exploded in midair in front of the ship as if held back my magic. Jenka looked directly at Luffy and yelled. "What are you guys waiting for?! Get going before more come for you. I'll hold them off."

Robin's eyes widened, realizing it was Jenka's telekinetic force field that blocked the cannon's attacks. "She was able to use her ability without her hands or arms… How much has she increased her powers?…"

"What are you talking about?" Luffy yelled back at her. "You won't be able to catch up to us with your Fruit ability unless you have another coated boat we don't know about?"

"Who said anything about me catching up to you?" She asked with a cold tone. "I never said anything to entail that. I simply said I'd hold the navy back."

"Of course you're coming with us! You're our nakama! We're all going together just like old times-"

"We're done together."

Everyone went silent for a moment, comprehending what Jenka was saying. "What do you mean..?" Nami asked.

"Luffy," Jenka ignored her question, "Don't you remember the promise we made back in Whiskey Peak?"

"Promise? What is she talking about, Luffy?" Chopper asked his captain.

He nodded. "Aa… I remember."

"Then you remember when I said that I was only tagging along with you and the crew until the time came when my own ambitions needed to be fulfilled. That time has come. Will you not honor our agreement?"

"Is this true?" Franky asked.

"Y-You mean Jenka really didn't want to be part of our crew?!" Chopper began to cry.

"I remember now…" Nami recalled the promise. "Jenka decided to temporarily join us until she needed to leave…"

"Screw our promise!" Luffy shouted. "We're nakama and always will be!-"

"If that is your answer after dishonoring our promise, then so be it!"

She turned and began to run when a powerful wind pushed her back an inch. She looked at the building she was running along and found the corner sliced clean off a second before she stepped there. She looked back and saw Zoro sheathing his sword.

He jumped in the air and landed in front of her with a serious expression. The gust from his attack flew Jenka's cloak off, revealing her new look. Her outfit seemed more mature than what she usually wore. She was wearing black short shorts with a belt slung over her hip holding her 2 kodachis. Knee high boots covered her legs and most of her arms were covered by black gloves. Her grey halter top fanned at her waist and her Kobaiyo necklace wrapped as usual around her neck. But what really shocked Zoro was her hair. It was layered at her neck then continued to mid back with longer bangs and a black headband. She looked very different and it surprised him for a moment before composing himself once more.

"Why are you denying the fact that you really are part of this crew? You are our nakama, Jenka."

"You were there too when the agreement was made, Zoro." She reminded him. "I have been on that demon bastard's trail for half a year now and I'm not losing him. I have no time for sight-seeing and side trips to islands I have no business with."

"Then why the hell did you come back if you were just gonna leave anyways?" He cornered her into the wall.

"L-Look, I still had to come back and grab all my stuff off the ship and thought I could kill two birds with one stone and see if everyone's ok after the two year period."

"So you do have a heart."

"Shut up! I at least have the decency to see everyone off and say good bye. I'd have that peace of mind knowing you guys all met up after two years and made it out safely. It's the least I could do after being with you guys so long."

"But you didn't even say good bye or tell us you were leaving!"

"Why should I? It's by business to come and go as I please. I'm not a Straw-Hat pirate. Besides, I never mentioned I was going to say good bye to your faces."

"You should know by now that whether you like it or not you're part of this crew!" He smiled. "You know very well how impossible it is for any of us to leave. Luffy won't allow that no matter how hard we kick and scream."

"I was never part of this crew." He looked into her eyes and saw how cold they were. "I always considered myself a tag along. Nothing more. So let me tell you something, whether you like it or not, I'm leaving and pursuing my own ambitions."

Zoro scoffed. "You're acting just like how you use to be when we first met; cold, distant, always fighting against what everyone has to say to you."

"Your point?"

"Cut the act, Jenka. I've been around you long enough to know those aren't your true colors."

She laughed. "You think you know my true colors? I haven't had them in many years. So just do us both a favor and let me go."

"Like you could survive without us."

"What did you say?"

"You wouldn't last without us there to help you and you know it."

Her eyes flared and she grit her teeth. "You bastard!!"

She threw a fist at him, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer to him, using her momentum against her.

"Forget about what Luffy wants or what the crew wants, I want you to stay. Please…"

Jenka blushed, realizing for the first time in two years she still had feelings for the swordsman and now hearing something like that from his lips made her grow weak. She caught herself pulling back and covering her mouth. She looked like she was in shock and the corner of her eyes began to water.

"Dammit… dammit dammit!"

"O-Oi, doushita?"

Too late. The tears began to flow and for the first time in her life, she cried in front of Zoro. "Dammit! I thought after two years of training to become stronger and revert back to my old self, I would be able to just leave and that would be that! But then you guys had to notice me then you saying those words… I-I can't help but feel connected to everyone and care about you all! I just can't risk you guys being around me! I'm ashamed of myself for destroying all that I've worked for for years!…"

Zoro sighed and hugged her. Jenka opened her eyes wide and froze. "Zoro-"

"I may not understand fully why you've always acted the way you do or why you're so compelled to be by yourself, but we'll all be here for you when you need it."

"I-I can't! I can't stay with you guys or else-"

"Fine. How about this, I know you have a need to complete your revenge and traveling alone is the best way to do that. But stay with us, and when the time finally comes where you need to go and fight, I'll make sure that me and the rest of the crew stay behind."

She wiped her eyes and looked up at him with a hopeful expression. "Is this our new agreement? I stay until the final fight then you guys will back off?"

He nodded. "Yes. As long as you stay with us."

She smiled and closed her eyes. "Guess I have no choice but to accept your offer. Alright, agreed."

When she picked up her bag and cloak off the floor and started walking towards the Thousand Sunny Go, the crew smiled and cheered for her return. Luffy ran towards her and slapped her a high five and laughed.

"You don't know how happy I am to have you back, Jenka!"

"And it looked like all it took to convince you to stay was a pep talk from Kenshi-san, hm?" Robin smiled at her.

Jenka blushed and her smiled vanished. "Can we just get over the fact that we all had an argumentative moment and get going? The navy is still after us, you know."

Sanji walked up to Zoro, who was finally re boarding the ship, and whispered. "So what exactly did you say to Jenka-chan to make her stay?"

Zoro blushed slightly and shrugged the cook back. "Wouldn't you like to know."

"That's why I asked, yarou!!"

Luffy jumped on the bow of the ship and stretched out his arms. "Yosh!! Let's set sail, Nami!"

"Aye, Captain!"

"Alright, guys!! There's tons of stuff I've wanted to say to you, but for now I'll just say thank you for putting up with my selfishness these past 2 years!!"

The Thousand Sunny Go finally submerged into the ocean, leaving the navy in the dust.

"Here we goooooo!! Fishman Island, here we coooooome!!"



Owari.