"Where the hell is the house?" Zoro grunted as his eyes skimmed his surroundings, unsure of the dark area.

"We're in this mess because someone kept taking detours!" Ayame yelled back, her teeth as sharp as a knife.

The two strolled to their destination. Initially, the streetlights illuminated their path, but they soon found themselves in near darkness. The night was still young; passerby dwindled as they ventured deeper into their way.

Zoro peeked at the child and focused her attention on the path ahead. His eyes roamed on her form; although dirt no longer garnished her attire, her shirt filled with holes and ripped shorts told another story.

His mind travelled to their encounter. There wasn't much life in the area where they met. Broken homes, shops and the unclean regions. Though he may not remember much, but he did remember the taste of the riceball.

It may not have been mouldy, but it wasn't fresh.

"We're here!"

Zoro lifted his gaze to the single light in the small place, the shop he had seen Ayame in earlier. His eyes examined the desolation of the area. Much more dirt occupied the space while the stillness of night, along with small whispers, filled the air. Devoid of liveliness and colours, the scent of alcohol tickled his nose, scrunching its form.

It was clear to Zoro that this area was nothing like the town he was in previously.

"This place looks like a dump, doesn't it?"

The swordsman landed his eyes back on the little girl, who gave him a sad smile. Ayame's gaze landed on a group of people roaming the cold streets.

"It wasn't always like this...This place used to look like the other side of town."
She reminisced on the chimes of bells when customers entered her mom's shop. Freshly rolled rice balls ready to be served to customers. Breeze blew in, the scented shops inviting more hungry bellies.

Yet all of it was snatched away, all because of disobeying the great captain Alex.

"Anyone who didn't follow the captain's orders...Are all sent here...."

Ayame hated being controlled like this by that weird man. She clenched her fist; why did he take away people's lives over petty things?

Zoro frowned at the thought, not surprised the weirdo would be involved judging by people's reactions alone. He knew marines were sometimes a problem, but this was something else.

"I should get going; Mom is probably worried," Ayame whispered, her eyes back on the swordsman with a small smile. "See ya around!"

He couldn't get a word out as the girl sprinted back home while she dodged incoming folks coming her way. Zoro could only watch as her figure slowly disappeared. He lingered for a moment longer before he turned and walked back, an unsettling sensation crawling up his back.

Unknown to him, Zoro took the wrong path once again.

Meanwhile, a small shop designated at the corner of the street, dull in design, yet blooming with many diverse attires, ranging from the most colourful to simple, to a sight for sore eyes, to a bore of style. Some uniqueness spread throughout the place, welcoming its customers as they entered. Though the merchandise caught many regards, its bleak open sign completely darkened, leaving no outside light indicating its closure.

However, the shop owner kept his establishment open thanks to the demanding marine captain. In turn, other customers entered, making him grunt in frustration as his hands slid down his face slowly at the number of people entering the shop.

It looks like he will have to work overtime.

As he set his sights on Rue, the shop owner's gaze widened further at her appearance. With that, he hurried around the store for the perfect dress that would wow anyone just at a quick glimpse of the woman.

He displayed as many dresses as possible on a small seat that fit his customer's desires. The outfits went from the bright colours to the darkest tints, varying in style. Though busy shopping, some people peaked at the variation of designs set before their lingering eyes. The shop owner couldn't contain the excitement to decorate the woman in these exquisite attires. Clothing in hand, the man approached her; however, a hand halted him in his steps.

"I'll choose for her," Alex's lips curved into a smirk as he glimpsed at a specific dress. "I like this one over there."

Both Rue and the owner glanced at the outfit he chose. The owner swallowed while shifting his gaze at the silvered-haired woman who remained silent. Rue's shoulders rose as she took a small breath, gripping the crystal on her neck. Her shoulders slumped; she took his suggested attire and went into the stall to change.

Moments later, Rue emerged, customers, the owner and Alex's jaws dropped to the floor. Her figure was exposed for all to admire through the short cherry, glimmering dress. Long legs shimmered under the light as if they seemed golden. Her arm protected her chest from ogling viewers as her breast rose into a cleavage. The dress embraced her like a blanket but was as tight as a rope wrapped around one's body.

Alluring, she was too tempting. Any eyes that fell upon the beauty would freeze one's senses. Many halted in action to marvel at her radiance; however, for others...she was a temptation to devour, one to defile.

Alex inhaled a shallow breath as he swallowed hard. Ravishing, that was what she was...He would ensure that no one else could have her. He deserved the best, and Rue was just what he needed.

While Alex's pair of eyes roamed her body like a hungry animal, Rue's gaze remained on her feet, her toes gripping the fabrics of mats.

Rue took a few breaths in; she knew there was no way she would wear this dress. There was no way she would comply with such attire. She had enough eyes on her already. Not only did she dislike the way the dress looked, but her back was left vulnerable for all to see. The deep cut on f the dress ran to almost expose her backside.

A slight frown carved on her features at the thought. If eyes met what was on her back, questions would be asked.

Questions that she wanted to avoid as much as possible.

Wheels began to twist and turn on her mind as she quickly thought of ways to escape the captain without exposing what she had in store. Something to click only took a few seconds, an idea washing over her like a wave.

Rue lifted her eyes, dimmed by her silver lashes and gave them her usual smile. "This dress is..."She paused momentarily to find the right words, "Very nice, but I don't think this style suits me."

"What do you mean!? Of course, it's perfect!" Alex exclaimed, hands on his hips.

She paused again before speaking again, shifting her weight on one leg. "I'm not too comfortable in it; I prefer attire similar to mine."

The captain began to frown, "Why are you complaining? Any woman would have gladly taken the dress their date offered them."

The owner swallowed, an audible gulp as the temperature in the atmosphere had risen.

"Don't forget I'm paying for all this." Alex grabbed her chin, lifting her head where their eyes met. "Unless your boy toys in a prison cell," he trailed off, smirking at the underlying threat.

The owner began chewing on his lips; cool air outside couldn't conquer the rising heat in the atmosphere. He kept his eyes on his customer, switching his focus every second.

Alex's smirk widened as Rue broke their gazes as she stepped back to place distance between them. She lowered her eyes to the soles of her feet, lifting a hand to her crystal, gripping it tightly.

Of course, threatening her by using others. However, she had a few tricks up her sleeves.

Once again, Rue plastered a smile on her features, "I understand, but as you have said, this is a date. Shouldn't I have a say on what to wear?"

Alex followed her figure to the seat-filled dresses. She slightly hunched over, taking a closer look at the designs, carefully tugging on the back of the dress to cover herself. All she had to do was throw in the bait.

"After all, in a relationship, shouldn't both parties try to make each other happy?"

All Rue had to do was be patient, reeling in her prey.

Her gaze shifted to the captain, who had a fist under his chin, deep in thought.

"Relationship, you say..."

Rue picked up a dress, scanning every inch of it; while she did so, her lips tugged upward.

"Yes," She turned back, facing them as she emphasized "relationship."

Alex's heart thumped as the woman of his dreams spread a smile on her features. Was she finally going to accept him? Was she going to become his woman? His mind began to fog, formulating many scenarios on tonight's outcome.

"Alright then," Alex crossed his arms as he sat down, "pick whatever you want."

Hook-line and sinker.

Soon, they both left the establishment. Finally, it allowed the poor owner to breathe and lower the beat of their heart. As they strolled to the nearest restaurant, townsfolk scanned the couple that walked by, mainly the woman under his arm and her attire.

Dark dress with a slit ending at her upper thigh. Her curvy silhouette embraced her figure, her bust not exposed as much as before, but a slight cleavage lingered. Long-sleeved with simple material with a scoop neck style as her blue crystal dangled, thankfully, her back remained hidden. Small silver sandals covered her feet and hair in its usual low puff to complete the look.

Rue's blue eyes briefly scanned the few passersby. Some of their cheeks dusted in red at the radiance of her beauty, whether man or woman. However, some would gaze elsewhere besides her features. She was slightly shivering at the nasty looks she received and the way their eyes roamed her figure like a predator ready to pounce on their meal. Rue was confident it was anything, but pure intentions held in those gazes.

Though she was under the captain's arm, she knew they didn't dare approach the beauty because the captain had already sought his eyes on her. She unconsciously squeezed Alex's arm as they kept walking to their destination, and she gripped her crystal, calming her nerves.

The pressure of her hand on his arm only spread a smirk on Alex's lips. The thought of her being nervous for their upcoming dining session.

Moments later, they arrived at the restaurant. A large chandelier hung, shimmering the atmosphere under its lights. Chatter travelled across the rooms, waiters yelling orders to each other while others hurried with trays of plates of food. Rue took a whiff of the aromas as mixtures of spices slapped her nostrils.

Yet, the smell didn't awaken a desire to consume any meals.

"Table for two," Alex said, a huntiness within his tone.

The waiter gawked at the woman by side, a large red hue dusting his cheeks. Before his eyes could roam her figure, Alex's harsh glare immediately halted his actions. Instead, the waiter showed them to their designated table. Walking past other customers, their reactions to his woman made Alex's lips tug into a proud smirk.

He knew he had won the lottery.

Once they were seated, the waiter quickly left to get their menus. He rushed back, placing their menus in front of his guest. Before Rue's fingers could brush the broader of the book, a hand snatched from her, dumping the menu back into the hands of a confused waiter.

" I'll take the steak, and she'll have a salad."

Rue almost raised a brow at his actions but refrained from physically reacting to keep up with the facade. However, some of her knew if she kept being too docile, he would catch on to her odd behaviour or...

Her annoyance with this man might get the best of her instead. She may not be hungry, but it was an excellent opportunity to accumulate goods for her daughter.

Choosing her words carefully, Rue gave the waiter a small smile, "I don't think a salad would be filling, I can..."

"My woman has to remain small," Alex waved dismissively at the waiter, indicating for him to leave, "I don't like them with too much meat."

Think, don't feel Rue! Rue swallowed the comment without complaints, yet she gripped her crystal. His words reminded her of...

She shook her head; there was no time to think about useless things.

The waiter switched his gaze to Rue for confirmation; in return, Rue nodded for him to leave with a plastered smile on her features. With a snap of Alex's fingers, another waiter came and filled their glasses.

Rue's nose crunched at the repugnant aroma of alcohol; under her silver lashes, her gaze ever so slightly hardened at her so-called date. Yet a slight smirk played on her lips, but quickly narrowed back to her usual docile smile.

Alex chugged his glass without hesitation, the burn sensation of the strong drink down his throat. Immediately, the server poured another glass, which the captain consumed instantly.

Surrounded by the dimming lights, seated in a booth, far from onlookers. They had a private area just for them, with no interruptions besides from their servers for the evening. Rue's nose wiggled from the scent emitted by the captain, who placed an arm around her shoulders while gazing at her specks of blue, glass in hand.

"So, what do you think of this place?" Alex slurred, placing his glass back on the decorated white-clothed table. "It's pretty expansive, too; reservations here aren't easy."

Again, docile and sweet, her smile never wavered from her features. She slowly pushed herself away from him to create some distance, which brought disappointment to his features. "Yes, the dining hall is exquisite. I can see you put a lot of effort into this date."

Her words encouraged him as a smile tugged his lips, " Of course, anything for my woman." This time, he took a sip of his glass, "So, about this growing relationship of our─"

"Why don't you tell me about yourself," Rue interrupted as she took her glass, making circles with her fingertips on the rim. She didn't want to hear nor discuss their so-called relationship, nor did she want to stay another minute on this 'date.' The quicker she got her answers, the faster she could leave. "I heard you many things about the great captain Alex."

Rue observed his face scrunched into a lifted brow with a lop-sided smile. This encouraged her to continue her sweet words, "All I heard were rumours, but I wanted to hear it from you myself. They say you obtained a devil fruit."

Glass in hand, mid-consumption, Alex paused as he raised a brow, placing his drink back on the table, "Where have you heard that?"

Though risky, Rue knew mentioning that would turn any person suspicious, but with someone with the captain's demeanour, well...

It was like taking candy from a baby.

Rue gazed elsewhere, almost bashful, "Please don't blame your subordinates; they only admire how great you are. They kept talking about your accomplishments."

The silver-haired woman grasped her glass, swerving the alcohol around, her eyes hooded by silver lashes, "The townsfolk sing your praise; they say the captain is strong, brave and a great leader."

She observed his every move from the corner of her eyes. From his lips twisting into a cocky smile while a red hue dusted his cheeks. Holding back a snicker from her throat at her words, " Please tell me your secret; how did you get your subordinates, the people, to respect you so much?"

Though the captain wouldn't display it, Rue could tell his nerves spiked as he consumed glass after glass of alcohol. His cheeks brightened by the minute.

"Well..." Alex leaned into his chair, sitting lazy, and he crossed his ankles together,
I'm just that good. Plus, it was easy, too."

Seeing the curious gleam in the woman's eyes, Alex continued, " I'm the highest authority on this island; anything I say goes. And if they disobey me..."

Rue peered as his eyes darkened, pausing amid his sentence.

Soon, their waiter arrived with their respective orders. Alex stabbed his fork into the juicy meat as he placed their plates on the table. The waiter jolted, surprised at the action, while Rue remained quiet.

"They end up on the other side."

Elsewhere, the waves of the sea rolled back and forth on the shore. The waters become the noise on the silent boat. Johnny and Yosaku sighed in relief as they slid down the bed. Finally, the child fell asleep after multiple play times.

"I don't know how she does it every night Johnny huffed, slowly getting up from his position.

Yosaku yawned, stretching his limbs, "As long as she's asleep, that's all that matters." The kid had too much energy, and putting her to sleep was challenging.

They both dropped their gazes on the little girl cuddled into the bed sheets, snoring soundly. They both smiled; things weren't as bad as they thought. At some point, they wondered if she would ever go to sleep.

Yosaku lifted his eyes to the door with a frown, "What's taking Zoro so long?"

"Probably lost somewhere."

They snorted at the thought, typical Zoro.

"Where did she say the blankets were again?" Yosaku muttered, whipping his head around as he scratched his scalp.

"Somewhere," Johnny answered uncertainty in his tone, "try those cabinets."

Yosaku did as he was told, opening the first one before him next to the bed and seeing the item needed. His arm bumped into the large wooden chest as he grabbed the fabric. It crashed on the floor, the objects within scattering.

Both men's hearts jumped and whipped their heads to the slumbering child, who only turned to the side with a whimper.

A sigh of relief left their lips while Johnny inched closer to his partner, slapping him upside his head, "Idiot!"

They quickly picked up the items in the box, though they weren't much. It was a small bracelet, a stylish hair clip, and a picture. Taking no time to observe each item, Johnny shoved it back into the box and placed it back as best as he could in the same place.

There is only one problem: he doesn't know what position the box was initially placed. "Idiot, she's going to know."

"Give it to me!" Yosauke snatched the chest from Johnny's grasp. Placing it back in it's place, well, the place he thought it was.

Johnny almost face-palmed; it looked too obvious that someone snooped in her stuff. Seeing his partner take hold of another item, he slapped his hand away, "What are you doing!?"

It was too late; the item slumped on the floor. Johnny quickly picked up the large white cloth. However, he paused as his gaze fell on a dark symbol. Yosaku lifted his gaze to his frozen partner, who soon shivered. Without warning, Johnny opened up the mysterious piece of cloth. At the sight, Yosaku paled colour, slowly draining from his features.

In hand, Johnny held the cape, the Marine Corps emblem on it, standing proudly under the sky. 

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I hope you all liked this chapter. We are almost at 800 reads! Thanks again for the support until next time! Also, don't forget to vote and comment!