Cocoon Island was an empty place. Even if humans had dared to settle there, the dark tangles of jungle would not have supported much life; the poisonous plants, giant nettles, and thick-barked trees sustained only the heartiest of creatures – and the most threatening of animals. But on a single cliff, overlooking the barest beach on the island's east coast, one human settlement survived within a stone castle that was surrounded by a labyrinth of ivy sheltering a rare population of venomous blue butterflies.

The human inhabitants took their name from these neighbours, and were known as Order Lepidoptera. Members of the Order were famous as black-market information brokers, and their leader, the Monarch, was said to know more than any other human alive. By calling the Order, and paying the right price, it was said that one could obtain any information in the world…

The snail phone buzzed in the shadows. A pale hand swept down to answer it in a single smooth motion. "House of the Monarch," a monotonous voice said into the receiver. "What is your request?"

The voice on the other end rasped, "Sabaody Archipelago – the human auction in three days' time – who will be attending?"

"Requests are never fulfilled on the line," replied the servant. "You will meet a dispensing agent."

"Begonia, I'll take this one," a passerby called to the servant on the phone. "I don't have any assignments right now."

Begonia, phone in hand, paused for a moment before returning to her call. "Where will you host the agent?"

"Sabaody Archipelago, in three days. I can't meet any later than the auction time," the caller replied.

"Agent Swallowtail will meet you outside the theme park," said Begonia, and with the same sweeping movement with which she had answered the call, hung up.

The agent who had accepted the task was tapping her dark brown boots on the stone floor, frowning. "Begonia, did you get my client's name?"

There was no change in Begonia's expression. Her pale grey eyes were emotionless as usual, her face a blank canvas framed by short, wavy blue hair. Her features were obscured by a black masquerade mask, the signature feature of the Order Lepidoptera's uniform.

"Apologies, Agent Swallowtail," replied Begonia. "You will have to ask the Monarch."

"The Monarch can give you that information," came another voice, cracking with age. "Rose. This could be a very troublesome meeting. Our client is one of them – a member of the group that has recently come to be known as the Eleven Supernovas. You will have to be very careful…"

Agent Swallowtail, whose true name was River Rose, stared up at the small, aging woman as she descended the castle stairs to the front hall.

"Daisy, I'm the last person you need to worry about," said Rose. She flipped her long, dark blue ponytail over her shoulder. "I've read the profiles of those pirates, and I don't think their powers are all that fantastic. Except…"

"Except what?" Daisy grinned.

"Well…" Rose muttered. "That guy Trafalgar Law… the whole 'Surgeon of Death' title is just a little bit intimidating."

"And of course, that's who you'll be meeting with," Daisy said.

"What?!"

Daisy chuckled, a mischievous light in her purple eyes as she watched Rose's reaction. "The Surgeon of Death will be receiving you at Sabaody Archipelago. His voice is unmistakable."

"And you were monitoring the call, as usual…"

"That's right, Rose."

"Well, that's just perfect." Rose scrunched up her nose.

"Don't make those ridiculous faces," scolded Daisy, "or–"

"Or my face will stay this way?" Rose scoffed. "You're not my mother."

As she said this, Rose scanned the room for Begonia, but the servant was already gone.

Daisy grinned, preening. Her light blue hair was styled in a perfect roll, and a huge purple bow protruded from the back of her skin-tight black outfit. "Of course I'm not. I'm far too youthful to have a daughter like you."

Rose rolled her eyes and turned to leave the hall.

"Information on the rumoured human auction attendees can be found on the fourth floor library," Daisy called after Agent Swallowtail as she made her way out of the room.

Rose closed the black castle door firmly behind her and flopped onto her bed of black satin sheets and massive pillows. The Monarch's gothic aesthetic was a bit much for her. Perhaps that was why she tried to fit sunshine yellow into her own outfits as often as possible. Wearing such a bright pop of colour felt a little bit like sticking her nose up at Daisy. Today, only the trim of her cropped halter top and the gold-hued elastic waist of her loose-fitting sparring pants could be described as colourful. The rest of her outfit was black or brown.

Rose sighed as she examined her clothing. Well, an information broker has to be practical from time to time, she thought.

Lying on the bed, Rose contemplated her situation since the beginning of the day. She had returned from brokering another deal early this morning and crashed for a few hours, only to be woken by the buzzing of the snail phone downstairs. Begonia had answered as usual, but Rose was feeling antsy, and when she heard there was already another job up for grabs, she took her chance. She shouldn't have been so eager. Now she was going to have to deal with someone troublesome.

Trafalgar Law… Rose would have to read up on him, as well as the information he was seeking. It didn't surprise Rose that a man with such a gruesome title was looking to attend such a disgusting event, a live human auction. But maybe there was more to the picture?

Rose shook her head, sending the smooth strands of her blue bangs flying. She lifted a hand and flexed it into a fist. Just another gross man that I'll have to fake politeness to until he forks over the money… When am I going to meet anyone worth my time? I thought part of this job was getting to meet a lot of different people, but it's starting to seem like I only ever get to hold conversations with the scum of the earth.

With a sigh, Rose dropped her fist back on her bedsheet, then tucked her arms behind her head and stared at the stone ceiling. If it weren't for that woman, I might have something to look forward to…

When she closed her eyes, memories flashed before her in bits and pieces. Rose's mind wasn't a blank slate. She had memories since joining the Order, of course, and that had been over 15 years ago. But the effects of the wiping that Daisy had done when she joined were still strong.

Childhood was a black hole for Rose. All she could remember was the blurry, brown face of the woman she called mother, a wanted poster bearing the image of a pale and angry-looking man, and a flickering reflection. It was like she was looking at herself in the mirror, only the reflection had a softer, less curved nose, and deep brown eyes instead of her periwinkle blue. Why was this all she was left with? Why was the reflection so different, and her mother so distant? Who was the man in the wanted poster? More importantly, where had her family gone?

Rose was certain, deep down, that she had a family. Her memory of her mother was not tinged with the sadness common to the departed. And surely she had a father somewhere… siblings? Grandparents? Neighbours? Friends? She shook herself out of this chain of thought, opened her eyes, and sat up in bed.

As long as she couldn't remember her life before, she would have to keep working for the Order. Rose didn't have anything else. She didn't exactly have friends here, but it wasn't too uncomfortable as long as she didn't have to spend much time with Daisy. Or Loa. But the freelancing assassin hadn't been spotted around the castle for a few weeks, something Rose was thankful for. Their breakup had gone… less than smoothly.

"Last time I date a killer for hire, I promise," Rose mumbled as she meandered out of her room and headed for the fourth floor library.

"Did you need something, Swallowtail?" asked Begonia, startling Rose as they passed on the stairs.

"Begonia! How many times have I told y– sorry. No, I was talking to myself. Go ahead with… whatever you were doing." Rose exhaled in relief as the servant continued down the staircase.

When Rose reached the library and closed the black double doors firmly, she was pleased to find herself alone. Light still filtered through the arched windows, barely reaching the dozens of bookshelves that lined the walls.

The records here were the most recent, containing everything from the loss of swordsman Red-Haired Shanks's arm to the now infamous Enies Lobby Incident, when the Straw Hat pirates made a name for themselves by burning a World Government flag. In the late afternoon sun, Rose scanned the library for titles by date and by contents, looking for the listings that would note those expected in attendance at every Sabaody Human Auction in the last ten years, and for another, smaller book that would reveal Daisy's 'public' notes on the pirate known as Trafalgar Law.

Even within the Order, there were secrets that were too sensitive to be divulged freely among agents. This information was kept in the Monarch's chambers, where Daisy would reveal it to her workers only on an as-needed basis, or, of course, if one of the agents decided to pay for it. All agents profited from their individual information trades, but they owed a percentage back to the Order. The more information they were privy to, the more valuable they were and the more calls they could respond to, eventually making them more profitable. The most profitable of agents owed only a small fee back to Daisy in the end, and could become quite wealthy.

Rose, with her intermittent memory, was not much for rote memorization or for giving up her spending money. Her rank suffered little, however, because even the Monarch of Order Lepidoptera was not above a little favouritism. And, as if on cue, Daisy appeared in the doorway just as Rose was sitting down to review the books.

"Darling, are you certain you have everything you need?" asked Daisy. She approached the table where Rose was seated and slid a slim notebook over to her. The spine was so thin that Rose could barely make out the title: 'Flevance.'

"And how is this relevant to the Sabaody auction or Trafalgar Law?" Rose asked.

"You'll see if you read it…" Daisy replied. She took her leave of the library with a silent smile.

Rose only let out her breath once she was sure the Monarch was gone. Turning back to her books, she picked up Daisy's addition and began to flip through…

Horrified after the first few pages, Rose slammed the book shut. Government cover-up? Deadly lead poisoning? This book was about the reaping of a country's resources at the cost of thousands of human lives! With trembling fingers, Rose pressed a hand to her forehead. She had heard some awful things about the world during her work with the order, but this Flevance incident nearly topped the list of atrocities. It would be difficult for her to read any more.

But, with a sigh, Rose realized that she had yet to put together what the incident had to do with her next job. Out of curiosity, she flipped to the last marked page of the book and began scanning for hints.

"Fatality rate of the final generation… 99 percent in 15 years… survivors all perished… hospitalized or by their own hand… known survivors currently–"

Rose dropped the book, and it landed with a clunk on the table. She immediately flipped back to the last page to do a double-take.

"Known survivors currently: Trafalgar Law. Period. Does that mean he's the only survivor?"

Rose shook her head. "What kind of survivor of a government mass-murder goes on to… oh. I guess surviving something like that would make a man pretty angry." She scratched her head. "But a human auction? Something isn't right."

She thought and thought, and doodled on blank notebook pages, and scratched her head some more. But no matter which way she looked at the scenario, Rose couldn't figure it out.

"Ugh. Whatever. I don't need to know why he's there. I just have to give him the information he wants and get out of there alive. And now I know what kind of man to expect…"

Tentatively, Rose opened the book labelled 'Eleven Supernovas' and continued to read about her next client.

Satisfied with her level of understanding (and her notes for when she forgot the details,) Rose returned to her room by moonlight to pack for her journey to Sabaody. It would be at least two days by air glider, the preferred method of transportation among Order Lepidoptera agents, and her deadline was now less than three days away. She gathered together a drawstring backpack with her notes, a change of clothes, and enough food and water for a week in case of emergency. Without even giving a thought to sleep, she headed down to the castle's landing field to collect her glider and head off to the job.

Rose's glider was sunshine yellow, of course. It stood out among a field of black, brown, and blue gliders; most agents claimed the dark colours helped them camouflage. Rose didn't care about that. Her nonchalance toward concealment and secrecy had earned her the affectionate nickname 'Sloppytail,' but Rose took it in stride.

In her opinion, if you were always worried about hiding, you must be spending a lot of time thinking you might get caught. Rose didn't have time for self-doubt. She was spending her time trying to find out who she really was – and taking as many jobs as she could fit in between.

Lifting the light, wing-shaped glider over her head, Rose got a feel for the wind. She adjusted her backpack and brought her other arm up to the handlebar. Then, she took off running. When the breeze began to lift and Rose could feel her boots being tugged off the ground, she leaped and launched her body forward into the lying position. Her glider took off on the momentum, soaring with her higher and higher until she was far above the castle on Cocoon Island, but just below the clouds. So began the two-day trip to Sabaody Archipelago, eastbound toward the Red Line and back to Paradise, the eastern half of the Grand Line.

The syrupy bubbles that surrounded the archipelago popped against the edges of Rose's glider, showering her with slime.

"Ugh…" After two days with little sleep, she was not in the mood to be covered in the gluey goop. Not that any time would be a good time for that, in her opinion, but her sleep deprivation and the fact that she hadn't bathed in several days made the matter much, much worse.

When she finally found a place to park her glider, the first thing Rose did was pull out her notes to refresh herself on the information she was delivering.

"Other Supernovas… the Rosward family of the Celestial dragons… rumoured cargo includes a giant…" Rose nodded to herself as she read. "Fine. Now I just have to make my way to Sabaody Park and look for a man wearing this logo."

Rose's crude drawing of the Heart Pirates' symbol looked more like a child's depiction of the sun smiling than anything else, but it would work for her. She took a sip of water from her stash, replaced her notes in her bag, and set off on foot to find the famous amusement park of the archipelago. It was a fair walk from where she had parked, as she had noted while she soared above the islands. After hours without setting foot on land, however, the exercise felt good to Rose. She found herself wanting to skip a little as she walked.

Outside Sabaody Park, the captain of the Heart Pirates and his navigator waited for their designated information broker to meet them.

"Why did you tell the others they could go to the amusement park?" Bepo asked his captain. "Shouldn't they be here to hear this information? And why are we paying for this information in the first place? We're already here. We could investigate the attendees ourselves, and–"

"Bepo," Trafalgar Law answered, cutting off his anxious companion, "there is more to this meeting than the exchange of information."

"I see," said Bepo. "Wait. There is?!"

Law sighed. "Listen. Of course we could investigate those attending the auction ourselves, now that we're here. But that would take time, involve bribing and listening to many rumours that may or may not be true, and then some of the most important visitors might arrive unannounced or at the last minute. So, it's actually far cheaper to call the informant where both time and money are concerned."

Bepo was nodding vigorously as Law spoke.

"The informant will tell us what we need to know in short order and with fairly reliable accuracy. But most importantly," Law continued, "by meeting with a broker from Order Lepidoptera, I get to confirm for myself the state of their members, the accuracy of their intel, and whether I can find someone trustworthy among them to help me acquire important information as we travel in the New World!"

"Captain!" Bepo cried. "You're so smart!"

Law managed a half-smile in the direction of his friend. The bear's worried expression had calmed somewhat, but he still appeared unnerved.

"Um, but, Captain? You never explained why you sent the crew away…"

"Right, sorry. It's simple, really. I don't want to intimidate whomever I'm meeting with. This 'Swallowtail' person will probably be expecting just myself, and maybe one other person for protection. Otherwise, if I were them, I'd be hesitant to approach. So I'm trying to give them what they want."

Taking the hilt of the large sword he had slung over his back, Law gestured at himself and Bepo.

"I see, I see!" exclaimed Bepo. "Everything makes sense now. I hope agent Swallowtail arrives soon…"

"Me too, Bepo."

Agent Swallowtail was, in fact, approaching the park. Rose smiled at the sight of the capsules slowly rotating on the Ferris wheel. Perhaps, if the deal went well and quick, she would allow herself to take a ride.

That thought disappeared like a popped syrup bubble as she came closer to the amusement park's fence. Leaning on the fence near the entrance was a tall man with dark hair covered by a fluffy white hat and a sweatshirt that bore a familiar symbol. Rose paused, opened her bag, and confirmed what she was seeing against her notes: Trafalgar Law was now in front of her. A large polar bear was standing upright beside the Supernova. The bear was wearing a boiler suit, also emblazoned with the Heart Pirates' logo, and it seemed to be twiddling its paws nervously.

"Trafalgar Law," Rose said as she stepped forward to meet him. "I'm agent Swallowtail."

"Of course. We've been expecting you," Law said with a smirk.

"N-nice… to meet you…" murmured Bepo.

Rose gaped in surprise.

"The bear talks? Wait, I think I've heard of this happening before…"

"You probably have, if you're an information broker," Law commented. "He's a member of the mink tribe."

"That's the name!" Rose snapped her fingers. "I guess he's your bodyguard or something?"

"Or something," said Law. "Now, can we please get right to business?"

"Of course. I need my relaying fee. It's 10,000 Beli for this transaction. I'm afraid your call was cut short, so Begonia– I mean– ah shoot. We're not supposed to use true names," Rose muttered, shaking her head. "Well, anyway–"

"I suppose Swallowtail isn't your real name either, then?" Law asked.

"That information would cost you a hefty fee," Rose shot back.

"I'm sorry. Please, continue," said Law, his lips creeping into a snarky grin.

"Anyway. As I was saying, because we failed to inform you of all the charges up front, the Monarch has kindly offered you a 1,000 Beli discount on the usual fee for this intel. If you accept, you must pay me now in cash. If you refuse, I will be on my way immediately. And don't think of trying to force the information out of me for free…" Rose narrowed her eyes at the much larger Law. "That's been tried before, and it will not get you the results you're looking for. Trust me."

"I'm still trying to figure out if I can trust you or not! But of course, I won't turn down the Monarch's generosity. I'll pay you what's owed. Then you'll tell me what I want to know. Is that right?"

"That's right."

Without further hassle, Law gestured for Bepo to hand over a burlap bag. He passed it along to Rose, who checked the currency to make sure every Beli was accounted for, then opened her drawstring backpack and added it to her stash.

"Let's move to a slightly more private location, then," suggested Law.

"Oh, no," said Rose. "This is perfect."

Both Law and Bepo stared at her.

"I know it looks like there are too many other people around, and someone might overhear," she told them. "But believe me, in this hustle and bustle, no one is paying attention to what we're saying. And the three of us standing in a group seems so much less suspicious outside this amusement park than it would if we were totally alone. If we stick out, we're more likely to be spied on, unless we have a very good hiding spot. And I don't see one anywhere nearby, do you?"

Law chuckled. "Impressive. Your reasoning has me convinced."

"Good," said Rose. "Now, listen up." She leaned forward and told the two Heart Pirates everything they'd paid for.

"That's everything we had in our records, Mr. Trafalgar."

"Law. Please call me Law. And that sounds right to me, Agent Swallowtail. So, while you're here, I have one more question for you."

"Fair enough, but if it's complicated, I might not–"

"It's not about information. But I've been watching you as you talked about the auction attendees, and I can't help but notice that you seem a little… disgusted." Law grinned.

"I hope I haven't offended you–"

"Of course not. We're not going to buy anything at the auction. We're going to… disrupt it."

Rose's mouth fell open for a second time.

"What I was wondering was," Law continued, "would you be interested in joining us?"

For a moment, Rose hesitated. If Daisy were watching, the Monarch would frown at the eagerness emanating from her in that moment. No agent of Order Lepidoptera would be an instigator. The Order was a neutral party. The agents were to maintain that status by serving no interest but the Monarch's, and taking no side but that of the paying customer. Yet Rose felt, somewhere inside, that she could not waste the chance this man was offering her. Sticking it to the human auction attendees would feel a little bit like rebelling against a bigger force in Rose's life – Daisy. And that was all the convincing she needed.

"Actually," said Rose, "I would."

"We're waiting here another hour until the rest of our crew is supposed to meet us," Bepo said cautiously.

"Mhmm." Rose nodded, trying not to do anything to startle the bear.

"I won't ask you to give me your real name again," Law said, "but how should I introduce you to the crew? They need to be able to address a co-conspirator."

"Swallowtail is fine," said Rose.

Law nodded. All at once, an awkward silence formed around the trio, like the sap bubbling off the nearby Yakuman trees. It was going to be a long wait for the rest of the Heart Pirates to return.

When the others straggled out of Sabaody Park, a trickle of white-boiler-suit-clad figures grinning, dawdling, and snacking on cotton candy, Rose was beginning to regret her decision. This bunch of pirates looked more like a collection of oversized misfit children than hardened warriors of the Grand Line. But Rose cast her doubts aside. Once the captain waved his crew over, it was too late to leave.

"Everyone," said Law, "this is Swallowtail." He pointed at Rose, who sheepishly scanned the crowd of new faces. Suddenly, a low and trembling voice called out.

"S-swallowtail? Is that a code-name?"

Rose pushed through the ring of Heart Pirates that had gathered around her and found herself face-to-face with an eerie sight. Deep brown eyes stared at her, like they could see right through her alias. Under a forest green cap, Rose could see soft, dark blue hair cut in a bob with bangs that matched her own.

The man was taller than her by a few inches, so Rose found herself staring up as he whispered: "Rose… is that you?"

She nearly fell back on her heels. As she stumbled, the man grabbed for her hand and held on until she could steady herself. Again, Rose stared up, and realized why the face was familiar – it was the face in the mirror, the one she had seen in her memories. Only now, she knew that it hadn't been her own reflection.

"You're my twin," she murmured, still in shock.

"I… that's right. I-it's me, Ross!" The man had a pronounced stutter that triggered a thousand memories at once.

In an instant, Rose found herself lying on the ground. It felt to her like the whole world was spinning.

"Ross!" Law yelled. "What did you do?"

"N-nothing, Captain! She just- she just collapsed!"

The Heart Pirate known as Penguin spoke up. "I heard her say something about twins before she passed out."

"O-of course. That is, she's my twin sister, captain." Ross said.

"She's what?" the Heart Pirates asked unanimously.

"You have a twin sister?" Law asked.

"Well. H-had. Er. Have now. She's been missing for a very long time. I had s-sort of thought she was…"

"So she's your long-lost twin? How ridiculous is that?!" laughed Shachi, the Heart Pirate standing next to Penguin.

Amidst this commotion, Rose was struggling to get back to her feet. She felt hands grabbing her by the shoulders and helping her up. When she turned to see who it was, she found Trafalgar Law.

Now surrounded by Heart Pirates on all sides, face-to-face with their captain and a member of the Eleven Supernovas, and having just been reintroduced to her long-lost twin, Rose was very much the centre of attention.

"I'm sorry, everyone," said Law. "I started to introduce this person before, but I was mistaken about her identity. This is…"

"Rose!" Ross chimed in.

"Yes, Rose, Ross's twin sister. She is going to be assisting our surveillance of the human auction."

Rose reeled. The crowd of Heart Pirates cheered.

"It's-s-s so good to see you again," Ross said. He wrapped her in a tight embrace, and Rose didn't have the strength to refuse at the moment.

It was going to be a very, very long day.

After a short walk into the archipelago's city centre, Rose found herself standing around Law with the rest of the Heart Pirates. He was seated on an overturned cargo crate, watching a fight that had just broken out between an extraordinarily large winged man and another man with rotating blades strapped to his arms.

It was a mesmerizing struggle, and after the information overload she had just suffered, watching the fight eased Rose's mind. She was only reminded of her situation every so often, when her newly rediscovered brother would nudge her to mention something or check how she was feeling. Rose couldn't decide if his worry was comforting or bothersome, but she didn't have the heart to tell him to leave her alone.

"Drake…"

Law's voice broke Rose's chain of thought, and she realized that the fight had ended. A muscular man sporting a plumed hat was conversing with the captain of the Heart Pirates. Rose didn't catch the words that were exchanged, but it seemed like the man in the hat left slightly unnerved. Only once he was gone did Rose realize that she had just seen Red Flag X Drake, another member of the Eleven Supernovas.

Having finished provoking Drake, Law stood up and started away from the commotion. "We're heading to the auction house immediately. I want to be the first group to arrive."

"So you can watch out for the other attendees," Rose said under her breath.

But Law overheard. "No, Rose. So I can start instigating my plan."

The Heart Pirates filed into the auction house with little trouble. They were not, to the captain's disappointment, the first group to arrive. They were, however, the first bounties of note by Rose's records. This fact consoled Law as he chose a bench and seated himself. Rose took a seat next to Ross; he looked like he wanted to ask for her company, but couldn't quite manage the question. Penguin and Shachi sat at her other side.

Rose removed her backpack and rifled through her notes once again. With so many Supernovas confirmed on the island, who would actually make an appearance at the auction? And when would the expected Celestial Dragons make their appearance?

Her boots tapping on the stone, Rose flipped through the bounty posters of the Eleven Supernovas, trying to keep her actions somewhat concealed. She recognized from their earlier struggle that the large winged man was Mad Monk Urouge, and the man with blades on his arms was Killer, a member of the…

The Kid Pirates strolled into the auction house just as Rose flipped to the bounty of their captain, Eustass 'Captain' Kidd. They asserted their presence by leaning against the wall at the top of the auction room near the entrance and staring down at the rest of the room. The harsh-looking group was decked out in spiked armour, fishnet clothing, and assorted weaponry.

Rose turned to get a better look, and noticed that Kidd was speaking to his subordinates. Then, she witnessed an even more worrisome sight – Law raised a hand to Captain Kidd and flipped him the bird!

Sheesh! thought Rose. I thought he was a man with a plan, but who on earth does Trafalgar Law think he is? Is this what being the sole survivor of a tragedy like Flevance does to you?

Then, the lights in the auction house dimmed, and the auctioneer raised his voice. "Presenting the Celestial Dragons, the great Saint Rosward and Princess Sharlia! Please bow for the entrance of our great superiors!"

Ross was watching Rose nervously. Rose frowned, but lowered her head along with the rest of the crowd. When she looked forward to Law, she saw that he had only barely tipped his head, so that the fluffy white hat on his head gave the appearance of a respectful bow. A scowl was etched on his lips.

Rose smiled at that. As troublesome as Trafalgar Law had been thus far, there was something about him that appealed to her. A quality that she couldn't put her finger on. As the lights came up and the auction started, she considered asking him exactly what he had in store for the people she had informed him about.

What happened next made her forget she had anything to say. All at once, the curtains were raised to reveal the shadow of a woman with a fish's tail, swimming in a huge bowl of water. A warbling voice cried out, "500 million Beli!"

The entire room held their breath. Then like a strike of lightning, a man came flying through the roof of the auction house, bringing the ceiling down with him. He quarrelled with a few attendees at the top of the staircase, then turned to face the stage and cried:

"Ah! Keimi! We were looking for you!"

All hell broke loose. The mermaid on stage cried out. In the audience, an octopus fishman leapt after the man who had crashed through the ceiling, causing the other attendees to squeal in disgust. The originator of this chaos was now running down the stairs, toward the stage. As he passed Rose's aisle, she recognized him immediately as 'Straw Hat' Monkey D. Luffy, one of the Eleven Supernovas and also one most wanted men on the entire Sabaody Archipelago. Things were going to get ugly.

A Celestial Dragon rose from his seat and shot the octopus fishman. Then, in his breathing bubble, air protection suit and all, he began to dance and exclaim, "I got him! I finished him off!" Others in the audience screamed.

On stage, the mermaid pounded her fists on the walls of her watery prison. Monkey D. Luffy stopped running. He turned to face the Celestial Dragon who had shot the fishman, a terrifying glower masking his youthful features. The fishman raised a weak arm, as if pleading with the Supernova not to go any further. Rose could hardly believe what happened next.

Monkey D. Luffy dropped to his knees to console the fishman for a moment, but the touching scene soon came to an abrupt end. The Celestial Dragon pointed his gun at the fishman and his companion and cried, "I shot you, but you're still talking! You piss me off!"

"You piss me off too!" the pirate replied. He burst the Celestial Dragon's protective bubble, punching him square in the jaw.

The auction house erupted into screams, and the crowd began running amok. The remaining Dragons in the audience tried in vain to make a stand, but they were quickly taken down by auction guests that Rose didn't recognize.

She searched the moving crowd for Trafalgar Law, but found he was still sitting in front of her with an absurd grin across his face. The other Heart Pirates had also remained seated, even Ross; he had removed his hat and was clutching it for dear life, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. Rose, standing on flight instinct, forced herself to sit back down.

"Is this all part of your plan, Law?" she asked.

"Not at all," said Law, still grinning, "but I'd say things are going better than planned."

One moment blurred into the next. Rose watched as a giant broke free from behind the auction stage, and an old man wiped out the lingering civilians in the crowd with his Conqueror's Haki – a trick Rose hadn't seen since she was young. Warnings were announced all across the island that the marines were gathering a Buster Call, and an admiral would be arriving shortly. Marine soldiers had gathered outside the auction house to arrest the pirates, and Law, Kidd, and Straw Hat Luffy bickered over who would fight them. The mermaid was freed and returned to her friends. Likewise, Rose soon found herself taking up her taekwondo stance outside the auction house, preparing to fight alongside her brother for the first time in many, many years.

As Trafalgar Law led the Heart Pirates through the marines' onslaught and away from the fray, a huge man in chains joined their group. Jean Bart, who had been a slave to the Celestial Dragons, signed on with the Heart Pirates right then and there. Rose kicked, flipped, twisted and parried, fighting her way across the groves of the archipelago with the Heart Pirates. A Pacifista met them – one of the giant robots that Rose had thought only a rumour until she found herself face to face with its searing laser eyes.

Eventually, the Heart Pirates made it to the grove where their ship was docked – a small yet vibrant submarine. Rose loved it instantly. The bright yellow paint and orange trim made her want to admire the ship all day, but there was hardly time for that. It wasn't until Rose had boarded the ship that she remembered she was not actually a Heart Pirate – and she had left her glider on an island that was about to be destroyed by a buster call.

"That was a little more than you signed up for, hmm?" Law's voice startled Rose out of her realizations.

"More than a little. Let's see, I've been reunited with my twin brother than I haven't seen in at least 15 years… I met six of the Eleven Supernovas in the span of a few hours... I saw a mermaid, was threatened by Conqueror's Haki, and fought a Pacifista. Oh, and I left my glider on that godforsaken island."

Law chuckled. "And I thought information brokers were supposed to be the experienced ones."

"Did you know," asked Rose sarcastically, "that you can read a hundred books without ever leaving your house?"

"Rose," Ross interrupted, "I'm sorry t-to, well, you know, you're t-talking to the captain and all, but. I have to ask. Are you going to stay with us?"

Rose couldn't answer. She just stared at her twin.

"Well," asked Law, "are you?"

"Is that a formal invitation?" Rose laughed. "I wish I didn't have to say no."

"You don't have to," said Law. "I've seen you fight. I'd vouch for you on that alone. And I'm sure the others wouldn't question my decision."

"That's not the problem," said Rose. "I'm afraid I reported that I'd be back. And where I work, if you don't come back, you need to be prepared for consequences that… let's just say I'm a little under-prepared for at the moment."

"Rose, please," Ross interjected. "If something is c-causing you trouble, the captain can help–"

"Volunteering me for another rescue mission, Ross?"

"N-no! I just–"

Law waved his hand at Ross. "I was kidding. I can help Rose if she needs it. The knowledge she has from her job is worth that price and more."

"Listen, you two." As Rose spoke, the men turned to look at her. "I'm working where I am for a reason. The Monarch – the woman I work for – she's a scary woman. And she did something really horrible to me…"

Ross sniffled.

"Don't cry, Ross. If you want to know why I never came home or fought back, all these years… it's because I couldn't remember where home was, or who exactly was there, and I didn't have a reason to fight. That woman took them from me, and she's taken even more from others. I want to put a stop to it. It's easier to find a way to do that if I'm constantly around her. And the best way to get close to her is by working for the Order."

Law blinked, as if processing Rose's story. "I don't understand everything you've just told me, but I can tell you one thing. If this woman is stronger than you, you're wasting your time trying to find a way to fight her alone. Let us help you. Between the two of us, you and I can probably find a way to stop this woman, or at least get you away from her until you can come up with the way to beat her."

"The problem is, when it comes to beating the Monarch, I don't even know where to start!" Rose complained. "Listen, just take me to the Red Line. I'll find a way back to where I need to be, or call a fellow agent from there. If I get you involved, you'll all be risking way more than you should be, I can guarantee that! You don't know what you're signing up for!"

"You're right," said Law, "but you can tell me. In fact, I'll even pay you for that intel. And if you won't give me your personal snail phone number, I will call the order and make a formal request!"

"Ugh!" Rose yelled. She walked away from the men and into the steel doors that would normally lead to the upper deck of the submarine… if they weren't underwater. Rose grunted in frustration and banged her fists against the door, making a sound that echoed across the ship.

Law approached her from behind. "Never mind," he said. "Forget I said anything. I'll take you to the Red Line. You can go back to Order Lepidoptera and monitor this woman you're so afraid of. Leave your brother behind – he's only been trying to find you for over a decade. He doesn't even know you. Hell, I don't even know you, why would I offer to help?"

"Shut up," Rose said. "I get it already. You're willing to risk an awful lot for a stranger, though."

"I consider it an investment in the future," said Law. "So what do you really want to do?"

Ross approached them cautiously. "Are you really going to leave, Rose?"

"For a little bit," Rose said gently. "But I'll be back in time. And your captain can see me again sooner than that – if he's willing to make the appropriate arrangements."