Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction for it, or be living in a small town in Iowa.
Chapter 1
Sanji was relieved, as the Thousand Sunny finally broke free of the thick bank of fog that forever sat on top of the Floran Triangle. He would be forever thankful for whatever let them escape that crap-sea intact. However, Sanji wasn't entirely sure how they had managed to escape from Thriller Bark and that crap-pirate, Geko Moria intact. In fact the last thing Sanji remembered before waking up in the infirmary of the Thousand Sunny was himself and Chopper being flatten by that giant crap-zombie Oz, who Moria had given Luffy's shadow to.
The only two who had been conscious to witness how Luffy manage to beat Moria and Oz had been Nami and Usopp, and neither of them were talking. When Chopper had asked them what had happened, Nami had mumbled something about maps that needed to be finished, and Usopp collapsed into the fetal position.
The only clue the rest of the clue had as to what Nami and Usopp didn't want to talk about was that for the first few days after they left Thriller Bark, the two had avoided Luffy like the plague. When confronted about this odd behavior of the two around him, Luffy had simply burst out laughing and said that what had happened had been really cool. The rest of the crew simply gave up on answers after that.
One good thing the crew had got out of their little adventure was a new nakama. They had managed to convince Brook (kidnap was more like it) into joining the crew. Since then, he had done an amazing job of keeping Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper entertained and out of everyone else's hair.
"Brook, Could you come here for a minute? I want to ask you some questions," Sanji heard Nami call from the rear of the Sunny, probably near her mikan trees.
"Coming!" Brook shouted back, a chorus of groans following. Sanji got off the banister and started making his way to the kitchen. After all, it was only a matter of moments before Luffy got bored and started bugging him about lunch.
"You called?" Brook said, as he climbed the stairs up to where Nami and Robin had been relaxing under the shade of Nami's Mikan trees.
"Yeah," Nami replied, sitting up and turning to the living skeleton, "Brook, what do you know about Fishman Island?" Brook jerked slightly, and Nami was sure he would of blinked had he had eye lids.
"Fishman Island? Why do you want to know about that place?" Brook asked, staring at the thief as though she had grown another head.
"It is our next destination Musician-san." Robin answered, never looking up from the book she had been reading. Nami was sure Brooks jaw should have fallen off, it had dropped so low.
"I know that its an island completely underwater, and anyone who has eaten a devil fruit would be smart to avoid the island at all costs. In fact anyone who isn't a fishman should avoid that island."
"Why?" Nami asked. Brook ran a bony hand through his afro, his bony fingers quickly becoming caught.
"Jimbei lives on Fishman Island. He's one of the Shichibukai, and he hates humans." Brook answered, as he started pulling on his hand to try to get it free of his afro.
"Well, that's not going to change Luffy's mind. He'll probably just get all excited, and demand we get there faster," Nami whined.
"Do you know how to get to Fishman Island, Musician-san?" Robin asked, giving Brook her full attention.
"Well," Brook grunted, while violently tugging on his hand, "I've only heard rumors from people who had got caught by Moria who had come from that direction, but apparently, you can't go directly to Fishman Island unless you're a fishman."
"Why not?" Nami asked.
"Cause last I checked, we don't breath water that well," Brook replied, chuckling as a blush overcame Nami's face.
"Shut up!" She shouted, sending Brook into peels of laughter.
"Are you saying there is no way for us to get to Fishman Island," Robin asked.
"No," Brook replied, returning his attention to liberating his hand, "There is a way for us to get there."
"How," Nami asked.
"We need to land at Urasinky Island. Apparently there is a mostly safe route to Fishman Island from there, but you only have a one in three shot of getting there."
"Why?" A voice said from behind the trio. Nami and Brook both yelped in surprise. Robin merely smiled.
"Hello Captain-san, have you been listening in on us." Robin asked, turning to look at the young man, hanging upside down from one of the branches of Nami's mikan tree, one hand clamped firmly upon his straw hat.
"Luffy! Don't sneak up on people like that!" Nami shouted, then she blinked. When she next spoke her voice had dropped to a dangerous level. "Luffy, why are you in my trees."
Luffy shrugged, a dribble of orange juice running down the side of his face. Nami's eyes narrowed to tiny slits.
"Luffy. Did you eat one of my mikans?"
"No," He replied, wiping his face with his arm.
"Luffy…" Nami growled, clenching and unclenching her fists.
"I ate more then one."
A few minutes later, the rest of the crew, save Zoro who was up in the crows nest keeping watch (aka. Sleeping) had gathered on the back deck. Luffy was now sitting on the deck, tenderly touching several newly acquired lumps on his head. Robin was just finishing telling the others what Brook had told herself and Nami.
"So we can't just sail straight to Fishman Island, but we can get there if we go to this Urasinky Island." Sanji said, glancing at Brook for conformation. Brook nodded, finally working his hand free.
"At least, that's what I've over heard. We'll only have one chance to pick the right route there though, and we have to pick it from three separate routes. That's what the rumors say."
"Where do the other two routes go?" Franky asked, tilting his head to one side.
"One route heads for the second largest marine base on the Grand Line," Brook answered, "The other route leads to the Maw."
"What's the Maw?" Usopp asked, visibly trembling.
"It's a giant whirlpool, about three kilometers in diameter. Any ship that has ever been caught by it has never been seen again," Robin said.
"According to what I've heard, this is the safest way to Fishman Island."
"Alright, lets go to Urasinky Island!" Luffy shouted jumping into the air, Chopper copying him.
"How do we get there though genius? The log pose is set on Fishman Island." Nami shouted.
"Actually, it should be set on Urasinky Island, as it should be before Fishman Island." Robin said.
"Ugh," Usopp groaned, lying on the ground, "My Shouldn't-Go-To-This-Island disease is acting up."
"I'd help you Usopp, but I'm pretty sure that's incurable," Chopper said, walking past the fallen sharpshooter.
"Set course for Urasinky Island! Sanji! I want lunch!" Luffy shouted.
"Yeah, yeah," Sanji said, as the Strawhat Pirates scattered about to their respective duties.