What's this? What's this? Part 1
AN: So funny thing is. When I started writing this chapter, I honestly thought it was going to a little on the short side of what I've written so far. Like maybe 2.5-3k words. Around 9k words later, I realized just how wrong I was. Thus I decided to split it into two chapters.
You still get both at once though, because fuck it, I've already written it.
Writing Chopper is a pain in the ass! I'm by habit, used to adding emoticons whenever I type as cutely as he talks, and it's really fucking hard to break that habit…
On the other hand writing Franky is hilarious. I've never been much of a writer one way or the other. In fact I'm only started writing this story because it's been stuck inside my head for like a year and won't leave me alone. So in truth, I've never considered writing as anything I could ever really get into or get a lot of enjoyment out off. I'm not a very creative or imaginative person by nature, at least not the way fiction writers need to be. So the surprise I got from how much fun I had writing Franky is honestly kind of eye opening. Makes it a little easier to understand why people want to do this for a living. Not sure if anyone case about my little epiphany, but there it was either way.
Anyway, again thanks for reading, reviewing and so on. It's nice to know people like the stuff my brain tends to fill my waking hours with.
After sending Luffy and Zoro off with their new – well the straw hats were at a bit of a loss as for what to really call the Normandy crew so far – they split up to have a look at their new surroundings.
There wasn't much reason to worry, after all it was Luffy and Zoro that went onto the planet, and it was hard imagining them lose to anyone, new universe or not. So the overall mood of the pirates was pretty easy going, blackmail and kidnapping aside.
For now the ship, with all its technological advances was to temping not to explore.
So that is why Nami – after finishing seeing her nakama off on their little adventure or mission or whatever these new people wanted to call it – walked through the CIC. She moved her way towards the bridge, her profession as a cartographer was making her curiosity burn. After all it wasn't like it was hard to figure out from her discussion with this Illusive Man and the general setting of the ship that this was way into their future.
Or their possible future?
It was complicated…
Stepping onto the bridge her greeting to whoever was in the chair died on her lips, as she looked out the windows in front of her. "Wow…" She breathed out, amazed at the sight of the black void filled with thousands of stars, and the planet filling up most of the starboard side window.
The man in the chair swung around, and looked up at her with a smirk, "Yeah, the view isn't too bad, is it?" He asked rhetorically, "First time in space I take it?"
Nami just nodded dumbly, eyes still drawn to the sight in front of her.
As the silence slowly over took them, Joker started to feel uncomfortable. He wasn't much of a people person and he usually handled socializing through snark and sarcasm. The pirate's awe filled wonder at the view in front of her, was not really his thing. "You know, you'd get a much better view from one of the observation rooms down on the deck below…" He casually suggested.
That seemed to snap the girl out of it. "Oh, right! Sorry it kinda caught me off guard." Sticking her hand out, she introduced herself with a smile, "Name is Nami."
"Joker." The man replied as he shook her hand.
"So you're the helmsman on this ship?"
A proud smirk settled on his face, "Best in the Alliance Navy. Or I used to be before I quit. Damn bureaucrats trying to take my damn wings." He scoffed as he ended his sentence.
Nami let the last bit slide for later; she had questions that were burning to be answered. "Sooo, you don't mind if I ask you some questions do you?" She purred out. Since she didn't know the guy – or anyone from this new crew – she decided to add a little flirtation in her voice to try and win him over.
Joker cleared his throat and cast her a sidelong glance, "Um, sure I guess… What do you wanna know?"
Nami broke out in a bright smile, flirtation leaving her voice completely, "Excellent! So first off, who does the navigation on this ship?"
Well now, this he could talk about. "Well no one really. Shepard punches in our destination on the galaxy map back in the CIC; the computer then calculates the quickest route there and sends it to me."
"The com-what?" Nami blinked at him after hearing the explanation. It made no sense to her what so ever.
"The computer. What you don't have those?" As she shook her head in the negative, Joker sighed. This would take longer than he expected. "Right so uh… You got an omni-tool from Jacob right?" As she nodded, he continued, "Okay good, well they are one example of a computer. Damn it this is hard to explain, umm… Think of them like a really fast extra brain or something like that. Basically you can use for everything from looking stuff up to um… You know what, I'll just show you! Here, hold on a sec."
Joker's hands raced over the holographic keys before him, calling up a screen with a planet on it. Pushing it towards her with a swipe of his hand he said, "There, a model of Earth!"
Nami looked at the little model, multiple large continents scattered around it, "I think you called up a wrong planet, because that's not earth." She deadpanned out.
Joker raised an eyebrow at her, before sarcastically responding, "What you don't have maps where you come from? Of course that's Earth. You'd think you know what your home planet looks like."
Nami's temper snapped, "I'll have you know, I plan to be the first to make a complete world map! But we still know the general idea of what the world looks like, and this is not it! There are WAY too many continents, and where is the Red Line, huh? Answer me that smart guy!?"
"The what? Also you don't even have a map of the world yet?" Joker asked perplexed.
Nami snapped at him further. "NO! And the Red Line, idiot! You know, the only continent on earth, the one separating North- and West Blue from East- and South Blue!" When Joker looked even more lost than before Nami started to calm down a little "You know, four of the five world oceans?"
The glowing ball Nami hadn't paid much attention too suddenly lit up and spoke, "There are no records of any oceans on this universe's version of planet Earth having even been called such, Miss Nami. Perhaps the geography of your own is different from ours." It suggested.
Nami jumped and gave out a screamed "AAAH! DID THAT BALL JUST TALK!?"
"I am not a ball. I am an artificial intelligence – more commonly referred to as an AI. This avatar – among others spread throughput the ship – is simply a representation of me that allows people whom prefer talking to a physical platform a better psychological work environment. However I am readily available anywhere on the ship. If you have need of me all you need do is ask."
Joker snapped at the AI, "No need to butt into people's conversations EDI, you're scaring the new crewmembers! Freaky AIs…" he muttered under his breath.
"It was not my intent to cause distress Mister Moreau. I apologize Miss Nami if I frightened you."
Nami held her hand over her heart, trying to calm the rapid beating from her jump scare. "No, it's fine. So you're like the soul of the ship right? Its Klabautermann!"
Turning away from the two, Joker muttered under his breath, "I still say ship cancer is better description…"
EDI continued as if she didn't care, "I assure you I am in no way a beneficiary mythological creature from the North- and Baltic Sea, and I am far too bound by Cerberus protocols to adequately fill your prior description."
"Yeah, yeah, boo-ho, the AI can't take over the ship and kill us all. That's enough of that!" Joker drawled out sarcastically, hitting the mute button as he did. Turning to Nami, his mood obviously worse after the AIs interruption, he asked, "Is that all or was there anything else you wanted to ask about?"
"No, no that'll be fine for now. I think I'll head down and see how Sanji is coming along with lunch. Talk to you later." Nami gave him fake smile and held up her hands in front of her. She didn't really get why this guy was angry at the ship's Klabautermann. After all meeting Going Merry's it had been a very emotional event. Still, Luffy and Usopp ought to be ecstatic about it. Franky might be too now that she thought about it.
As Joker raised his hand in a halfhearted farewell, Nami turned around and headed towards the elevator. A wave of giddiness hit her though when she realized she had just seen a perfect world map. It might not be her own world, but it showed her dream was far from impossible!
Chopper was one of the first people out of the armory. First of all he thought it was awesome to get one of those cool, orange glowing omni-tools, so there was no fuss getting him to wear it. Secondly, he really wanted to get back down into the infirmary!
There were so many new things down there that he didn't know what was or what did, and if that was just the instruments then medicine in general must have gotten really far! Dr. Chakwas also seemed really nice, so he was excited to see if she would teach him about the advances this universe had.
Running through the CIC and to the elevator, he had to jump to hit the call button. The lady near the big map thing had her hands folded together under her chin and looking at him kind of like how Sanji looked at Nami and Robin, so he hurried inside and hid behind the door, keeping a close eye on her. It only made it worse it seemed.
Right before the door closed, the little reindeer heard a yell, "Oi! Chopper-bro, hold on!" and not a moment before the door closed, the crews cyborg managed to squeeze his bulky body inside.
"Whew!" He said, "Just made it! So little man, what are you up too?" looking down at the small doctor.
"I wanted to go back and explore the infirmary a little more! There are so many new things there I don't know about!" he said excitedly, bouncing on his hooves. "What about you Franky?"
Franky gave him a grinning smirk, "Well that Jacob guy said Shepard had been asking for upgrades for the ship, so I figured I'd have a look around, see if there's anything I can do to help out."
Chopper's jaw dropped in amazement, "You really think you can make a spaceship better!"
The large blue haired man shot him a thumbs up, "Of course I can, I'm particularly SUPER this week!" He would have done his signature pose, but the elevator was a little too small for that, which bummed the big man out a little.
The little reindeer had stars in his eyes, pure admiration colored his face as he looked up at his nakama, "That's soooo cool Franky! We'll have the most awesome ship EVER!"
As the door opened for them on the crew deck Franky finally stepped out and shot his stance while shouting his proclamation, "I swear, in the name of all the perverts of universe, that I'll make this the most SUPER ship ever! AUW!"
A couple of people in the hall turned and stared at the large man in the speedo, but neither of them really knew how to respond to that, so instead they slowly backed back into the sleeping chambers.
With those words, Franky and Chopper split up, the cyborg heading off to the right to inspect the port side of the ship, while Chopper headed left towards the medical bay.
The door opened automatically for Chopper and he slowly trotted inside. The elderly resident doctor turned towards him and gave him a smile. "Hello doctor Chopper, is everything alright?"
Giving her a large smile Chopper nodded, "Yes everything is fine, I was just hoping you'd show me what all of these things do. I mean I can't really help out here if I don't even know what something like that is." He said, pointing towards one of the large robots in the corner.
Chakwas gave him a smile, "Well that is surgery bot. Regular surgery fell out of favor around a 150 years ago, as robotic surgery became more precise than humans surgeons. We only really do those manually in the field when medi-gel isn't enough. This is probably where we should start you off. I have a feeling Shepard would like you to take the spot as field medic when you're with him."
Chopper blinked up at her, "What's that? Medi-gel, not field medic I mean."
The elderly doctor got up from her chair and walked to the wall dispenser to grab a pack, before going back to her spot at her desk. She held out the pack of gel to the little reindeer and let him look it over. "Medical gel is a multipurpose medicinal salve, with anesthetic and clotting agents. It grips tightly to the skin to close off against infection, allowing wounded soldier to keep fighting, until they can be extracted and brought in for proper treatment." She explained.
Chopper frowned, "How do you get it off then to give treatment? I don't know all of these ingredients, but I doubt it can all be healthy if just left inside the body."
Smiling at how fast he'd sought out and deciphered the ingredient list, Chakwas explained further, "Most of the ingredients are not native to Earth so it's not odd that you don't know them. As for removing it, you use a specific setting on the surgical robots ultrasound setting. I'm impressed how fast you catch on young man."
"SHUT UP! HEAR THAT DOESN'T MAKE ME HAPPY ONE BIT, YOU OLD HAG!" Chakwas jump in shook as the polite and friendly little reindeer boy suddenly yelled at her while dancing a happy little dance that in no way fit the harsh words he told her. Her jaw just worked itself up and down, while she tried to find something she could reply to that.
Eventually she managed to shake herself back into functioning order. She frown at the boy, her mouth setting itself in a straight line as she began waggling her at him in admonish, "Now you listen to me young man. That is no way…" She was interrupted by the door opening up, a blonde streak shooting in through the door, and before Chakwas knew what was happening, she saw the cook punt the little reindeer across the room.
"What the hell do you think you're calling such a pretty old lady!?" Turning on his heel and falling to his knees before the female doctor, he gushed out, "My humblest apologies Chakwas-sensei, for Chopper's rude words. The witch that raised him apparently didn't teach him how to take a compliment from someone as amazing as yourself! I beg of your forgiveness, and offer my meager skills to create you a most delicious treat, filled with all the admiration I have towards you, to show how much I regret not warning you about his terrible habits!"
Half way through the rant, the little reindeer lunched himself from where he'd landed against the wall and attached himself viciously to Sanji's head via his teeth. Banging his tiny front hooves up and down on over his head he screamed around his hair: "SANJI! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TRYING TO DO!? KILL ME!?"
Sanji got to his feet and grabbed the furry doctor by the scruff of his neck and pulled him out at arm's reach. Staring down his nose at the little guy, as he swung out in blind anger, the cock coldly replied, "If it'll teach some damn manners, sure. I'll cook you right up."
Chakwas was so shocked she honestly didn't know where to start. However she has been on a lot of military ships in her life, and she knew a growing confrontation when she saw one. Deciding the best course of action would be to simply dismiss the cook, she went with that. "That's quite alright thank you! Your name was Sanji, correct?" As he nodded – Chopper still swinging from his hand all the while – she continued. "There's no need to go out of your way, but thank you for pointing that out. You can go back your duties."
Then, doing another complete 180, Sanji dropped his fellow pirate like a sack old potatoes, and smiled happily at the elderly doctor, before spun around himself on his way out of the med bay, "Ah, Chakwas-sensei is so forgiving! I shall do my very best to make the meal extra delicious as a thank you." The door closed after he left, but the good doctor saw him spin all the way to the kitchen counter, much to the amazement of people taking at a break at the nearby table.
Turning her gaze back at Chopper, he seemed to have moved over towards some of the medicine cabinets and started reading over the boxes still frowning and breathing hard from his snout. Deciding against trying to figure out what the hell had just happened in her infirmary; Chakwas grabbed a bottle of painkillers to snuff her beginning headache by the roots, before letting the entire matter drop. A change of topic seemed like a good idea and it might also ensure that the furry doctor didn't try and pick a fight later on as well. With that logic in mind she asked him, "So Doctor Chopper, what made you decide to become a doctor, if I may ask?"
The furry doctor turned his head towards her, frown quickly sliding off his face. "Hm? Oh, because Doctor Hiluluk took me in. He was the greatest doctor in the world and he dreamed about creating medicine that would cure all illnesses but he died from decease before he could finish his work. Then Doctor Kureha took me in and taught me everything she knew so I can make Hiluluk and my dream come true!" he told her excitedly.
Chakwas couldn't help the smile she got from hearing the wish. Sure it was big, childish and wholly impossible, but it suited him in a strange way. She didn't have the heart to pop his little bubble; she knew time and experience would do that the harsh way sooner or later. It did raise another question though, "How old are you Chopper?" She asked, dropping the title as this wasn't really a discussion between colleagues anymore.
"I'm 15, why?"
Chakwas eyes widened, "Only 15!?" She exclaimed. "And already you are a fully trained Doctor? My, that is remarkable. You are quite the impressive little young man, aren't you?" she smiled down at the boy. She was kind of proud for him in a strange way, even if she didn't know him. Something about the childlike innocence she guessed.
"SHUT UP! I'M NOT HAPPY TO HEAR THAT, YOU BITCH!" Chopper was back to dancing and yelling profanity in happiness.
Chakwas sighed.
After leaving the armory, Robin had taken to walking a large circle around the CIC. She discreetly looked over the shoulders of the men and women working at their stations, at large orange glowing desks. Reaching the end of her circling she came to the conclusion that she didn't like how this universe made her feel.
Back home she was always well informed about everything. Here, all her knowledge was next to useless and that bothered her. After all her intellect was the primary reason she had survived the 20 years before meeting her beloved nakama.
Thus the situation had to be rectified, and the easiest way to do that was one she always loved, reading! With a plan in mind, Robin walked towards the short haired woman Shepard had called Kelly. He'd said she would be happy to help them with anything they were looking for so she should be perfect.
"Excuse me Yeoman-san, could I speak to you for a moment?"
Kelly turned around and gave her a bright smile, "Of course you can, what can I do for you. And please, call me Kelly."
Robin's smiled back at her, "Perhaps when all of this isn't so new I will. In any case, I was hoping you could point me towards a library or something similar on this ship?"
The yeoman's smile faltered slightly before it came back full force, "Ah yes of course, looking for anything in particular to read?"
"Well I was hoping to look into some of the history of your universe, the curiosity of an archeologist in any new area I suppose." Robin replied easily.
Kelly nodded her head in understanding, "I see, you don't like being in the dark when it comes to knowing of the world around you, am I right? You do strike me as a very intellectual woman after all."
Robin felt the hair at the back of her neck rise. While the yeoman was right, she didn't like how easily her discomfort was being seen through. This Kelly was starting to unnerve her more than the crew's general situation. Still she gave the other woman the fake smile she had perfected over the years and responded easily, "Yes, you could put it like that. Now as for rectifying it?"
Kelly gave a small look, before the request fully hit her, and she gave a little jump before she sprung to Robin's side, a small piece of orange glowing glass in her hand, "Ah yes of course. Well you see books in hardcopy version have pretty much fallen out of style. They simply take up too much space, and it is much easier to simply get them in e-book variety, so you'll need this data-pad and an account for an extranet book provider. Since you don't have any legal ID or bank account I'll let you use my personal one instead. I can always get Cerberus to reimburse me later." While she talked, Kelly showed the taller woman how to work the data-pad and her favorite e-book store.
10 minutes later, newly acquired skills in the use of data-pad and the extranet – novice like as they may be – Robin found herself in the kitchen with a cup of coffee – courtesy of Sanji – and aforementioned data-pad in hand, reading about the first contact war. The thing about history is when you need information fast, you always start at the ending and work yourself towards the beginning.
Her opinion of the yeoman was also slightly better; it was quite nice of her to let Robin borrow her personal account after all. None the less she would keep an eye – and an ear – on her for a while just to be sure. Her experience told her, that one could never be too careful in new environment. There was only two types of people that sought out information the way Kelly had after all, people that wanted to get to know you, and people that sought information to find out your weaknesses, and Kelly had prodded too deep for Robin to be convinced it was the first, at least until she had more proof.
Still it was nice to get something to read again, and the data-pad was very handy for going over information. In a sense it was like reading a stone slab like back at a ruin. She might be able to get used to this, or at least comfortable.
Franky was feeling exited!
No, he was feeling ecstatic!
No, no, no, he was feeling SUPER!
This ship was amazing. He was honestly beyond words, and no, he wasn't crying at all over this marvel of engineering, even though it was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen.
He hadn't even left the crew deck yet in his exploration of the ship. One saved the best for last after all, and Franky honestly couldn't wait to see the engine on this baby. These people were from the future after all, so they had to have improved his cola driven engine design by leaps and bounds, right? And if they had, he could bring them home and use them to improve both his own body AND his beautiful Sunny!
Being kidnapped was SUPER!
Oh and he really needed to get ahold of Zoro to show off the brilliant idea he had given him. He should be up any minute now, which was why the large man hung out around the elevator door.
The moment it opened, and after allowing on hungry captain to fly out of it and bounce off of the opposite wall, Franky grabbed the swordsman by the arm and dragged him towards the portside observation room.
"Oi Franky, the hell are you doing!?" the swordsman protested on the way there, and the moment they were inside, he wrenched his arm from the shipwright's grasp.
"Auw! Yo Zoro-bro, remember what you asked the Shepard guy before you all went out? Never mind if you don't, the SUPER me this week remembers it perfectly, and then I happened on this room! It'll be perfect for it, don't you think?" The big blue haired man rambled off in his excitement.
"What are you talking about?" The young green haired man on the other hand had trouble keeping up with it.
Franky spread his arms out towards the room, as if presenting it, "The bar you mentioned of course. This room should be perfect, right?"
A small smirking grin started to spread its way over the swordsman's lips at the idea, until he remembered something important that made it fall right off, "Great idea, except Shepard doesn't want people drinking on his ship. Navy rules and all that crap."
A conspiratorial smile came to the large man's face, "Ah, but don't worry, I've already thought of that! I talked to Jacob shortly and it seems Shepard wants this ship to be as SUPER as possible, so any upgrades we make is perfect! We just have to be vague about what we want to make when we ask for the money." He ended by lifting his sunglasses and sending swordsman a wink.
A large predatory grin spread its way over Zoro's lips. "Franky, you're brilliant!"
Franky stepped out in front of him, "No, no, Zoro-bro! I am SUPER!" And with that he struck his pose.
Zoro could only nod in agreement, the idea of booze – booze that wouldn't be in the cooks kitchen no less – made him way to happy to annoyed by Franky's eccentricities.
AN: That concludes part 1