Ship's Log 11: Grand Weather, Grand Reception

It started snowing and soon after it began storming. I thought my cheeks were going to get sliced by the ice in the air. Merry hit an iceberg and a strong wind tore the sail. Usopp repaired the damage below and when the wind had settled, I started sewing. I've gotten pretty good at judging lengths of rope. I was able to jump down to the deck and fold the sail up at the same time, giving myself just enough rope that I didn't hurt my ankles landing. I'm glad I haven't given myself today's dose of poison yet. There's no way I could help in weather like this if I feel shaky. I'd throw up for sure.

Watching Zoro sleep under a blanket of snow reminds me of the boys back in Syrup Village who would see who could stand in the cold the longest without freezing to death. Nami gave him a few good lumps, just like the boy's mothers would. We caught sight of Whiskey Peak and our guests jumped ship to swim ahead.

We were welcomed to the island by Mayor Igarappoi with a feast. They pulled Nami and Zoro into a wine drinking competition, but I refused on the grounds that I hate grapes. I took my dose before getting to the island, so I was starting to feel sick anyway. When everyone started to sleep off the fun, I stepped out back to throw up. Someone coiled some rope around me and threw me into a closet. I think I said something like, "Come on guys, I'm just a secretary!" I ended up sleeping off the effects of the poison even though I was in a spotty situation. I had a bad dream, so I was a little relieved when I woke up long enough to hear gunfire. I figured this would be the best place for me in my state.

Zoro says this town is filled with Baroque Works' bounty hunters that he turned down a few years ago. He had fun testing out the two swords he got in Loguetown. He was grinning like Luffy when he told me about the fight. Everyone on this crew is nuts. I love it.

It turns out the Mayor and Miss Wednesday are actually Squad Captain Igaram and Princess Nefertari Vivi from the country of Alabasta, which is currently split by a civil war. They infiltrated the organization to find the identity of Mr. 0, the boss, who turned out to be Crocodile, the Warlord. The stronger Baroque Works agents found out who they were and came to eliminate them. Nami offered Zoro's help in the matter, for a price, and later included the whole crew.

I'm told Igaram went ahead as a decoy and died bravely for his princess. Everyone ran back to the ship, grabbing Usopp and Sanji on the way. It had gotten quiet by the time I woke up again, so I started kicking the door. Zoro heard me and instead of untying me on the spot, threw me over his shoulder. We made it back to the ship before everyone else and found a duck on board. He is the most adorable thing I've seen in this town. Zoro cut me loose and I threw up over the bulwark for good measure before grabbing the logbook.

A frightening woman named Miss All Sunday showed up, talked for a while, and left on a giant turtle as we pulled away from the island. Apparently she's the one who blew Igaram up. Zoro and Nami caught us up on everything that happened.

We are now on our way to Little Garden.

Valentine's Personal Log 13: Vivi

I thought that blue hair looked familiar. As soon as I saw the duck, I had all the pieces in the right place. She wouldn't know me, but everyone back home has heard of her.

These Baroque Works guys are going to be trouble. I keep kicking myself, thinking that Vivi could have been just one of many who were working undercover in the syndicate. She's already seen my face, so there's no use hiding from her, but I feel like my red outfit is going to get a lot of use soon. Hopefully it doesn't get damaged. There's not a lot of places between here and Alabasta where you can find good fabric. I'll have to be extra careful with my movements while Vivi is onboard. If anyone were to recognize my second-nature customs it would be her. I guess I shouldn't ride any fish for a while either.

Ship's Log 12: Little Garden

So by little, Miss All Sunday meant we were little. This is an island of ancient creatures that are long extinct in most of the world. There were two Elbafian giant chiefs, Dorry and Broggy, who have spent a hundred years dueling and coming up with draws. They really inspired Usopp. I enjoy watching his face light up when he admires someone. If we keep meeting people like this, he's sure to achieve his dream.

Baroque Works agents Mr. 5, a man named Mr. 3, and their female partners show up and ruined the giant's prideful duel and then attack the crew. Mr. 3 had eaten the wax-wax devil fruit and was able to make wax traps, structures, and weapons at will. He nearly turned the crew and the giants into statues.

I don't know what we would have done without Karoo and Usopp. They swooped in and melted the wax at the last minute. Zoro had nearly cut his legs off trying to escape. While cutting off one's leg for survival is honorable and brave, I turned grey when I saw the injury. It may have been a combination of the wound and the poison I took today. I told him to be a dear and stop trying to kill himself before we found a doctor.

Sanji shows up out of the blue after everything's started to settle down. He says he found Mr. 3's hideout and told Mr. 0 we were all dead over a transponder snail. Then he pulls out an eternal pose to Alabasta from his pocket. I guess it makes up for him completely missing out on the fight and the poetry he kept spouting to me afterwards.

Karmen Finds Caapi

Karmen leaps from the ship and flips through the book in her hand. "I knew it! Usopp! Help me make a basket."

"Why do you need a basket?" Usopp asks as he gathers vines.

"This book has a whole section on known jungle plants and there are only two here that I can recognize. Some of these are bound to be poisonous."

"You recognize some?" Nami asks. "I've never seen any plants like these before."

Karmen smiles. "This is the Ayahuasca vine and this is the Chacruna plant. Together they make Caapi tea."

"Never heard of it," Usopp admits. "Can we have some with dinner tonight?"

"Do you want to hallucinate?" She looks at him incredulously. "I told you I'm looking for toxins."

"Then what do you need this for?" Usopp holds up the finished basket.

"To gather plant samples, of course. How am I supposed to figure out which plants are poisonous if they're not in my books?" She examines some of the wildlife nearby. "Maybe when Luffy gets back I can convince him to help me milk snakes."

Valentine's Personal Log 14: Extra samples

If I eat the bark of the vine and the leaves of the plant separately, I should be able to gain immunities to them without having the awful hallucinations that are reported with caapi tea. I grabbed extra, just in case. Hopefully Sanji won't be too upset about me adding extra "seasonings" to my meals. Once I get my base immunity built up, I'll start adding some of the other extracts and venom I found to my tea. I've run into trouble trying to dehydrate some of my samples. How are you supposed to remove moisture from something on the ocean? Maybe Usopp can help me figure something out. He's innovative like that. Too bad that wax guy was an enemy. He could have made some great seals.

I met him and Miss Golden Week while gathering plants after Nami and Usopp disappeared from the ship. He had made a little wax house for himself and his assistant. I thought they were traveling artists looking for inspiration. When I sniffed out the Earl Gray he was drinking, he invited me in for a cup. When asked, I simply said that I was a traveling secretary and that my employer was passing through this island. In hindsight, I'm glad I didn't say who my employer was. Mr. 3 was an interesting man, when he wasn't trying to slaughter the crew, and his assistant is adorable. After a few cups and pleasant conversation I excused myself to survey more plants, saying I was looking for ingredients to make tea.

Vivi says that Mr. 5's assistant's code name is Miss Valentine. Luffy asked if we were related. I said that a code name was a code name and that she couldn't hold up to an original Valentine. I've come to like this name and I won't have it stolen by some floozy with an obnoxious laugh, even if she does have devil fruit powers.

About the time Nami and Zoro got picked off, Mr. 3 comes by and locks my feet in a puddle of hardened wax, asking politely if I would refrain from interfering with his next works of art. That idiot may know his tea, but he definitely underestimates a good secretary. I had a thermos of hot tea in my basket. As soon as he was out of earshot I poured it over my ankles to melt the wax and freed myself. My skin blistered and I lost my shoes, so I couldn't go very far very fast. I promised myself that if I had the chance I'd poison his tea someday. I think I will call this technique Burning Earl. It's comical and, amongst certain Baroque Works agents, there are several Earls I'd like to pour scalding tea on.

I found the fight and set myself up a safe distance away to record everything once I saw Luffy and Usopp show up with the duck. Never underestimate an Alabastan duck and a first class sniper. I guess I shouldn't leave out the captain. He's a tough little idiot who can't dodge paint to save his life. It was satisfying to see him pummel Mr. 3. Despite her affiliations, I can't seem to make myself upset with little Miss Golden Week. She just too adorable. She may have hidden some paint on me somewhere. Candle man, however, owes me a new pair of shoes. At least I got to ride Karoo back to the ship.

My huge basket is overflowing with plants, vines, flowers, leaves, and bark. Usopp says he'll help me set up a workstation of some sort. He has a few ideas about keeping out the moisture and reducing whatever fumes my experiments cause. I pulled some lash work and asked him to make me a drying rack for herbs as well, making sure to praise his heroics in the process. I think I made Nami proud. Vivi couldn't help giggling. I promised to help, of course, but I know nothing about woodworking or metal crafting and he's being a dear for agreeing to build it. I'll help with the designing at least. It will be my workstation after all.

I tried to get Luffy to milk snakes for me, but he just knocked them out and piled them in front of me. By the time I had them sorted by type they were starting to wake up and Sanji was punting them back into the jungle. If it didn't hurt to bend my ankles I would have kicked him back and told him that I needed those. I still got several bottles of venom collected, mostly because the snakes that were still out cold were huge. I'm not sure all of them were snakes though. A few of them looked like dinosaurs. They were poisonous, so I didn't nitpick. I think Usopp was nervous about how much I gathered, but he didn't say anything. I know he's trying to be understanding, but he's still struggling with it a little. If he only knew what the waters ahead are like, even outside the Grand Line. I have to train hard.