Nine Minutes
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. I do, however, know the location of Eiichiro Oda's pet cat, which coincidentally kidnapped last week. I'm willing to trade, Oda.
Previously:
After a hard fight, Luffy and crew barely escape with their lives. Then, the knock-up streams shoots them all into to the sky...
Chapter 11: Welcome to Heaven
The knock-up stream was not a common occurrence. It was a natural disaster.
Firstly, the water started to bulge, as if a huge creature was rising out of the surface. It was surprisingly gentle at first, but the torrent of water rising from below couldn't be stopped. As soon as the waves broke on the edge of the bulge, then all hell rose up from the depths.
The stream of water shot up furiously into the sky. Millions of gallons of water exploded upwards. The explosion caused a shockwave that could be felt for miles, and the updraft was so powerful it cut through the air like a blade.
The Going Merry was fired upwards like a pebble in a typhoon. There was no restraining it and no running away. The knock-up stream was like an enormous cannon of water firing out of the sea.
Usopp blinked and suddenly they were flying upwards into the sky, moving so fast that the paint was being stripped off the Merry's hull. The surge of wind lifted the ship effortlessly into the sky, all the while planks were torn to pieces from the force. Usopp only managed to glimpse Jaya Island for a second before it disappeared into the distance.
The whole world flipped ninety degrees.
The sniper grabbed a hold tightly to the ruined remains of the mast, but he could feel the wood cracking. The ruined Merry was skidding across the vertical stream of water, all the while the wind barely forced them upwards. The ship was balancing on a knife's edge, Usopp realised suddenly. As soon as the updraft faded they would fall backwards.
Vaguely, he glimpsed Luffy being held by Zoro and Nami tightly. Sanji had grabbed a hold of the railings, while Vivi was close by. They were all screaming with terror. Strangely, Usopp was the only one who was quiet.
Almost gradually, Usopp could feel the ship twisting in mid-air. Without a mast and a ruined hull, there was no way for it sail parallel to the stream. In what felt like a lifetime, the Merry slowly rotated around until Usopp was facing straight downwards, and then they were spinning in the air while the up-draft threw them vertically.
Usopp's heart was pounding like a drum as he realised what has happening. They were moving so fast it was hard to even breathe, and then his vision started to blur. His grip on the mast slipped slightly.
Around him, he could feel the Going Merry breaking to pieces. With every broken plank, a twinge of pain shot through his chest. They had taken too much damage and there was too much force. The whole ship was being torn to pieces. The ship just wasn't designed for this.
There was no way they were going to survive.
I'm so sorry Merry; Usopp thought desperately, the tears filling up his eyes even as his vision started to fade, I should have taken better care of you…
Usopp's felt his fingers lose their grip completely, and then the next second he felt himself falling backwards.
"No!" A voice called suddenly. Usopp's eyes shot open as he felt someone grab a hold of his wrist. "I won't let it end like this!"
There was someone standing above Usopp, yet between the spinning and the darkness it was so hard to see probably. A delicate and soft hand was holding onto Usopp's wrist, but the grip was like iron. The voice was high pitched and almost childish, but there was a strange ringing sound behind it. It sounded almost familiar.
Usopp squinted. He could barely make out the outline of a small figure wearing a raincoat, effortlessly holding onto the ship.
"I can take you a bit further," the voice said firmly. "I promise."
Around him, the Going Merry started to shift. Seconds ago it was falling apart, but suddenly it was like the whole ship came to life. A rope darted outwards from the sail like a snake and wrapped around Usopp's body, tightly securing him to the ship. The hand let go of Usopp's wrist and the figure disappeared.
Suddenly, with a huge creak, the mast started to lift upwards as if possessed by a supernatural force. Usopp could feel the wood groan as it was meshed back together. As if by magic, the sail unfurled and tightened all by itself. Instantly, the updraft hit the sail and the Going Merry started to stabilise.
"A bit further…" The voice echoed around him. The voice sounded exhausted, straining to talk, but it was still determined.
Through the corner of his eye, Usopp glimpsed planks of wood being knit together. Nails hammered themselves into the wood. Rips in the sails stitched themselves up.
Usopp could feel the gush of wind as Merry was pushed back towards the vertical current of water, and for a few seconds it was like the whole ship was flying straight upwards.
A wall of dark cloud appeared in front of them. Somehow, Usopp knew that they weren't going to die here.
"Who are you?" Usopp gasped between breaths. He couldn't see the figure anymore, but the sniper knew it was still around.
There was the sound of childish laughter, exhausted but relieved.
"I'm your friend…"
Then the Going Merry burst through the cloud, and everything went black.
Seven days later...
It was a long time before Luffy woke up. He tried to cling to sleep as long as possible, but he couldn't. Slowly and unwillingly, his eyes started to flicker as he drifted back towards consciousness. He tried to move but his body was feeling strange. His breaths felt very shallow.
"Well, it's about time," Zoro's voice split through his Luffy's dreamlike state. The captain's eyes jumped open. "You have any idea how long you've been asleep?"
At once, Luffy pulled himself up straight, only for crippling pain to burst through his body. Involuntarily, a hoarse shriek spurted from his lips.
"Luffy!" Chopper's high pitched voice was concerned and disapproving. "Try not to move! You're too hurt!"
Gradually, Luffy managed to focus on his environment. He was in a white room, and lying on a very soft bed. Outside, it was very bright and sunny. Luffy had to blink twice as he processed his unfamiliar surroundings.
The rest of his crew were standing over him. Zoro and Chopper were close by his side while the others were spread out over the weird room. Nami and Vivi were standing together by the doorway, looking at Luffy passively.
"What happened?" Luffy stuttered groggily. The last thing he remembered, the Sea King collapsed in front of him, and then the world exploded upwards.
The crew shared an awkward glance with each other. "Quite a bit," Zoro said finally, not quite sure where to start.
"Huh," Luffy muttered dumbly. He was sore, tired, and his stomach was growling hungrily. His head was pounding furiously.
There was a moment's silence. A vein stared to bulge on Nami's head as she stared at Luffy with sudden anger.
"Excuse me," Nami said with forced sweetness. "There's something that I need to get off my chest first." She turned to Chopper. "Doctor, is Luffy still in a critical state of recovery?"
The reindeer shook his head nervously. Nami smiled, standing over Luffy. And then she punched him hard in the arm.
"Ow!" Luffy exclaimed with shock. "What was that for?"
Nami responded with another punch. The rest of the crew was watching her with their mouths open, staring at her as she continued to pummel Luffy with frustration.
"You bastard!" Nami grunted. Luffy was just flinching and trying to cover himself. "Never do that to me again!"
"Will you quit it?" Luffy protested.
"No! I've been waiting a week for the chance to hit you, so now I get to hit you!" Nami shouted loudly.
Slowly, Vivi raised her hand. "It's my turn afterwards," the princess said sweetly.
The rest of the pirates just stared. Robin sat observing from a corner of the room, a hand placed delicately over her mouth in an effort to contain her chuckles. Chopper was staring at Nami with amazement.
"Why are girls so mean?" Chopper exclaimed.
"Not a clue," Zoro replied under his breath, watching as his captain was assaulted by the orange-haired woman. The swordsman valued his anatomy too much to try and interfere. "Don't try and understand them."
Luffy's arm was aching now. He tried to struggle, but Nami was not to be stopped. "What's this for?" He complained. "What did I do?"
"'I will never forgive you'?!" Nami demanded loudly, and suddenly the memories came crashing back. "How dare you to that to us?"
The room went quiet. Luffy's mouth dropped open. Luffy locked eyes with Vivi, who was staring at him quietly while biting her lip. The tears were swelling up in Nami's eyes. No one said a word for a long time.
"That man was going to kill you!" Luffy shouted back eventually. "I couldn't let you die!"
Nami looked at him incredulously, before punching him again in the arm. "So instead you wanted us to watch him kill you?"
Luffy didn't hesitate. "If that kept Vivi safe!"
Suddenly, Vivi charged forward, and punched him in the other arm. She was holding back tears too. "Bastard!" Vivi cursed uncharacteristically, punching him again.
Luffy grabbed her wrist, ignoring the pain shooting through his body. "I couldn't let him kill you!"
"That wasn't your choice to make!" Vivi shouted back, thrashing him with her other arm.
The captain struggled helplessly. "What would you've wanted me to do?"
"What we always do!" Vivi screamed, punching him again. "Fight!"
Slowly, Luffy stopped struggling. Suddenly, he was back in the desert of Alabasta, screaming something similar at Vivi.
It was a long time before Luffy spoke again. "I couldn't survive watching him hurt you," he said quietly.
Vivi's eyes softened. "But we couldn't watch you die, either," she whispered gently.
"He was too strong!"
"When has that ever mattered before?" Vivi replied. "It doesn't matter if you're beaten, because we'll always be there to save you."
Luffy was left speechless. Vivi punched him again, just for good measure. "Don't you ever dare sacrifice yourself for us again," Vivi warned. "Because that's just another way of killing us."
It was a long time before Luffy spoke again. The tension seemed to ease out of the room. He rubbed his shoulder gingerly. "My arm really hurts," Luffy admitted finally.
"That's for what you put us through," Vivi replied darkly.
Luffy was just about to protest, when suddenly the princess enveloped him in a tight hug. She was on top of him, wrapping her arms around his chest and squeezing her body against him. Vivi's cheek rubbed up closely against his.
Vivi's heart started to pound, and she was so close to Luffy that she wondered if he could hear it too.
"And this is for coming back," Vivi whispered into his ear.
The breath was squeezed out of his body. The hug was so tight and his body was so sore that it was just as painful as the beating, but somehow Luffy didn't mind. It lasted for a long time, before Vivi unwillingly pulled herself up off him.
Nobody said a word. Nami felt her heart flutter, and she couldn't trust herself to speak.
"I think it's time we'd shown Mr. Captain what's outside," Robin spoke up for the first time, smiling gently.
Luffy blinked. He'd only been awake for a few minutes, and he was already tired out. "Huh? What's outside?"
The archaeologist's smile widened slightly. "You're really going to like it," she promised mysteriously.
A grin flashed across their faces. Luffy looked confused. He tried to move, but his body winced painfully. "Why? Where are we?"
Carefully, Zoro lifted him up under one arm. Nami lifted him by the other. "A lot happened when you were out," Zoro explained with a smirk.
Slowly and painfully, they lifted Luffy up so he could see out the window.
Luffy's jaw hit the floor.
The sun was brighter and closer in the sky than he had ever seen it. Golden sunlight streamed over a sea of light blue clouds that stretched for as far as the eye could see. There was a gentle breeze from across the sky, bringing with it the soft scent of moisture. The view was so bright and spotless that Luffy had to blink several times before he could believe his eyes.
"Yeah," Zoro said smugly. "Welcome to Sky Island."
Those next few hours were a blur for Luffy. He wasn't sure whether it was lack of oxygen, starvation, or the strong painkillers that Chopper prescribed, but it was hard for him to focus when suddenly everything had changed. If it wasn't for the pain that shot through his body, he would have been convinced it was a dream.
Everyone else had already gotten used to the serene setting, but it blew Luffy away. They were staying in a large and spacious house overlooking the cloud sea, built with white stones on top of an island cloud. There was wood and other ordinary materials scattered around, but it was all so bright it was nearly blinding.
A slender woman with dark eyes and hair so blond it was nearly white skittered gingerly around the house. Between everything that was going on, it was a long time before Luffy even thought to ask her name. It took a few hours before Luffy realised that her hair was groomed upwards into two antennae, and that she had short, stubby wings jutting out of her back. Interestingly enough, that wasn't even close to the strangest thing Luffy had seen all day.
The food helped a lot. Sanji was already set up in the kitchen, and it wasn't long after Luffy woke up before he served platters of large, almost fluffy, lobsters, well cooked and covered in sauces. They were sitting in a spacious living room, on chairs made out of clouds that were strangely stiff, around a small table as the plates were placed down. The smell was delicious. Luffy devoured them so quickly that they had to clean up lobster claws from the ceiling, before receiving an angry beating from Sanji for his lack of table manners. Still, Sanji didn't complain as he brought in seconds.
Luffy was too amazed even for questions, and the food was far too good for him to bother asking them. Soon, the laughter started to echo around the cloud house, and Luffy kept on eating with his friends.
Somewhere between the food and the laughter, pieces of explanation drifted through. "It was amazing! We were knocked into the sky!" Chopper squealed excitedly, before adding in a nervous whimper. "And also really, really frightening!"
"The Merry," Luffy realised suddenly, spitting lobster across the room. Sanji was standing in front of the bemused blond woman, covering her eyes from the disgusting sight. "Is the Merry alright?"
"It's getting there," Nami reassured, sitting next to Luffy. "She wasn't damaged as much as we'd feared. Usopp has been fixing her up ever since we landed."
No one noticed that Usopp was staying strangely quiet. The sniper smiled absently, deep in thought.
On the other side of Luffy, Vivi smiled brightly. "Miss Conis here was kind enough to take us in," the princess explained, pointing to the shy blond woman. "We've been staying here for a couple of days already."
"Oh, this is your house?" Luffy turned to Conis. His mouth was chewing furiously, causing an enraged Sanji to scream about manners. Conis just looked bemused. "Thank you very much!" Luffy bowed deeply.
"It's not very much…" Conis blushed, not meeting his gaze. "This is my father's house, really."
Luffy wanted to ask her more, but Chopper was chattering too excitedly to be ignored. The reindeer was practically bobbing up and down as he described giant balloon octopuses, cloud factories, and a scary man in a large mask that they'd seen from a distance. Chopper's voice started to blur as he described a road of cloud, a giant ship-carrying shrimp, and a gatekeeper who didn't accept any money.
By the time the meal was over, Luffy was so full his stomach was aching and so confused his head was spinning. Still, his friends were all around him and he felt so happy that he didn't want to think about anything else.
It was fine so long as he didn't move too quickly and felt the pain in his body. Each time Luffy looked downwards and saw the bandages, all of the bad thoughts and memories came rushing back to him. Still, Luffy would rather take the whole beating again then do anything to ruin this moment.
Afterwards, the pirates left the house. The building was built onto a huge island of clouds, yet the ground was surprisingly firm and dry. Large palm trees drifted scattered across the island, swaying in the breeze. The island was dominated by a huge staircase running through the centre, leading downwards towards the vast sea of clouds.
For the hundredth time today, Luffy's mouth dropped open with the spectacular view. Walking closely beside him, Nami giggled. "This is Angel Beach," she explained softly. Luffy met her eyes carefully. After the morning's drama, everything had eased up between them. Nami was far too relieved to stay angry. "On the Sky Island of Skypiea. It's beautiful, isn't it?"
The beach was softer than the rest of the island, made out of an island cloud slightly damper and so malleable Luffy could push his foot through it. The Going Merry was anchored uncertainly into the beach, still with large patches over the numerous holes. Still, between the warm sun and the cloudless sky, everything looked was too gloriously pleasant to stop the party.
Vivi and Chopper were already rushing ahead. Vivi was barefoot and wearing tight shorts and a loose purple t-shirt, much to Sanji's delight. There was no sand on the beach, but the princess had that covered. Within seconds, streams of sand were spinning from her fingertips, each grain sparkling in the sunlight as it covered the beach. Usopp exclaimed loudly and rushed to build a sandcastle, while Sanji exclaimed even louder and rushed to chase after Vivi.
Luffy's laughter echoed around the beach. Zoro cut down some large coconut-like fruits, and carefully relaxed in the sun. Carue joined them from 'guarding' the Going Merry, and shortly Luffy was riding atop of the duck's head as they chased Vivi around the beach. The sounds of happy squeals filled the air.
Only Nami and Robin were left hanging back. Robin chuckled softly as she watched everyone else, but she kept a careful eye of Nami standing next to her. The navigator's expression was unreadable.
"You should go have fun too," Robin said coolly. "Enjoy it while it lasts."
Nami didn't respond. Her eyes were focused on Luffy. Luffy and Carue had just tackled a giggling Vivi to the ground, and the captain was laughing as he started a sand fight with the princess. Needless to say, Vivi was winning effortlessly. Vivi was laughing harder than she had in a week.
Robin kept one eye discreetly focused on Nami. "You deserve some fun," the archaeologist said finally. "You've been sitting by Luffy's side nonstop for the last week."
Some unreadable emotion flashed across Nami's face. Eventually, she seemed to reach a decision. Nami flashed Robin a smile, before taking off her shirt to reveal a blue bikini that fit her lean and curvy figure exceptionally well. Sanji was practically spinning with bliss as Nami rushed in to join the game.
Of course, Robin thought quietly, Vivi had been sitting by Luffy's side for just as long. There was a problem that Robin never had the energy to deal with now.
The sun was slowly starting to descend by the time the pirates started to wind down. They were so high up in the sky that evening seemed to last forever as the sun crept along the wide horizon. The perfect cloud sea was doused in red.
Even Luffy collapsed with exhaustion eventually. His wounds were starting to catch up to him and his body was screaming in pain, but Luffy refused to do anything less than enjoy the moment. Beside him, Usopp was lying on his back, idly making angels in the sand. Chopper and Carue were piled onto a heap, snoring gently.
Zoro and Robin stood under the palm trees for most the time, drinking coconut juice in relaxation. Conis had come down and sat with them for a while, but the angel politely kept her distance. Briefly, Conis' father, Pagaya, appeared onto the beach riding a weird boat. He was an absentminded man with a bushy beard, who apologised profusely after he nearly crashed into them, and then apologised even harder when he forgot to introduce himself as Conis' father and a dial technician. Half an hour later, as dusk fell, Pagaya apologised generously before he left to pick up something he had forgotten at the office. Luffy was too crashed out to pay much attention.
Quietly, Luffy stared out into the red sky. The day had been so relaxing it felt unreal, but there was nothing to stop his thoughts as everything calmed down.
Luffy slowly reached up to his chest, feeling the scar over his heart. For the first time, Luffy realised how small the scar was. It was a knife wound, a small gash, and not even very long. The skin was rough and raw, but the wound itself wasn't that big.
Not very big, Luffy decided eventually, but deep enough.
Finally, the captain pulled himself up off the beach. His bones were aching again, and he couldn't stop himself from limping as he walked.
Nami and Vivi were lying down by the edge of the beach. Vivi was resting against a palm tree and reading a book, while Nami was sunbathing on the ground. The navigator had unstrapped her bra as she bathed in the warm glow, and Vivi had buried Sanji in a pile of sand when he tried to peek.
"Vivi. Nami," Luffy called quietly, walking towards the girls. His tone was subdued for the first time all day. Vivi looked up from her book curiously, while Nami covered her breasts as she lifted her head.
Slowly, Luffy sat down next to them. There were a few seconds silence. "You were right," Luffy admitted finally, his eyes apologetic. "I shouldn't have forced you away like I did in Mock Town. It was unfair of me to say that to you."
It took a long time for Vivi to respond. "Luffy, it's alright," she said softly.
He shook his head. "No it's not." It hasn't been alright for a while, Luffy thought quietly. "I should never have put you in that position. I should have trusted you more. I'm sorry."
Nami's mouth dropped open quietly. Luffy sighed, but he needed to say it aloud. He pulled himself to his feet, wincing in pain. "I just want you to know something…" Luffy muttered to Vivi solemnly. "I wouldn't be able to survive if anything happened to you."
Just before he walked away, Luffy glanced at Nami. "And I haven't forgotten my promise," he said earnestly, his voice low but strong. "I will get stronger."
He turned and limped away, leaving the two girls behind him completely speechless. Luffy's fists clenched as the memories of his defeat in Mock Town flashed before his eyes. He'd thought he had grown stronger, but he had still barely survived.
The memory of the Sea King lunging towards him was vivid in his memory. He couldn't ignore it anymore. He remembered that power that he unleashed at the moment. It had been like reaching inside of his body and pulling out something explosive. If only I knew what it was, Luffy thought with frustration.
He could remember that dream, lying back in Foosha Village with Shanks. Luffy was still trying to understand it. His head was a mess and he didn't like it. The thoughts were rumbling around in his head and making him dizzy.
Half an hour later, the pirates slowly started to head back to Conis' house. The Going Merry was still being repaired, so the angel had kindly offered for them to stay at hers. They were all tired and quiet as they started the ascent up the stairs of cloud.
Conis was there to greet them as they filed into the house. Most of the crew were sleepy and content. No one noticed how uncomfortable Nami and Vivi looked. Luffy was so tired that he could barely keep his eyes open.
The house was large enough that they could all double up to a room. Luffy had a room for himself after his injuries. The bed was so soft that he was surprised that he didn't collapse into unconsciousness as soon as he landed, but he still couldn't sleep properly. His tender bones were aching painfully.
I need to get stronger. That was the most prominent thing he could think about. There was too much at stake for him to stay as he was.
Today had been a joy. Luffy loved every second and he was beyond thankful that he had been able to enjoy it. Sky Island was beautiful and amazing. It was with faint surprise that Luffy realised that he just didn't believe it.
It was too unreal. It was too happy and peaceful here, and Luffy knew that it wouldn't last. He would revel in the time he had, but he knew with absolutely certainty that it couldn't stay this way.
Outside of his room, he heard Sanji stomping into his room with Usopp. Luffy could see Conis staring at him through the doorway. "Ah!" The chef exclaimed blissfully. "This place is heaven!"
A few weeks ago, Luffy wouldn't have been able to detect the guilt in Conis' expression, or the hesitation and nervousness whenever she talked to them.
I need to get stronger faster. There were too many powerful guys out there, and Luffy wasn't prepared to fight them. He needed an edge right now.
I need to eat a Devil fruit.
Nami and Vivi were sharing a room. It was strange, but nobody had even considered the possibility that the girls wouldn't share a room. Now, they were both awkwardly lying together in a double bed, in a room that seemed to be getting smaller with every second.
Neither of them said a word. They both knew that the other was wide awake. Outside, the last rays of the sun were fading below the horizon.
Finally, Nami had to speak. "I can't do this anymore!" She exclaimed, but quietly enough not to be overheard. The navigator was pulling herself up in bed, turning to face Vivi seriously. The princess didn't respond. "I need to know."
It took a long time for Vivi to respond. "Know what?" She asked carefully.
Nami cleared her throat. "Are you…" She stammered. "Do you like Luffy?"
Vivi forced a fake smile. "Do you?"
"Of course not!" Nami replied too quickly.
The princess just nodded her head in agreement. They were both staring at each other in the dark. Nami was leaning against the wall, Vivi was covering herself with blankets. Around her, the bed slowly started to fill with sand.
"I mean, he's an idiot," Nami continued quietly. "And it would just be too weird."
"Totally," Vivi nodded eagerly, listening very carefully to what wasn't being said.
Nami's smile was wooden. "And it's not anything serious," she muttered. "It isn't anything at all."
"Totally." Vivi kicked herself quietly. Stop saying 'totally', she thought frantically, but her mouth wasn't working properly.
"Uh-huh," Nami agreed. The room became even more awkward. The seconds dragged on like hours.
Eventually, Nami's expression softened. She sighed quietly. "Let's not do anything we'd regret, okay?" Nami murmured so quietly that Vivi could barely hear her. "Friendship always comes first, right?"
The relief poured through Vivi's body. "I couldn't agree more," she replied earnestly.
Nami smiled. Vivi nodded. They both turned around so they weren't facing each other. Neither of them had much sleep that night.
Luffy groaned and turned but sleep didn't come. The room was dark and everything was quiet. He was tired, but he just couldn't close his eyes.
There were light footsteps from outside, barely audible as bare feet walked across the soft floor. Luffy rolled around in bed just as a figure appeared in the doorframe. Luffy blinked, trying to focus his eyes in the dark as the figure approached.
"Robin?" Luffy realised finally, his voice thick with confusion. Robin smiled in the dark, before bending over towards the bedside table and pressing down on a weird shell-like object.
Luffy jumped as the shell burst into a bright, clean light. He remembered Usopp saying something about dials at dinner, but he hadn't really processed it. Still, after today he was all out of surprises to give.
Robin slowly sat by the bottom of the bed, a faint smile playing at her lips. The dark haired woman was wearing her pyjamas; a grey, extra-large nightgown that draped over her body like a blanket. Her long, bare legs shone in the gloom.
"What are you doing here?" Luffy asked finally.
Robin didn't respond, but she just quietly reached behind her and lifted out a thick book, bound in a well-worn leather case. Luffy grinned brightly. "You brought the book," he said quietly with genuine pleasure. "I thought you would've finished it by now."
"I enjoy reading it with you," Robin replied with a small shrug. The grin on Luffy's face stretched from ear to ear.
He had never really read a book in his life. Luffy had always found them boring. Strangely, it wasn't boring when he read with Robin. Luffy felt a warm glow bubbling in his chest, and he was grinning like a fool as he pulled himself up in bed.
As he moved, a jolt of pain flashed through his back. His smile disappeared with a painful wince. Suddenly, he realised how tired and sore he was. "I'm completely exhausted," he admitted sadly. He felt completely wiped out after recovering for so long.
Robin looked at him sympathetically. "That's alright," she said quietly, dropping the book on to the bedside table. "We can read another time."
Still, Robin made no move to leave. Instead, she pulled herself her further on to Luffy's bed, and then quietly stretched out flat across the mattress. All of a sudden, Luffy noticed how lean and long her body was. His breathing became shallow.
Robin was already squirming to get comfortable on the pillow beside him. Her dark hair spread across the bed in a mess, but she just gently rose her hand to Luffy's shoulder and pulled him backwards. Hesitantly, Luffy lied down next to her, and she wrapped her arms around his torso comfortably.
Strangely, his heartbeat turned calm. The pain eased away, and all Luffy could feel was the warmth of her body. A distant smile crossed Luffy's face, before he stretched across a turned off the light.
In the dark, all he could feel was Robin's arms wrapped around him. Slowly, he squirmed backwards until he felt her body pressed against his, and all of his worries just seemed to disappear. Luffy reached up wordlessly and held Robin's hand softly, before closing his eyes gently.
He was fast asleep within seconds. Luffy wouldn't be able to remember his dream, but he knew he enjoyed it.
Usopp waited until the house was dead quiet before he crept out of his bed. Sanji was sleeping on the sofa in his room, but Usopp knew the chef was deep asleep as he had his legs wrapped around a pillow and was quietly murmuring "Vivi, Nami, Robin…" to himself on repeat. Once or twice, Usopp heard Conis' name mentioned too.
Quietly, the sniper tiptoed out of the house. Conis' pet cloud fox, Su, stared at him suspiciously, but the animal was too shy to approach or make much of a noise. The creaking of Usopp opening the door felt painfully loud in the quiet, but he was out of the house and running down the cloud stairs within seconds.
Outside, the moon was closer and more bulbous than it had ever been in the Blue Sea. Angel Island glowed eerily in the pure white moonlight. Everything was dead quiet, and Usopp never stopped tiptoeing even as he sprinted down towards the beach.
The Going Merry sat motionlessly on the sea cloud. There wasn't a breeze or a wave to be seen. Instead, the ship just sat completely still. The smiling ram figurehead was patched up with dozens of nails and poor carpentry, but it still seemed to staring outwards.
Usopp spent a long time staring at the ship quietly. Usopp had thought that he knew the Going Merry better than anywhere else in the world, but now he wasn't so sure. The sniper was biting his nails nervously as he thought. Somehow, bathed in brilliant moonlight, the Merry seemed almost… human.
Eventually, Usopp reached a decision and walked towards the boat. He waded through the light ocean clouds, so soft it barely felt like water, before pulling himself up the ladder and climbing onto the boat.
On deck, Usopp thought about it for a bit longer, and then got to work. It was the first time in a week that everyone else was gone, and Usopp had to make the most of it. The ship was apparently deserted, and there was something that he needed to check.
Usopp worked methodically. He started at the bottom of the ship and worked upwards. The Going Merry was not a big boat, but there were still a surprising number of places to hide, particularly for a small person.
Usopp searched through the lounge, lifting up the sofa and checking behind the refrigerator. He raided the men's room, storming through piles of dirty clothing and pulling up filthy furniture. He spent a long time in the storage room, searching thoroughly for each barrel in turn, and then spent just as long sorting through the crates in the cannon deck. He even went into the women's room, checking carefully to make sure that Nami wasn't anywhere nearby, and searched through every dresser and chest. Usopp made a point of closing his eyes as he went through the girls' underwear, just to be safe.
Finally, Usopp went into the bathroom. He spent a while staring at the latrine, before deciding that no self-respecting magical deity would hide in there.
Afterwards, Usopp went back up on deck, and sat and thought for a little while.
Then, he really went to work. Usopp peeled up floorboards and checked above the ceiling. He searched between gaps in the hull, and then went through every plank of wood searching for hidden compartments. There were piles of dust that had never seen the open air, yet he still checked under them for any clues. The sniper spent hours going through every nook and cranny; anywhere that a person might be able to hide undetected.
Ultimately, he found nothing. Apparently, the Going Merry was completely and utterly deserted. Usopp sat on deck, drumming his fingers against the wood. There was an uneasy silence about the ship, and the hairs on his neck never stopped tingling.
No, Usopp thought eventually, you're not fooling me.
Slowly, Usopp stood up again, but this time he closed his eyes tightly and placed his hand over them until he couldn't see a thing. Then he started searching again. Usopp knew the Merry's layout perfectly, but he still ended up stubbing his toe and walking into walls. He groped blindly around the ship, feeling every surface and searching for something that he couldn't quite explain.
A couple of hours later, Usopp ended up in the storage room, blindly feeling across the surfaces of the cannons and the barrels. He had searched through the entire ship, but for some reason he kept on coming back here. After a while, Usopp carefully sat down cross-legged in the middle of the room, his eyes still shut tight, deliberating to himself.
"I know you're here," Usopp said finally, speaking out loud for the first time. His voice seemed to echo around the deathly quiet ship. "I can't see you and I can't touch you, but I know you're here."
There was no audible response. The room was apparently completely deserted.
Still, standing a few steps behind Usopp, a small person in a large raincoat looked nervous.
The night descended over the island floating across the sky. Bathed in moonlight, dark shadows began to move.
A filthy figure darted quickly through the mud and huge tree trunks. The man was filthy, dirty and exhausted. He looked ready to collapse. He never got very far before he heard a sharp whistle blare from behind him. The prisoner never even had the strength to scream as monster of a dog exploded out of undergrowth. There was a flash of fangs and everything turned quiet.
"Another fortunate soul freed from the wickedness of this cruel world." A voice drawled across the forest. A large man, bald and muscular, walked across the blood stained ground carrying an oversized sword. His voice was solemn, before he added, "And it looks like I win the game."
In a flash of wings, another man appeared on a nearby branch, riding a huge feathery bird. "You bastard! I practically had him!" The rider growled, straightening his helmet and goggles.
The muscular man just smirked. Behind, a spherical beast of a man bounced towards them, smiling playfully. "Ho, ho hoooo!" The fat one laughed in a high pitched voice. "Does it matter? There's nothing left but pitiful games, anyways."
"Agreed," the bird rider growled darkly, heaving a huge lance. "We should have ascended to Fairy Vearth by now…"
"We do as God commands," Another man ordered firmly. He was tall, dark and imposing, with a mess of tendril-like hair. His eyes were weeping after not blinking for too long. "Next up: illegal trespassers have entered this country."
The four men gathered around the corpse of their prey, not paying it much attention. All of them had short, stumpy wings protruding from their backs.
"Again?" The fat, bouncy one groaned. "Leave it to someone else."
"We just got the message," the dark one continued regardless, picking out his ear dumbly. "Eight citizens of the Blue Sea have arrived on a ship."
Instantly, the bird rider looked thoughtful. "Eight?" The man smirked, stroking his goatee. "That's the perfect number. Let's leave the Berets out of this – we can each get two. The first one to kill their pair wins the game."
On the other side of Skypiea, a very different meeting was happening by moonlight. Hidden in a cave of cloud, as far as possible from Upper Yard, a large man in a military uniform paced uneasily.
The cave was bare and empty, despite being used for a meeting room for six years. His companions were late, and that made Captain McKinley of the White Berets very nervous.
After half an hour, just when McKinley was debating leaving, he heard a distinctive whinny coming from outside, mixed in with the flapping of wings. The captain sighed with relief as an old man, skinny but with heavy armour, came clunking towards the cave.
"Do not do that to me!" McKinley snapped irritably. "You know how much I risk coming here? Don't ever be late again."
"My apologies," the old man responded in a hoarse voice. The man was very old with a large white beard and a wrinkled face. His arms were so skinny he looked frail underneath his huge armour, but he still carried himself with strength. Gan Fall shook McKinley's hand gratefully. "Something came up in the White Sea. I will tell you all about it when everyone is here."
McKinley nodded. Even after six years, the captain still took orders dutifully from the old man. Absentmindedly, the man's hand moved to touch the scar under his eye, a wound from the war that had never healed well.
"It's getting harder and harder to make excuses. Something is happening in Upper Yard that has everyone stretched, but I don't know what," McKinley admitted. "They give me orders and I have to follow them, but it's not like I'm part of their group."
Gan Fall nodded sadly, dropping his metal lance to the ground. "I know. You have done well to remain undercover for so long. Still, we must persevere if we wish to save this country."
McKinley nodded, but then there was the sound of a large waver booming through across the cloud sea. The dial powered boat collided roughly with the island cloud, followed by the sound of someone apologising tenderly to no one in particular. A couple of seconds later, a bald man of average height walked into the cave, rubbing his head nervously.
"Ah, I'm late," Pagaya muttered apologetically. "I am so very sorry."
Gan Fall just nodded, and then extended his hand to the dial mechanic graciously. Out of the three them, Pagaya seemed the most composed and relaxed. Then again, Pagaya kept his eyes practically closed and his mouth hidden under a large beard; he was a very hard person to read.
Only three, Gan Fall thought darkly, three old men to fight an army. Gan Fall was an exceptionally old man now, and it was getting tiresome to fight against such large odds. Six years ago, when the group was formed, he had been almost optimistic that the fight wasn't over yet. But in six years, they had achieved very little.
This was the meeting of the Skypiea Underground Resistance. Three men plotting to overthrow a God.
McKinley was the first member of the Resistance, and the only remaining member of Gan Fall's old Enforcers. After the war, McKinley had pledged loyally to the usurper in order to continue the fight in secret. Now, McKinley was the captain of the White Berets, a once noble organisation forced to act as Enel's corrupt goons. For six long years, the soldier had followed the orders of the man he despised, all the while waiting for the right opportunity to do some good.
As for Gan Fall himself, Enel had let the defeated ex-God live as a show of strength or, more likely, disdain. The old man forced himself to make the most of the situation, donning the armour of his youth and styling himself as 'The Knight of the Sky', attempting to undermine Enel's rule and discreetly smuggle the captive Enforcers out of Upper Yard. So far, Gan Fall wondered if Enel had even noticed.
The third member of the group was the only one who had never fought in the war, and perhaps the most useful. Pagaya was, as far as most people saw, a completely ordinary citizen, except for his extreme absentmindedness. It took Gan Fall a long time to wonder about everything that Pagaya kept hidden.
The man had volunteered for the Resistance because he believed that Enel was bad for the country. Pagaya kept tabs on the state of Angel Island, recruiting fighters where possible, and he was the only one who could move around unsuspected. Also, as a dial technician, Pagaya was uniquely suited to build the dial weapons that any army needed to be effective.
Few people looked at Pagaya and saw a revolutionary, and in truth he wasn't really. Pagaya was just a father fighting for a better future for his daughter. Gan Fall knew that despite the man's humble and inattentive personality, Pagaya also kept a bazooka hidden in his waver, reserved solely for anyone who dared to threaten his daughter.
Gan Fall took a deep breath, wondering where to begin. "Let us start with the monthly reports," he decided finally, before turning to the White Beret Captain. "McKinley, what is the state of the public in Angel Island?"
McKinley hesitated slightly. "I don't know," he confessed. "It's hard to tell who actually worships Enel as God, and who is just putting on the act. Everyone believes me to be in Enel's pocket, and they will not approach me."
Gan Fall nodded sympathetically. The old man knew how hard the ruse was for the soldier. "If I were to launch an uprising tomorrow…" Gan Fall pressed. "How many Skypieans would stand by me?"
McKinley bit his lip. "I doubt there would be many. The people are too scared; they have been living under the rule of Enel for so long. The man can sense any rebellion before it even occurs, and his power is great enough to destroy anyone at any time."
"It is as I feared then," Gan Fall sighed, before turning to Pagaya. "What about the dial weapons? How many men could you arm sufficiently for combat?"
"I'm sorry; I don't have much experience building weapons," Pagaya said humbly, but Gan Fall wasn't fooled. "Yet I've stocked piled enough weapons to put up a good fight. I could arm two dozen men to the teeth for dial warfare."
"Good," the old man nodded. "We will need every weapon we can get."
"There is something else too," Pagaya continued. "A group of pirates from the Blue Sea arrived at my house the other day. They are staying with my daughter right now."
"Hmm… Are they strong? Could they be convinced to fight?"
"I'm sorry, I'm not sure," he confessed. "Their captain was severely injured, but they do seem fairly capable."
Gan Fall stroked his beard thoughtfully. Pagaya always made a point of opening his doors to travellers, in the hope of recruiting aid against Enel. "That is good news," he mused. "On my way here, I encountered a Marine battleship that had been knocked into the sky. I was late because I paused to explain their surroundings and pointed them in the right direction. Perhaps we can make use of this…"
McKinley looked worried. "Are you sure it's safe to shelter pirates? Particularly with your daughter involved?" the man asked Pagaya. "You know that if I get the order, I will have no choice but to arrest them."
"It is worth the risk," Gan Fall said quickly, before Pagaya could apologise. "We need to recruit whatever help we can get."
"Still…" McKinley said nervously. "It would be better if we could include your daughter in our plans–"
"No." Pagaya's voice was suddenly and uncharacteristically sharp. All apologies were gone. "You will not involve Conis in this at all. Do I make myself clear?"
"But –"
"If Enel's Mantra senses any rebellious thoughts from her, then she will be in great danger. I will not put my daughter at risk," Pagaya said firmly. "I already cause her too much suffering. Every traveller that enters my home, I leave her to call the Super Express Speed Shrimp so that she can prove her loyalty. I refuse to put anything more on her shoulders."
The man's voice left no room for arguments. "Very well," Gan Fall conceded. "And I swear that I will be nearby to protect your daughter."
The dial technician nodded, and the atmosphere relaxed. Gan Fall had yet to break any of his promises.
"We are still massively disadvantaged," McKinley muttered darkly. "We don't stand a chance against Enel by ourselves. Have you tried joining forces with the Shandorians?"
Gan Fall shook his head sadly. "So long as 'Berserker' Wiper holds sway over their military, they will never see me as anything else as their enemy."
"Then we're on our own," McKinley said bitterly. "Just like for the last six years, the war is hopeless."
The ex-God paused a long time before replying. "This need not be a war at all," he said finally. "If Enel dies, then all of his supporters will be nothing more than thugs."
The room turned tense. McKinley frowned. "Are you going to attempt assassination?" The captain mused. "After all, you on Pierre are the only one capable of flying up to God's Shrine. I could provide you with a Seastone blade."
The old man sighed. "Enel would sense me coming as soon as I entered Upper Yard. His Mantra makes any assassination impossible, even more than his Devil fruit does. No, the only way we are getting rid of Enel is if someone is strong enough to defeat him."
McKinley snorted. Pagaya was listening quietly. Gan Fall stared at his fingers nervously.
"The only thing that can stand toe-to-toe with a Logia Devil fruit…" Gan Fall explained quietly, reaching behind him. "…is another Logia Devil fruit."
With great care, Gan Fall lifted out a large silver fruit, shaped like a bundle of grapes and covered in swirls. McKinley gasped. Even Pagaya looked shocked.
"Is that…?"
"Yes," Gan Fall nodded solemnly. "A couple of weeks ago, a pirate crew called the Eraser Pirates was attacked by raiders and sunk on the White Sea. I was nearby but couldn't save it, but in the wreckage I found an interesting journal, detailing an auction that was occurring near the Summit of High West."
Both other men were staring at Gan Fall intently. "It was a long shot," Gan Fall continued. "But I was desperate and there was nothing else to do. I flew Pierre hard and fast, and I managed to steal the fruit before the auction began."
"I'm sorry, but which fruit is it?" Pagaya asked cautiously.
"I'm not sure," Gan Fall admitted. "But it is a Logia, of that I'm sure."
A hopeful glow appeared in McKinley's eyes. "So if you eat that…" he muttered. "Then you could face Enel on equal terms! You could end this whole war!"
"Possibly," Gan Fall scowled. "But even with the power of a Logia, I am not convinced that I could be victorious against Enel. I am too old, and Enel is in his prime. We only have one fruit and one chance – I will not risk it gambling on an old man."
McKinley's mouth dropped open. Slowly, the three members of Resistance looked at each other, and then stared down at the fruit. The Devil fruit seemed to pulse with unnatural energy.
"So then the question becomes…" Gan Fall muttered under his breath. "We have the power, but who will wield it…?"
Three thousand metres below, on the White Sea, a small skipper dragged in the water, the hull drooping into the cloud.
It was a small and light ship, and that was the only reason they had managed to survive the knock-up stream. Still, the hull had been damaged and the Devil fruit hunters weren't going anywhere fast. Isaac had been scared that they might have lost their precious cargo of Devil fruits in the explosion, but fortunately all twelve Devil fruits remained safely secured in lockboxes.
A couple of hours later as they floated disorientated through the sea of clouds, the ship was attacked by a raider wielding a spear and some weird weapons, running across the cloud using skates. Berrit and Isaac were both befuddled and suffering from lack of oxygen, so it was possible that the lone raider might have defeated both of them.
But, the unfortunate raider never stood a chance in hell of defeating Marcus.
In a way, the incident was the luckiest thing that could have happened. It gave Marcus a chance to blow off a bit of bloodlust and lower the crazy level down. A few seconds later, the raider was lying in a bloody pool on the deck of the ship, while Marcus started to laugh again.
Isaac had then tried to question their prisoner, but the man stubbornly spat in his face and refused to talk. Marcus had just laughed harder about that.
"Talk?" Marcus chuckled while Isaac wiped down his glasses. "Oh, I'll get you to sing."
For the next few hours, the sound of bloodcurdling screaming filled the air as Marcus proceeded to shred the man's body, piece by piece. The sound was so chilling that even Isaac and Berrit needed earplugs. Fortunately, they both had a set at the ready for situations like this.
Eventually, the raider surely enough started to talk, admittedly while coughing up blood. The raider introduced himself as Kamakiri, and then started to explain about Sky Island. The man would have said anything to avoid more pain. Kamakiri told them about Skypiea, about Shandia, about the White Sea and the White-White Sea, about dials and their use, about Angel Island and Upper Yard and about a vengeful God and the precious Vearth. He told them where to find a secret path, known only by the Shandorians, into the White-White, avoiding Heaven's Gate. And he told them about Enel, and the near invincible rule of the God.
Marcus listened patiently until Kamakiri ran out things to say. Then Marcus simply thanked him politely, took all of his dials and weapons, before dropping the raider unceremoniously into the ocean.
Quietly, the three of them sat down in a circle to digest everything they heard. Slowly, Isaac turned to Berrit and asked quietly. "Well? What can you smell?"
The large man closed his eyes and his brow furrowed with concentration. His nose sniffed the air for five long minutes. "Aye," Berrit said finally, not opening his eyes. "I can smell the Sand Sand fruit. It's above us, quite a goddamn distance away, but the scent is strong. Yet there are others too."
That got Isaac's attention. "Other Devil fruits?"
Berrit shook his head. "Nah – other Logia Devil fruits."
A quiet ripple passed over the group. "How many?" Isaac demanded finally.
Berrit sniffed the air again. The large man was pretty good at smelling Zoan fruits, although the animal smells tended to mix together. Paramecia fruits were much more difficult for him and harder to identify. Still, he was exceptionally good at smelling Logia fruits – each Logia was so powerful Berrit could track them miles away.
"Four," Berrit decided finally. "I smell the Sand Sand fruit, obviously. There's also the Plume Plume fruit over in that direction. That's a pretty hard one to track, but I know the scent."
"Hmm… that means Smoker is here," Isaac mused. The Plume Plume fruit was one of the weaker Logia abilities, but it was still way overrated for a lowly Marine captain like Smoker. They had been after the Plume Plume fruit for a while.
"I thought you said I couldn't kill Smoker," Marcus grouched. "You said it would go down too badly with the Marines."
Isaac shrugged. "We're thousands of feet away from the Marines. No transponder snail is going to work from up here. So long as we don't leave witnesses alive, then no one is going to know."
Marcus lit up like a kid on Christmas. "Goody!" He squealed with excitement.
"What are the other fruits?" Isaac pressed.
Berrit's concentrated for a while. "I can't goddamn tell for the third one," he complained. "I've never smelt it before and it doesn't have a distinctive scent."
"Well, what about the fourth?"
"Oh, that's a goddamn good one," a sly smile crossed Berrit's face. "That one stinks of thunder and chaos. It's so goddamn powerful it's hard to smell anything else. I've never had the scent before, but there's only one thing it could be. Boys, we're dealing with the goddamn Rumble Rumble fruit."
Isaac's mouth dropped open. "Are you sure?" He gasped.
"Oh yeah."
"But that's one of the invincible powers!" Isaac murmured with awe. "That's an Admiral-level Devil fruit. The Marines would pay an arm and a leg for that!"
Isaac's hands was twitching as he tried to imagine the money. He turned to Marcus urgently. "The Rumble Rumble fruit," he pressed. "Do you think you can handle it?"
Marcus' grinned brightly. "With pleasure."
"Are there any more Devil fruits up here?" Isaac insisted.
Berrit shrugged. "A couple of Zoan. A few more Paramecia. Some interesting scents, but they all just mix together, really."
"Then we have four main targets," Isaac planned eagerly. The excitement was building around him. "Anything else is extra…"
Isaac was practically trembling with joy. Berrit was grinning widely, and Marcus had an insane glint in his eye. "Do you get what this means?" Isaac was practically giggling. "Usually, the hardest part of Devil fruit capture is the reincarnation. There's no way to guarantee where the fruit will end up once the host dies. We have to keep them alive, take them to a deserted island, and then kill them so we can get the fruit straight away."
"But now we're ten thousand goddamn metres in the sky," Berrit continued, realising where Isaac was going. "And there's only one plot of land up here where a Devil fruit could reincarnate to…"
"Yes," Isaac nodded eagerly. "Whatever Devil fruit dies in the sky, stays in the sky."
Marcus looked confused. Isaac turned to him and spelled it out simply. "All the fruits will reappear in this 'Upper Yard', where we can pick them up at our leisure," Isaac explained slowly. "That means that all you've got to is kill everyone we encounter. "
Marcus was silent for a few seconds, but he started to laugh loudly with genuine pleasure.
"Thank you God!" Marcus howled into the sky. "Oh, this is going to fun! This place really is Heaven!"
Author Notes:
Special thanks to FlightWulf and Amoknystrom for Beta-ing this!
Sky Island has officially begun, and there's lots of people competing in the Survival Game. It's all going to collide.
Also, at this point the pirates are have been delayed by about two weeks from the canon timeline. A lot might have changed in those two weeks.
Note about Pagaya and the Resistance: I recently re-read the Skypiea arc, and came to the conclusion that Pagaya, Gan Fall and McKinley were working secretly together. The evidence:
-Why was Pagaya so welcoming to the strange pirates washed up on the beach? Likewise, he didn't seem particularly surprised when the White Berets appeared. Maybe because he was discreetly trying to recruit new allies against Enel.
-Why was Gan Fall just hanging around so closely to rescue Conis from Enel's judgement? Also, Gan Fall's house was a secret hidden from Enel mantra, so why was Gan Fall so willing to take Conis (a betrayer) to his secret location? As well as this, Pagaya just seemed to show up at Gan Fall's hideout, indicating that he already knew where it was.
-When things went badly, Pagaya charged into Upper Yard with Conis and Aisa without any particular nervousness or fear. Also, he carried a bazooka. I mean, seriously, what sort of humble dial mechanic just has a bazooka lying around?
-McKinley completely betrayed Enel, the guy he'd served for six years, on the word of Conis alone, without evidence or hesitation. Why did he trust her so much? Maybe it was because he was already in a conspiracy with her father.
-Finally, Pagaya got hit by a direct hit from Enel, the kind that could destroy anything, and then fell 3000 metres. Afterwards, he apparently just brushed himself off and climbed up again, without injury. He even joked it off when he arrived. At no point did anybody think, 'Wow, this guy might just be a secret badass'.
So, in conclusion, there was an alliance going on the background (even though it ultimately didn't come to anything), and Pagaya is one of the most underrated characters in One Piece. I like this theory because it helps flesh out an otherwise uninteresting character, and explains a few of the unlikely events in the Skypiea Arc.
Next time: God's game really begins...