Chapter 11
Rescue Nojiko
Back on the Thousand Sunny, the remaining Straw Hats had made full preparations to take on the infamous Marine fleet number seven. Robin had been right to think that the blizzard was to their advantage since they weren't the ones plowing through the ice and snow.
Franky was only too happy to pull out all the stops on his defense system for his beloved ship. It had been a while since he had had the opportunity to use it all, and he was determined to make it a good show.
Sanji dutifully kept an eye on the Marines, careful to make sure they would be completely prepared before they came into firing range.
That was usually Usopp's job, but his fear of fleet number seven made him utterly refuse to go back up to the crow's nest. Instead, Usopp used the extra time they had to pack up all his ammunition and even make a few more. At least this way he would be inside the cabin and unable to see the ominous shadowy front that was creeping ever closer to their ship.
Zoro, on the other hand, had decided to take a quick nap before the fight began, complaining that they were taking too long to get to them. Even in the wicked blizzard that was pummeling the ship, Zoro's remarkable ability to sleep literally anywhere once again made an appearance.
"How's it looking?" Franky asked the blonde cook who was smoking a cigarette.
Sanji blew a puff of smoke in the frosty air. "For being an infamous fleet, they sure are taking their merry time," he said.
"I'll say," Franky said and stretched his arms above his head. He then proceeded to crack his neck and then stretched out his legs from side to side. "I've already got my baby all souped up and ready to go, and they're still that far away, huh?"
"For once I'll agree that Zoro was right to take a nap," Sanji said with a yawn. "I had to get up earlier than anyone else to cook breakfast."
"That's nothing," Franky laughed. "I stayed up all night keeping watch."
"Well, you did stay on the ship yesterday," Sanji said.
"Yeah, but even if I didn't do too much, staying up for that long is still tiring."
The two men heard a small creak and they turned to see Usopp's long nose poking out from behind the cabin door. "Are they here yet?" Usopp whispered.
"What're you whispering for?" Franky said in a normal voice. "They're not even close."
"Ah, that's good!" Usopp said swinging the door completely open. "I just wanted to make sure that they didn't see our secret weapon!"
"And what might that be?" Sanji asked wryly already guessing what Usopp's answer would be.
"Me, of course! AHAHAHA!" Usopp laughed putting his hands on his hips. "They won't even know what hit them when I get through with them!"
"Uh-huh," Franky said and turned back to face the oncoming Marines.
"Looks like they'll be within firing range soon," Sanji said and put his cigarette out in the ashtray he had next to him. "Go wake up Zoro," he said to Usopp.
"Wh-what?! ME?!" Usopp stuttered.
"Yeah, got a problem?"
"I NEVER wake up Zoro," Usopp said stoutly. "You know what he's like when someone wakes him up!"
Sanji rolled his eyes. It was true that the swordsman did have a temper upon being woken from naps, but the only people his temper would've stopped from waking him up in this situation were the more cowardly of the crew like Usopp or maybe Chopper. "You never change," Sanji said coolly and walked over to the sleeping Zoro.
Just when Sanji was about to perform a well-aimed kick to Zoro's head, the group heard the sound of a cannon blast echo through the air.
"What? I thought they were supposed to be the infamous fleet number seven," Franky said crossing his arms. "They're not even in range yet and they're already firing."
"Don't underestimate them!" Usopp's muffled voice came from the cabin.
Franky raised an eyebrow and then walked over to the railing to see where the cannon ball had landed. To his surprise the shot was not a cannon ball but instead some sort of fire-powered rocket that was slicing through the ice straight towards the ship. "Well, that's unusual," Franky chuckled. He took out his control panel and pressed a button.
A hatch opened on the side of the ship and a cannon ball was fired directly at the oncoming rocket. The two projectiles collided resulting in a fierce explosion.
"OW! They'll have to do better than that!" Franky laughed. "Oi, Sanji!"
"Yeah?"
"Don't bother waking Zoro up. These guys are a joke!"
Sanji shrugged his shoulders and went back over to where the cyborg was standing. "I guess this won't be that entertaining after all."
Just as the words left his mouth, they heard the sound of hundreds of cannons firing all at once.
"Huh?" Franky said and squinted his eyes to see further.
"Or maybe we can have some fun," Sanji smiled.
Franky frowned and began pushing more buttons on his control pad. "That's just for show," he said. "Take this!"
The Thousand Sunny shot off an alarming number of homing missiles set on course to collide with incoming projectiles. Hundreds of explosions lit the snowy sky causing the ice below to crack and dissipate.
"Oh, I see what they're up to," Franky said. "I guess they thought their progress was too slow too, so they're using their artillery in hopes that we'll counter to break the ice more quickly."
"Good, I was beginning to think I'd die of boredom," Sanji said.
When the snow and debris had settled, they saw that the Marine fleet was in shockingly close firing range.
"What the?" Franky yelled. "How'd they get that close so fast?" He began pushing more buttons on the control pad.
"It doesn't matter," Sanji said with a gleeful smile. "Now I can get some action." He leapt off the side of the ship and started making his way over to the Marines by jumping from iceberg to iceberg.
"That guy's crazy," Franky muttered to himself. "Oi! Usopp!"
No response.
Franky then pushed another button on the control pad, and after a moment the door of the cabin flew open, and a very scared Usopp came running out. "Ow, ow, ow! I'm out, ok? Just call it off!"
Franky laughed and then pushed the button to call off his little mechanical helper that he had stored in the main cabin. Usually the helper was used for ship work but its fire torch could also be used for other things as well. "Go wake up Zoro," he said turning his attention back to the exploding battle scene in front of him.
"N-n-now?"
"Now, you idiot!" Franky roared. "Can't you see I'm busy?"
"Ok, ok!" Usopp said and walked over to the snoring green-haired man. He took in a gulp and then shook his shoulder. "Oi, Zoro," he said sheepishly. "Uh, the Marines are here."
A smoldering piece of debris crashed onto the deck making Usopp jump out of his skin in panic. "Zoro, wake up you lazy ass!" he screamed into Zoro's ear.
That definitely woke the swordsman up. "Why you little!" he roared attempting to strangle Usopp.
"The the the the deck!" Usopp managed to gasp out despite the obstruction around his trachea that was Zoro's hands.
Only then did Zoro notice that the deck was on fire. He dropped the blue-faced Usopp and took out his three swords. "DRAGON TWISTER!" he shouted as he spun his blades around at an incredible speed. The resulting tornado was enough to put out the flames. After that was done he looked around. "Oi, Usopp, where's Sanji?"
Usopp coughed a few times and took in some deep breaths on account of his near-death experience via Zoro's chokehold. "He…went out there already," Usopp said pointing towards the Marine fleet.
"That bastard," Zoro said running towards the railing. He jumped over the side and landed on the ice below. "He had better have saved some for me!" And then he was off running like a madman through the battlefield of floating icebergs.
"Those guys are both crazy," Usopp said to himself.
The battle raged on without either side giving way to the other. Franky's defense system was nothing to laugh at, but the sheer firepower on the Marine ships wasn't either. Usopp had even gathered his courage to fire off some of his Firebird Stars aiding Franky's endeavors to protect the ship from the seemingly endless barrage of projectiles.
Back in the peaceful village of Taiyou, Luffy, Nami, and Robin had made it into the town square. Looming before them was the tower that Mitsuko had told them about. Compared to the other small surrounding buildings, it seemed a little out of place.
"This must be it," Nami said shielding her eyes from the sun as she looked up at the gigantic structure.
"Wow, it's so tall," Luffy said.
"It is quite conspicuous," Robin commented. "Well, shall we?"
The other two nodded and they approached the door.
"I guess we knock," Nami said raising her hand to do so, but before her fist made contact with the door, it swung itself open. "Uh, hello?" Nami called tentatively.
No response.
"Should we go in?" Nami asked Robin.
"Well, even if no one's here at the door, I'm guessing that the gesture would suggest that we enter."
Luffy was way ahead of the girls as he ooed and awed at the elaborate decorations inside the tower. "Wow, this place is awesome!" Luffy gawked.
Nami rolled her eyes and entered followed by Robin.
"HELLO?" Luffy yelled. "ANYONE HOME?"
"Welcome," a deep voice echoed through the hall. "I've been expecting you."
The three looked up at the balcony overhanging the main room and saw a tall, handsome man with shocking white hair and blazing red eyes.
"Nagi," Nami said clenching her fists. She began to move towards the steps so that she could give the man a piece of her mind.
Robin held out a hand to stop her. "You are Nagi, I presume," she said. "Or should we address you as Izanagi?"
The man smiled at her comment. "Nagi is just fine," he said.
Nami couldn't hold it in any longer. "What did you do with my sister, you bastard?!" she screamed.
Nagi seemed unphased. "Quite the temper you have, Nami," he said with a chuckle. "Nojiko."
The three pirates watched as Nami's older sister walked up to the balcony railing next to Nagi. She seemed to be anxious but unharmed.
"N-Nojiko!" Nami gasped.
"Nami," Nojiko said hesitantly.
"It's all right," Nagi said nodding to the trembling woman next to him.
Nojiko looked up at Nagi and then quickly started running down the stairs.
Nami followed suit and began running toward her sister. The two embraced.
"Nami! I can't believe you're here!" Nojiko cried.
"Nojiko, are you hurt? What did that bastard do to you?" Nami said looking her over to make sure she had no injuries.
"No, I'm all right," Nojiko said. "He didn't hurt me at all."
Nami couldn't believe it. She stood up to face Nagi who hadn't moved from his spot on the balcony. "What are you playing at?"
"I'm not playing at all," Nagi said. "I just wanted to speak with you."
Nami frowned. "If you just wanted to talk then why did you involve Nojiko?"
"It's a strange predicament that I'm in," Nagi said and he began to slowly walk down the steps toward the main floor.
Nami quickly pulled Nojiko up and dragged her away from the stairs. "S-stop right there!" Nami said with a hint of fear in her voice.
Suddenly Luffy appeared in front of the sisters. "Hey, I don't know who you think you are, but no one is allowed to hurt Nami or her family," he growled menacingly.
Nagi paused his descent to study the young man in front of him. "And who might you be?" he asked coldly.
"Monkey D. Luffy, King of the Pirates."
"King of the Pirates?" Nagi repeated in a slightly mocking tone. "Oh, so you've found the One Piece, have you?"
"I have," Luffy said simply.
"And yet you do not know the true meaning behind the power it possesses," Nagi stated with a frown.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You may be the Pirate King, but by name only."
Luffy grated his teeth together and clenched his fist. "You'd better stop underestimating me!"
Nagi smiled at how riled up Luffy was. "I've heard of you, Monkey D. Luffy," he said with a laugh. "You're quite famous, even here so far north. In fact, I need to thank you for becoming so famous. You see, I have been searching a very long time for Nami and I wouldn't have found her if it hadn't been for your extensive reputation."
Luffy's frown deepened. He was beginning to feel that it was his fault that Nami was in the situation she was in now. He clenched his fists more tightly and held them up in a fighting stance.
Nagi laughed. "You're not really turning to violence are you?" he said. "I'm not here to harm anyone. All I wanted was to speak with Nami."
"I don't care!" Luffy said, his temper flaring. "You'll have to get through me first."
"I'd be careful, if I were you, Pirate King," Nagi said scornfully. "Your devil fruit powers won't work here."
"I won't need them to beat the likes of you," Luffy said hotly.
Nagi sighed. "I really dislike fighting," he said.
"Well too bad!" Luffy yelled and began running toward Nagi. He grabbed Nagi by the shirt and pulled his fist back.
"Luffy, stop!" Nami screamed before he could land the punch.
Luffy paused and looked over at Nami incredulously. "Nami, this man destroyed your home and took your sister!"
"If he's really the one who destroyed my home then we don't stand a chance against him without your devil fruit powers!" Nami shouted. "I don't want to see anyone get hurt!"
The usually overconfident Luffy twitched. He'd never had a real fight without his Gum Gum powers.
"Luffy, let him go!" Nami ordered.
Luffy scowled at Nagi but did as he was told.
Nami took a few steps toward the tall, white-haired man. "What do you want from me?" she asked bravely.
Nagi looked Nami straight in the eyes completely ignoring the fuming Luffy in front of him. "You might not believe me when I say this, but you and I have a long history together."
Nami narrowed her eyes at him. "What do you mean?" she asked.
"As I'm sure you've guessed, I am Izanagi, god of the sun," he continued. "And you, although you may not know it, are Izanami, my most precious and beautiful goddess of the sea."
Nami scoffed. "Yeah right," she said. "Sorry to break it to you, but you must be looking for a different Izanami."
Nagi only smiled in return. "I don't blame you for having your doubts," he said calmly. "But now that I have seen you, I know it to be true. Let me ask you something. Where do you think your unrivalled talent of understanding the sea and the wind come from? How is it that you can draw maps more accurately than any living being alive? And no, it's not because you're a prodigy. Your talents far exceed that of any human capability."
Nami didn't know what to say in response.
"Hm," Nagi said. "You have no parents, no real family. You don't even know where you came from."
"Shut up!" Nami shouted.
"If you really examined yourself closely, you would realize that things don't add up," Nagi continued. "I don't even need to say what you already know to be true. If you want the proof, then I suggest you go back to the place where you were born."
"Nami," Nojiko said and put a hand on her sister's shaking frame.
"JUST SHUT UP!" Luffy yelled grabbing Nagi by his shirt again. "Stop talking like you know her! You don't know anything about her!" He pulled back his fist and this time sent it flying straight into Nagi's face. Even without his devil fruit powers, Luffy still possessed incredible strength as well as the use of his powerful Haki.
However, as a small trail of blood trickled down from Nagi's mouth, there was no sign of pain or intimidation in his expression. He seemed completely unaffected by Luffy's physical attack or his Haki.
"Luffy, stop!" This time it was Nojiko who yelled and not Nami. "This man did nothing to hurt me and he promised that once he spoke with Nami he would let us go! Don't go making the situation worse than it already is!"
Luffy's clenched fist trembled with anger.
"Luffy!" Nojiko pleaded with him again.
"Luffy," Robin said firmly. "Nojiko's right. We need not resort to violence." She then turned her attention to Nagi. "So are you going to keep your promise to Nojiko?" she asked him.
Nagi swatted away Luffy's grip on his shirt and nodded. "I never lie."
Robin narrowed her eyes at him but then quickly walked over to Luffy and dragged him back towards the door. "Let's go," she said to the sisters.
Nojiko nodded and helped Nami exit the tower. When she closed the door behind her, she caught one last glimpse of the man called Nagi who stood tall and still, his blazing red eyes following every one of her sister's movements like a snake.
