I have reached 118 reviews. You have made me the happiest girl on Fanfiction.

To thank you, I have written a 100 Review Special. I will do one of these each time I breach a multiple of 100.

NOTE: I just realized I left in a slight plot hole last chap. If future Nami is supposed to be captured, and Erity thinks past Nami is future Nami, why didn't she say anything? The plot hole has been fixed now, though.

Enjoy!


100 Review Special: Omakes Galore! 5 Brand New Stories Relating to Tomorrow's Romance Dawn!


1: The 1st of 12 (Or 13, Depending On Who You Ask)


Time: Not Long After the Prologue
Location: Jungles of Kāla

"Did you see the look on Vaughan's face back there?" Runo snickered, jumping over a smaller giant tree root. "Bet you he wasn't expecting to land brat-watching duty."

"He volunteered afterwards," Erity pointed out.

"Whatever. That look was still epic."

The mohawked woman crossed her arms. "I still think you rigged that coin toss. You know cheating is frowned upon is most circles, right?"

"Stop complaining. Nobody wants to hear it," Yari sighed, using her closed parasol as a walking stick. "Besides, he did not cheat. He simply used a process of succeeding through alternative methods.'"

"Yeah. It's called cheating."

(Gamma Unit had the common sense to remain in the back of the hunting troop. It was better to leave the higher-ups to their bickering than get involved. Besides, they were planning to mutiny later anyway.)

Runo stuck his tongue out at her. "You're a hypocrite. You're just as happy that you didn't get saddled with babysitting as the rest of us."

Erity rolled her eyes and chose to walk ahead of the 'Creepy Duo', as she and Vaughan had dubbed them. She already had a headache from trying to figure how it had been day when they arrived, then night only an hour later, then day again. She didn't need another one from listening to those two freaks. (Not to mention that continuing to engage in conversation with them would inevitably lead to her admitting to Runo he was right. Erity detested children.) She wasn't paid enough for this kind of pain.

It was in that moment Erity gained a strange feeling. It sent a crawl up her spine, and she didn't like it. She stopped walking to wait for it to pass, but it seemed like it wasn't doing that anytime soon.

"Hey guys?" she spoke up.

"What?" the Creepy Duo replied.

"Do you get the feeling we're being watched?"

"You're just being paranoid," Runo scoffed, waving the concern off.

Yari put her parasol in front of her brother, stopping him from walking forward. "Hold that thought. I do feel something. Runo, help me listen."

Runo nodded, not arguing for once, and joined Yari. They both closed their eyes, and Erity could tell they were stretching out their Kenbunshoku Haki. The mohawked woman didn't really understand all the 'willpower' stuff involved, but she'd been around the proverbial block enough times to know Haki was an extremely useful skill set.

Erity scowled. She was way more responsible and willful than Yari and Runo, so why couldn't she awaken her own stupid Haki? She was the only 'higher-up' amongst the bounty hunters who couldn't use it. She had other talents to make up for it, but still. It was totally unfair!

Erity crossed her arms. "Well? Anything?"

The twins eyes suddenly snapped open.

"Move-!" Yari began.

Two seconds too late.

POP!

Erity used soru to move out of the way in time, but as fast she could tell, Yari, Runo, and several members of Gamma Unit weren't so lucky. After the popping sound there was a puff of pink smoke, and from the smoke came writhing green vines. However, it was what the vines were attached to that were the real threat.

"WHERE THE HELL DID THESE COME FROM?!" Erity hollered.

Runo, Yari, and multiple members of Gamma Unit were now trapped with the maws of what appeared to be... giant venus fly traps. The attack had been so sudden, Yari had dropped her parasol (which had her sword hidden within it) and Runo was trapped in a position where he couldn't weasel his way out. Which was saying something, because Runo was exceptionally good at weaseling.

Yari beat against the plant with her fist. "Let go, you horticultural brute! Runo, help me!"

Runo was beating his plant with his fists, also having little success in freeing himself. Which was saying something, because both members of the Creepy Duo were inhumanly strong. "I have my own complications to deal with right now! ERITY, GIVE US A HAND!"

"Right!"

Erity had debated telling Runo to try finding "success through alternative methods" again, but now was not a time to be petty. She lept forward and kicked out her leg.

"Rankyaku!"

The kick's air vacuum held the desired effect. It tore through the plants, and while they were not destroyed completely, it did make them drop their acquired 'morsels.' The former captives made a break for it, running as far away as possible. Erity followed them at a slightly slower pace.

Once they were a reasonable distance away, Yari and Runo dropped to the ground, panting and trying to catch their breaths.

"Where... in the name of sanity... did those come from?" Yari gasped.

"I bet you it's the island messing with us. Kāla is supposed to be an unnatural place," Runo theorized, jumping to his feet. He then helped Yari stand.

"I don't think so," Erity said, crossing her arms. "There was a puff of smoke. I think something that was shot at you became those plants. Until we figure it out though, be on your guards."

"Who died and made you queen of the expedition?" Runo said bitterly.

"Seeing as I'm the only one who didn't get almost eaten..." Erity trailed off.

"Nobody likes a-for lack of a better term- wise ass, Erity," Yari said stiffly.

"And speaking of the whole almost getting eaten thing, about that..." Erity broke into a grin. "YUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! YOU SHOULD'VE SEEN YOUR FACES! YUHAHAHAHAHA!"

The laughing fit lasted a good ten minutes. Erity had had to put up with these two ever since they joined Carrion's crew one year ago, and the whole time they had acted so smug and superior. To see them reduced to such humiliating state was worth a few baleful glares from the Creepy Duo and whatever vengeance they planned for her later. Once she had calmed down, she ordered Gamma Unit to finish the plants off with the flamethrowers and made the eerie pair swear they would keep their senses alert so that nothing like this would happen again.

Only it did happen again. The second time it happened, they caught sight of the Straw Hats' sniper, and thus begun what became an endless headache for Erity.

Seriously, she wasn't paid enough for this.


2: Merry


Time: Night in the Afternoon
Location: Aboard the Going Merry

Roronoa peered over the edge of the crow's nest, and much to his expectations, his younger self had finally returned below deck.

About time. Where did that brat get off assuming things like that. He had no idea what Roronoa had to go through these last two years. He didn't know what his whole crew had to go through these last two years.

And Roronoa was going to keep it that way.

It was going to be difficult, of course. He had the rest of his crew to worry about. Arghh, why did Luffy have to make it a captain's order that he allow them to help. He didn't want to even think about what would happen if they got hurt. Luffy naturally never thought this kind of thing through, and Zoro had just been itching for a fight.

"You know, I don't remember ever being that naive," Roronoa sighed aloud. "Then again, it was probably that same mindset that led to what happened on..."

On Sabaody.

No, now was not the time to think about that. He needed to think about something else... or maybe just get some sleep. Who knew how long the night was going to last?

Roronoa leaned back, there was not much room to do so. Geez, he'd forgotten how small the crow's nest was on the Going Merry. He had grown accustomed to the observatory, but still, sitting here made him feel nostalgic.

Merry...

Frowning, Roronoa quickly scaled down the rigging and planted his feet on the deck. The hard wooden planks felt strange under his boots, for he still expected to feel soft grass. It was all so different from what he had grown used to.

"It's really been a long time, huh?' he whispered.

Roronoa slowly made his away across the deck, coming to a stop when he reached the back of the Merry's figurehead.

"Hey... Merry," he greeted. "It's been awhile, for me at least. You seem to be doing well."

No response.

"Yeah, I guess it looks weird, talking to a ship. But you talked when we jumped off the the Bridge of Hesitation, and again when we... parted ways. So I figured maybe..."

The lamb's head was silent.

Roronoa ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry, this was stupid. Franky said you have something called a Klaubautermann, and it won't show unless a ship is on her last legs. You're still in relatively good condition, despite that run in with Laboon. That happened recently, right?"

A warm wind blew.

"So you won't be saying anything, at least not for awhile." Roronoa sighed. "You're a good ship, Merry. Carry them for as long as you can, and after that... well, just know we'll be taken care of."

Having said his piece, Roronoa sat down and leaned back against the base of Merry's figurehead. He closed his eye, and it wasn't long before he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

In his sudden entrance into the world of sleep, he didn't notice a little figure standing in front of him, having materialized out of nowhere. It had the appearance of a small child, one wearing a white raincoat and holding a wooden hammer.

"Don't worry, Zoro," the little thing said with a smile, placing one tiny hand on the swordsman's cheek. "I intended to do that anyway."


3: Job Interview


Time: The Year 1522 AOP, a couple months after the ringing of the Ox Bell
Location: Rusty Mug Tavern, Grove 3, Sabaody Archipelago

"You hear the newsh?" one drunkard sitting at the bar slurred. "The Navy'sh moving their HQ from Marineford to G1!"

"No kidding?" his slightly less drunk friend asked. "I'm not surprised. I heard Marineford got trashed pretty good during the War."

"Earthquakesh, piratesh, and Admiralsh, oh my!"

"What the hell, I'm not complaining. While the Marines are away, guys like us get to play!"

"Hear, hear!" another tavern-goer agreed. Several more cheers followed.

Carrion rolled his eyes and took a sip of his rum. So, this was what he had been reduced to. Consorting with the furthest reaches of the justice system his world tried to keep. Bounty hunters were a despicable lot, but necessary in keeping the world order. He didn't have to be a genius to know they would profit from this "New Pirate Era" that infernal Newgate had begun.

The old fool just had to get one more kick in before he died, didn't he? Declaring that the One Piece was real was like handing a loaded gun to every lowlife and criminal sailing the five seas. That was a lot of loaded guns. When facing such a threat, measures needed to be taken. He'd known what measure was needed, but...

"Don't be preposterous, Carrion," Sengoku sighed tiredly.

"I'm telling you, it's real!" Carrion argued. He held out the book. "If we can claim the Star of Kāla, we can end this ridiculous new era before it even starts!"

"It's already started, Carrion. Reports of heightened pirate activity have been flooding in from all five seas. We need to deal with that, not fund some fool's errand in tracking down a children's story."

"But-"

"In any case, it's not my call to make. You'll have to take it up with my successor."

"Successor-?"

"Yes," Sengoku responded. "I'm resigning from the Marines. I'm hoping Admiral Aokiji will be take my place."

"Oh, good," Carrion said. "I always respected Aokiji, even though I do think he is a lazy, perverted ice monger."

"...You just contradicted yourself again. Carrion, I know you've been searching for this island on the side for years, but you need to-"

"Fine then!" Carrion interrupted. "If you don't believe in my mission, then I will simply gather followers in the marines! If I can gather enough men willing to search for the treasure, you and your successor will have to agree!"

To make a long story short, no one he asked within the Navy went for it, Aokiji and Akainu were still duking it out on Punk Hazard, and several... morally questionable occurrences that followed led him to where he was today. Luckily, Carrion was always a man to have a plan for every contingency, and this time was no different.

Carrion got off his stool and walked to the front of the tavern. "Excuse me, gentlemen!"

Every bounty hunter in the room stopped chattering, turning to stare at the man who had the gall to interrupt their merry-making.

"If you would lend me your ears for a moment, I have a very lucrative offer I think many of you will be interested in hearing."

Now he had their attention.

"Now, I will attempt to avoid sounding like some lunatic," Carrion continued. "but I am searching for the lost treasure of the island of Kāla."

"You just did the exact opposite of what you said you were going to do!" several of the men scolded Carrion.

One cloaked man sitting in the corner of the tavern, however, looked at Carrion with interest.

"I have a ship and the means to locate such a 'legend,' but I need manpower. While searching for the island, we will hunt the bounties of pirates to fund not only our venture, but to line your own pockets as well. I have savings to pay any who join me quite handsomely." He smiled. "Any takers?"

The tavern occupants stared at the former marine for a long moment, before they all burst into hysterical laughter.

"What an idiot!" one chortled.

"Kāla? HA! Who believes that old fairy tale?!" another guffawed.

"Such a childish moron!"

"No one would join that fool's escapade! I don't care what he's paying!"

"We're bounty hunters, not treasure hunters!"

They kept laughing, and an angry blush spread across Carrion's face. Without another word, he stormed out the tavern, the laughs of the bounty hunters echoing after him.

They're the fools, not me! he thought bitterly as he sped-walked through the grove. When I find the treasure, no one will ever laugh at me ever again! I swear, when I find it I'll-

"You know, you move fast for an older guy. I could barely keep up."

Carrion halted and turned his head to the side. Standing in an alley was a tall man in a dark cloak, the same one from the tavern. How he got ahead of the ex-marine, was anyone's guess.

"They really had no right to laugh," the cloaked man went on. "If the One Piece can exist, who says Kāla can't as well? It's a big ocean, after all."

"What are you getting at, stranger?" Carrion asked warily.

"A new era has begun, Rear Admiral Carrion. I was a simple bounty hunter in the old one; I'm willing to try something a bit different for the new one."

The stranger removed his hood. He was a young man with cropped black hair with a lightning bolt shape shaved into the left side. He was extremely pale, and had a curved scar on his right cheek that stretched from his jaw to just under his eye. His eyes were a deep crimson tinted with brown, the color of partially-dried blood.

"Allow me to introduce myself," the man said. "My name is Enoch Vaughan."

"Enoch Vaughan?" Carrion echoed. "Yes, I've heard of you. You're that bounty hunter everyone has been calling 'Blood King.' I knew you mostly operated on Sabaody Archipelago, but I didn't think I'd ever run into you. Mind explaining how you know who I am?"

"Let's just say for now that I'm well versed in who's-who within the marines..." Vaughan replied vaguely. "... or those that used to be within the marines. However, I digress. What I'm getting at is that I want to join you in your treasure hunt."

"To what end?"

"Do I need to have an end? Maybe I'm just bored with the typical bounty hunter lifestyle."

"Or maybe you hope to find something on Kāla just as much as I do."

"That's my business if I do," Vaughan said, waving the observation off. "For the time being, you should just be happy someone of my rep even wants to come along on your little pleasure cruise. Once we start raking in some extra income from bounty-hunting, we can hire grunts and thugs to join in, and maybe a couple more prestigious members. You can't pass a deal like this up."

Carrion gave the young man a hard glare for a few seconds, before laughing. "Duruhuhuhuhu! Alright Enoch, you have a deal. Welcome aboard!"

Vaughan smiled. "Glad to hear it. By the way, I charge by the day."

"Figures. We'll work something out."

"And I take Tuesdays off. That's my me-time."

"Fine."

"And I also-"

"WOULD YOU JUST COME WITH ME ALREADY?!

"Alright, alright, I'm coming. You don't need to have a coronary."

Carrion sighed. He had a feeling he was in for the long haul. He could only hope it would be worth it in the end.


4: A Short Discussion in the Forbidden Garden (i.e, the Girl's Room)


Time: Night in the Afternoon
Location: Aboard the Going Merry

"Arghhh, I'm exhausted!" Nami groaned, flopping on to her bed. "It's been such a long day already, and it's technically not even over yet!"

"I don't blame you, Nami," Vivi yawned, sitting down in the desk chair. Carue curled up at her feet. "If anything the future Mr. Bushido has told us is true, it's only going to get longer from here."

"I still can't believe we have to deal with all of this on top of everything else we're going through," Nami sighed. She sat up. "Speaking of which, are you really okay with this, Vivi?"

"Okay with what?"

"Us helping Roronoa find his crew."

"Of course I am. Why do you ask?"

Nami crossed her arms. "The situation in Alabasta isn't getting any better, Vivi. We're still days away from arriving there, and this side trip hasn't helped matters either. I can't guarantee we'll make it in time to stop the rebellion. So I repeat; are you okay with this?"

Vivi bit her lip. Nami was right of course; Alabasta was still waiting for her. Who knew how long finding the rest of Roronoa's crew would take? For all they knew, it could be days before they managed to track down every single one. Not to mention there were bounty hunters out there who could only further delay their progress.

Still... Roronoa needed them, despite his protests.

He'd sounded so worried before, calling the crew overconfident rookies. If he wanted them safe so badly, wouldn't it be better if they stuck with him?

"You guys are all risking your journey and going out of your way to help me get home," Vivi said at last.

"Actually, Alabasta is on our way-" Nami began.

"That's not the point. You all, Zoro included, don't really have any reason to help me. Zoro is Zoro, past or future. If Roronoa needs to find his nakama, then I'm going to help him. After all, his nakama are future versions of all of you."

"You sure?"

"I'm positive. Alabasta isn't going anywhere."

Nami sighed. "I guess it's hard to argue with that kind of resolve. Okay, I just needed to be sure."

Vivi smiled. "I appreciate your concern, though. Thank you, Nami."

"Eh, what are friends for? Now, get some sleep. I have a feeling we're going to need it."

Nami got under her covers and shut off the light, but Vivi remained in her chair, replaying Nami's words over and over in her mind.

What were friends for? Well, typical friends didn't usually promise to beat up warlords and stop rebellions.

Then again, the Straw Hats were not so typical in any aspect.


5: Arrival at The Mystery Island: Future Redux


Time: The Year 1524 AOP
Location: Somewhere in the New World, between Dock Island and Punk Hazard

"Nami, don't you dare try to leave yet!" Chopper scolded, holding up a stethoscope threateningly. And given he was in Heavy Point, it really did look threatening. "I'm not finished examining you yet!"

"Chopper, I said I'm fine," Nami insisted, getting up from the examination table. "You worry too much."

"No, I worry the perfect amount!" Chopper argued. "I don't know what kind of side effects Ain's powers had on us! We grew younger, then older! The fact the latter happened without any nutrition or vitamins to stimulate the growth could mean-"

"Chopper, that was days ago. If you, me, Robin, and Brook haven't keeled over by now I doubt anything bad is going to happen." Nami gave the doctor a smile. "After all, we have the best doctor on the Grand Line with us, don't we?"

Chopper blushed, shrinking back down into Brain Point and wiggling joyfully. "Shut up, you jerk! I don't need you complimenting me, so keep your praise to yourself, you damn woman! It doesn't make me happy or anything to hear you say that!"

I might actually believe you if you didn't look so darn happy while saying that, Nami thought with a sweatdrop. She smiled wistfully. And yet, I'm glad to see that much hasn't changed about him.

Pulling her long orange hair into a ponytail, Nami exited the infirmary with a nagging Chopper in tow. The crew had left Dock Island (and all the Neo-Marine craziness that went with it) behind about little less than two days ago. As for where they were going next... well, Nami wasn't quite used to the new log pose yet, but Luffy insisted upon following the needle that was wobbling the most. According to the Minister of the Left, the more the needle wobbled, the more dangerous the island it was pointing to was.

Typical Luffy.

Nami sighed as she stepped on to the deck. At the moment, Usopp was tending to his garden, Robin was in her deck chair reading, Brook was sitting against the foremast while strumming his guitar, Zoro was asleep against the railing, and Luffy was fishing next to Zoro. Sanji was in the galley preparing breakfast, and Franky was down in the Soldier Docks doing who knew what. So basically, it was a normal day for the Straw Hat crew.

Or about as normal as it could get in the New World.

"Guys, can someone please tell Chopper there won't be negative side effects to being de-aged and re-aged?" Nami asked. "It something was going to happen, it would have by now."

"Well, I've certainly been feeling fine," Robin spoke up, placing a bookmark in her book. She turned her head towards the musician. "What about you Brook?"

"I've been suffering no ill side effects either, Robin-san. Although, I have been having a sick feeling in my stomach..." Brook replied. "Oh, but wait, I have no stomach, so I guess I'm alright! Yohohohoho!"

To emphasize his skull joke, he struck a few jolly chords on his fish-guitar.

Robin turned back to Chopper and Nami. "And I'll assume you've been feeling well too, Chopper?"

Chopper frowned. "Yeah, I have. Okay, fine, I'll stop nagging. But I'm keeping a close eye on all of you and myself for the next week just to be sure!"

"If it'll satisfy your concerns, Doctor Chopper."

"Don't think calling me a doctor will make happy, idiot! Because it doesn't!"

Robin gave the little reindeer a smile and returned to her book. Nami just rolled her eyes, but also with a smile. Brook continued to strum, and... Zoro was still asleep.

"Naaaamiiiii!" Luffy called out in a whiny tone. He bounced his fishing pole up and down. "How much longer till we reach land? I'm booooored."

"Considering we just escaped the imminent destruction of the New World a couple days ago, I think a little boring is warranted!" Nami snapped at him.

"Boring is never warranted!" Luffy declared. "What does 'warranted' mean?!"

"It means 'called for', Captain."

"Thanks, Robin!"

"Nonetheless," Nami continued. "If we could have a chance for a little peace, I would accept it as it comes."

"Actually," Usopp spoke up from his garden. "Luffy might be getting his wish."

Nami frowned and ran up the deck stairs to where Usopp kept his garden. The sniper had his spyglass trained towards the waters behind the Sunny.

"What is it?" Nami asked.

Usopp handed her the spyglass. When the navigator peered through it, she saw the form of a large galleon ship with a snarling ape figurehead.

"It's not Navy, so at least we know Kizaru didn't follow us from Piriodo," Usopp reported, albeit with some relief.

Nami didn't blame him. The last time they faced Kizaru... well, no one was too eager to repeat the experience any time soon. Probably not even Luffy.

"Do we know if it's hostile?" Nami asked.

As soon as she said this, the water to the port side of the ship exploded, dousing Luffy and Zoro in seawater. Luffy was sent sputtering across the lawn, spitting out water. Zoro, however, remained blissfully asleep.

"I'm gonna say 'yes,'" Usopp squeaked.

More explosions ensued. The Thousand Sunny was officially being fired upon. Nami ran down the steps, followed by Usopp, and began barking out orders.

"Usopp, run down below and tell Franky his ship's being fired upon! Chopper, go get Sanji out of the galley! Luffy, deflect those cannonballs! Zoro..."

She stomped over to the swordsman and bonked him on the noggin. "WAKE UP!"

Zoro snapped awake. "OW! Dammit, woman! What was- why am I all wet?"

"Stop asking questions and starting chopping cannonballs! Sunny's made of Adam Wood, but we're not taking any chances after what happened with Z's attack!"

Zoro nodded and ran over to the back side-railing, swords drawn and slicing any cannonballs that got too close.

While all this was occurring, Sanji emerged from the galley with Chopper, the former immediately declaring he was at Nami's service and aiding in knocking away cannonballs (his Sky Walk allowed access to the higher-aimed ones). Chopper changed into Heavy Point and, followed by Brook, climbed the rigging to tie up the sails for a Coup de Burst.

Luffy ran to the stern of the Sunny and picked up the dropped spyglass, peering through it towards the attacking ship.

"Hey, they're pirates!" Luffy announced. "They have a jolly roger!"

"Anyone we know?!" Nami hollered from the helm.

Luffy shook his head. "I don't think so!" He grinned. "Our first New World pirate crew fight. This is going to be so much fun! And they have a pretty cool flag! It's a pistol shooting a skull!"

The spyglass was suddenly pulled from the rubberman's grip and when he turned to protest, he saw a row of bloom hands passing it along the railing over to Robin.

"Robin, I was looking through that! What gives?" Luffy shouted.

Robin looked through the spyglass, and frowned. "I recognize that flag, Captain. That's not a pirate ship."

"It's not?"

Robin collapsed the spyglass. "No. That ship belongs to the Carrion Bounty Hunters."

Luffy wrinkled his nose. "Who names their crew after rotting meat?"

Robin raised an eyebrow. "How do you know what a carrion is?"

"I know everything about meat."

"Of course you do." Robin gained a contemplative expression. "I've only heard of this group in passing, but they're supposed to be very good at what they do." Her brow furrowed. "But if this is the Carrion hunters' ship, then that means... oh, he's bold."

"Robin? Who are you talking about?" Luffy inquired. "Something I should know?"

Robin shook her head. "It's nothing, Luffy. For now, you should worry about deciding our next course of action. Fight or flight?"

Luffy nodding, trusting his nakama. He jumped down to the deck, where those who weren't deflecting cannon fire were gathered, awaiting orders.

"Well, Luffy?" Chopper said. What are we going to do?"

"Oi, Luffy-bro!" Franky's voice came over the intercom. "Usopp and I have a Coup de Burst super ready to go!"

"All we need now is your okay!" Usopp's voice added.

The crew looked at their captain expectantly.

Luffy nodded. "Yosh! I have decided! We're staying to fight!"

The assembled pirates fell over.

"WHY?!" Nami yelled.

"Robin says that ship belongs to the Carrion Bounty Hunters. I refuse to let people who let perfectly good meat rot go unpunished!"

"THAT'S NOT A GOOD REASON!"

Zoro glanced over his shoulder at his captain. This was completely reckless. Normally, he was okay with Luffy's eagerness, but this was the New World. The only reason he wasn't protesting Luffy's decision was because it was an order. He could scold Luffy if this recklessness became a greater issue later on.

"If that is your decision, I'm with you all the way, Luffy-san!" Brook heartily agreed.

"Hold it," Sanji broke in, calling down from where he stood on top of the observatory. "Did you say they were called the Carrion Bounty Hunters?!"

Luffy nodded.

"That name... sounds kind of familiar," Chopper said.

"I was about to say the same thing," Nami agreed.

"Ditto!" Sanji added.

Robin joined them on deck. "They are relatively well-known. I heard their leader is a former Navy Rear Admiral."

"That highly ranked?!" Brook gasped.

"Really? Cool!" Luffy said. "Shishishi, I wonder if he knows Coby and Smokey!"

"Just because he's an ex-marine doesn't mean he automatically knows other marines!" Nami shouted.

"They're bringing something else out!" Zoro hollered, interrupting. "I think they keep mortars in the mouth of their figurehead!"


Aboard the Silverback, Ship of the Carrion Bounty Hunters...

"The Straw Hats' ship is within range, Boss Carrion," the red eyed man stated. "Orders?"

"Fire the hooks," Carrion commanded. "Then reel them in."


The ship was close enough that the Straw Hats could see it's figurehead clearly and sure enough, the ends of two large cannons were poking out of the ape's maw. The mortars fired, and cook, swordsman, and captain all prepared to deflect whatever ammunition was coming their way. However, instead of the explosive projectiles mortars are usually known for firing, two large grappling hooks were fired, approaching the Thousand Sunny rapidly.

"They're trying to latch on to us!" Robin shouted. "And I wouldn't be surprised if those hooks were retractable!"

"They're going to reel us in?!" Chopper squealed.

"Like fish on a line. Hopefully, we won't be gutted and eaten afterwards."

"Don't say stuff like that so casually, Robin!"

Luffy was the first to react. He ran past his crewmates and began rapidly climbing up the foremast. About halfway up, he launched himself off the wooden structure, not unlike a rubber ball bouncing off a wall, putting himself directly in the path of the hooks.

"Luffy, what are you-" Zoro began to say when Luffy passed over him.

If Luffy's goal was to intercept the hooks, he achieved it. Sort of, anyway. The actual hooks ended up passing Luffy, but the rubber captain was able to wrap his arms around the giant chains they were attached to. Luffy landed on top of the structure where the bath and library were kept, managing to keep his grip on the chains.

Luffy grit his teeth, his face beaded with sweat. Then with one mighty heave, the chains snapped from the enemy's figurehead, the broken ends flying towards the Sunny and falling uselessly into the water.


Aboard the Silverback...

Carrion stared slack-jawed at the broken chains. Straw Hat broke his grappling hooks. That idiot pirate broke his grappling hooks.

He was not going to get upset over this. He was going to take this maturely, calmly, and-

"THAT FILTHY PIECE OF PIRATE SCUM!"

Vaughan stared calmly at his boss's outburst. He'd been having those frequently as of late. Sometimes the red-eyed man wondered whatever happened to the calculating, cool character he'd joined up with two years ago. All the stress of failure was clearly getting to him.

The fact that was the third time that month those hooks broke probably didn't help either.

Vaughan sighed and rolled his eyes. "I'll get the replacement hooks. Again."


Luffy let out a deep breath he hadn't been aware he'd been holding, and tossed the remains of the hooks overboard. "No way I'm letting some rotten meat crew get it's hooks into my ship. Sunny doesn't deserve that."

With that, he jumped from the bathroom/library structure and rejoined the crewmates assembled on deck.

"What an impressive feat of strength, Luffy-san!" Brook praised his captain. "My muscles would have torn if I tried the same thing. Oh, but I have no muscles! Yohohoho!"

"Now's not the time, Brook!" Nami snapped. "Luffy's bought us some time, but the hunters are still firing cannonballs, and they're still getting closer! We need to-"

"Uh, hey, Nami?" Zoro spoke up, cutting another cannonball in half.

"For the love of- WHAT?!"

"You said we're not supposed to be reaching land for several more days, right?"

"Yeah, that's right," the navigator replied. "Why do you ask?"

Zoro pointed to the right. "Then what's that big island-shaped blotch in the distance off the port side?"

Nami's eyes widened, and she immediately ran for the port side of the Sunny, grabbing the spyglass Robin held out as she ran past her. Once there, she peered through the little telescope and sure enough, there was an island-shaped blotch in the distance. With it, of course, she could see that it was more than just a blotch, but an actual island, covered in fog.

"That... that island wasn't there before," Nami stammered. She glanced down at her log pose. "None of the log pose needles are pointing to it. How...?"

All of a sudden, the ship took a deep lurch. Most of the assembled pirates lost their balance and fell over. Sanji was forced to jump down to the deck, where he and Heavy Point Chopper both ran for the rapidly spinning helm.

"What just happened?!" Luffy shouted.

"I think the ship's turned," Robin theorized, standing up and allowing several flower arms help the others off the lawn.

"It has," Zoro said, joining them. "We're heading directly toward that island now. Cannon-fire's stopped, by the way, and the bounty hunter ship is gone. Don't ask me where it went."

Brook looked over the side, and pointed to the large waves formed by the Sunny. "We've also picked up speed!"

"Crap, we've gotten caught in a current! Sanji! Chopper!" Nami barked out. "Turn us 90 degrees, now!

"We're trying, Nami!" Sanji grunted. "The helm won't budge! We're stuck!"

Nami paled.

That was when Franky came up on the deck through the trapdoor that led to the Docks.

"Anybody else feel Sunny lurch just now?" the cyborg asked, helping Usopp up through the trap door.

"After the hooks and the cannonballs, the ship tilting was what finally got your attention?" Zoro asked incredulously.

Nami shushed him and quickly brought Franky and Usopp up to speed.

"So we're heading towards a foggy island that appeared out of nowhere?" Usopp summarized. He formed an 'x' with his arms. "Nuh-uh, no way! I'm not going!"

"I don't think you have much of a choice, Longnose," Sanji grunted, giving up the helm. Chopper kept at it, though. "You don't have to be a scaredy-cat about it."

"Besides, it might be fun!" Luffy added cheerfully.

"I'm just being realistic!" Usopp said. "Remember the last time we went to a foggy island that appeared out of nowhere?"

To emphasize his point, the sniper gestured to Brook and Zoro.

"Why am I a negative example?" Brook asked.

Usopp wisely did not answer, nor did anyone make a move to elaborate.

"It's a mystery island!" Luffy declared. "Since the bounty hunters are gone, we should go explore it!"

"Forget it, Luffy!" the sniper went on. "We don't know what's on that island! It's unnatural! For all we know it could be haunted!"

This statement made the crew pause, save for Franky, Robin, and Brook. The ones who paused were now all gaining similar expressions of puzzlement.

"Guys? Is something wrong?" Franky asked. "You all got super quiet just now."

"... Anybody else getting a weird sense of deja vu?" Sanji asked.

"Deja who?" Luffy asked.

"No, deja vu," Chopper corrected. "It's mean it feels like you've done something before."

"Something about this situation feels oddly familiar, but I can't put my finger on it," Nami muttered.

"So we've already been to this mystery island?" Luffy asked. He stuck out his lip. "Then that's boring. I don't want to go anymore."

"I doubt we've been here before, Luffy," Zoro said. "I think we'd remember visiting an island that appeared out of thin air, and being dragged there by some weird current."

This made the rubberman considerably happier.

"We're getting closer to the fog..." Usopp announced fearfully.

Luffy nodded, than ran over to the Sunny's figurehead. Sanji, Nami, and Chopper had all said the ship couldn't leave the current anyway, so they might as well make the most of it.

"Set the sails!" Luffy ordered, throwing his arms up into the air. "We're going to the Mystery Island!"

As if responding to the captain's command, the fog swallowed up the ship, making it vanish. It was as if it had never been there in the first place.


Meanwhile...

The little girl abruptly looked up from where she was digging on the beach. A cold shiver ran down her spine, and she looked out towards the Fog, which always hung around the furthest border of the island's waters. She could hear multiple voices within its expanses.

"Visitors are coming," she whispered, mostly to herself.

So, Kāla had revealed itself yet again, and just a week (possibly; time was hard to gauge on Kāla) after her friend and his crew had left. This was the quickest it had ever happened. She usually went months between visitors.

This time was different, however. She could feel it in her bones. This was only beginning of a much larger event.

Siobhan stood up, dusted off her clothes, and grinned.

"Yosh. Let's get started."


Next Time:

"AHHHH!" Luffy cried out. He pointed at the man. "A VAMPIRE!"

"I'm not a vampire," the man sighed. Clearly, this wasn't the first time he'd been mistaken for a blood-sucking monster. He crossed his arms and pouted. "Why does everyone think that right off the bat?"

"NO WAY! YOU CAN TURN INTO A BAT?!"

"That's not what I said at all. Pay attention."