Ch. 25- The World Is Restless
One Piece © Oda
Blizzard, Jupiter, Monkey D. Aika, Kumi, Lucky, and Hoeru © Me
Hercules © Me and Gakuto1991
The royal flagship sailed away from Alabasta's docks, headed by a Marine battleship with the name "Hina" on the sails. As they went off with the tide, a humongous crowd of people cheered as they waved the ships off.
"Goodbye, Your Majesty!"
"Take care, Princess Vivi! We'll miss you!"
"Good luck!"
Among the crowd was Toto and his son, Kohza, who both chuckled as they watched the princess leave.
"The princess looked quite excited to leave," Toto mused.
"I guess she feels like a pirate, again," Kohza shrugged. "Just when it seemed she was starting to act like a regular princess again."
XXX
"Hello...this is Hina speaking. I've just left Alabasta."
On the battleship, Rear Admiral Hina was just giving her report with Jango and Fullbody continuously trying to woo her with bouquets of roses.
"I will be escorting the Nefertari Family," Hina began, "to Mariejois, safe and sound. Our expected arrival is-"
"Princess Vivi! What are you doing?! Get down from there!"
Hina looked up...and up in the Crow's Nest, there was Vivi, standing at the very top with her eyes wide open as the breeze blew against her back, her hair swaying gently like the ocean waves.
"Haa..." she sighed, contentedly. "What a lovely sea breeze. I could stand here forever."
"Princess Vivi!" Igaram called out, having grown a scruffy mustache since the 2 years. "What are you doing up there?! What if a great, monstrous bird should appear, swoop down, and snatch you up for dinner?! What if a sniper has his wicked sights trained upon you?! What if a meteorite should fall on your head?!"
"Oh, stop being such a wet blanket, Igaram," said Pell, who had made a full recovery since his "heroic sacrifice". "Vivi's had experience with pirates befo-"
"SHUSH!" Igaram whispered. "If the Marines hear about THAT, there's no telling what would happen!"
KOFF-KOFF! A voice coughed harshly, causing them to turn to see King Nefertari Cobra, who, for the past 2 years, had actually gotten quite ill.
"Please take care, Your Majesty," said Chaka. "If your health is too poor, we will head back at once."
"I won't hear of it," Cobra answered. "I'm just fine...just a slight cough, that's all." He then cleared his throat. "Ever since the day I met Nico Robin, I have had questions for the World Government."
Flashback
Cobra, who had been tending to Luffy after he had been poisoned by Crocodile's Scorpion Stinger, looked over to Robin as she lied against the tomb's crumbling walls, blood dripping from her mouth and tears spilling from her eyes.
"Too many obstacles," Robin began, "stood in the way of my dream...!"
Flashback end
"Are you talking about the Poneglyph hidden in the tomb?" asked Chaka.
"Precisely," Cobra confirmed. "I am determined to attend this year's Reverie, no matter what! If it is possible...I wish to learn what it was that the Nefertari Kings of the distant past...did to this world!"
All of a sudden...Vivi leapt off the Crow's Nest!
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!" Igaram screamed. "PRINCESS, NO! HANG ON, I'LL CATCH YOU!"
But there was no need, for Vivi landed safely on the deck, as graceful as a heron.
"What was that you were saying, Igaram?" she asked.
"FOR THE GODS' SAKES!" Igaram shouted. "PLEASE STOP MAKING ME-RRGH! KOFF-KOFF! Ahem...ma-ma-ma~! There. Now, as I was saying, PLEASE STOP MAKING ME WORRY, PRINCESS!"
QUACK-QUACK! Carue squawked, while Vivi chuckled before she went to her father's side, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Father?" she asked. "How are you feeling?"
"Oh...not quite well," Cobra muttered, giving out a rather forced cough. "I may not lost too much longer, Vivi...if only my dear daughter could find a husband and bless me with some grandchildren before it's too late...!"
"Father," Vivi smirked, "don't think you can guilt-trip me into getting married. I can tell the difference between a fake cough and a real one."
Cobra blushed slightly while Chaka and Pell snickered behind.
"Ahem-hem!" Cobra cleared his throat, once more. "Well, at any rate, I still have those pictures of some rather nice suitors for you, Vivi-"
"Do me a favor?" Vivi asked. "Just go ahead and toss those all out, okay?"
"But Vivi-" Cobra started.
"Father, you know how much I hate when you do this," Vivi said. "Besides..."
She reached into her blouse...and pulled out a photo.
"...My heart already belongs to somebody else."
The photo is revealed to be a picture of herself and Sanji, 2 years ago, sitting side-by-side as they smiled at the camera. Behind them was the royal garden, filled with lush plants and greenery, and even a little pond with water lilies. Vivi asked Nami to take this picture for her and then make a copy of it so she and Sanji could have a memento of each other when the time came for the Straw Hats to leave.
To this day, the only ones who knew of Vivi's long-distance relationship with Sanji were Chaka, Pell, and Igaram, for she had yet to tell Cobra.
XXX
Concurrently, in Logue Town in the East Blue...
"Congratulations on your enthronement, Your Majesty. Our historic hotel was built for the sole purpose of housing the nobles who come to attend the Reverie every four years! I do hope you enjoy your stay!"
In said hotel, a woman with long blonde hair, a pointy nose, and dressed in an elegant, light orange gown looked around in amusement. She is Sally Isntoinette, the current Queen of Goa Kingdom.
"It isn't bad," she mused. "It isn't isn't bad, isn't it, dearest?"
At the window, a man with short brown hair and dressed in regal clothes stared outside with his hands behind his back.
"Rather pedestrian if you ask me," he scoffed. "A view of Gold Roger's execution stand is, honestly, the best it has to offer."
"W-well," said a hotel bellboy with a chin that looked like a hotel building, "please do ease the fatigue of your travel here, King Stelly!"
"...I shall...now begone from my sight, trash."
The hotel staff gasped at this...but heeded the snobbish king's words.
The countries of the world are currently in a restless state, due to an event that happens once every 4 years in the holy land of Mariejois, in the center of the world: the Reverie. Here, at the very highest of conferences, the monarchs of fifty nations will come together to discuss and debate the world's most serious topics and agree upon a shared direction of the future...but given the prudent and cantankerous natures of the most powerful of figures, the meetings are not always...tranquil.
XXX
In the Kano Kingdom in the West Blue...
"So," said the current king of Kano, "Don Chinjao...err...I mean, Don Sai has not yet returned, eh? Well, the war is over now. It seems we will be making it to the Reverie on time, after all. There are so many I need to get off my chest."
XXX
In Evil Black Drum Kingdom in the South Blue...
"MAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA~!" cacked Wapol...who, apparently, had not changed his ways and was still the tyrannical he was before, as well as the C.E.O of a toy company. "Oh, really, Dalton?! The Cherry Blossom Kingdom?! How shall I drag you all down to ruin, I wonder?!"
XXX
In the Cherry Blossom Kingdom in the Grand Line...
"What did you say?!" questioned Dalton as he and the guards turned to look at Dr. Kureha with aghast faces.
"Oh, don't give me that disgruntled look, Dalton," Kureha said. "I only offered to be your doctor for the trip. You should be happy about that, right?"
XXX
In Dressrosa, which is still being rebuilt...
"Wait," Rebecca began, "you mean...I can really go with you?!"
"Of course!" Viola replied. "You'd be going as my attendant, Rebecca...what do you say?"
"I'd love to go!" Rebecca answered. "Thank you, Aunt Viola!"
"I can't believe I'm going, too!" added Mansherry. "This will be my first time!"
Meanwhile, King Riku was currently talking to Elizabello on the Transponder Snail.
"So you turned down the battleship escort?" asked Riku.
"Of course!" answered Elizabello. "How about you and I visit the Holy Land, together?!"
"Good grief," King Riku muttered. "Why is everyone treating this like it's some sort of vacation?"
"What's wrong with that?! It's like a big festival! GAHAHAHA!"
King Riku only sighed and shook his head in disbelief.
XXX
In Ryugu Kingdom on Fishman Island...
"Nooooo~!" Shirahoshi cried as she hugged Megalo. "I don't wanna go! Sir Luffy...he promised me he'd take me to the surface! We would go on a walk again, in a forest!"
"Yes, yes, Princess, I know," said the Minister of the Right. "And of course, Sir Luffy and his friends will be able to take you another stroll, to a much farther place if you so desire, but this trip is only right above us! And just think, your brothers, the Neptune Princes, and the Neptune Royal Army, will be there to protect you from harm!"
"Oh, what a bother," groaned the Minister of the Left.
"Father," Ryuboshi began, "what if we let Shirahoshi skip this one, mi-re-do~?"
"Mambo, mambo!" chanted Manboshi. "If we're going to petition to migrate to Fishman Island, then we've got tons of signatures from the citizens!"
"But if she doesn't come along," Neptune began, "it would be as if we were saying that we don't trust the humans-jamon!"
"Shirahoshi," Fukaboshi began, "I know you're nervous, as am I, though I don't show it..."
"Big Brother Fukaboshi..." Shirahoshi murmured.
"But have you learned nothing from watching the Straw Hat Pirates during their stay here?" asked Fukaboshi. "This upcoming meeting...is the greatest desire of our late, Orihime! So...let us go, together!"
A pause...but then Shirahoshi wiped her eyes before she smiled and nodded her head, causing Fukaboshi, Manboshi, Ryuboshi, and King Neptune to smile proudly.
'...I promised Sir Luffy,' Shirahoshi thought, 'that I would not cry, anymore.'
XXX
Meanwhile, with the Sanji Retrieval Team...
"A...a bit...too s-s-starboard, Ch-Chopper," Nami stammered as she wobbled, woozily.
"Like...this...?" Chopper asked, shakily as he tried to steer the Sunny.
"A...a bit more..." Nami replied.
"Oh, COME ON!" Luffy shouted. "Where's your energy, people?! You keep this attitude up and we'll sink!"
BONK! Blizzard bopped Luffy on the back of his head with his paw.
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU EXPECT, YOU JACKASS?!" the wolf-dog questioned. "YOU JUST LEAPT OFF THE TOP OF THAT ELEPHANT WITHOUT WARNING! WHAT WERE YOU TRYING TO DO, GIVE US FREAKING HEART ATTACKS?!"
"Thank you..." Brook whispered, his soul floating out of his gaping jawbone. "Once again, I can savor the joy of being alive...!"
"...I'll kill you for this, Straw Hat...!" Pekoms rasped.
"O-okay, Chopper," Nami said, starting to get her bearings, again. "We're...just a bit of course...so turn the ship to port."
"I'll do it!" a voice called out.
"See that?" Luffy asked. "She's got more energy than the rest of...wait...who said that?"
Everyone looked up and saw that it was none other than Carrot, who was wearing a black cap, a green backpack, and an orange dress with the word "RABBIT" on the front.
"Wow!" she exclaimed in awe. "We're really out on the sea! This big, heavy boat feels like it's floating in the air!"
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHH?!" the group questioned.
"Carrot?!" Pedro shouted. "What are you doing here?!"
"I decided to tag along!" Carrot answered before she jumped at Luffy, embraced him and nibbled his cheek. "Garchu!"
"OUCH!" Luffy cried. "Let go!"
"Nami's turn, now!" Carrot exclaimed as she glomped onto Nami and bit her cheek, too.
"OW! Carrot, that hurts!" Nami cried.
"Now Chopper!"
CHOMP!
"Ow! Carrot!"
"Blizzard!"
CHOMP! YIPE!
"And Baron Corpse!"
CHONK!
"OUCH! Ohhh, I think I chipped my tooth...!"
"I'm sorry, Carrot," Pedro began, "but we're taking you back to Zou, right now!"
"NOOOOOOO~!" Carrot whined. "If you take me back, Wanda will yell at me~!"
"So you'd rather be a burden to our saviors, then?" asked Pedro. "We are infiltrating the lair of an Emperor of the Sea, not going out to have fun!"
"But I always wanted to go on an adventure at sea!" Carrot replied. "Please let me go! I promise I'll be good! Look, I brought everything!" She then pointed to just another set of clothes, two carrots, and a canteen. "I brought my lunch, some carrot juice, a snack, and I even brought an extra set of clothes!"
"And how long is that gonna last?" asked Pekoms.
"Half a day!" Carrot answered. "The sea is a big place, right?"
"...Oh, boy," Blizzard muttered. "Umm...listen, Carrot?"
"Yes, Blizzard?" Carrot asked.
(A/N: I figured that even Minks can understand animals.)
"I...don't know how to tell you this," Blizzard began, "but you're not exactly well-packed for this trip. We're not gonna get to Whole Cake Island in just half a day. It could take nearly 2 weeks at least!"
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHH?!" Carrot cried in shock. "You mean, even if we go straight there, it'll take longer?!" A pause...but then she smiled, wistfully. "The sea truly is a wonderland, isn't it?"
"It's sea, not land," Pekoms corrected.
"Wow," Blizzard muttered. "Nothing ever breaks your spirit, huh, kid?"
"Luffy, what do you think?" Nami asked.
"Well...I guess she can come," Luffy replied. "Carrot's pretty tough, right? Plus, it's only one person."
"Yeah, that's true," Nami concurred.
"Hi, Big Brother! Hi, Big Sis!" Aika spoke up, standing right behind the captain and navigator.
"Hi, sweetie," Nami smiled.
"Hey, Aika," Luffy greeted back.
3...2...1.
"AIKA?!" everyone except for Carrot questioned.
"Shishishishi!" Aika giggled. "Surprise! I'm coming to help get Sanji back, too!"
"Oh, no, you're not!" Nami scolded. "Absolutely out of the question! We're taking you back to Zou, right now!"
"But Big Sis-" Aika started.
"Aika, we're telling you this for your own good!" Luffy interjected. "It's dangerous! Now we're going back to Zou!"
"Uh...Luffy?" Chopper asked. "That's gonna be a problem."
"Why?" Luffy inquired.
"Because Zou's gone," Blizzard replied. "It disappeared, a while back."
Luffy looked up and saw that Blizzard was right: Zunesha had indeed disappeared, having walked away from the scene moments ago.
"...Crap," Luffy cursed. "Well, Aika, you still can't come with us. You're staying on the ship where it's safe, at least!"
"And that's final!" Nami added, sternly.
"Please let me go with you?" Aika asked. "Pretty please?" She then shifted into her Wolf Form and gave Luffy and Nami the biggest, saddest, wettest puppy-dog eyes she could muster.
"...AWWWWWWWWWWWW~!" Luffy and Nami both cooed.
"...You-gara have GOT to be kidding," Pedro muttered.
"Yay~!" Aika and Carrot cheered as they embraced each other. "We get to stay~!"
"Yeah, sure," Luffy said as he munched on one of Carrot's...well, carrots. "Welcome aboard, you two."
"Glad to be here- HEY!" Carrot started, only to take on a rather enraged look. "WHO THE HECK SAID YOU COULD EAT MY CARROTS?!"
Without a single warning, the crazed Rabbit Mink lunged at Luffy and bit his neck...and this time, it wasn't a love bite!
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGH!" Luffy screamed.
"LUFFY!" Blizzard cried in horror.
"Help...!" Luffy croaked. "She's...killing me!"
"Carrot, no!" Aika shouted as she tried pull Carrot off of Luffy. "Don't hurt him!"
"Luffy, quick!" Nami called. "Pet Carrot on the head! Don't ask why, just do it!"
Luffy strained himself to lift his hand, then gave Carrot a few light pats on her head...and soon, she sighed happily as she pulled away.
"Okay," she said. "You can have the carrots if you want."
"Phew!" Luffy sighed in relief. "My god, I thought I was done!"
"...Luffy lost against someone like her...?" Chopper asked, his eyes bugging out of his skull.
"Well, what did you expect?" Pedro asked, standing way on top of the Crow's Nest. "Carrot is a Mink, and that makes her a natural-born fighter since infancy!"
"My word!" Brook exclaimed as he looked up. "When did you get up there, Pedro?!"
Soon, Luffy finished eating the carrots.
"Ugh...carrots are fine, but I need meat," Luffy said. "I'm starving! Hey, Sanji! Make up some lunch, will ya?!"
"Luffy, Sanji's not here, remember?" Blizzard reminder.
"Oh, yeah," Luffy muttered before his stomach started rumbling. "Ugggggh...but what are we gonna do about food?! I'm starving to death!"
"Well don't look at me!" Blizzard answered. "I'm a guard dog, not a cook! The best I can do is toasted bread with peanut butter on top!"
Gluuuuuuuuurrrrrggle...!
"...Dammit, now I'm hungry," the wolf-dog cursed.
"I don't know how to cook, either," Chopper replied.
"I could try and make something," Nami spoke up, "but I'm not Sanji, so I doubt it'll be good."
"Well...maybe I can try and cook something?" Luffy asked.
"NO WAY!" the group shouted.
"It was just a suggestion!" Luffy replied, only for his stomach to growl again. "Ohhhhh..." He then flopped down on the floor. "I can't even argue, now."
Just then, Brook felt Aika tug on his coat, causing him to look down at her.
"Yes, Young Miss Aika?" asked the skeleton.
"Brook, will you go into the kitchen with me?" Aika asked. "I'm not allowed in there without a grownup."
"Err...all right," Brook replied.
Meanwhile, up on the Crow's Nest, Pedro was reading the newspaper that he bought from a News Coo...and needless to say, he was rather shocked at the headline, which read as follows:
LONG RUMORED MYSTERY LOCATION DISCOVERED AFTER DECADES: BALTIGO, HEADQUARTERS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY ARMY ALREADY IN UTTER RUIN
"...My god...!" Pedro whispered in disbelief.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Currently in the works: Breath of the Wild, Ch. 16 and One Piece Prompts: Shaved Ice.
Review, please!