Ch 37 - I am on Uncharted Waters.
"Luffy, look! Did I do it? Did I make a snow angel?" Emmy asked excitedly and she got up to her feet. She took four careful steps out of the snow as not to damage the imprint she had just left on the deck. She slowly turned to look at her creation as her breath puffed into the cold air.
The group was on their way to Whiskey Peak with their two prisoners, as the first mate insisted on calling them. They had sailed for just a little over a day before experiencing the notoriously fickle Grand Line weather. Just from this morning, they had already went through a hailstorm and a thunder storm. Then, the navigator had gotten them away from a hurricane in the nick of time and now Emmy was playing with Luffy and Usopp as snow piled on the main deck.
She had a heavy white cloak tied around her shoulders while she wore a matching beanie that hung over her headband and her ears. She had offered some winter garments for the boys but they didn't seem to mind the cold one bit. Living on Mt. Colubo, there were times when the weather was cold enough for them to get snow but this was the most snow Emmy had ever experienced. She was having fun and so was her brother.
Zoro was napping near the port side of the ship with a blanket haphazardly thrown over him. He had fallen asleep before the snow hit so a mound of it was beginning to grow over his torso. Sanji was on the upper decks, shoveling snow, while Nami was in the galley, keeping an eye on Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday. They were tied together and Emmy was adamant about keeping them asleep most of the time and only waking them up for meals.
It did not go unnoticed by the crew how differently she interacted with these two new people compared to Johnny and Yosaku. She kept a very wide berth from Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday and did not speak a word to them at all.
"Shishishi. Yep!" Luffy grinned at his sister and then lightly patted the head of a snowman he had just finished building, "Now look at what I did! This is the man that fell from the sky, Mr. Snow Barrel!"
Luffy's artwork had broom sticks for arms, a barrel on its head, two coals for eyes, and a watermelon slice for a smile. Emmy bowed to it. "How do you do, Mr. Snow Barrel?"
"Hmph," Usopp scoffed from his side of the deck, "That's such a crude snowman."
"What?!" Luffy exclaimed as Usopp stepped away from his own masterpiece and spread his arms out to present it.
"Look at my soulful artwork, the Snow Queen!" Usopp announced proudly.
"Whoa," Emmy breathed as she stepped towards the snow sculpture. It was of a woman sitting daintily on top of a snow throne. The sniper was able to make impressions in the snow that detailed the woman's hair, fabric of her winter coat, and even her facial features just by using his bare hands, "Usopp...It looks…"
"Amazing, right?" Usopp grinned.
"It looks like Kaya-sama," Emmy finished.
"WHAT?!" Usopp shrieked and stumbled away from his own work, as if Kaya had magically taken his snow woman's place. Unfortunately, he didn't see where was going and crashed through Luffy's creation.
"AHHHH! Mr. Snow Barrel!" Luffy mourned as the a broken watermelon slice landed by his feet. Then his grief backtracked into anger and he glared at the sniper, "Take this! Snow Barrel Punch!'
He took the broom stick that once was Mr. Snow Barrel's left arm and swung it hard across the Snow Queen's face, decapitating her instantly.
"AH! Kaya-sama!" Emmy cried.
"AH! KAYA! Wait no...it's a Snow Queen, Emmy, Snow Queen!" Usopp corrected. Then he returned the rubber boy's angered gaze while he crouched down and began to gather snow around him, "How dare you?! Take this!"
Thwack!
The sniper's aim was true and it hit the rubber boy right between the eyes, snapping his head back and making his hat fall onto the snow.
"Oh yeah?!" Luffy huffed as he scooped up his hat with one hand and a fistful of snow with the other. Unfortunately, the rubber boy did not compress his snowball at all and the bits of snow flurried around the sniper's face and onto the floor.
"Bwahahahahaha. You think you can win against me, Captain Usopp?!" Usopp taunted.
Steam came out of Luffy's reddened ears and he ran around the deck, rolling up the snow until he had a ball as tall as Emmy. He lifted it up over his head. "Try dodging this!" he roared.
"EEK!" Usopp shrieked and he ducked behind an amused Emmy.
"Emmy! Move!" Luffy ordered.
Emmy nodded and tried to step to the side but found that Usopp slid right into place as soon as she did. She took a step to the other side and the sniper mimicked her movement again.
"FINE! You both get it!" Luffy shouted.
"EH?!" Emmy and Usopp gasped just as Luffy hurled the giant chunk of snow at them. Emmy shielded her head with her arms and she braced for impact.
Thwack!
The snow broke into pieces right in front of Emmy and she lowered her hands to see Sanji, standing in front of her with his shovel pointed straight out. His lips frowned over the cigarette perched in between them. "Idiot! Don't drag the little lady into your fight!"
"Gah! Why is it so cold?!" Zoro yawned as he stretched his arms over his head. His eyes opened and went to the pile of snow sitting on top of him, "EH?! Snow? Why the hell is there so much here?!"
Then he turned his attention to the other people on the deck and his eyes rested on the shovel in Sanji's hands. "Why you…" Zoro seethed as he shot up to his feet and stormed over to the cook, "You piled this on me, didn't you? You wanted me to freeze to death!"
"What?! How are you going to blame me for something Mother Nature did?!" Sanji snapped. His attention was no longer on his captain, who was not done with his own battle.
Thwack!
A compact snowball hit the sniper right on the cheek, who proceeded to retaliate with his own snowball while keeping a perplexed first mate in front of him like a shield.
"Please don't fight," Emmy said but it fell on deaf ears for both parties, "Let's all enjoy the snow and-"
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Nami's scream seemed to do the trick and all the men held a temporary truce with each other as they looked over towards the galley. The door to the kitchen promptly opened and the navigator rushed out. "We need to turn this ship around!"
"Why? Did you accidentally leave something with Crocus-san?" Emmy asked.
"No! I don't know how but the ship has turned around and is going in the opposite direction," Nami exclaimed.
"How do you not know what happened?" Emmy asked with genuine curiosity, "Aren't you the navigator?"
"I'm doing my best!" Nami snapped, "But it's like Crocus said. The wind, the current, everything here is highly unpredictable. I looked away from the Log Pose for just a second and- WAIT! Why am I explaining this to you? It's not like you could do a better job!"
"What?!" Emmy exclaimed, "I have every right to know!"
"Whatever," Nami huffed and pointed down at the group, "Luffy, Emmy! Brace the yard! Receive the wind from the starboard! Usopp, take care of the lateen sails. Sanji-kun, take the helm! Turn the ship 180 degrees to the left!"
"Wait!" Usopp cried out and looked up to the sky, "The wind has changed!"
"No way!" Nami shouted just as a warm breeze blew across the deck and the clouds drifted away to reveal a beaming sun.
"Oh, that's nice," Zoro yawned and sat back down against the railing, "Since we're out of the snow, I guess I can go back to sleep now."
"WAIT! WHAT?! We're trying to get to Whiskey Peak, not out of the snow!" Usopp seethed but the swordsman had already fell back to sleep.
"OOH! Emmy! I think I just saw a dolphin!" Luffy cried out suddenly from the bow of the ship.
"Really? Where?" Emmy gasped as she ran towards her brother to get a look herself.
"You two! Focus!" Nami bellowed and was about to say more when a heavy fog appeared around them, "What...What the hell is with this sea?!"
"Nami-san!" Sanji yelled from somewhere in the mist, "I see an iceberg! We're going to crash if we don't turn the ship!"
"Thunderstorm! Up ahead!" Usopp shouted from the opposite side of the cook.
"Where's the dolphin?!" Luffy cried.
"Luffy, we should be helping..." Emmy urged.
For the first time in a long time, the navigator prayed to a higher power. She asked the heavens for two things. The first was for whoever was up there to perform a miracle and lead them safely out of this demonic weather and the second was to give her the patience not to kill everyone on board. The heavens must've been pretty available that day because both wishes were granted, but only slightly.
By the time Going Merry reached a part of the sea that was calm, sunny, and with a current that was heading in the right direction, the navigator, the sniper, the first mate, and the cook were splayed out on the snowless main deck, thoroughly exhausted and drenched from either rain or melted snow. They had lost track by that point. Only the captain was sitting happily on top of the figurehead with a relaxed grin on his face while the swordsman woke up from his nap.
"Ahh...That felt good," Zoro sighed contently and then got up to his feet. He only took a few steps before his foot accidentally nudged right up against Emmy's arm. He looked down to see her sprawled position along with the others and he clucked his tongue, "Oy...No matter how nice the weather is, you guys shouldn't be so lazy. We'd better be on the right track."
Instantly, Emmy's hand reached over and grabbed Zoro by the ankle. "Get him please," she said while holding him in place.
"OY, Emmy! What are you-" Zoro demanded just as the sniper, the navigator, and the cook were surrounded him with their fists high in the air.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
His head formed three solid lumps that grew on top of each other. The shape, Emmy noted, resembled the belated Mr. Snow Barrel. She released her hold and then folded her hands over her chest as she blinked up at the sky. "Is it over?" she asked as Zoro fell to the floor.
"Don't let your guard down," Nami warned, "We don't know what else might happen. I was finally able to realize the dangers of this sea. I now know why it's called the Grand Line. There's no doubt about it. My navigational skills won't work here at all!"
"Wow and you said it so bluntly," Usopp couldn't help but marvel, "Are we really going to be okay?"
"We'll be fine," Nami insisted, "Things will work out for sure. In fact...Look! We're already arriving at our first destination!"
"OOOH! I can see an island!" Luffy shouted from the figurehead.
"Good," Emmy said and got up to her feet. She smoothed out her apron and walked briskly into the galley. Soon, she returned dragging a sleeping Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday behind her. She didn't even bother to lift them when she walked down the stairs and their shoes clunked down each step, "This means we can say goodbye to them now."
Then, with strength that the crew didn't realize she had, she lifted them up by the collars and dropped them over the railing. "Goodbye," she stated and opened her hands.
Splash.
"WAHHHHH!" Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday sputtered out as the sudden blast of cold water rocked them out of their slumber.
"You're here. Now leave us alone," Emmy called from the railing. She turned on her heels and walked back to her gaping nakama. She tilted her head and batted her blue eyes at them, "What?"
"Who knew you had such a cold side to you?" Nami mused.
"I don't trust them, especially Miss Wednesday," Emmy replied.
"Why? Did you sense something dangerous from her?" Usopp gulped.
"Yes," was all Emmy said and then she turned to look at her brother, "I didn't like them being with us."
"Okay," Luffy sai. He promptly moved his attention back to the island, "Look! Look at those weird cacti."
Emmy finally took a good hard look at the island in front of them. It was covered in large cacti the size of hills. A rocky coast bordered around it with an opening towards the eastern side of the island that led to a waterway. There was a thin mist that settled over the island. They could easily see through it but it gave the island an eerie and ominous presence.
"Looks like we can go inland by ship," Nami said when she noticed the opening herself.
Usopp gulped as Sanji steered the ship towards the opening and they steadily made their way into the island. "Do...do you think there are monsters here?"
"Probably," Zoro said with a grin, "This is the Grand Line after all."
"We should leave if there are monsters." It sounded more like a plea than a request from the sniper.
"Hold on a second," Nami replied, "Don't forget that we have to stay on this island for a certain period of time."
"Why?" Luffy asked.
"Unless we store the magnetism of this island in the Log Pose, we can't move on to the next island. Each island requires different amounts of time to store the Log Pose. Some take several hours while others require days," Nami explained.
"Th-Then even if this is a monster island, it's possible that we have to stay here for days instead of leaving immediately?!" Usopp shrieked.
"That's right," Nami said.
"Well, we can think about that when it happens. Let's just get going and land!" Luffy grinned.
"No matter what happens, I'll protect Nami-san and Emmy-chan!" Sanji volunteered.
That offered nothing to the sniper and a cold shiver ran down his spine. "You guys, listen...My chronic illness is suddenly...my 'do not go on this island disease' is-"
"We're going in," Emmy interrupted and she reached up to her headband "Everyone, please prepare yourselves."
Zoro's hand shot out and grabbed Emmy by the wrist before she could move her headband. "Oy, you're going to use your powers already? Are you sure that's wise? This could be a city of blood thirsty murderers for all we know."
"EEK!" Usopp screeched from the sidelines.
"We can't see very far past this mist," Emmy said, "This way we could at least know if we're being ambushed. I have my bonds now...I want to try them out."
"Don't be reckless," Zoro scolded, "You can do it once we get a better idea of what's on this island. You have your cards right?"
Emmy nodded.
"Then stick with those for now. Here's a lesson for you. Don't go all out before the battle has even started," Zoro said and then released his hand. He nodded over towards the side of the ship, "Besides, we don't need your powers to worry about an ambush. There's already people here."
"Eh?" Emmy, Usopp, and Nami gasped as they tried to look past the mist.
Sanji moved his lighter up to his cigarette and he lit it before returning his hands into his pocket and gazing stonily at the shadowy figures that lined up along the riverbank. Zoro kept watch on the opposite side while Luffy grinned eagerly up in front.
"Something's moving," he announced.
"D-d-damn it! Monsters already? Fine. I've prepared myself. Come on! Monsters! I'm ready for you!" Usopp boasted.
Emmy had her deck of cards at the ready as the Going Merry drifted through the mist. The shadowy figures were gathering and there was a faint rumbling of voices. As the Going Merry sailed more inland, the mist began to disperse and the voices became louder. Emmy gasped and lost the hold on her cards completely when the mist turned into a sea of smiling faces and the voices became thunderous cheering.
"Pirates! Welcome to our town! Welcome to Whiskey Peak!"
"EH?!" the pirates shouted incredulously at the unprecedented warm welcome they were receiving.
"Heyyyy!" Luffy cheered as he waved with both hands to the crowd, as if greeting his long time fans, "Heyyyy!"
"Well, this is unexpected…" Nami commented.
"OOOH! Look! There are pretty girls!" Sanji swooned as his eyes fell on a group of young, cheering women, who were waving posters and signs that said "WELCOME!" in various glittery paint.
"A hero's welcome? I could get used to this," Usopp grinned as he started to blow kisses out to the adoring crowd.
"Zoro…" Emmy said as she took a step closer to the swordsman, who was casting a puzzled look over the crowd, "I don't like this…"
"Me neither," Zoro mumbled but then he put a heavy hand on her head and smirked down at her, "But this is a good a training exercise for you."
"For me?" Emmy asked and then her eyes widened when she felt the swordsman lift the headband off of her.
"Yep," Zoro said and then placed her headband back in her apron pocket.
"I thought you said-"
"I said not to use your powers until we know what's on this island. Well, now we know. It's filled with people," Zoro replied, "And now it's your job to figure out what type of people they are."
His eyes met hers. "You think you can handle that?"
Emmy nodded. "Yes! I'll do my best."
There were too many people for Emmy to sort through everything and just by the sheer number of people she could see in front of her, she knew normally, it would take less than a minute for the dominant emotion to take over her. However, as soon as her headband came off, she felt the walls of her bonds come up again. They acted as filters and roadblocks for her and she was able to feel everything in a manageable amount and at a steady pace.
There was slight wavering in the wall of passion and every once in awhile it would wobble and flash with foolishness. Emmy frowned but said nothing. So...these walls depend on the stability of their moods...Good thing I have so many bonds then.
The Going Merry docked when the navigator found a satisfactory part of town that had low enough buildings that made the ship easy to spot from a distance and just close enough to the opening in case they had to make a quick retreat.
"Feel anything?" Zoro asked quietly as Emmy climbed down the rope ladder and stepped foot onto the island.
"A lot of things," Emmy admitted, "But mostly excitement...and desperation."
"Didn't the old geezer say the town could feed off of Laboon for 2-3 years?" Zoro grunted, "They must be be in need of provisions then if their only option was to hunt down a whale."
"So what do you think they're going to do with a pirate worth 30 million berries?" Emmy asked and shot a nervous look at her brother, "Luffy, we need to-"
"Second lesson of the day" Zoro said as he covered Emmy's mouth with his hand, "Learning how to take advantage of people before they take advantage of you."
Out of nowhere, Nami appeared next to the first mate and she placed a hand on her shoulder as Zoro dropped his hand to his side.
"Didn't I already say? We need to stay here until the Log Pose is ready," Nami said, "Don't worry too much about it, Prude. Once they show their true colors, we can bust out of here."
Luffy turned towards his sister. "Emmy, did you say something?" he asked.
Emmy looked between the swordsman and the navigator. She should've known that the most cautious person and the most guarded person on the crew weren't swayed as easily as the rest of the group. She smoothed out her apron and smiled at Luffy. "We need to mind our manners. They are welcoming us so nicely after all."
"Shishishishi. Okay."