Last exam today *sigh of relief* and I'm tired. Hn, nothing else for now, but I'm struggling with chp. 39... T-T I wrote the one part at least three times over, because it sucked so bad... *cries* But, I have things in control for now. We'll see what happens.

After the 'get them!' both the demons on her sides tensed. The soldiers went after Luffy with their arrows that created cloud paths in the air, and Luffy's devil's fruit abilities baffled them. Who he didn't get with his last attack, Zoro and Sanji took out. The demons had their hands on their weapons (Altur had mysteriously conjured up blades along his arms, ones like in skates) but hadn't interfered with the beating. With one last very villain-like words the berets retreated.

There was also the issue of 'poor pirates' going on, and Gen kept quiet about her own savings. She still had nearly 20,000 berries left, so that made 70,000 total.

"...They defeated them..."

"White berets... citizens of Blue Sea should have problems fighting here..." Conis and her father talked. Luffy, Sanji and Zoro told Nami what had occurred while she had been gone.

"We were tricked!" was her reaction. "The old lady said we could pass!"

"Anyways, now things have become really complicated. If you're class-2 criminals, we can't help you..."

"WHY ARE YOU STANDING SO FAR!?"

"Oh well, doesn't matter. We're already used to being chased by the authorities!" Luffy laughed. "Also, why did you come back?"

"Huh??"

"We were just about to go to 'the place that should never, ever enter'. For a big adventure... wait... I meant to go there to find you..."

"He makes it sound like the Never Never Land..."

"True, Gloria-sama."

"You're a really bad liar!" Nami's eyebrow twitched. She started slapping the boy in the forehead. "BIG ADVENTURE!? I told you! There are some really scary guys on that island! You're just saying that because you didn't see them yourself! Even though I don't know if they're really gods, their super and illogical immense power is real! An island like that... I will never go there a second time!!"

"Fine! We'll go by ourselves. You stay here!" Luffy held his steaming head.

"NO! They'll just come for me! We're leaving this place!" she yelled.

"LEAVE!? BULLSHIT!!" his eyes bulged out. "Think! Which is more important, adventure or your life?!!"

"My life! Followed by money."

"Ah, then followed by me??" Sanji asked lovingly, earning a punch and a 'shut up!' from the navigator. By now the others had come back to the shore too.

"Oh, by the way... we kept trying to get to Sky Island, but we never thought about how we get back!" Usopp pointed out.

"..."

"Is there a safe way back!?" he fretted. "Can we really go back to the Blue Sea!?"

"With your current situation... a safe route is non-existent, but... there is a way to the Blue Sea. You must go back down to white sea, and then head to the far east to a place called 'cloud end'." she told them, but Gen could hear it from her voice...

"Cloud end?"

"Yes, although... I don't think you should try to run... Sky Ocean is very big..."

"What? What do you mean?!"

"Are you saying we can't escape from those guys?"

"If that's so, then it's the same wherever we go," Nami smiled. "If we stay here, we'll just cause you more troubles. Now that we have no place to hide... let's just set sail! Conis! Mister! Thanks for everything." She waved them goodbye.

"Ah! Mister, can I take all the food from earlier?" Luffy asked.

"Oh, of course."

"All right, Sanji! Get the lunch boxes!" The boys went back with Usopp to pack up.

The demons held one arm to Gen, who grabbed them both and got easily lifted to her feet.

"Terentun, where's your vessel?" Greg asked.

"Hmm... Who knows?"

"TAKE BETTER CARE OF IT!" his teeth turned sharp.

"What's a vessel?" Gen had to ask.

"It's something solid from the human realm that a demon can tie himself to. Without one we can't exist here, and without one we are too vulnerable. We can always return to the vessel and go back to the other side, or just hang around and gather our energy back," Altur explained. "I dunno what this guy picked up, but I have... this!" he pulled out a black comb. The back of it was impractically thick.

"A comb? Really?"

"What? I bet yours is something crappy," he put his hands on his hips.

"It's a key chain bunny, with a transfer feature!" he said smugly.

"T-TRANSFER FEATURE!?"

"Nehehehe~!"

"Why-!? How can a tadpole like you have something like that!? Not fair!!" he was shocked. A wrestle broke out and Gen left them to their own doings, taking steps to the ship. She stopped, when she realized that now she had a choice: either to go with the majority of the Strawhats and the ship, or with Luffy, Usopp and Sanji and face the ordeal of... balls. No, it had to be something else; that sounds way too dirty.

Looking at the three (five) on the beach, she then slowly continued to the ship. Zoro helped him up to the deck.

"Yo! Demons! Haul your butts here or the ship leaves without you! And you're responsible if I die..." she muttered the last part so it didn't reach the shore. Robin did hear it.

"You do not know of your own future?"

"Nay. And it's not like the future's carved in stone, I only know one version," she stretched her hands up. "Nnngh, this vest is a bit too much in this sunshine."

She took the vest in her room and changed her black T to a dark blue tank top with a small white heart at the hem. She looked at her for now empty shoulder bag and shoved some things into it before grabbing the black rabbit (Greg's vessel, she mentally corrected) and a hair tie before returning to the deck. On the way she tied her hair into a ponytail and met with Nami who pulling a shirt on. The demons had arrived as well, standing stone faced and arms crossed.

"Whoo, right. Now- eaaaah! What's happening!?"

"AAAAAAAH!!"

"Eeeeek!" Gen shrieked in surprise as the ship jerked. She found herself suddenly making out with the floor. "Ptuh! This thing's filthy."

That was the least of her problems now, though. The whole ship had been captured, again, by a dark red/maroon shrimp (that looked more like a huge lobster). It had a mean glare and on its forehead read the word GOD.

"Heyyy, we're going backwards."

"Damn, where's it taking us? Hey! Everyone, abandon ship! We can still make it!" Zoro yelled. Everyone except for the demons were holding onto something.

"But what about the ship!?" Chopper asked. "If the ship's taken...!"

"Don't worry! I'll stay here!"

"What!? What can you do yourself!?" Nami asked, eyes wide.

"I'll think of something!"

"NOBODY EVEN THINK ABOUT JUMPING OFF!" Gen bellowed and grabbed Zoro's ankle at the last minute. He made an epic face plant to the deck "What the hell!?"

"Watch," Altur pointed to the sea. "Behind us."

"Huh?" the swordsman got up.

"Humongous sky fish," Robin stated grimly. "Coming at us, mouths wide open. There is no way that we could swim back to the shore, and even if we managed to beat them... they're not the only fish in the sea. Any struggle will be in vain."

"Hee, she's cool!" the sky demon's eye twinkled. "I wonder if she would want to-"

"Terentun!" Greg hissed.

"Hai, hai. I know. You've got the dibs."

"EXCUSE ME!?"

"Heaven's judgement, eh?" Zoro scowled. "Instead of coming after us, he's calling us to him. What a cunning bastard..."

"'Cunning' wasn't the first word in my mind," Gen said. "'Jackass', 'egoistic fraud' or 'foolish mortal' would suffice. I have spoken."

"You..." Zoro sweatdropped.

"Then...! We're going to that island again!?" Nami collapsed and sagged. "LUUFFYYY!!! USOPP!!! SANJI-KUUUN!!!"

The trip went through the cloud spaghetti stretching over the huge forest. Gen was walking back and forth the deck and grumbling dark things about the so-called 'God'.

"...Who does he think he is... mumble mumble... bastard... no-balls-pooface... grumble... thinks he can just promote himself like that... mumble mumble..."

"Gloria-sama, please consider your words!" Greg pleaded her. "Rabbits have ears!"

"I know that rabbits have fudging ears!" she snapped. "I'll tell you what! That little fucker on his funny little chair right now somewhere out there is SERIOUSLY pissing me off, and I haven't seen him in person yet!"

"Uah! Her hair just hissed at me! Like a snake!" Chopper hid behind Robin.

"How come you're so ticked off by that supposedly God?" Zoro asked. "Whatever he's done to you?"

"Funny to hear that from a dude that doesn't believe in gods. Or god," Gen crossed her arms.

"M'Lady, I will now return," Greg made a quick bow and faded from their sight.

"Okay."

"Huh... he can't stay here longer than that?" Altur hummed to himself. "Hahaha, that's one crappy vessel!"

"Ah, he disappeared," Nami blinked at the bishie-demon's abrupt leave.

The trip seemed to come to an end, as the scenery had changed and the shrimp was now climbing up the steps... buttside first. It dropped them off and disappeared away.

They regained their balance and looked where the shrimp had taken them.

"That special-express bastard just left us here," Zoro said.

Chopper climbed to stand on the railing.

"All we know is that we're somewhere inland on Upper Yard," Nami looked up to see a spear with a fierce animal skull and a pedestal of fire above it.

"It looks like a sacrificial altar," Robin commented.

"A sacrificial... altar?" Nami repeated.

"Nami, what's a sacrifice?" Chopper asked. Gen wedged herself between the two.

"It means that weird people in reed skirts and masks dances around you and when the dance ends they rip out your organs while you're still alive and screa-"

POW

"SHUT UP!" Nami yelled.

"AAAAAAH!" Chopper looked pale despite the fur.

"Don't mind her! Sacrifice is when living things are offered to a god," Nami said and shot a glare at Gen.

"Oh, is that so?" He sighed in relief. "I thought I was gonna be boiled... de-organed alive... Gen! You're a meanie!"

"It is pretty much like Odd-chan said. No matter their methods, we'll still have our lives offered to God," Robin said.

"WHAT!? THEN WE'RE GONNA BE KILLED-!?" the reindeer leaned back in panic, suddenly fell down the rail he was standing on and rolled the stairs that led to the ship. Zoro went after their little doctor, but Robin caught him at the lowest step before he completely fell off and to the water.

"Whoo, that was close," Altur whistled.

"Not so fast," Gen frowned. It was pretty expected that the blue and black fish jumped up with jaws open. Chopper yelled in fright, but Zoro saved him with a good slash. He got tossed further away from the altar as Chopper hurried back to the safety of the ship.

"WHAT WAS THAT!?" Nami asked.

"A shark. A shark in the sky. It's a sky shark."

"We got it on the first," Gen sweatdropped.

"ZORO!!" Chopper yelled, as he was thrown in with the sky shark.

They had to wait for some agonisingly long minutes, Chopper worrying over the first mate. He did come up once, but that was... long ago then. "What happened!?"

"Hmm, your friend got eaten by a sky shark," Altur said airily.

"Oi...!" Gen slapped him in the shoulder because of the blades on his arms. "Only I can say things like that."

"He's not coming up!" Nami was distressed.

"GYAAA! ZORO'S BEEN EATEN!"

"...if he was, the cloud would be turning red by now."

"DON'T SAY SUCH SCARY THINGS, ROBIN!" Nami yelled.

"KNOCK IT OFF!!!" Zoro and the shark suddenly resurfaced, him giving the shark a solid upper cut. The shark fell unconscious and floated on the clouds and Zoro started walking back to the ship, wiping water out of his face. He had had goggles, and now they were pushed on his forehead. "Damn. Guess we won't be swimming away from here."

"Hey, those things really look good on you," Gen just had to throw the compliment.

"Huh? Ah, I don't care..." he looked away.

"You punched the shark, yet you call yourself a swordsman," Nami said.

"Zoro is so strong!" Chopper sighed admiringly.

"Whatever happened to your pride as a swordsman?" the navigator was still probing it.

"SHUT YOUR TRAP, WOMAN!" Zoro had the shark teeth.

"Whoo, look, Chopper! He's a shark too!"

"Ah!? Really!?"

And the demigoddess was busy burning the picture of wet, shirtless Zoro to the wall of her mind, with those goggles of course.

"Seems like we've been taken to a dangerous place, the shrimp-bastard..."

"Perhaps Heaven's Judgement is to let us starve here," Robin looked over the surroundings.

'Sanji's hell...' a thought spiked up. 'Ah, but Altur could just fly us away from here if need be.'

"Would God do something that simple?" Zoro's last word was partially muffled by a blue shirt that was thrown on his head.

'Nooooo! Don't put the shirt on~!' she cried inside.

"I don't know. I've never met him," Robin said.

"I've seen him!" Gen waved her hand.

"You have? What's he like?" Nami asked.

"Boo, I'm not answering you," she stuck her tongue out.

"Huh?" the navigator sweatdropped at the childish act.

"Hm," Zoro saw a big hole in the side of the Merry. "That looks pretty bad. With the hull like that, we can't set it in the water. Think of a way to repair her in the meantime, Chopper."

"Huh? Me? Okay."

'Oh Merry...' she looked at the figurehead. "Merry, I hope you're not hurting."

"And now she's talking to the ship... Sweet! I like her!" Altur grinned. "Ah, that silky hair... How I'd love to... tangle it!" the voice held a suggestion.

"DON'T!" Gen and Zoro yelled at the demon, probably for different reasons.

"Repair the ship?" Nami asked. "What are you going to do?"

"I wanna go check out the forest. We can use this spot as a base for now. Luffy and the others will come here looking for us for sure. They say, when you're lost, don't move."

"You're the one who shouldn't move!" Nami sweatdropped. Robin walked to the back wall of the altar and looked up to the carvings. To Gloria, they looked like maya-signs. She only had little knowledge of them, and only in astrological mind.

"Hey, Zoro... you said you're going into the forest..." Chopper started. "But what are you going to do there?"

"God's on this island, right? I'm going to pay him a visit," he replied.

"What!? Why would you want to do that!?" Nami asked.

"Dunno. That depends on his attitude."

"Zoro... is more arrogant than God..." Chopper said.

"Those priests are on this island too! And you're never supposed to anger God! That's just common sense!!" Nami chided him.

"Sorry..." he turned to them slowly and gave a catlike grin. "I've never prayed to the God."

"OOOHH! SO COOL~!" Chopper's eyes literally lit up. Nami, in the other hand, sagged and walked away.

"I don't believe in him, so why should I pray to him?" he scratched his hair.

"Oh, Lord God! I do not know him! Don't punish me with him, please!" Nami fell on her knees in a prayer.

"Woooow~!" Chopper truly admired the guy.

"Khhh...! Hihihihi...!" Gen stifled her laughter into giggles. Altur looked a little torn, either to strangle the man or kick him back into water.

"...such blasphemy heard in a long time!"

"Oh, come on Altur. It's not your fault that he doesn't know what we do. But... it's still...!"

"You find this entertaining?"

"Very! I mean, I'm here, and, hahahahahahahaha!" she broke. "But- But it's a bit weird, when one's mom- mmmph!" her mouth was suddenly covered.

"Shhh! Remember, 'bunnies have ears'."

"Eeh, sorry."

The water was swarming with black and blue striped fins, the sharks circling the altar in a lazy fasion. Robin was inspecting the markings on the wall, Altur sat next to Chopper on the rail and swung his legs like a kid, humming tonelessly. His voice was a pleasant baritone when he wanted so, but he mostly talked with a bit higher pitch in it.

"Hmm-mmm-mmm," Gen was rapidly losing her patience. She got on her feet and walked the deck. "AAAAARRRGGGGHHH!"

"What's your problem? Finally getting enough of this?" Zoro asked her.

"Grrh, I'm squirming with want to-"

"With want?" Altur's imaginary dog ears popped up.

"NOT LIKE THAT YOU ASS! Sheesh, how'd I end up with YOU of all things!?" she bristled. "AS I WAS SAYING, I'm sick of holding out!" she ranted.

"Ah..." the demon's hand rose up, ready to gag her again if need be.

"I know, I know."

"Holding out?" Nami blinked. "Well, I can't say that you're one of those open people that share with others."

"If you could do it, you'd tax out those who breath your air," she pointed out. "Mouu... I miss those old, boring days when there weren't all these PIRATES and DEMONS and GODS and, and SKY SHARKS! STUPID SKY SHARKS! GO AWAY!!"

"They won't listen to you," Altur sweatdropped.

"Aa... aaa... I don't feel good..." Gen swayed and fell on her knees.

"All the stress you've been through is getting out in one go," Chopper analyzed her.

"It would be plausible," Nami shrugged. "She looks always so calm and carefree on the outside, but we don't know what's really going on on the inside."

"Luffy's like that too, you know," Zoro pointed out.

"He's different! She has all this weird stuff bouncing around, but his head's probably just full of dust!"

"Okay, I think I'm good now~!"

"LAY DOWN!" Chopper and Nami yelled.

"Anyway... looks like we could use that vine over there," Zoro pointed to a branch above their heads.

"Oh, yes. Good idea. Do you mind if I come along, Kenshi-san?"

"Eh? Okay, but don't get in my way!"

"Wait... Robin's going too!?"

"Take a look," the woman opened her arms. "This altar is at least 1000 years old. Seeing such historical remains... makes me throb with excitement."

"Throb with excitement?" Altur asked, rubbing his chin. "If it's history that you like..."

"ALTUR!"

"Hai, hai, lil' Lady."

"You don't sound sorry at all!"

"Plus, if we find some gems or treasures, we can use them to repair the ship," she continued as if the demon hadn't said anything.

'She's good!'

"I'm going too!" Nami was quickly on her feet.

"HUH!? DIDN'T YOU SAY YOU WERE SCARED!?" Chopper yelled.

"We're exploring history~!"

'Twinkle, twinkle, little stars, Nami's eyes are berri signs...' Gen sang in her head. A pair of hands popped out on the tree and released the other end of the vine.

"Is this good?" Robin asked.

"It's perfect."

"I've never slung on a vine..." Gen marvelled.

"You're coming with us?" Zoro seemed surprised. Gen looked at him like he was an idiot.

"Netherworld yeah. And you don't have to bother with me, I've got two demons on my side~."

"...That's exactly why I can't leave you out of my sight. Greg's... Greg, but I don't trust that guy at all," he shot a heavy glare that promised vile things at Altur.

"'Lax, Marimo-kun. There's no need to feel threatened. They're both at least thousand years older than me," Gen waved her hand dismissively.

"3280, actually," Altur corrected.

"See?"

"Mmmmph..." he crunched up his face. He tugged the vine a couple of times before clearing his throat. He jumped off, letting out a very primitive yell before reaching the other side.

"What was that supposed to be? A shout of bravery?" Nami sweatdropped.

'You Tarzan, me Jane,' Gen giggled and grinned. The momentum brought the vine back and Robin went smoothly with it, as if she'd done it numerous of times before. Nami on the other hand almost became a pancake, but got saved by the archaeologist's extra hands. The vine was slung back for the third time, and Altur grabbed it for her.

"You want to do this or do you want me to fly you there?" he asked.

"I've never slung on a vine. I wanna try!" she insisted.

"Hurry up there!" Zoro yelled.

"YEAH YEAH!" she answered.

"Hold on tight," Altur said and before she had time to reconsider or argue, he had wrapped an arm around her and kicked off.

"Wheeeeeeee~!" she squealed. "Hahaa, that was fun! Again! Again!"

"Never, I say," Nami muttered.

"Okay, Chopper! We'll be counting on you!" Zoro called to their watch.

"Take care, Doctor-san!"

"We'll be back soon!"

"Ok! Don't worry about me! Come back safely!" he answered from the ship.

"Chooppiieeee! Don't die and tell that I said 'hi'~!"

"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!?"

"Exactly tha-! Ow! Nami, your hand suddenly attacked me!"

They walked over huge roots of the even bigger trees. How they still had enough nutrients in the ground for them to survive, she didn't know, or then this was like in a rain forest were when a tree died it released all the nutrients for other trees to use. The climbing was hard work, but sometimes the root would leave a small gap between it and the ground where they were able to squeeze through. Altur had entrusted his vessel for her safekeeping, because if he had to return to his vessel he wouldn't still be that far away from her. Technically, she was carrying him with her.

Gen was quite sure too that Zoro hated the demon just like he hated Sanji.

She had become bored, and when bored, she let her mind drift away and her body started moving on autopilot. Also, her mouth had started singing slowly a simple tune. It had come up with lyrics to go with it, too. "...Straaaaawhat pirates. Hoist the sails and hit the sea... hit the sea... hit the sea... hoist the sails and hit the sea, Straaaaaawhat pirates. Hoist the sails and-"

"SHUT UP ALREADY!!" Nami looked ready to strangle her.

"Huh? Did I say something?"

"YOU WERE SINGING!"

"I rather liked your voice. What was it again? 'Hoist the sails and hit the sea'?" Altur wondered. Nami pulled on her hair and let out a gurgled 'aaargh'.

"Hmm..." Robin and Zoro had stopped and Gen bumped into his back.

"What's it now?" she asked.

"It's a river infested with sharks," the woman replied.

"Ahh..."

Under the roots of the tree they were standing on now were ruins, and a small mouth of a well peeked from its side. From the bag Robin was carrying with her she took a small test tube one would see in a lab, and with extra arms she lowered the tube to the bottom of the well and took a sample. The water was brown...

"Is that well really that unusual?" Zoro asked.

"Yes, it's unthinkable for the tree to be overtaking it like this. The balance between nature and civilization has been upset," she sloshed the water around.

"Ne, what do you think made the trees grow so huge?" Gen asked.

"Indeed a mystery."

"Well, whatever it is, if we don't find a way to cross the river, we won't be able to walk through the whole forest," Zoro looked to the stripe of white clouds in front of them.

"We'll never get to meet God like this."

"The civilization didn't expect this tree to grow so large. It's the first time I've ever seen such a case," Robin continued.

Nami had climbed with Robin's help high up to the tree and was now looking around with a pair of binoculars. Zoro called her, asking if she could see anything. When she didn't answer, he yelled again.

"Oi! I'm talking to you! Say something! Can you see God?!"

"Stupid Marimo-kun, you don't need binoculars to see one! I'm right here~!" Gen made a pose, holding her hair up.

"The cook can call you whatever he calls you, but it doesn't change the fact that you're an idiot," he said blankly and she stuck her tongue out.

'Nihihi, what will you do if I tell the truth...? You can't deny that I exist!' she giggled to herself.

Robin walked up to them. "Maybe she's seeing something."

"Hmm... oh yeah," Gen remembered now.

"What?"

"You'll see!" she smirked annoyingly.

"Odd-chan, it's sometimes very cruel to dangle knowledge in front of people's noses," Robin said. The tone held a chide.

"Cruel is to tell one's life before it happens. It's like spoiling a good book," she retorted wittily, earning a small smirk from Robin.

Gen jumped suddenly and her head whipped to look one direction.

"What is it?" Zoro asked, with his aura turning to alarm.

"Ehh, I just thought I heard something... like a distant explosion."

"Ah. I heard it too," Robin said. They saw Nami sliding down and somewhat ungracefully landing on her butt.

"Come on, let's go! The trees are extending like bridges, we'll get there quicker that way!"

"Where 'there' are you talking about exactly?" Zoro asked.

That's how they ended up several feet above the ground, walking on the tree branches and slipping on the moss. After a good hour and a half Nami was having a hard time with her heels and Gen...

"I have nothing against heights but... I really hate you right now, Nami!" she hugged the branch with her dear life, hanging upside down. "And I'm slipping! Dammit, and Robin can't help me either...! Zoro! Come save me!"

"What's the magic word?"

"...please."

"Alright," he jumped off the one he was walking on and lifted her up with ease.

He asked after a pause: "Is it heights?"

"Eh?"

"What you are afraid of. I remember Usopp, Johnny and Yosaku asking you that once."

"HOW DO YOU REMEMBER THAT?!"

"Dunno. Is it heights?"

"No, it's not the heights. And no, it's not the falling, it's the splat," she slapped her hands together to emphasize it.

"The splat?" he repeated.

"Yup. It's the splat."

The earth (tree) quacked, and Gloria almost lost her footing again. Zoro too was in mortal danger of falling when she grabbed his arm for support and the sudden added weight tried to tip them off their balance.

"What was that?" Nami asked.

"An explosion, obviously," Zoro answered.

"There was one earlier too, but this one sounded a little different," Robin said.

"Whatever, let's just keep going!" Nami spread her hands to her sides again and started walking.

"What are you all worked up for, Nami?" Zoro asked. He jumped to his branch with Gen under his arm, flailing and spewing death threats if he dropped her.

"You've been acting strange ever since you came down from that tree. What did you see?"

"You see God or something?"

"Zoro, stop obsessing over this 'God'. He's not real, and you're creepy," Gen said.

"No, I didn't!" Nami was about to say something more, but the moss failed her. She screamed and regained her balance. "This is getting ridiculous! Why is it so hard to walk around here?!"

"You're the one who said this was a faster way," Robin pointed out.

"Come on, quit wasting time and just spit it out!" Zoro demanded. "What the hell did you see?"

"Never mind, just follow me! This will lead to the shore."

"I know what she saw~, I know what she saw~," Gen sang.

Nami tried to get up from her place, but it was useless. "Anyway, come and help me!"

"If we're following you, you should be leading."

"The shore?"

"Yeah, that's right. I need to get close enough to be sure."

"Ready, Gen?"

"Huh? What... are you- aaaaaaaah!" she screamed when Zoro grabbed the vine and slung them to another branch with a Tarzan-yell.

They walked for another long hour and stopped to eat and rest for a while. Nami was complaining her ankles and when Gen suggested that she should take off her shoes, she looked at her like she was and idiot. Also, she suspected that the forest was slowly ebbing away the navigator's sanity.

"We're nearing the sea," Gen announced.

"Huh?"

"I can hear it too. The sound of waves," Robin confirmed it.

They stopped to listen carefully, except for Nami.

"Right! We're almost there!" she was panting and her eyes looked lunatic. "Here we go!"

"Just tell us what you saw!" Zoro insisted, but received only a weird laugh. "What's with the 'ehehehe'?" he sweatdropped.

Robin turned her head to their left. "I hear another sound mixed with the waves..."

"Yeah, a real nasty kind of sound... that of a whole army of people pushing and shoving."

"Hey, since when did you get super hearing?" Gen placed her hands on her hips. "But... I can hear it too... Wiper and them..."

"Eh? Who's Wiper?" Zoro blinked.

"He's one of the locals, lil' lady, stop giving out information that easily," Altur made her jump out of her skins by floating upside down in front of her face when she turned.

"KYAAA!"

"Ah, I'm sorry. May I carry you the rest of the journey?"

"NO!"

"It's almost like in Alabasta," Zoro continued, unfazed by the demon's sudden appearance.

"Do you think we should be worried?" Robin asked.

"We don't have to worry about Chopper," Zoro reassured her. "He really comes through when he need to."

"Hey! So do I!"

"Hmmm..."

"Oi, you're thinking too long," Gen said darkly.

"Not about him. About the Captain and the others," the archaeologist corrected.

"Luffy?"

"After we were abducted, he must've come after us, right, Odd-chan?"

"Yup."

"He was pretty hot about coming to this island," Zoro admitted.

"I don't know what God intends to do, but he most likely wouldn't let them pass freely," Robin said.

"And then there's those guys over there starting their own fight," Zoro nodded towards the noise.

"The situation is getting complicated."

"That's for sure. But, they'll be fine. We're all used to getting into trouble, some more than the others."

"Are you looking at me?"

"Making a fuss over something like that won't do us any good," Zoro ended.

Robin chuckled. "True."

"Ah, Nami fell... Ooi, are we there yet? Nami?"

"Oi! Nami"

"She's not listening to us, means that she found it..."

"Found what?"

"You sound like a pouting little kid," Gen giggled. "Altur!"

"Hai," the demon picked her up and slapped his wings couple of times before heading off.

"HEEEEY! TELL US ALREADY!!" Zoro's voice echoed around the woods.