Hello everyone !

There is the new chapter for you ! I hope you will enjoy it, even if nothing really interesting is happening there. You will have to wait the next chapter for something more intersting. So, see you later and d'ont to forget to review !

Exiting from the cloud, they crushed the Merry's wings. Everyone grabbed onto something even tighter than before.

Bam!

They ended on a white sea made of cloud, and the calm came back…

Everyone let themselves fall on the deck, more or less conscious and spitted some water that they had swallowed during their ascension. Ace sensed like he was choking. He sat down, helped by Marco, and tried to breath.

- Calm yourself, slowly, Marco whispered.

-Zoro? mumbled Luffy.

-Here, said the sword man leaning back against the rail.

- Usopp?

-He lost consciousness, Chopper is taking care of him, mumbled Nami. And I'm here…

-Thanks… Sanji?

-Here, senchô, grumbled Sanji.

-Robin?

-Yes… panted the archeologist, soaked to the skin.

The crew was here, it was sure.

-Ace? Luffy called.

- Spitting his lungs out, yoi, answered Marco. Thank you for calling the roll…

Luffy straightened and went to his brother's side who seemed to have difficulty breathing. He was bright red. Chopper came to examine him, worried, without trying to dislodge the sick one from Marco's arms which he was holding almost with the energy of despair. No one should keep a grudge against him for that, Ace hated doctor, no matter how gentle they were.

- Damn… what happened? mumbled Zoro. Oi, Ace… what is happening to you?

-His akuma no mi make him use more oxygen than most people, explained Chopper examining his patient. He need some time to adapt…

Luffy straightened and looked around the ship.

He hauled up his brother on his feet, supporting him so he could stay standing. Ace let him do, holding on his otouto.

-Look, Ace! Luffy told. We're there…

Ace raised his eyes, still breathing hard, and had a smile seeing the sea of cloud around them. They were there, it was there, the celestial sea… the sky island… the memories of his father was at the tip of his fingers. Luffy let his brother sit down against the rail, without letting him out of his hold.

Everyone else stood up and looked at the exterior.

-But where are we? Asked Sanji.

- Everything is whiiiiiite! Admired Luffy, happy like a kid.

-These are clouds! Chopper exclaimed.

- We are on some cloud? But how do we float on them?! Inquired Nami, stunned.

- Who know, yoi. We are on the sky sea. Ah, Usopp-kun just gain his consciousness back, said Marco, seeming a little whiter than usual.

- Are you alright, Fushisho-san? Inquired Robin.

-It's not the first sky island I'm visiting. After some time, I'll be better… Luckily, I didn't have to fly to come there, yoi.

- But look, the log pose still pointing higher… Nami noted.

- We're still in the Imperionimbus, probably, supposed Robin sitting on the guardrail, beside Ace who was beginning to breath better, supported by his little brother.

- So, we have to go higher? But how? Asked Chopper.

-I don't have the slightest idea.

-There must be some way, in this direction… panted Ace.

- Don't speak, Ace, Luffy told him.

Splash!

- Who had the glorious idea of diving, yoi? Asked Marco.

-Usopp, said Sanji and Zoro.

- We don't know anything about this sea and this idiot dive?! Said an angered Nami.

-Why am I not surprised, groaned Marco letting himself go against the mast.

And he slid to the ground closing his eyes. He wasn't well enough for this sort of idiotic move… to be a bird of fire wasn't the easiest thing in those conditions.

- Someone should fish him out, yoi, he mumbled.

Ace stood out from the rail and fell at his side. In less than two second, the young man had a narcolepsy attack, which made Marco smile, since Ace's head fell on the Phoenix shoulder who arranged the young man's position.

-Well, let's fish him out, before he drowns, mumbled Luffy. I didn't think that I would say that one day.

And he threw his arm where Robin made blossom some eyes, to guide him in the good direction. It was hard, because even if it was a sea of cloud, it was still a sea, and it was pumping their energy.

- I see him! He is falling! Announced Robin.

- This sort of thing doesn't have an end, yoi. The only limit he will find, it the sea below, where we came from, grumbled Marco.

-Where is he, Robin? Asked Luffy.

- I'll do it, she announced. Veinte Flores.

She stayed concentrated, until she pulled Usopp into Luffy's hand who pulled him out of the water. Taken into the out-burst, Luffy fell on his brother's stomach who wake up surprised. Ace blinked a moment and straightened on his elbows to know what he had on his lap.

Well, two fishes wanted to take back their meal (Usopp), but Sanji and Zoro made them go quickly.

- It seems that this place isn't a walk in a park, stated Zoro.

- Even in the sky, it's still the Grand Line… Luffy… if you don't want that I commit a fratricide, doubled by a D-cide, go away from my stomach… grumbled Ace crushed by his sibling.

Luffy immediately stood up. Yes, Ace threatening to do a fratricide is a serious threat.

-The animals are strange… Sanji puffed. Not sure if it is a fish and a squid.

- Evolution animal made them adapt to live in clouds, explained Marco. It's a true sea, around us, not only clouds.

Usopp straightened brusquely yelling and shivering.

-What is it again? Asked Sanji.

-A fish in my underpants… the sky island is scary… squeaked the shooter.

Marco grabbed the poor fish that Usopp pulled from his clothes and threw it in the water.

- We are on the sea, not yet the island, corrected Ace.

- Even so, the wild life is so strange… Nami noted.

- I join Fushisho-san thinking. The wild life underwent a long process of evolution to be able to survive in a sea without a bottom, Robin stated.

- Like change in a balloon or to flatten its body? Asked Zoro.

-All of this in the goal of lessen their density. After all, I heard that bird have empty bones, continued the archeologist.

-No, the birds have less bones, and it's their long bones that are empty, only them, yoi, corrected the avian expert of the group. The species who doesn't fly like the chicken or the ostrich have them full. But it's true that the density of the water is less important than that of the sea we are habituated with, yoi.

- And their scale looks like feathers… noted Nami.

- Distant relatives, Marco? Joked Zoro.

- I was subject to all sort of joke from the Shirohige, but the comparison with a fish is a first, deadpanned the Phoenix.

He thought he had heard it all… and now the Rookies take part in it!

- But it's surprising that they are carnivores… stated Sanji.

-There is no chance of finding plants in an ocean without bottom. There's nothing to grab onto, pointed the navigator of the Mugiwara.

It was at this moment that Chopper screamed in fear.

He had sit down on the rail, looking at the horizon with binoculars, in the search of the sky island, when he first thought he had saw a ship, then screamed in fear.

-Did you see a ship? Sanji asked.

-No, well yes but…

-Everybody be careful, we have visitor! Luffy yelled, warned of the threat by his Haki.

Marco was already on their guard, if need, they had sense it with their Haki too.

Indeed, someone was rushing in their direction with great speed, on the water, and not with the best intentions. He jumped, ready to fight against them.

He threw a blow to Sanji who collapsed. Zoro reacted too slowly, and Luffy was flatten.

The lack of oxygen was making himself know. Ace stood up, ready to throw a Hiken, when the man jumped in the air again, and readied the bazooka with him. Then, someone came to their help and send their attacker in the sea.

It was an old man in armor with a cape, accompanied by a bird with polka-dot. Something that Ace already knew…

-The Knight of the Sky, ne? Ace huffed with a smile.

Seeing Luffy's expression, he remembered it too.

-I should have listened to this idiot's stories a little more often, instead of trying to beat your uncle at a drinking contest, yoi, the Shirohige's navigator mumbled.

Ace couldn't stop a smile. He was really following in his father and uncle's steps.

-Just like in Ji-chan's stories! Shihihi! Said the young man.

-I see that I don't need to introduce myself, noted the old man, surprised. I am indeed the Sky's Knight.

-At least, the attacker is gone, Luffy stated.

-I don't sense him anymore, indeed, said Marco.

-Same here, assured Ace taking a position less offensive.

-What was this guy? Nami asked. And above all, what is happening to you, guys? It was pathetic! You were beaten by only one man, the three of you!

-Thank you for saving us! Chopper thanked.

-It was nothing, it's a service, said the knight.

- You shouldn't hold a grudge against them, it because of the oxygen. The higher we are, less we find it, explained Marco. We use a lot of it in normal time. Ace even more, I wouldn't be surprised if he loses consciousness.

-On my D., I'll see everything there is to see, growled Ace.

He wanted to see all of this, he will not let this opportunity pass.

- You are people from the Blue Sea, I suppose? Said the Sky's Knight.

-Yes we come from below, answered Marco looking with distrust the man coming closer to Ace.

The man stroked his beard, perplexed, still staring at Ace.

-Did you already come here, a little more than twenty years ago? Inquired the knight.

-I was just out of my mother's womb, so no, I don't think so, said Ace. But if you think of a certain someone, I think it's normal that you take him for me.

And he gave him an embarrassed smile. Oops, this man must remember his father and almost confound him with Roger. If he revealed something, Ace didn't want to think about all the consequences. He didn't know if he could trust his brother's crew, for now.

-Hmm, well. So, it's normal that you have a little difficulty, since you are seven thousand meters above the Blue sea. You, it's not the first time you came on a Sky island.

And the Knight pointed a finger on Marco.

The two brothers had a discrete sigh… they were saved.

- I saw three of them. This one will be the fourth, yoi, the pineapple head answered.

-If you search the island, Skypiea, she is on the Opal sea, still ten thousand meters above. Generally, the bodies of inhabitants of the Blue sea don't support it.

-We begin to adjust, assured Luffy thumping his chest.

-I won't fail because of my damn akuma no mi… I'll walk in his steps, and surpass him, even if I die, announced Ace.

-The habituation period is almost ended for me, mumbled Marco. Reason for why I avoid moving since earlier.

- I must be habituate too, noted Zoro. I feel better than earlier.

-No, no, no, no, it's not possible, refuted the Sky's Knight.

- I want to know! How did this man stay on the clouds? Asked Chopper.

- Wait, wait, I understand that you have a lot of question to ask, said the old man sitting on the guardrail. But we should begin by talking business.

- Business? Nami and Marco asked.

Seeing the way Marco said that, almost growling, the old man had better be careful with what he would say. Ace knew all too well his lover to know that the Knight was on sliding ground.

- I'm a freelance mercenary. Since you're not in your element, you will become easy prey for the warriors and sky fishes. A whistle, and I'll come save you for five million of extols.

-We just came from the Blue sea, we didn't pass by a currency changing system, yoi, explained Marco. Where we were, below, nobody believed in the existence of this island. And about the protection…

-There is only one way to find out. Lu'? Said Ace arranging his hat on his head.

He made his fingers crack and took position. Understanding his idea Luffy banged his fist against each other's, and readied himself. The two D. breathed deeply, and in no time, they began to fight, without using their akuma no mi, nor the Haki, only their sheer power, agility, speed and flexibility. Ace didn't spare any effort on his brother, he didn't want to give him false hope on the Shin Sekai's power level.

In no time, Marco was between the two, blocking their kick with his mere hands.

One glance on Luffy's crew, and Ace knew that Luffy didn't show them what he was really capable of.

-This ship is fragile, yoi. We understood very well that you are at your best, the two of you, grumbled Marco. And Ace, you should go a little softer, it's your otouto, not Thatch, Jozu, or me, for you to fight with such power.

-Sasuga Ichibantaï Taïshou of Shirohige, smiled Robin. And we couldn't wait for less from two D. could we? However, we could say that you hide your power well, senshô-san…

-You are monsters, stated the Knight, perturbed. But if you passed directly from the Blue sea, how did you came here? You didn't come by High West?

-Iie. We caught a Knock Up Stream, Zoro answered.

- One instant! You mean that there's another way to come on this celestial sea?! Asked Nami.

- You took this gigantic current?! When I think that there still souls brave enough to do this…

-Ace… Luffy… this was your uncle who set a foot on this island, wasn't it? You could have told us that we didn't use a normal road! Roared Nami.

-Stop! Ji-chan told us his adventure, but not how he arrived there! Exclaimed Luffy defending himself.

- I want to scold him! Stated Nami.

- You will have aaaall the time at Shabaody, I don't want to risk the call to be intercepted, and for someone to discover where he is hiding, stated Ace. Even with his age, he still has a bounty on his head.

- But I really thought that we were dying! You could have inquired about it to him, couldn't you? scolded Nami shaking the poor Luffy.

- And to be told the answer? This would have reduced all interest in the things! Said Luffy upset.

- You will have to do with it, Nami, if you want to map the whole world, and so, go into the Shin Sekai, because there, there are things even more difficult to surpass than a simple Knock Up Stream! And stop take it out of Luffy! Ace complained.

-You didn't lose anyone in your crew? Asked the Knight, interrupting Nami.

- We called the roll more or less, and nobody is missing, answered Luffy. The guests included!

- The others roads wouldn't have been so lenient. On one crew of one hundred man, only some survivors reach the end. As for the Knock Up Stream, it more of…

- All or nothing, yoi? suggested Marco.

- Exactly. Few people would take the risk of losing everything, even more in our days.

- It's without taking in count the stupid luck of the D. if we add two… I let you imagine, smirked the Phoenix, as if it was normal.

- Your courage and spirit impress me a lot, confessed the old man.

Usopp stood up to say his deceptive speech, but renounced when he was faced by Nami.

The Knight threw a whistle at them telling:

- You'll just have to blow in this hard. I'll come down from the Heaven itself to come at your help. In normal case, I ask for five million extols for my intervention, but exceptionally I will gift you of one blow. Even two, since Pierre had taken affection in you, in purple.

Marco looked at the bird perched at his side and scratch under his beck smiling. Someone had saw the Phoenix in him.

- Between birds, we understand each other, Marco just said.

- Wait, give us your name! Nami exclaimed seeing the Knight stood up, as if going away.

- No need, Nami. His name is Gan Fall, if I remember what Ji-chan told in his story, said Luffy.

- That's right. I am the Sky's Knight Gan Fall. And my partner is Pierre, who ate the Uma Uma no mi, who can transform in a winged horse.

- Like a pegasus? Asked Nami, eyes bright.

-That's correct!

Well, if you wanted, because the result wasn't really good…

- Good luck, courageous spirit!

And Gan Fall disappeared in the sky.

- It's what I call a weirdo… noted Sanji.

- Was it really a transformation? Asked Nami.

- Him, it's sure, he isn't a relative! Ace stated to Marco with a very big grin.

- I would give a lot for you to use your mouth for something less idiotic than to mock me, sighed Marco.

-Like?

Seeing the malicious grin on Ace's face, he had an unspeakable idea in his head, even more seeing him lick his lips. Marco could imagine at least ten ideas that the young man could have and only thinking about it was giving some embarrassing need for where they were.

- Drop it, yoi, grumbled Marco.

- In the end we didn't learn a lot, excluding what we already knew from senshô-san and Portgas-san, Robin noted collecting the whistle.

- That's true! Usopp stated. Nothing.

- Other than knowing that if we want help, we just have to blow in this whistle, mumbled Sanji.

- And how do we go up there? Asked Zoro.

- There must be a road, I'm sure! Assured Ace.

- I'll do a reconnaissance flight, announced Marco.

And he took the sky, to come back quickly. He pointed his wing to what seemed to be a waterfall in the clouds, and the Merry followed him.

Luffy threw himself on a cloud as soft and warm as some cotton, under the affectionate gaze of his brother. Soon, Chopper and Usopp joined him to play.

- A door? Nami asked to Marco, while the three others were playing on the comfy clouds block the way of the ship.

- Yes, said the Phoenix, still standing on the rail where he had land. A gigantic door just above the cloudy waterfall, yoi.

- Can you guide us Marco-san, please?

-Na, Marco? Asked Ace with his puppy dog eyes.

He was dying to fly on the Phoenix back, he loved to do it.

Marco huffed and show his back to everybody, guessing what his young lover had in head. Ace jumped laughing on his back, and the Phoenix flew off, the young man's head in his neck.

- Follow us, said the bird.

Luffy, Usopp and Chopper came back on the ship, and the Merry took off, following the duo in front of them.

- A human building, here? Mumbled Sanji.

- Everything is still to be discovered on this island, Robin told him.

- Bah! We'll know when we're there! Grinned Luffy.

- Here we are, announced Marco fast.

And he came back on the ship, to the big deception of Ace.

And they finally saw a door.

Well, a massive gate and super decorate, named 'Heaven's Gate'. And behind there really was a waterfall. Very cliché in the Phoenix's opinion.

- The Heaven's Gate! It's like we will die, said a depressed Usopp.

- Or we're already dead, Zoro noted with a smirk.

- Oh that, that would explain a lot of thing, remarked Sanji, thinking.

Well, at this, Chopper entered a panic attack and came grab on Marco's leg who took him in his arm to console him.

- You would be a great father, Marco, remarked Ace by his ear.

- Is it a proposition you're doing? Asked Marco, a little surprised.

- Just an observation…

- What are you talking about? Asked Luffy.

- Nothing, some Shirohige's stories, Ace told him with a wave of his hand to say that it doesn't concern him.

- Pff, ahou nii-chan.

- Of course, with a baka otouto like you…

- Oi, look, there someone! Usopp remarked, cutting the beginning of an arguing.

Indeed, an old woman just came out of a door and took photos of them.

A prune with wing if trusted the D.'s reference.

- Ano… Nami began.

- I am the guard of the Heaven's Gate, Amazon. Are you here for tourism or war? Inquired the old lady.

- We're her for tourism. We're more particularly searching for traces of a legendary man named Gol D. Roger, answered Ace. We know that he came here, and we are after the trace of his coming.

- Ye-yes, I think that the tourism is the most appropriate term, answered Nami.

- It's not important, in all case. Pay the immigration tax of one billion of Extol each, and go your way! Said the prune on leg. It's the rule.

-And how much is it in Berrys? Asked Marco. No matter the price it would be multiplied by nine, yoi.

- We're just passing by, why do we have to pay so much just for entering? Asked Usopp. This baa-san must be crazy.

Nami put a hand over his mouth and asked with a smiled a little forced.

- And… if accidentally… we didn't have enough?

-You will still be able to pass… or you can not to pass. I'm not a guard nor a warrior. I just ask about your intentions.

- It's shady this thing, commented Marco summing up the thoughts of anyone having some common sense.

- Oi… illegal entry, it's not our first, Marco, no need to be squeamish! Said Ace.

- You should make know your right by blood, and asked for a free passage, replied the Phoenix.

- I'm not Ann to do this sort of things.

Marco throw a glance at him, a warning to be careful of what he was saying.

- We don't have money, but we will still go ahead! Claimed Luffy.

- Very well! You're nine, right?

- Yes, but how do we climb? Asked Usopp.

- Grab on something, yelled Ace.

At the same time, gigantic pincer came out of the cloudy water and grabbed each side of the ship.

- This is the Lobster Express, a creature of the white sea.

And it made them climb at great speed, without the possibility of hearing the old gate keeper request.