Everyone the Going Tiger were bracing themselves as they had just entered the clouds and they were really hoping that Sky Island really did exist always going to be a long way down. They then suddenly shot right past the cloud layer, destroying the wings in the process and all them were knocked out cold.
Drago and his crew meanwhile had managed to survive, though their ship was now in ruins.
Drago merely laughed. "Oh well, they got away."
"What they regard as lucky," said Mildew.
"So what? Are we just going to sit here and let them escape?" Ragnar the Rock yelled angrily. "We just lost 215 million Gil bounty and you're laughing about it? Come on we've got to do something!"
"Easy Ragnar, they haven't left this world," said Drago calmly. "They'll be back, we will meet them soon enough so long as we remain on the Grand Line."
"So true, we're merely cards in the wheel of fate and though that they managed to escape us today they cannot outrun destiny," said Grimmel.
"You see Ragnar?" Drago smiled.
"Whatever," Ragnar grumbled.
Meanwhile up in the sky, Hiccup and the others started to regain consciousness.
"What just happened to us?" Toothless groaned.
"Is everyone all right?" Astrid asked.
"Looks like we're all alive and you guys aren't going to believe this," said Hiccup as he looked over the edge.
Everyone looked over the edge into their utter astonishment they found that they were actually resting on top of the clouds.
"What in the world?" Ragnar stared.
"I think it's safe to say that we got to Sky Island," said Hiccup.
"There clouds?" Chopper stared.
"But how? How aren't we falling?" Fishlegs stared in bewilderment.
Tuffnut shrugged. "Clouds float, boats float the same thing."
"No it's not," said Hiccup.
"Do you have any better theories?" Ruffnut asked.
"Basically it's an ocean in the sky," said Fishlegs.
"Seriously?" said Snotlout.
Fishlegs then looked at the Log Pose and saw that it was still pointing up. "But look the log pose is still pointing up."
"So we still must be somewhere in the cumuloregalis cloud," Heather theorised.
"Wait, you mean we have to travel even higher?" said Chopper.
"That's what the Log Pose is at least," said Heather.
"An ocean," said Snotlout as he stared at the newly discovered sea. Then without a moment thought he removed his shirt and shoes. "Here I go, the first man to swim into the clouds!"
"We can't swim here, we still don't know anything about this place," Ragnar pointed out.
"Watch me!" Snotlout yelled and immediately dived down into the clouds.
"He did it!" said the twins.
"He's so brave!" said Chopper.
Snotlout continue to swim down into the clouds. 'It's hard to see anything, but I'm really moving there's so little resistance. Wow, I'm just going deeper and deeper it so easy.'
On the ship, Hiccup and the others were still waiting for Snotlout to return, but so far there was no trace of him.
"I wish I could swim like that," said Tuffnut.
"Yeah, swimming through clouds is real cool," said Ruffnut.
"I bet it's the funniest thing ever," said Chopper.
"Hey… uh, he's not coming back up," Toothless noted.
"You know it's possible that this ocean may not have an actual bottom," said Heather.
Astrid's eyes widened. "Say what?"
"Idiot!" Toothless yelled. "Did that fool just swim through the clouds?"
"I'm on it!" Hiccup yelled as he transformed into his hybrid form then flew into the clouds.
"I just told him not to go in there," Ragnar groaned.
"How does he hope to see into the clouds?" Astrid asked.
Hiccup was flying for the clouds and roared every now and then until he finally reached the bottom. He then looked around and he's right he saw Snotlout had just fallen for the bottom of the clouds.
"Snotlout!" Hiccup yelled and flew after him.
He then quickly grabbed him and then flew back up into the clouds.
Astrid and the others were still waiting with anxiety.
"Do you think he's been able to find him?" Fishlegs asked.
"I hope they're all right," said Chopper.
"Don't worry Chopper, there's nothing dangerous about falling," Ragnar assured him.
"Really?" Chopper looked up at him.
"Of course, it's a landing you have to watch out for."
"Not helping," said Astrid.
Then they saw movement and a split second later they saw Hiccup flying out of the clouds.
"Yes, they're back!" said Astrid looking relieved.
"Yeah, but we're not alone!" Hiccup yelled.
Then suddenly shooting out of the clouds was a giant octopus and then a sea serpent appeared out of nowhere.
"They're trying to eat them!" Ragnar yelled.
"You hungry, eat this!" Toothless yelled as he drew his sword and jumped at the octopus.
Once he was in front one of its tentacles he swung his blade several times and then it popped like a balloon.
Ragnar then jumped at the sea serpent and then performed a powerful kick right down on top of its head. His attack was so strong that it knocked it out cold and it collapsed and started to slowly sink back into the white sea.
Both Toothless and Ragnar were breathing quite deeply after that small skirmish.
"This air it's so thin, it's hard to breathe," Toothless panted.
Hiccup looked at him. "It would be at this altitude, given time your body might adjust though is no guarantee."
"How come you're not been affected?" Ruffnut asked curiously.
"Yeah, you do look worn out in the slightest," said Tuffnut.
"That would be my Devil Fruit power, in my hybrid and dragon form I'm able to withstand these heights is only my human form I have the disadvantage," Hiccup explained.
Ragnar then began to examine the sea serpent of our sky serpent as the case may be. It scales resembled more like feathers and it was much thinner than the average sea serpent.
"What you make of this?" he asked looking at everyone. "It's the strangest creature I've ever seen, I'm not even sure it's a fish."
Hiccup nodded. "And that octopus was more like a big balloon."
"Except balloons don't have teeth," Toothless added.
"But how could there be fish up here in the clouds?" Fishlegs frowned.
"You said it best yourself, basically it's an ocean in the sky," said Heather.
"Maybe some face got knocked up by the Knock Upstream and ended up stuck in these clouds or something," Hiccup theorised.
"I guess that's as good as theory as we're going to get," said Fishlegs.
Snotlout then woke up and started jerking around for some strange reason.
"What's up with you?" Ragnar frowned.
"There something in my pants!" Snotlout yelled and as he reached in he pulled out a strange-looking fish.
"Certainly not his day," said Heather and then she examined the fish he pulled out. "Do you know what this is? I think it's one of the sky fish that Noland described in his log, it sounded pretty fantastic at the time and now that I see it it looks like these creatures have somehow actually evolved to survive here up in the clouds."
"They have evolved?" Toothless frowned. "You mean they turned all flattery and ballooning stuff."
Heather nodded. "To make themselves even lighter, the buoyancy up here must be several times weaker than the one in the oceans down below."
"And they grew scales like feathers and those weird carnivore like mouths," said Fishlegs.
Astrid looked at Hiccup. "Put more evidence in your theory on how these fish ended up in the clouds. Though I still don't understand how they didn't sink to the bottom, unlike Snotlout."
"Snotlout just dived in perhaps these fish ended up getting stuck in the clouds or something," Hiccup shrugged. "Also the question why we haven't sunk into the clouds might be something to do with the fact that the top layer of this sea has more resistance than below it."
"So where is this Sky Island?" said Chopper as he looked through a pair of binoculars and that when he a ship sailing close by. "A ship? Hey guys there's a…" He then stopped when he saw the ship falling to pieces.
"What's wrong Chopper? Do you see something out there?" Ragnar asked.
"Hey, a ship! It was there but then it split!" Chopper panicked.
"Come again?" Toothless frowned.
"There's a bloke with wings flying around the clouds and he's coming straight for us," Chopper continued.
"You're not making much sense calm down," said Toothless.
"What got into him?" Ragnar blinked.
Then suddenly they saw, as hard as it was to believe, a man rushing towards them wearing some kind of mask and holding a shield on one hand and a bazooka in the other.
"Check it out, he's right," said Ragnar. "There's a guy running around out there."
The man then launched himself into the air heading straight towards them.
"What you want?" Ragnar asked.
"To destroy you!"
"Oh, is that all?"
"I've got," said Toothless.
"What's going on up there?" Astrid asked.
Then suddenly the man struck Ragnar in the face with a powerful kick sending him flying, he then began jumping around the deck as Toothless charge towards him before striking him in the same manner as Ragnar. Astrid then quickly charged pulling out her battleaxe, but he quickly spun around and blocked her swing with a kick, though her attack was powerful enough to push and back.
"What's with this guy's moves?" said Fishlegs.
The man then somersaulted directly over the ship and then aimed his bazooka down on top of them.
"He's going to blow us up!" Chopper panicked.
Hiccup was about to transform into his hybrid form, when suddenly an old man in armour riding on top of an eagle down.
"That's another villain!" he yelled.
The old man then thrusted his allowance at the one attacking them, but he quickly blocked his attack with a shield. He was able to protect himself from the blow, but the impact was enough to send him flying back into the White Sea. The old man then landed on the deck of this ship making the you situation even more confused.
"Great who is this guy?" Fishlegs asked.
"You may call me the Sky Knight," said the old man as he stepped onto the deck. "You have no need to worry he's gone."
"Okay, what's going on here? Who was that guy?" Hiccup asked.
Astrid looked down at Toothless and Ragnar who are panting heavily. "Are you guys all right?"
"You saved us," said Chopper looking at the Sky Knight. "Thanks a lot."
"I'm just doing my duty, this one is on the house," said the Sky Knight.
"I feel so weak," said Ragnar.
"Like I said before it's because of the thin air," said Hiccup.
"Yeah, I forgot about that," said Toothless.
"Then how come I'm not having any problems?" Astrid frowned.
Hiccup looked at her and shrugged. "No idea."
"You must be Blue Sea people," said the Sky Knight as he made his way onto the bow.
"'Blue Sea people?'" Fishlegs frowned. "What's that? And who are you?"
"As I said before I am the sky Knight and Blue Sea people are those that we call that live beneath the clouds. I'm assuming that you travelled here from the blue sea."
"That's right," said Hiccup.
"Then that explains it, you've reached the White Sea 7000 m into the air," he said. "The White White Sea, is where I'm assuming you're heading, is still further of about 10,000 m. Ordinarily, Blue Sea people can't possibly endure it here."
"We'll find a way to manage," Hiccup assured him.
"No, no, that's just not possible," said the Sky Knight.
"So Mr Sky Knight who was that guy running around in the clouds attacking people?" Chopper asked.
"Now, now not so fast, no doubt you have many questions but first we have matters of business to discuss."
"Business?" Astrid frowned.
"You see I am a soldier for hire, the White Seas can be quite dangerous. There are gorillas lurking about like the one you just faced, that would like nothing more than turn you into food for the sky fish. But if you purchase a 5 million Kia One Whistle I'll protect you."
Everyone just looked at one another then looked back at him.
"What are you talking about?" Hiccup frowned.
"Now listen to that price is quite reasonable! I can't afford to lower it to a single Kia more, I have to earn a living too!" said the Sky Knight.
"It's not that, it's just that we have no idea what a Kia or what this whistle thing is," said Ragnar.
"You don't know?" he stared. "I don't understand, you came here from Summit of High West, didn't you? Surely you must have passed an island or two?"
"We still don't know what you're talking about," said Hiccup.
"Wait, let me get this straight," said Fishlegs. "You're saying there's another way we could have got up here where we would have passed an island or two? As there is more than one Sky Island?"
"What?" the Sky Knight stared. "Don't tell me you travelled by the way of…"
"We rode head on the Knock Upstream," Heather explained.
"My word, that monstrous current? So there are still souls in the world brave enough to make the attempt?"
"You mean we risk our lives are nothing?" Fishlegs moaned.
"Did you lose any of your crew?" the Sky Knight asked.
"No, we all made it," said Hiccup.
"Then you can consider yourself fortunate, had you taken a different rout one or two of you would have survived the journey but the rest of you would have perished, that's the gamble. By way of the Knock Upstream, if everyone dies or everyone survives, those are the only two possible outcomes. Not many are willing to accept that sort of or nothing risk, especially these days. If nothing else I can see that your navigators of exceptional bravery and skill."
"Yeah, I hate to take all the credit," said Snotlout as he rose to his feet smugly. "You see when things got scary and all these guys were screaming and crying for their mummies I'm the one that said—" Astrid then immediately twisted his arm and he began howling in pain. "—nothing at all!"
"Thought so," said Astrid releasing him.
"This is the One Whistle," said the Sky Knight tossing them a whistle. "It is yours to use as you see fit, should you find yourself in danger you just have to blow it and I'll come to your aid. As I said normally I would charge you 5 million Kia but for today except this is my gift to you."
"But wait, we still don't know your name!" Fishlegs yelled.
"I am Gabriel and this is my partner Swift!" he said gesturing to the eagle by his side. "Despite appearances, Swift is no ordinary bird."
Then suddenly they all watched as Swift began transforming, he grew an extra pair of legs and his talons started turning to hooves.
"Long ago he ate a House-House Fruit and gained its powers," said Gabriel.
"What kind of powers are we talking about?" Ragnar asked.
"He is able to transform into a horse with wings namely…"
Astrid's eyes lit up. "A Pegasus!"
"Yes, a Pegasus!" Gable yelled as he mounted Swift, who had transformed into an eagle and horse hybrid.
Everyone just looked at one another as they didn't really see the point of that transformation, considering that Swift's eagle form was able to fly and carry him anyway.
"Wow, that's amazing," they said in unison in a dull tone.
"May luck be with you brave warriors!" Gable yelled as he galloped away.
"Am I the only one who finds that bizarre?" Ragnar asked.
"Was there even a reason for that transformation?" Astrid asked.
Everyone merely shrugged.
"In the end, he really didn't tell us anything did he?" said Heather.
"No, nothing actually," Ragnar agreed.
"Guess it's back to square one," said Hiccup.
"Yeah, where we supposed to go from here?" Toothless asked.
Tuffnut picked up the whistle. "I know let's call him back and ask him!"
Hiccup and Astrid then immediately grabbed him before he could put the whistle to his lips.
"Don't even think about it, you don't blow that whistle to ask for directions!" Hiccup yelled firmly. "It is only for emergencies only!"
"Yeah, did it ever occur to you that we might get attacked by that gorilla again?" said Astrid.
"We should keep moving," said Toothless.
"Hey, look over there you guys!" Chopper pointed over the side.
"What is that?" said Heather looking puzzled.
"Some kind of cloud," said Chopper.
"It looks more like a waterfall."
Everyone looked and indeed it looked like a waterfall of cloud, there was hard to tell from the distance.
"Okay, that settles it we're going that way," said Toothless.
With that decided they headed straight towards the waterfall, thankfully they found that sailing on the White Sea was just as easy as sailing on the sea below.
Fishlegs continued looking at the Log Pose which was still pointing up, he still had no idea what it meant. He then looked up ahead and saw massive clouds blocking their path.
"Hold up! Stop the boat here!" he ordered.
"Look at the ways blocked," said Heather.
"What do we do?" Chopper asked.
"Those big clouds look as if they're floating on top of the ocean like icebergs," Ragnar noted.
"So what their cloudbergs?" said Snotlout sceptically.
"Well, there's obviously something different about them," said Astrid.
"I'll fly over and have a closer look," said Hiccup as he transformed it is hybrid form and took off.
Hiccup flew towards the clouds and then placed his hand against one of them and discover that it was quite firm.
"It's solid, but it feels more like a balloon than a wall!" he yelled back to them.
The twins smiled at one another then immediately jumped off the ship and began climbing up the clouds. They then started bouncing around they were on some sort of trampoline.
"Look we're not sinking!" Ruffnut yelled.
"It's all fluffy and bouncy!" Tuffnut cheered.
"You guys really got to try this!"
"How does this work?" said Astrid.
"It's a mystery," said Heather.
"Here I come!" Snotlout yelled as he followed the twins' example.
"Me too, me too!" Chopper yelled jumping after him.
Then watched as the four them began bouncing around without a care in the world.
"We obviously can't sail through these clouds which only leaves the option of going around them," said Astrid.
"I'll see if I can't find a route for us!" Hiccup yelled as he flew up even higher.
He flew up higher then he saw something.
After dragging the twins, Snotlout and Chopper back onto the ship he began to explain to everyone what he discovered.
"A gate?" Fishlegs frowned.
"It's a big one, directly underneath that waterfall," said Hiccup.
"So there is a man-made structure in the middle of the clouds?" Ragnar blinked.
Heather shrugged. "At this point, I'm not sure anything up here we would surprise me."
"We'll see soon enough," said Hiccup.
Hiccup began guiding them through the maze of clouds as he flew overhead in his dragon form.
"We're here!" Hiccup yelled as he landed back onto the deck and reverted to his human form.
Indeed they saw what appeared to be a large gate coming into view with the words Valhalla's Gate over the front.
"Yep, that's a gate all right," said Ragnar.
"And looked that weird cloud we saw really is some kind of waterfall," Fishlegs pointed. "It's coming down on top of those cloudbergs."
"Hold on," said Snotlout as he looked at the sign. "Am I reading this right Valhalla's Gate? What's that all about? It sounds like a place you go when you die."
"Well, now that you mention it maybe we are dead ever think of that?" Toothless smirked.
"That would go a very long way of explaining this weird place," Ragnar agreed.
"But I don't want to be dead!" Chopper moaned.
"Well, it's not as if we have any other option then to go through that gate," said Hiccup.
"Wait there appears to be someone coming out!" Fishlegs pointed.
As they got closer they saw an old woman with a pair of wings on her back stepping out of the door. They noticed that she appeared to be taking pictures of them, though they have no idea why.
"Look she's got wings!" Chopper pointed.
"Is that what the people around here look like?" Hiccup wondered.
"Uh, hello," Fishlegs waved.
"I am Valkyrie, the Valhalla's Gate inspector state your business," she said. "Sightseeing? Warmongering? Other?"
Fishlegs look to the others and they all merely shrugged.
"I suppose it's kind of like sightseeing," he said looking back at her.
"We wish to go to the Sky Islands, the past this gate right?" Hiccup asked.
"Can we say all the above?" Toothless asked.
"It makes little difference, but if you wish to proceed you must first pay the entrance fee of 1 billion kai per person, that is the law," said Valkyrie.
"What? 1 billion?" Snotlout stared.
"Obviously kai is the currency," said Ragnar.
"Yeah, but how much would that being Gil?" Snotlout asked.
"It's got to be a lot, I mean a billion anything, it sounds expensive," said Chopper.
"A billion per person which would make 10 billion in total," said Heather.
"Something fishy here, 10 billion just to go through a stupid gate? I think the old bag is trying to scam," said Snotlout.
Fishlegs looked at Valkyrie. "About the money what if we don't have it?"
"You still may pass," she said.
"Come again?" Hiccup frowned.
"The choice is yours, I certainly won't try to stop you. My job description does not require me to actually guide the gate, I nearly here to ask your intentions."
Hiccup looked at the others and they were just confused.
"No way it's that easy," he said.
"You think it's a trap?" Astrid asked.
"Trap or no, this looks like to be the only way to get the Sky Islands," said Ragnar.
"Then it seems as if our choice has been made," said Toothless.
Hiccup looked back at Valkyrie. "We're unable to pay so we'll just go."
"Very well, the 10 if you then?" Valkyrie asked.
"Yeah, but we still have no idea how to get there."
Then suddenly shooting out from the clouds beneath them were two giant lobster pincers. They then grabbed onto the side of the ship causing it to shake slightly.
"What the heck is that?" Hiccup yelled.
"The White Sea's famous Express Lobster," Valkyrie explained.
Sure enough, lobster was now resting on the bottom of the ship before they had time to contemplate this immediately took off and began riding up the waterfall.
"We're moving!" Snotlout yelled.
"It's a giant lobster!" Chopper yelled.
"And it's taking over the waterfall!" Toothless noted.
"Everybody hang on tight!" Astrid yelled.
Everyone was holding onto the best of the abilities of the continued climbing up waterboarding incredible pace. They were officially heading up towards the Sky Island, but none of them knew what awaited at the top.
'This is Valkyrie Gate inspector Valkyrie! Hear me now, to the All-Father above and a holy warriors, I bare tidings. 10 illegal entrants have passed to the All Father's land Skypiea bestow upon them righteous judgement!'
