Cricket
"How must longer is this going to take?" Cade asked.
"Beats me. I don't see anything." Usopp moved his binoculars around.
"It should be so far away, right?" Zoro said. "That monkey man said that area back there was his territory."
"The weather has been steady for a while, we are probably in Jaya's weather area," Nami said.
"Jaya must be a spring island," Luffy said from the figurehead.
"So warm, feels good," Chopper said. "Spring is such a good season. Those seagulls seem to be feeling well, too."
Cade looked up in time to see three seagulls plummet to their ship.
"Ah! They've been shot!" Chopper held one up.
"Oh! Barbecue material." Luffy drooled.
"Look, a bullet!" Chopper pulled a bullet from the bird. "Judging from the angle of descent, it was fired from the direction in front of the ship."
Nami shielded her eyes. "Shooting from an island that we can't even see yet? Chopper, that's impossible."
"But I was watching him," Chopper said.
Usopp chuckled. "If that's true, with what kind of eye sight, using what kind of gun, and what kind of technique does that shooter have? They probably got hit before and just happened to fall down right now."
"Or the guy is just an incredible shot," Cade said.
"Hey, hey! Looks like a vacation resort!" Usopp pointed ahead.
"A resort?!" Chopper asked.
"Speed up, Merry!" Luffy called from the figurehead.
Cade, stood behind Luffy on the figurehead, placed her hand on Luffy's head. "A ship can only go so fast. Be patient."
"I feel like staying here a few days," Nami said.
The ship pulled up to the harbor.
"Uh, those ships at the dock look like pirate ships. Am I just worrying too much?" Usopp said.
"Usopp, think! How can a pirate ship openly dock in a public place?" Nami said.
"That's right." Usopp laughed.
Cade eyed the docks. People were fighting and drinking. Nothing stopped even when a voice yelled out about a murder. Her eyes drifted to Luffy, Nami, and Zoro. The three were heading into town. She thought about joining them until a flash of purple caught her attention. Robin had wandered off on her own.
Cade jumped off the ship and followed her. Keeping her hood up, she weaved in and out of the crowds, making sure to keep plenty of distance between herself and Robin.
Minutes passed as she watched Robin go into and out of stores.
Suddenly Cade got an off feeling about Luffy and headed back to the ship. As she reached it Luffy and the others came walking over. Blood and bruises decorated the boys' skin. "What the heck happened to you?"
"Nothing. Some jerks decided to laugh at us about our dreams and finding sky island," Luffy said.
Cade took Luffy's arm and pulled him to sit down. Pulling out her first aid kit she started disinfecting his wounds.
"Man, you two are a mess," Chopper said as he attended to Zoro.
"Sounds like a big fight started, did something happen?" Robin walked up to the ship.
"Ah! Robin-chwan! Would you like to eat first or take a bath first?" Sanji asked.
"Where did you go?" Usopp asked.
"I went to buy some clothes." Robin held up her bag. "I also tried to find clues about Sky Island along the way."
"Oh yeah, it was all because of you, Robin! You and your Sky Island talk!" Nami pointed a finger at the older woman. "If it doesn't exist, I'll feed you to the sharks."
"You shouldn't anger her right now," Usopp squeaked.
"Oh. It's a treasure map." Luffy looked at it.
"It's just an ordinary map," Usopp said.
"It's this island," Robin said. "The city on the left is where we are, Mock Town. On the other side... Do you see the X mark on the east coast? I heard a very special person from Jaya lives there. His name is Monblont Cricket. He was exiled because he kept talking about his dreams. We should be able to talk about similar interest."
So that's all she was after? Information? Cade blinked. Pushing it aside she jumped up to the mast and lowered the sails.
"We just set sail and we're already encountering something strange," Luffy said as another ship with another monkey like man sailed up beside them.
"Is that the same guy from before?" Usopp asked.
"No, this one clearly is different," Sanji said. "He has blonde hair. The other had brown."
"Yeah, but we can't tell if there will be trouble," Usopp said from behind Sanji. Chopper was behind him.
"But we did see him before, right?" Usopp said.
"Yeah, that salvage guy," Chopper said. "So he's from this island after all. We saw him come back here."
"Even if we meet him again it doesn't really matter," Luffy said.
"Hey you! Yeah you! Stop chatting over there." A ship with a monkey face as the figurehead, a large tree on the deck, with the name Morinohito on the sail glided over.
"You have a very strange face," Luffy said.
"Another monkey person?" Cade asked.
"I'm a human, you punks!"
"Don't mess with our captain!" men shouted.
"Forget it, forget it." He waved. "It seems like you guys are pirates. Did you know that Crocodile's seat in the seven warlord is empty now? If they judge by real strength, that seat should be mine. I am so edgy just waiting."
"Why is this guy telling us this?" Cade tilted her head.
"I know you're wondering why me?" he said.
"No, we weren't."
"I'll tell you something special about me. Even since I was born I never had a hair cut. That's twenty five years without a haircut!" The man waved his long hair.
"And we should care, because?" Cade waved a hand to prompt him to continue.
"Did I surprise you?" he asked.
"You're an idiot," Luffy stated.
"What! You surprised me!" he said.
"How dare you say that to the captain!" his men said.
"Forget it, forget it. Geez, your response really made me edgy," he said.
Cade's eyebrow twitched. Her temple pounded. She jumped upon the figurehead. "Okay. I'm done with you. You're giving me a headache with all your nonsense. Water Shove!"
The ocean pushed the ship away.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" he asked as they faded into the distance.
"There." Cade dusted her hands off. "Let's get going."
"That was quite impressive, Miss Lifeguard," Robin said.
"Cade! You're so amazing!" Hearts floated around Sanji.
...
"So is that the island?" Cade asked as the island came into view.
"That's it," Nami replied.
"What was his name again?" Luffy asked.
"Montblant Cricket," Robin said.
"The man who talks of dreams," Nami said.
"Gah!" Usopp gasped.
"That's so cool!" Luffy's eyes bulged.
A large house stood at the edge of the island.
"Is that his house?"
"Is he rich?!"
"Stupid, look clearly." Zoro tapped his sword on his shoulder.
"A man who dreams more like a man who wants attention," Sanji said.
"What are you talking about?" Chopper asked.
The ship settles beside the island. They go ashore.
"Ah! It's just a board!" Luffy gasped.
"What?!" Usopp gasped.
"This guy's house is just half a side, the rest is just plywood," Zoro said.
"Seems like a small and cheap house," Sanji added.
"What dreams did he speak about when he was exiled?" Nami asked.
"I don't know all the details," Robin said. "But he talked about a large amount of gold hidden here on Jaya."
"Gold?!" Usopp's eyes lit up.
"You mean like pirate's treasure?" Nami said.
"Well, I don't know about that," Robin said.
Nami pointed to the ground. "Dig fast, Chopper! Dig out the gold!"
"Just dig and we'll find it?" Chopper stuck his horns into the ground.
"No one is going to have gold in their front yard," Cade said but they didn't listen.
"Hello! I'm coming it!" Luffy opened the door.
"Hey! Don't just walk in there!" Usopp said.
Cade stepped into the house. It was a small rounded room with a bed, table and two chairs, and random stuff that looked to have been drug up from the ocean. "It's empty."
"Hello!" Luffy called.
"Luffy, stop that. What if he's a bad guy?" Usopp crept in behind them.
They step outside to hear Nami reading from a book about Noland.
Cade walked around. Surely the man who owned this house was around somewhere. She didn't want any surprises. Her eyes caught onto Luffy who was next to the ocean. Before she could open her mouth a hand shot out and grabbed him. Luffy went sailing into the water. She rushed over and dove in, barely sneaking a glance at the man who pulled her brother in. Grabbing Luffy she shot back to the island. "Hey! You could have killed my brother!"
The man didn't respond. His knees buckled and he crumpled to the ground.
"Oh no! We have to get him inside!" Chopper transformed and carried the man inside. The crew rushed around, fulfilling the doctor's orders. "Bring some more cold towels. Open all the windows too. This man as dysbarism!"
"Dysbarism?" Zoro asked.
"You mean he's sick?" Luffy said.
"Yes. It's various symptoms divers experience sometimes. But it's not a long term illness and should pass," Chopper explained. "It happens on a diver's descent. When excess nitrogen enters the body's blood and tissue. Then on ascent the chemicals diffuse out in the form of bubbles causing various symptoms."
"Yeah." Luffy crossed his arms over the window frame. "Weird sick stuff."
"He must have been diving everyday not letting the bubbles dissolve properly," Chopper said.
"Why would he?" Nami asked.
"I don't know why. But it's very dangerous." Chopper looked a picture with Cricket and the two monkey men. "In some cases it can be lethal."
"Are you all right, boss?!" The two monkey men burst through the door.
"Great. It's those two again," Cade said as Usopp and Chopper ran around the room screaming.
"What are you doing here?!"
"What did you do to the boss?!"
"We are taking care of his, so leave us alone," Luffy said.
"They won't listen! They're beasts! Escape through the window!" Usopp said.
"They're such great guys!" Tears poured down the monkey men's faces.
"You two sure changed speeds quickly," Cade said.
Most of the crew headed outside.
Cade chose to stay behind and held Chopper take care of this man.
"He's waking up. Cade, can you get the others?" Chopper said.
"Sure." Cade walked to the door. "Hey, Luffy, he's awake now."
"Hey, Pops, I want to ask you something." Luffy walked inside.
"Thank you for all the help and sorry for all the trouble." Cricket lit a cigarette. "It thought you were like those fools trying to steal the gold."
"Gold! You have gold!" Nami clasped her hands.
"Don't act like those fools." Usopp looked at her.
"You wanted to ask me something, what is it?" Cricket asked.
"We want to go to Sky Island," Luffy said. "Please tell us how to get there."
"Sky Island?" Cricket said then laughed. "You guys actually believe in that?"
Nami tried to punch him but is held back by Usopp. "Stop! He's sick!"
"Sky Island doesn't exist?" Luffy asked.
"I don't know either," Cricket said. "But I knew a man who said it does. He was known as a great liar though, someone who always being laughed at."
Luffy looked to Usopp.
"It's not me!" Usopp said.
"Noland, the king of liars. It's an old story," Cricket said.
"It's not me! The name is different!" Usopp said with Luffy looked at him again.
"I'm his descendant," Cricket said.
"Descendant! That story took place here on Jaya?!" Nami said.
"He was my great, great, great grandfather. It's an annoying legacy that goes so far back. But there isn't a trace of his lineage in me. The whole Montblant family was exiled to a life of shame, even now, we are still badmouthed. However, nobody hates him for it."
"Why's that?" Cade asked.
"Because of Noland, out of all things, was a very honest man. When Noland was defending his claims he said 'I know the mountain of gold sun into the sea'. The storybooks showed him with a grinning face, but he was actually shedding tears of hate and injustice when he died. The island that people went to, was really the place where Noland himself found the golden city. It was definitely not just his imagination. Noland claimed that the golden city had fallen under the sea because of shifting of landscapes from earthquakes. However, everyone thought he was making false claims and nobody believed in his gold city. His death penalty was carried out surrounded by witnesses' sarcastic laughter."
"Then you're attempting to prove Noland is innocent, by trying to find the golden city?" Usopp asked.
"Quit talking crap!" Cricket pulled a gun on Usopp.
Cade kicked the gun from his hand and grabbed it. "Don't pull a weapon on my crew."
Cricket studied her for a minute then continued. "Whether or not my ancestor was an honest person, or a great adventure, he has nothing to do with me. Just for being his descendant one gets teased by strangers. Could you understand how a kid in that situation feels?! My entire childhood was like that!" He looked out the window. "You're right, during the past four hundred years, countless members of the family came here trying to correct the family name, but none of them returned. I felt ashamed being in a family like that, so I ran away from home, and became a pirate. I didn't really want to be one. I just wanted to escape Noland's curse. But ten years ago, after a series of events, my ship reached this island accidentally. It's ironic that I, the one who hated Noland the most, was the only one to reach this place. When I was standing in front of the cliff where the gold was suppose to be, I thought this was my fate, there's no escape. I didn't care if it was true or false. I didn't really want to find the gold, to prove his innocence. This is between me and the man who ruined my life, this is a duel. Before I die I will settle this and tell the truth to everyone."
"The power of a real man!" Usopp brushed his tears away with his arm.
"What about those two? Why are those monkeys here?" Luffy asked.
"They're fans of the story," Cricket said.
"Just fans?" Usopp said.
"That's a rather simple relationship," Nami said.
"It was roughly four to five years after I started searching they came to here after hearing about me and said 'Noland's gold exist for sure'. The sea is very deep here. I felt especially lonely being under the dark, cold sea. But I had lived a lifestyle of day after day non-stop underwater search. Then they just suddenly entered my life, insisting on being my followers and fought everyday to get to the point those stubborn jerks saved my life. Understand?" Cricket jerked his thumbs at the monkey men.
"Yes! True comrades always stick together like that!" Usopp brushed more tears away.
"Yeah, enough about the monkeys," Luffy said.
"Then don't listen to it! Keep quiet!" Usopp said.
Luffy shoved him out of the way. "As I was saying... I want to go to Sky Island, mister!"
Cricket smiled and pulled a book of the shelf. "You're so impatient. I'll tell you now. The one, who claimed that Sky Island existed was Nolan, the king of liars. If you have anything to do with him, you'll end up like me and be nothing more than a joke."
"He went to Sky Island before?" Luffy leaned towards Cricket.
"Unfortunately, the book doesn't say." Cricket flipped through the book.
"Captain's log. Is that Noland's?" Nami asked.
"Yeah." Cricket handed the book to Nami. "Read that line out loud."
"Wow, a four hundred year old log book. Year of the sea 1120, June 21st, clear weather, I set sail from the lively city of Villa. Following the direction from the log pose, we went northeast-east, straight out of the dock. In the afternoon, I met a merchant ship and bought a unique object. It's a small snowboard like object called a waver. It is a strange boat that will move even when there's no wind. There seems to be a secret method needed to use it, as I could not control it well. Now it has become a popular toy among the crew."
"No way!" Luffy said. "What is it?! I want one!"
"Read! Read!" Usopp and Chopper said.
"The waver's source of energy seems to only exist on Sky Island, it said there are a lot of special items found in the sky. Speaking of Sky Island, a fellow adventurer once showed me a living sky fish, I was surprised seeing such a strange creature. With our ship it is impossible to get there, but being a sailor, I really wish I could go to the sea of the sky someday."
"Sea of the sky?" Cade asked.
"Just like Robin said!" Luffy looked at Usopp.
"And judging from the text, it is without a doubt that Sky Island still exists!" Usopp said.
