Aokiji

Cade opened her eyes.

"Cade!" Luffy cried between bites of food. "You avake! I'm so gwad! I tought you vere dead!"

"Stop talking with your mouth full!" Chopper snapped. "How are you feeling, Cade?"
"Completely depleted." Cade tried to lift her arms but they wouldn't move.

"You should hold still." Chopper touched her shoulder. "Eneru tried to kill you. But I think your water manipulates saved you."

"What do you mean?"

"When he zapped you, I think you used your water to move the electricity away from you. Of course you weren't able to move it all, but it helped a lot."

"I see." Cade stared up at the sky then looked at her brother. "Another party, huh?"
"Of course!" Luffy grinned. "We had to party."

"All the Shandorians and sky people are here as well," Chopper said. "They decided to put aside their differences and live here together."

"That's nice," Cade said. "So when are we leaving?"

"Soon after we steal the gold here," Luffy said. "There's a lot of it inside of the snake."

Cade attempted to sit up.

"You stay." Luffy pressed her back down. "We'll handle the gold. You rest and get ready to run back to the ship."

"I'll stay with her," Chopper said.

Luffy nodded then ran off.

"Here. Sanji brought you some food. You should eat while you can." Chopper moved a plate closer to her.

Cade picked up a piece of meat and chewed it. With each swallow she felt her strength coming back.

And as Luffy had said, the rest of the crew came running back with sacks of gold on their backs.

"Let's go!" Luffy said.

Cade and Chopper joined them in their to the ship.

Pouring out their gold, the pirates threw it into the air and cheered.

Cade grabbed a few pieces and tuck them into her pouch. A smirked appeared on her lips knowing how furious Nami would be if she knew. But she never did pick up on the fact that Cade snatched a few pieces of gold when they found treasure. Cade even noticed Usopp doing the same as she had suggested.

"Everyone, please look to the front. We are almost at the exit," Conis called.

"I can see it already," Pajaya said.

"Finally. We can get back to the sea I belong in." Cade sighed. "I can't wait."

"You're really missing it, huh?" Luffy walked over to her.

"I'm so done with this low level oxygen," Cade said. "This place is almost as bad as Alabasta."

A building with snake like fish spouting clouds with a sign reading Cloud's End appeared.

"There it is. Our way back," Cade said. "I wonder how we get down from here. A cloud slide, maybe?"

"Aw. We're leaving already." Luffy draped himself over Cade's shoulder. She patted his cheek. "I want to stay longer."

"Not a chance. Aren't you ready for our next adventure?" Cade asked.

"Yes!" Luffy nodded.

"Good boy."

"This is as far as we can accompany you," Conis said as she and her dad ran along side the ship. "Take care of yourselves, everyone."

"Thanks for bringing us here!" Nami waved.

"Thanks for everything!" Usopp said.

"Conis-chan, take care of yourself, too!" Sanji gushed.

"Excuse me! You must put away your sail immediately!" Pajaya said.

"I'm on it!" Cade jumped to the mast and pulled it up. The call of the south bird came towards them. "It's that bird."

"He's saying 'don't forget me'," Chopper said.

"Oh yeah. We took him along with us on our way here," Nami said.

"I already forgot about him." Cade earned a glare from the bird.

"We're all set. The log pose is pointing to the next island." Nami looked at her wrist.

"Okay. This is the start of a brand new adventure. Let's go back to the blue seas!" Luffy leapt into the air.

"Everyone, be careful. You're going to start falling soon!" Conis yelled.

"Fall?" Cade leaned over the railing. "Oh."

The ship dropped. The crew screamed. Suddenly the ship was jerked to a slow down.

"Giant Octopus!" Usopp ran around screaming.

Cade looked up at the octopus holding onto the ship.

"A monster!" Zoro grabbed his swords.

"Before you attack it, check out what it's doing," Cade said. "It's slowing our fall."

"She's right," Sanji said.

"Cool! It's a big balloon!" Luffy laughed. "An octopalloon!"

"Nice name, Luffy," Cade said.

"I was so sure we were goners there." Nami pressed a hand to her chest.

The bell sounded off.

"What's that sound?" Cade asked.

"It's the golden bell," Robin said. "It rang before back when Luffy stopped Eneru. You were unconscious at the time."

"I see." Cade closed her eyes. "It's beautiful."

"It sure is." Robin smiled.

...

"Hey! The octopallon is shrinking!" Usopp said a few hours later.

"Cade! Can you do something?!" Luffy asked.

"Hold on!" Cade swirls up some water and lowered them back to the ocean.

"Nice job, Cascade," Robin said and looked up. "Now that we're back it feels like a dream."

"We're finally back," Sanji said.

"I wonder if we'll ever go back there," Chopper said.

"Maybe you'll go there after you die." Zoro chuckled. "Or somewhere close."

"Zoro, are you sure we'll go to Heaven?" Usopp asked.

Cade stretched. "Well, I'm going for a swim. It feels like it's been ages since I have."

She dove into the water.

Two hours later she jumped back onto the deck to find the crew in the kitchen. They had been discussing what they were going to do with the treasure. They were going to fix Merry. "Well, that's a good thing."

"Why so?" Sanji asked.

"The bottom of the ship is the worst," Cade said. "I hope it can be repaired."

"Then we'll need a shipwright," Luffy said. "That'll be our next crewmember. If our journey is to continue we need one. Going Merry is our home. It's our lifeline. We need to find someone who can keep it in good shape."

"Did he just..." Sanji trailed off.

"Yes. He did say those intelligent things," Zoro said.

"Guess it had to happen sooner or later." Cade chuckled.

...

The next day they land on an island.

"This is great. I get finally get some herbs." Chopper headed off towards the forest and started plucking up plants here and there.

"This seems to be a good island to get herbs. It's very lush here," Cade said.

"Hey! Look at that mushroom!" Chopper pointed to a big black mushroom sitting on top of a rock. He ran around the rock. "Wah!"
"Who the heck is that?" Sanji asked.

The mushroom was actually a man.

"Huh?" the man said and lifted his night mask.

"Ah!" Robin fell on the ground.

The man smiled. "You sure have grown into a fine young woman, Nico Robin."

Luffy tensed. "Robin, what's wrong? Do you know this guy?"

"We met once before," he said.

"Who are you?!" Cade lifted her hands.

"Calm down. It's not like I was ordered to come here. I'm only here for a walk."

"Ordered? Who do you work for?" Zoro demanded.

"The marines. He's a vice admiral of the marine headquarters," Robin said. "In the entire marine navy, there are only three with that title. Akainu, the red dog. Aokiji, the blue pheasant. Kizaru, the yellow monkey. The only one superior to them is Sengoku, the commander in chief. Those three men are crowned the ultimate assault force by the world government, and he's Aokiji."

"What is someone like him doing here?!" Usopp dashed behind Zoro. "There are plenty of pirates worth more than us. Go get them! Leave us alone!"

"Oh. What do we have here? Another sexy lady?" Aokiji looked at Nami. "Are you free tonight?"

Okay. That's kind of creepy. How old is this guy? Cade eyed the soldier.

Aokiji laid down. "My legs are tired from standing. Time to rest."

"Is this guy for real?" Cade asked.

"Anyway, I don't intend to arrest you, so chill. I'm only here to confirm the whereabouts of Nico Robin after the Alabasta incident. I thought she would be with you," Aokiji said.

"You're really not here to pick fights?" Sanji asked.

"I'm only going to report the discover. So they can recalculate the bounty for your group. One more person will increase it by 160 million plus 79 milling would be... to hard to count. It's roughly the same amount." he said.

"He's too lazy to count," Zoro said.

"This guy's giving me a headache." Cade rubbed her temple.

"Gum Gum!"

"Luffy! Don't do it!" Sanji and Usopp grab their captain.

"Let me go! I'm going to take him down! I won't let him have Robin!" Luffy said.

"You're mistaken." Aokiji waved. "I already said I don't plan on doing anything."

"I'm going to send you flying!" Luffy snapped. "Go take your walk elsewhere! You're not welcome here!"

"You don't own the island, Luffy," Cade said.

"Okay, okay. I'll leave. But I overheard something while I was napping," Aokiji said. "You know, you and your grandfather are really alike, Monkey D. Luffy. Is it open minded? Absent minded?"

"Grandpa?" Luffy asked.

Cade tensed. What's this guy up to?

"I dealt with your grandpa a long time ago. Even though I only came to see Nico Robin... Maybe all of you should just die here and now," Aokiji said. "The government isn't taking you seriously, but after carefully analysis the situation, it has become obvious that you are a very determined group of individuals. Your group currently consists of merely a handful of rogues, yet judging from the degree of trouble you've been causing there's little doubt that as time passes you will become a acute threat. In the time between the issuing of the first bounty on a member of your party to the present time your growth has been quite extraordinary. Though you have so far limited yourself to fighting other pirates I am concerned with what the future holds once you grow tired of your prey and search for new game."

"Why are you saying all this? Aren't you here only for a walk?!" Usopp said.

"Your party is now especially dangerous because of you Nico Robin," Aokiji said.

"So you came to take Robin away after all! I'm going send you flying!" Luffy said.

"The size of your bounty doesn't only reflect the threat your combat abilities pose. It also goes to show how dangerous you are to the government. And even though you were only eight years old you had such a high bounty on your head. As a child, you were a true survivor betraying your partners, using them as tools. After the recent feat of survival you have undertaken are these the new tools that you have chosen to manipulate to achieve your goals?"

"Don't you dare say things like that!" Sanji said. "What did Robin-chan ever do to you?!"

"Calm down, Sanji!" Usopp grabbed his shoulder.

"She didn't do anything to me. She escaped once after I arrested her. But that's a long story. One that you'll learn eventually. That woman's curse will bring that day to pass soon enough. Here's the proof. Every group that Nico Robin has ever associated with has ended up completely annihilated. Always leaving her the sole survivor. Why is that so, Nico Robin?"

"Shut up! What happened in the past doesn't matter!" Luffy said.

"I see. You have already earned the trust of these people," Aokiji said.

"What are you trying to do?! You want to arrest me? Come get me! Treinta Flores!" Robin crossed her arms, locking the marine in a hold.

Cade tensed.

"It seems I've said too much. How disappointing. I though you would be smarter than this," Aokiji said.

"Clutch!"

Aokiji snapped in half, shattered into ice pieces, and gets back up.

"Crap. Logia devil fruit," Cade hissed.

Aokiji pulled up some grass, letting it loose he breathed on it and formed and ice sword. "I wasn't planning on killing you but..."

Zoro blocked the ice sword.

"Shoot!" Sanji spun.

Aokiji grabs Sanji's foot.

"Water Swirl!" Cade shoots out a spiral of water towards Aokiji. She moves it upward as Luffy lunges forward.

Luffy punched Aokiji's stomach. Ice freezes Luffy's arm then Zoro and Sanji.

Cade charged again.

"No you don't." Aokiji turned towards her.

Cade yipped at the burning ice gathering on here hands. Her hood fell from her head.

"Well, I didn't expect a fishman to be on your crew," Aokiji said. "You've got some good friends this time, Nico Robin." He wrapped his arms around Robin and freezing her body solid.

"Robin! Get away from him!" Luffy said.

"Robin!" Sanji screamed.

"You bastard!" Luffy said.

"Chill, kid. If you thaw her properly she'll live. However, her body is very brittle right now. If she breaks apart, she'll die." Aokiji pulled back his fist. "Like if I were to smash her like this."

"Stop!" Luffy rushed forward. He grabs Robin and bends backwards. "That was close."

Aokiji lifts his foot.

Cade rushed forward and grabbed Robin then passed her off to Usopp. "Take her back to the ship!"

"I'm on it!" Usopp runs off.

"Chopper! Go with him! Start thawing Robin!" Luffy ordered.

"Roger!" The two run off.

"Don't save a woman like her," Aokiji said.

"Nami swung her staff at Aokiji, he grabbed it. "Thanks for the suggests, but no thanks. The pirate world is supposed to be filled with women like her."

"Stand aside, little missy." Aokiji lifts Nami off the ground and tossed her to the side.

"Nami!" Sanji said. He, Cade, and Zoro stood ready.

"Wait!" Luffy said. "Don't fight him! I'm going to fight him alone!"

"Are you insane?!" Cade's heart thumped.

"It's fine, Cade." Luffy faced the marine. "Let's settle this. Just you and me."

"Fine with me, but be warned. This will be a fight to the death," Aokiji said.

Zoro, Sanji, and Nami go back to the ship.

Cade stood firm knowing Luffy wouldn't send her away. She swirled her water around the ice on her hands as she watched Luffy and Aokiji.

"You're as strange as I thought," Aokiji said while spreading more ice on Luffy's body.

Luffy charged and kicked him in the air. He inhaled, spun his body, then released his breath, shooting upward. "Gum Gum Storm!"

Aokiji freeze's Luffy's body.

Cade jumped in front of her brother and formed a swirling water shield between them and the marine. "Back off!"

"Don't worry, girly. I'm not going to kill him. Nor am I going to attack your crew." Aokiji sat down.

Cade glared at him.

Aokiji huffed then stood and walked off. "I'll remind you again in the near future, you will suffer the troubles that follow Nico Robin. You will break apart soon enough."

"That's our problem then," Cade said. "Not get lost.
"So it is. See you around." Aokiji waved.