Part 12: To Ryugu palace
A few hours earlier
Back at the mermaid inlet, Ishily and some of her friends were trying to open the barrel they had found, "I wonder what they keep in here," she said.
"It would be a chest if they kept treasure inside," one of her friends said.
"Maybe theres some liquor," one of the other mermaids said.
"I can barely get it open," Ishily said before she was able to open the lid a little.
"Thanks for all the help," a voice said from inside the barrel making the mermaids look surprised.
"What," Ishily said looking confused.
"Kihihi, I should be able to get out now," Caribou said before escaping from the barrel with his body covered in mud.
"Thanks a lot for the help," he said.
"Quick everyone into the water," Ishily said.
"I hope your not trying to leave," Caribou said before the mud shot forward and then the mermaids look surprised to see that they had been trapped.
"What is this," one of the mermaids said looking confused.
"You cant escape, this is a swamp a bottomless swamp," Caribou said, "I'm a devil fruit user with the power of the mud mud fruit, so I'm a mud man,".
"You have no chance of escaping, but don't you worry I don't plan on killing you so just keep quiet," he said.
"SOMEONE HELP," Ishily yelled before some of the mud covered her mouth.
"Now, didn't I tell you to keep quiet," Caribou said while the other mermaids looked surprised.
Soon enough the mermaids were pulled into the mud and Caribou then stood in his human form, "My body is bottomless so I can carry more of them, if I remember right a mermaid prices at seventy million beris, this place is a gold mine, kihihi," he said as he began to walk away.
"Ill have to thank the straw hats, without their help I wouldn't have been able to get into fishman island without having to go through customs," he said.
Flashback end
"So the straw hat pirates kidnapped your friends," an ammo knight said. He was at coral hills when one of the mermaids swam over to him.
"No I don't think it was them, they seemed like good people and they were friends of Camies," the mermaid said.
"Either way there have been times in the past when pirates acted kind only to later trick us and kidnap some of the mermaids," the ammo knight said.
Over at the mermaid café, the three princes were talking to Madam Sharley who was still recovering from the vision she saw, "Madam Sharley please tells us, was that really the vision you saw," Fukaboshi said.
"Do the straw hats destroy fishman island?" He asked.
"Here madam drink this," a mermaid said passing her a glasss of water which she immediately drank from.
"I wish it wasnt true but its what I saw," she said.
"Madmam Sharely, your fortune telling is well known even at the Ryugu palace, I had hoped to thank them for saving my sisters pet," Fukaboshi said. "Still this does change things, will have to take precautions with them," he said.
Back at Goverly hills, "Did he really take them to Ryugu palace," he said.
Up in the sky were three large figures, one of them was Neptune on his pet whale Hoe. Most of the straw hats were on Megalo and next to them were Star and Hermione on the back of a large bright blue dragon.
"Here we go, off to Ryugu palace, Neptune," Neptune said as they began moving up.
Megalo let out an noise as they started moving with the dragon flying next to them, "I still cant believe you have a dragon," Usopp said looking at Star.
"Well I have two other beats that are a wolf and a snake," Star said calmly.
"Jamon, jamon, Neptune," Neptune sang as they continued to move up.
"Hey whats that chant old guy," Luffy said.
"Luffy don't say stuff like that, show some respect because I'm scared," Pappagu said looking nervous.
"Am I really invited to the Ryugu palace," Camie said.
"He did say we could bring our friends along," Usopp said.
"The shark your riding on is my daughters pet Megalo, poor thing was crying her eyes out when he went missing," Neptune said, "You have my thanks for saving him after he got caught in trouble with that kraken, apologize theres not enough room for the two of you," he said looking at Star and Hermione.
"No its alright, this is actually quiet nice," Hermione said wrapping her arms around Stars waist who smiled.
"The mermaids princess pet is a shark, I never would have guessed," Pappagu said.
"I thought you said you were best friends with Mermaid princess," Brook said only for Pappagu to turn around and shush him.
"I guess he lied to us," Usopp said, "Hey Star does that dragon have a name?" He asked.
"Yeah its Drag," Star said.
"Drag, that sounds familiar," Brook said.
"Oh you mean this," Star said holding up his left arm before it changed into boosted gear.
"Ahh his arm changed," Pappagu and Camie said looking surprised.
"Wait how come you didn't have to glow for that," Usopp said as Star moved his left arm as it returned back to normal.
"Because some of my powers work differently," Star thought as he looked at his left arm, "I never tried to do the same thing with balance breaker though," he thought.
"Just how many powers do you have," Luffy said.
"Short answer, a lot," Star said, "But most of you all saw one of my most powerful ones before we came down here," he said.
"Do you mean removing light?" Nami asked and Star nodded.
"What would you need such a power for Jamon," Neptune said.
"Its just something my power is capable of and I ended up using it," Star said.
"Yeah there was nothing left of that Dark guy after you took him down," Usopp said.
"Well one of your friends is already waiting at the palace, there is going to be banquet but he already started drinking," Neptune said, "I told him it was better to drink with others but he continued to drink," he said.
"Zolo," Hermione said looking at Star.
"Zolo," he said.
"Definitely Zolo," Usopp said.
"Yeah," Nami said.
"I think his name was, Zori," Neptune said.
"Its Zolo," Star, Nami and Usopp said.
"Hey wait what about everyone else, Brook did you find anyone," Luffy said.
"I'm afraid not, Pappagu was the one who pulled me out of the water," Brook said looking down.
"Wait Star, do you remember where they ended up," Nami said.
"Hang on give me a second," Star said as he put a hand on his head, "There we go, Franky went off to go find a family member of his teacher Tom while Robin went to go look for something," he said.
"Well no matter where they are my soldiers have been instructed to bring them to the palace for the banquet," he said.
"By the way gramps," Nami said.
"It's your majesty," Pappagu said grabbing the navigators head before Nami pushed him off.
"How is there sunlight reaching here when were thirty thousand feet underwater," she said.
"Its is because of where we are, it's the only place where the sunlight reaches and why the ancient ancestors chose to live here which is the secret of fishman island," Neptune said, "You see the great sun tree eve roots reach all the way down here and brings light down from the surface,".
"Wait so theres a tree that brings light thirty thousand feet under the water," Nami said.
"There is a big wall separating some of this world," Star said making everyone look at him, "We didn't have a red line in my world," he said.
"Or mine," Hermione said.
"The scientists have some complicated theories about it but it's basically a mystical tree that brings light from the surface,".
"The roots also breath in air so we also get air from the surface as well," Neptune said.
"Amazing," said Hermione.
"So its like a bigger version of the mangroves back on the archipelago," Usopp said as he wrote down in his notebook.
"That's right, when it gets dark on the surface it gets dark here too and when its day time we get light as well," Neptune said, "This way we are able to enjoy the light of the surface,".
"Maybe it has some connection to the treasure tree Adam that the sunny was made from, I better ask Franky about it when I see him," Usopp said before they heard a stomach grumble.
"Hey old man I'm getting hungry, when are we going to get there," Luffy said with a hand on his stomach.
"Show some respect," Pappagu said looking annoyed.
"Were almost there," Neptune said before they reached a large bubble. He then pressed down on a button and a voice from the intercom spoke up.
"Yes," he said.
"It is me Jamon," Neptune said.
"Your majesty your back," the voice said sounding surprised.
"Have everything ready," Neptune said.
"Yes your majesty, will open the passage way now," the voice said before a water road opened.
"You will need a bubble to get through," Neptune said looking at the straw hats.
"Don't worry king Neptune I got it," Star said as his body turned bright blue and a bubble surrounded him and Hermione. Then Luffy and the others.
"Wow that power really comes in handy," Pappagu said.
"Alright here we go Jamon," Neptune said as they started moving through the water road.
"Nice to see one of you showing respect," Pappagu said.
"Well that's because Heaven read about king Neptune," Hermione said.
"Hes one of the few royals I respect in this world," Star said looking serious.
"What about Vivis dad," Usopp said.
"Yeah hes fine," Star said before looking surprised as he put a hand to his head.
"Whats wrong," Hermione said putting her hands on his shoulder.
"Are you alright Jamon," Neptune said.
"Its fine I'm good," Star said as he saw an image of an old man in his head, "King Riku," he thought recognizing him. Knowing he was still in trouble at this point in time.
"Star," Luffy said.
"Don't worry Luffy ill be fine, just give me a moment," Star said as he took a breath before looking surprised at the sight in front of him.
"Welcome everyone to Ryugu palace," Neptune said. In front of them was a large coral palace with a dragon statue attached.
"Its huge," Luffy said.
"Its beautiful," Nami said.
"It makes Pappagus home look like a dog house," Brook said.
"Don't compare my home to the palace," he said looking annoyed while Camie looked surprised at the sight.
"Its incredible," Usopp said.
"It really is nice seeing it in person," said Hermione before Star made the bubbles vanish and Drag shrank before Star picked her up.
"You mind," he said as Drag landed on his shoulder.
"Definitely not," Hermione said kissing him on the cheek as the doors to the palace opened.
"King Neptune is home," one of the guards said as they entered the palace.
"Make yourselves at home straw hats," Neptune said as Star landed on the ground before putting Hermione down. The rest of the straw hats got off Megalo.
"There you are," a male voice said.
The group looked to see seahorse merman, who was the minister of the right. Next to him was a catfish merman, the minister of the left.
"What were you thinking taking off like that without your guards, do you know what could have happened to you and with the state our nation is in," the minister of right said.
"Oh brother," the minister of left said.
"I know, it wont happen again," Neptune said.
"Is he getting scolded," Nami said.
"Is that how a king is suppose to act," Usopp said.
"But look I found the people who saved Megalo, I hope the banquet is ready, where is my daughter, where is princess Shirahoshi," he said.
"Well about that," the minister of the left said before whispering something into his ear.
"IT HAPPENED AGAIN," he yelled. While they were talking Luffy walked away from the group and Star noticed before following him after he put Godzilla on the ground with a note.
"This is what happens when you don't make sure shes safe and let her know everything's going to be fine," Neptune said.
"Well now you know how we feel, do you have any idea how much trouble you cause and were not able to do our job right," the minister of right said looking serious.
"Okay," Neptune said looking down, "I understand jamon,".
"Hes getting chewed out again," said Usopp.
"Also your majesty," the minister of right said, "Since you brought the guests here were now in a difficult situation,".
"It's true your majesty," minister of left said, "We just heard some news from prince Fukaboshi," he said.
"What about Fukaboshi," Neptune said.
"Well," the minister of right began to explain while Camie spoke up.
"A beast," she said looking at Godzilla.
"Whats it doing here," Papppagu said looking surprised..
"Godzilla, wait where are Luffy and Heaven," Hermione said.
"Looks like one of them left a note," Nami said before picking it up, "Went exploring with Luffy, left Godzilla behind to help,".
"What do does two think theyre doing walking around here," Pappagu said.
"Well hopefully Star can keep Luffy out of trouble," Nami said.
Over with Luffy and Star who were walking around the palace, "So why did you walk away from the group?" Star asked.
"I smelled something good coming from here," Luffy said before they hid behind a pillar when they saw a guard walking out of a room.
"Its coming from there," Luffy said as the two of them stood in front of a large metal door. Star noticing there were weapons hit into it.
"Maybe this is where the banquet is, the old guy did say Zolo was already here," Luffy said.
"I'm not sure," Star said looking at the weapons, "How did they get there," he thought putting a hand to his head when Luffy started pushing the door open.
"Come on theres gotta be all sort of food in there," Luffy said.
"Alright," Star said as they opened the door finding the room dark.
"Come on its over here," Luffy said as they climbed up something, "Wait what are we standing on," he said putting his food down.
"Hang on I got it," Star said as his body glowed and the light went brighter as he looked surprised at the sight in front of him. They had stepped on a giant smelt mermaid. Who is actually the mermaid princess, Shirahoshi.
"That's one big lady, I mean mermaid," Luffy said.
"Luffy this is the mermaid princess, Shirahoshi," Star said making him look surprised.
"Shes what," he said.
"Why did you step on me," she said, "Are you here to kill me, I'm not afraid of you," she said trying to look calm but had tears in her eyes. "I'm the daughter of king Neptune, I'm not afraid of anyone," she said.
"Oh no," Star thought as the bright blue light stopped covering his body.
"WAHH, FATHER, BROTHERS HELP ME," she yelled while crying.
"Wait we didn't even do anything," said Luffy.
"Great what now," Star said as he looked at the entrance.