Well, I took my time. Details for the later halve of this arc is still a little sketchy, but I'll deal with that when we come to it. I'm still looking at have some long hours this fall season, so don't expect these to come out any sooner or something. Still your irregular Monday updates! :)
Anyways, Let's begin!
Dragon Age x One Piece
Sorceric7
Proudly Presents
One Magi: Y.E.F.B.T.L.
Part 2
Chapter 1
Kissing Gourami & Starfish
"How does it look, Robin, Brook, Luffy?" Nami spoke into the microphone.
Having arrived at the Red Line, the Straw Hat Pirates were looking for a way to reach Fish-Man Island. Their log pose was still pointing downwards, as Fish-Man Island was beneath the sea. However, their specialty compass was also pointing down towards the Red Line. Meaning, they had to find a way to over it, or under it.
Maxwell sat parallel to Nami as he, she, and Franky anxiously awaited news from the Shark Submerge III. They had sent Luffy, Robin, and Brook in the submarine to scout the rock face, to see if they could find the island. Or at least a cave or a trench to follow.
"[No good. It's pitch black,]" responded Robin over the snail. Franky had specifically designed the Shark Submerge III to be den-den mushi compatible. However, to boost the signal, Franky had designed a specialty radio holster, with microphone and speaker, to communicate .
"[It's pitch black!]" Nami winced as Luffy laughed over the transceiver, confirming Robin's report. He was more excited about exploring under the sea again. "[Hey hey! Something shined just now!]"
"[Uwah! Isn't that the eyeball of some sea monster!?]" Brook screamed in fear, "[Oh no! I'm gonna die! …But I'm already dead. YOHOHOHOHO!]"
Maxwell sweat-dropped at the laughter, "…He always seems to have a joke on hand, doesn't he?"
"Ah~! That was fun!" Usopp kicked open the door to below deck.
"I still can't believe we have our own swimming pool!" Chopper followed after him, still holding a floatation ring, around his waist.
The two of them had been enjoying some time in the ocean, of all things. Docket #4 still had no vehicle in it, but Franky had a device that could spring forth a pool ring. Basically, it was a giant net, with a mesh to keep fish out and stop you from sinking to far. But, it was safer than just swimming free in the middle of the ocean.
"How was the water?" asked Maxwell as Chopper and Usopp approached them.
"Cold," Usopp responded, "But it was just the right temperature for a day like today!" It was unusually warm, even with the clouds obscuring the the Red Line.
"[Ah! That's right. Nami-san!]" Brook called over the den-den mushi, "[What kind of panties are you wearing today?]"
"WILL YOU TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY, DAMMIT!" Nami screeched at the microphone.
Maxwell facepalmed at the the skeleton's blunt manor. Brook may be readjusting to social interaction, but he seemed to just voice every single thought that went through his head. Chopper had paled at the their navigator's wrath. Brook was lucky he hadn't said it in person, or else Nami would throttle him. Nami really new how to be scary!
Even Usopp grimaced, "That guys sure has guts…!"
"Hey, you guys!" Franky spoke into the microphone, "The Shark Submerge has a depth limit of 5000 meters! So be careful!"
Maxwell sighed as he thought about their next move. One of the reasons, they were looking for an underwater passage was for safety's sake. Having reached the Red Line, they were now in close proximity to the world capital, Mariejois, and Marine Headquarters.
Mariejois was regarded as the "Holy Land" by the general populace. It was reportedly the only settlement on the entirety of the Red Line. The holy city where the 19 of 20 kings of the world had chosen to reside. And with it, the World Government. Various countries would travel to it, when the Reverie was hosted. It was basically an international summit where the various countries of the World Government, would gather and deliberate law and standards.
Naturally, Marine Headquarters would be in close proximity to the capital. They were somewhere in the Grand Line, along the base of the Red Line. Maxwell knew that any military organization worth their salt would patrol their area base of operations, so the crew had to keep an eye out for any navy battleships that might come along. Chances were, if they were spotted, they would meet more of the upper echelon in Marine HQ. People like Aokiji, or Luffy's grandfather…
It was not a comforting thought.
"[AAAAAHHHHH! WE'RE GONNA GET EATEN~!]" Brook yelled over the transponder snail. However, none of them were worried. Maxwell only kept tapping a finger on the table as they waited for the submarine to reach the surface. It was rather telling, that they had that much confidence in each other to not be concerned.
"The Shark Submerge… I never want to ride it." "Me neither."
…Well, some more than others.
"Well, they seem to be doing alright…" Franky shook his head at Luffy and Brook's antics. Brook was scared, Luffy was having fun, Robin was the one driving the submarine, and something may or not have been on their tail.
"Oh Nami~!" Sanji came out dancing with a waiter's pallet and presented a dish to the woman, "Your Thriller Bark Pear tart is ready~! It's a delicious tart without the horror! …Oh, and I guess you guys get some too."
"Wah! It looks delicious!" Chopper cheered as Sanji started handing out plates. On each was a miniature pie, with the custard decorated to look like the inside of a tangerine.
"Thanks Sanji," Maxwell nodded to the chef. The other guys just dug into the dessert.
Nami sighed even as she took a bite, "They are so troublesome… Mm! Delicious!"
Sanji looked satisfied with all their reactions, "Haha. It's like we're in a stalemate again. Like when we had to find the sky island."
"That's true…" Nami looked at the log pose, on her wrist, again, "Even if we know the heading, we don't know the way to get there. How do we even get to Fish-Man Island?"
There was the a sudden splash that erupted beside the Thousand Sunny. The Shark Submerge III had resurfaced. "Buhahaha!" "That was fun!"
Maxwell approached the port side with Nami, "Weren't you screaming your head off earlier, Brook?" Robin, Brook and Luffy had all emerged from the hatch on top of the submarine.
"Yes, I was," the skeleton replied. "I was so scared I thought my heart was going to burst! …Though, I suppose I don't really have a heart, do I? Yohohoho!"
"Welcome back everyone! Good work!" Nami greeted their scouts.
"That's the first time I've ever ridden in a submarine," said Brook. His voice was elated despite all his screaming.
Luffy stretched after being in a confined space for so long. "It's no use. We can't even see the bottom of the sea. Is there really a Fish-Man Island?"
"If we had tried to go even a little deeper we would have died," replied Robin.
"The log pose is pointing straight down," Nami's eyebrows burrowed in thought. "How do we do this? I wish I had asked Lola and the Rollings more about Fish-Man Island…"
"Hm?" Luffy looked behind their sub and saw a wash of bubbles rising to the surface. Then a giant snout crested the waves. Jumping out of the ocean like a dolphin! "AAAAAHHHHH! It's the sea monster from before!"
"IT FOLLOWED US!" Brook yelled in equal surprise.
It was a massive sea-rabbit! With huge front buck teeth, and a sharp crocodilian maw. It had beady red eyes, and long white ears… Honestly, the sea monster looked like someone had replaced the head of a fish with a bunny. Then gave it more teeth just to look menacing.
However, that didn't matter to Luffy. He just grinned, jumped onto the head of the Sunny, and—"Don't think you can beat me on the surface of the ocean." —threw his arm back.
"Gomu-Gomu no… RIFILE!"
Luffy swung his elongated arm at the arching sea beast. His fist fired like a bullet, punching the monster right in the solar plexus. The sea-bunny gagged from the powerful blow, falling backwards into the water.
"I didn't even think it was that big." Usopp crossed his arms, observing.
"That's because we saw Oars," said Chopper. "We're fine for now! Ga Ha Ha Ha!"
Something caught Sanji's eye though, even as the sea monster crashed back into the ocean, "It spat something out."
Two little figures, falling towards them.
"Huh? A fish?" Luffy asked aloud.
One looked like a star, or perhaps a small child. The other—
"A person!?" Usopp gasped in surprise, "No—!"
"It can't be!"
It was a woman with the lower half of a fish.
Sanji was absolutely starstruck. "IT… IT IS!"
Then the "person" fell and crashed right on top of the cook.
Meanwhile, the star-like shape landed on it's "feet" and posed like it was the star in a musical number. "There's something weird there too!" It looked like a starfish with a beany baggy for a hat. However, that creature paled in comparison to the wonderful beauty that had landed on Sanji.
"AH! I FLATTENED A HUMAN!" the mermaid screamed in alarm. She shuffled back a bit started shaking Sanji by the shoulders. "I'M SO SORRY! ARE YOU OKAY!?"
"It's okay, don't worry~ What about you~?" Maxwell wasn't sure if Sanji slur was from a concussion or just being in dumbstruck awe.
Usopp gaped at the green haired woman, "A tail, and fin…" Her legs and part of her hips were replaced with graceful fish tail and paddle like fins. A small dorsal sail emerged from the top of where her buttocks should be, travelling down the length of her pink scaled limb.
"It can't be real…" Nami stared at the girl. She looked young. Certainly beautiful, but no more than Nami's age. Her hair had been cut short into a messy bob, and wore a black and yellow t-shirt. She had a shell like backpack, giving her a youthful appearance!"
Finally the tension snapped amongst the crew. They couldn't hold it in anymore!
"A MERMAID!?"
"AAAAAHHHHH! WHERE DID ALL THESE HUMANS COME FROM!?" The mermaid had turned around and blinked in surprise, before surprising them all with a yell.
"We're the ones who saved you, my dear," Mineive's voice spoke from the hilt on Maxwell's waist. Maxwell, to his credit, tried shut his jaw and blink, trying to get over his shock. But she was remarkably gorgeous! "Credit goes to the captain, of course."
The mermaid smiled, "Oh! Thank you very much from saving me before I was digested! I have a tendency to get eaten by sea monsters. This is like the twentieth time!" She seemed completely oblivious to the fact an feminine voice had come of an object, around a man's waist. "That's right! I have to thank you in some way! Do you like takoyaki?"
"Takoyaki!?" Luffy quickly came forwards, tongue wagging, "That's my favourite food!"
"Really!?" the mermaids clasped her hands together. "Then that will be 500 beri!"
The starfish then jumped over and slapped her upside the head, "This is no store!"
"AAAAAHHHHH! I GOT IT WRONG!"
…There was a talking starfish aboard their ship…
While everyone else screamed in shock at one another, (minus Robin.) Maxwell closed his eyes, and took a deep breath… Then, putting his best diplomatic smile on, he walked up to the mermaid and her invertebrate companion. "I think we all got off on the wrong foot. My name is Maxwell Trevelyan, of the Straw-Hat crew, and it is a pleasure to meet you two. This, is Luffy, Nami, Usopp, Franky, and Robin. And the man you landed on happens to be Sanji, out chef."
The others stopped screaming when they noticed Maxwell introducing themselves. "Please, have a seat." Maxwell's eyes briefly glowed a light blue as he energized the air around their guest. He'd been practicing how he might lift a person telekinesis for a while now. Might as well see if the results paid off!
The mage also deliberately didn't mention they were pirates. He didn't want this situation to be blown out of proportion anymore than it already had.
Camie stopped screaming, as she was gently placed, sitting, on the mast bench. "Oh, so cool! Nice to meet you too Maxwell-chin! My name's Camie, a kissing gourami mermaid! Are you a magician?"
Maxwell's eyebrow briefly twitched, keeping his diplomatic smile. Even after being asked this question plenty of times before, he was still not the conjuror of some cheap magic tricks!
The little creature then made a bow, "And I am Pappagu! Starfish—"
"MERAIDS~!" Sanji then jumped for joy, interrupting Pappagu's segue, and knocking Maxwell aside. "Ah~ mermaids! The jewels of the sea! Every man's dream! AND I FINALLY MET ONE!"
Sanji danced, hovering around the pink tailed mermaid, "You're so cute! You're the first mermaid I've ever met! You said your name was Camie?"
Maxwell lifted his head off the ground, spitting grass and dirt out of his mouth. He knew he should have expected something like this, but he still gave the chef a loathing glare.
"Hey! Aren't you forgetting about Granny Kokoro?" Usopp reminded their cook.
GRK!
Sanji fell to the ground, like someone had taken a knife to his chest. "Thriller Bark was nothing, compared to the incomprehensible horror of…" Sanji even started coughing blood at the thought.
"I'm sorry Sanji! Forget I said anything!" Usopp fretted over the chef. He knew Sanji preferred the company of beautiful women. Mermaids were meant to be the epitome of beauty, and their first mermaid had been Granny Kokoro.
Even Maxwell shuddered at the thought. Wrinkled face, flabby arms, sagging— Maxwell immediately slammed his face back into the dirt, as if trying to dislodge the memory. He did not want to think about the first time he saw Kokoro as a mermaid!
"Hmph! How rude." Nami gave the boys a half-lidded stare.
"Huh? Granny Kokoro was a mermaid?" Luffy looked back at Franky, "But she walked on two feet!"
"Oh, you didn't know?" Franky brushed the side of his jagged chin, "Hm, I guess there wasn't enough time to mention it back then…" Luffy had been to busy fighting Lucci to have seen it.
Apparently, after they reach the age of thirty, mermaids were capable of splitting their tails into too fully functioning legs. There, mermaids became capable of walking on land, instead of crawling on the beach. What's more, they could consciously decide whether or not to merge them back together. Though Maxwell didn't have any clue how they did it, mermaids lower halves don't miraculously become human legs. Kokoro still had the fins and scales of their fish tail. Her tail fin just split apart and began to act like feet.
Luffy blanched at the thought, "The mental image of Granny Kokoro being a mermaid is really freaky."
Nami punched him in the face, "And you're too blunt!"
"Yeow! Nami, what the heck was that for!?"
Nami ignored he complaining captain, "For crying out loud, what is it with men and their ideas about mermaids?"
"Camie is pretty cute though," said Robin. Maxwell got the impression she was secretly laughing behind that smile.
"Actually, this is my first time meeting a mermaid, too!" Brook straightened out his cravet walked up to Camie.
Maxwell's eyes widened, "Oh sweet Andraste, don't tell me—"
"Excuse me young miss," Brook leaned over, "Could you spare me some change?"
"WHAT FOR!?" Both Maxwell and Sanji yelled at the skeleton. Maxwell had jumped up to look at the skeleton incredulously. Meanwhile, Sanji kicked Brook with an enraged expression for asking Camie of anything.
At least he wasn't asking for Camie's panties…
Maxwell then deadpanned, thinking back to their departure at Thriller Bark, "Oh that f***** bastard…"
"AAAAAHHHHH! A SKELETON!" "STOP SCARING THE POOR GIRL! GET LOST!" "I can open my head, too! Neat, huh?" "Ho! So neat!"
"She got over that quickly…" Usopp sweat-dropped as he saw Camie clap in amusement.
"Hey, do mermaids poop?"
"WHAT THE HELL KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT!?" Sanji shrieked at Luffy for asking such a fine pearl like—
"Poop? Sure I—" "DON'T SAY IIIIIIT~!"
"Camie? Camie!" Maxwell heard something over Sanji and Luffy making a ruckus on how to treat their female guest. Pappagu had leaned against one of the nearby walls looking thoroughly dejected. "Something isn't right about this picture. Aren't you forgetting someone?"
"Oh yeah," Luffy's arm extended and grabbed onto the beanie hat starfish, "This has been bugging me the whole time, Camie. What is this talking glove thing?"
"Sorry, I totally forgot!" Camie smiled. "This is my pet, Pappagu. He's also my mentor and a starfish!"
"Mentor?" Maxwell looked as the echinoderm jumped out of Luffy's grip.
"Are starfish supposed to talk…?" asked Usopp.
"How can he be both your pet and your mentor?" Nami looked back at Camie.
"Well, as long as I keep and feed him, he's been teaching me how to be a designer! Actually, this t-shirt a part of the Criminal brand." Camie pulled on the hem of he shirt to show off the bannered cloth, "—Super popular back on Fish-Man island! Pappapu designed this personally! I wanna be designer someday, too!"
A starfish and a tailor, huh? Maxwell looked over at the Pappagu, "…Wait, where did the starfish get the lute from?" Pappagu face-faulted, standing on the railing, realizing no one had been listening to him. And it was a guitar, dammit!
"So, why can you talk anyway?" Luffy asked the tailor starfish.
Pappagu quickly got over his slump, "Good of you too ask! When I was little, I thought I was originally human! But by the time I learned I was actually a starfish, I had already learned to talk!"
"…So it was some kind of accident?"
"Never underestimate willpower!" Pappagu declared. "The world runs on it, kid!"
"But there you have it!" Pappagu raised his arms, "I'm the starfish, Pappagu! An up-and-coming designer! Thanks for saving me! I love you all!"
Maxwell blinked, not realizing why the starfish had just that last part, but Maxwell decided to go along with it. He just chalked it up to just Grand Line bullshit-ery.
"Actually, this timing couldn't be better," Nami smiled. "We're kinda at a loss for directions. Could you tell us how to—"
"Hold on Nami!" Luffy jumped between Camie and his navigator, "The takoyaki comes first!"
"Oh, right! Your takoyaki reward," Camie took out a den-den mushi from out of her backpack. "Let's see if Hatchin can meet up with us," the mermaid dialed the number on the transponders snail's snail and the snail began to sing.
*Peru-peru-peru-peru-peru—Gacha*
"Hi, Hatchin! It's Camie! Sorry we got lost, but we're okay! Where are you now?"
The den-den mushi was silent for a moment, making everyone wonder why the call had connected then.
"[Oh, is that you Camie?]" The mermaid looked confused at the voice, "[Mohahaha! Don'cha know who I am? This ain't Hatchan!]"
Camie looked at the snail in surprise, "EEEEEHHHHH!? YOU'RE NOT HATCHIN!?"
"[It's me, Macro!]" the snail shouted back, "[You know, the blockhead who always tries to capture you? …Aw, crap. I just insulted myself.]"
Maxwell slowly blinked. What was going on here?
"Seems like there's been some trouble," said Robin.
"Hey! Why do you have Hatchin's den-den mushi anyway!?" Camie shouted at the snail.
"[Because we finally defeated Hatchan! That's why! Mohahahaha!]" 'Macro' gloated over the den-den mushi.
"Liar!" Camie rebuked, "Hatchin would never lose to you creeps!"
"[Yeah, you have a point. If things had gone like usual, we probably wouldn't have won. But this time we hooked up with the Flying Fish Riders! He's our prisoner now! Mohahahaha!]" Macro laughed, proud of the fact he actually had the upper hand. "[Would you like to hear him?]"
There was a bit of static from the other side, likely from Macro adjusting his grip on the den-den mushi. Then, the snail's lips turned from the heavy underbite to elongated pursed lips.
"[Ngh… Camie… You're safe? Thank goodness…]" The new speaker, Hatchin, sounded weary. Like a man after a beating.
"Ah! Hatchin! They really got you!?" Camie held the snail up closer in concern.
"[I… was taken off guard… Don't come looking for me—Ngh…!]" Hatchin warned, "[Once I get my strength back, I'll cap these guys and come find you—]"
"[Mohahahaha!]" The call had turned back to Macro. "[We're gonna sell him for some serious cash, Camie! You know how rare octopus fishmen are! You wanna save him? Give it your best shot! We're at the Sabaodey Archipelago, 5 kilometres east to Grove #44. It's the hideout of the terrible kidnapper gang, the Flying Fish Riders!]"
"[Gngh… Don't do it Camie…! Don't come—]"
There was the sound of someone being punched, "[Can it calamari!]" Macro had obviously punched his hostage, "[Smell ya later~!] Gacha."
"Hatchin…!" Camie looked at the hung up snail in abstract horror. Most of the crew was in disbelief, shocked at what they had just heard. Camie's friend was in danger, captured by slavers. From what Maxwell could guess, these Macro Pirates were likely fishmen themselves. How else would Camie have had constant encounters with them? If that was the case, then they've been after Camie for a while now too and had finally changed tactics.
Maxwell didn't like slavers. They preyed on the weak and the vulnerable, either as ruthless tyrants or with feigning friendship. He fought a couple of bands while hiding out in the wilderness. And Maxwell could vaguely recall a Tevinter magister trying to recruit from among the Circle's mages, before Maxwell headed of to the Temple of Sacred Ashes. The only reason they didn't immediately throw him out, was because he had willingly handed them supplies. Clothes, rations, and such… He hoped no one had been stupid enough to join him.
Tevinter may have been the empire ruled by mages, but it was fraught with elitism and slavery. Even recruited apostates were not exempt from this. Unless you were related to some form of the magisterium aristocracy, you were less than dirt. You had no say in who owned you, or what they could do to you. And their treatment of elves was absolutely abhorring!
A famous example would have been the escaped elven slave, Fenris, from the Tales of the Champion novel. One of Hawke's companions, Fenris had lost all his memories after being experimented on by his Tevinter master. He was riddled with lyrium tattoos that, while may have granted him great power, burned every time they were used. That elf had been hardened by his experiences under the Magisterium, and was the bane to every blood mage he came across.
The fact that there was slavery in this world… Maxwell had hoped that something called a "World Government" would have been exempt from that practice.
"So, where's the takoyaki?" asked Luffy.
"WEREN'T YOU PAYING ATTENTION!?" Maxwell, Franky, and Sanji all attacked the back of Luffy's head with their staff, fist, and foot. They were in a serious situation here!
"Wait a minute…" Nami's face frowned as she thought, "That voice, which was supposedly Hatchin's… It sounded vaguely familiar…"
She shook her head, "No. It can't be. It must be my imagination…"
"I'm so sorry! The takoyaki will have to wait for later! I have to go save my friend!" Camie apologized.
"What!?" Luffy balked. Though, whether from her friend needing rescuing or the delay in having takoyaki, Maxwell couldn't say.
"Hold on Camie," Nami tried to reason with the mermaid. "I don't mean to stick my neck where it doesn't belong, but if you're going to go save your friend, then let us help you out."
"Ah, correction," Nami then pointed at the guys, "I meant to say they'll help you out."
"WHAT ABOUT YOU!?" Franky and Usopp shouted at the navigator.
Nami leaned in. "In exchange, how about you tell us how to get to Fish-Man Island?"
"Eh!? You really mean it, Nami-chin?" Camie looked up with some hope in her eyes. "Will you help me rescue Hatchin too, Luffy-chin?"
"Okay, but who's Hatchin, anyway?" Luffy asked.
"He's the owner of the takoyaki stand I work at! It's the best in the world!"
"WELL WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO!?" Luffy yelled, suddenly motivated. "ALL HANDS ON DECK! WE'RE GOING TO SAVE OUR TAKOYAKI, EVEN IF IT KILLS US!"
"AYE AYE!" The crew cheered, although for vastly different reasons.
"Okay," Nami handed the mermaid a map, "That means you know the place?"
Camie stared at the map nervously, "Um…"
"Grove #44 is the island furthest east in the Sabaodey Archipelago," Pappagu answered. "We'll run into it if we sail in a straight line to Sabaodey. The island we're going too is a few kilometres off the archipelago, so let's start by heading west. We can ask the fish for the rest."
Maxwell paused at the invertebrates' explanation. "Fish…?"