Chapter 5
Gusto
"IT'S SO GOOD!"
Maxwell briefly turned his head at Luffy's exclamation, but quickly returned to eating. They were finally having that takoyaki Camie had promised them, and boy did she deliver!
It was like some a dough encrusted …meaty custard delight! Maxwell had certainly never tasted anything like this before, even after all the fancy parties he'd been at with his Great-Aunt Lucille. It was hot as soon as you chewed into it. The custard melted in your mouth and every bite would gush onto your tongue with a myriad of flavours. The sauce, crust, and filling just mixed in your mouth as you ate the food ball. And there was just enough minced meat in the sauce to convince your mind to keep chewing it, making the takoyaki explode in your mouth even more!
Thankfully, they had taken their own dishes and returned to the ship before Luffy could dig in. This was something to be savoured! And he didn't need Luffy's grubby little hands grabbing his food.
"Right!?" responded Camie, "Hachin's takoyaki are the best in the world!"
"I can't stop myself! These takoyaki are just too good—! Yeow! Hothothot!" Luffy burnt his hand trying to grab some takoyaki straight off the grill.
After the business with Duval had been settled, Hachi, Camie, and Pappagu had led them to where they last anchored their ship. Luffy had been promised a meal after all, and the crew knew there wasn't a lot that could stand between Luffy and good food. Thankfully, their ship was still there, ready and waiting for them.
"These really are tasty… This sauce is especially complex," Sanji studied one of the food balls while tasting another.
"Having a food stall ship must be great, huh?" Usopp commented. It was a small ship, but it was still designed to be a takoyaki stand, or so Maxwell had been told. The deck was basically a small dining area with some stools in front of a counter top table built into the cabin. The was an octopus them to the boat. Two wood arms flared as a tail, framed the sail, held a bannered sign, and formed the rail curving into the bow.
They actually decided to sail together for a time. Hachi set the course, knowing exactly where they were going. He said he'd tell them more after lunch. Besides, it wasn't exactly smart to stay in one place on the Grand Line anyways.
"I've never had takoyaki before! But they're delicious~!" Brook was somehow stuffing his mouth, when he literally had nothing but a pale jawbone! …Oh, and Chopper was stuffing his mouth like he was part squirrel. Maxwell didn't feel like watching Luffy and the others stuff their faces, so he had decided to eat on the ship with Zoro, Franky, and Robin.
"These have dashi," Camie served up two more platters, "And these have mochi!"
"Nyu~! This is our thanks for coming to help us!" Hachi was the head chef of course. His six arms worked the the girl like some sort of wriggling machine. Turning balls, pouring batter, cleaning pits, collecting takoyaki onto plates. "Everything's free for you guys today!" Camie was their server and kitchen prep, while Pappagu was their sue chef, preparing all the sauces and condiments.
Hachi really enjoyed the work he was doing… Though there was one little snag, "So… um… Nami… How is it…?"
Luffy and Sanji both paused mid bite, suddenly remembering their navigator technically wasn't on good terms with this fishman.
"…How does it taste…?" Hachi was nervous. Nami had every reason to hate him, and he genuinely regretted being one of Nami's tormentors. He was just sucked in by Arlong's charisma when he first formed the Arlong Pirates. Hachi was never malicious towards the inhabitants of Cocoyashi, but he was certainly complicit with Arlong's actions.
Nami looked at him through the corner of her eye, "…You know this doesn't mean I forgive you or anything, right…?"
"NO! No, of course not!" Hachi's arms flailed like he had just screwed up. "I didn't mean it like that! I just wanted to know if you liked the taste…! Really!"
All was quiet for a moment…
Then Nami gave Hachi a small smile, "It's really delicious."
"NYU!" Hachi sagged in relief, "Really? It is!?" He really appreciated Nami enjoying his food. Knowing he could do something right by her, instead of compliance… It made his heart fill with joy.
"ALRIGHT! You guys keep on eating!" Hachi went back to cooking with a renewed vigour. He was going to make the best takoyaki he could for Nami and her friends!
"Yeah!" Luffy cheered, "You keep on making them, and we'll keep on eating them!" He was also glad Nami didn't hate the octopus. It would have made the takoyaki taste bad.
Franky chose that moment to all over to the rail, "Hey mermaid, can we get some more over here!?"
Camie saw the cyborg wave, "Right, coming right up!" She rushed out the kitchen door, making her way round to the plank that connected the two ships.
"Thanks Franky," Maxwell took another tray as Franky handed the food out.
They sat in a circle on the lawn, eating their grilled octopus. Robin had water, Maxwell had wine, Zoro had grog, and Franky had cola. Zoro popped them into his mouth while he drank. Franky ate them like dango on a stick while draining his glass bottles. Robin sat refined, eating them with a toothpick. And Maxwell finally took it upon himself to start trying to use the chopsticks. Eating something between two sticks, without stabbing anything, had been totally foreign to him until Sanji explained their use.
Plus it also took his mind off thinking about the mysterious ability Luffy had displayed. He may not remember events at Alabasta as clearly anymore, but he still remembered talking to the imprisoned spirit of Alabasta after his fight with Robin.
Black as night and Will incarnate…
The shield and spear that breaks your enemy…
That which looks into the hearts of men and time…
Then there was the Sun that Crests the Dawn. The Colour of the King.
That which cannot be achieved. Only born with…
Something that can overpower another's will. Something Alabasta believed Luffy had… The Colour of the King was only one aspect to this power though. It as something innate rather than achievable. But that opened a whole other set of questions regarding this power…
He dropped another takoyaki ball between his chopsticks.
Maxwell sighed trying to remember he was supposed to be enjoying his food. Besides, Luffy didn't seem to be in control of it. Luffy barely seemed to recognize he had done anything… So how did the Islander know?
"HEY! YOU GUYS!" "YOUNG MASTER!"
…Speaking of recognition—
"WAIT UP!" "YOU CAN'T LEAVE WITHOUT A PROPER GOODBYE!"
"…Who's that?" Zoro pauses.
Maxwell looks out across the water. Something was speeding towards them, and appeared to be a number of things in formation. "…Ugh. It's the Flying Fish Riders…" Max popped in one last ball into his mouth and downed his wine before getting up to watch.
Duval drew up beside Hachi's takoyaki stand, with some of his underlings in tow. Surprisingly, Duval was atop Mobotaro wearing some sort of scuba harness that could keep pace with the flying fish. "It's handsome! …Ah! No, that's not right! It's Duval!" And he looked totally different.
"EH!? That's him…!?" Luffy looked over at the biker, even as he kept stuffing takoyaki in his mouth. "So good, so good."
Sanji lazily looked over, not really caring about the man, "I changed his bone structure. He has no reason to complain anymore."
"Oh man! Young Master Black Leg! You sure gave me a beating, kicking me in the face like that. But when we all woke up, we were all surprised!"
Duval had certainly received a face lift. His jaw line was more angular and showed more of a chin. His lips and nose were sharper, like they had been chiseled from marble. And, Sanji had even changed Duval's eye bows. They were more streamlined, with the swirled ends being little more than fish hooks! Duval even wore his hair differently. His hair was combed up like a cow lick, and Maxwell realized Duval actually had sideburns on his face.
"I can't believe you made me this handsome! I was awestruck by my own face! Now the girls won't leave me alone. My life is coming up roses now! Ahahahaha!"
Maxwell deadpanned at how vain the gangster was being. Yes, Duval looked more appealing after Sanji's kick sculpting, and appeared to be grateful for it, bu the man was still an idiot.
"I want to return to my laid back life in the country, but I can't go back without repaying my debt to you. My conscience would not rest! You haven't been around these waters here before, right? Well, if there is any way I can be of use, just let me know!"
Duval tried to wink, but it just looked painful…
"If you're not use to winking, don't," Sanji replied. "If you're satisfied with that new face, then that's fine. It would actually be better for you if you never show yourself to us ag— ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING!?"
Duval was staring at himself, holding a hand mirror, "Maybe a white horse would be nice."
"Boss! BOSS!" One of Duval's lieutenants shouted at him, "You need to listen when people are talking."
"I see, I see…" Duval put down the mirror and looked back at Sanji. "I'm handsome, right?"
"I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING CLOSE TO THAT!" Sanji barked at the gangster.
"Ah…"
"Hm?" Nami put down her napkin, realizing Duval was looking at her.
Duval snapped his fingers pointing to her, "It's embarrassing, but I'll accept that little kiss you just blew."
"I DIDN'T BLOW ANY KISS!" Nami waved her hand in a dismissive gesture, "I WAS JUST WIPING MY MOUTH! JUST WHAT KIND OF HAPPY DELUSIONS ARE YOU HAVING!?"
"Ah~" Duval looking looking into the mirror again, "Mirror, mirror, am I the most handsome man in the world?
"Talk about a one track mind." Usopp decides to stand up and join the conversation as well, "Okay, I get that you're handsome, but that still doesn't change the fact that you're still an idiot, ya' know."
Duval looked hurt for being rejected for a moment. But then he looked at Usopp again, "…Jealous?"
"AS IF!"
"Usopp, don't! In a battle of personalities, you don't stand a chance!" Luffy held his friend back. Duval's narcissism was also making him a little cocky, trying to act all cool and suave in front of them. It was better just to let him say his piece and leave.
Duval chuckled, "Well then, young masters! Here's my den-den mushi number," he hand them a ribbon of paper, "Call me anytime. I promise I'll come help you!"
Duval winked again and Maxwell felt pity for any woman he set his eyes upon. It just looked weird…
The newly made man twisted on his feet and looked back at them, "Sorry for causing you trouble! Oh, and sorry for that fight, too!" Duval then spun around into a pose, snapping his fingers and pointing his index fingers into finger guns. "LET'S GO, ROSEY LIFE RIDERS!"
"YES, HANDSOME!" "Oh for Maker's sake…"
Duval and his freshly minted Rosey Life Riders then spun about their mounts and rode off into the distance... Hopefully towards a better life.
O O O
"Ah~! What a feast!" Luffy fell back off of his stool and onto the deck. "I ate and ate, I'm so happy!", His stomach was large, he looked like he was doing his Gomu Gomu no Ballon technique.
"It was certainly a pleasant afternoon, captain." Brook took out a thermos and his favourite teacup on him, "I had my first takoyaki, so I am quite satisfied." He poured himself a cup, looking little worse for wear.
"Ah, excuse me for a moment…"
Brook farted.
Then he belched.
Nami punched the skeleton, "THAT'S DISGUSTING! EVERYTHING ABOUT IT!" mostly for him being in her proximity.
Hachi also fell back, relieved dinner was finally over. "Nyu…! I'm so tired… Those Straw-Hats sure ate a lot. I almost wish I had another six arms…" Pappagu also laid on top of him, just as exhausted.
"That was so good…" "I can't eat another bite."
Usopp and Chopper were also on the deck like their captain. Bellies full of takoyaki.
Camie also panted a bit as he cleaned the grill. "Good work, Hachin! Everyone looks stuffed!"
"Nyu~" Hachi grinned despite his exhaustion, "Then I'm satisfied, too."
A voice then came off the deck of the Thousand Sunny, "Hey, Octo-guy, starfish, and CAMIE~" It was Sanji. "If you're taking a break, come up to the deck. You can have some tea if you want."
"Nyu!?" Hachi flipped off his back and leaned forward to look up at the chef, "Really!?"
Sanji turned back towards the kitchen, "Max, you're drag Luffy up."
Maxwell looked up, "What? …Ah damn it." He had just set the table for their guests. Maxwell then looked down and Hachi's boat. Luffy wasn't moving like usual. Their captain could usually gorge himself on food and then burn it off with that quick metabolism of his. However, this time he wasn't moving. "Maker, he really did stuff himself..."
So, rather than drag Luffy up onto the deck, he rolled him.
"Ugh… Max…! Stop…!" Luffy turned like a wheel, rolling around on his belly. "Oh God, I'm going to be sick…!" Maxwell had energized his vest to start rolling the pirate. He wanted the rolling the to stop, but Luffy was so bloated he couldn't take his vest off, even if he wanted to.
"You're actually sick from eating all that food?" Maxwell teased his captain lightly, when he sat him on the grass. Luffy only groaned. He was usually a bottomless pit. "Fine, fine. Let's get you to Chopper then." His face did look a little swollen.
"Nyu~" Hachi took a sip from his clay mug, "This is good tea…"
Zoro yawned, "We almost there yet?" He had taken a nap after he was done eating a while back.
"Not yet." Maxwell then spoke to Chopper, "Hey Chop, could you look over Luffy for a moment? He seems to be reacting to something."
"Sure Maxwell!" Chopper went to go grab his stethoscope.
"Pardon me, Ms. Nami," Brook took off his hat in greeting, "But may I please look at your—?"
Nami kicked him before he could even finish the question, "HELL NO!"
Max sighed, realizing this was going to be another quirk of the crew. Yet, strangely, he wasn't bothered by it. This was just how Brook was.
Robin, sitting besides Nami, looked at Max and their eyes met. They must have had similar thoughts, as Robin's eyes pointed towards the duo briefly. That small smile on her face…
The mage smiled back. But before he could consider himself staring to much, Maxwell cleared his throat and sat down between Franky and Pappagu. "So, Camie, Hachi… How exactly do we get to Fishman Island?"
Camie took out a map and laid it out on the table. "Right, this is the course we should take." She pointed to a spot on the map, "We're head for the Sabaodey Archipelago first, right?" she asked Hachi, who nodded.
Both Maxwell and Usop looked at the map, realizing it was a full map detailing Paradise on the west side of the Red Line. "We can't go to Fishman island without going there first?" Usopp asked.
"We mermaids and fishmen can just dive underwater and go directly there," Hachi explained. "But you humans would die from the water pressure if you tried to dive down there."
"Yeah, even our submarine couldn't make it…" Franky admitted.
"Alright, then may I have your attention!" Pappagu stood on the rails as he drew the eyes of the landlubbers. Even Luffy looked up from his questionable food coma. "It looks like you guys don't really no anything, so you need to learn a thing or two about these seas… And who will teach you? ME, of course!"
"First! There are actually two routes on can take to get to the New World. But for outlaws like you, there's only one."
"Eh? Why?" Luffy asked.
"Luffy, I thought we already explained this," Maxwell looked back to his captain. "Getting over the Red Line requires Government permission to pass through, which we won't get due to our status as pirates. Then we'd have to pass through Mariejois at the top, which is the world's capital." There would be marines and government officials all over the place. "Plus, we'd have to get another ship, even if we did do that."
Franky grunted, not wanting to leave the Thousand Sunny either.
"BUT for you guys—" Pappagu tried to regain their attention, "You'll pass through Fishman Island on the ocean floor route!"
"But the ocean floor route is really dangerous!" Camie warned.
"Huh? Camie, Camie—?" "There are monsters and seakings, and there are people who've had their ships eaten whole travelling this route."
"EH!?" Chopper balked at the thought. Pirates crews had probably been eaten with their ships. The doctor then shakily took a sip of tea, "I… I don't think I want to go to Fishman Island anymore…"
Usopp also took a sip, strangely relaxed at the thought of mortal peril. "Me neither."
"…Hold on, Camie. You just said, 'the whole ship,' right?" Nami asked, "What kind of ship can take you to the bottom of the ocean!?"
"This ship can," Camie answered.
Franky looked puzzled, rubbing his forked chin. "This ship can't dive or anything though."
"No, no, that's fine!" Camie assured. "In the Red Line, there's a single place where a tiny hole opens up… Well, from our point of view, it's kind of big, but that's where Fishman Island is!"
"It's directly under the Holy Land of Mariejois," Hachi explained. "If you dug it, it would be 10,000 meters straight down! It's a nice place."
"…Wasn't the sky island about ten kilometres up?" Zoro scratched his head, doing the mental math.
Franky was still confused, "What do you mean, this ship can go to the ocean floor?"
"You can get your ship coated at the island we're going to!" Camie looked excited at the prospect.
"Coated?" What substance could possibly make a pirate ship traverse the ocean depths?
Pappagu got over his dismissal for an explanation and decided to point towards the bow, "Look up front, we're here!"
Maxwell turned to look at where they were approaching and was amazed, "Well now… That's something you don't see every day!"
Ahead of them was an island full of very tall blue and white striped trees. They were full of greenery, with a high bright canopy, and thick grass the trees grew through. Actually, the ground seemed to be growing on the trees themselves. The bed rock of the island seemed to be hollow like spaces between tree roots, and the roots actually went further up the trunks. An entire city was situated there. Full of fantastical buildings and spires, clean and clearly wealthy.
"Oh!" "Ah?" "Wow… It's beautiful." "What is that?" "Something's flying around." "Look at that!" "What?" "Oh wow!" "It's like a dream."
But what truly caught the eye about this island, was the multitude of bubbles floating in the air. "Are… Are those soap bubbles!?" They were floating upward, all around the island. Some were popping out of even larger bubbles caught within the canopy. The light caught and refracted in those spheres, making the entire island seem colourful and bright.
Usopp and Luffy rushed to the port side to get a better look, "What this heck is that!? They just keep floating up, one after another. Is the island making those bubbles!?"
"Is someone blowing them?" Luffy wondered aloud.
"Yup, they come up from the island," Camie answered, a little wistfulness in her voice.
Both boys looked back at her, "…What?" "What do you mean?"
Robin then realized something, "Ah… Let me interject for a moment. Nami, is the log pose alright?"
Nami blinked, then flustered with her wrist. "Ah, that's right! The needle is pointing to Fishman Island right now. Won't the island overwrite our log pose?"
Hachi had his arms crossed, looking at the bubble ridden trees, "Nyu! Don't worry about that. The Sabaodey Archipelago is just a bunch of trees, so there's no magnetic field."
"That's not an island!?" Sanji looked back the the archipelago, while collecting everybody's cups.
"Have you ever heard of a mangrove tree?" Hachi asked the chef.
"They're trees with roots that appear or disappear with the tides right?"
Hachi nodded, "In this case the roots are showing above the surface. The Sabaodey Archipelago is a grove of the world's biggest mangrove, the Yarukiman Mangrove."
"A Yaruki-Man Grove!?" Maxwell believed the pun Luffy heard roughly translated to Full of Energy Grove. "It looks like it has lots of energy! Me too!"
"Weren't you just having an allergic reaction?" Maxwell asked Luffy.
"Nyu. There are a total of 79 trees in the grove, and each one is large enough to be considered an island. They all have towns and other facilities built on them, and those 79 islands are what make the Sabaodey Archipelago. Those headed for the New World all gather here."
The Thousand Sunny entered the strait between two mangrove isles. "Grove 44, in front, is the civilian entrance."
"Those roots really are huge, up close." Some of the larger roots were even larger than the Sunny. Yet with the low tide, they could sail right under some. Maxwell also noticed Luffy's smile. He was excited, and he seemed to have slimmed down a bit. "Let's get a little closer in."
Chopper gazed up, "These trees are gigantic, too! They look like candy!" Their glossy sheen from all the soap bubbles must have been a replacement for traditional rough bark. Like pine sap, except more exaggerated.
They drew up to a low reaching root that was just level enough to make landfall, "Okay, we'll dock here, at Grove 41. Make sure you remember that number, everyone! These islands are all connected with bridges, so as long as you remember that number, you won't get lost."
Usopp glanced over at Zoro, "Well, someone's still gonna get lost."
"Yup," Chopper nodded.
"WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME FOR!?"
Maxwell snorted softly behind Zoro's back. Usopp and Chopper weren't exactly wrong. So he quickly grabbed the gangplank and lowered the end towards the ground, before Zoro realized he was the one snickering.
He followed Robin and Chopper down the plank and stepped onto a rather plush moss, that made up most of the ground surface. The leafs were so bundled and long, you could almost mistake it for grass. As they walked they saw a shiny film rise out of the mildew and conform into a bubble, about 5 feet in diameter.
Luffy who had jumped off the ship to explore, pointed at the sphere, "Woah! A soap bubble came out of the ground!"
"How does that work?" Robin wondered.
Maxwell decided to touch the bubble, "It's rather elastic…" It didn't burst at Maxwell's touch. The bubble simply made a divot and the pooped back out.
Seeing that it was solid, Luffy jumped onto the bubble. "…I can get on it!" There was a subtle elastic ring as the sphere malformed, but otherwise kept its shape.
"That's so cool!" Chopper cheered.
"They're made from a unique kind of natural resin that is secreted from the roots of the yarukiman," Pappagu explained.
Robin knelt down to touch the grass, scooping up a handful of slime that was in the foliage. There seemed to be a hidden layer of it all beneath their feet. "…Ew, it's sticky."
Robin then wiped her hand across Usopp's pant leg, who had just ran up to join them. "DON'T WIPE IT ON ME!"
"When the tree roots exhale, the resin is inflated with air and floats up."
"I see, then this stuff is all natural. That's so cool!" Luffy then looked up and decided to jump onto another bubble floating in the air. He laughed, and then proceeded to jump up, bubble by bubble.
"Amazing, Luffy!" He was jumping from bubble to bubble with nary a stop, and was climbing higher and higher towards the canopy.
Luffy stops on a particular bubble and shouts down, "Hey, I can see an amusement park! Let's go there! We can ride the Ferris wheel!"
"An amusement park!?" Chopper also looked excited.
"…What's an amusement park?" Maxwell asked.
"I believe another word for it would be a 'fair,' Maxwell-san." Brook explained. "Only, one that is open all year round."
"Oh~" Now Maxwell understood. He seemed to remember his parents taking him to a fair once. Back when he was fairly young. For the Harvest Festival, Maxwell believed. He distinctly remembered watching the nug races with his father, and he had let him chose which nug to bet on. They had honey cakes after collecting their winnings. Turned out he chose the winning nug.
"A ferris wheel, huh…? I've always wanted to ride one."
"Wanted?" Chopper looked back at Camie, "Why can't you go ride it?"
Before he could get an explanation though, Pappagu scolded the mermaid, "Don't be ridiculous, Camie! You know you can't!"
Camie's shoulders sagged in disappointment, "Yeah… I know."
Chopper looked between her and the direction of the amusement park, "I want to ride it, too. But am I even allowed…?"
Maxwell grimaced slightly, "I think it's a bit more complicated than that, Chop…" He noticed the sea folk were acting rather wary about this place.
"Hachi!" Nami came up beside the fishman, "What did we come to this island for? Something about a coating was mentioned earlier..." The rest of the crew had also come out, now wondering what they were going to do next.
"Nyu~!" Hachi nodded, breaking him out of whatever thought he had been thinking. "We'll go meet the guy who does the coating and he'll cover your ship with resin. Simply put, that'll let your ship travel underwater.
"EH!?" "REALLY!?"
"Wait—Hold up!" Maxwell held his arms up for a moment, "So to get to Fishman island, we're basically going to be sailing inside a giant bubble, beneath the ocean?" He then looks up hearing a panicked yell from above. Max steps over one step to avoid Luffy crashing into the ground. His head was stuck in the grass.
Hachi shrugs, "For you humans to go to Fishman Island, this is the only way. But, if you get the coating done by a shoddy workman, then both the ship and the crew could end up lost. I know a guy who I trust… So, I'll take you to him."
"You know.. You seem like a good guy, Octopus-san." Brook then thinks back to their takoyaki meal, "Ah, good octopus…" Maxwell smudged him with his staff to snap out of it.
"In return, I want you all to make promise to me something."
Luffy, who stood up after having his head in the ground, nods to Hachi in agreement. "Sure, what?"
"On these islands, the World Aristocracy are known to walk around—"
Luffy's eyebrows furrow, "Who are they?"
"People who live in the Holy Land, Mariejois," Robin explained.
"Hmph, what about them?"
Hachi's face then turns stark with dread, "No matter what happens in town, promise me that you won't defy the World Nobles!" Maxwell is almost caught off guard with how serious Hachi is being. "Even if someone were to be killed right before your very eyes, just pretend that you didn't see anything!"