Coco: Hey, guys, it's been a minute, hasn't it? Sorry for the wait. I've been trying to work out how I've wanted to do this arc, and I think I've finally decided on a set route that I wish to take. So, hopefully the next update won't take so long.
Now, let's get started!
Wren coughed trying to gain her bearings as her crewmates were doing the same. She was soaked from going through the clouds, but in one piece, which she supposed is all that mattered. As she looked around, the others seemed to be fine as well. As least as well as they could be after that ordeal.
"Wha…What just happened to us?" Zoro asked. "Everyone alright?"
No one answered at first as they were all still a little out of it. Well, all of them but a certain rubber boy who was already on his feet.
"Hey, guys, look out there." He said gaining everyone's attention. "What is that?"
Wren stood up to look over the railing with her gaze widening when she saw clouds for as far as the eyes could see.
"What in the world?" Sanji questioned as he too stood up.
"It's solid white!" Luffy exclaimed.
As he gave a laugh of excitement, everyone else gathered at the front of the Going Merry where their captain stood.
"They're clouds!" Chopper gasped.
"But how?" Nami asked. "Why aren't we falling?"
"Clouds float, boats float…same thing." Luffy concluded.
As Wren chuckled at his logic, Sanji, Zoro, and Chopper all waved their hands at him and shook their heads.
"No, it's not." The three of them said in unison.
Wren then tilted her head as someone was missing from their little group beside Havel who remained in her shadow. She turned her head to see Usopp was still laying on the deck.
"Excuse me, Chopper, I believe something is wrong with Usopp." Wren called thus getting Chopper's attention.
The young doctor gasped as he hurried over to Usopp to check on the unconscious teen.
"Oh no, Usopp's not breathing!" Chopper screamed before he started compressions.
Wren looked down mildly worried for the sniper as Luffy ran over in worry for his crewmate.
"He's not?!" Luffy shouted. "Someone, do something! Mouth to mouth."
Chopper was already on it, but Sanji soon ran up with an excited look on his face.
"Right, I'll do mouth to mouth on Wren-chwan!" He declared.
Wren gave him a look before placing her hand on his cheek to push his puckering lips away.
"That is unnecessary," She deadpanned though her cheeks did warm from his offer.
"Tch, Moron." Zoro added with a scoff as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Usopp then woke up with his eyes snapping open after Chopper begged him to hold on.
"He's alive!" Chopper and Luffy exclaimed.
The sniper, who Wren was happy to see up, just blinked in confusion as he slowly sat up.
"I am?" He murmured before his eyes widened. "Ahhh! Then where are we? What's with all these clouds?! They're everywhere."
As Wren patted the younger pirate on top his head in comfort, Nami let out a thoughtful hum.
"Basically, it's an ocean in the sky." Nami said as Usopp moved over to the railing.
"No way," he said disbelievingly. "Seriously?"
Nami didn't reply as she looked to the log pose, which much to her confusion was still pointing up.
"But look, the log pose is still pointing up." She said to Robin and Wren.
"So, we must still be somewhere in the middle of the Cumuloregalis clouds." Robin guessed.
"Which means we need to go even higher if we want to reach the island that the log pose is pointing to." Wren added.
Robin nodded in agreement to Wren's assessment as Chopper looked at the two in surprise. Behind the group who was in the middle of discussion, Sanji was glaring at Zoro.
"Did I hear you calling me a moron?" He asked Zoro with a frown.
"I don't know." Zoro replied. "Did ya?"
Sanji looked like he might start a fight with the swordsman, but paused when Usopp, who had folded down his overalls to leave his torso bare, laughed loudly. The crew turned towards the sniper as he posed on top of the ship's railing.
"Here I go!" Usopp said. "Cloud Ocean Swimming Champ Usopp."
Wren frowned because if swimming is what Usopp had in mind, she didn't see that as a good idea. Though Luffy and Chopper didn't share her thoughts as they immediately started cheering Usopp on.
"Hey, you can't swim here." Sanji told Usopp. "We still don't know anything about this place."
"Also, if we're in the clouds," Wren began only to trail off when Usopp jumped in anyway. "…well, that isn't good."
Sanji's brow just twitched at being ignored as Luffy and Chopper awed at Usopp's bravery.
"I suppose we better make peace." Wren said as she brought her hands together as if to make a prayer. "For Usopp is now lost to us."
As the others looked at her in confusion, Robin cupped her chin in a thoughtful manner.
"I understand what you're saying," Robin said. "Due to us being in the clouds, it's highly possible this sea doesn't have a bottom."
"Not a solid one, anyway." Wren said with a small shrug. "Usopp has probably already fallen through."
The others gapped at the two women as their words hit like a ton of bricks. Chaos then ensued as Luffy gave a panicked shout.
"Usopp!" Luffy cried before throwing out his arm to stretch it as long as possible.
"I just told him not to go in there!" Sanji snapped.
Wren just sighed as she kicked off her shoes before running over the edge and diving in.
"Ahhh! Wren-chawn!" Sanji called out. "Darling, why?!"
He went to run after her, but Zoro and Chopper, who grew in his larger form, quickly grabbed him.
"Don't be stupid!" Zoro shouted. "We don't need any more crewmates possibly falling to their deaths!"
"Let me go, you stupid Marimo!" Sanji shouted back at Zoro. "I have to save her!"
Zoro and Chopper didn't budge, however, and Luffy whimpered in concern for his crewmates.
"Captain-san, stretch out as far as you can!" Robin ordered.
"I am, but I can't see where they are." Luffy sobbed.
"Leave that part to me," Robin said as she prepared to use her devil fruit ability.
Wren frowned as she swam as fast as she could to try and catch up to Usopp. She used her haki to try and pinpoint the younger pirate as she dived deeper and deeper.
'Why couldn't he have used his head?!' She wondered in aggravation.
She could see things getting lighter and knew she'd be passing through the bottom of the clouds soon enough. She didn't slow her descent, however, as she pushed herself onward. She broke through the clouds and quickly located Usopp from his screams. She saw him a few feet below her and tucked her arms against her sides and straightened her legs, so she'd fall faster. She reached him soon enough and used her magic to pull air currents around them to keep them afloat at the least. It was easier to fly at lower altitudes than his, so she was finding it a bit difficult.
'I have to get us back to the others,' She thought.
Just as the words came through her head mind, she spotted Luffy's arm shoot through the bottom. She also saw a multitude of eyes growing from his arm, which meant Robin was looking for them. Wren quickly flew in the direction of Luffy's hand. Robin met her halfway as she used her devil fruit to grow multiple hands in their direction. They wrapped around Wren and Usopp who were immediately being pulled back into the clouds.
Wren held her breath and unto Usopp tightly as they were being pulled through the white clouds and back up towards the others. Wren then stiffened when sensing threats heading their way. She looked around seeing several sea creatures surrounding them.
'They are actual creatures living in this odd ocean?' She thought in mild surprise.
She then acted swiftly as she managed to wrap Robin's arms around Usopp who she let go of. She drew her sword, which started to glow a bluish-white hue as Usopp was being pulled to safety above her. The white cloud sea water started to swirl around the blade as she held it to her side.
'I won't kill them,' She thought as the creatures turned their attention on Wren. 'Just give them a little scare. Now, Giant Whirlpool!'
She slashed her sword in a circular motion, which caused the water to twist and turn before forming a large whirlpool. It sucked the creatures towards it, but Wren, who hadn't meant to use so much power behind the attack, wasn't spared as she was being tossed around by the strong current.
'You fool!' Havel shouted through their link. 'Don't use magic you're unfamiliar with in such a situation!'
Wren only grunted in reply as she was sent backwards by the large currents made from the whirlpool. She was finding it harder and harder to hold her breath and she couldn't gain her bearings enough to swim upwards. Wren started to feel herself falling into darkness and as her eyes started to close, a dark figure appeared above her and seemed to be reaching for her. She blacked out before being able to identify the being as she began sinking.
"Where is she?!" Sanji demanded he shook Usopp who was barely conscious. "Wren went down there to get you! How could you lose her?!"
Usopp just mumbled in coherently, which caused Sanji's anger to rise even more.
"Sanji, please!" Chopper begged. "Shaking him isn't going to help! Please, let me exam him!"
Sanji growled but dropped the sniper back to the deck. Zoro frowned because this wasn't good. Three crewmates went into the water—Havel might have been in her shadow, but he still tagged along—and only one came out.
"I didn't mean to lose her," Luffy said with tears comically running down his face. "Wren, where did you go?"
"I doubt Mage-san is lost to us forever," Robin said. "We just have to keep faith and keep moving forward."
"But where to?" Nami asked. "And how can we move on? Shouldn't we try to go in and find her?"
Nami looked to the white sea below as worry tore away at her stomach. She knew Wren was strong, but they were in unfamiliar territory. And she was now alone. And there was no telling if she was even still in the ocean anymore.
"It's too dangerous for us to keep diving into the water." Robin disagreed. "Knowing Mage-san, she'll manage to get to some kind of land. A place amongst the Seated Officers of the Donquixote Family isn't given to those who would easily lose or perish. We will see her soon enough. We just need to push forward."
Sanji gritted the cigarette in his mouth tightly. He couldn't believe he allowed himself to be separated from Wren again. He was supposed to be looking after her. To protect her. Yet he keeps failing.
'Wren…please…be safe.' Sanji thought.
Wren groaned before she started to feel herself wake. Her eye opened to take in a fluffy, white ceiling as if it was made of clouds. She then shifted her gaze to see a fire burning in the middle of the room she was in.
'Where am I?' She wondered.
"I see you're awake." A voice spoke up.
Wren shot up and turned towards the owner of the voice to see a woman who appeared to be the same age of her father if not older. She had short, silvery-blue hair that stopped at the tips of her ears. Her eyes were a kind lavender color and her skin a dark tan. She smiled at Wren who took note of the clothes she was wearing. Clothes she was familiar with. It wasn't really the outfit itself, but the dark, chest-length robe that was draped over the top and the pin in the shape of a aeraial that Wren recognized.
"What could a mage be doing here?" Wren questioned. "Especially, a Mage Governor? You're a long way's away from Eon Island."
The woman didn't reply at first as she stroked the cotton fly in her lap. The sheep-fly-appearing fae seemed happy as it remained curled up in the mage's lap.
"I suppose I am," The woman agreed. "Though even we governors need vacations from time to time too. Granted this vacation of mine has been ten years long."
Wren's brow quirked at that before noticing Havel curled up on the end of the bed, she was resting in. She reached for said feline who woke at her touch. He let out a purr as she brought him to her chest.
"Misce, you're awake." He said sounding relieved as he nuzzled the side of her face. "You silly child. You shouldn't have used a spell you are so unfamiliar with."
Wren offered her familiar an apology, but he only hushed her as he was just glad that she was okay. He then looked to the woman who had cared for Wren as she slept.
"Thank you again, Nimue." He said. "For caring for her."
The woman—Nimue—nodded in return as she carefully put her cotton fly down on the cloudy floor.
"It's nothing," she said. "I'm just glad my selkie friend had found little Wren before she could drown."
Wren's brow quirked at how familiarly the woman addressed her. Wren also felt as if she knew this woman's name. Nimue…it rang a bell in her mind.
"Haha, I suppose you don't remember me," Nimue said as she placed her hand on her chest. "Though you were such a tiny thing the last time we met, so it is understandable. Let me reintroduce myself to you. I am Opal E. Nimue the Governor of Eon Island in the West Blue. The Governor of the Wind."
Wren now realized why the woman was familiar to her. When Wren had been just a child, Wren had met the other governors through her father. Her father had once been the governor of Era…or might still hold his title, Wren wasn't sure. The mages were very laissez-faire in their politics and government. Nimue said she had been away from her home for a decade. This isn't exactly unusual. Most of the time, governors traveled and documented different cultures of magic and discovered new fae and anything else retaining to their culture. It was mostly an effort to recover their missing history. Like the reason behind the mages fleeing their homeland.
"It's a pleasure to become reacquainted, Nimue-san." Wren told her. "Now, as for my previous question, what could a governor being doing way up here in the clouds? If you don't mind my asking."
"I don't mind at all," Nimue said. "I mostly came up here for my studies. I heard rumors of islands in the sky and became curious of what kind of neighbors might inhabit them like the selkie who saved you earlier today."
Wren blinked while guessing that the selkie was the shadowy figure she had seen before blacking out.
"A selkie up here?" Wren hummed.
Nimue nodded her head as she stood up from her chair to walk over to a desk wedged in the corner on the other side of the room. She pulled out a wide, flat book to walk back over to Wren. Wren placed Havel to the side to accept the book as Nimue was handing it to her. Wren opened the book with her eyes taking in the sketches on the paper before her.
The first image she landed on was a selkie—which is a fae with a seal-like appearance who could also shift into a slightly human one at will. However, this selkie's flippers looked more like wings. Its ears even took a feathery appearance, and its body seemed a bit thinner than its brethren.
"The selkie here don't share the same cute, round figures as those below." Nimue explained. "Their bones are also hollow like aerials, and they have wing-like fins instead of flippers. Makes them light enough to float in the cloud water, you understand? They evolved just like the animals here."
Hearing her say that made Wren think of those sea creatures she had run into earlier. One had a flat body as well and its scales had looked more like feathers. Creatures who have been blown up into the sky from the Knock-Up Stream many, many years ago seemed to have adapted to their surroundings over time. The fae here seeming to be no exception to that evolution.
"It's fascinating, isn't it?" Nimue hummed as she went over to the fire where something seemed to be cooking in a large, black pot. "Though fae are beings of magic, they are still beings of nature and nature is ever evolving to fit its environment."
Wren, who was still looking through Nimue's sketches, was indeed fascinated. Her eyes fell on an image of an Ent next. Large fae who are basically living trees. Some consider them the male equivalents of dryads as they all take on the form an elderly man in the face while dryads look like fair, young women.
The sketch had two Ents standing side-by-side. One was much shorter than the others and measurements were written off to the side of them. The shorter one looked to be average height for their kind, but the taller one, well, Wren would have to see it to believe it.
"You have Ents here?" Wren questioned. "There are trees here in the sky?"
"Yes," Nimue answered as she took two bowls over to whatever she was making. "Chunks of earth are blown up here into the sky from time to time. Those who live in the clouds, take what they can—like plant-life—and nourish it. However, I've traveled to a few sky islands and it's only this one where I discovered the Ents. That due to the fact that Skypiea has the largest land mass out of all the sky islands I've seen thus far. It's known as Upper Yard or God's Land by the locals."
Wren's brow quirked at this as Nimue started to spoon out the food she had made. She brought one of the bowls to Wren who thanked her. Wren looked down at the contents to see it was a stew of some kind. She held back a frown as she wondered if some more creature was used in this dish. Nimue chuckled at the girl's troubled look.
"Don't worry," Nimue said as she placed the other bowl in front of Havel who happily dug in. "Your familiar told me of your distaste of meat-related dishes, so I made you a nice vegetarian stew."
Wren thanked the woman again before taking a sip of the warm broth. The warmth seemed to seep through her very body, which she hadn't realized was cold before. Though as she enjoyed the meal, something came to mind.
"How long have I been here?" Wren asked.
"A few hours." Nimue replied.
Wren frowned as she realized she couldn't stay here. She was sure the others were worried about her, and she was worried for them. The crew couldn't go for too long without causing trouble. They could even be in trouble at this very instant. Though she did wish she could stay. She would like to hear more about this place and speak with Nimue longer. It's been some time since she spoke with someone from her home. Not counting her father.
Nimue was indeed from the West Blue while Wren was from the North. However, every island of mages in the fourth blues were connected together via magic portals that are placed in the area with the highest concentrate of magic on each island. And each of those portals are also connected to the place where their king resides in an unknown location. So, while they were physically separated by miles of ocean and the Red Line, they could easily connect to one other.
In fact, it wasn't uncommon for mages to travel from island to island on a daily basis as each island offered something the others couldn't. Wren used to go shopping in Eon with her mother for ingredients for dinner or even for herbs and crystals for her father's practice. Or she would go to visit her aunts and uncles and cousins in the East Blue, which is where Centuris Island resided. She rarely went to Millennium Island in the South Blue, but from time to time, Vladimir would take her there to watch the sunsets. As the sunsets on Millennium Island were the most beautiful out of each four islands.
So, while separate and very diverse, the mage community was also very close. It was a closeness that Wren missed, but she couldn't allow herself to dawdle here in Nimue's home.
"At the very least, finish your food before you go," Nimue's voice broke Wren from her thoughts.
Wren looked up at the older woman, who was giving her a knowing look, as she smiled.
"Havel told me about your crew," Nimue said. "I'm sure you wish to reach them as soon as possible. However, you shouldn't leave on an empty stomach. Not after what you went through. As you eat, I'll find you some clothes to replace yours."
She gestured to Wren's clothes that were laid off to the side looking as if they had seen better days as they dripped water. Wren looked down seeing she was wearing some kind of nightgown. Something Nimue must have lent her as she was unconscious.
"Thank you, Nimue, but you needn't trouble yourself." Wren tried to tell her.
"Nonsense." Nimue said. "It's not trouble at all. I just hope my clothes aren't too old fashioned for your tastes."
Nimue sat some clothes at the end of the bed before retaking her seat at the fire.
"Besides, there's some things you need to know before you leave here, Wren." Nimue told her. "Skypiea isn't a safe place. Not for travelers or even for the people who call it their home."
Wren frowned when hearing this as Nimue, who picked her familiar back up to place in her lap, sighed.
"This place is under the rule of a malicious man who has declared himself as God." Nimue said. "His name is Enel and the Upper Yard that I mentioned earlier is his domain, and a place that everyone is forbidden to enter unless they wish to suffer his wrath."
Wren's frown deepened since she knew of a certain straw-hatted boy who would die at the chance to go somewhere he wasn't supposed to.
"I have managed to stay out of his knowledge thus far," Nimue said. "He is very well versed in Kenbunshoku haki. Though here they call it mantra. His mantra is so strong that he can hear the voices of everyone spanning the entirety of the nation he rules. Those closest to him have strong mantra as well. Though theirs does not stretch so far, it is precise enough for them to almost see seconds into the future, or at least that's what I heard."
Wren hummed as she only knew of one other one who could do a thing like that. If these comrades of Enel could really see into the future, Wren could possibly actually have trouble fighting against them. Perhaps coming to this place hadn't been a good idea on her and her crewmates' part.
"This Enel sounds formidable." Wren commented. "Is their mantra limited to hearing the voices of others? Or can they also armor themselves? Perhaps conquer the will of the weak?"
"So, far they have not shown such abilities," Nimue said as she shook her head. "Though their mantra has been strong enough to keep them in power for a very long time. No one has been able to stand against them. The Skypieans are too frightened to do so, and the other residents aren't able to fight against their strength or mantra. However, I do know of one way to not be readable by their mantra that you might find useful."
Wren looked on in interest at Nimue's words as the older woman gave a smile.
"I'm listening," Wren said.
After all, she might as well get all the information that she can before returning to the others. It would seem as if they've landed themselves in a possibly bad situation once more. Meaning Wren needed to prepare for anything and take what could be given to her for help.
'I just hope they don't cause any trouble before I can return to them,' Wren thought.
Coco: And that is the end of another chapter. As you can see, I'm taking a different route in this arc. I'm not the biggest fan of it to be honest. It was hard to get through it the first time, and I don't expect it to be any easier this time around. So, I'm mostly going to focus on Wren's journey in this arc and her reconnecting to her roots with the help of Nimue. So, there won't be as much time with Wren and the crew. And Wren and Sanji for example. I was to really focus on more personal growth for her in this arc. Not saying I'm going to skip over everything in this arc though, of course. Though it is tempting XD
Anyway, before we leave today, shall we get to know Nimue a bit more?
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Name: Opal E. Nimue
Age: 56
D.O.B: August 23rd
*She shares a birthday with Pell
Origin: Eon Island (West Blue)
Height: 164.592cm (5 ft 4 in)
Race: Human (Mage)
Affiliation(s): The Mage Community/Eon Island
Weapon: her magic
Family: Penna (Cotton Fly)-familiar
Trivia:
*Nimue is the Governor of Eon Island in the West Blue. The island affiliated with the element of air/wind.
*Nimue is the oldest governor amongst the four currently in office.
*Like the wind, Nimue is a free spirit and likes to travel often. She rarely remains on her home island, and even when she does return, she keeps the visits short.
*Nimue had once been married to an unknown pirate, but the two are currently separated for unknown reasons. It is also unknown if these two ever had children.
*Nimue is a gentle woman by nature and enjoys caring for those younger than her. Guiding young mages down the path she believes is best for them is something of high importance to her. She has even been the mentor to many fine mages, and a mother figure to others.
*Nimue's favorite dish is baked salmon over white rice and vegetables. Her least favorite foods are overly sweet dishes
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Well, that is the end of that. Now as always, I will see you next time, guys. And remember, stay safe and keep being your beautiful selves!
