Ch. 35- The Land of Giants
One Piece © Oda
Blizzard, Monkey D. Aika, Kumi, Kovar, and Monkey D. Star © Me
Shade © Gakuto1991
Aika gaped in disbelief at the woman who was staring down at the group with this smug, cruel grin. Luffy, Past Zoro, Past Nami, and Vivi stared up at her, the fourth being in great shock and anger, while Past Usopp and Past Sanji remained out cold. As for the present Robin, she only held her arm and looked down, as if in great shame.
"I met your partner, Mr. 8, earlier...Miss Wednesday," said Past Robin.
"Did...did you kill Igaram?!" Vivi questioned.
"Did you really kill him, Miss Robin?" asked Brook.
"No...I just set it up to look like I did," Robin answered.
"Forget about that!" Luffy shouted. "How the hell did you get on our ship?!"
"What are you even doing here...Miss All Sunday?!" Vivi asked, angrily.
"Miss...All Sunday?" Aika repeated.
"That was my codename," Robin answered. "I was Mr. 0's partner."
"Jeez..." Usopp muttered. "Looking back, I forgot how scary Robin used to look!"
"Hey!" Zoro barked. "Watch it, Long Nose!"
"EEP!" Usopp squeaked. "I-I didn't mean it like that, you know! I was just-"
"No, Zoro, he's right," Robin said. "I really was someone else, back then, wasn't I?"
"I still can't believe that that's you," Aika said.
"No, Aika," Robin said. "It's how I used to be...but I'm not that person, anymore."
"Oh, really...?"
Robin gasped silently before she screwed her eyes shut.
"No..." she hissed, hatefully. "You won't get to me, again, you evil beast!"
"You could be just lying to yourself, you know...you know how easily it is for people to betray you...don't you?"
Robin gasped as she began to remember all the times that she had been betrayed by different criminal syndicates wherever she went...but then she growled as she clenched her fists.
"No!" she shouted. "Just leave me alone, you damn dragon!"
"Robin, easy!" Nami cried as she ran up and put her hands on her shoulders.
"...I'm sorry," Robin whispered.
"You know that that's not gonna happen, anymore, right?" Franky asked.
"Yes..." Robin answered with a soft smile.
"Who is that?!" Past Nami asked. "Is she Mister-What's-His-Number's partner?!"
"She's Mr. 0's partner!" answered Vivi, frantically. "She was the only one who knew the boss's true identity, so we followed her and we found out who was in charge!"
"Actually," said Past Robin, "I let you follow me."
"So...that means she's a good guy?" Luffy guest.
"We knew that!" Vivi countered. "But then you told the boss that we'd learned his true identity!"
"Okay, then that means she is bad," Luffy scowled.
"Luffy, give it a rest, already," Past Zoro muttered.
"What were you planning, anyway?!" Vivi questioned.
"Well...I was curious," Past Robin answered. "You seemed so earnest...so I just thought I would help you out, that's all. I mean...a princess declaring war on Baroque Works, just to save her country...sounds a bit pathetic, doesn't it?"
"...That's cold," Blizzard muttered in disbelief. "Is this really how Robin used to act like before she joined up with Luffy?"
"Yep," Chopper answered.
"HOW DARE YOU!" Vivi screamed in fury, and at that moment, Past Sanji and Past Usopp appeared, the former pointing a gun at Past Robin while Past Usopp held up his slingshot.
"Hey, Sanji," Past Usopp said. "You do know this is a woman, right?"
"Yeah, I know," Past Sanji answered, "but all I also know that my beloved Ms. Wednesday is in danger."
"Whoa, dude!" Franky exclaimed. "Did you really just point a gun at a woman?!"
"I wasn't really gonna shoot her!" Sanji argued. "I just tried to intimidate her, that's all!"
"You better not have shot her," Zoro growled.
"Oh, what are you worried about?!" Sanji asked. "You didn't start falling for her until 2 years later!"
"Well, still!" Zoro barked.
"All right, all right!" Nami shouted. "Jeez!"
"...You know," said Past Robin, "I don't like it when people point such dangerous things at me."
Suddenly, Past Usopp and Past Sanji were thrown to the deck, dropping their weapons, and Past Zoro gasped as he was quickly disarmed, himself.
"What the hell?!" Past Zoro questioned.
"What was that?!" Past Nami asked in shock.
"She must be a Devil Fruit user!" Vivi cried.
"Whoa!" Luffy gaped in awe.
"Damn, that was fast!" Franky exclaimed. "I didn't even see it!"
"Neither did I!" Blizzard added.
"I still can't believe Robin disarmed me, just like that," Zoro said.
"I'm just full of surprises, aren't I?" asked Robin, coyly.
"Ugh..." Past Sanji groaned before he sat up and, upon seeing Past Robin, grew hearts in his eyes. "Whoa! Now that I look again, you're hot!"
"Mhmm-hmm..." Past Robin chuckled. "I wouldn't get too excited if I were you. I'm not on an assignment, so I really have no reason to fight you." She then used her powers to flick Luffy's hat off his head and into her hand. "Monkey D. Luffy...so you're the Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, are you?"
"HEY!" Luffy yelled. "GIMME MY HAT BACK! YOU WANT ME TO COME UP THERE AND TAKE IT?!"
"You are a bad person!" Past Usopp exclaimed as he hid behind the mass. "I suggest you leave this ship, immediately!"
"Seriously?" Past Nami asked, incredulously.
The present-day Straw Hats felt even more disturbed by this. Everyone knew that messing with Luffy's hat was a sure-fire way to piss him off. Of course, that was news to Robin, back then, obviously.
"What rotten luck you have," said Past Robin as she put Luffy's hat over hers. "You're being hunted down by Baroque Works just because you just had to go and be friends with Princess Vivi..." She then glanced at Vivi. "And as for you, my dear...your only protection is a measly group of ragtag pirates. However...I think the worst luck of all is where your Log Pose happens to be pointing to."
"What?" Past Nami asked. "What do you mean?"
"You're all headed straight for a place known as Little Garden," said Robin.
"Little Garden?" Chopper repeated. "Sounds pretty small."
"Trust me, it's anything but," Nami replied.
"I guess we won't have to kill you after all," said Past Robin. "You'll never reach Alabasta or see Sir Crocodile's face."
"Oh, yeah?!" Luffy questioned. "Says you! Now gimme back my hat, you...you...you big dummy!"
"Good comeback," Past Zoro muttered.
"Rushing off headlong into death sure seems like a foolish thing to do, don't you think?" asked Past Robin as she threw Luffy's hat back onto his head while also tossing something to Vivi.
"Was this Little Garden place really that bad?" Aika asked.
"Well, at first," Usopp began, "but then it turned out to be one of the coolest places we ever went to?"
"Huh?" Aika muttered.
"What does he mean by that?" asked Kumi.
"Uh...you'll see in a bit," said Usopp. "Trust me, you'll love it!"
"...If you say so," said Aika.
"It's...an Eternal Pose?!" asked Vivi.
"You'll be able to sail safely with that," said Past Robin. "It points to the Island of Nanimonai. It's one stop before Alabasta. It's a route that even our agents don't know about, so no one will follow you there."
"The Island of what-knee-who?" Chopper repeated.
"It's not really important," said Robin.
"So, wait a minute, you're helping us?!" Past Nami questioned.
"Why would you give us something like this?!" asked Vivi.
"Maybe it's a trap," Past Zoro glared, suspicious.
"Maybe," Past Robin grinned. "Who knows?"
Vivi stared down at the Eternal Pose in contemplation, but then, Luffy snatched it right out of her hand, causing her to gasp.
"Keep your thingy!" he shouted. "We don't need it!" With a single squeeze, Luffy soon crushed the compass in his hand, to Past Nami's horror.
"What in the hell?!" Franky questioned.
"I don't understand!" Aika cried. "Why did Big Brother crush it?! I thought you were helping them, Aunt Robin!"
"I was," Robin said. "Your brother's just stubborn."
"YOU IDIOT!" Past Nami yelled as she kicked Luffy in the face, causing him to fall on the deck. "What do you think you're doing?! She just gave us an easy course! What if she really is trying to help us?!"
"...I don't care," Luffy said as he glared at Past Robin. "You're not the one who decides which course we take!"
Vivi gasped silently while Past Robin only smiled, calmly.
"I see," she said. "What a shame."
"Wait, I still don't understand," said Aika. "Isn't the easy way better?"
"With your brother," Zoro began, "there's no such thing as the easy way."
"Your brother loves a challenge," said Blizzard. "Otherwise, there'd be no point to him being King of the Pirates if alll he did was take the easy way out."
"When it comes to your goals, you have to work hard for them," Usopp added. "You don't take the easy way out, otherwise, you'll find yourself bored!"
"Huh...I never thought of it, that way," Aika realized before she smiled. "Big Brother really is amazing, isn't he?"
"...Yes," Robin smiled. "He certainly is."
"I may have been mad, before," said Nami, "but...I'm still proud of him."
"Luffy, you are just so...so...UGH!" Past Nami groaned.
"I hate her!" Luffy exclaimed. "She blew up Curly-Hair Pops!"
"I don't really have a problem with forceful men like you," said Past Robin. "I do hope we meet again...if you survive."
"Yeah, well I hope we don't meet again!" Luffy countered. "Now get off our ship!"
"Very well," Past Robin said as she hopped off the portside railing and onto the back of a giant sea turtle with a cowboy hat and a cigar in his mouth. "Let's go, Banchi."
"What the...she's riding on a turtle!" Past Usopp exclaimed.
"Whoa, that's a BIG turtle!" Luffy added.
"...He's more interested in the turtle?" Brook asked.
"Don't ask," Zoro said.
As for Vivi, she groaned in frustration as she dropped to her knees.
"I wish I knew what she was playing at!" she shouted. "She's so infuriating!"
"Oh, well," Past Nami shrugged, her earlier anger now gone. "Can't really worry about it, now."
"Yeah, we're used to scheming women around here," said Past Zoro, which caused Past Nami to side-eye him and growl.
"Wait, I don't get it!" Past Usopp shouted. "What is going on?! Why is Miss Wednesday on our ship?! I am totally lost here!"
Quack! Carue quacked, causing ther sniper to shriek.
"A GIANT DUCK!" he cried.
"...I...I'm not sure if I should even be here," said Vivi.
"What are you talking about?" asked Past Nami before she poked Vivi in the head. "It's your fault we're being targeted in the first place! If you don't want to endanger us, you shouldn't have told us about the boss's identity in the first place!"
"I said I was sorry!" Vivi countered.
"She did say she was sorry, Nami," said Usopp.
"I know," Nami answered. "I just didn't want her to feel bad about being on the ship with us! It was kind of my way of showing her that I cared, you know?"
"Hey, Sanji!" Luffy called. "It's morning! I want breakfast!"
"Yeah, yeah, I know!" Past Sanji replied. "Sheesh...never a moment's rest with you, huh?"
"I still can't believe you were up almost all night," said Brook as he looked up at the sky. "The sun's already rising!"
"Wow, so pretty!" Chopper added.
"All right, the sun is out," said Past Zoro. "Let's get a move on!"
"Right!" Luffy exclaimed. "Let's sail, you guys!"
"Aye-aye, Captain!" Past Nami replied.
"Wait! I still didn't get an explanation!" Past Usopp shouted. "What's going on here?! Miss Wednesday, who was that creepy chick earlier?!"
However, the memory soon faded to black, right then and there.
"Why did you give us that Eternal Pose, anyway, Robin?" asked Nami.
"I was just testing you all," Robin answered. "I wanted to see if Luffy was really a man who followed his own beliefs...men like him always fascinated me."
"Fascinated you?" asked Franky.
"Why's that?" Usopp inquired.
"...No particular reason," said Robin.
The Straw Hats were about to ask what she meant by that, but they were soon interrupted when another memory soon appeared. It was sometime after they left Whiskey Peak, and the Past Straw Hats were sitting around the Going Merry with Vivi and Carue now on board. Vivi was talking about how the group shouldn't underestimate the Grand Line and that they shouldn't be relaxing, and yet, the group didn't seem to hear her. Instead, they opted to have some of the drink that Past Sanji had made. Carue seemed to be enjoying it the most, for he was sipping it down, glass after glass.
"Wow, look at him go!" Luffy exclaimed.
"Yeah!" Past Usopp cheered. "Drink it down, Carue!"
"He sure can put it away, that duck," Past Zoro grinned.
"I'll say!" Franky added. "That duck sure loves his drinks!"
"Shishishi!" Aika giggled. "He's funny! I like him!"
"But didn't Miss Vivi just say you shouldn't be relaxing?" asked Brook.
"You're one to talk, considering what happened on Sabaody," Usopp glared.
"It seems that all we do is enjoy downtime whenever we get it," Blizzard said.
"Yeah, but one way or another, we always jump into action," Sanji added.
"Take right now for instance," said Nami, and no sooner did she say this that the group spotted a lone dolphin, splashing in the water.
"Hey, check it out!" Past Sanji called. "A dolphin!"
"Whoa, cool!" Luffy exclaimed.
"How cute!" Past Nami added.
"Amazing!" Chopper said, just as in awe as the others...but then, as the dolphin leaped into the air, the group soon found themselves horror-strucken when they saw that it easily dwarfed the Merry in size!
"IT'S A GIANT DOLPHIN~!" they all cried.
"Holy crap, it's SUPER huge!" Franky shouted.
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!" Chopper, Brook, Aika and Kumi screamed.
"EVERYBODY, GET AWAY FROM IT!" Luffy shouted with his usual enthusiastic grin while the others soon hurried to steer the Merry away from the huge sea mammal. After an adjustment of the sails, they used the wave the dolphin made to ride away.
"WHOO-HOOOOOOOO!" Luffy hollered as he grabbed onto the railing. "YEAH, BABY~!"
"I THINK I'M GONNA BE SICK~!" Past Usopp cried as he hung onto the mast.
"WELCOME TO THE CLUB!" Past Sanji called while also hanging onto the railing.
"Talk about a wild ride," Robin mused.
"Don't remind me," said Usopp. "I thought my stomach was doing a corkscrew!"
After a while, the excitement died down and the Past Straw Hats were sailing on smooth waters, once again, with Luffy laughing from the experience.
"Well...that was a rush," Past Zoro commented.
"Anyone got a bicarbonate of soda?" Past Usopp asked with a gag.
"Are you all right, Nami? Vivi?" asked Past Sanji.
"I think we're fine," said Vivi. "What about you, Carue?"
Quaaaack...! Carue groaned dizzily.
As for Luffy, he was still laughing from the whole ordeal before he looked over at Past Nami, who chuckled as she held her head. However, as their eyes met with each other, they suddenly stopped laughing and looked down to see that in all that excitement, Luffy had unknowingly put his hand on Past Nami's hand, which caused him to look up at the navigator as his heart started beating and the memory turned pink.
"Uhh...Luffy?" Past Nami asked. "You mind letting go of my hand, please?"
"Oh, right!" Luffy cried as he stumbled back. "Sorry! I-I was just...err...umm...sh-shouldn't you go check our course?"
"Oh, right!" Past Nami exclaimed as she quickly got to her feet. "What am I doing?!"
Once her back was turned, Luffy heaved a sigh and put his hand on his chest, where he could still feel his heart racing.
'Dammit...I really gotta control myself, more...!'
Nami blushed a bit upon remembering that part. Truth be told, she also felt her heart race a bit when she felt Luffy touch her hand, back then, but she just thought it was nothing and didn't really say much about it. After all, she was still figuring things out herself, back then.
"Hey!" Past Zoro called. "There's an island up head!"
Everyone soon gathered at the bow of the ship, where they soon saw an island come into view.
"There's no doubt about it," said Past Nami as she checked the Log Pose. "After Cactus Island, the next island on our couse is the one up ahead!"
"We made it!" Luffy exclaimed, forgetting his earlier flustered feelings. "This is it! The second island in the Grand Line!"
"So that's Little Garden?" asked Chopper.
"Yep," Nami answered.
"You were right," Franky said. "There's nothing little about it!"
"Look at those mountains!" Aika added.
"I don't think those are mountains," said Kumi as she noticed the smoke rising from the top of one. "I think those might be volcanoes!"
"We have to watch our step, here," said Vivi. "I'm still worried about what Miss All Sunday said."
"You mean...there might be monsters on this island?!" Past Usopp asked, nervously.
"I dunno," said Luffy. "There could be."
"We'd better find some extra rations here, since we didn't stock up back at Whiskey Peak," Sanji added.
Soon, the group sailed inland on a river, where they were soon surrounded by a huge, tropical jungle.
"Wow," Past Zoro muttered. "This place is practically overgrown."
"This is Little Garden, all right," said Vivi.
"Little Garden?!" Past Usopp repeated. "Are you kidding?! Who would give a name like that to a crazy-looking place like this! There's nothing little about it!"
"You think we'll find a barbecue restaurant around here?" asked Luffy.
"We didn't come all this way for barbecue!" Past Sanji barked.
"I thought the point of this trip was to get food," said Luffy.
"Yeah, food, as in supplies that we need to stock the ship with!" Past Sanji corrected while his present self sighed and shook his head.
"Always thinking with his stomach, that glutton," said Sanji.
"Hey, this is weird," said Chopper as he looked at the scenery. "Most of these plants have gone extinct. They used to be around when the dinosaurs were alive."
"Well, that's because-" Robin started, only for the sound of a loud squawk to fill the air, causing the more cowardly members of the Straw Hats to cry out in shock.
"What in the hell was that?!" Past Nami questioned as she looked up at the sky.
"Monster! Gotta be!" Past Usopp cried.
"Aww, calm down," said Past Sanji. "It's just a normal, harmless jungle."
"Uhh...Sanji?" Past Nami asked, nervously.
"What?" Past Sanji asked before he turned around...only to spot a huge shadow, swooping down towards them.
"What the hell?!" Franky questioned.
"AAAAH!" Brook screamed. "IT'S KOVAR AGAIN!"
Wrong. It soon turned out not to be Kovar, but rather, a gigantic lizard-like creature with wings, which soon flew off into the sky. Thankfully, Past Sanji managed to avoid its talons in time before glaring after it, angrily.
"What the hell's the matter with you, you damn bird?!" he quetioned.
"Technically," Robin began, "that was a giant archeopteryx, a winged dinosaur with feathers. It is said that these were how the dinosaurs eventually evolved into birds."
"...That...was really scary...!" Aika squeaked.
"I honestly thought that was Kovar trying to come after us...!" Chopper added.
"It wasn't," Usopp said while panting, "but it was still frightening!"
Then, out of nowhere, a huge boom reverberated into the air, startling the group.
"What was that?!" Past Usopp questioned.
"It sounded like a volcano erupting!" Past Nami answered, and not long after, something else emerged from the foliage: a huge tiger...and for some reason, it was covered in blood. Not long after it appeared, it collapsed on the ground and soon succumbed to its wounds.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!" Chopper shrieked.
"What in the hell happened to that thing?!" Franky questioned.
"I think I might have a good idea, now that I think back on it," said Nami.
"Are you guys seeing this, right now?!" Past Nami questioned. "Nothing about this place is normal! What kind of monster could kill a fully grown tiger?!"
"I agree," Past Usopp nodded. "Going ashore is a bad idea!"
"Usopp's right," Past Nami said. "Let's just wait here on the ship for the Log Pose to reset, and then get the hell outta dodge! We gotta get to Alabasta and quick! You hear that, Luffy?!"
No answered.
"...Luffy?" Past Nami asked, worriedly.
"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed, his body shaking and his signature impish grin on his face. The Straw Hats, both past and present, immediately saw what that look meant.
"Sanji...go and make me lunch!" Luffy demanded.
"Huh? You want lunch?" Past Sanji asked.
"Yeah!" Luffy answered. "A big Pirate Lunchbox with lots of meat and no veggies! I'm gonna need some more energy!"
"What?!" Past Nami barked. "Luffy, are you insane?! Where do you think you're goign?!"
"You know, going on an adventure," Luffy grinned. "You wanna come along?"
"Of course he thinks this an adventure," Blizzard deadpanned. "It's Luffy, for crying out loud!"
"Sometimes I wonder if Luffy's even human," Kumi said as she and Aika hid under the wolf-dog.
"Sanji, hurry up with that lunchbox!" Luffy shouted, heaving his arms up and down.
"Okay, okay, keep your hat on, will you?" Past Sanji asked as he went to prepare the lunchbox. "Sheesh..."
"Wait, Luffy!" Vivi said. "Do you mind if I come along, too?"
"Sure!" Luffy replied. "The more, the merrier!"
"Vivi, you too?!" Past Nami asked in shock.
"Why not?" asked Vivi. "If I stay here, I'll just brood all day. Going with Luffy will at least give me something to do until the Log Pose sets, right? And besides, I've got Carue to protect me."
Carue was so shocked that he couldn't even quack.
"Haa...my Vivi is so adventurous..." Sanji swooned, happily.
"Idiot..." Zoro muttered, causing Sanji to side-eye him.
"Excuse me?" the cook asked. "I don't think I heard what you said!"
"Fear not, my dear princess!" Past Sanji called, lovingly. "I'll be sure to make a special lunchbox, just for you, okay?"
"I appreciate that, Sanji," Vivi said. "Do you mind making Carue a drink, while you're at it?"
Sometime later, Past Sanji had finished making the lunchboxes and Carue's drink, and soon, Luffy, Vivi, and Carue all headed off into the jungle.
"All right, let's go!" Luffy exclaimed. "See you later, guys!"
"Luffy!" Past Sanji called out. "You better not let Vivi get hurt, you hear me?! Or else you're gonna be in for it if even one hair on her head is missing!"
"Yeah, yeah, don't worry about it!" Luffy called back before he, Vivi, and Carue all headed off into the jungle.
"He better not let Vivi get hurt," Sanji growled. "Otherwise, I'll wring his rubber neck!"
"...Umm...Sanji?" Nami asked.
"Yes?" Sanji answered, inquisitively.
"...Actually...never mind," Nami replied. "You're gonna see it later, anyway."
"...Okay," Sanji said in confusion. "Weird."
After a while of exploring, the trio found some rather interesting things, such as an ammonite, which Luffy referred to as a "shell-squid-fish"...and a huge, long-necked dinosaur!
"A...a...a dinosaur...?!" Aika whispered. "Dinosaurs actually exist?!"
"You've gotta be kidding me!" Chopper exclaimed. "No wonder the island looks so prehistoric!"
"Why the hell are there dinos walking around the island?!" asked a shocked Franky.
"It's because of the climate," said Nami. "Here, there was no Ice Age to wipe the dinosaurs out. The plant life thrived and thus, the dinosaurs did, too."
"So basically, it's an island frozen in time, don't you think?" Brook inquired. "Otherwise, they all would've been bones, like me! Yohohohoho!"
"Wow...!" Aika whispered. "Amazing! What kind of dinosaur is that, anyway?!"
"I believe it's an Apatosaurus," said Robin. "It used to be called Brontosaurus, but the name became obsolete."
At that moment, Luffy suddenly jumped onto the Apatosaurus's neck, laughing like a giddy kid who just got a huge Christmas present.
"What in the hell is he doing?!" Usopp asked.
"Being an idiot with no sense of danger, whatsoever," said Nami.
Soon, Luffy climbed up and sat on the reptile's head while the creature just munched on ferns.
"I think I'll eat my lunch up here," Luffy said as he surveyed the land. "It has such a lovely view...oh, hey, look! Volcanoes! And look at those huge caves!"
"LUFFY!" Vivi shouted. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! GET DOWN! IT MAY BE GENTLE, BUT IT'S STILL A DINOSAUR! YOU NEED TO BE MORE CAREFUL!"
"Ah, relax, Vivi!" Luffy called. "The big guy only wants to eat leaves, anyway! I don't think he even knows that I'm here!"
"It's gonna notice him, now that he's shouting," said Zoro.
"But never mind!" Luffy said. "Come up here! You gotta look at this view!"
But then, the dinosaur suddenly threw its head up and opened its jaws...and swallowed Luffy whole, causing the memory to turn dark.
"AAAAAAAHH!" Chopper, Aika, and Kumi. "LUFFY GOT EATEN!"
"...I guess maybe Apatosaurus did acquire a taste for meat, after all," Robin said.
"NOT FUNNY!" Nami and Usopp shouted.
"How did he even get outta there?!" Sanji asked.
"...You don't think he-" Franky started.
"Oh, god, PLEASE don't even begin to mention that!" Zoro interjected.
All of a sudden, the memory returned...and somehow, Luffy had gotten free before he seemed to land on something. At first, the Straw Hats thought that maybe, Luffy didn't very appetizing to the dinosaur after all and he had been coughed back up. However, a closer look revealed how he got out: something had lopped of the beast's head. Not long after, the Straw Hats soon saw why...Luffy was sitting in the palm of a hand of a giant with a very long beard, wearing a helmet on his head, had on a pair of trousers, work a dark blue cape, and carried a shield and sword.
"Gegyagyagyagya!" he laughed. "Well, now, what's this?! A lively little human boy! I haven't had guests in quite some time!"
"Oh, my god...it's Dorry!" Usopp exclaimed in excitement.
"Who?" Chopper asked.
"Dorry the Blue Ogre!" Usopp answered. "One of the Giant Warriors of Elbaph! Man, I haven't seen him and Brogy in forever! I wonder if they're still having their duel..."
"Wait, what?" Aika asked. "What duel?"
"Oh, you'll see in a bit," Usopp said. "Trust me, you guys are gonna love this!"
"Whoa!" Luffy exclaimed. "You're huge, old man! Are you a human?!"
"Gegyagyagyagyagya!" the giant bellowed. "No, my young friend. I am Dorry, the Mightiest Warrior in all of Elbaph!" He then looked down and noticed Vivi and Carue, both of whom looked scared out of their skins. "Oh! I see you have a friend! Excellent! I'm inviting you all to lunch at my place!"
"Wow, really?!" Luffy asked. "You hear that, Vivi?! ...Vivi?" He then looked down and saw that Vivi was trying to tend to Carue, who had fainted from fright. "Oh...uhh...just take that as a yes from her!"
TO BE CONTINUED...
Next time on One Piece: The Fire Within!
Luffy: So how come you live here all by yourself, old man? Don't you have a village you live at or something?
Dorry: I do...but in the Village of Elbaph, we live by one code.
Aika: A code? What's he mean?
Usopp: To giants, fighting is everything. Whenever two giants have a dispute, they have to duel each other until one dies...it's because of them that I wanna be a brave warrior of the sea, one day.
Dorry: *drinks some ale, but then it explodes in his mouth*
Luffy: OLD MAN!
Vivi: DORRY!
Dorry: Urrrgh...who...did this?
Next time: A Matter of Honor
Okay, guys, with this, I have an announcement: The Fire Within is hereby going on hiatus and The Whole Cake Island Arc will be continuing for at least 2 more months. I have put that off for far too long and One Piece has officially reached the Wano Arc, which I was not expecting so soon.
I know you guys like this story and I can't thank you enough for your support. Hell, by next month, it's gonna be a whole since this story was first uploaded!
So, with that, review please!