Ch. 56- The Island in the Sky
One Piece © Oda
Blizzard, Monkey D. Aika, Kumi, Kovar, and Monkey D. Star © Me
Shade © Gakuto1991
"That was so awesome!" Aika exclaimed. "I'd expect no less from Big Brother!"
"That Bellamy didn't know what hit him," Franky grinned. "Literally!"
"About time someone shut his smart mouth up," Sanji added. "Seriously, I was getting so sick and tired of hearing him talk!"
"Uh...you don't think Bellamy is dead, though...right?" asked Chopper, worriedly.
"Nah," Zoro replied. "Luffy's no killer. If he wanted to kill Bellamy for real, he'd actually keep whaling on him until he was nothing but mincemeat."
"Makes me glad he's on our side, then," Usopp muttered. "Seriously, I don't even wanna think about what would happen if he was the enemy!"
"Neither do I," Nami said with an unpleasant shudder.
"They seriously freaked out when they saw Luffy's bounty, though," Kumi said. "Is it true what they say? The higher your bounty, the stronger you are? No wonder Luffy won, then!"
"Well...not really," Blizzard replied. "A high bounty doesn't really signify your strength. It only shows how much of a threat the World Government thinks you are. Luffy won against Bellamy because he had a reason to fight, this time."
"Oh," Kumi realized. "So that's why."
Soon, the memories began to return again. This time, it showed the Going Merry...outfitted with wings and a rooster's comb, and even a wattle.
"...Why's the Merry dressed like a chicken?" asked Franky.
"So that she could fly," Usopp answered.
"Hey, wait a second!" Aika exclaimed. "But chickens can't fly!"
"No...but I think roosters fly, don't they?" Brook asked.
"A pigeon still would have been better," Zoro pointed out.
"Oh, god, here we go..." Nami bemoaned.
"Hey, hold on a second," Blizzard said as he saw the blue sky. "It's daylight. Shouldn't you guys have left, already?"
"Well, we would have left earlier," Usopp began, "but Luffy was late because...he..."
"Hey, guys!" Past Luffy called as he ran up to the rest of the Past Straw Hats. "I'm back! And look what I got!" He then held up a Hercules Beetle. "Check it out! It's a Hercules!"
"A BUG?!" Past Usopp and Past Nami questioned.
"...Oh...that's why," Blizzard deadpanned.
"You mean he almost botched your chances to go to the Sky Island because he was looking for a bug?!" Franky questioned.
"Pretty much..." Sanji groaned.
"I don't know why boys like beetles so much," Aika said. "I prefer butterflies!"
"That's because you are a butterfly, Aika," Nami said as she gently ruffled her hair, causing her to giggle.
"Whoa!" Past Luffy exclaimed as he saw the Going Merry. "That's so cool!"
"Heh! You like her?!" Past Usopp asked. "Meet the Going Merry: Flying Edition!"
"You mean she'll really fly?!" Past Luffy asked, excitedly.
"Chickens can't fly!" Franky shouted.
"Let it go, Franky," Nami muttered.
"A pigeon would have been better," said Past Zoro.
"What does that have to do with anything, stupid?!" Past Nami questioned.
"All right! Anyone who's ready to sail, say aye!" Past Usopp cheered.
"Aye!" Past Chopper hollered, along with the rest of the Saruyama Alliance.
"Oh, right! Before I forget!" Past Luffy said as he put down the bag of gold in front of Cricket, who was covered in bandages but looked a little better than he did before. "Here's your gold back, Diamond-Head Pops."
Cricket stared at Past Luffy before he took a drag from his cigarette and puffed out smoke. "Idiot. Do you wanna miss your chance to go up to the sky?" He then put the cigarette out and threw it into an ashtray, which already had a pile of burnt-out cigarettes in it.
"Shishishi!" Past Luffy laughed. "Thanks for fixing Merry for us!"
"Just get on board, kid," Cricket said.
"Sheesh...the least the old man could have done was said thanks!" Franky groused. "What an ingrate..."
"I don't think Luffy was really looking for a thank you," said Nami.
"She's right," Zoro concurred. "Luffy only did what he did because he considered the old man a friend. That's all there is to it."
"If you're gonna thank anyone, thank them," Cricket said as he pointed his thumb at Masira and Shoujo.
"Thanks, monkey guys!" Past Luffy exclaimed as he held up the Hercules Beetle. "Here! You can have my beetle if you want it!"
"Whoa, really?!" asked Shoujo.
"Gee, thanks, pal!" Masira exclaimed. "Anyway, get on board your ship, and make it snappy! You're running out of time!"
"We'll lead you to the location!" Shoujo added. "Just follow us!"
"Come on, Luffy, let's go!" Past Usopp called, already about the Merry.
"Here I come!" Past Luffy answered as he rushed to join them. However, he took one quick glance at Cricket, who put a hand on his gold. The Straw Hats couldn't see his expression due to his back being turned...but they could tell that the retired pirate truly was grateful to their captain for getting his gold back.
"SARUYAMA ALLIANCE!" Cricket exclaimed. "DON'T MESS THIS UP, YOU HEAR ME?! NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, GIVE EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT FOR THESE GUYS!"
"AYE-AYE!" the Saruyama Alliance cheered, causing Past Luffy to smile as he hopped on board the Merry.
"All right!" he said. "Let's get a move on!"
"You heard him!" Past Nami exclaimed. "Set the sails!"
"You got it!" Past Usopp cheered.
"Aye-aye, Nami dear!" Past Sanji shouted.
"Hey, kid!" Cricket called to Past Luffy, who turned to him, once more. "It looks like this is where we say goodbye...but let me just tell you one more thing before you go...one thing that I'm certain of!"
"Huh?" Past Luffy muttered.
"No one has ever really proved that the City of Gold or the Sky Island doesn't exist!" Cricket declared. "People might laugh at you and say they're nothing but fairy tales...but I say let 'em laugh!" He then threw his hands into the sky. "That's what makes it such a grand adventure!"
Past Luffy smiled, as did both the past and present Straw Hats as they watched the inspiring scene.
"A grand adventure," Past Luffy repeated with all the enthusiasm he could muster.
"That's right, boy!" Cricket replied. "So...thanks for bringing my gold back. Just don't fall outta the sky, you hear me?"
"Shishishi!" Past Luffy laughed. "Sure thing, Diamond Head Pops!"
With that said, the Going Merry sailed off after Masira and Shoujo's ships, heading toward the location of the next Knock-Up Stream, just as the memory faded to black, once again.
"Such an inspiring speech...!" Brook whispered.
"A grand adventure..." Aika repeated with a whimsical smile. "That's what we're on, right?"
"Always, Aika," Sanji replied.
"I can see why Cricket liked Luffy so much," Robin answered. "He's a romantic, just like him."
"A romantic?" asked Aika. "What makes you say that?"
"There are kinds of romance in the world, kiddo," Franky began, "and for people like your brother and Old Man Cricket, they seek the romance of adventure! That's why they take to these seas!"
"Huh..." Aika muttered.
"I never even considered that," Kumi replied.
"You guys are still pretty young and new to the pirating thing," said Blizzard. "You'll understand when you guys have your own pirate crew."
"I wonder if Old Man Cricket is still okay," Chopper said. "I hope he's been taking his medicine regularly."
Soon, the memory shifted...only now, the sky had gotten dark. Not just that, but there was a humongous whirlpool right next to them!
"Uh...what's happening?" Aika asked, nervously. "Why is the sky so dark all of a sudden?!"
"Yeah, and what's with that whirlpool?!" Kumi questioned. "It's way too huge!"
"The sky is dark because of those clouds that Old Man Cricket mentioned," Sanji answered, "and as for that whirlpool...it's the start of the Knock-Up Stream!"
"You mean...?!" Brook asked in excitement.
"That's right," Nami answered. "In just a few more minutes, we'll be heading to the Sky Island, Brook!"
"Well, it's about damn time!" Franky exclaimed.
"Luffy, quick!" Past Usopp shouted as he ran up to Past Luffy, who stared out at the huge whirlpool. "We gotta get outta here while we still can! That whirlpool's gonna swallow us up in no time! The Sky Island is nothing but a dream within a dream!"
"...A dream within a dream," Past Luffy repeated.
"I think Usopp's right about this, Luffy!" Past Nami cried. "Maybe we are in over our heads! Let's get outta here!"
A pause...but then, Past Luffy turned to face his crew with a broad, almost impish grin on his face.
"A dream within a dream...it sounds like a great adventure, right?!" he asked. "If we don't go, we'll regret it forever! Shishishishi!"
Past Usopp and Past Nami both looked like they wanted to die at that moment while Past Chopper smiled, sharing in his captain's enthusiasm.
"You guys didn't seem all that excited about going into the sky," said Blizzard.
"Well...sometimes, rationality overwhelms the urge for adventure, huh?" Nami asked, sheepishly.
"Hey," Past Zoro called. "When you guys are finished whining, come and look at this."
It was at that moment that the Past Straw Hats found themselves about to fall right into the whirlpool's vortex, causing them to scream (well, mostly Past Nami, Past Usopp, and Past Chopper).
"WE'RE GONNA GET SWALLOWED UP!" Past Nami cried.
"Don't fear, Nami!" Past Sanji exclaimed. "I'll hold you!"
"WE'RE GONNA FALL~!" cried Past Usopp...but then, all of a sudden...the whirlpool stopped swirling, causing the Going Merry to fall on a flat surface of water.
"Huh?" the Past Straw Hats muttered.
"Wait...what happened?" asked Aika.
"Why did it stop?!" Brook asked. "Where's the whirlpool?!"
"Wait for it..." Nami advised.
"Hey, what happened?!" Past Luffy questioned. "Where's the whirlpool gone?!"
"We were just about to get sucked into the drink!" Past Usopp added. "What the hell is going on, here?!"
"...No...wait...!" Past Nami whispered as she looked over the railing...and she could see what looked like bubbles beginning to form, causing her to gasp. "Oh, my god! It's starting!"
"What?!" Past Usopp questioned. "What do you mean, it's starting?!"
"You mean we're about to shoot up into the sky?!" asked Past Luffy, excitedly.
"HOLD IT, RIGHT THERE!"
"Huh?" the Past Straw Hats asked as they turned around.
"Oh, what now?!" Franky questioned. "How many interruptions are there gonna be?!"
"...Wait a second," Aika said. "That sounded like...!"
Past Luffy, also sensing this strange presence, gasped quietly as he realized who it was.
"Hey, Zoro!" he called, getting the swordsman's attention. "Look who's here."
It was then that the Past Straw Hats, as well as the present-day members, saw a huge wooden raft that held a flag with three scowling skulls and four crossbones, and on it was none other than Blackbeard, as well as Doc Q, and someone else that Aika could recognize.
"Zehahahahaha!" Blackbeard laughed. "We finally caught up with you, Straw Hat Luffy!"
"Hey!" she shouted as she pointed at the familiar figure that was wearing a wrestler's mask. "It's that Burger guy!"
"Jesus Burgess," Robin said. "Also known as 'Champion'. He's the 1st Division Commander of the Blackbeard Pirate Fleet."
"Oh, yeah, I remember that guy," said Kumi. "He got Luffy all mad that one time in the Corrida Coliseum back in Dressrosa."
"And he tried to kill Luffy during his fight with Doflamingo," Blizzard pointed out. "If Sabo hadn't shown up when he did, Luffy would have long dead by now."
"It's that guy from Mock Town!" Past Nami cried.
"Who's that?" asked Past Sanji.
"Give yourself up, now!" Blackbeard shouted. "We'll be taking that 100-million on your head!"
"Who are those guys?" asked Shoujo. "Are they friends with Straw Hat?"
"Hmm...I dunno, but they sure are noisy," said Masira.
"I think you're mistaken!" Past Luffy called. "My bounty is 30 million, not 100 million!"
"Don't try to play dumb with me!" Blackbeard yelled as he held up both Past Luffy and Past Zoro's wanted posters. "See?! Straw Hat Luffy, wanted dead or alive for 100 million Berries! And Pirate Hunter Zoro, wanted for 60 million!"
"Hey, Luffy, he's right!" Past Usopp exclaimed while holding binoculars. "Your wanted poster's been updated! And you got one, too, Zoro! Congrats on your new bounty!"
"Hey, Usopp, wait a minute!" Past Sanji urged as he grabbed the sniper. "Do you see one of me?"
"Uh...no," Past Usopp answered.
"Look closer!" Past Sanji urged, again.
"Nothin'," Past Usopp answered.
"It seems your bounties went way up after the Alabasta incident," Past Nami deduced, "but...100 million?!"
"This is awesome!" Past Luffy cheered. "You hear that, Zoro?! My bounty went up, BIG TIME!"
"Ha! 60 million's not too bad, either!" Past Zoro boasted.
"THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING!" Past Nami yelled.
"Wow, Zoro! Your bounty was twice as Big Brother's when he started out!" Aika exclaimed, causing Zoro to smirk.
"Well, 60 million is pretty impressive, isn't it?" he asked.
"Not bad, bro!" Franky exclaimed. "You were really making a mark in the world!"
"Yohohoho!" Brook chortled. "As expected of you, Mister Zoro!"
"Hmph!" Sanji harrumphed. "60 million's not that great..."
"You're just jealous because yours didn't show up at that time," said Zoro.
"Now, boys..." Robin chided.
"Hey, Sanji," said Aika. "What was your first bounty, anyway?"
"Yeah, and what did your poster look like?" asked Kumi, causing Sanji to freeze.
"...Actually...I don't wanna talk about that," the cook muttered.
"HEY, YOU GUYS!" Shoujo shouted. "PAY ATTENTION!"
"Huh?" the Past Straw Hats muttered.
"Get ready!" Shoujo called. "The Knock-Up Stream is about to start!"
Suddenly, the sea began to churn and rumble...and it looked like a massive bubble began to form right underneath the Going Merry.
"W...what's going on?!" Franky asked.
"Get ready for this," Nami grinned.
"Quick! Everyone grab onto something!" Past Sanji shouted.
"WAAAAH!" Past Usopp screamed. "THE SEA'S GONNA BLOW!"
Suddenly...a massive jet of water exploded beneath them, sending them flying high into the sky!
"WHOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAA~!" they all screamed as the Merry was being carried up by the huge eruption of water!
"HOLY HELL!" Franky yelled.
"THAT'S THE KNOCK-UP STREAM?!" Brook questioned. "HOW TERRIFYING!"
"Now you know how WE felt!" Usopp shouted.
"That thing's huge!" Aika exclaimed.
"You guys really rode on that thing?!" asked Blizzard.
"Yeah, we did!" Chopper answered. "It was really scary!"
"The ship's actually sailing up the Knock-Up Stream!" cried Past Nami.
"YEEHAW~!" Past Luffy cheered as he held onto Merry's comb. "THIS IS AWESOME~! WE'RE GOING TO THE SKY, YOU GUYS!"
"Hold it, Luffy!" Past Sanji shouted. "I don't think it's that simple! I think we're forgetting something!"
"What do you mean?!" Past Usopp asked, worriedly.
"What did we forget?!" asked Past Luffy.
"...Oh, shit...!" Past Sanji cursed. "WE'RE STARTING TO FLOAT!"
It was soon revealed that the Going Merry was beginning to float...and by "float", it meant that she was actually beginning to tilt backwards, back toward the sea below!
"AAAH! HE'S RIGHT!" Past Usopp screamed.
"If we fall down, now, we're all sunk!" Past Sanji shouted.
"What?!" Past Luffy questioned. "Then what do we do?!"
"Hold on tight! That's all we can do!" shouted Past Sanji.
"Uh...guys?!" Past Chopper called as he pointed up...and that's when the Past Straw Hats and Present Straw Hats saw a huge Sea King with yellow and purple skin falling from the sky!
"AAH! IT'S THE SAME SEA KING FROM EARLIER!" Past Usopp shrieked. "THE ONE THAT GOT SWALLOWED UP BY THE WHIRLPOOL!"
"And it's only a matter of time before we fall, too!" Past Sanji shouted.
"That thing was powerful to send a Sea King flying?!" asked Franky.
"Good heavens!" Brook cried.
While the others were panicking and yelling at each other about what to do...Past Nami seemed surprisingly calm about all this.
"GUYS!" she shouted. "HOIST THE SAILS!"
"What?!" Past Zoro questioned.
"This isn't just some wall of water! It's the ocean!" Past Nami explained. "We can still sail on it, just like we would on any current! The heat from the steam and the explosion have created a huge blast of warm air!" She then gave a confident grin. "If we're just going up against the sea and wind, we can definitely navigate through this! Trust me! I'm the ship's navigator, right?!"
The Straw Hats, both past and present, all smiled at Past Nami, and as usual, Past Sanji was giving his over-the-top praise.
"WAY TO GO, NAMI!" he shouted.
"All right guys! You heard Nami!" Past Luffy cried. "Hoist those sails!"
"Right!" the others shouted as they began to get to work.
"Big Sis, you're amazing!" Aika exclaimed.
"As expected of you, Miss Nami! Well done!" Brook added.
"Unusual phenomena may frighten me now and then," Nami began, "but when it comes to navigation, there's no one who knows more about the sea than I do! After all, Luffy chose me personally! He'd have nothing less than the best on his crew!"
"Not to mention as his future wife," Sanji quipped.
"That, too, Sanji," Nami smiled. "Thank you."
As Past Nami gave out orders, the Going Merry looked as if she were about to fall...but then, just as the navigator had predicted, the sails caught on the wind, causing the little caravel ship to not fall, but fly towards the clouds!
"WHOO-HOOOOOOO!" Past Luffy hollered. "WE'RE FLYING!"
"No way...!" Past Usopp whispered in shock and awe. "We're actually doing it! We're really flying!"
"Amazing!" Past Chopper exclaimed.
"We...we actually did it...!" Past Nami whispered in relief.
"Heh...well, I'll be damned," Past Zoro smirked.
"Well done, Nami dear~!" Past Sanji swooned while Past Robin just silently smiled. "I love you so much~!"
Past Luffy seemed to glare at Past Sanji for that one, but decided to put it aside for now.
"With this wind and the air current," Past Nami began, "we'll make it all the top like this!"
"Are we there yet, Nami?!" Past Luffy asked. "Are we really going to the Sky Island?!"
"If there really is such a place," Past Nami began, "then it'll be right above the clouds!"
"Above the clouds, huh?" Past Luffy asked before he looked, just as they were nearing said clouds. "I can't wait...I wonder what's up there!" He grinned before he pumped his arms into the air. "LET'S GO, GUYS! STRAIGHT UP THROUGH THE CLOUDS!"
"AYE-AYE!" the Past Straw Hats shouted...just as the memory faded to black around them.
"So...this is it, then?!" Brook asked, trembling with excitement. "Will we finally see it?! The Sky Island?!"
"Oh, we are," Nami smiled.
"Yay!" Aika cheered. "I can't wait!"
"Of course...we have a bit of a ways to go before we see the actual island," Nami pointed out.
"Huh?" Aika asked in disappointment.
"You mean there's still more to see?!" Brook questioned in disbelief.
"Sorry to disappoint you," Robin said. "What you saw was us taking the Knock-Up Stream. It doesn't take us directly to Skypiea."
"So...where did it take you guys?" asked Blizzard, but he soon got his answer when the memory soon reappeared...showing the Going Merry with her wings broken off, but she was nonetheless unscathed...or so it seemed, anyway.
"Wow!" Aika exclaimed. "Merry's still in one piece! Except her wings broke."
"Wow, what a ship!" Kumi added. "She went through that with hardly a scratch!"
"Yohohoho!" Brook chortled. "Little Lamb surely is a miracle ship, isn't she?"
"Yeah...she was," Usopp muttered, grimly as he began to remember just how badly the Merry was truly damaged.
"What's wrong with you, Usopp?" Blizzard asked.
"It's just...well..." Usopp started. "Actually...forget it. You'll figure out later, anyway. It's better if you see for yourself."
"Huh?" Aika muttered as she and Kumi glanced at each other while Brook also seemed a bit confused...but the Straw Hats who had been present during this memory...and especially Franky knew why Usopp suddenly grew so somber. They knew just how badly the Going Merry had been damaged. Brook was right about how the little caravel managed to stay afloat for so long...but they knew that fairly soon, they'd be seeing the inevitable.
On the Merry, the Past Straw Hats were all strewn about, panting heavily and soaking wet. Past Usopp actually looked barely alive, mostly due to the fact that he hit his head on something and got knocked out, however.
"Hey..." Past Zoro spoke up. "Is...is everybody all right? We didn't lose anyone, did we?"
All he got in response was everyone panting and coughing, but he took that as an okay. He actually preferred that instead of silence.
"Hey! Hey, you guys!" Past Luffy called. "Come and look where we are!"
Everyone (minus Past Usopp, due to him still being knocked out), went up to the bow and gasped upon seeing that they were sailing in a literal sea of clouds.
"W-what is this?!" Past Sanji questioned. "It's all pure white!"
"I know, right?!" Past Luffy asked.
"Are these clouds?!" Past Chopper asked, excitedly.
"...Okay, it's official," said Blizzard in awe. "I've seen everything!"
"Remarkable...!" Brook gasped. "It's an actual sea made of clouds!"
"What a SUPER view!" Franky exclaimed.
"So cool!" Aika cheered as she and Kumi stared in wonder. "It's like Jack and the Beanstalk, except there's no beanstalk!"
"Makes me wish I was actually there!" Kumi added.
"We're actually sailing on the clouds?!" Past Nami questioned in shock. "But how is that possible?!"
"Well, duh," Past Luffy answered. "Clouds float and so do ships, so it works out, right?"
"That's not how it works..." Past Zoro, Past Sanji, and Past Chopper deadpanned.
"Oh...are you sure?" Past Luffy asked.
"AAAH!" Past Chopper shrieked as he finally noticed the unconscious Past Usopp. "USOPP'S NOT BREATHING!"
"WHAT?!" Past Luffy questioned. "WELL, DON'T JUST STAND THERE! DO SOMETHING! GIVE HIM TO MOUTH-TO-MOUTH!"
"Right!" Past Sanji declared. "I'll give it to Nami!"
"You moron..." Past Zoro groused.
"...I was really that bad back then, huh?" Sanji asked, slightly embarrassed.
"Yeah, you were," Nami muttered.
"Not even gonna sugarcoat it," Usopp added.
Soon, Past Usopp had woken up and was all in a big panic, as per usual, asking if he was dead or if he was having some kind of dream. Apparently, after going through the shock of riding up the Knock-Up Stream, he still couldn't believe that everyone was still alive.
"Where are we, anyway?!" Past Usopp asked.
"It looks like," Past Nami began, "an ocean in the sky!"
"What?!" Past Usopp questioned as he went to go look for himself. "You've gotta be kidding!"
"If I were, Usopp, then I'd tell you," Past Nami said before she looked down at her Log Pose and gasped as she saw that the needle was still pointing up. "But...the Log Pose's needle! It's still pointing upward!"
"If that's the case," Past Robin began, "then we must be in the middle level of the Emperor Cloud."
"You mean we have to go even higher?" asked Past Chopper. "How do we do that?"
"I don't see how you could," said Franky. "All I see are clouds, clouds, and more clouds!"
"There's no way you could have gone any higher than that, could you?" asked Blizzard.
"Oh, but we did," Sanji answered.
"So you're saying that the Sky Island is actually somewhere right above you?" asked Brook. "But how?"
"We sailed up there using a river of clouds," said Zoro. "Lemme tell ya, not a fun ride."
"Hey, Usopp!" Past Luffy exclaimed, causing the others to look at the memory and see that Past Usopp had stripped himself topless, wearing his overalls around his waist. "What are you doin'?"
"HAHAHAHA!" Past Usopp laughed. "Here I go! Cloud Ocean Swimming Champ Usopp!"
Soon, Past Luffy and Past Chopper were cheering and whistling for the sniper while the others blinked in confusion.
"Usopp, what were you doing?" asked Kumi.
"Not thinking, at all..." Usopp bemoaned.
"Sheesh, hard to believe how scrawny you looked, back then," Franky added as he got a good look at Past Usopp's bare torso. "You looked like a string bean!"
"Shishishi!" Aika giggled. "String Bean Usopp!"
"Hey, don't rub it in!" Usopp spat.
"Hey, I wouldn't be doing that if I were you, Usopp," Past Sanji warned. "We don't know anything about this place, yet!"
"Watch me!" Past Usopp exclaimed as he dove into the clouds.
"No fair..." Past Luffy pouted. "I wished I could swim like that, too."
"Yeah, I bet it's the funnest thing ever," Past Chopper added.
"How did it feel, Usopp?" Brook asked. "You know...swimming through the clouds."
"Well...it almost felt like I was flying more than swimming," Usopp admitted. "Of course, I couldn't really see where I was going, even with my goggles on, but I could move so freely!"
"Well, it would make sense that the Cloud Sea wasn't as dense as the Blue Sea," Nami pointed out.
"That's true," Usopp concurred.
After a while, though...Past Usopp wasn't surfacing.
"Uh...hey," Franky said. "How come you were taking so long?"
"Yeah, where'd you go?" asked Blizzard.
"Uhhh...about that," Usopp said, sheepishly.
"...You know," Past Robin spoke up, "it occurs to me that maybe this sea doesn't actually have a bottom."
"EH?!" the Past Straw Hats questioned.
"THAT IDIOT!" Past Zoro shouted. "DID HE SERIOUSLY JUST FALL THROUGH THE CLOUDS?!"
"HANG ON, USOPP!" Past Luffy cried as he stretched his arm down into the Cloud Sea.
"Captain! Stretch your arm down as far as you can!" Past Robin said.
"I am, but I don't see him!" Past Luffy cried, worriedly.
"Leave that to me," said Past Robin as she crossed her arms and closed her eyes, trying to concentrate.
"You seriously fell through the bottom?!" Franky questioned. "What were you thinking?!"
"I wasn't thinking at all..." Usopp muttered.
"We usually leave not thinking to Luffy," Zoro added. "We don't need you doing it, too, please."
Suddenly, Past Luffy let out a surprised gasp. "I-I think I got him!"
"Quickly, pull him up!" Past Robin said, and it wasn't long before Past Luffy began to retract his arm, but it seemed to be taking a little longer than normal and it looked like he was straining to reel him in.
"What's wrong, Luffy?!" Past Chopper asked. "Is he too heavy or something?!"
"That's...not it...!" Past Luffy answered, but then, Past Usopp popped out of the Cloud Sea with several of Past Robin's arms wrapped around him.
"You've got him!" Past Nami exclaimed. "Quick, reel him in!"
However, not long after she said, something else emerged after the sniper...and it was soon revealed to be a gigantic, serpent-like monster, and following that was a humungous octopus!
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Past Nami, Past Chopper, and even Brook, Aika, and Kumi shrieked.
"MONSTERS!" Brook yelled.
"WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS?!" Kumi questioned.
"Sea Kings?! In the sky?!" Blizzard asked.
"SCARY~!" Aika cried.
"Heh!" Past Zoro grinned. "They're not that scary!" He soon jumped up and slashed at one of the octopus's tentacles...but when his blades even so much as poked the creature's appendage, it suddenly burst open and the octopus started to deflate...like it was a big balloon!
"Huh?!" Franky questioned. "What the hell just happened?!"
"It popped!" Brook exclaimed.
As for Past Luffy and Past Sanji, they had also taken care of the other creature...but for some reason, the Monster Trio seemed to be a little out of breath.
"Hey, are you guys okay?" asked Aika. "How come you guys looked so out of breath, already?"
"Yeah, those monsters weren't that tough, were they?" Blizzard asked.
"It's not that," Sanji answered. "That'll be explained shortly."
"Jeez...what strange creatures," said Past Sanji as he looked down at the serpent creature that he and Past Luffy took down together. "I'm not even sure if it's really a fish."
"That giant octopus was like a big balloon," said Past Chopper.
"Yeah, but it was able to move around!" Past Nami pointed out. "It had to be real!"
"To think that creatures actually live among this sea of clouds," said Past Robin. "This really is an ocean."
"What's with this flat snake-thing, anyway?" asked Past Luffy.
"Maybe it's a flounder," Past Sanji mused, but then Past Usopp, who had passed out from his earlier foray into the Cloud Sea, suddenly woke up screaming and writhing around. "What's the matter, now?!"
"There's...there's something in my pants!" Past Usopp cried as he pulled a flat-looking fish with blue scales that looked a bit like feathers. It wriggled about in his grasp before he finally dropped it and collapsed on the deck, to Past Chopper's worry as he ran to get a look at him.
"Sheesh...you've had some really bad luck in this place, eh, Usopp?" Franky asked, just as Past Robin mused the same thing.
"Don't get me started," Usopp grumbled.
"Look at this," Past Robin said as she held up the fish. "Wouldn't you call this a Sky Fish? The kind Noland mentioned in his log. In order to survive in a bottomless ocean such as this, they must have evolved differently from their aquatic cousins."
"So you're saying that they could inflate themselves like balloons or turn flat in order to float better," Past Zoro mused.
"Their bodies are airfoils," Past Robin said as Past Luffy came up and grabbed the Sky Fish out of her hands, then ran off with it. "Think about it. These clouds are far less buoyant than the water below us."
"Not to mention that their scales look more like bird feathers," Past Nami added, "and they sharpened their teeth, too."
That's when Past Luffy came up, holding a plate of the Sky Fish that Past Sanji had just gotten through cooking, and he was exclaiming about how good it tasted. After Past Nami got through yelling at him, she took a bite herself and actually agreed with his sentiments. Past Luffy even suggested that they cook the bigger one.
"You guys just got there and you're already cooking the first living thing you see?" asked Franky with an amused grin. "Sounds like you, all right."
"Hey, I never cooked a Sky Fish, before," Sanji shrugged.
"Aww, I wish I had a taste of it," said Aika. "I bet it was really yummy!"
"Eh, I've eaten better," Zoro shrugged, only for Sanji to get in his face, once again.
"You want me to kill you, you Moss-Head prick?!" he growled.
"Bring it on, Dartboard!" Zoro spat, but out of nowhere, Past Chopper was heard screaming.
"GUYS!" the little reindeer cried. "THERE WAS ANOTHER SHIP ON THE CLOUDS, BUT IT GOT BLOWN UP!"
"What?!" Past Nami questioned.
"AND NOW THERE'S A BULL RUNNING ON TOP OF THE CLOUDS AND HEADED STRAIGHT FOR US!" he added.
"What are you babbling about?" asked Past Zoro.
"You're not making any sense, Chop...per..." Past Sanji said, only to trail off as he saw something in the distance. "What the hell...?"
It was then that they saw what appeared to be a bull, but it was really just an intricately designed mask being worn by a man with tribal tattoos and had a grass kilt, and he was using some sort of jets on his feet to ski over the clouds while he held a bazooka in his right hand.
"What is that?!" Aika asked.
"...It's Wiper," Robin answered, just as the mysterious man jumped on board the Merry.
"Hey, stop right there!" Past Sanji shouted. "What do you want from us?!"
"...I want...to get rid of you all," Wiper answered in a threatening tone, causing the Past Monster Trio to glare at him.
"Fine with me," said Past Zoro as he drew his swords.
"Wait, so we're gonna fight, now?" Past Luffy asked while taking a fighting posture. Soon after, they all leapt into battle...which ended up being rather short, and not because of the combined strength of Past Luffy, Past Zoro, and Past Sanji. In almost little time at all, Wiper actually lived up to his name by literally wiping the floor with the three Straw Hats, sending them down onto the deck in seconds.
Basically...they were curb-stomped.
"What in the hell?!" Past Nami questioned. "How could you guys get defeated someone like him, so easily?! You outnumbered him, three to one!"
"Sky Island scary, Sky Island scary...!" Past Usopp whimpered.
"That's crazy!" Franky exclaimed.
"How could you guys lose to someone like that?!" Kumi asked.
"It wasn't our fault!" Zoro argued.
"AAAH! HE'S COMING BACK!" Past Chopper screamed as he saw Wiper attempting to go in for the kill...until a shadow appeared in the distance and flew in, striking at Wiper's shield with a rapier that ended up getting him knocked back. It was soon revealed to be a scrawny old man with a long, white beard and wearing a suit of armor, as well as a magnificent flowing cape. Beside him was a pink bird with dark red polka dots.
"Who's that guy?!" Past Nami asked, just as the old man stood tall.
"Ahem..." he cleared his throat. "I am...the Sky Knight!"
"It's Gan Fall!" Chopper exclaimed with starry eyes.
"Who's Gan Fall?" Aika asked.
"Gan Fall is the Sky Knight," said Robin. "You could say he's the protector of the Sky Island."
"Oh, wow!" Aika exclaimed. "Even though he's old?"
"Sure looks tough for an old dude," Franky pointed out.
"It's not that he was strong," Sanji said. "We just had a hard time breathing!"
"Wait...breathing?" Kumi repeated.
"Hmm..." Gan Fall hummed as he watched Wiper disappear beyond the horizon. "It seems he's gone...for now, that is." He then turned to the Past Straw Hats. "Is everyone here all right?"
"Uh...yeah, we're okay," Past Nami answered before she glared at the Past Monster Trio, who were all lying on the deck, panting heavily. "No thanks to you louts! What the hell happened?! He clobbered all three of you!"
"Jeez, couldn't you cut us even a little slack?" asked Zoro.
"I'm sorry!" Nami apologized. "God, how long are you gonna put that over my head?!"
"Thank you for saving us, sir," said Past Chopper as he bowed his head.
"Well...I didn't have much choice," said Gan Fall as he had his back turned. "It was my duty, after all."
"He's sure a strange one," Blizzard spoke up. "Then again, so is everyone else you guys ever met, so I guess that's no surprise."
"Ugh..." Past Sanji groaned in disgust. "What the hell...? How could I get beaten so easily?"
"Haa...haa..." Past Luffy panted. "I feel like I can barely breathe."
"What's going on here?" Past Zoro rasped.
"Maybe," Past Robin began, "it's because the air is so thin here."
"The air?" Brook asked. "What does the air have to do with anything?"
"It's because we were so high up," Nami said. "The air was so thin, we could barely get enough oxygen. That's why Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji couldn't fight to the best of their ability."
"Huh...I guess that makes sense, doesn't it?" Kumi asked.
"Makes sense to me, I guess," Aika said as she tilted her head.
"Tell me," said Gan Fall as he stood on the upper deck, "are you all Blue Sea People?"
"Blue Sea People?" Past Nami repeated. "Wait a minute...who are you, anyway?"
"As I had said before, I am known as the Sky Knight," Gan Fall answered. "Blue Sea People are the people who lived beneath the clouds on the Great Blue Sea."
"Oh...I get it," said Past Luffy.
"You are here on the White Sea," Gan Fall explained. "It floats 23,000 feet above the Blue Sea, and higher still is the White-White Sea, the Upper Stratum, which is 33,000 feet above it. Most Blue Sea People such as yourselves cannot tolerate such high altitudes."
"Ugh..." Past Luffy grunted as he thumped his fist against his chest. "Okay...I think I'm starting to get used to it, now."
"Yeah, I'm feeling a bit better, too," said Past Zoro as he took a few deep breaths.
"No, no, that's just not possible," Gan Fall said in disbelief.
"You guys sure took to that, quickly," Franky pointed out.
"That's because they're monsters," Nami deadpanned.
"Excuse me," Past Chopper said, "but who was that that just tried to kill us, just now?"
"Now, now, one at a time," Gan Fall said as he sat on the railing. "I'm sure you all have questions, but let's talk business, first. You see, I am a soldier for hire. The White Sea has many dangers and those unfamiliar with Sky Fighting are targeted by the guerillas and become food for the Sky Fish."
"Gorillas?" asked Aika. "I didn't know gorillas lived in the sky."
"Actually, Aika," Robin began, "it's G-U-E-R-R-I-L-L-A-S. These kinds of guerillas are a small and independent group that takes part in irregular fighting, usually against a larger force. Basically, guerillas are something like rebels."
"You mean like Big Brother Sabo and the Revolutionary Army?" asked Aika.
"A bit like that, yes," answered Robin.
"I can protect you from such disasters," Gan Fall said. "One whistle will cost you...about 5 million Extols."
The Past Straw Hats and even Franky, Blizzard, Brook, Aika, and Kumi all looked at him like he had two heads.
"What are you talking about?" asked Past Luffy.
"What?!" Gan Fall questioned. "Come now! Five million Extols is very reasonable! I can't go any lower than that! After all, I have to put food on the table!"
"What the hell's an Extol?" asked Past Sanji. "And what's all this talk about a whistle?"
"This whole place is backwards..." Franky muttered.
"Yes, indeed," Brook replied. "I've never heard of Extols before."
"Extols is what they call the currency here," Nami answered. "But yeah, I can see why you'd get confused. I had a bit of a hard time following along, too."
"...Don't tell me," Gan Fall realized. "Didn't you people come here using the Peak of the High West?! Or perhaps by island-hopping?!"
"We don't know what that is, Pops," Past Luffy answered.
"Wait, hang on a second!" Past Nami exclaimed. "What did you mean by island-hopping?! Are you saying there's more than one Sky Island?! And there was actually another way to get here other than using the Knock-Up Stream?!"
"The Knock-Up Stream?!" Gan Fall questioned. "You mean that people are still riding those monstrous currents?! To think that there are still bold people that live in the Blue Sea!"
"You mean we didn't have to take that dangerous thing all along?!" Past Nami whimpered...before she immediately turned her rage on Past Luffy by shaking him back and forth. "YOU IDIOT! WE WERE ALMOST KILLED, THANKS TO YOU! WE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IT!"
"At least we made it, right?!" Past Luffy asked.
"You didn't have to lash out at him, did you?!" Usopp asked.
"Oh, come on, you were just as angry at him as I was!" Nami barked.
"...Yeah, that's true," Usopp muttered. "But still...!"
"Enough, already!" Zoro interjected. "Look, it's in the past, so just deal with it! I'm sure Luffy's not even upset about it."
"Did you happen to lose any crew members on the way up?" asked Gan Fall.
"Nope, we're all here," Past Luffy answered after Past Nami finished throttling him.
"Good," Gan Fall acknowledged. "The other routs are different, but that doesn't make them any less perilous. The Knock-Up Stream is one of those gambles where either everyone survives or they don't. There aren't very many who'd take the risk, especially these days. You have to have both courage and skill...and you are worthy Blue Sea folk, indeed!"
"When it comes to courage, Luffy's got that in spades," Blizzard spoke.
"As for skill, I think that was all Nami," Sanji added, causing Nami to laugh.
"Oh, you guys," she said, modestly.
"Actually," said Past Usopp, "it was all thanks to me! As everyone else was busy cowering, I, the Great Captain Usopp, led the charge and- GAH!"
"What was that?!" Past Nami questioned as he pinched his cheek. "Don't you try and take credit for this!"
"Right...sorry...!" Past Usopp groaned.
Soon, Gan Fall tossed down a small whistle onto the deck.
"Here you are," he said. "Just blow this once and I will descend from the heavens to your rescue! Normally, I would charge you all five million Extols, but consider this a gift from me to you. Use it to summon me at any time!"
"So the whistle was free?" Aika asked. "How come?"
"I guess you could say we impressed him," Robin mused.
"I still wish we had taken a safer way, though," Nami muttered. "That was way too scary."
"Hey, wait a minute!" Past Nami called. "You still haven't told us your name!"
"...I am Gan Fall, the Sky Knight!" Gan Fall announced as he turned to the Past Straw Hats. "And this is my partner, Pierre!"
PIEE~! The bird, Pierre, squawked as he stood beside the old knight...and suddenly, his body began to change shape.
"Pierre is a bird that ate the Horse-Horse Fruit," said Gan Fall. "He can turn into a winged steed! Just like..."
"Ooh!" Past Nami exclaimed in excitement. "Is he gonna turn into a Pegasus?!"
"A Pegasus?!" Aika asked, also excited. "Really?!"
"Uh...Aika?" asked Nami. "Don't get your hopes, honey."
"Huh? Why?" Aika asked.
As Pierre finished his transformation...he looked like a bit...mediocre at best.
"Good luck to you, O brave ones! And farewell!" Gan Fall exclaimed as he and Pierre flew off and the memory soon faded black not long after.
"...Well, that was a letdown," Aika said in disappointment, causing Nami to sigh as she gently pet her on the head in reassurance.
"I was kinda expecting something...fancier," Kumi added.
"That was just plain weird," Franky said.
"Yes, indeed it was," Brook concurred.
"So what happens after this one?" asked Blizzard, but he soon got his answer when the memory shifted, showing the Going Merry in front of a huge sun-shaped gate that said "Heaven's Gate" on it, and beyond that looked like a giant waterfall made entirely of clouds. "...That answers that."
"Heaven's Gate?" Brook asked as he read the sign.
"It's the entrance to Skypiea," said Nami.
"Heaven's Gate...?" Past Usopp whimpered, fearfully. "This is a bad omen...we're definitely gonna die here, aren't we?"
"Did you ever stop and think that maybe we're already dead?" asked a smirking Past Zoro.
"Yeah, that does sound likely," said Past Sanji, joining in the teasing.
"WE'RE DEAD?! REALLY?!" Past Chopper questioned.
"Heaven, huh?" Past Luffy asked before laughed. "Well, I sure can't wait!"
"You two just HAD to tease me, didn't you?" Usopp glared at
Sanji and Zoro, who both grinned.
"Sorry, but you make it too easy," Zoro quipped.
"Hey, look over there!" Past Usopp exclaimed as he pointed at an opening door. "Somebody's coming out!"
It was soon revealed to be a short, stocky old woman with her hair in curled up pigtails and wings on her back.
"Who's that?" Aika asked.
"Amazon the gate inspector," Nami answered.
"Are you people tourists?" asked the woman as she took some photos with some sort of camera. "Or are you here to make war?"
"Huh?" Past Usopp muttered. "What do you mean?"
"Well, not that it matters," said Amazon. "If you want to go to the Upper Stratum, you'll have to pay the entrance fee of 1 billion Extols per person. That's the law here."
"More with this 'Extols' stuff?!" Franky questioned.
"Whoa, it's an angel!" Past Luffy exclaimed. "Is that really what angels look like, though?! She's pretty pruney!"
"How much is 1 billion Extols anyway?!" Past Usopp asked.
"Uh...ma'am?" asked Past Nami. "We don't have any money on us. Sorry."
"No money?" asked Amazon. "Well...you can pass, then."
"JUST LIKE THAT?!" Past Usopp questioned.
"That was easy," Brook mused.
"Yeah...a little too easy if you ask me," Blizzard added. "She's acting pretty suspicious to me."
"However," said Amazon, "the choice is entirely your own. I'm neither a gatekeeper nor a guardian. I'm merely asking what you all wish to do."
"In that case," Past Luffy began, "we're going on through, Granny! We wanna go to the Sky Island! We don't have any money, but we're going, anyway!"
"I see," Amazon replied. "There's seven of you, right?"
"Uh...yeah," Past Luffy answered, "but how do we get up-"
Suddenly, two huge pincers came up from beneath the White Sea and grabbed the ship by the sides, to the Straw Hats' shock.
"What is that?!" Aika questioned.
"Another White Sea Monster?!" Brook asked.
"That's the White Sea's famous Express Lobster," Amazon answered, and soon after, the giant crustacean sped off, carrying the Going Merry up the cloud waterfall and up a giant corkscrew river!
"So she just let you guys in, just like that?" Franky asked.
"Yeah," Nami started, "except we found that it was a trick. Because we didn't pay the entry fee, we were labeled as criminals!"
"What's the difference?" Zoro asked. "We're criminals, either way."
"Well, yeah, but I didn't wanna be labeled a criminal for something we had no control over!" Nami argued. "Jeez!"
"WHOO-HOOOOOOOO~!" Past Luffy cheered. "THIS IS SO COOL!"
"SOMEBODY GET ME OFF THIS CRAZY THING!" Past Usopp wailed.
"Hey, what's that at the top?!" Past Sanji asked as he pointed up a sign above that was drawing closer the faster they went. "Is that the exit?!"
"It says...'God Land Skypiea'!" Past Nami read. "That's no exit! It's an entrance!"
Soon after this revelation, the Express Lobster tossed the Merry out onto another sea of clouds...and it was then that the group saw it: a huge island with palm trees and even buildings dotted around, here and there, and a huge bridge made of clouds behind it.
"Is...is that what I think it is?!" Brook asked in awe.
"Yep!" Nami answered. "This is Skypiea!"
"Whoa!" Aika exclaimed. "It's amazing!"
"Is this really for real?!" Blizzard asked. "I mean...look at it!"
"This is AWESOME~!" Kumi exclaimed with starry eyes.
"We're HERE!" Past Luffy shouted as he, Past Usopp, and Chopper jumped off the deck and onto the beach. It was like watching a bunch of little kids, playing on a summer day. Past Chopper was rolling about on the clouds, commenting on how soft and fluffy they were and saying he could almost sleep there, and Past Luffy was hanging from a tree, grabbing a large fruit from its branches.
"All right, Mister Giant Fruit," he said. "You're all mine!" He then attempted to take a bite out of it, but he ended up chipping one of his teeth. "Ow! That's hard!" He then glanced down at Past Usopp, who was busy making a cloud castle. "Hey, Usopp! I got some fruit for ya!" He chucked the fruit down at the sniper, who yelled in pain as it landed on his head.
"YOU PRACTICALLY CRACKED MY BRAIN INTO MY CHEST!" he yelled. "WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?!"
Past Luffy could only laugh before he looked over at the rest of his crew, who all looked like they were having a rather good time...except for Past Robin, who looked a bit confused about what to do, even as Past Sanji gave her a flower to put in her hair. As he watched them, he seemed to smile at them, warmly.
"He looks pretty pleased there," said Franky.
"I think Luffy was happy to see us all having such a good time," said Robin.
"I think so, too," Nami smiled. "Too bad it turned out it was anything but a vacation."
"What do you mean?" Aika asked.
"Yes, it's such a lovely beach!" Brook agreed. "Why wouldn't you enjoy yourselves there?"
Then, all of a sudden...the sound of beautiful music began to fill the air, causing everyone to look up.
"Ooh, how pretty...!" Aika said.
"Is that a harp?" Brook asked.
"That's right," Sanji answered. "That means she's going to show up, soon."
"She?" Brook repeated, and that's when he heard Past Sanji shout as he pointed to something off in the distance. Past Usopp and Past Chopper momentarily panicked, thinking it was another guerilla and that they had to summon Gan Fall, again.
"No, wait!" Past Sanji exclaimed. "It's...it's an angel!"
As everyone looked up...they saw a girl with light blonde hair, a pink blouse, wings growing out of her back, her hair braided in pigtails, and what looked like two antennae growing out of her head, but it was really just the style of her hair.
"...Heso," she said, warmly.
"Eh?!" Past Luffy questioned.
"...Heso?" Aika asked with a tilt of her head.
"Oh, it's Conis!" Nami exclaimed, happily.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Next time on One Piece: The Fire Within!
Conis: Welcome to Skypiea!
Aika: She seems nice!
Sanji: She is...it's just too bad she's being forced to do something awful.
Aika: Huh?
*A while later*
McKinley: You people are all under arrest!
Past Luffy: Huh? What'd we do?!
*Past Nami runs McKinley over*
Past Nami: We have to get out of here! We're in serious danger!
Next time: Heaven's Judgment
Man, this one took a lot of work, but I'm proud of how it turned out! I'm hoping to get this story done at least by this year, though, if not in January. At least the next few should be a little easier, right?
Anyway, review please!