SailorStar9: With Chapter 156 uploaded, I present Chapter 157 this fic. For everyone who put this fic on your favorited and followed lists and/or story alerts, thank you, but remember everyone, a lot of authors (myself included) sustain on readers' reviews.

Pairings: Ace/Sasha, sibling Luffy/Sasha and Sabo/Sasha, Background Protector!Law/Sasha

Disclaimers: One Piece belongs to Oda Eiichirō-sensei. Me, on the other hand, own absolutely nothing, except my OC, the pairing and the fic idea.

Chapter 157: Arc 12: Ryugu Palace! Taken by the Shark that They Saved!


"Don't fall." King Neptune warned, the group on board Megalo. "Neptune! That shark, Megalo, is a pet that my daughter loves very much, jamon. She kept crying hysterically saying 'Megalo is not coming back.' I wasn't aware he was attacked by the Kraken. Thank you for saving him from danger, jamon."

"It was unintentional, I'm just glad you're okay." Sasha smiled at the beaming shark, the reincarnated Dragon Empress was riding with King Neptune. "I've already reprimanded Surume for eating stuff he isn't supposed to eat."

"Anyway, I feel sorry for Sanji-san." Brook mused. "He wanted to see the Mermaid Princess more than anybody."

"I guess he was just born to be unlucky." Usopp noted. "But a princess who has a shark as a pet must be..." he let his imagination wander.

"It's rare for a King to step out of the Palace." Sasha pointed out. "I don't recall any of your predecessors ever taking a scroll outside palace grounds. They normally have subordinates doing the population census."

"I sent out my sons first but they haven't come back." King Neptune explained. "That's why I came. Because I can't wait to see the food at the banquet so I want to start already, jamon."

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised." Sasha remarked,seeing King Neptune wipe off the drool from his mouth. "Every King Neptune has a vice."

"I almost forgot." King Neptune recalled. "I already invited one of your friends. He is a swordsman. He starting drinking on his own before the banquet. It's more fun to have a banquet with everyone: he is so selfish. I think his name was..."

"Zoro." Sasha supplied.

"My soldiers will the find the rest of friends and bring them to the palace, so don't worry, jamon." King Neptune informed.

"Nami, don't you know where they went?" Luffy asked.

"So, we got separated again." Nami replied, recounting that Franky had split to find Tom's family and Robin had gone off the search for more historic relics.

"I see." Sasha nodded. "I don't suppose this would pose a problem." she turned to the over-sized merman.

"By the way, grandpa," Nami voiced. "This place is at 10,000 meters below sea level, so why is there light around this island?"

"The island itself doesn't provide any light." King Neptune chuckled. "This is the only place in the deep sea that has light, so Fish-Men started living here a long time ago. And that was the beginning of the Fish-Man Island. There are the roots of a giant tree called the Sun Tree Eve that transfers sunlight from the surface to the deep sea."

"Transfers sunlight?" Nami echoed. "You mean there is a tree with shining roots more than 10,000 meters long?"

"Yes, indeed." King Neptune confirmed. "Scientists try to make some sense out of it, but it's a mystical tree whose sapling was a gift of peace from Selena-sama. And its respiration supplies air to the sea floor as well. We'll be there soon." he informed, as Hoe and Megalo swam to the entrance of the palace. "It's me, jamon." he pressed the entrance button.

"It must be King-sama." the gate guard realized. "I'll put the gateway down now."

"Oh yeah, take this." he tossed three Bubbly Corals to the crew. "Most of the palace is filled with seawater. You need a good bubble, jamon. Alright, let's go." he gave the cue and both Hoe and Megalo swam straight into the waterway once bubbles encased Sasha and Luffy's group.


"Here we are." King Neptune declared once they exited the waterway.

"It's a lot bigger compared to the last time I was here." Sasha remarked. "Wait, is that..." she spotted the large dragon statue on the roof.

"Yes," King Neptune nodded. "Once it was known that your kingdom had fallen, my grandfather had it curved so that the future generations will never forget."

"Welcome home, King-sama!" the two rows of soldiers greeted the returning King.

"Boy, you did it again!" the Minister of the Right barked at King Neptune. "You must learn your place! You went out of the palace on your own again! It's inexcusable to go down to the lower world without guards."

"Can't take it." the Minister of the Left sighed.

"It won't happen again, jamon." King Neptune promised.

"It'll be too late once something happens!" the Minister of the Right snapped. "Don't you know the situation of this country right now?"

"Didn't his grandfather have the same problem?" Sasha pointed out.

"Indeed." the Minister of the Right huffed. "It's an honor for the Ryugu Palace to be hosting you once again, Selena-sama."

"By the way," King Neptune started. "I brought the people who saved Megalo when he got attacked by the Kraken, jamon. Now, welcome our guests. Where is the princess?" he looked around. "What is Princess Shirahoshi doing?"

"Well, King-sama, it happened again a few minutes ago." the Minister of the Left replied.

"What?" King Neptune exclaimed. "You have to guard the Princess to keep her calm. Idiot!"

"If you go missing when something like that is happening, can't you see it'll make everyone in the palace worry, King?" the Minister of the Right barked. "In the first place?"

"It really won't happen again, jamon." King Neptune muttered.

"And I'm very sorry that you've just brought the guests here personally but there's a serious matter."

"Yes, Prince Fukaboshi just called in... and I really can't take it." the Minister of the Left reported.

"Fukaboshi did?" King Neptune echoed.

"As a matter of fact..." the Minister of the Left replied.


SailorStar9: Any OOC-nes is regretted. *Sighs* Don't you just hate plot bunnies sometimes? Reviews are much appreciated.