Chapter 6

The Way to Sky Island

"Alright, I'll tell you everything I know about Sky Island. However, It's all uncertain, so it's up to you whether you believe it or not."

"Ok, I believe you." "Too fast, Luffy."

Nami, Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, and Maxwell all sat attentively in front of Cricket. Like Maxwell thought, Cricket did have an idea how to get up there, so they are going to learn all they can. Max sat there as he was the one who had to direct the ship. Nami was with them because she had to give him the instructions. The Kiddy Trio thought it would be cool. Maxwell had also broughy Salem out, to listen in. That spirit was honestly more of a free thinker compared to Mineive and Mordred.

"Zzz..." Maxwell looked back to see Zoro having a nap. Honestly, he wasn't sure why he was napping here.

Cricket then points out at the orange skyline, "There's a phenomenon that occurs in the seas around this region, when day turns into night—"

"Ah! That happened! That happened to us! Right?" Luffy looks over at Usopp for that last part.

"Yeah! Not only did it suddenly become night, but monsters appeared too!" The sniper was referring to the events of the salvage.

"Ah yes, the giants," Cricket took a drag of his cigerette, "There's a story about where they might've come from, but let's leave the aside for now."

"Indeed. Details regarding this undertaking takes much more precedence."

Cricket stared at the book, "...Talking book aside, which I will definitely ask about that later; the suddenly occurring 'night,' is actually the shadow of an extremely dense towering cloud—"

Nami interrupted, "You mean a cumulonimbus? But that darkness wasn't something that could have been formed by thick clouds..."

"Yeah, don't be stupid, mister. If there's lots of clouds out, it's only cloudy." "Yeah, just cloudy." "Just cloudy."

"Just shut up and listen!" Cricket blinked as he realized Maxwell had yelled along side him. Max just gave him the thumbs up and continued.

"...The Emperornimbus. There's a type of cloud by that name. They stack up high into the sky but don't give rise to any currents, or any rain. And when they appear in the sky, they block out even the sunlight, changing day into night bellow them. One theory states that the emperornimbus clouds have been drifting in the sky for thousands or even tens of thousands of years, all the while never changing, causing some scientists to nickname it a 'cloud fossil.'"

"A cloud that doesn't let out any currents no matter how high it piles up!? That's impossible..."

Cricket spreads his arms out towards Nami, "You're free to believe it or not. I'm not telling you all this in order to convince you of anything."

"So it's a 'mystery cloud,'" For once, Maxwell wasn't going to dope-slap Luffy about the whole "mystery" thing.

Cricket think about that for a moment, "...In a way, I suppose, since nobody knows for sure yet."

"Luffy you're amazing!" Chopper beams at Luffy having been acknowledged by Cricket. Now Max thought that was taking it a bit far.

"Now listen up. If sky island really does exist, then it could only possibly exist on that cloud."

"Got it! Let's go on top of that cloud!" Luffy jumps up in the air, and Usopp starts roaring in excitement.

"Everyone get ready! Set the—"

*CRACK-BOOM!*

Everybody freezes as they just witnessed a thunderbolt appear out of nowhere. Usopp, Nami, and Chopper are all shell shocked witless at the scorch mark. It was incredibly too close for comfort. The thunderclap had even woke Zoro up.

The attending crew then slowly turns their heads towards Maxwell, who is steadily staring them down.

"Sit. Back. Down. We are not done yet."

Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp immediately sit back at the table. Nami shakily sits back down as well as she had planned on scolding them. Or more likely, beat them up.

"...Now, Mr. Montblanc, how do you propose we get up there?"

Cricket's mouth was open. His cigarette had even fallen out of his mouth, "...Now that, is the crucial part. Let me warn you beforehand, that you'll have to risk your lives." Luffy and Usopp nodded anyway, ready for the information, "...The Knock-up Stream. If you can ride that, it'll take you to the sky, understand?"

"What...!?" Nami wasn't sure she heard him right, "You mean the current that knocks ships up into the air!?"

"Oh, so all we have to do is get ourselves blasted up into the clouds!" "Wait—What!?" "By a sea current?"

Nami didn't seem to happy about this, "But I heard that's how ships come crashing down from the sky... At Mocktown—"

"Normally, yes," Cricket interrupts, "The key point here is timing. Of course, it sounds simple when I say you'll be 'riding the stream,' but it sure as hell ain't gonna be a picnic, that's for sure. After all, the knock-up stream is a natural disaster. An event one normally wishes to avoid."

Maxwell looks at Crciket dumbfounded. A naturally disaster? Seriously!? That's like talking about an earthquake, or a volcanic eruption!

"Just how does a stream even travel up into the air anyways?" Nami asks Cricket, "I've never even heard of such a thing until recently."

The diver smirked, "Even the workings behind that monster of a current aren't beyond the realms of logic. Though of course, there isn't anyone dumb enough to go and confirm the facts..." Deep diving towards the bottom of the ocean towards a natural disaster? No thank you!

"But the main theory goes like this: Deep below the ocean floor, there's a large cave, to which low-temperature water flows inside. The steam pressure caused by the intense geothermal heat builds and builds up until a limit is reached and it comes exploding out. An explosion of such scale that it knocks up a volume of water so large as to make it look like and ocean current heading up into the sky. For about a minute, the ocean water continues to jet up into the sky."

"The water shoots for a full minute...? Just how big is this explosion!?" Nami leans forward, concerned.

"The explosion location changes every time, but it happens around 5 times a month."

That didn't answer her question...

Usopp was shaking in his boots, "...So we're gonna get blasted to bits...?"

"Despite saying all of that... Trying to accurately describe on of nature's greatest phenomenon with logic and reason alone is pure folly."

"...T-Then if the cloud isn't a top the knock up stream, which only happens 5 times a month, each at different locations..."

"Yes, it'd all be for naught. Your ship would fall with anything else caught up in the sky, and come crashing down to a watery grave for all your crew. Also, even with the emperornimbus located at the right spot, if it turns out sky island doesn't exist, then again, the end results are your deaths."

Maxwell held his chin as he tried to weigh between the logic and the risk of their endeavour. The sky island exists. The log pose, and Noland's journal, prove it. However, they'll have to harness the power of an oceanic hurricane-equivalent geyser. And that's if the emperornimbus cloud even showed up.

"A-Alright! We'll just give up on the sky island then!" Usopp then starts laughing as he speaks, "Hahaha... Ah, what a shame, Luffy. But this is just impossible. Basically, it boils down to only the luckiest of the luckiest of the luckiest of the luckiest person, actually being able to go up there."

Luffy laughs along side him but then he says, "It'll be fine. Let's go."

Usopp then looks at Luffy in despair, "It'll be fine? There you go again, making light of the danger without even a shred of proof..." He points at the Merry, "Just take a look at poor Merry for God's sake... Look how beaten and battered she is...! There's no way she could stand up to one of nature's greatest calamities in her current state."

"Yes... It would be impossible for your ship, even if she were brand new."

"WHAT!?" Usopp rounds of Cricket insulted at the insinuation.

"Considering the speed, weight, and strength, that ship of yours would be blasted into bits and pieces at the same time as the exploding stream."

"...But... Well there!" Usopp tries to convince Luffy again, "See, it's impossible!"

"But don't you worry about that. Masira and Shoujou can guarantee your ship will stay intact on the ride up... They can do the repairs and reinforcements needed for it."

Shoujou and Masira popped out of the windows from Cricket's house, "HELL YEAH, WE CAN! JUST LEAVE IT TO US!"

Luffy waves at them, "Thanks a bunch!"

Maxwell felt a cry of jubilation in the back of his head. He looked back at the ship. It seems the Going Merry was excited to try this too.

Nami and Usopp approach Luffy, "Do you even realize!? That... That..." Nami was struggling to find a reason to dissuade him, "That we can only spend one more day on this island! If we stay any longer, the log pose will finish recording this island and point to the next one!"

"T-That's right! There's no way we can make it in time!" Usopp suddenly turns jovial again and true s to Cricket, "Well, mister! You're probably no prophet so there's no way you could know for sure the next time a knock-up stream and emperornimbus cloud will be located at the same place, right? Who knows how many days—no, I mean how many months or years it'll take for that to happen!"

"Should happen tomorrow around noon. Get ready if you're set on going."

"WHAT!? SO WE CAN MAKE IT!?"

"If you don't wanna go, then don't go," Cricket picked up his cigarette.

A frustrated Usopp looks at Cricket, "...Y... YOU'RE LYING, AREN'T YOU!? THIS IS WAY TOO SUSPICIOUS! WE'VE ONLY MET FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY! AREN'T YOU BEING A LITTLE TOO NICE!? NOT ONLY THAT—!"

"Usopp—"

"YOU STAY QUIET!" Usopp cuts Luffy off, and continues ranting, "It just so happens that the only way to get up into the legendary sky island, will happen TOMORROW!? AND YOU'RE ONLY TOO HAPPY TO GET OUR SHIP FIXED UP AND READY TO GO BY THEN!? THIS IS WAY TO GOOD TO BE TRUE! JUST WHAT ARE YOU PLOTTING!? YOU'RE THE DESCENDANT OF NOLAND THE LIAR, AREN'T YOU!? SO HOW CAN WE EVEN TRUST YOU!?"

Max remained silent at Usopp's accusations. He wasn't wrong to think this. The timing was certainly convenient. How can they be—

"BOSS! THE FOOD'S ALL READY! WE GOT SOME REAL SPECIAL DISHES TODAY!" "THIS GUY'S COOKING SKILLS HAVE LEFT ME ALL IN THE JITTERS!"

"Well I told you I was a first-rate chef, didn't I? NAMI~ THE MEAL IS—Hm?" Sanji paused as he noticed the tension between Usopp and Cricket.

Usopp puts up his dukes, "W-What? You wanna go or somethin'!?"

Cricket takes a deep breath of his tabaco wrap and exhales, "When... 'night' is spotted at daytime in Masira's turf, the emperornimbus cloud can be seen in the skies south from here... And if going by the penta-monthly estimate the knock-up stream tends to follow, there should be another one tomorrow. And that too, will probably happen south from here." Cricket walks forward, "I can't say any of this with 100% certainty, but there's a good chance of those two events happening together in the same place tomorrow."

He had walked past Usopp, "But above all, I'm just happy meeting fools like you. Now let's eat. You can stay the night at my place today. Friend."

Usopp jerked at that last word, and Luffy looked at him approvingly, "Hehe... ALRIGHT, TIME FOR FOOD! HURRY UP, USOPP!"

"Yeah, come quickly!" Masira calls out from the house.

"Chopper, go call Robin," Nami tells the human-reindeer.

"Okay," he does just that, heading over to the Merry. Only Max, Nami, and Usopp stayed were they were.

Usopp falls to his knees and Nami speaks up, "Looks like we've got no choice but to give this our best shot. Of course, in the end, it'll mainly come down to luck."

Maxwell looks down at his book, "What do you think Salem? Is it feasible?"

The book's inhabitant was silent for a moment, "...Based on what we've read in this world...? Maybe. The scientific texts of this world describe clouds as collective masses being made of water vapour. Although, I have my doubts about the emperornimbus being as such. A cloud fossil though... Perhaps another gaseous compound? Volcanic ash or...? —Oh, and the knock-up stream will certainly be dangerous."

"Max... Nami... Am I a pathetic coward?"

Nami doesn't even deny it, "Yes, and a bit of an idiot to... But I understand how you feel. Just make sure to apologize properly."

Usopp gets up, turns slowly, and then runs towards Cricket, "I'M SO SORRY, MISTER~!"

Maxwell chuckles as Cricket tries to pry off Usopp so he doesn't get snot all over him. All black silhouetted against a setting sun.

O O O

The Straw-Hats all feasted with Masira, Shoujou and Cricket. Sanji had really come through with tonight's dinner. The fish Shoujou had caught was on tonight's menu. And though Cricket didn't have a dining table in his house, they all enjoyably sat on the rug with the dishes spread out. Max himself was enjoying a rather nice wine. Though, it was heavily watered down and had to drink from the bottle of all things. Blasphemy.

Still, they were having fun. Sanji kept the food coming, Luffy kept stuffing his face, and Zoro had even found a drinking buddy with Shoujou. Usopp had tricked Masira into having one of his Tabasco Stars and chased him around for it. Maxwell actually had a conversation with Cricket, explaining that he did magic and how Salem was only one part of it. Nami and Chopper were just sitting around and eating, but Robin had caught his eye. She was sitting in the corner with one of the Montblanc log books.

Cricket had noticed as well and walked right up to her, "'I saw gold in the right eye of the skull.'"

Everyone had stopped when they heard those words, "That tear-stained entry was the last thing Noland wrote in his journal... He was executed later that day. Even after coming to Jaya, I still have no idea what he meant by that line." He took another swig of the bottle, "Right Eye of the Skull? Was that the name of the fabled city? Or was it just a cryptic message about his impending death...? The blank page afterwards don't help at all in unraveling the mystery behind that line. And that is why we dive!" he cheered.

"To see the dreams lying on the ocean floor!" "That's right! Ukikiki!" The monkey brothers raised their mugs.

"We're gonna fly!" "Up into the sky!" "WOOHOO!" The Kiddy Trio called out.

Maxwell raised his own bottle, "Cheers!"

"KAMPAI!" everyone else cheered. Maxwell blinked, it seemed like the wine was getting to him. He might need to remember that word from now on.

"Hey old man! Tell us some more about Noland!" Luffy called over the laughter.

"Yeah, I want to hear more!" Usopp joined him with an arm over his shoulder.

"Noland! Noland! Noland! Noland!" Masira and Shoujou had even joined in their chanting.

"Eh~ shaddup... 'The day we arrive in Jaya! May 21, 1122.'" It seemed like Noland knew those books by heart, "'Upon arriving at the island, we were immediately greeted with a cry from a most unusual bird from the forest, and the loud toll of a bell. The sound from this enormous bell reverberated throughout the island, as if strongly proclaiming the former glory of it's ancient city. When reminded of the civilizations that have risen and fallen throughout the ages across this vast sea, we, who barely live a few decades at most and yet act as if we know all there is to this world, we're to awestruck to utter even a single word. And so we simply stood there, silently listening to the bell ringing...'" Cricket threw his fist into the air, "What a poet, that Noland!"

Everyone clapped and cheered at the story. Apparently Noland had a way with words.

"Amazing, a giant bell made from gold!" "Ha! So you do like Noland after all, don'cha mister!?"

"Heh, I don't know about that," Cricket grabbed went over to a crate in the room, "But take a look at this!"

Cricket unwrapped the fabric holding there package, "Whoa! It's the golden bell!"

Maxwell looked at the golden artifacts in awe. They were each the size of his two fists, with square engravings decorating the exterior. The bells lacked any sort of hammer, but they were made of solid gold.

Usopp looked at the little bells critically, "Um... What's so enormous about this?" Nami meanwhile had fallen in love with one of the treasures.

Cricket laughed, "Haha, this isn't the actual golden bell. This is just a gold ingot in the shape of a bell. I found three of these at the bottom of the ocean here!"

"Maker above..." Maxwell carefully put down the ingot he had been holding.

"So the city of gold does exist!" Luffy exclaimed.

"Well~, there's no solid proof of that," Shoujou explained, "It's not too hard to find this much gold in any old ruin."

"Still, this is enough proof that a civilization existed here in these parts," Robin pointed out, "An ingot is a weight to weigh out precious metals. They could have used them to trade and sell goods."

"That's right," agreed Cricket, "And the bird that Noland talked about in his log... Show'em Masira."

"Ukikiki, right!" Masira took out another wrapped piece, and it was even bigger than the ingots.

"Whoa, there's more!?" "This one's big."

"This is the last one," Cricket laughed as he saw their stunned faces, "Hahaha...! May not be much for 10 years of diving but..." The gold was an artistic piece. The same solid gold, but it was a statuette of a bird holding a bell. The bird itself had a large banana beak, three rooster-like crests, and a jester's mantle beneath it's head. A wing like protrusion came out of it's back and two limbs of stretched out gold held the bell. It even sat on a pedestal of gold.

"Oh~ It's so pretty...!" "What is it, a penguin?"

"A golden bell and a bird," Sanji smiled at the free diver, "So these are the two symbols of Jaya's ancient civilization, huh..."

Cricket had lit another cigarette and let out a puff of smoke, "I don't know for sure but... I think this was only part of a larger piece." Cricket pats the statue, "This is a real bird known as the Southbird, which still exists on this island."

"Is it's cry really that strange?" Luffy asked.

Cricket nods, "Yes, it's just as Noland's log said."

Masira and Shoujou were just as eager to share. Masira spoke, "Actually, did you know that sailors have been using southbirds for..." and then trail off. The brothers looked at each other with dread, even Cricket realized what they were thinking.

"OH NO!"

"What! What's wrong!?" said Luffy.

"This is bad! You need to get to the forest now! The forest to the south!"

Luffy looked at Cricket confused, "Huh? What are you talking about all of a sudden?"

Cricket pointed at the statue, "You've gotta go catch this bird, right this instant!"

"WHAT!? WHY!?" "Why the bird...?"

"Listen closely! The knock-up stream, that should form tomorrow, is directly south of this cape! So how do you think we'll get there!?"

Luffy crossed his arms, "By sailing south, duh."

"THIS IS THE GRAND LINE! Once you set out for the seas, it's impossible to tell which direction is where!" Maxwell's face became a little paler at Cricket's explanation. He had forgotten about that part.

Nami had caught on too, "...That's right! Since we're not heading for an island but some point in the open sea, the log pose won't be of any use! So then... Just how do we sail south!?"

"That's where the bird comes in! There are some animal species which have a way of accurately perceiving magnetic waves to orient themselves."

"Right..." Nami nodded at Cricket's explanation, "I've heard that pigeons and salmon have that ability."

Luffy laughed and looked over at Zoro, "Guess that makes you worse than even an animal, Zoro!"

"AS IF YOU CAN TALK!" the swordsman retorted.

"The southbird is the keenest of such animals. Even if you were to throw it out into the middle of a featureless ocean or desert, it'll accurately point south. In any case! We can't do anything without this bird! Forget about going to sky island, you won't even be able to have a chance of going there!"

"WHAT!?" Everyone immediately started packing up.

"Why'd you tell us so late!?" "It's already the middle of the night and you want us to go into the forest!?" "Stop whining! There's no time for that! As for we three, we're gonna be busy fixing your ship! Come to think of it, we really shouldn't have been partying at all!" "God! What's the use of saying that now!?"

Maxwell jogged out the door following the rest of the crew into the forest. They had until sunrise to catch that bird.