TREASURE ISLAND
Hidden/Background Characters
Itou Mikio
Born in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture on March 26, 1973.
Manga writer for the magazine Weekly Shonen Jump.
Printed on various bounty posters through certain early areas of East Blue.
Depicted as a smiling man with a gun in his hand, his bounty is known as 1,000,000.
His name is also written on the grog bottle Shanks offers to Higuma.
He can be seen in a wanted poster in the bar when Luffy is talking to Benn Beckman.
Pandaman
He is, so far, the most notable characters are this universe, having appeared hidden in nearly every corner of existence.
Pandaman is said to be in love with Pandawoman, but it is unknown if the relationship is mutual.
Pandaman, unfortunately, is also constantly on the run from Tomato Gang, a debt collector to whom Pandaman owes money.
Pandaman's greatest rival, Unforgivable Mask, is hired by Tomato Gang to track Pandaman down and retrieve the money he owes Tomato Gang.
Pandaman has a strength of "3,333,333 power" after eating bamboo and before meals.
Pandaman used to be a rich guy living on a certain island until he got into some trouble.
Pandaman made his first appearance when Gin first showed up in the Baratie.
He was also a prisoner in Level 5 of Impel Down, and can be seen in a list Bentham (disguised as Hannyabal) was reading; he was also seen amongst the group of Impel Down escapees.
A pirate group with a panda figurehead and jolly roger can be seen fighting with the Rumbar Pirates.
Minatomo-san
Minatomo is a carpenter who cannot go past a broken door without repairing.
Minatomo appeared in Wano Country, praising Franky for the wall he built
Fixed the door Higuma kicked off its hinges was suddenly back in place as the bandit left the bar after Higma smashed a bottle of sake over Shanks.
Mr. Motzel
Motzel is shown to be a fan of gourmet cooking, especially since he has a nasty habit of stealing other people's food.
He makes an appearance during the credits of Romance Dawn remake (?), where he is seen helping rebuild Silk's village.
It is to be noted I have no idea how or where this information came from.
OOO
"And there we have it!" Usopp puts his hands on his hips looking quite proud of his work, "What you think?"
Oyal looks at their subjects, now in perfect condition due to Usopp interference, "It is… functional."
Usopp shoulders drop at the lackluster response, "Well, if you don't like it-"
"No, no, no" Oyal interrupts, seeing they must correct themself, "I- Thank you. It is perfect."
And it is… well, nothing is 100% perfect, always some variables to account for, but what Usopp made is definitely getting the job done in the best way they could as for.
He made two plants bowls for them. One was long and rectangular with a blue striped pattern to match the grasses blue checkered pattern. The other a normal round flower pot painted with a stylish "Q" on the side for her Bell Q Flower. Both fit nicely on their desk in the girl's room (Robin's side) bringing a little of color in their usually bare side, "Really… I appreciate the effort."
Oyal isn't the most... emotional person but Usopp can see they means it. He puffs out his chest again, "Of course, I am a gardening expert after all. I have been able to create plants even in the most somber of places. In fact, they call me Green Thumb Usopp, the Plant Whisperer!"
"...Stop that."
Usop opens an eye he closed in his bluffing, "Huh, stop what?"
"Stop... being correct."
Usopp has no idea what they mean by that… but it sounds like a complaint to him! "Heh, I'll try to reel back the greatness."
Oyal bites their lip, trying to think of something to say, "Usopp, if I may ask a question."
"Sure, what's up?"
"What are your... expectations on this ship?"
Usopp blinks, trying to think what they mean, "Like, what are we going to be doing?"
Oyal sees they have to explain herself, "It is unfair to ask what you expect out of our adventures but I would like to know what you expect is your place on the crew."
"I..." He wants to say sub-Captain. Or second-in-command. But... this is Oyal and he has a feeling that any joking or kidding response would not be appreciated. They doesn't seem to get that kind of humor, "I'm... the Marksman."
Oyal nods, "Understood."
"Understood?" Usopp panicked, "W-Wasn't that the right answer?"
Oyal sighs, relaxing a bit at the first sign of emotion he had seen from them, "Sadly, there isn't always a right answer in real life. Unlike Math," they mutter the last part, but not low enough Usopp couldn't hear, "I wanted to gather information from your view of the situation in order to make a proper analysis from near all sides."
"Right…" he nodded in understanding, "...What situation?"
Oyal neutral face slips more into... something between determination and concern, "You were the Captain of your old crew and I..." what are they doing, "I just want to know... you... are good here. You are good here."
It is good to know what with feelings come desires. Desires like wishing the floor would eat you so you may escape a conversation that you are in.
Oh Mercury, himself, Usopp is laughing, not loudly but he us still laughing at them, "It's okay, Oyal, I think I get what you are saying," he reassures them.
Oyal swallow their doubt, "You don't have to be the captain to be important," you are already so important, "It is a burden few can bear."
Usopp looks down at the floor. The last person he was expecting a heart to heart was with Oyal, "I… I don't mind not being Captain, I mean…" he waveshis hand looking for his own words, "I guess, I never thought about… about what it really meant to be a leader."
Oyal doesn't know what to say, "You have many traits of leadership. But... I am glad you are not."
Usopp gives them a flat look, "Thanks..."
"Because that means you get to be yourself."
There was a silence between the two. Just the two standing and staring at each other not sure what the next course of action should be. One taken aback from blunt honesty and other consumed by more unexplained feelings. Neither really knowing what to say and both begging the other to say something.
"Hey guys, come out here!" Luffy shouts from the main deck.
They both look at each other, silently seeing agreeing with the other, before heading out to the main deck to be greeted with a... an unexplainable sight.
"It's DONE!" Luffy exclaims proudly, holding up his work of art he has so desperately has been working on, "I put my heart and soul into this, so tell me, what do you think!"
While it is to be noted that Luffy is perfectly able to draw on a bear, his normal art skills… are still not up to snuff. They could sort of see where he was going with it, a skull with a straw hat... if skull had been melted and the straw hat had been stomped on.
"I didn't think that a person could draw that badly," Nami says with a deadpan expression. The other two boys seem to agree as they stared at it with horrified expressions.
Oyal doesn't see what was so bad about it really, but she is right in that it isn't the same as the original symbol, "It is different."
"Luffy?" Zoro asks slowly, "Are you sure you want that as our mark?"
"Absolutely! Nice huh?" Luffy asks back.
"Nice compared to what?" the Usopp blanky puts.
"Our mark should be scary," Zoro put a finger to his chin looking off into the distance, as if thinking of his own terror mark, "it should strike fear into our enemy's hearts."
"I do feel the terror, but it's the terror of your talent," Nami says shaking her head, "If I saw that mark I'd probably run for it too."
Usopp chuckles to himself, gathering their attention, "You guys should have told to me about this in the first place," he wags his finger making his way to Luffy, "Maybe you didn't know this about me, but I am an artist."
"Okay… you can make the flag" Luffy pouts sullenly. He is not upset that Usopp was going to make their flag, he's not, he was the original creator of it after all, but he is disappointed at himself for NOT being able to do it! He's only seen the damn flag every day for the past REST OF HIS LIFE.
Usopp puts a comforting hand on Luffy's shoulder, "I know it's hard, it took me years to get to the skill level that I am at today," Usopp brags, "I have fifty years of experience under my belt after all!"
"Really?" Oyal asks him honestly, looking at Usopp up and down, "Now that you mention it… I can see it."
"HEY!" Usopp yells at him, his face red.
"You were setting yourself up for a joke like that," Nami giggles.
"Shishishishi! That's older than Gramps!" Luffy laughs happily.
"I just… thought it'd sound more impressive?" Usopp offers, trying to him his embarrassment.
"Which give you five or six grandkids, and I don't see them," Nami smirks looking around for imaginary grandkids.
"He would have to have a partner first in order to have that," Oyal counters logically causing Usopp to stutter more.
"If you're gonna tell lies at least make them sound more believable, Usopp," Zoro offers, trying not to show his own amusement.
"Yeah… that's not one of my better lies…?" Usopp rubs the back of his head with his hand.
"Teasing seems to be easily done to you," Oyal notes for future interactions.
"Why do you all wanna pick on me?!" Usopp cries out as he takes Luffy's flag with a quick grab.
"We tease because we care," Luffy genuinely smiles at him to which Usopp could not reply back with sarcasm. Luffy knows he is going to make his Usopp flag first, it kinda stings that Usopp would make something so fake after everything they have been through. The first time it was a joke but now… Usopp is like a brother to Luffy and now it is just a reminder of how much that isn't this case. Not now at least.
Usopp mutters something unintelligible under his breath as he focuses all his concentration on the logo. He gets the colors he wants and wets his paintbrush. When he left his village he never thought he would put his artistic skills to use. Not that he is ashamed of them but knowing they could be useful!
He never really thought of how crew even picked their logos. It seemed so mundane for adventures pirates to take time and really think about what they want their logo to be. Well, they better be ready for the BEST DAMN SYMBOL THEY WILL EVER SEE!
"Behold!" Usopp exclaims as he holds out a Jolly Roger for all to see, "Take a look at this masterpiece!"
He held it out proudly and the Straw Hat's all felt their eyebrows raise when they saw it. It… WAS ACTUALLY THE STRAW HAT SYMBOL!
Luffy takes the flag, jumping up and down, "YOU ACTUALLY MADE IT" he cries out in happiness. He was expecting Usopp's fake flag but it was their symbol! Theirs!
Usopp rubs the back of his head, "Well, your painting wasn't all that bad, I could still tell what you were trying to go for," He sounded… genuine about Luffy's painting not being terrible.
Usopp did think about making a logo to fit more him… but that sounded kinda… while childish. Luffy is the captain. Sure he acted like an airheaded brat most of the time but Usopp had seen him in action and more importantly seen him out of action. Seen him act like… well, old. Luffy was somehow the most child-like person and simultaneously the oldest soul Usopp knew.
This isn't pretending to be a pirate anymore. Usopp knows that he is easily scared and insecure just about everything… most of his lying helps him to feel better and to deal with the situation. This isn't fighting some kid on the playground over who gets to be the captain in their game. There is a big difference between pretending and the real deal. This was it. This is it.
"Wow, that's actually pretty good, Usopp," Nami says, actually impressed.
"It is exactly as it needs to be," Oyal sees not an inch was out of place of the simple geometrical shapes.
"But of course," Usopp tells her proudly, "I may not have fifty years experience but I have just as much skill!" his boastful natural coming back in full force.
"So, we finally settled on it, this is gonna be our mark?" Zoro asks them.
"Sure is," Luffy says with a voice of finality, pointing up at the sails, "Hey Usopp, paint this on the sail too!"
"Right!" Usopp starts climbing up the pole, paintbrush in mouth and determination in his eyes.
Oyal does find themselves impressed by Usopp's artistic skills, mostly due to their lack of skills. They are great with shapes but makes pictures is harder than originally thought. Especially faces. And bodies. And anything that requires any amount of detail.
Usopp climbs mast like a monkey going back and forth across the sail. They all sit back and watch him work as he paints the familiar smiling skull with the straw hat on. In record time, he is done.
Usopp is lying on the deck, covered in paint, looking exhausted, "Okay, finished!" Usopp huffs with little breath.
Luffy cheers with bright eyes and a blinding smile as he stares at his mark. It is official now, they are the Straw Hat Pirates! "Now, the Going Merry is complete!"
"She didn't look right without it," Oyal spoke low for his ears only.
Luffy grins at them. They may not have been here the first time but they know. It was nice having someone know, despite being surrounded by his precious nakama he felt a certain... disconnect. They have talked about this. On those nights both refused to sleep, one watching the night the sky, the other afraid of to dream. Luffy sharing too much, Oyal sharing too little. But both just needing to talk about things no one else could understand.
His missed them. His crew. That closeness that took years to build on their home on the Sunny. He knew he was going to see them again and that any version of his crew will always be his nakama but... it still wasn't the same and it needed getting used to. It is the waiting that is killing him. More than half his crew is gone, he has to wait for them to come to him. Or him go to them. Either way, waiting for his family sucks!
And they both agreed no one should know of the contract. No one should know of past deaths or future mistakes. Changes will be made but not because of what any past life said so but because the actions they are taking up now.
Luffy failed them. As a captain and a friend. It is like Jinbei said, what is gone is gone but what matters is what we still have. That why is he going to get stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger until he is able to protect everybody.
The wind takes him out of his musing as it picks up. Oh, and there were dark clouds looming in the distance.
That's not good.
"ROLL THE SAIL, GET TO PORT, MAIN THE RUTTER," Nami starts shouting orders faster than they could be heard. But somehow everyone still manages to get to their stations as ordered. Luffy and Usopp roled the sails, Zoro maintained the rutter, Oyal finally learned how to tie a knot… sorta. Either way, they were getting ready for impact!
One storm later.
At the end, four of the five crew members end up on the floor.
Zoro groans rubbing his swore arms, "Well that was fun," he had to keep the damn boat in place, which itself isn't hard, but keeping the rudder from break is what is hard.
Usopp lifts his face up, getting only on his elbows, "What are you completing about? Me and Luffy were the ones running around everywhere."
"Uffy 'nd I," Oyal mumbles from their spot face down on the floor.
"Hey, I was holding the rutter!"
"Actually," Luffy says on his back limbs spread out, "I'm fine, I just wanted to be included on the floor."
"SHUT UP LUFFY!" Both of them glare at their so-called captain.
Zoro turns to Oyal, "What about you Oyal? You just want to join the party," he spat party to make it very clear he doesn't mean it as a party.
Oyal doesn't lift their head but they do move off her mouth, "No… there is an 88% reason to believe that I am actually dying so I have a verifiable reason to be on the floor. Thank you very much."
Zoro nods accepting the answer, "Okay, that's fair."
Nami stomps in front of them all, "Okay, breaks over, we have land ahead of us."
That got the crew's attention, expect Oyal, they are busy dying, "Land?" Luffy jumps up at the thought.
Nami nods a wild glint in her eyes, "Yeah, A legendary treasure island! It's infamous among pirates," she goes on in a spooky voice, "It has a strange legend that whoever gets close to faces God's anger."
"WHAT!" everyone, besides Luffy, shouts.
This was NOT in Luffy's contract.
"Awesome!" Luffy shouts over the rest of his crew's cries, "Let's go piss off God!"
Zoro shrugs picking himself off the floor, "I'm up for it."
"I'M NOT!" Usopp shouts back, "Luffy told tell me you're thinking of actually going, do you? This is a god, we are talking about here!"
"Treasure Island! Treasure Island!" But it is too late. He is already lost in his own world, too far gone to come back.
"Don't worry Usopp," Nami gives a sweet smile… that is ruined but the money sparkling in her eyes, "There is an unimagined treasure somewhere on this island!"
"That's don't comfort me at all," Usopp mutters.
"If this island is so famous wouldn't someone have already retrieved the treasure," Oyal continues to the floor, it is surprisingly clean for a ship deck, "The chances of it still being there are quite low."
Nami shakes her head, "Many pirates have tried but before any could find the treasure they were scared away," she brings her hands up to her face making creepy hand motions, "Like some of the crew being turned into boars in the middle of the night. Or a man's mustache growing so long it turned into a snake and choked him to death!"
"That REALLY doesn't comfort me!" Usopp is practically crying at this point, "Luffy please, listen to reason! We can't go on this island-"
"We're here!"
"WHAT!"
What the Rubberman said was true, as Merry was gently stopped in the shallow waters of the island's coast.
"Let's go!" Luffy is already jumping off the ship, fearlessly venturing into uncharted territory.
"I'm going to sleep," Zoro goes back to lying on the floor,
"How can you sleep in a place like this!" Usopp is at his wit's end with these guys. Do they have a death wish?! He was all for fun and adventure but purposely looking for deities to piss off?!
"Zoro!" Luffy stops in his track just to whine, "How are we supposed to piss of God if you're asleep!"
Zoro lays there seemingly not going to react to Luffy's calls until he lets out a breath of air through his nose, "...Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," and reluctantly gets up as well, "The things I do to annoy deities."
Oyal finally lifts their head from the floorboards, "Keep that attitude up, Zoro. It will take you far in life."
Nami jumps off the boat as well into the shallow waters, "Come on, that treasure isn't going to find itself!"
Usopp stands at Merry's edge, shaking soundly, "You know maybe it best if me and Oyal-" "Oyal and I," Oyal butts in, "-stayed on the ship, after all, we can't just leave Merry and Oyal seems to be out of it so-"
"Usopp," Oyal starts to get up, weak and shaking but they are trying, Mars curse all, "Do you really want to be the only two on the ship of a cursed island while our two best fighters and the only navigator explore said island?"
Usopp closes his mouth with a click, "HEY GUY, WAIT UP!" and hurriedly follows the others into god's domain.
And that's how they end up deep into the jungle forest terrain… looking for the treasure, they guess.
Oyal certainly has no idea of where this fit into the story. They don't recall any "Treasure Island" no matter what Luffy says. He conveys he has no memory of an island as such and Oyal believes him but facts are facts that they had some connection to his past. This could be like the Animal Island, but even that had snip bits of truth, as strange as it was. Too bad Luffy would be no help in this situation either.
Luffy, on the other hand, knows exactly where he is! But he isn't going to tell Oyal that. Where would that fun in that be?
"This is not a scary island. Nope! No sir, this is just an abandoned island full of treasure and we are going to leave just fine," Usopp mutters reassurances under his breath the entire time, trying to reason his anxiety away. He has both his hands on Zoro's shoulders as they follow behind Luffy, "There is no way that a god would really be here, right Oyal?" asking the most reasonable person on the crew.
"Gods comes in many forms, chances of us being cursed is about 65% just being here," Oyal lethality reassures him, "95% if we piss them off."
Usopp goes back to crying, head in his hands, "I didn't want to die like this! I didn't want to die at all!"
"We're not dead yet, Usopp, pull yourself together," Zoro grumbles over his shoulder.
"Yeah, yet is what I'm worried about!"
Luffy laughs, "Don't worry Usopp, I'll just kick what mombo-jumbo's ass is here and we can have a feast!"
Nami shakes her head, "Come on, Luffy, don't tell me you actually believe in those rumors," Nami waves her hand carelessly, "Those rumors are probably just some pirate got too drunk and let their imagination run wild. And I'm surprised at you, Oyal, never took you for one to believe in all that nonsense."
Oyal shakes their head, "Everything has a reason Nami, this is no exception."
"GET OUT OF HERE," A voice booms throughout the woods, the echoes surround them at every angle.
Usopp jumps, his grip now vise-like on Zoro's board shoulders, "W-Who's that!"
Luffy gives his (as his crew is starting to learn)shit-eating smile, "It's god, obviously."
"I AM THE GUARDIAN GOD OF THIS ISLAND," the voice continues, "IF YOU WANT TO SAVE YOUR LIVES LEAVE THIS ISLAND IMMEDIATELY."
"Okay!" Usopp makes to turn but Nami stops him with a single hand on his overalls.
"Guardian God?" Nami questions back.
"AREN'T YOU GUYS PIRATES?" the voice sounding less sure and less formal.
"That's right," Luffy reassures the god.
"I KNEW YOU WERE PIRATES!"
"Why would a god need to ask that?" Zoro mutters, this god sounded less and less cool to defeat with every second. Like a secondary god you never hear about, "I bet he can't even curse us."
"WHY ARE YOU DISAPPOINTED!" Usopp shouts.
"Are you really a god?" Nami asks out loud.
"NAMI, NOT YOU TOO!" Usopp was fighting a lone battle.
"S-SHUT UP! IF YOU'RE NOT LEAVING, THEN FACE GOD'S JUDGEMENT."
"Been there, done that," Oyal mutters bitterly.
"Hehehe, same," Luffy joyfully agrees, "Here let me just…" he pulls back an arm, swinging it in an inhuman fashion.
"W-WHAT?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHAT ARE YOU!?" the voice sounding less and less like a supernatural deity and more and more like a panicked fruitloop.
"I'm Rubberman!" Luffy unhelpfully explains, "Gum gum-" shoot his arm in the correct direction, "Pistol!"
"WAIT-" Just to hit a bush in the face… wait... THE FACE?!
"WHAT IS THAT THING?" Nami for the first time show signs of panic.
"God is shorter than I thought," Zoro observes the now taken down guardian god of the forest.
"Its that a man?" Usopp, now the threat has been neutralized, takes a closer look at what Luffy punched.
"Ah," Oyal realizes what was going on, "So we are finally here after all," they thought they just skipped this island and adventures, apparently not, "You know, you could have given some warning," they turn unamusingly to their captain.
Luffy shrugs, looking as unapologetic as he feels, "Nah!"
Usopp bravely touches his toe to the bush... man? "So… is he dead?"
After making sure bushman was in fact not dead, and after clearing up serval miscommunications, they got well acquaintance. Taking seats with one another and chatting like they didn't just scare the crap out of each other.
The lion-pig serve drinks of fruit juice in pumpkin bowls all around, "A Devil fruit," Gaimon notes with some awe as he takes his homemade cup, "Back when I was a pirate, I'd heard rumors about it but never met one face to face."
Luffy tilts her head, "Really? Nothing? Some marines have it too you know. Kinda mandatory for the admirals even."
Gaimon rolls his eyes, "Oh yeah like I'm going to pick a fight with an admiral."
Luffy grins to himself as he scratches the back of the fox-chicken's head. The animals here were strange there was no doubt about it, but at the same time, they were so normal as well. They didn't shoot laserd, or have super strength they were just… existing. A weird existence but not making a huge impact. If anything they seem pretty lazy as far as strange animals go, just taking two animals and mashing them together. Despite the above average intelligence it was pretty disappointing.
Gaimon studies Luffy interaction with his friends closely, "They sure seem to like you..."
"I'm really good with animals," Luffy supplies uselessly. Having King's Haki does help some but he likes to think he is a likable person, 1 out of millions super-human power or not.
Nami put her cup of… she thinks is mango juice down, "So… god, huh?"
Gaimon smiles sheepishly, "Yeah sorry about that, kinda used that cover to get people off this place," he pets one of his animals, a snake-rabbit, "I have been stuck in this box for the past twenty years."
"That's kinda stupid," Zoro unabashedly comments.
"SHUT UP! I AM A MAN WITH PRIDE!"
Luffy slowly sips his juice, deep in thought, "So… you are half-human, half box…." his train of thought lead down a certain direction...
"Stop," Oyal puts their hand up, "Stop that train of thought right there. Just… he fell in the box Luffy not… whatever you are thinking."
Usopp groans a little, "So, do you wanna… us to..." he gestures to all of Gaimon, "Take you out?"
Gaimon shakes his head, "After twenty years, my body has fitted into this treasure box perfectly. My spine and organs have become fitted into this thing, if you break this box, my body will be done for."
Oyal pictures it, "That is… mentally disturbing. I did not have to hear that."
Gaimon snorts, "It's the truth."
Usopp chuckles to himself, "What a chatterbox."
Someone laughs at that… well not really a laugh but more like a single bark of air coming out a throat, like it wanted to laugh but doesn't have the muscles to do so.
That was the sound that comes out of Oyal's throat, "Ahk…" they chough in their hand, blood rushing to their face, "...excuse me."
Everyone stares at her for a moment until Usopp grin almost splits his face into two, "Well thanks for telling us Gaimon, it must be nice to get that… off your chest."
Oyal unwilling lets out another bark.
"We didn't mean to kick your booty."
"Ahkakaka… Usopp… please cease…" Oyal sounds almost to be in pain despite the silent laughter.
"But it turns out you have a heart of gold- AH!"
Nami hits his head with a swift chop of her hand, "Enough already."
Gaimon lifts his single eyebrow, whistling not asking, rather changing the subject, "But, who are you guys exactly? There's something different compared to the pirates that came previously."
"I'm Luffy," said man holds a hand up, "The man who will become the Pirate King."
"Oh, I see," Gaimon sips his juice acceptingly… Only to spit it out, "Wh-what?"
"You heard me," Luffy looks at the lost juice, what a waste.
"So you're going after the One Piece, you say?" Gaimon grumbles, letting this information sink in, "You're not really planning to go to the Grand Line are you?"
"Yup," Nami affirms, "We even have a map to it."
"Don't underestimate it. That place is the hell's coffin," Gaimon shudders in memory, " I was one of the first crews to go after Roger's death. I have seen pirates that escaped from the Grand Line. They were spiritless, like the undead. I didn't speak of what they saw, they were so traumatized."
Zoro tenses his shoulders, Nami gulps a bit but refuses to look away, Usopp is shamelessly shaking, while Oyal thought about how to make an origami lion-pig.
Luffy put every ouch into his self-control not to snort because… really. That was Paradise part of the Grand Line. Come on, East Blue!
Gaimon continues gravely, not noticing two of his audience not really paying attention, "Beyond that, there are so many rumors about One Piece that no one knows the truth anymore. The great pirate era has already lasted 20 years," he looks far off into the sky as if it held any answer, "The One Piece is no longer a mere legend but a dream within a dream. And where is it in the Grand Line? Who knows..." he finishes his monologue dramatically looking off into the distance, commanding a solemn respect.
"It's at the end on an island called Raftel where the only way to find it is to decipher all four of the Rio-Poneglyphs," Oyal explains easily, ignoring any command to the mood.
All eyes turn to them , giving her a look like they split their head. Oyal is not so inept to social cues to know they have said something wrong, but what, "... is something concerning?"
Luffy laughs at their plight, "Shishishishi, Oyal! They don't know about that!"
Oyal lets that sink in for a moment, "They… they don't?"
"No!" Luffy waves his hand back and forth, "The One piece is considered a legend here!"
Oyal tries to wrap their brain around this, "I don't… comprehend."
Luffy understands, he having a hard time believing it too now that he looks at it, "It's the East Blue, they don't even get devil fruits here despite Smokey being in Loguetown!"
"I just thought it was common knowledge was all," Oyal tries to explain themselves. They have lived with the One Piece for a good 800 years. How can that history just... be gone?
Luffy nods, disappointed as well, "You would think," sipping his juice.
"Okay! We get it!" Nami shouts, "You two are the experts here! Don't have to rub it in!"
"Damn," Gaimon gets a far-off look in his face, "Pirates sure have changed in the past two decades," he sizes up Luffy with another look, "Where do you get so much confidence from?"
Luffy smiles, "I'll definitely find the One Piece and show you," he doesn't answer the question.
Gaimon just stares, like he hasn't seen Luffy right before now, he closes his eyes and chuckles lovely to himself like he was told a bad joke he couldn't help but find funny, "I give up."
Luffy cocks his head to the side, silently asking him to go on.
"Your face resembles mine, like a twin," Gaimon states.
Usopp makes a face, "No, there is literally none," he points to Zoro, "It anything you would be related to Zoro."
Zoro sputters out his drink, "What the HELL!"
"What? You both have green hair," Usopp says innocently.
"No! Not like that," Gaimon interrupts, "His expression! That drive to find your treasure, even if your life's on the line. It was that passion that changed my life."
He goes on his tale, "Twenties years ago my companions and I landed on this island trying to find the treasure that lay here. After a month of looking, all we found was one empty box. But I didn't give up, I searched at the top of a cliff only to fall back and get stuck in this box. I passed out and when I awoke my companions had already set sailed away, leaving me behind.
"For all the years since then. That one glance at the treasure hasn't left my mind," his eyes were tried, tired of years of solitude, but determined as ever, "So when Pirates come to this island in search of treasure I used my animals friends to scare them away. In this manner for 20 years I have guarded the treasure," his grim-faced turned fierce, "They are mine! There's no doubt about it."
"They're yours," Surprisingly coming from Nami as she stands up, "Gaimon, I understand. I'll help you get that treasure!"
Gaimon eyes sparkled, "Really?"
Zoro tilts his head, "I thought you only stole from pirates?"
Nami yells, "That's rude! I have principles too, you know!"
Gaimon takes it in, could this really be. He feels like he can trust them… these pirates… this is crew is nothing like he had seen before, "Follow me then!" he leads the crew into the forest.
They all got up to follow, Oyal being in the rear saw something that caught their eye, "... Curious."
They catche up to them later, being lead to the flat hill where all Gaimon's dream stood there, never to be able to get there. How many days has he spent here looking up at a dream just out of his reach?
Luffy looks up, a ball of dread forming in his stomach, "Here, huh?"
Gaimon is breathless from the trek, "I haven't been here in a long time," this may be his dream but no point in staring at it every day, "Finally the time has come! Today's a good day! I'm counting on you, Straw-hat!"
There is no getting out of this now. Luffy accepts his fate and nods refusing to let anything show on his face, "Okay!"
He pulls a hand back, "GUM GUM ROCKET!" and sprung himself up to the top!
Back at the bottom all of the crew and bushman stare in anticipation at the edge of the cliff, waiting for confirmation of a long-lasting dream. Staring... and staring... and staring.
"Is he... okay?" Usopp asks after a while.
Zoro shrugs, "Maybe he got lost?"
"You only wish he was worse than you, Windchimes," Oyal comments.
"HEY-!"
Gaimon interrupts them, getting worried, "Straw Hat? How is it? Do you see it?"
Nami taps her foot, "What is he doing?" she calls up, "Luffy? What's happening?"
Luffy peaks over the edge, his smile in place but looking more... forced, "I've got it. Five treasure boxes!"
Gaimon cries out in happiness, "You got it! Finally, after all these years, the treasure! Well, come on down already! We got to celebrate!"
"Nope!" Luffy puts extra emphasis on the 'p'.
"Nope?" he repeated, "What do you mean nope?!"
"I think it means no," Oyal helps.
"Oyal, now's not the time," Nami puts a hand on her head.
"I really don't want to give you them," he didn't then, he doesn't now, "They're mine now!"
Nami calls up herself, "What nonsense are you saying? Stop joking, Luffy," He has to be joking around. There is no reason he would want it. He isn't… he isn't that kind of guy.
"Yeah!" Usopp agrees, getting annoyed as well, "That treasure belongs to Gaimon! Hand them all over!"
"No!" Now he is just sounding childish.
"Stop being selfish!" Nami shouts.
"I am selfish!"
"Luffy! "
"It's okay," Gaimon's strangely soft voice cuts through the air.
Nami turns on her heal, "It's not okay! You've guarded that treasure for 20 years and Luffy is being a brat!"
Gaimon shakes his head, "Straw-hat, you're..." his voice wobbles. His eyes were watering a bit but he manages a smile, "you're really a nice guy!"
Zoro bows his head in understanding, "So... it's gone."
Usopp and Nami whip their heads at that, "Gone?" Usopp murmurs, not really getting it.
Gaimon nods, looking far older than he did before as tears stream down his face, "I thought of it before. That maybe... even though it's unbearable to think it," he cradles his face in his hands, trying and failing to keep his composure, "There's nothing inside, is there?"
"Yeah," Luffy face was unreadable, "They're all empty."
Nami puts a hand to her mouth, "I can't believe it... the treasure you've guarded for 20 years... is empty boxes," she could feel a faint chill run down her spine at the thought of that. All her treasure, just one day... gone.
"It's something that happens often with treasures," Gaimon continues smoothly despite the tears, as if his dream of twenty years didn't just break down in front of him, "Sometimes pirates find them after the treasure has been taken. Treasure hunting in a trial and error process. You could waste a lifetime, sacrifice your life, only to get nothing at the end. There are many pirates like that."
There was a silence between them all, as if someone had died. In a way, someone did as they found that they should mourn the dream itself. Because in this world when your dream dies, you die as well.
Luffy jumps down, breaking the silence. He is in his crouch position, leveled with Gaimon as his hat covers his face "Cheer, Bushman!" he lifts his head to give his biggest smile, "You only had to wait 20 years, if no one came you could have waited 30 years!"
"How is that suppose to make him feel better?" Nami says not unkindly.
"Well, he is not incorrect," Oyal offers.
What matters is that Gaimon appreciates it all the same, "Straw-hat," he takes a deep breath and sighs, as if trying to let go of 20 years of struggle in one breath, "Heh, thanks."
Luffy nods, "Now all that's left is One Piece," he looks at Gaimon and really... just look at him for a moment.
He is a 30 something-year-old man, trapped in a chest with the only movement being his feet, the worse spinal problem that even Chopper would faint from sight, and has hair that looks like brush growing out of his head...
He knows exactly what he wants to do, "Hey Gaimon!" he smiles is true, "Join my crew!"
Gaimon's eyes widen, "Huh? What are you talking about?"
Oyal was right next to him, looking more unamused than usual, "Yes Luffy, please enlighten us."
Luffy held out his hands, "Hear me out… I want him to join."
Oyal sighs, "Luffy this isn't something you can just decide on the spot."
"Why not? I can ask him!"
"He's not fit for the Grand Line," Oyal reasons, "He would get washed away within moments of entering that sea. He will be useless to us."
"So would you," Luffy counters, "You're weak as hell."
Oyal stop full on, they have nothing to say. Their throat seems to be closed and their voice is gone. Which was illogical. They always have an answer. A solution.
Thery're... weak.
Luffy goes on, "He might be weak but he's not useless just because he is in a box, Oyal. No one is useless."
Gaimon speaks up, "I have to say I am thankful for the offer but I can't," he gestures to his animals, "I have other things I need to protect now."
Luffy pouts sadly at the same answer as before, "Are you sure Bushman?"
Gaimon nods, "I have lived with these guys for 20 years through hard times and happy times. I can't just leave them," his animals slowly started to surround him, feeling his distress and wish to comfort. For a bunch of animals, they were scary smart, "Now that I know there's no treasure I feel free for the first time. From now I'd like to live my life the way I want. In reality, I've begun to enjoy living in a box."
Luffy giggles, "I see! That's too bad because Bushman's so interesting!"
Zoro looks at the weird animals around them, "The strange creatures are your true companions, huh? Though you are the strangest."
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Gaimon yells in anger.
"I see..." Oyal says, their tone neutral, "I have been short-sighted in my calculations," they turn to Gaimon, "Mister Gaimon, if I may ask a question?"
Gaimon calms down, "Uhm, sure, what do you need to know?"
"I would like to inquire you about this flower," as they held out a certain pink flower from her pocket.
Nami recognized it, "Isn't that your Bell Q Flower?"
Oyal shakes their head, "It is the same species but it seems that it is native to this island as well."
Gaimon takes the flower in his stubby hands, "Yeah I know it, it is few and far between but they do grow here. If you asking what they are called I can't give you an answer."
Oyal nods their head, "That is fine, names are not important where. The question is: Do you know what they do?"
Gaimon scratches his cheek, "I mean... kinda? I have no idea how they work but I do suspect they are what make my animals friends so... special."
Oyal takes out their journal, "I see," while this information is little, it is valuable, "I would like to be the one to formally ask you to be apart of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet,"
"WHAT?!" Now all of the Straw Hats were surprised at that.
Luffy groans, "Noooooooo. I don't wanna fleet around!"
Oyal straightens up, "Luffy I understand your reasoning to have everyone be free and follow their own path as it lines with your philosophy but I must implore you to just call it a Fleet. I have no other name."
"What about 'Straw Hat Fan Club'?" Luffy offers.
"No."
"The Straw Hat Gang."
"Worse."
"The S.S. Friend-ships?"
"WHEN DID YOU HAVE A FLEET?" Nami yells over them.
Luffy puts a finger in his nose, "It's not made yet, and it's not a fleet. I don't want to order people around."
"It would be helpful on the Grand Line," Zoro supplies. Of course his captain would know Mihawk, an emperor, and have a fleet in the making. Obviously, his mind chastised him for his doubt, your captain is going to be Pirate King and you're going to be right next to him.
"A fleet? He has a freaking fleet?!" Usopp has not-so-silently whispers to himself. He quickly pulls himself together, "I mean- Ah Ha! My years of training my own fleet are finally going to go to use!"
"Anyway," Oyal gets back on track, "I see now that while having you as imitate crew would cause a negative impact it would help in the long run if you took up pirating again. I stand by what I said in that joining us on the Grand Line will be determinative but your usefulness would be better suited here."
They are not wrong. Gaimon would be fish food, likey killed with a high 98% of not even making it past Laboon. But… Luffy isn't wrong either. Gaimon could be useful in other ways. They just hved to have enough variables to see them.
Gaimon gaps at them, from Luffy, to Oyal, to his animals, and back to Luffy, "You're really serious?"
Luffy grins, "Yup!"
Oyal continues, "If you could stay here and research these species of flowers and their effect on your animals it would be greatly effective."
Gaimon's mind was going a mile a minute, "Well…" he picks his words carefully counting off his finger, "I don't know anything about zoology, biology, geology, geography, crypto-zoology," then to his other hand, "evolutionary theory, evolutionary biology, meteorology, limnology, history," then to his toes, "herpetology, paleontology, botany, dendrology or horticultor…" he takes a breath, "but I think I can take a wild guess."
"Perfect," Oyal nods, "You have more experience with these animals than any other human being alive. Experience is worth more than theory," Oyal starts mumbling to no one, "The question is why are these animals here and how did they form. Their evolutionary structures are vast beyond any normal natural process suggests. Not to mention the chances of something this unnatural in the East Blue are astronomical. How has no one notice these changes before? Is this a cover-up? Some kind of way to hide any true value this ocean hold by keeping it under wrap from the scientific community-" "Oyal, you're mumbling to yourself again."
Oyal catches themselves, "Oh, yes, um, sorry," she turns to Nami, "Nami can you give him a map to the Animal Theater Island?"
Usopp turns as well, "Animal Theater?"
Nami shakes her head, "Don't ask, it's an island we went to before you. And yeah, I have a spare on the ship but..." they look at Gaimon, "Are you sure?"
Oyal nods, "This will be... interesting."
Usopp nods, putting a hand on Oyal's shoulder, "Right, right interesting. And hey, if all else fails then he could still come back to the crew as a…"
"Don't," Nami whisper-threatens.
Usopp weighed his options, worth it, "A boxer!"
"Ahk-" Oyal tried to hold back this time but alas… "KAKAKAKAKAKAKAKAKA!" they let out a broken cackle loud enough for all the island to hear. Any sane crew would get shivers at the sound, thinking perhaps a witch or some villain had completed their dastardly plans for world domination.
But there was no sane crew, just the Straw Hat Pirates that took delight in the strange laughter, "PF-HAHAHAHAHA," Usopp was laughing just as hard, "You're laugh is insane!" he got out between the giggles.
"KAKAKAKA -it's not like- KAKA - I have a- KAKAKA -choice!" Oyal tries to fight back but no, the joke was just too funny for them.
"HEHEHEHEH," Even Nami had to calm her own laughter.
"WAHAHAHAHA! YOU GUYS ARE HILARIOUS!" Gaimon shouts.
"AHAHAHAH," Zoro laughs more at his crew than with them, but it was laughter nonetheless.
"SHISHISHISHISHI!" Luffy is surprisingly the first to move back to Merry, "Well, come on!"
Once back Nami got the spare map to Animal Theater Island and gladly hands it over to Gaimon.
"Don't know how much good that will do," Gaimon takes the map, "I don't even have a ship."
"Oh, here," Luffy goes off the side of the Merry and got Buggy's old clown dingy, "You have our old one."
Usopp sputters, "When did we have that?"
Nami rolls her eyes, "How did you not see that! We tried it to the back of the ship have been pulling it this whole time. We weren't going to let a good dingy go to waste."
"Really?!" Gaimon looks in shock at the small, but still very managing boat.
Nami shrugs, "We have a ship now so we aren't really using it, so you can take it off your hands."
Gaimon sniffs a bit another wave of emotion coming off of him, "I... I can't thank you guys enough. In one day you have changed my life more than I could ever describe."
The Straw Hats just smile but they felt their hearts soft at his words.
Oyal coughs a bit, "Yes, well once you get there, find Gori Illa they have a Two of Clubs cards, you should be able to use."
"A card?" Gaimon questions.
"Yes, it will connect us to let me know you are there," Oyal uselessly explains.
Gaimon thinks a moment but decides not to question it, "Alright, I'll look into this Bell Q Flower business. But you guys go off on your dreams to the Grand Line, you here!"
Luffy grins like a madman he is as, he gets on board the Merry, "Absolutely! We'll be seeing you! Take care!"
Gaimon waves his hands as his animals howl and hoot behind him, "Till we see each other again, Straw-hat! Work hard towards your dreams and I will too! If anyone is going to be Pirate King, I'm sure it's you!"
And that ends this story. With one more member of the Straw Hat and another questioning their position.
"Zoro, a word please?"
Zoro lifts an eyebrow at their astronomer, "What?"
They gesture a little farther from the rest of the crew and he follows, waiting to see where this was going.
Oyal stops and bites their lip, reading themselves, "I... have been lacking in my field of expertise. Due to circumstance, my stamina is at a low and while my mental well being is... bettering. My physically one needs improvements well. I mean what I said. Experience is more than theory and as such, I would like to rely on you for more experience."
Zoro sighs, "In English, please."
Oyal takes a deep breath, here goes something, "Wouldyoupleasetrainme!" they breath it all in one word.
Zoro stills for a moment, first sinking in the request brought to him, then thinking it over in his head a couple of times, getting a feel to the idea, all while Oyal sweats on the spot.
Oyal feels a chill run down their back and their palms turn sweater but they ignored it. Weak. Luffy is right, they are weak.
It doesn't matter. You won't be here for long anyway.
But... they need to be more useful to the team. While they are here at least and even after that so their own sake.
"I won't go easy, you know," his face betrays nothing.
"I know," they says barely above a whisper.
"I won't accept anything less than everything you got, understand."
"Understood."
Zoro stone face breaks into a maniacal grin, one that Oyal is sure was the last thing many of his enemies saw until they woke again in Impel Down... if they woke up again.
"Alright, then," his gaze is as merciless as the sea itself. Gone is Zoro that slept until noon and could barely write his name, and in his place awaken the demon with dimples. He looks at them like a cruel child looks at a new and shiny toy A horrible mentality...
I can't wait to break them.
OOO