Please sign here

by 2ilver8ox

Pirate King Monkey D. Luffy has agreed to go back in time some years when he was first starting out as a pirate. It is clear this decision was based due to his dead crew, no doubt he wishes to stop their demise. All details are on his contract but he has agreed to take me with him and off this godforsaken rock. (Time travel) (Fix it fic) (OC) (All anime and movies) On hiatus

18. Ocean's Navel

Hey hi hellow, so i hope ya'll had a happy holiday and a happy new year. I thought I could get a lot more writing done but… ya know… family. So with that being said here it is. I tried to be… funny. A lot of humor I suppose. So here's hoping that worked.

Okay this is also a thing. An actual anime thing that isn't even in the canon anime but in these "special episodes" Never made it to DVD from what I can tell and kinda tricky to find online. But here is a special.

Ocean's Navel

"You're a control freak."

"Negative."

"Pfffft" the other blow a raspberry, "How?!"

"... I just like to know all things happening at all times," the other calmly explained, "I would believe this gives away the right to go as far to say control freak."

"That's… exactly what a control freak is," the Luffy deadpans.

"Or a preference. I am allowed to like things, you are aware of. I don't mind differing from the story every once and awhile. As long as it is... predictable," Oyal refuses to see anything wrong in that statement, "Did I plant playing cards on their enemies to track them? Yes. Did I do the same with allies? Of course. Have they done the same with my crew members? Obviously."

"Wait, Wha-"

"But any extra steps I make to secure this preference is just precautionary, nothing that would suggest a need for control."

Luffy shakes his head, "Which is why we are making those extra stops?" using air-quotes on extra.

"This is exactly why."

While Oyal was more than ready to get to Louge Town than anyone on the ship, they could deny themselves a few stops along the way. Small uninhabited islands. Uninhabited by humans that is. For there were highly intelligent animals ready to welcome them without a moment of hesitation that lived among their islands, completely untouched by the outside world only because the government hasn't figured out a way to properly exploit them.

But Oyal has.

Luffy and Zoro have already left the ship, undoubtedly going around and bothering come cat trying to sleep in a hammock or arm wrestle a dingo. Usopp and Sanji have taken the highly intelligent animals in stride. Sanji agreeing not to cook them (after much convincing) and Usopp even kindling an artisan's bond with some of the more creative ones. Oyal and Nami are the ones to first greet their old friends, the Pengu Pirates, waiting a whole day for the rest of the Straw Hats to meet.

It gave Oyal some time to rekindle with Clubs 2 (Gaimon and friends) and discuss how Gori and her projects are coming along. Finding out Gori Illa is, in fact, a she is of little matter but the gorilla has managed to make a quick visit with the aid of the Pengu Pirates.

At the end of the day, the Straw Hats finally finished their shore leave when they get down to business. The Going Merry was parked right beside the Pengu Pirate ship, The Little Flipper, looking quite sad at the ship's difference.

"There is a lot of things I can take," Zoro growls out, "Devil Fruits. Fake gods. Bullshit magic. But-," he takes a breath, "Why is the fucking Penguin's ship bigger than ours?" Zoro's steps on the boat.

"They have better insurance?"

Zoro sends a glare to the sniper.

"Just saying," Usopp takes the first step onto the Pengu ship letting out a low whistle "Wow, Gaimon, you're looking sharp."

"Huh," Zoro stops grumbling long enough to notice, "Yeah, really taking a new step to life."

"You look ready to finally kick some ass!"

"You wouldn't need a hand, would you?"

"Guys, what the fuck am I looking at?"

"Usopp, Windchimes, please do the environment a favor and stop wasting oxygen," Oyal greets politely to her crew members, who are totally not funny and Oyal is so not finding their jokes funny, "And Sanji, this is the man I was telling you about. Mister Gaimon and his friends."

Sanji stares dumbly at the… man in front of him. He has worked on the Baratie for most his life but… nothing could have prepared him for this.

Usopp puts a hand in front of his mouth, "You're right Oyal. I think it's sickening that people are making jokes about your leg. Frankly, it's... prosthetic."

Oyal is completely in control of their emotions. They are in control of their actions. They are-

"Ptttf! Ahkakakakakaka!" Who are they kidding THESE PUNS ARE TOO GOOD! "U-Usopp! Ahkakaka! You suck!"

"Nice to meet you!" Gaimon greets happily, sicking out a… hand (can I even call it a hand?) for Sanji to shake.

Sanji's cigar falls to the floor, "I, uh, nice to meet… you, too," he takes the bushman's hand, "Um… nice grip..."

Gaimon smiles widely taking back his hand and makes the jerky metal hand scratch the back of his big bushy hair, "What? You really think so?!" asking more like a schoolgirl than an actual grown man.

Gaimon got along with the intelligent animals as well as Oyal predicted at a 95% rate of success as Gori and he became fast friends. As such, Gori took the liberty of making rudimentary arms and legs for Gaimon's box powered by springs and cranks. He has two rudimental metal stick legs connected to his feet, allowing for metal knees to bend and move with ease. The arms are at his sides but there are controls at the front of his box, allowing him to have full control of the elbows and hands at his fingertips. He looks like a tinker toy with a large crank on his back, clearly meant more for functionality use than aesthetic but Gori insists it was just a prototype.

Gaimon does a little circle with his new limb enhancers, "Look at me! I haven't been able to see this high since… well, ever!" he gives a jolly laugh.

Luffy jumps right in front of him, "You're a ROBOT!" he has sparkles in his eyes, "Can you shoot lasers? Do you have a fridge in your belly? Can you grow your hair with your nose?!"

Gaimon smirks, "Hmph, even better," he walks to a regular door, "Watch this."

He gestures to the very normal door and while most of the Straw Hats watch in bated breath, Oyal is not one of them.

Gaimon lifts one hand slowly and reaches for the doorknob…

And opens the door!

"TA-DA!"

The Straw Hats look inside… "There's nothing inside."

"Of course not!" Gaimon says gesturing back to the door, "I opened the door! I never did that before! I didn't even have doors! Pretty cool, right?!"

Sanji coughs in his hand, "It's... a thing, alright."

"That was laaaaaame!" Luffy has no problem speaking his mind.

"Hey!" the bushman explains, "You live in a box for 20 years with only your fingers to use and tell me how easy your life was!"

"We are very proud of you, Gaimon," Oyal says with a dead serious expression… is she being serious?

Gaimon smiles anyway, "Aw, come on in!" he enters the door he so opened.

It would also seem that the Pengu Pirate's ship could now hold larger animals as the two crews huddled inside the boat's interior. Usopp, Sanji, Oyal, Gaimon, Lemur, and several Pengu pirates muddled around the table as the five former took the liberty of checking the islands Lemur had mapped out for them. Zoro took a spot on the couch and started catching some Z's, rather intent on not getting involved.

Sanji picks up one of the maps, "So these are the Animal Theater islands?" strange name but hell he wasn't there to decide, "Hard to believe there are so many in one Sea."

Luffy sits incorrectly on his chair and smiles, "Yeah, they were so awesome! We had a huge party and everything!"

Oyal picks up one of the maps, "I thank your cartographer for recording these smaller islands. I'm sure Nami really-"

Nami slams open a side door stopping any and all conversation. She looks like she hasn't slept in the past 24 hours, ink covering her fingertips promising to be under her nails for weeks. Her eyes are red-shot and her hair is in a poor orange bun on her head. She stumbles into the room with no shoes and a clear aura suggesting do not to touch me.

"Done," she barks out and collapses next to a barely awake Zoro.

"Done?" Usopp asks.

Nami mumbles gesturing back to the door, already going to sleep.

"Why is she leaning on you?" Sanji hisses careful not to wake the sleeping princess, "Ah, Nami-swan, even sleep deprived you look beautiful!"

Zoro doesn't bother to answer giving a snore of his own.

Oyal goes inside the navigational room to see what she was doing, "Oh my…"

Oyal knew Nami had… reservations about using her knowledge of the East Blue. After all, she had only gained that knowledge after forcefully working under Arlong's region for the past eight years. Seeing all her maps be ripped in front of her was all she wanted it to be. Not an ounce of regret or sadness at seeing eight years of her hard work being destroyed right in front of her. She was happy.

So it was very… uncouth to see what she has been working desperately hard on for the past 24 hours.

A map.

Not just any map, however. No. This is a map of the entire East Blue.

Gaimon goes in for a closer look, "This has all the major islands here! Look here is the Gecho Islands and the Goya Kingdom! She even put villages and landscapes here!"

Luffy wipes a finger under his nose, "Nami is the best after all."

Usopp eyes widen at all the details, "She has a mind like a steel cage…"

Oyal looks to the Lemur whose jaw is on the floor, "Go get your records of the small new islands," they order, "and try not to mess it up."

Rather than be discouraged, the lemur salutes and heads off to get the maps.

The lemur jumps on the ceiling, having his tail lower him in front of the large map with pen and paper in hand. He carefully, painstakingly adds the small dots to the map, barely registering as actual islands considering their larger counterparts hang on the wall. Once down he drops himself down with flare.

Oyal takes in what is in front of them, mind going a mile a minute, "There is a pattern here."

Sanji raises a curly brow, "A pattern?"

Oyal nods, "Yes, these islands are leftovers from other islands."

"Leftovers..." sounding doubtful.

Oyal nods, "Yes. Look at them, They have no rhyme or reason to be together or made in the way they are. Too small to be so diverse in terrain. All these complex animals and livings for islands this small. The odds are impossible. Yes, impossible in that it has as much chance as a fruit fly fighting and winning against Kaido. However, for them to be islands of a larger civilization long past would make much more scene."

"So what you are saying is…" Usopp scratches his chin, "That these islands sank into the sea or something. Just disappeared."

"That is one possibility."

"One? What else could there be?"

Oyal shrugs, "They could have flown away."

Luffy jumps up at that, "More floating islands!"

Usopp blinks at them, giving a nervous laugh, "Right. Whatever you say."

"Correct," Oyal agrees eyes still focused on the map, "Whatever I say is right."

Usopp waves his hand, "Wait. No. Wrong. That's not what I meant."

"But while magma holes are not only on the Grand Line how can there be so many in the East Blue and for multiple islands?" Oyal mutters to themselves, "There should be no major sky islands here. But we did find the clouds on the first one. Could there be some in the East Blue? But wouldn't other sky islanders know of this verth? Chances are low but not improbable. The real problem is the geysers. The chances of that many large enough to push an island into the sky all to be under islands are too low. Could they have really sunk?"

"It's too late," Sanji blows a ray of smoke, "We lost the kid."

"In all my years of being on the East Blue, I have never seen anything like this," Gaimon points to the smaller islands maps from around the East Blue, "All these small uninhabited islands just don't add up, as if they just… muddled together."

"Actually," Nami surprisingly speaks up from her sleep like coma, "The distance between these islands is still off by several centimeters. Re-check your calculations on distance and the curve of the planet, Lemur boy."

Said lemur scoffs, picking up one of the smaller maps and re-checking the distancing. He picks up another, followed by another. He sweats desperately picking up one after another more until he runs out of maps and gives a depressing moan still seeing he is utterly outmatched.

"How did she even see that?" Usopp whispers, "Her eyes are closed."

"Love finds a way," Sanji replies sagely.

"THAT MAKES EVEN LESS SENSE!"

Nami smiles sadly, opening one of her eyes, "It's not your fault. I just had years to really get to know this sea."

Both Sanji and Usopp stop and share a look knowing that knowledge was not something she took particular pride in. Luffy just swings his legs back and forth as if he didn't hear a thing.

Nami looks at her map. This biggest map she had ever done. Something she should be so happy for. Something she should take great pride in! An entire Ocean at her fingertips. She had ordered Oyal to make the largest cartograph paper she could and not to bother her for the next 24 hours. She never wanted her knowledge to go to waste... yet here we are.

Her eyes glazed over as her face becoming unreadable, "Hey Oyal, how important is all this… research anyway?"

"Maybe it is all for nothing," Oyal tells it how it is, "Maybe it is everything. All I know that it is strange."

Nami's gaze is on the map but she has a faraway look in her eyes. Her eyes glazed over, deep in thought but not so lost she forgot where she is. She finally lets out a sigh, "I really can't escape this."

Oyal bites their lip, "Nami..."

Nami's bangs cover her eyes, "Don't wake me up," turning her body over. Zoro doesn't make a move at all throughout this exchange, but he does stop snoring loudly.

"Nami-swan…" Sanji says worryingly.

"She'll be fine," Oyal says. Hopefully, "I think she just needs… time."

Giamon coughs in his hands, "Well, with that out of the way," he goes back to his findings, "The gist of it all is there are more smaller islands in the East Blue than we realized. A lot of them new in fact," he picks up more papers and drops them on the table, "We found more and more animals, but no people on any of them."

Sanji frowns at this, "And here I thought the East Blue was the most peaceful of the seas."

Luffy swings his legs, "Some would say the weakest," hanging his head back, "But we know better."

Usopp frowns at this as well, "I mean, it still is peaceful but… this is just all so weird," he leans back in his chair, "I lived here my whole life and never thought it as a crazy sea but… it just seems weird that there is all this…" he waves his hand looking for a word.

"Mystery," Oyal finishes. As it was becoming more and more clear that the East Blue, while quiet and peaceful, does have its fair share of dark secrets, "All of this is not adding up. Strange animals, strange plants, strange pirates. All in the East Blue yet nobody is making a fuss over it. Like someone is trying to cover up the East Blue's importance."

Gaimon nods, "That is what I was thinking. But if ya-" his body shakes a bit, "If ya…" he grunts.

Gaimon moves his head but none of his enhance limbs reacted, "Ah, shit."

"What's wrong?" Sanji asks.

Gaimon taps his fingers to his control panel but none of the mechanical limbs moved, "Just some technical problems. Hey, can you…" he motions he head to his back, "Help a guy out?"

Sanji raises a brow, "Uh, sure," and makes his way behind the man. He takes the crank and starts turning the tinker toy handle.

With a quick re-rounding, Gaimon's limbs started moving again, "Ah, Thanks!" and makes his metal arms folding over one another in a dramatic fashion, "Like I was saying, there is more going on here than originally thought. Me and my friends have started making connections to other islands but they are in the strangest of places. There is only one thing that connects them all…"

He goes to a cabinet in the side room, taking out a pot to carefully place in the middle of the table, "These flowers."

A single pink flower.

Sanji blinks, "A flower? That's it?" sounding highly unimpressed.

Luffy shuffles near the flower, taking it all in.

"Hey, plants can tell a lot, you know," Usopp bites back, his love of plants peeking through while Luffy sniffs the in the background.

Oyal's breath gets shallow, "Do you have any more knowledge about it?"

Gaimon shakes his head, "Nope, Gori is an engineer and none of the animals dare to eat the thing. It's more like… just being around it is good enough for them?" he scratches his head, "I'm trying to translate best I can but animal language can only go so far."

"Being around it?" Sanji shakes his head, "I know you're not an expert here but that doesn't really-"

"LUFFY, SPIT THAT OUT!"

The crew's attention is on their captain as Usopp desperately tries to stop Luffy from swallowing the flower, "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS. WHAT IF IT IS POISON?"

"HMMMM FFFP HHMM!" Luffy explains, trying his damnest to swallow the unknown plant.

"God damn it," Sanji intervenes, "You can't go 10 minutes without trying to kill yourself, can you?" he marches behind his captain doing the Heimlich maneuver.

"Should I even bother turning around?" the quartermaster asks quietly.

"I never bother," the first mate responses easily.

Oyal sighs, "I think we have discussed this to its furthest possibility."

Gaimon rubs a metal hand under his nose seeing a rubberman being squish inhumanly, "And I thought I was strange."

"YOU ARE!"

While the meeting itself didn't get a lot of decisions made, Oyal was glad to rekindle with Gori and Gaimon. Their usefulness has proven invaluable. The crew took their shore leave by going out to do their own thing with several different animals and Oyal didn't bother keeping track them all. Oyal had their cards on them anyway. They will be fine.

Too many variables, not enough eyes.

They hate not knowing.

OOO

With last goodbyes, they make their way to Logue Town!

...is what they should have been doing.

They should be on their way to Logue Town. They should be making their way to the Grand Line. And they definitely should not be messing with something this… this…!

"AWESOME!"

"That is not the word I was thinking, Captain."

It started so normal. Luffy fishing. Nami mapping their course. Zoro sleeping. Sanji cutting wood. Usopp mixing chemicals. Everyone just minding their own business.

What are the odds Luffy pulls them into a rock in the middle of a fog. They can tell you. SLIM to none. At least he knew enough to feel ashamed about ruining Merry's rutter when slamming into said rock. Usopp did not take too kindly to that. But the treasure chest he managed to pull up did make Nami give a curious glance. A quick pick of the lock showing….

A skull.

"Well that was a waste," Nami grumbles throwing the skull to Usopp.

Usopp catches it by instinct, hands shaking at the sight, "DON'T THROW IT TO ME!"

"Aww… I thought it was going to be something cool!" Luffy pouts.

"There is writing on the back," Oyal points to the back of the skull from Usopp's grip.

Sanji ears pick up, "What is that noise?" he gazes over the railing.

Usopp turns the skull overseeing the markings, reading, "Plunge into the Ocean's Navel; therein lies the secret to making your dreams come true… -Captain Joke? Ocean's Navel?"

"Could it be treasure?" Nami pushes over, "If it is treasure we are totally going!"

"We should not deter from our path," Oyal disagrees, "Our goal is Louge Town. Wasting time for some fruitless treasure has no-"

"Adventure!" Luffy jumps up! "Come on! We haven't had a real surprise since that cat guy!"

"Guys?"

"You mean Kuro?" Usopp shudders, "He was more a nightmare than an adventure!"

"No, no that one with a big mouth and dumb face," Luffy pulls his jaw, "'E 'ook 'ike dis!"

"Guys!"

"El Drago, Captain."

"Yeah, we made a fortune through that tool!" Nami rubs her hands together, "What are the chances of meeting another sucker like that!"

"In this sea? Higher than you-"

"GUYS!" Sanji snaps over them all, gathering their attention, "Look!"

All the members look over the railing to where the noise of water falling could be heard. The longer they started the more the fog around them started to lift. As the fog lifted a sight started to become clearer and clearer showing a rather large fucking whirlpool in the middle of the ocean. Easily four times bigger than any whirlpool any of the regular members have ever seen. Or about the same size as the one in Jaya that Luffy has seen.

"What the hell?" Nami looks over, "It's huge!"

Usopp lets out a nervous laugh, "This guy must be a real joker if he thinks any dreams come true down there!" he looks to his fellow members for support, "Right, guys?"

"Treasure, without a doubt," their navigator cheers with Berri in her eyes.

"Mystery hole!" Luffy says equally as enraptured with sparks.

"Ah, Nami-swan is so beautiful when she is like this!" Sanji adds wistfully.

"Is this a whirlpool or a geyser? With these sizes, an island would surely be shot into the sky. Or sink into the ocean. This needs more investigation!" Oyal's eyes are threatening to be seen as they hang over the railing.

Usopp hangs his head crying, "Die. We are going to die."

Zoro lets out a particularly loud snore from Merry's other side of the ship.

Nami turns around, "Quick to the sub-barrel!"

"The what?" the others chorus.

Nami grins cheekily, "I had Gori put in a few upgrades to the Merry while we stopped," she goes around the back of the Merry and drags over about a complex looking crane and barrel with a window, "A scuba kit that allows us to go underwater to look for treasure!" she grins.

Sanji swirls in place, "Nami-swan is so smart!"

"Or desperate," Usopp mutters. Why can Zoro sleep through all this and he can't?

Nami goes under the barrel, "This secret treasure will be mine!"

Oyal goes under as well, "This will be interesting, to say the least."

Sanji follows, "I will protect you, my dear! ...and Oyal."

"Thanks."

"Don't you dare smoke in this thing!" Nami elbows Sanji hard enough to make him drop his cigarette.

Sanji grunts but quickly smiles, "The whip of your love is wonderful-!" Nami knocks him in the head with a fist.

"When and how did she put this in," Usopp gallery at the contraption. He may not own Merry but he would like to know when new features are added.

"Doesn't matter!" Luffy chirps already grabbing the handle, "Let's go!" and starts cranking.

Oyal takes the liberty to look out the window as the barrel is lifted over the sea, "Luffy, you may commence," speaking calmly into the transmitter, which was a horn connected to a hose.

"Roger!" Luffy shouts as he started pulling the crank the other way, "Man, I wanted to ride down there too."

Usopp folds his arms, "Well maybe next time you shouldn't BREAK YOUR SHIP!" as he goes back to working on Merry's rutter.

Nami, Sanji, and Oyal are lowered into the sea without ceremony, going deeper in the dark waters.

Luffy gets bored immediately just spinning the wheel, even though it is his foot to do all the work, "Man, I'm bored. Not to mention hungry. And thirsty," he sighs, looking longingly at the whirlpool.

A shadow crosses his line of sight. He looks up to see... a bottle.

Make that a bunch of bottles. All flying with little parachutes in the sky coming right out of the navel.

Luffy looks up with a smile, "A bunch of drinks! Flying this way!" as he grabs one easily, "Don't mind if I do!" popping the bottle open, "Bottoms up!" and takes a deep chug of the drink.

"...Eh?" nothing came out as he takes the bottle off his lips and looks into, "Huh?" as a single piece of paper was in.

"We have just breached the whirlpool," the little horn on the crank voices Oyal's voice, "There appears to be a ground floor.

Luffy tries putting his finger in the bottle. He only manages to get a few inches before his finger gets stuck.

"Luffy are you there?" Oyal calls out, "We have found a large cavity inside the Ocean's navel and are now descending into the abyss."

They waited for a response, "Luffy?" no response, "Please, continue lowering us."

Luffy tries to get his finger unstuck but it only stretches his rubbery finger, "Okay! Okay!" distracted by his finger's mishap. Not noticing the crank was moving faster…. and faster… and faster.

Great, now, it's out of control. Nice going, Luffy! He had one job!

"Shit!" Luffy tries to stop it with his foot. Doesn't work. Both feet, then! Oops, now his lower half of his rubbery body goes along with the crank. Okay, just got to stay calm and "AAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Screams from the horn accompany his, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"LUFFY, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING! THIS IS TOO FAST!"

"Luffy we are having a slight problem, but please try to remain calm."

"WE'RE FALLING!"

Luffy intelligently response with "AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" as he is too busy spinning out of the control to offer any assistance.

"LUFFY!" Usopp jumps up on Merry's railing, trying to grab on to the boy, "I got you, Luffy!" only to grab on to his upper body as his lower kept spinning out of control, "The crank is going to fast! It's going to-"

Breaks. Rope, horn, and all break off too. Because, ya know, why not.

The rope slips right from the crank, over Merry's mast and aimed right into the navel.

"SHIT!" Luffy grabs at the rope at the last minute from falling. Screams continue to come from the barrel. Well, make that only one scream. Nami is panicking. Sanji just looks out the window, kinda accepting the situation. Oyal counts to ten 6 times. The usual.

"LUFFY!"

He shoots his aim right at the rope, grabbing it by the last of its end, "GOT IT!" his rubbery arm pulled over the mast himself.

Usopp lets out a sigh of relief, "That was too close."

Luffy lets out one too. He really almost fucked it up right there. His first real adventure in forever and he almost made a mess out of the whole thing. Yeah, not going to happen. He knows better than to let a ridiculous... drink stop him! He glares at the source of all his troubles.

His finger is still stuck in the bottle!

The horn makes several noises, "Report: we are safe, we seem to be in a pirate ship graveyard."

"Probably came for the treasure," Nami mutters, "Seems more dangerous than we thought."

A crash is heard. Sanji kicks the bottom of the barrel, getting a foot out. He pops his head upside down, to hear an obnoxious laugh, "Who the-?"

Nami and Oyal join him upside down as they stare a the source of the laughter. An ugly brown bat with an earring.

Oyal grabs the horn again, "Report: we have encountered a talking bat… he is claiming that we are in the pirate graveyard and will die seeking the treasure. Evil laughter is to be noted."

Usopp and Luffy look at the horn with various expressions.

"Talking bat?" Usopp whispers.

"Cool," Luffy loudly whispers.

Oyal continues, "He says he guides the pirates to the treasure of the Ocean's Navel. He warns us to move."

Loud crashing is heard.

"Report: there seems to be a larger figure in the distance. About as large as a seaking if not larger. Several tentacles. Serpent-like body. Large teeth, red eyes. Monstrous, if you will," the monotone voice being far too calm in their description.

"LUFFY, PULL US UP! PLEASE!" Nami shouts grabbing the horn from the kid, "WE ARE IN TROUBLE!"

Usopp gasps, "We gotta pull them up quick!" he looks at the broken crank, "SHIT! WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?!"

Luffy pulls his arm from Merry's mast, "The old fashion way," and starts pulling.

"Good job, Luffy" Usopp gives a thumbs up, "Glad, I thought of it!"

"The process would have been a lot faster if the stupid bottle wasn't there to get in the way!"

"Hey, guy," Zoro comes up the stairs yawning, "What's with all the yelling?" taking in the scene before him, "What are you guys doing?"

"We are trying to save them!" Usopp points to the rope over the edge, "While you have been sleeping this whole time!"

"Hey, Zoro!" Luffy smiles still pulling with one hand now... it's very impressive actually, "Do you know how to get a bottle off a finger," showing his bottle hand.

Zoro raises a brow. He walks over to Luffy to take ahold of the bottle.

"Yeah, I can help," he says confidently. He carefully puts it on the railing and puts his foot on it.

Luffy smiles his big old smile, relief evident on his face. He turns away for only a second, "Thank, Zoro! I don't know what I-"

Only to turn back to see the pleasant image of Zoro raising an ax high in the air.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Both Usopp and Luffy scream as Zoro brings the ax down on the bottled finger.

"AHHHH!" Luffy miraculously pulls his finger away just in time for the ax to come down.

"What? You pulled it out?" Zoro asks, confused clearly written over his innocent face.

"ZORO, YOU PSYCHO!" Even Luffy has his limits on crazy and damn if Zoro couldn't beat him on some levels. He holds his finger with his other hand carefully, making sure it is safe from his friend.

Usopp takes fifty steps back from the first mate, "Merciless. He is merciless."

Zoro lifts the ax, seeing the piece of paper in the bottle, "What do we have here? Some kind of note?" he takes it out easily.

"Oooooooh!" Luffy leans over, "Let me see! Let me see!" already forgiven and forgotten.

"Can you read it?" Zoro replies dryly.

Luffy stops leaning in, "Hmmm... How about you read it?"

Zoro looks at the paper, "Uhhhh…"

"THE BOTH OF YOU!" Usopp snatches the paper, "Really, didn't they teach you anything in your homes. Even I made an effort to read in Syrup. So irresponsible," he chides taking a look at the paper himself.

"... I can't read this either."

"Haha! Usopp's dumb!" Luffy mocks.

"It's in another language!" Usopp bites back.

"Excuses,"

"It's a legit excuse!" Usopp stops, realizing something, "Wait... if your here," he points to Zoro, "...and you're there," he points to Luffy, "...and I'm here," pointing to himself, "...then who's holding the rope!"

All three boys look at the forgotten rope to see the tail ends of it falling back into the navel.

"Uh-oh…"

Meanwhile… on the ground floor.

Oyal watches as the rest of the rope fell right next to the abandoned barrel, "Well, it looks like we are stuck here for now."

Sanji stands on top of his prey, an ugly green squid monster that he took down with one kick. Despite 10 extra limbs, its soft vulnerable head left it easy for an attack.

He takes a light, "Should have known better to leave Luffy in charge," blowing some steam, "At least he can have octopus steak for lunch."

"Technically Luffy is in charge," Oyal counter, "Like all the time."

"Now if I have anything say about it," Nami smiles, "At least I have someone to count on."

Sanji starts to twirl, "Oh Nami-swURK!" his praise interrupted by a single tentacle grabbing unto him and trying to crush him.

Both Nami and Oyal look with panicked faces, "Sanji!"

Nami gets her bo out, "That thing is still alive?" The strange creature head reformed as it got up. Like some kind of plush doll. A horrifying, disgusting push doll of death, but a plushie nonetheless!

Oyal takes out their paper stars, "It seems more modifiable than we originally thought," they should have known that was too easy. It is never this easy.

Problem was while both crewmembers were more than willing to fight, they are both smart enough to know they don't have a chance in hell taking on that thing. They were supported at most at this level. Sanji was the only hard hitter with them and with the rest of the crew topside their chances of making an impact were slim. They needed a plan! If only-

The Going Merry lands right on top of the serpent.

The creature gives out a horrible inhumane scream, head caving back into its skull. The Going Merry dips deeper into the monster's skull… deeper and deeper… almost as if-!

POP!

The creature's head explodes like a balloon, it's tentacle body dropping a prone Sanji and falling to the floor like a bunch of broccoli.

"WE HAVE COME TO KICK ASS!"

"I - I CAN'T BELIEVE WE JUST DID THAT!"

"I am not drunk enough for this."

Nami puts down her bo and looks at the ship, "Of course…" her head falling in her hand, "Just what was that guy doing up there?"

Oyal unravels their origami, "Dramatic timing as always, captain," walking towards the fallen Sanji.

Evil laughter echoes around them, putting them all on edge. The crew did a quick look around ready for any attack that might come. The squid might be certainly dead but it could also have backup.

"Beautiful! What a show!" the crew whips their head to see a certain ugly talking bat, "Now, onto the treasure!" he flaps around.

"Treasure!" Beris shines in Nami's eyes as she smiles widely, "He's right, we can't sit here all day!"

"Ohhh! A talking bat!" Luffy laughs, jumping up, "Let's keep it!"

"NO! STAY BACK!" the bat flutters away trying to keep his distance from a very rubbery arm.

"How 'bout I eat you then?"

"THAT'S WORSE!"

"Is no one going to question why that bat is talking? No one? Just me? Okay," Usopp starts climbing down from the Merry.

Sanji lights up another cigarette, "Nami-swan," catching Nami's attention, "why don't you go on ahead," he smiles weakly, "I'm going to rest here a bit."

Nami furrows her brow, "Sanji… are you okay?" she asks, concern slipping through her face.

Sanji smiles easily, "Of course. Don't worry."

"Doubt," Oyal kneels next to him.

Zoro jumps from the Merry seeing Nami and Sanji, "Are you guys, okay?"

"Yeah, Sanji got the worst of it though," Nami replies back.

"Hmph, leave the guy who can't even take on a squid by himself," Zoro grunts, "Real smooth, cook."

"SHUT IT, MOSS HEAD!"

"Hey, I'm guiding here!" an annoyed bat calls getting further and further away as the rubber boy continues his pursuit.

Nami gives one last look behind her, "We'll be back. Take care of Sanji, Oyal."

Sanji smiles back, "Thank you, my darling!" trying to raise a hand but stops out of pain.

"Come on, Usopp," Nami grabs the other by the hand as both start running after Luffy in haste, "I'm not taking him on alone!"

"Actually Nami, I think I'm having following-talking-bat-itis and it's very contagious and I think I'll be more useful back on the ship and taking care of the Going Merry's rutter and-"

"It's not the bat I'm worried about!" Nami tugs again, "You have to help me reign in Luffy!"

Usopp blinks, looking behind Nami's shoulder seeing his captain Gum Gum Pistol the sky only to miss the bat and hit a pirate ship destroying the whole thing.

"... Fine. But I'm going to complain the whole way," and with that, they are off!

Now that Nami was out of sight, Sanji lets his easy smile fall, "Man, I can't move a muscle,"

Oyal kneels next to him, "Of course not, that squid had you in a tight hold."

"I thought chefs were supposed to cook food not get beaten up by it."

"Why don't you take your swords and stick them-" before Sanji could make this fic's rating go u, Oyal taps his shoulder.

"Show me your wounds."

Sanji stares at the kid for a bit… then lifts up his shirt just a bit without a word.

He doesn't really know how to act around Oyal. While his eyes tell him girl, in his heart, he knows that isn't really the case. With boys, they are a second priority. He likes hanging out with Usopp or Luffy, not Zoro because he is stupid. He can have fun with them and even mess with them without worry. Girls are different, they are goddesses and deserve such respect. But Oyal isn't a girl… but... they aren't a boy either. They are young and not something on his radar of romance or rival.

Just… a person? No, that makes it sound they are strangers. Perhaps...

He flinches at their cold hands. They tie his ribs with some paper gauze with robot-like precision unaware or unbothered by any discomfort they may be showing Sanji. Just doing.

Zoro looks over the horizon as another fog starts to lift, "Get up, princess," he grumbles over his shoulder, "There's a town over there."

And so there was.

"Who you calling princess, ogre?" With Sanji sucking it up, the trio started making the way to the run-down, but surprisingly not empty, village. Could have fooled me, the windows were covered and the streets looked deserted with no signs of life. No color either will white walls and dirt roads. It looked… primitive. LIke a relic from older times.

As they walked near the edge of town they did see signs of life as a single figure runs across the street into a lone building in the sea part of with underwater navel.

"Might as well bother them," Zoro grumbles.

The lone building was across a delicate bridge leading straight to a wooden door. Oyal politely knocks.

"What the-?!" the door violently jerks open, showing a purple-haired girl at the forefront and a brown-haired boy in the back, "What do you think you are-"

Her eyes widen at the three, taking in their strange attire compared to her own homemade makeshift clothes. The boy looks on hopefully at the three, as the girl glares with suspicion, "Who are you three?" taking in their clothes, "You… you aren't from around here. Are you from the surface?"

Straight to the point. "We are. And we were wondering..." Oyal means to continues but it is time to cue a rather large shadow covering them. All five turn to see a giant crab monster looming over all five of them.

"Of course, this would happen," Sanji sighs.

"It wouldn't be so bad if we had breakfast this morning," Zoro mutters.

The boy has tears in his eyes as he is the only one left with some common sense, "RUN!"

They all take running down the bridge as huge claw rams the building. Only two of them screaming, the other three annoyed. The giant claw comes down right behind them, breaking the bridge into splinters.

As the claw gets closer only one of them turns around.

"Okay, enough of this," the swordsman stops at the edge of the bridge, his swords drawn and faces the incoming claw, ready for impact.

CLANG!

Air swirled past Zoro as he stops the claw with a single sword. The wind breaks the bridge behind him but somehow it's able to hold the weight of Zoro and the beast.

"He's a monster!" the two civilians look back in awe.

"Nah, just a showoff," Sanji explains clearly unimpressed.

Zoro pushes the monster back giving him time to take out another sword, "Damn crab..." he makes his move as the monster gives a loud roar, "How much seafood are we going to have to fight down here?"

The attack hits head-on. The lobster monster giving one last scream before falling back into the ocean.

"Amazing!" The boy yells, "You really came to save us, haven't you?!"

All three of them look back at the two, "What?"

"I'm sorry but I think there is a misunderstanding here-" Oyal's stomach gives a loud rumble.

Sanji tenses at the noise, "You didn't eat your snacks this morning, did you?"

"I am unaware of what you are talking about."

"I made you snacks this morning from your leftover dinner."

"I… do not have to answer that."

"Oyal," for the first time sounding serious.

"We have food!" the boy says quickly.

Zoro, Sanji, and Oyal star at the boy. Up close he wasn't much to look at. Very plain with a tuff of brown hair and thick eyebrows. Larger ears and a thicker nose than most but still nothing to do a double take on. He was probably older than most of the kids they have met but still young.

"Hamu, don't just give out food!" the older girl yells. She was a young woman, around Nami's age perhaps with purple hair and navy blue eyes. Besides the hair, she seemed quite simple with similar makeshift cloths as the boy. Neither look like fighters but more scavengers.

Sanji twirls straight past the boy to the woman, "If it does not intrude the young lady dinner sounds perfect!"

"Again, not drunk enough for this."

Long story short the two have least let them talk it over over dinner. The purple haired girl, Meroie, has them sit in a run-down building but has plates of food ready. While the boy, Hamu, desperately asks them questions.

Meroie puts another plate in front of the green-haired man as he wolves down his meal, "So you guys didn't come to save us because of his note."

Zoro shakes his head, "Couldn't read it," much to the boy's dismay.

"You can't read?" Sanji asks eating at a slower pace, "Not that I am surprised or anything."

"I CAN READ!"

Oyal gives him a look.

"I CAN!"

"Right," Sanji says slowly and airy turning his attention to the girl, "I am sorry my dear, but us coming here was all circumstance. We actually came here looking for a treasure."

"Treasure… does that mean you are…" Meroie takes a step back, letting the word hang off as if expecting the worst.

Both men sense the tension in the room, "We are pirates," Oyal answers for all of them.

Hamu takes a step back as well, "I thought you could fight alongside me..." he looks down dejectedly, "I thought you could be the people we needed," as tears start to fill his eyes, "But…" he runs out the door, "You're just a bunch of pirates!"

"Hamu!" the older girl calls out as he leaves.

Zoro continues to eat at a slower pace as Sanji sits quietly, knowing better than to offer a defense. What was there to defend? They are what they are.

"So dramatic," Oyal mutters.

The girl glares at all of them, "You have to leave. Right now! We despise pirates here," the three watch as she continues her tirade, "Everyone shares the same hatred for pirates."

Sanji takes a breath of his cigar, "Pirates we may be, it would be very rude to have an eat and run."

Even Zoro put down his meal, "Even pirates known when to repay a debt."

The girl looks down, face conflicted.

Oyal takes that opportunity of doubt, "Can you please explain the situation at least? These events are unprecedented."

The girl's face clears, repulsion showing through, "You are strong," she points out the window and then stars her sad tale of their town. Of how 10 years ago, Captain Joke came to the Ocean's Navel and ravaged their city and the people. They went to the Mountain of God and awakened the Wrath of God where they unleashed the Beasts of God leaving the town unable to connect to the outside world.

"So that's why they hate pirates, " Sanji answers the unspoken question.

"That's a lot of things God owns," Oyal mumbles under their breath, "Can't bother to make better names?"

"Beast of God?" Zoro repeats, "Like the one I just killed?"

Meroie nods, "Yes. So even though you are pirates. Is there a chance you would help us?"

"Well, you did give us a meal," Zoro hums.

Sanji kicks him in the head, "What kind of answer is that?! You suppose to say absolutely," he goes back into his full suave mode, "My dear, it would be an honor to help someone as beautiful as yourself."

Oyal folds their hands, "An underwater civilization with its own religion going violent. Interesting," they look at the still open door, "The boy said he was looking for a crew, correct?"

Meroie nods, "A nakama really. His mother died all those years ago, so now I take care of him," she looks out the window towards the Mountain of God, "She was the chief of the village so she alone took the responsibility of stopping Captain Joke and his men. She went up the mountain and never came down. Now he is looking for revenge over his mother."

Sanji lets out a breath of smoke, "What a fool."

Meroie smiles, "He is the biggest fool in the village," she turns away from the window, "Trying to get revenge on long-dead pirates."

"You say he is dead," Oyal points out, "Despite your chief never coming back to tell the tale."

"I don't care if he's dead or alive. I just hope he is cursed," Meroie spats, "Sometimes… I can still hear his laughter."

OOO

Any dramatic evil laughter that would have been perfect was replaced with a new, much more pleasant laughter, "SHISHISHISSHISHISHISHI!"

Luffy easily climbs up the mountain following an annoyed bat, "Are we there yeeeeeet?"

"I told you a million times, it's at the top of the mountain!" the talking bat shouts back.

Nami and Usopp follow behind at a safe distance, "You get used to it," both chorus.

"I can't believe how easy this is," Usopp comments climbing over another rock, "Climb a mountain and get some treasure. What a steal!"

The bat giggles hanging upside down at an old rock formation, "It is not going to be that easy! You still have two monsters to fight on your way up," he gives another evil laugh at Usopp's jaw dropping to the floor.

Nami grabs the bat's cheeks and pulls, "And why didn't you mention this before?!" letting them go to slap the rodent's face.

"Because you never asked," he weakly defends.

"Ah, who cares!" Luffy shouts, "I'll just beat them up! Let's go!"

Nami sighs, shaking her head, "What a careless guy," but makes a grin of her own, "But he's right! There's treasure that needs plundering! Let's go!"

Usopp watches as the two climb with new vigor, "Those two are crazy," he jumps to join them, "but so am I!"

OOO

Meroie leads them to the edge of town, "If you keep walking this way, you will reach the Mountain of God."

Sanji blows another string of smoke in the pouring rain, "Until we meet again my dear!" and takes her hand in his.

"How is it even raining here? Is this…" Oyal sticks out their tongue, "Just sea water? From above?"

Zoro huffs, "Let's just get this over with," he took only a few steps when a familiar face showed itself, "LOOK OUT!" Pushing Oyal a few paces back as he took the full brunt of the giant crab leg coming at him. Smashing him into the wall.

"Zoro? Are you okay?" Oyal asks looking behind in actual shock.

Even Sanji grits his teeth at the sight, "I've had enough of this guy."

The crab-lobster, while wounded, apparently just ran away last time. This time it has come back with a vengeance,

"Shoot."

Zoro looks back, sword already in his mouth, "Hey, I know we're fighting here but watch the fucking language."

Oyal refuses to react to that hypocrisy, "How are you even talking?" she almost spats back at the swordsman.

Zoro turned back to the fray, "With my heart."

Meroie just now starts questioning the sanity of this crew.

Sanji takes one look at the crab getting his legs in gear, "Why you mangy-"

"Stand back!" A gruff voice yells, Zoro grabbing all three swords, "He's my prey."

The crab yells sending another claw a Zoro, which he blocks easily, "You two," he grits out holding his position, "Get to the mountain already. "

Sanji huffs, "Trying to show off muscle head?"

Zoro pushing the giant clash back long enough to get out of the way, "You couldn't handle the last one then-"

A foot to the face stops that line of thought, "I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT I CAN HANDLE!" Sanji felt his eye twitch, "Just stay out of my way!"

"YOU'RE IN MY WAY!"

"A minute."

"Oyal?" Meroie looks to the kid.

"That beast will survive a minute."

"A… A minute?" Meroie shouts, "That is a Beat of God! I don't care how strong you think you are! No one is about to take on something that large-"

"They say they got this, then they got this," Oyal simple puts it, "And we have been talking for about 50 seconds so…" they point up.

To see Zoro and Sanji jumping from the beast's shoulders straight to its head.

"IF ANYONE IS GOING TO BE TAKING THIS THING DOWN-"

"-IT'S NOT GOING TO BE YOU!"

Sanji and Zoro respectively slam foot and sword right at the beast neck, giving a good clean beheading, befitting only to the highest of honors.

"I said he was my prey!" an uninjured swordsman spats.

"It's only your prey if you make the killing blow," the chef says smoothly, "Clearly you weren't focusing."

"I cut off its head!"

"Not before I kicked it off!"

"They're… still arguing…" Meroie barley utters.

"Yup," Oyal starts heading to the mountain, "They'll eventually catch up. Let's go."

Meroie looks behind her once more to the two men before following. She didn't notice as a certain brown haired boy follows the two making their way to the mountain.

OOO

"Caves?"

The bat laughs, "That's right! In one of these caves lies the treasure."

Nami and Usopp look at one another. A silent agreement that this is obviously a death trap but also agreeing that they are kinda used to walking into those at this point.

"This place looks pretty cool!" Luffy enters the death trap cave.

Usopp bends down checking the markings on the floor, "This is a map of the cave? It's like some kind of maze."

"That means the treasure is at the center of the cave," Nami points to the circular middle.

The bat laughs annoying again, "Good guess. That is if you can make it through the maze."

Usopp puts his hands on his hips, overconfidence showing yet again, "Easy! If we hit a wall all we have to do is turn back," he gives a thumbs up, "We will find the right path sooner or later."

The bat takes a ceiling arch to hang down from giggling, "If you can find the right path!" as an ominous sound comes from down one of the halls.

The two waited in bated breaths as the thunderous sounds started getting closer and closer. Neither willing to move as the cave walls started to shakes from the force itself. Until the source of said noises made its debut.

Nami pales at the sight, "You have got to be-"

"-Kidding me," Usopp finishes, jaw on the floor.

There a giant blood-red sea urchin rolls down the hallway. Spikes clinging to each side puncturing the floor and walls like they were swiss cheese.

"Hehe, it's a sea urchin," Usopp said with a pleasant smile.

"That it is," Nami shares his pleasantries, "What a surprise."

They both look behind them to seeing the missing silhouette of a certain powerhouse.

"And Luffy is gone."

"So he is."

"Well, then shall we?"

"After you."

And it was the greatest dignity that both individuals start running down screaming from the oncoming urchin.

The bat laughs and laughs seeing the sight before him. It would be almost ominous if he wasn't interrupted.

"Excuse me."

The bat jumps as two heads enter the cave. One grey-headed and another purple.

"..."

"... they went that way."

"Thank you," as the child and young woman start making their way inside.

The bat raises a brow, "This is so not worth the trouble," flying inside as well, not bothering to stay to see a third party enter.

Oyal and Meroie make their way deeper into the cave, a second set of feet tapping right behind them. Oyal really shouldn't bother. Their calculations don't give a guarantee that meddling will show a positive outcome.

They take a quick look behind them as they round the corner. Yup. Still following them.

Maybe-

"-RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT!"

-maybe they could finish their thought if they stop being run over...

"Captain," Oyal calmly greeted from the floor as their captain barrels right over them.

"Hi, Oyal!" Luffy greets back, dipping his feet into the ground he is able to stretch himself to stop. Right in front of a terrified Hamu.

Luffy tilts his head, "Who's the kid?"

"Hamu?!" Meroie yells, blessed her to not have been in the rubber boy's path, "What are you doing here?"

"USOPP, KEEP RUNNING!"

"I COULD RUN FASTER IF YOU GET OFF MY SHOULDERS!"

"DON'T BE RIDICULOUS! JUST KEEP LEFT!"

Usopp enters the corridor, Nami riding his shoulders as a rather large sea urchin gains right behind them.

Hamu and Meroie shake at the sight, "It's… another Beast of God!"

"It would seem Nami and Usopp have had their fun," Oyal states.

"Yup!" Luffy grins walks up to the oncoming mess.

Hamu stops shaking at that, "What are you doing, you moron?!" being held back by Meroie, "RUN! You are going to be killed!"

Luffy ignores him still walking.

"LUFFY! Where have you been, you ass?!"

"Don't worry about it Luffy! I got this all under-" Usopp runs right past him, "What? You got this? Okay, I give you my permission!"

Usopp and Nami collapse once past the teen, "Safe!"

"Is… he going to be okay?" Meroie asks, "Your others had to team up last time and we are in a corridor-"

"That thing is creepy!" Usopp gasps out still on the floor.

"It's horrifying," Nami nods a shiver going down her spine, "Just looking at it makes my skin crawl."

Both look over the bat at each other, "But…" both said in unison looking at their captain, "It doesn't have a chance."

"Gum Gum..." Luffy pulls an arm back, a smile perfectly in place.

The beast got closer rushing towards them- "PISTOL!"

WHAM!

One hit kill. Fist missing every single spike, aiming right for the center. The beast makes a dead stop, wiggling as the impact starts to resonate. They could get a good look at the skulls and bones littering its body where past prey where left to decay on its spikes. It screams an inhumane noise as it cries out its last breath.

Arm returning Luffy grins, "Alright, next!"

"LUFFY, WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!" Nami grabs the bastard by the throat and starts shaking him, "YOU LEFT US WITH THAT THING WHOLE YOU GET LOST IN A MAZE!"

"U-U-Usopp said to k-k-keep ri-i-ight," Luffy stuttered through the head shakes.

"Oh no, do not try to blame this on me!" Usopp shouts poking Luffy's head with every head shake, "You're the one who ran off and STILL BROKE THE RUTTER!"

"Seriously running in random directions!"

Usopp shakes his head, "What can you expect. He is almost as bad as Zoro when it comes to directions."

Luffy whips his head at Usopp, only his neck shaking under Nami's grip as his head kinda… floats, "I'm not that bad!"

"Hmmm… yeah, you're right. That's too far."

"These pirates…" Meroie starts.

"Aren't normal…" Hamu finishes.

Hamu looks with a confused expression at the interactions in front of him. Are these really pirates?

Meroie does a double take, "Hamu! You shouldn't be here! It's dangerous!"

Hamu shrinks at first but quickly recovers, "YOU'RE HERE!" he snaps back, "I wasn't going to leave you with some pirates all the way at God's Mountain!"

"Ahem," Oyal fake coughs in their hand, "If anyone cares, they treasure is down this corridor."

Nami lets go eyes directing to the passageway, "OUT OF THE WAY!"

Usopp slumps, "Here we go again," following the other.

Oyal looks to Luffy being left behind. Then to Hamu. A thought crosses Oyal's mind.

Fuck it.

"Hamu is looking for nakama to defeat Joke."

Hamu's body goes straight into defensive mode, "You…! Shut up!" he barks, "You don't know anything! You're just pirates!"

Luffy gives the boy a blank stare, "You wanted nakama?"

Hamu grits his teeth, "I am looking!"

Luffy's blank stare turns into a big smile, "Then you have to show them what you are made out of!"

"Huh?"

"If you want your nakama to believe in you… then show them your strength!"

Hamu looks back at Meroie then back at Luffy, "My strength…."

Luffy leans down, utterly not necessary as the boy isn't that much shorter than Luffy. But this was an experienced man talking to a child after all, "That's how you find nakama," he knows better than anyone he can't do a lot but for what he can do… well, he just has to be the best at what he can do.

"So let's go, alright!" he whines, all seriousness gone entering the last corridor.

Somewhere, the sound of a bat laughing echoes as the party enters the final cave. Shattered bones lay all around them as the cave opens to a larger room. It is circular with a tall temple in the middle where a waterfall covers the top. Underneath the waterfall is a glowing red light that illuminates the entire room.

"This must be the place," Nami eyes the red glowing object at the top of a staircase, "Yes! That treasure is as good as mine!"

"These appear to be pirate bodies," Oyal notes on the skeleton clothing, "Must be Captain Joke's crew."

"W-What took them all out at once?" Usopp shutters at all the bones around them.

"Lame!" Luffy shouts following the two.

The two villagers move to follow but Hamu looks at a certain skeleton on the floor. One that is wearing an eccentric captain's coat and lying on it's back.

He grabs Meroie's arm, "It's… him."

"Hamu," she stops next to him, "What's wrong?"

The bat hangs unnoticeably on the ceiling. He starts to grin. Just around this time, the last piece enters the room. He starts to laugh. Another piece of a puzzle is placed.

"Did…" Usopp stops and looks back down at one of the skeletons. This one, in particular, that is near the altar and nearly perfectly preserved beside a missing head, "Did… Did that skeleton just grow an arm…" he looks closer, "and a gun?!"

Hamu looks down as well and hears the bat laugh. The ungodly, annoying, terrible laugh, "Captain… Joke!"

The bat disappears in a gust of red dust, ending the horrible laughter.

"Well, that's… usual," Oyal severely understates.

"Oh no, he doesn't!" Nami runs up the rest of the staircase, "No bullshit magic is stopping me from getting that treasure!"

She is a few feet away from the red glow-!

"NAMI, LOOK OUT!"

Nami has only a half a second to understand what was being said before Luffy tackles her to the ground. Right behind her is a shot like a cannon as both she and Luffy hit the ground. The explosion causes the entire altar to shake making everyone on it fall in humorous fashion.

Well, it would have been humorous if a certain object didn't fall out of Usopp's bag.

Clunk- Clunk- Clunk- all way the way down the stairs at the feet of the assailant.

A mostly formed skeleton bends down to pick up the skull and place it on its head. He readjusts slightly so it fits just right. Once fitted, their sockets glow red and a horrible smile forms on their jaw bone making a horrible laugh.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! Behold! My body, my arms, my legs, they're all back!" the skeleton opens his arms in demonstration, "Those bastards had it all separated!" he shoots another round of bullets making everyone dodge for cover, "I never expected you guys to get them all. But thanks to you... now, I'm revived! HAHAHAHAHAHA-"

"Brook?!"

Any and all evil laughter dies from the interruption, "What you call me?"

"Luffy, that's. NOT. Brook!" Oyal stresses each word like they were pulling teeth.

Luffy gets up in a sitting position on the stairs, "Hmmmmmm," making a very serious thinking face, "You're right!" he concludes, "He doesn't have an afro!"

"There are about 3,089 better reasons than that one," Oyal carefully gets up as well, closer to the bottom, "But yes, he does not have an afro."

"WHY DID YOU HAVE THE SKULL IN YOUR PURSE?!" Nami sits up pointing at Usopp.

"I… must have put it in there by accident?" Usopp gives a weak smile.

"No, tripping is an accident. Saying a name wrong is an accident," Nami points her finger right at his nose, "Putting a skull in your bag is an action!"

"Well, excuse me!" he slaps her hand away, "I'm not the one who throws skulls at people in the first place!"

The skeleton guy glares at the teens, "You four!" he spats, "Have been a thrown in my side for far too long!" he cocks his gun, "I'm going to take great pleasure and taking you all out!"

"Huh?" Luffy raises a brow, "You're wrong. We just met."

"No I have been with you the entire time," the skeleton grins.

"Nope," Luffy pops the p, "Pretty sure I remember seeing a walking talking skeleton. What are you, stupid?" which coming from Luffy is quite the insult.

"I WAS THE BAT, YOU MORON!"

"This is all a dream," Usopp falls back on the stairs, "We ran into a rock and I passed out. There is no navel. There is no talking bat. And there is no talking skeleton. This is all a dream!"

"Dream-Sheam. I want my treasure!" Nami stands up again, "And no dollar store Halloween decoration is going to stop me!"

"Don't you see?!" his shouts echoing off of the cave, "For these past 10 years, I have endured. For this day. For power! The SECRET OF THE OCEAN'S NAVEL!"

"Man, this guy just won't shut up, will he?"

"That's quite a bold statement for you, Usopp," Oyal side eyes to the teen right next to them.

Usopp shrugs, "Oh no, I am still in a state of denial that there is an actual walking talking skeleton in front of my eyes," he goes back to the scene in front of him, "When that sinks in I am going to be a mess."

"Duly noted."

"JOKE!" A young scream echoes back throughout the cave.

Joke turns around at the voice, "You called?" he says shooting right at the sound.

Meroie runs for cover, "Hamu, run!"

The kid dodges, running away but eventually ran out of room to run, covering his head under his hands.

Joke also runs out of bullets at the time, clicking only to produce nothing, "Lucky kid," reloading his weapon, "But I have plenty more where that came from!"

Gun reloaded, he turns it to see the kid gone. He raises an eyebrow... socket?

"JOKE!" the kid had managed to climb the side of the stairs behind him, coming in for an upper attack. With a rusty sword.

It does very little as Joke swats him away, landing a few feet away from the steps and awfully close to the demonic skeleton.

"Should we help?" Usopp learns over as all four Straw Hats sit nicely on the stairs.

"Nah," Luffy waves his hand, "It seems personal."

Joke just laughs, "To think that there are still people in the village with the courage to face me! Come to think of it, I think I've seen you before," as Hamu tries to get up laughs even harder at the pathetic sight before him, "That's right, you're that kid! Since that time…" he puts his loaded gun under Hamu's face, "You've gotten a bit braver, huh? I bet you're here to avenge your mother, aren't you? That foolish woman who tried to take me on alone."

Hamu grits his teeth refusing to show fear, "Yeah, I bet you'd like to see it," Joke says softly, "That woman's final moments. You're mother's final moments," he looks the boy right in the eyes, "Take a good look."

He sends both of them into a different world. A world of gunpowder and death.

"YOU'RE WRONG!" Hamu yells through the images, "I… I haven't come to avenge my mother!" he breathes heavily trying to focus, "My mother fought alone for the sake of the town," he regains balance on his feet, "When she set out alone, she knew it'd be useless. That's why I've been looking for nakama to fight by my side!" he lifts his sword definitely, "So that I could protect the town as my mother did!"

Luffy couldn't help but let a grin slip on his face at that answer.

Joke glances down at his prey, "Nakama?" he gives a huge laugh, "Much good that will do you," he gestures to the decayed pirate bones around them, "Look around. This world is filled with nothing but traitors!" his gaze falls back to the boy right in front of him, "So we've both been enduring something for the past 10 years," he lifts his gun to the kid's face, the only thing between him and his treasure as far as he is concerned, "Let's finish this. The one left standing. Will it be me? Or will it be you?"

Hamu trembles at the sight, forcing his body to stop shaking, "Mother, lend me your courage..." his back to the treasure, shining red, now… it turns blue.

At his words the entire cave turns into a pale blue light, changing the entire atmosphere of the room.

Joke puts his other a hand to his head never letting his gun down, "What's... this light?"

He sees something…

He sees her.

"No, you can't be!"

She drew her sword, ready to attack.

"Impossible!" he shoots his gun but the aim was meant for someone taller as Hamu took the charge and aims at his opponent head-on.

The bullet hits the light, making the blue fade out, leaving a green-tinted room in its wake.

"Impossible…" Joke whispers… he couldn't move a single inch.

On his left arm is a rubber boy, holding him down. His left leg a woman with orange hair and a kid with grey. On his right a curly haired boy and purpled haired woman. And in his forehead a sword impaled him.

Hamu cries at the sight.

"To have nakama like this…" Joke grits out, "I would have liked to have some…" his last words becoming slurred as his skull cracks more and more until it broke apart. Just like that his entire body broken from there, leaving behind dust.

The Straw Hats let out a sigh of relief but Hamu can't stop the tears, "I did it… I did it, Mother," he drops his sword with a loud crash.

Meroie is the first next to him, wrapping him in a protective hug, "You idiot!"

"What's wrong with him?"

"Probably processing that he killed a revived skeleton, Captain."

"Come on, now whatcha crying for? We made it, didn't we?"

"Usopp, you are crying."

"I'm alive because you saved me," Hamu cries out, "Because... you fought with me."

"What can we say. You put up a good fight," Luffy grins.

"And while that's all well and good," Nami turns back to the altar, running up the stairs by five steps, "I'm here for the-" pushing the water out of the way, "treasure-!"

And sees empty space.

"... there's nothing here…." she stares depressingly, "the secret that makes dreams come true..." a trickle of water fell on her head, "It's gone!"

She runs back leaving a trail of fire in her path just to shake Hamu, "It was you, wasn't it?! What do you do with it?!"

"Nami, I think he is passing out."

"It was shining so brightly just a second ago! SO HAND IT OVER!"

"H-H-H-e-e-e-l-l-l-p-p-p!"

"Okay… now that things have died down..." a shaking Usopp takes a deep breath, "What THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED?!"

OOO

"Yes, the sails just like that" Oyal explains one last time. They might not have a chicken costume for Merry but this will have to work.

Zoro gives one last tug, "All set!"

"So just to recap," Usopp calmly speaks as if he hasn't been spending the last 30 minutes crying on the floor muttering about demons and witches, "When we killed the Beast of God they put limbs back on Captain Joke, who is a skeleton, while he was actually the bat that has been leading us this entire time."

"That sounds about right," Sanji says on his fourth cigarette.

Usopp takes a deep breath, "That's stupid."

"Hey!" Hamu elbows him, "That's our religion!"

"Your religion is INSANE!" Usopp bonks the boy on the head, "You can't even remember all of it!"

"Indeed," Oyal comments, "A religion so old that not even the people remember it. The power of the wish isn't even a wish rather a power that lets one control the Beast of God."

Nami slumps over, "A bunch of monsters. I went through all of that and there wasn't even treasure in the first place."

"Also gives a form of immortality from what we can tell from Joke on some level," Oyal continues.

"Immortality?" Hamu asks anger forgotten.

"A lot of it doesn't make sense," Oyal explains, "When he died at the hands of his crew, the monsters were freed and he revived as a bat. Why? Perhaps it was the closest thing to keep his soul intact as the god's new keeper, perhaps it was the closest reincarnation. Or perhaps it was punishment as much as it was a gift. Either way, he was kept alive through the god's power and they continued out his last acts. Destroying the village at the bottom of the mountain."

"Though it would appear a crushing of skull or…" Oyal looks at Hamu, "...overpowering of the will."

Meroie raises a brow looking quite overprotective, "What are you implying?"

"Not implying," Oyal corrects, "Stating. Hamu is now the keeper of the gods. They should follow his will."

Both villagers bulk at that, "WHAT?!"

Hamu waves his hands, "T-that's not-"

"THEY'RE DEAD!"

"IF Joke could be revived then those Beasts will be back. For the past 10 years, they have been following his will," Oyal steamrolls over all their voices, "And when a new, stronger will presented itself, that power left and made him vulnerable through the attack. But once Hamu was there was no reincarnation. No, all that's left…" Oyal points down at the young boy, "is you."

Hamu gulps feeling the weight of the situation start to fall around him. Could he really control those things? Monsters that have attacked his village for the past decade? Would he even want to? Is he… a monster now?

A hand to his hair stopped any thoughts from going down a darker path. Hamu looks up to see a familiar smiling face looking down at him.

"Don't worry about it!" Luffy says with his usual cheer, "Just focus on protecting what's important, right?"

Hamu blinks letting what he said sink in, "I KNOW THAT!" he huffs turning his head away to look at Meroie, "I'm going to rely on my own strength from here on out. For my nakama!"

Luffy laughs, "Glad to hear it!" he jumps on the Merry.

"Miss Meroie," Sanji takes the woman's hands, "Though we may never see each other again, I want you to know that you will always be in my heart," as a blush covers her face.

"Your lines are getting worse and worse I swear," Zoro says loud enough to be heard from the Merry, "Well, at least he helped."

"More like I did all the work while you were getting your ass kicked," Sanji jumps on the Merry just to get in Zoro's face.

Zoro grits his teeth, "Why you no good LOVE-SICK COOK!"

Without any celebration, no ceremony, or even a real goodbye the Straw Hats were off, "FORWARD!" Luffy shouts from atop of merry.

All added on sails were ago. Salvaging from old pirate ships they were about to make enough chutes to lift the Going Merry out of the navel. Much like the bottles with parachutes, there was just a right kind of upward wind current to make little chutes carry much heavier bottles. And the same could be said with Merry and her new extra sails from old broken pirate ships.

Only Meroie and Hamu stand at the bottom giving silent waves at their departure.

The Straw Hats returned the gesture.

"THIS IS INSANE!" Usopp screams hanging on to the rails for dear life, "WHO EVER HEARD OF A FLYING SHIP?!"

Luffy grins at the feeling, "I know right! I didn't think we get to fly until the Grand Line!" letting out another whoop!

"I did not sign up for this," Nami mutters, hanging her head before smiling, "But damn if I am not ready for it!"

Oyal looks down at the figures slowly becoming smaller in the distance. Two people walking back to their village to let them know about the end of their terror. A strange semi-underwater civilization untouched by governments or time. Meeting a strange unexplainable religion with god wrath and powers of the dead.

Many factors could play into the this. Why was it when they defeat a god beast Joke got his body back? Perhaps he was immortal as a bat and with a mortal body. Perhaps it was an exchange of will. For each god beast he lost, he would gain his newest desire in their place: his body.

Was returning to his body his downfall? Or was it Hamu having a stronger will? It is hard to say. Joke simply said, "I endured," but it is without a doubt because of the god's power that he survived so long and was reincarnated as a bat and bones but immortality might be pushing it.

"Interesting," Oyal holds up a card. Four of Clubs, "Very interesting."

OOO

Again a big thanks to my Beta readers for checking it!

Next stop Louge Town! For real! This is the one I have been dying to make! Ugh, I can't wait to get started!

Please review!