"So Captain, any particular reason we're on this island?" asked Robin.
"Yeah actually...I'm going to awake everyone's flames and it's best not to do that on a ship. Fire and wood don't really mix after all," said Luffy.
Zoro sat up at that.
"Wait, we're finally going to do more than meditation exercises?"
Luffy nodded.
"From here on out the enemies are going to be much tougher, and I want us to be prepared in case we run into that bastard Teach. Not to mention the Marines are going to send stronger opponents after us after the way I dealt with Crocodile and the fact they openly sent me an invitation to become a Warlord," said Luffy, rolling her eyes. "Which is why Ace gave me a list of Haki training exercises...apparently the ones gramps gave us were really half-assed since he didn't want us to progress too quickly."
The Six techniques were one thing, but Haki was something he didn't want them messing with. Besides, they'd figure that out eventually by the time they hit the Grand Line so he didn't see a problem with it.
"What's Haki?"
"A way to make Devil Fruit users, including Logia types, touchable by normal weapons," said Luffy bluntly. "There's a third type, but I have my suspicions about it so we're mostly going to ignore it."
She had the distinct feeling Conqueror's Haki was tied directly into Sky flames. It would explain a lot about it.
"The first exercise we're going to work on is waking your flames up. This also ties into showing you how to use Haki for the first time, so hopefully we'll have some progress before the log pose resets. I really, really want to get something done before the Rainbow Mists shows up, since I plan to rob it."
Nami perked up at that, as did Robin...for two different reasons.
"What are we waiting for then?" said Nami eagerly.
Luffy grinned.
"First requirement of Dying Will Flames...and yes Robin I will explain that particular phrase later, as well as more about what I know of the man on the Poneglyph that was on Ohara...is desperation. The sort of desperation that comes from a purely life and death experience when all hells broken loose and the will to live past death kicks in."
Seeing the expression on the faces of Sanji, Nami, Robin, Chopper, Gin and Zoro, they knew exactly the sort of desperation she was talking about.
Takeshi and Lambo merely grinned.
"Alright, Takeshi, Lambo, show them what Lightning and Rain can do," said Luffy.
"Aye, aye boss!" said Lambo with a smirk.
He charged at Takeshi, igniting his Lightning Flame...once he knew it was present in this life, it hadn't taken much to ignite them again. The same could be said for Takeshi.
Seeing the normally smiling swordsman using blue fire on his katana only for it to be blocked by green flames from the youngest member on the crew...well it was certainly an eyeopener.
"You think we have that?" said Nojiko incredulous.
"Actually I think you have the same Flame as Takeshi, Nojiko-nee. Zoro and Usopp, on the other hand has the same kind as Lambo. Gin, I'm fairly certain you have Storm Flames, while Nami is a mixture of Storm and Mist. Robin, you're a Cloud while Sanji and Chopper are Suns. And no, I have no idea why they're all named after the weather for some reason."
Luffy settled into a familiar lecture mode.
"The Dying Will Flames of the Sky can be categorized into seven types. Storm, Sky, Sun, Lightning, Rain, Mist and Cloud. Their properties go as followed... Disintegration, Harmony, Activation, Hardening, Tranquility, Construction, and Propagation. Their strength and the darkness of the color depends on the purity...or the strength one has to live in tough situations, and power behind it, which can often be determined by the family one's from. Certain families often run with a specific flame type, so they often awaken with it."
"Which one are you then?" asked Gin.
"Luffy is a Sky, or the 'royal' flame," said Takeshi grinning, throwing an arm on her shoulder in a brotherly way. "Their main purpose is to call the others to them into a whole, and to bond them together as a family. Before, Skies were considered practically royalty because of the effects harmony had on the other six."
"It was also the rarest, with Clouds coming in at a close second," said Lambo.
"I noticed you said nothing of what Fuuta has," said Robin.
"Fuuta is a slightly different case. He's an Earth flame, which means he can manipulate gravity to an extent. I have no idea how to train that," admitted Luffy.
"I've mostly gotten a handle on it again, now that Crocodile is gone Luffy-nee," said Fuuta helpfully. "It was hard to train it when I had to keep an eye out for him."
Luffy pulled him into a hug.
"So what do each of them do, besides the self-explanatory ones like Storm?" asked Nami pale. No wonder Luffy wanted them off the ship, if one of their powers was disintegration!
"Well for starters, with Lightning Zoro can harden the edge of his swords or Usopp can harden the Merry to withstand a little more damage. It might tire him out after, but it would be good practice for emergencies. Rains can induce a sense of calm...and if they're really creative about it can freeze things into ice. Storms, well Disintegration is fairly self explanatory as you've already said Nami. Suns are considered the healers of the lot, as they can activate cells to heal faster, both externally and internally. I have the feeling that's why messing with the Rumble Ball doesn't really do as much damage to you Chopper, since your flames could be healing any mistakes you make as quickly as they form... you could easily activate every nerve ending in the body, or you could activate the white blood cells present to speed up clotting in a bleeding patient," commented Luffy.
Chopper perked up at that.
"Mists can create things out of nothing, including massive storms that didn't exist a minute ago...or fake berri when you're pissed at some official trying to swindle you out of your money and you want to get your revenge while still looking innocent..." said Luffy, which caused Nami to perk up.
"Clouds...well Clouds are tricky. Actually I think your Devil Fruit was perfect for you Robin because it embodies propagation pretty well. You can basically multiply your body with it...but with Cloud flames you can also propagate the force behind your attacks...or the amount of weapons you have."
Robin perked up at that with interest.
"So...who's ready to get started?" asked Luffy with a smile.
By the end of the week, only Zoro, Sanji, Nami and Chopper had any luck getting their flames active. Robin almost had it, but if she managed to pull it off she was keeping quiet.
As Luffy suspected, Chopper had been using Sun flames internally for years and had no idea. She just helped him to bring it out externally, and coached him in how to use it to heal...or to attack.
As the group sailed off in order to see the Rainbow Mist...and to rob the contents within... they worked on Haki, which most of them found much easier to use.
Gin, for reasons of his own, decided not to mess with Flames at the moment.
As they sailed towards the island where the Rainbow Mist could be found, they ran into some Marines.
Strangely, Luffy didn't seem all that upset about spotting them.
"Shishishi...how about we give them a minor heart attack before heading on?" asked Luffy. Seeing the matching smirks of the crew, Luffy went to work.
Needless to say it gave the Marine Headquarters a nasty shock hearing the report of Luffy using the Six Techniques. Even if she only mildly crippled the ship.
On the plus side, Luffy would have conclusive proof that a certain chaotic pain in the ass had followed her.
Lambo and Fuuta took one look at the girl with the pigtails before they had near identical reactions.
"I-Pin!"
The girl's head whipped towards them in shock...which swiftly turned into delight.
"Lambo! Fuuta-nii!"
She tackled both of them with a massive hug.
"How did you find me?" she asked.
"We didn't. We came here to rob the Rainbow Mist with Nee-san," said Lambo grinning widely.
I-Pin's eyes widened.
"Nee-san is here too?" she asked hopefully.
I-Pin found herself glomped by a very happy Luffy, and she snuggled into the older girl's arms the second she registered the familiar flames.
"I missed you, big sister," said I-Pin.
"I missed you too, little sister," said Luffy. It was strange to have Chinese roll off her tongue after so long, but certain words she would never forget how to pronounce. "So, who brought you here?"
"Viper and Verde are here too. Papa said it was alright if I went with them to see the Mists since this is Paradise."
Luffy lit up with hope.
"Does that mean..."
I-Pin nodded.
"Reborn is the captain of the most successful bounty hunting crew on the Grand Line known as the Arcobaleno. They named their ship Tsunami," said I-Pin. "All the other Arcobaleno are there, except the Sky. Fon managed to find me very early and I've been with them as cabin girl ever since."
"I'm happy for you," said Luffy.
"By the way... have you ever met Red Haired Shanks? Reborn was wondering where he found a character to base his books off of that sounded far too much like you."
"...I am still going to kick Shank's ass for that. I'm a rubber girl, not a bunny girl!"
I-Pin beamed at her.
"There you are. That idiot will annoy me if he found I lost you," said a voice nearby.
Luffy turned to face them...and stared. She could have been looking at a slightly longer haired, older version of Nami with indigo colored eyes and a smaller bust.
I-Pin went to explain...only for Nami and Nojiko to find Luffy instead.
Needless to say there was shock on both sides as they registered the two ginger haired women's appearance.
"Is it just me, or does that woman look a lot like Nami?" asked Gin.
"It's not you," said Usopp.
Luffy looked between the two, felt the familiar flame of Viper, and cackled.
"I knew that miserly attitude wasn't a coincidence!" she said amused. "Figures you would be Viper's daughter!"
Viper, who was the other ginger haired woman, snapped out of her shock. She glared at Luffy.
"How do you know me?" she demanded.
"Xanxus, Belphegor, Fran and Lussuria are going to be thrilled you're here too...Mammon," said Luffy.
Viper looked at them hard, before recognition hit.
"Just as that pain in the ass is going to be very happy to hear that his favorite student is alive and well."
Nami stared hard at her mother in no little amount of shock.
"If you're my mother then why..."
"By the time we managed to find you, you had already found a new home with a sister. The East Blue was far safer for a child and we didn't want to disrupt your life by taking you from your new family since you seemed happy enough. The New World is not the safest place to raise children, especially if you're constantly on the sea."
"Pretty much the same reason Dragon gave me up then," said Luffy.
Viper stared at Luffy in shock at that information, but kept her silence.
"By the way Nami, you might want to ask Viper on how to best use your Mist Flames. They were a master at making solid illusions," said Luffy.
Nami...was still in shock her mother was alive and well. Viper said nothing at the way Nojiko kept eyeing her warily, as if she thought the woman would take her sister away from her.
Some time later...
Fon was the one to hear the Den Den Mushi go off, and was the one to pick it up. The only one who used that particular number was Viper, after all.
"What is it?"
"I found Nami. She's on the Grand Line and with a pirate crew. And you'll never guess who the captain is."
Fon sat down in shock.
"Who?"
Just then, I-Pin's voice came on the line.
"Papa, Big sister is here too! She brought Lambo, Fuuta and Take-nii with her, and big sister Nami is with her crew!"
There was only one person I-Pin called "big sister" in Chinese, and add on top of that the familiar names of Lambo, Fuuta and Takeshi...
"So Tsunami is here as well? Reborn will be thrilled to hear that."
"She's the granddaughter of Monkey D. Garp and the daughter of that fool Dragon. Her name is Luffy now. And you remember those weird parallels Reborn kept finding in that series he's addicted to but won't admit it?"
"Yes?"
"Shanks came into contact with her shortly after she went flame active and she conned him out of a snail as well as the number to his ship. Apparently the series is about her, but he deliberately altered a few facts, such as the fruit she ate. She's a Rubber woman, not a Zoan type," said Viper amused beyond belief. "Also Xanxus, Belphegor, Fran, Lussuria, Dino and Romario are here as well. They have yet to find others, but considering most of them were relatively close to Tsunami..."
"Then the possibility of Kyouya being here skyrockets," said Fon. He had looked, upon finding I-Pin but he had yet to find a trace of his former grandson. The fact Tsunami was here, as well as two of her Guardians gave him hope again.
"I intend to charge Reborn through the nose on the fact both his students are alive here, so don't you dare tell him anything until we get back," said Viper.
"Of course dear. In fact I think I'll start setting up one our special nights for when you return. It's been a while since we had some fun," said Fon cheekily.
"Shut up! I'm charging you for that!" said Viper. However Fon could hear the blush in her tone, which made him smirk. He chuckled at the fact he had manged to break down her Tsundere behavior long enough to marry him this time.
He just wished they hadn't lost their daughter, but at least he knew where she was and how to keep an eye on her.
Besides, he knew Nami would be safe with Tsunami... or rather Luffy. That woman would move heaven and earth to protect her precious people.
"Could you put I-Pin on the line for a moment?"
The snail shifted, and I-Pin was on the other end.
"Papa?"
"I-Pin, if you wish to travel with Lambo and the others until we meet up, I have no problem with that. If nothing else you can train with Luffy and the others and help them get ready for the New World, since I have no doubt she'll make her way here to see Reborn again."
The snail lit up with a smile. The creatures were strange, but he had quickly learned to ignore them.
"Really papa?"
"Besides, this means you can train with your big sister and see if Nami is any good at martial arts,"said Fon.
"Big sister Nami uses a staff to fight with Papa. So far Big Sister has them training in Flames and Haki."
"Well who better to teach them how to use Haki on their weapons than my little tigress?" said Fon.
I-Pin smiled at him with delight, before they had to hang up. Fon had no doubt Viper would pass along the Den Den Mushi number for their ship once things settled.