Chapter 5 The Emperor of the Sea Charlotte Linlin

Without their guide Pekoms to lead them, Luffy's crew left Cacao Island, following Pudding's instructions and headed for Big Mom's lair of Whole Cake Island. As they left, everyone still seemed a bit unnerved about Pekoms' sudden disappearance.

"Luffy," Mimi said. "I'm really worried about Pekoms."

"Me, too," Luffy replied as he stood alongside Magnes the helm.

"Maybe we should go find him," said Magnes

"I would like that as well," Pedro concurred. "However, it will be difficult. I've known Pekoms for quite some time. He-gara is quite a hardy fellow, so I wouldn't worry too much about him."

"I know, but..." Luffy muttered.

I hope nothing bad Happen to him because if Big Moms is aware of our presence we in big trouble said Chosuke

"Pedro said we can worry about it later right now we should focus on getting Sanji back, and we need to get to Whole Cake Island without drawing attention to our enemies!" said Hayate

Nami how are thing doing at your end asked Hayate

The Map that Pudding made for us seem easier enough answered Nami

"That's a pretty weird map, huh, Nami?" Luffy asked.

"Hey~!" Pedro called from the Crow's Nest. "Land ho~!"

"Already?!" Chopper asked. "Wow!"

"Yay!" Mimi cheered. "I wonder what kind of snacks this island has!"

"I hope it's something sweet!" Chopper exclaimed.

"I think the next island is Jam Island," Nami said,

"Jam alright let's stop by there," said Mimi

"We're not making landfall there, you hear me?!" said Hayate we can't afford to waste any time

"Awwwww~!" Chopper, Mimi Nene, and Carrot whined.

"Once the island comes within sight," Nami began, "we have to keep our distance, and then follow the second needle on the Log Pose."

"We're not going to the island, even though it's sweet, Nami?!" Chopper asked. "Even though it's sweet?!"

"That doesn't even make any sense." said Chosuke

Nami then looked down to the Log Pose and saw the second needle pointing to the right.

"So it's that way," the navigator mused before she looked to Magnes. "Okay, Magnes! Hard to starboard! Three o'clock to the right!"

Alright answered Magnes

Luffy our priorities right now is getting Sanji back so let focus on that said Hayate

"Right!" Luffy answered. "Sorry, Chopper, Nene, and Carrot, but we gotta go right to Sanji!" Magnes head straight for Whole Cake Island

Magnes then spin the steering wheel to starboard...a little too hard, causing it to go into flames from the friction. "Hard to starboard!"

"That's too hard!" Nami shouted.

"Be more careful with it!" Hayate yelled.

Under the water, there was a group of those same sea slugs, slithering along the ocean floor.

"You're steering it pretty hard, Magnes," Brook said.

"Don't worry I can steer just fine!" Magnes countered.

"By changing directions before we get too close to the next island," Nami started, "we can avoid the enemy's detection systems."

"Hey Nami can take a look at the map?" asked Hayate

Sure can you handle it asked Nami

This map is pretty complicated but as long we avoid being detected we should be fine. said Hayate

Grrrooooooooowwwll~! The group turned to see Luffy, who looked down at his rumbling stomach.

"I'm getting hungry, again," said the Straw Hat Captain. All right look I'm going to cook another meal

"Seriously, man?" Chosuke asked, incredulously.

Ack Look like I going to cook another meal said Hayate as He gave Nami back the Map

Hold it Luffy I do the cooking so you sit down and wait said Hayate

But I won't mess up this time said Luffy

No way Luffy I'm will be cooking shouted Hayate There no way I'm letting you step foot in the Kitchen again

"Hey, Pedro!" Carrot called as she jumped up to the Crow's Nest. "I want a turn at lookout duty, now! Switch with me!"

"Of course, Carrot," Pedro answered as he gave Carrot the binoculars, which she eagerly took from his hands.

"Hmm...let's see," Carrot said as she looked around. "Ooh! Pedro, look! The sea looks all pink! Like watermelon juice!" She then looked to another part of the sea. "Ooh! And that part of the sea is orange!" She pointed to a third party. "And over there! That looks like a peach!"

"Ah," Pedro mused. "We must be approaching the Mixed Juice Currents. This particular stretch of sea is made entirely of mixed fruit juice."

"Mmmm...fruit juice," Chopper said, licking his lips.

"Sound Tasty said Nene

"Hey, Pedro," Hayate said. "How come you seem to know so much about this place?"

"...I've...been here once, before," Pedro answered...although he sounded a bit...troubled.

Eh surprising Hayate

"Whoa!" Luffy exclaimed, pointing off to port. "Guys, check it out! There's a giant watermelon on the water!"

"Really?!" Brook asked as he looked out to where Luffy was pointing, and sure enough, there was a gigantic watermelon, floating on the surface.

"Hey, look over there!" Chopper called out as he pointed out to starboard to a gigantic peach. "There's a giant peach!"

"And I can see a giant orange!" Nene exclaimed as she pointed towards the front, where a giant orange was found.

"Hey, maybe We can make some recipes with all that fruit," Chosuke pointed out.

"Sounds good to me!" Luffy replied as he stretched his arms out and grabbed the watermelon. "Come here, giant watermelon!"

"Wait, no!" Pedro called in the alarm. "Those are-"

Before he could finish, though, Luffy pulled the watermelon toward the Sunny, but as the gigantic fruit got closer...it suddenly appeared to have eyes and a mouth full of sharp teeth!

"AAAAAAAAAAH!" Luffy screamed before the fruit-like creature swallowed him whole!

"AAH!" Chosuke shrieked. "LUFFY !"

"WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!" Nami questioned.

"THE FRUIT CAME TO LIFE AND ATE HIM!" Chopper cried.

"I tried to tell him!" Pedro answered. "That's a Fruit Footballfish!"

"Oh, dear!" Brook exclaimed. "What are we going to do?!"

The Fruit Footballfish just sat on the deck, seemingly chewing Luffy's rubbery body into bits...but then, something began to bulge and struggle inside its mouth. Then, a familiar sandal-wearing foot stretched out, splitting its head open as it stretched high towards the heavens.

"Gum-Gum...WATERMELON SPLITTER!"

KROOSH! The foot slammed down and smashed the Fruit Footballfish into mushy bits, revealing, covered in watermelon juice but otherwise all right.

"Phew!" Nami sighed. "Thank goodness..."

"All right, I did it!" Luffy cheered. "I got us some food!"

"I could make some shaved ice with this," said Hayate as he looked at the Fruit Footballfish's remains.

"Hey, Luffy! Can you get the peach and orange, too? while I go and cut them up into pieces." said Hayate

"Oh, yeah!" Luffy exclaimed, putting his hand on his arm. "Leave it to me!"

A little while later, Luffy had gotten both the Peach Footballfish and the Orange Footballfish, both of which Hayate promptly sliced up. Then, He took a few chunks and, with Sanji's shaved ice maker, made some yummy shaved ice for everybody, although Luffy opted to just eat the giant fruit slices whole, instead.

"Mmm, so good!" Chopper said as he ate some of the shaved ice.

"It good this ain't bad at all said Chosuke

"Yeah! It tastes just like the real thing!" Nene added.

"Agreed said Nene

"Nahahaha I forgot that Hayate is just as good as a cook as Sanji said Magnes

"Yohohoho!" Brook chortled. "Delicious!"

"You did it again, Hayate," Nami praised.

"It was nothing said Hayate It better than Luffy doing it

"Thank you, Hayate," Mimi said while she sat on Luffy's engorged stomach, the Straw Hat Captain himself letting out a rather loud belch.

"Ohhh..." Luffy moaned as he drummed his fingers on his belly. "Man, that was some good eatin'."

"Well, at least Luffy's happy for now," Nami said as she rubbed Luffy's stomach. "Aren't you Luffy?"

Luffy only responded with another burp.

"'Scuse me," he said in a bit of a slurred voice as the food coma began to set in. However, before he could shut his eyes, the group began to feel the waves beneath them rock and shake the ship.

"What's that?!" Nami questioned.

"Look out!" Carrot called out. "Sea King, ahead!"

Sure enough, a gigantic Sea King had appeared from the ocean: a giant centipede, at that.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!" Nami Chosuke Nene and Chopper shrieked as Chopper held onto Chosuke's neck. "A GIANT CENTIPEDE!"

"Chopper, let go!" Chosuke choked, his face turning blue.

Hey Luffy, get up!" Hayate shouted. "Hurry up and then fight that giant bug!"

"Heh!" Luffy smirked, his stomach now shrunken back to its regular size. "Now this is more like it!"

Pedro and Brook drew their blades while Carrot got out her Electro Claws, which she licked with a bit of a blood-lust. Magnes snap his knuckle ready to fight Hayate draw out his new Sword, ready to join the fight. The centipede lunged for the Sunny, just as Luffy jumped into the air and pumped his blood through his body.

"Consider it done!" Brook exclaimed as he and Pedro lunged at the giant insect, and with a swing of their swords, they managed to land a severe cut. However, it showed that it wasn't done yet, for it moved to eat them next.

"I don't think so!" Carrot shouted as she stabbed the beast's chest with her claws, sending an electric shock throughout its body.

"Now Gum-Gum...JET GATLING~!" Luffy shouted as he delivered a flurry of rapid-fire punches, too fast to be seen by the naked eye, and that was enough to fell the creature. "Shishishishi! It didn't have a chance!"

"Well done, Carrot," Pedro praised. "Your training is paying off."

"Hee-hee!" Carrot giggled. "Thank you~!"

"Phew...!" Nami sighed. "Thank goodness."

But then, out of nowhere, the ship began to rock again as something else emerged from the water: another centipede!

"NOT ANOTHER ONE!" Chosuke screamed.

"Not a problem," Luffy smirked. "Let me handle this one!"

"Hold it, Luffy!" Hayate called. "Let someone else try and defend the ship for a change!"

"Yeah, you had your fun!" Magnes added.

"Oh...all right," Luffy shrugged. "Go on! Show it what you can do!"

Hayate smirked before raising his hand creating a charge of Electricity, and then Black clouds and launch a bolt of Lightning Lightningbolt!"

KRRZZZAAAAAP! He then whipped the insect with the chain, causing it to receive a powerful electric shock. Then, Magnes charged forward and expanding his arm before he jumped at the centipede "Here goes nothing Expansion! Magnes expanding arm and landed with a direct hit with the centipede creature scream in pain.

"IRON LARIAT!" he shouted as he strikes it down to the centipede's head!

"Yes!" Hayate praising Magnes as he landed beside him "Good job, Magnes!"

"You to Hayate said Magnes

"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed. "That was fun, but we can't rest now. We gotta hurry and get to Sanji." He then turned to Nami. "What's our heading, Nami?"

Nami then looked down at the Log Pose and smiled. "We're good to go, Captain."

"Good," Luffy nodded. "Let's get going, guys! Onward to Whole Cake Island!"

"Aye-aye!" the group exclaimed.

XXX

But meanwhile...on Whole Cake Island, something was stirring...and not a good something.

"This is not good! Not good at all! Mama's condition is beginning to flare up, again!"

Baron Tamago was seen, talking with several people.

"We must act, tout suite!" he shouted. "What is her order, this time?!"

"This time, she's craving a croquembouche!" answered a chef.

"Ah, yes," Tamago said. "A decorative dessert made of cream puffs stacked up together! Trēs difficult!" He then gasped as the realization hit. "But wait! I believe there was a tour group of puffs, staying at the hôtel in the city!"

"Not gonna happen," said a woman in a striped top hat. "They actually checked out, this morning."

"That means we'll have to make a fresh one!" cried Baron Tamago as he grabbed a Transponder Snail. "What say you, chefs?!"

"I want to focus on the batter," answered the chef on the other end of the receiver. "Bring me almonds."

"Contact the Minister of Nuts, right away!" Baron Tamago urged.

"Actually...that might be a problem. I caught sight of Mama, earlier. She's actually on her way to Sweet City!"

"QUELLE?!" Baron Tamago questioned. "She's coming here?! This is the capital, where her castle is located!"

"You know as well as I do that she won't listen to reason! She's gone crazy because of the fits!"

XXX

On the path to Sweet City of Whole Cake Island...there was a trail of destruction. Many corpses, even dead trees, furniture, and even sweets lied on the ground with horrified faces...and walking away from it was Big Mom, herself.

XXX

"The number of dead continues to rise!"

"Issue an evacuation, immédiatement!" Baron Tamago shouted. "The only thing that can stop Mama now is a croquembouche!"

XXX

As Big Mom continued to lumber dangerously towards the city, the talking sun that was singing with her earlier was trying to get her to come to her senses.

"Mama, stop!" the sun urged. "Please, let's not do this- HRRGK!"

Big Mom grabbed him before she tossed him into the ground like he was a rubber ball, causing the ground to explode into flames!

"BRING ME A CROQUEMBOUCHE~!" she roared.

XXX

"Baron, Mama is here in the city!"

"Oh, non!" Baron Tamago cried in panic. "Oh, l'humanité!"

"Those fits of hers just happen, right outta the blue!" said a talking crocodile.

"And until the thing, she's suddenly craving ends up in her mouth," said a man with messy black hair and black eye shadow around his eyes, "the destruction continues, unabated! We've gotta hurry!"

XXX

"RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" a man screamed. "BIG MOM IS ON ANOTHER RAMPAGE!"

Down in the streets below, the citizens were running away from the destruction as fast as they could while Big Mom was devouring her own castle, which seemed to be made entirely of sweets like cookies, peppermint candy cane, and chocolate.

"I WANT CROQUEMBOCHE~!" Big Mom roared.

"Mama, no!" cried the skull on her hat. "Please, not this town, Mama!"

"You're eating your own castle!" shouted the sun from earlier, somehow still alive.

"Don't bother trying to talk to her, Prometheus and Napoleon!" said a talking cloud with a baseball hat. "She can't hear you!"

"Where is it?!" Big Mom questioned as she grabbed a talking pineapple and ate it, causing it to scream. "Where are they?!" She then grabbed a cookie sandwich and ate that, too. In fact, she grabbed all sorts of talking sweets and desserts and began to devour them! "It's not this flavor! Not you, either!" She then growled in anger before she punched a nearby wall. "THEY'RE ALL THE WRONG THING!"

"Mama! Please, you have to stop this!"

Big Mom growled before she turned to see a man with comparatively thin arms and legs. His face was long and unshaven, and he had pink and blue hair slicked upward at the front. He wore a dark blue jacket with tasseled, ice cream-shaped pauldrons and a thick belt with "SM" printed on the buckle over a striped suit.

"Who's that?!" Big Mom questioned, causing the man to flinch. "Who's there?! Where's my croquembouche?!"

"W-wait, Mama!" cried the man. "It's me, Moscato!"

16TH SON OF THE CHARLOTTE FAMILY

MINISTER OF GELATO

CHARLOTTE MOSCATO

"Look!" exclaimed a woman. "It's Sir Moscato, the Minister of Gelato!"

"Thank goodness!" cheered a man. "He'll save us!"

"Mama, listen!" Moscato called. "Just give us 30 more minutes, okay?! The chefs are preparing a wonderful croquembouche for you! I swear!"

"You're wasting your time, Brother Mos!" cried a lanky man with long limbs and a rather stocky abdomen. He had a rounded chin that sticks out, a long pointed nose, and a predominant slouch. He wears an open-chested, dark-colored jumpsuit with a skeleton pattern following the limbs and ribs. He also wears a dark-colored top hat with a light pink colored ribbon, as well as dark lipstick and eye makeup in the shape of a single line going down each eyelid.

19TH SON OF THE CHARLOTTE FAMILY

MINISTER OF CHEESE

CHARLOTTE MONT-D'OR

"It's impossible to talk to Mama when she's like this!" shouted Mont-d'Or. "Just forget about her and run away!"

"And abandon this city to its downfall?!" Moscato questioned.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" yelled Big Mom as she tried to punch Moscato, who yelped as he managed to jump away in team.

"Mama, it's me! Moscato!" he cried. "Don't you recognize me?!"

But then, Big Mom glowered down at Moscato, who froze up at the sight of the crazed look in her eyes.

"...Life...or...TREAT~?!" she asked in an almost demonic tone.

"You've gotta be kidding me, Mama!" cried Mont-d'Or. "He's one of your own children by birth! Your flesh and blood!"

"No, Mama!" cried a woman of average size with pale skin and shoulder-length red-violet hair, which curled up at the ends. She also had yellow eyes and notably thick eyelashes, and she wore a red-violet dress, a dark purple feather coat, magenta gloves, as well as two horns on the top of her head. "Don't do it! Don't kill Moscato!"

18TH DAUGHTER OF THE CHARLOTTE FAMILY

MINISTER OF BUTTER

CHARLOTTE GALETTE

"Look, Mama!" cried a large man who looked like his body was made entirely of cream. "I know it ain't battah, but I got some sof' cream for ya, if ya want some! Jus' spare Moscato, Mama!"

5TH SON OF THE CHARLOTTE FAMILY

MINISTER OF WHIPPED CREAM

CHARLOTTE OPERA

"L-listen to me, Mama!" Moscato stammered, trying his damnedest not to run away. "I-I-I'm afraid that your treats isn't ready yet-"

"Don't get between me...and my treat...!" Big Mom growled, dangerously...and then, all of a sudden, this strange substance seemed to float out of Moscato's body, and the sight caused him to scream in horror.

"No, Mama! Please, not that!" he begged. "Anything but that!"

"Calm down, Moscato!" cried Opera. "If ya get scared, Mama will take your life away!"

But it was too late. In his terror, Moscato turned and fled...but he didn't get far.

"Mama, please! Have mercy!" the 16th son urged. "I swear, I won't get in your way! DON'T KILL ME~!"

Big Mom grinned...before she grabbed the substance...and tore it away from Moscato's body. Not long after...Moscato seized up as his eyes rolled in the back of his head.

"...40 years...!" Big Mom hissed.

"MOSCATO!" cried Galette in horror.

"...That damn fool...!" Mont-d'Or cursed...although he sounded like he was trying to hold back tears. "What was he thinking?!"

"SIR MOSCATO!" the citizens yelled in horror...as Moscato fell to the ground...completely lifeless.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAARRGH!" roared Big Mom as she continued rampaging. "CROQUEMBOOOOOOOOUUUUUCHE!"

"This is unbelievable!" cried a man of the Long-Arm Tribe. "She actually went and killed her own son?!"

"It's no use! Run for your lives!" shouted a regular human man. "No one can stop her, now!"

Not too far away, however, there was a shadowy figure, riding what appeared to be...a whale shark as it approached the town.

"My word...this is a disaster!"

Soon enough, someone noticed the figure and gasped.

"Hey! There's someone riding up the Juicy River!" said one of the citizens.

"It looks like..." a talking frog said before he grinned. "Yeah! It is! It's him!"

"Ooh!" a little girl exclaimed as her brown eyes beheld the sight...of Jimbei, with a large croquembouche beside him!

"IT'S BOSS JIMBEI~!" the citizens cheered.

"Get out of the way, everyone!" Jimbei called.

"Help!" cried one of the cream puffs. "We don't wanna be eaten!"

"I don't believe it!" exclaimed a woman with a long neck. "He captured the cream puffs that were staying in the hotel, and it looks like they've been stuck together with candy! It looks like the work of the Minister of Candy!"

"Here you are, Big Mom," Jimbei began as he leaped up into the air, narrowly dodging a punch from the Emperor. "EAT THIS!"

Then, he shoved the screaming croquembouche into Big Mom's mouth, causing her to gasp in surprise...but then...she smiled as she sat on the ground.

"It's...it's...SO YUMMY~!" she exclaimed.

Upon hearing that, the townsfolk cheered loudly.

"He did it! Boss Jimbei stopped Mama's fit!" exclaimed a little boy.

"Yes, YES~!" Big Mom exclaimed as she munched on the cream puffs. "THIS is what I was craving!"

Upon hearing that, the cream puffs seem to smile.

"Well, if we're really that yummy," said one, "then that's all right with us!"

"Thank you so much, Boss Jimbei!" exclaimed a woman.

Baron Tamago heaved a sigh as he picked up the Transponder Snail.

"Tell the chefs...the crisis has been averted," he said.

Soon, Big Mom had finished her little snack and calmed.

"Ahh..." she sighed as she pat her stomach. "Much better." She then looked around and saw the destruction that she had caused. "Hmm? What's this? The town is in shambles! I wonder what happened..." That's when she noticed Jimbei. "Oh! Why, if it isn't my good friend, Jimbei! I must say, I don't know why Sweet City looks such a fright...you didn't do this, did you?"

"No," said Jimbei. "I had just arrived here, today. I honestly don't know what happened."

"I see," Big Mom said. "Well, still, it's nice of you to visit! I hope you brought me some sweets to eat!"

"Actually," said Jimbei, "I'm here for more than just a social call."

"Hmm?" Big Mom hummed, quizzically.

"I am here talk to you about something very important," Jimbei told her...and that's when the Emperor glowered down on him.

"...You better not be thinking about leaving my crew, Jimbei," she said in a warning tone.

TO BE CONTINUED...