"Is everyone all right?" Kia heard Zoro ask. She looked around slowly, unable to move very far since she was still tied to the railing.

"Look!" Luffy yelled excitedly. "It's all white!"

"We're completely surrounded by clouds, but I don't see an island," Sanji spoke up as he peered out of the boat.

Chopper came over, helping Kia untie the rope from around her waist, then helping her up.

"How is this happening?" Nami asked, still shocked. "Why aren't we falling?"

Luffy gave her a look of disbelief. "Clouds float, boats float. It's the same thing."

"No it's not!" everyone yelled in sync.

"Uh, no captain, that's not right," Kia added. Luffy looked at her in question, and then shrugged.

"So it's a mystery cloud. But where's Sky Island?" he asked.

"Hmm…" Kia mused, looking out at the ocean of white. She blinked furiously, trying to keep her drooping eyelids open.

"Bed Kia," Chopper said, steering her towards the stairs. He changed into his heavy point, ready to carry her down the stairs so she wouldn't fall.

"But…" she replied. "the island, Chopper…"

"Don't worry Kia," Luffy said as he turned to wave at her. "I'll wake you up as soon as we find Skypiea!"

Kia glanced back, then up at Chopper in question. He gave her a nod, so she smiled back at Luffy. "Okay, but don't forget?" she asked.

"Of course!" he said with a laugh. "No one is staying back with the ship this time!"

"I'll fix you a nutritious lunch to help you feel better after you nap, Kia my sweet!" Sanji said with a smile, as Chopper led her towards the door.

"Moron," Zoro muttered.

"Hey! I'm alive!" Usopp shouted as he stood up suddenly. Kia turned back at the noise, but Chopper kept moving forwards.

"Come on Kia, I'll help you get settled. Do you need any pain killers?" he asked.

"Honestly, I'll fall asleep once my head hits the pillow," she answered, already letting her eyes close.

"I've got you," she heard, and that was the last thing she remembered.

Robin wasn't sure if she should laugh or roll her eyes. As soon as Kiana was out of sight, the chef turned to the swordsman with a sneer, asking, "Did I hear you call me a moron?!"

"I don't know. Did ya?" the swordsman replied.

Wanting to break up the argument, as well as get things moving, she turned to the navigator. "Miss navigator, what does the log pose say?" she asked.

Nami gasped as she looked at her wrist. "It's still pointing up."

"Hmm, then we must need to go even higher. Perhaps this is some sort of middle level of the cloud."

"How can we go higher?" Nami asked.

"I'm not sure," Robin replied. "We know next to nothing about this ocean."

"Leave it to Captain Usopp!" Usopp shouted, standing up on the railing and giving a manly pose. "I'll go for a quick swim!"

"Yeah! Do it!" Luffy cheered as Usopp turned and dove into the white clouds.

The crew was quiet as they peered over the side of the boat, waiting. After a couple of minutes, Sanji cleared his throat. "Uh, he's not coming back up," he said.

"I'm wondering," Robin added as a thought occurred to her. "Does this ocean even have a bottom? Could he have just fallen through?"

"OH NO!" Nami shouted.

"USOPP!" Luffy shouted as he reared his arm back, and shot it forward where he had last seen his friend.

"Stretch as far as you can," Robin said, as she stood up straight, and crossed her arms in front of her.

"But I can't see where to reach for him!" Luffy said.

"Leave that to me," Robin smirked, closing her eyes. "Ojos Fleur."

Everyone looked between Luffy's straining face and Robin's calm veneer, wondering what was happening.

"There he is," Robin said, which had everyone pleasantly surprised. ""Seis Fleurs!" she called, and after a moment, opened her eyes, and turned to Luffy. "Okay, pull him up."

Luffy nodded, and started retracting his arm, but finding it much harder than it should have been. "It's heavy!" he complained.

"There shouldn't be any resistance," Nami said, concerned and looking closer. She and Chopper cheered as Usopp's body came out of the clouds and back to the ship, but quickly changed to screams as a huge strange looking creature with even bigger teeth followed him.

Robin's eyebrow raised as an even larger octopus followed behind the fish. Before she could comment, the chef and swordsman were racing towards the newest threats, slashing and kicking at once.

"What strange creatures," she commented as the boys stood panting from their attacks.

"This doesn't even seem like a fish at all,"Sanji said, checking over the flat creature he had kicked.

"That octopus was like a balloon," Zoro added.

"GAAAH!" Usopp sat up, rolling around.

"What's wrong now?!" Sanji shouted, exasperated.

"There's something… in my pants!" Usopp yelled back, pulling out a wriggling fish from inside his pants, and curling up on deck, chanting, "sky island is scary… sky island is scary…"

Robin smiled as she picked up the strange looking fish. It was wide and flat, with sharp teeth and feather like scales. "This must be a sky fish, like the ones we read about in Noland's log book. It seems they have evolved differently from their aquatic cousins in order to survive up here," she said.

"So they're flat, or balloon- like?" Zoro asked.

"Their bodies are airfoils. After all, the clouds would be far less buoyant than water," she explained.

She turned to see what happened to the fish after she passed it off to the navigator, only to find the captain with a plate of freshly cooked sky fish.

"It's great!" he said as he took several bites. Robin chuckled as the navigator pulled the plate away from him, yelling, and the chef added, "I sauteed it."

Despite herself, the navigator tried some as well. "MMM! It IS good! I've never tasted anything like it before!"

"Well, I aim to please," Sanji said with a bow.

"Let's cook the big one too!" Luffy said, pointing to the large fish still attached to the ship by its teeth.

"Forget it," Sanji answered with a roll of his eyes. "I don't aim to please that much."

Robin chuckled at the absurdity of the whole situation, heading back towards the upper deck.

Behind her, Chopper looked out of the pair of binoculars he grabbed. "Where's the sky island?" he asked himself. He stopped as he saw something sailing. "Hey guys, it's a ship!" he called. "Huh?" he muttered, unsure if he was seeing things. "…a person?"

The crew turned at Chopper's scream, seeing him shaking. "What, did you see a ship, Chopper?" Luffy asked.

"Yes, th-there was a ship, but… now it's gone!"

"Where did it go?"

"There's a bull! It's running on the clouds, and now it's headed straight for us!" Chopper yelled.

"Uh… you're not making sense," Zoro said.

"Yeah, what's gotten into you?" Sanji asked.

"He's right! Something's coming!" Usopp yelled from atop the crow's nest. "He's running on the clouds!"

They turned toward the man as he came close, and Sanji yelled, "Stop! What do you want?!"

"To destroy you!" the man in the mask answered, jumping in the air. Luffy, Zoro and Sanji all rushed forward to stop him, but he took each of them out in succession with a single hit each. Pushing off the railing, he soared upwards, turning and aiming his bazooka at the ship.

"AAHHH!" Chopper, Nami and Usopp screamed.

"ENOUGH!" A new voice rang out across the sky, as a large bird dove straight at the masked man, causing him to put down his gun in order to pull out his shield, blocking an attack from a man riding atop the bird. The man was wearing armor, and carrying a lance, which struck the guerrilla's shield, sending him flying back. The man landed on the Merry, and the crew looked at him with wide eyes.

"Okay, who is this guy?" Nami asked.

The man turned, standing tall, and clearing his throat. "Ahem… I am… the sky knight!" he announced. He turned back, searching the clouds around them. "He's gone."

Robin watched as the man spoke with her crew, amazed at the information they received, little as it was. She spoke when she felt it necessary, but for the most part, just took in what she could, adding it to her limited understanding of the sky ocean. Though there were many questions still, she was excited to learn that there were multiple islands here in the sky. She smiled as she thought of the history that she could discover here.

Zoro didn't say much, but that wasn't anything new. He spoke when he felt the need to get the crew back on track, or to check that everyone was still alive, or to let the annoying cook know that he was being annoying- again. "What should we do now?" he asked loudly, getting the captain's attention.

"I know!" Luffy answered. "Let's call the old guy and ask him!" He reached for the whistle, and Zoro mentally face-palmed. Usopp and Nami were quick to stop Luffy from wasting their new gift, though to Zoro it didn't matter. If they had to ask for help, they weren't ready to have come here, and they were here, so they had to be ready. It just made sense.

"Hey, look over there!" Chopper called, and everyone turned.

"It looks like a waterfall…" Robin said.

"Then it's settled," Zoro said, eager to move onward. "We're going that way."

When the crew arrived on the Grand Line, there was something that was continuously said, over and over. Expect only the unexpected, and Zoro had internalized the motto. If there was one thing he hated, it was being taken off guard, so if he expected anything to happen, he never would be again. As the Merry sailed toward the waterfall, and a large gate was revealed, Zoro was the only passenger to show no surprise, in fact, to someone else, he might have even looked bored.

"Heaven's gate?" Usopp asked, shaking. "Isn't that something you only see after you die?"

Zoro smirked. "Maybe we are dead then…" he teased, enjoying the wide eyed stares of both Usopp and Chopper. Of course when Chopper started wailing about not wanting to die, he felt slightly bad, but they'd get over it, and be less afraid the next time.

He remained quiet, observing, as the small old woman came out taking pictures of them. He felt uneasy as they were first told of an entrance fee, and then told they could enter anyway. As he had learned countless times from the witch, nothing in life was free, there were always strings attached.

"Seven of you then?" the old woman asked.

"Actually," Usopp started, but cut himself off as the ship was grabbed and started moving.

As a giant lobster grabbed a hold of their ship and they traveled quickly up a cloud road, Zoro wondered what the strings from this decision would bring them. Either way, he'd be ready.

"Woo-hoo!" the captain shouted, and Robin glanced up at him, before turning back to look at the clouded world around her. Her eyes widened as she saw the large sign they passed that read, "Godland Skypiea."

"There it is! Sky Island!"

The captain's excitement was infectious, and Robin could see that several of the others were practically bouncing with it. The ship was brought a short distance from the beach, and then stopped suddenly. The large claws that had held them, were released, and they found themselves alone.

"Do I drop anchor?" she could hear the swordsman ask. "Will it even work here?" He moved to the anchor, and she determined he had probably been asking himself, and wouldn't like her opinion on the matter. She turned instead to the navigator.

"Didn't that sign say Skypiea?" she asked Nami.

"Yeah," she answered, though unconcerned. "the same name on that map that Luffy found, which means… that galleon that fell really had been up here."

"I smell adventure!" Luffy called, and jumped down from the ship into the shallow water. At least, I believe it's water. Condensation from the clouds perhaps? Robin thought.

Usopp and Chopper ran after him, making their way quickly to the beach, exploring and playing.

"Oy! Zoro!" Luffy called. "Wake up Kia!"

"I'll do it," Nami said before he could answer. "I want to change anyway." Robin looked at the sky around her, deciding she no longer needed her jacket. Peeling it off, she looked around her, enjoying the sight of the younger boys having fun.

Nami came back quickly, calling out "I'm sorry! Ow! Ow!" Robin turned to see the south bird that they had caught on Jaya flying off towards the island, and Nami rubbing her head. "We forgot to release the south bird," she said.

Kia felt more rested, sure, but now was at the stage were everything hurt. She knew she was limping along like an old woman, but she couldn't seem to help it. She walked out the door, into the bright light, shielding her eyes. After Nami had woken her up, she had changed into shorts and a t-shirt. The weather was beautiful, and she wanted as much sun as she could soak up, even with the bandages on her arms and legs.

Nami had given her a pair of sunglasses, and though they didn't hide the large bruise on her face from the backhand she received yesterday, they helped her feel better about it. Kia knew she didn't look good however, as she saw Zoro look over at her as she emerged onto the deck. His face barely changed, but she could see the anger in his eyes, along with a slight wince.

Kia shrugged slightly, and gave him a smile, which he returned with a smirk, and a shake of his head.

"We made it!" Nami yelled, as she jumped overboard. Kia could hear her laughing, and Robin leaned over to see her. "If I can do it, you can!" Nami called. "Just jump!"

Robin turned back to Zoro and Kia. "You coming?" she asked, and Kia nodded, as she slowly moved over to her. "Swordsman, are you joining us?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'll be along," he answered, turning to check the ship one more time before leaving.

Kia walked over to the railing, and judging the jump, figured it might hurt, but it was clouds after all, and probably hurt less than trying to use the rope ladder. She hunched sideways over the railing, and rolled over it, then jumped back away from the ship.

She was both right and wrong. It didn't just maybe hurt… it really hurt. Clouds yes, but still an impact on her already bruised body. As she landed, she fell over, and rolled onto her back. She laid in the cloud water, floating, as Robin jumped down gracefully beside her.

"Yeah, I know, not smart," Kia said before Robin could reprimand her. "I thought the clouds would be more… soft."

"Can I help you up?" Robin asked with a hint of a smile.

"Please."

As Robin helped her stand, Kia looked over at the beach. "Looks like everyone is enjoying themselves."

"The captain said he smelled adventure, so we had better prepare ourselves," Robin commented. She kept her arm through Kia's, assisting her in walking through the water to the beach.

Kia laughed, "Luffy can always smell adventure," she said. "though sometimes, I'm pretty sure he creates it himself."

"Ha ha, yes." Robin chuckled. "I believe you are right about that." She looked around the beach as they walked up to the shore. "I didn't think of this as an adventure, perhaps I should change my stance."

"Most definitely," Kia agreed.

"Robin baby! Kia sweetie!" Sanji called as he raced up to them. "I have a present for you!" He stuck a flower behind each of their ears, looked at the last one in his hand, and raced off, calling, "Nami baby! Where are you?"

Kia giggled. "He's such a romantic, and yet…"

Robin laughed as well, pulling the flower from her hair to peer at it. Kia could hear splashing behind her, and she glanced back to see Zoro coming up behind them, his pants rolled up to avoid the water. Kia took a moment to study his scars on his ankles. They were pretty big, and were close to being a full circle around each leg. Which meant he had cut through much more than she had always assumed.

Kia winced in sympathy, but he just looked at her in confusion, so she rolled her eyes and turned back forward, just as Luffy came up with two large gourd-like things. They resembled green pumpkins. Kia thought for a moment about showing off her knowledge, but before she could, they all heard the music, and turned toward the sound.

"Is it a monster?" Usopp asked, hiding behind a tree.

"The sky knight will save us!" Chopper said hurriedly. "Where's the whistle?!" he looked around frantically.

"No he can't," Sanji said, as the crew all gathered closer together. Kia looked over at the girl playing the harp, understanding what had Sanji all in a tizzy. She was very cute, from her long braided blond hair, her adorable wings sticking out from her back, and her short dress. She seemed like one of those girls from home that looked prettier naturally than other girls would with all their hair and makeup tricks.

"She's… an angel!" Sanji gushed.

"An angel?" several of the others asked, even as she turned to look at them.

"Heso!" she called out.

"Huh?" Luffy said.

"Do you think she is trying to say hello?" Usopp asked quietly.

"It kind of sounded like hello," Zoro added.

"Then say it back," Kia said, and Luffy shouted out, "Hello!"

The angel smiled, putting away her harp as she walked towards them. A small animal ran from them to her, and as she bent to scoop it up in her arms, Kia recognized the cloud fox. "Did you come from the blue sea world?" she asked Luffy. Kia wasn't sure if she could tell he was the one in charge, or if it was because he had said hello.

"If that's what you call it," he answered.

"Then let me welcome you to Skypiea's Angel Beach." She smiled at all of them, then looked down at the gourds in Luffy's arms. "Oh, do you like conash?" she asked, gesturing towards the gourds.

"Huh?" Luffy questioned.

"Let me help," she offered, taking one from him. "The top is as hard as a rock, but… if you cut from the underside," she said, as she made a hole at the bottom, and placed a straw inside for him. "You can drink it." She handed it back, and Luffy took a huge mouthful. After swallowing, he practically freaked out, shouting about how good it was, with Usopp and Chopper asking for samples.

"I am Conis, and this is Suu," she said to the rest of us, ignoring the boys as the rest of them were.

"Whoa," Sanji muttered. He did his most suave bow, but before he could say anything, Nami pushed him out of the way.

"All of this is new to us, and we have a lot of questions," Nami said with a polite smile.

"Of course!" Conis answered. "I'd be happy to answer them."

"Something's coming from the ocean," Zoro called out, and they all turned to look.

"It's a giant slug!" Luffy exclaimed.

"No, that's my father," Conis said.

"Heso Conis!" the man called.

"Heso Father!" Conis shouted back, and Luffy looked at her in irritation.

"What's heso?!" he muttered.

Kia explained quietly that it was their way of greeting, like saying hi, or hey, instead of hello, and he shrugged, no longer interested. He continued to drink from the conash, and they watched as Conis' father crashed onto the shore.

He greeted them warmly, and offered to feed them lunch. Luffy was quick to agree, as he always was with food, and Sanji looked almost as excited, as he thought of learning new cuisine. Nami however, was more interested in the waver and how it worked.

Pagaya, Conis' father, offered a chance to ride his waver, and Luffy used his title to claim first ride. Kia decided to go with him, as once Nami got on, there wouldn't be another chance for a long time. Luffy cheered as she climbed on behind him, and as Pagaya explained the controls, she smiled. She had ridden jet skis and wave runners many times, and felt this would be pretty similar.

Luffy however, had never ridden anything of the sort, and was wildly out of control from the moment he took off. He just pushed the accelerator down to the floor, and the pair were off in a shot. He screamed, as the waver rocked, and he was having a hard time keeping it steady.

As he steered into a wave they had created, the waver soared, and the pair tumbled out into the water.

"Oh no!" Conis cried back at the shore.

"I wonder if devil fruit users sink in this sea like they do in water?" Sanji questioned.

"Well, it's not like the normal sea, so maybe he'll float," Zoro responded.

Chopper looked back and forth between them, getting more and more worried as no one seemed to move to help Luffy.

"Oh, down he goes," Sanji said.

"Guess I was wrong," Zoro added.

Chopper ran forward with a yell, wanting to help his friend, and immediately became powerless in the water.

Back in the water, Kia swam over to Luffy, and hauled him up. She noted that she moved much faster in this ocean, and was glad for the lack of resistance that she would normally find. She swam over to the waver and threw Luffy's upper body over the side, then went around and climbed back in from the other side, and finally pulled him aboard.

"I almost… fell through the cloud…" he said, panting.

"Yeah, you're fine," Kia commented. She stepped forward, situating herself at the controls, and slowly pushed the accelerator. The waver started moving forward, and she increased the power until it was at a speed she was comfortable with. The pedal was only about halfway down, but she didn't want to tip over again. While she knew Nami would be much better at driving it, Kia was happy she was able to actually ride it.

"Whoa!" Luffy called out, as he stood up, grabbing onto her shoulder.

"Ow! Watch it Luffy!"

"Oh, sorry Kia! But I have to hold on!"

"Uh, grab my waist then," she called back.

"Can't we go faster?" he asked.

"Nope."

Luffy pouted all the way back to shore, and pouted even more as Nami got her turn and showed them all up, even Pagaya. She really was a natural.

"Why can she ride it?!" Luffy demanded. "And Kia too?"

Nami had ridden near shore and apparently hear him yelling. "There's a trick!" she called out as she sped away. "You're touch isn't delicate enough Luffy!"

"Nami! It's time for lunch, so you have to get off now!" Luffy yelled back, and Kia chuckled at his pouting.

"Nice try," Sanji said dryly.

"Looks like she wants to stay out awhile," Robin added. "Should we head to your house then?"

"Yes, follow us," Conis said, she and Pagaya leading the way.

"She's having a blast!" Usopp said, as the rest turned to follow them.

"Come on Luffy, you don't want to be left behind!" Kia called.

"Just sink already!" he said sticking out his tongue at Nami, only to be kicked in the head by Sanji.

"Thanji!" Luffy complained. "You made me bithe my thung!"

"Good."

Kia tried not to laugh too hard, as she grabbed Luffy's arm and they walked up the giant staircase leading inland. It turned out to be a good thing, as she quickly expended all her energy, and Luffy had to practically carry her about halfway up- but finally they reached their house.

The first thing Kia did was slide onto the sofa, the cushy cloud exactly what she needed to rest on.