One Piece Universe.

ZoLu SanNam

Rated T for swearing (for now) Rating may go up in the future.

This won't be an excessively long fic, but it should be at least nearly ten chapters. Probably long chapters too. Attempted to make it as IC as I possibly could. For those who find the name of this fic funny... BLAH, to you too. XP Another thing. Forgive any typos. I checked this through a fair few times, but I was pretty tired and stressed out when I did, so yeah. Thanks.

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Fishy Island

by Plushie

Chapter 1 : The Loop

Nothing could have made this day less fantastic. The air was clear, the morning bright. Crispy white clouds scudded over the sky. The Straw Hat Pirates were sailing quite serenly towards their next destination, of which Nami was yet to tell them about. Grinning widely as he watched his chef, Sanji, tie the last of a long rope onto the railing in front of him, Luffy chuckled.

"We kicked their asses…" he grinned, rocking back and forth as he sat cross legged on a barrel nearby. Rolling his eyes slightly, Sanji smirked as he tied the knot nice and tight.

"I know, Luffy." he muttered. Man, the kid could get annoying sometimes! ... No, take that back. ALL the time!

"We really beat em'!" Luffy chirped, his eyes closed from the way he was grinning so widely. Snorting this time, Sanji pulled away from the rope and then stepped back to inspect his work. Not a bad knot right there...

"Yes, we did." he agreed almost absently as he reached forward and secured the tail of the knot up and over the railing. Leaning out over the rail and looking down at the small row boat that was attached to the end of the rope, Luffy 'hmmed' in thought.

"Do you think they'll notice it's missing?" he asked, resting his chin on the rail and watching the little wooden boat bob along in the wake of their ship. Raising an eyebrow, Sanji looked to the pirate ship which was sinking on the horizon and shrugged.

"Probably." he replied before turning and sticking his hands in his pockets, walking back towards the stairs that led down onto the deck.

"Not likely…" Zoro commented from where he was leaning against the rail behind Luffy's barrel, arms crossed behind his head and eyes closed.

"Oh? Why not?" Luffy asked, twisting so his neck was bent backwards and he was looking at his first mate upside down. Receding steps announced that Sanji had exited the conversation via the stairs and was on his way to the kitchen. Shrugging slowly, Zoro yawned and cracked his eyes open.

"Because you destroyed half of their ship." he stated, raising an arm lazily and pointing to the horizon. Luffy blinked idly for a while, staying silent as he watched the last of the pirate ship's mast and sail disappear beneath the water's surface. Practically seeing the question mark over his captain's head, Zoro's eye twitched slightly.

"You SUNK their SHIP! Means they're probably all dead, idiot!" he growled, crossing his legs at the ankle and huffing in annoyance.

"Ooooh." Luffy noised, finally understanding, "… So they won't notice?"

"…baka." was all Zoro had to say about that. Settling back on his barrel again, the captain watched his green haired crew member for a while, before turning back to the horizon again. His eyes narrowed gently, and his face was serious as he looked out to sea. Silently, he was wondering if those pirates were dead. It was their own fault after all. They fired on Merry and destroyed one of the railings! He couldn't let them continue to destroy his ship. Not to mention the stupid bastards had hurt Usopp. He'd been standing near to the railing when the cannon ball had hit. The wood had splintered and a large piece had smacked into the long nose's face, breaking his nose and smashing his forehead and cheeks. He hadn't escaped a large amount of splinters either…

The pirates had then attempted to board Merry, only to discover a black boot, or a sharp sword at their throats. A rubber fist wasn't far behind and soon the pirates found themselves smashing back into their own ship. A few of them smacked into the wooden hull and then straight through it from the sheer force of the punch. With many crunching noises, the ship's hull began to collapse in on itself, while Merry continued sailing onwards at it's usual speed. It took a while for the other pirate ship to sink, but sink it did. As they'd been leaving the wreck site, Nami had spotted the little boat and had stolen the rope from the other pirate's as they'd sailed past. She explained that a little boat would be good if ever they couldn't get somewhere on the water because Merry was too large.

Turning, Luffy promptly forgot his thoughts as Sanji announced lunch was ready. He bolted so fast that the barrel rocked and fell over, bouncing off of Zoro's feet and then rolling to the side. Grunting as he was awoken, Zoro cracked an eye open and looked around a little. If Luffy was gone… and the barrel had fallen over, that meant the captain had left in a hurry. If the captain had left in a hurry, that meant food was in the area. If food was in the area, it meant that Sanji must have been finished lunch. Hm, he was hungry too. Right on time. Getting to his feet, the swordsman made his lazy way down to the kitchen to eat. When he got there, it was to find Luffy had already eaten all of his food anyway. Slanting his eyes in annoyance, he sat down at the table and frowned pointedly at his now mildly sweating captain.

"I seem to be lacking in the food department… Know anything about it, captain?" he asked, voice low. The dark haired man beside him glanced to the side and then grinned widely, shaking his head.

"Nope!" he replied, perfectly confident. A tic twitched in Zoro's forehead before he stilled it and then smirked slightly as he turned to Usopp.

"I could hear you telling a story while I was walking down, Usopp." He looked up to Sanji, who blinked a little, visible eye narrowing, "Heard love cook twittering over Nami, who was reading off the islands we're heading towards and are going to try and avoid. Robin was making coffee, and Luffy…"

"We wer-" Usopp began but yelped as a booted foot came down on his own. Whimpering, he clutched at it and bowed out of the conversation with a few dropped tears of pain. It was a well known fact, that when Luffy ate, he didn't listen to a thing anyone else said anyway. So right now, the captain was sweating by the bucket-load, his wide grin starting to quiver at the edges. The room was silent, everyone wondering what would happen. Finally Zoro sighed heavily.

"Stop sweating, Luffy. I know it was you." he grunted, frowning. Luffy blinked.

"No."

"Yes."

"Never."

"Always."

"Noooo!"

"Oh shut up." Zoro muttered as he shook his head, pulling out of the argument with a small smirk, though his face was generally annoyed.

"You won't be getting dinner tonight, Luffy." Sanji commented as he dropped into his seat and lit a new cigarette, frowning a little when he noticed he was lacking in them. He would have to remember to get a new packet before they got to the islands.

"Awwwwww! Why!?" Luffy whined, giving the chef a pathetic look.

"Because you ate Zoro's dinner, you idiot. We can't afford to waste food like that." the blonde replied easily and calmly, turning a narrowed blue eye on his captain.

"…Hmm." Luffy pouted, letting his head flop onto the table before shifting and giving his first mate an absolutely pathetic looking, puppy dog pout.

"Don't look at me, it was my food you ate." the swordsman growled, glaring back at the boy. Apparently, the realisation that he had just stolen from possibly the only person who would have snuck food out to him, hit home. Poor Luffy. He sighed and whined pitifully, and lowly for a long, long time until Nami finally got sick of it and glared angrily at him.

"If you shut up, Luffy, I'll tell you about the islands we're going to be sailing past." the cartographer frowned slightly, attempting to use blackmail to shut the captain up. Dark eyes lit up instantly, a wide grin spreading across the rubber man's face.

"Ok!" he nodded, waiting as Nami sighed and regained control of her temper. Everyone in the room peered over as she nudged the map into the middle of the table and laid a delicate finger on what must have been their position.

"We're here at the moment, sailing towards a set of four islands known as the Crystal Isles." Nami explained, sliding her finger across to the first, almost perfectly circular shaped mark that indicated the first of the Islands. Usopp leaned over the map and blinked at it.

"Why the Crystal Isles? Are the islands made of crystal or something?" he asked, a small spark of interest lighting up his eyes.

"So COOL!!" Both Chopper and Luffy squealed, pumping their fists with stars in their eyes.

"Idiots…" Zoro muttered, "They're known as the Crystal Isles because they hold the rarest and most beautiful crystals in the Grand Line. Hence why they're guarded by those protectors."

"That's right." Nami nodded approvingly, "How did you know?"

"Heard pirates talking about it while I was hunting them." the swordsman shrugged in return, hands now linked behind his head as he leaned back in his seat.

"Cool!" Luffy grinned, continuing to grin and pump his fists, "Are we gonna go and check it out?"

"No." Sanji stated simply, frowning slightly, "As moron over there said, there's protectors. They'd slice this ship, and us, into a million pieces before we even set foot on the place."

"Right." Nami smiled, happy that she didn't have to explain everything like usual, "So we'll be taking the route between two of the islands. We can look, but no touching. As much as the crystals are tempting to go find…" Here she paused to sigh dreamily, obviously imagining how nice those crystals would look on jewellery, OR, imagining how much she could sell those things for.

"Aww…" the captain sighed, pouting slightly. Nami was still in 'la-la land' eyes glazed and an almost Sanji-ish smile on her face. The blonde blinked before grinning widely.

"Nami-swan is so beautiful when she's imagining crystals!" he complimented, nodding a few times. Robin chuckled slightly.

"Navigator-san is obviously in dream-land. I'll explain the rest until she awakes again. The first island we'll see is Topaz. It'll be the largest island. The second island adjacent to it, will be Acicular. Named after it's thin, and needle-like appearance. The third island diagonally across from Topaz, Moonstone. It's the smallest island, and most likely the most dangerous. It has the largest population of poisonous animals and snakes. The last island, and the most fascinating, is Dendritic. Named so because of it's odd, and branch-like cliff formations." Robin smiled, obviously in her element as she explained the origins of names and such.

Luffy was lost from the word go, and was now rocking back and forth idly, yawning with a finger up his nose. Zoro had fallen asleep a LONG time ago, and Sanji had gone to do the dishes. Usopp was confused as hell, but was pretending he understood everything, while Chopper was listening in awe. Nami was still in la-la land, her eyes still rather glazed. It took Usopp yelling about how he had already vanquished the protectors and was the hero of the Crystal Isles to knock her out of her little fantasy world.

"You couldn't defeat them if you tried, Usopp." she commented, leaning an elbow on the table and smirking at the long nose. A red blush crept across the boy's features, and he frowned.

"Says you!" he replied, putting his hands on his hips and looking all haughty. Nami just chuckled, finding it rather funny how the long nose took offence at the slightest things. Robin smiled, not really minding that no one had paid much attention to her. She knew that at some point, someone would want to know something about the island, and then she would repay the favour of not listening.

"Uwaa!" Chopper gasped suddenly in awe, his eyes sparkling and nose twitching as he gazed adoringly up at the long nose, "Did you really, Usopp!?" A sly smirk slid over the tanned boy's features before he nodded fervently.

"Of course! Did you expect anything less of the great Usopp-Sama?" Usopp cried, striking one of his classic 'I'm the best hero you'll ever find!' poses. Chopper squealed slightly and bounced up and down in his seat.

"Can I hear the story? Please, Usopp?" he chirped, eyes alight with curiosity and adoration. Usopp chuckled to himself before nodding and standing, leading the little reindeer out onto the deck where they wouldn't be disturbed. Zoro yawned widely and stretched before standing and exiting as well, heading off to find a less noisy place to sleep. The captain spotted his swordsman moving and grinned, leaping from his chair and following the older teen out onto the deck where he could harass him with questions about the islands. Sanji turned to see everyone leaving and sighed a little. The peace and quiet of the kitchen would be good for a while. He paused as he heard a soft shuffle and looked back to see Nami still sitting at the table. She was shuffling over her map and frowning a little as she did so.

"Nami-san?" he asked, blinking a little as he dried his hands on a towel and moved over to her. The navigator sighed a little.

"… It doesn't make sense, Sanji… It just doesn't make sense." she muttered, putting a hand to her head and shaking it as she traced her finger continuously over a certain spot on the map.

"What doesn't, Nami-san?" the chef asked, dropping into a chair across from her and looking politely confused. Nami sighed a little.

"Here." and she pointed to the first island that they were heading towards, "That's the first island, right? Well… the currents flow through between the first and fourth islands. But, they double back on themselves. Here, look." She nudged the map towards Sanji, who pulled it over to him and peered at it with lightly furrowed eyebrows. Nami was right… it didn't make sense at all. The small arrows that showed the direction of the currents running alongside the first island, twisted around the fourth island and swept back towards itself.

"So… it looks like a loop." the chef said, tracing the line of the current with a finger.

"Yes, that's exactly what it is." Nami nodded, looking up at him with concerned eyes, "And you know what that means?" Sanji looked up, still politely confused. He shook his head slightly, waiting for the navigator to elaborate.

"It means, Sanji… That if Merry gets into that current, we'll never get out again." she said firmly. Sanji blinked a little before frowning.

"So… we have to stay away from it then, ne Nami-san?" he nodded, "We can do that, easily!" Nami sighed softly and shook her head, pulling the map back to the middle of the table and pointing at the entrance to the islands.

"See the mouth of the currents here? All this water…" and she waved a hand over the large arc of blue that stretched from the outside corners of both the first and second islands, and encompassed a large body of water that stretched back to almost halfway between the last island they'd visited, to the Crystal Isles.

"We're already trapped within it then…" Sanji sighed softly, "Why didn't you say anything sooner, Nami-san? We could have at least tried to do something."

"… There's nothing we can do. I've been going over it again and again until I almost drive myself crazy! But there's no escape… And I didn't say anything earlier because I didn't want those idiots out there freaking out of their brains." the cartographer replied, running a hand through her ginger hair and staring at the map resolutely, trying to figure out what they could at least attempt to do. Sanji smiled a little, admiring the fact that Nami didn't want to worry everyone.

"Nami-san is so beautiful when she cares…" he muttered, his voice serious as he got to his feet and moved back to the dishes again, "It's okay, Nami-san. We'll figure a way out of this." Nami let out a soft and almost frustrated growl.

"Sanji-"

"Nami-san…" Sanji cut her off, turning to her with a firm expression, "We've never let the impossible get in our way before. Why should it be any different now?" Nami blinked back at him silently for a few seconds before heaving a deep sigh and nodding as she turned her eyes away.

"I hope you're right, Sanji-kun." she said, getting to her feet and smiling at him a little sadly, "For the crew's sake." Rolling up her map, she walked out and left the blonde in silence. Sanji watched her go, and then shook his head a little as he turned back to the dishes. As much as he wanted to believe that they were going to get out of this… he had about as little faith as Nami did. Sure, Luffy had gotten them out of scrapes that seemed worse than this but… Frowning a little as he began doubting himself and the captain who had defeated every foe he'd come across, Sanji continued washing the dishes and scrubbing at them angrily. He was a fool to think they wouldn't get out of this. An idiotic fool…

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"How old are the islands?" Luffy asked, sitting in his special seat and gazing out at the slowly approaching gap between the two large islands. Zoro was leaning on the rail below him, watching the islands as well. He'd attempted to sleep, but Luffy had bugged him until he'd had no choice but to comply to the captain's wishes.

"No idea." the swordsman replied, the breeze rippling through his hair. Luffy grinned a little at the feeling of the cool breeze brushing through his ebony locks.

"Do they have animals on them? Dinosaurs? Snakes?" the captain inquired, grinning widely. He wanted to explore these islands! They looked like they would be such fun! Zoro frowned slightly.

"How should I know? I've only heard about them, haven't been on them." he grouched, yawning widely. Luffy didn't seem to hear him. His eyes were glittering, and he was leaning further and further forward, mouth open in a wide grin. He so BADLY (as with anything that was forbidden to him) wanted to go on that island!

"Can-"

"No." the swordsman said instantly, cutting the boy off before he had the chance to even ask his question.

"But-"

"Tough."

"… Zoro's so mean today." Luffy pouted, looking back out to the island and puffing his cheeks defiantly. Zoro smirked slightly as he looked up at his captain.

"Zoro's mean everyday. Luffy just can't be stuffed noticing." and with a yawn, the swordsman headed off to find a place to nap. Watching as his friend settled down next to a crate a little way away, Luffy sighed a little. There went his only chance at getting on that island. If Zoro didn't vouch for him, then he was lost. Maybe Usopp, or Chopper, or even Sanji would wanna go and have a look with him? After all, if he had backup, then how could Nami refuse him? Grinning at this absolutely, infallible idea, Luffy jumped down from Merry's figure head and bolted across the deck, searching for the long nose first.

By the time he managed to locate the sniper and reindeer, they were just starting to pass between the first and second islands. The gap between them and the islands was very wide, and therefore not much of the islands could be seen through the heavy green undergrowth. Soft, white sandy beaches could be seen on their shores and all in all, looking very peaceful and calm. His two fellow pirates were sitting on the back deck, cards in their hands and a pile of discarded ones between them.

"Usopp, Chopper! I had a great idea!" Luffy chirped as he dropped down beside them, leaning in between the two and grinning so widely it was a wonder his face didn't split in two. But then again, he was a rubber-man. Looking up with narrowed eyes, and bandaged nose, Usopp frowned slightly.

"We're not going to the island, Luffy." he said firmly, laying down a card that made Chopper squeal and pick up. The cute little reindeer didn't actually know how the game was played, he just liked having heaps of cards in his hooves.

"Chopper! You're not supposed to take the cards unless I give them to you!" the long nose sighed, shaking his head and causing curly hair to go everywhere. Chopper's nose twitched as he gazed at the older crew member, wondering why this was so. Meanwhile, Luffy was pouting with puffed cheeks and dark eyes. Sanji it was then! So off he bounded, leaving Chopper blinking and Usopp trying to re-explain the rules. As Luffy bounded in the door of the kitchen, he blinked when Sanji wasn't there. Frowning slightly and wondering just where the blonde could be, the captain wandered back out again and looked around. AH, there he was! Talking to Nami as he, the navigator and Robin leant on the railings and watched the islands pass by.

"Sanji!" Luffy cried, practically bolting to the chef's side. This was a long shot, that was for sure. Sanji wasn't one to go off exploring. He preferred to be within calling distance of Nami and Robin, so if they were in danger, or wanted something, he would be there for them.

"What do you want, idiot?" Sanji asked, annoyed that Luffy had interrupted his quiet conversation with the two ladies of the ship.

"Wanna go exploring with me?" the captain asked, looking hopeful. Wide eyes were met with narrowed, dark ones. In the simplest sentence Sanji could come up with, he told Luffy exactly what he thought of that question.

"No." With that, he turned back to Nami again. Luffy sighed and deflated visibly.

"Are you sure?" he tried again. Sighing a little irritably this time, Sanji turned back to the captain with a frown.

"Have you asked Marimo?"

"Yeah, he said no."

"Usopp and Chopper?"

"They said no, too."

"Then I guess you've got a run of three, because I don't want to go either. Go annoy the idiot Marimo until he goes with you." Sanji growled slightly, blowing out a stream of smoke and frowning down at his captain. Heaving a very heavy and deep sigh, Luffy shook his head. He wasn't going to be deterred! He was going to that island, and that was final!

"Fine. Guess I'm going alone." he said as he stalked off towards the front of the ship which was now pointed directly at the fourth island as the current began taking it around the bend that led between the first and fourth islands. Sanji blinked for a second before that processed.

"Oi! You are not! Get back here!" the older teen growled, pointing at the deck in front of his feet. Luffy shook his head like a stubborn little kid and trotted to Merry's head, climbing up and onto it.

"I wanna explore!"

"Nami-san said you can't!"

"But I wanna! It's been ages since we sailed from the last island!" the captain returned. Sanji growled and ran up behind him, grabbing onto a foot. NEVER, had he thought Luffy would be so disregarding to what Nami said. Not in this case anyway.

"It's been a week! We've been on the ocean longer than that, idiot!" his protests fell on deaf ears though, as Luffy grinned and once they were close enough… rocketed himself onto the island. Sanji didn't let go quick enough, and he found himself being flung into the air and dragged along with the wayward captain. This… was going to be a fun day. Fun, here having the meaning of absolutely horrible, terrible, and having to put up with a captain who would be wanting food, adventure, and then more food.

Yay, sounded wonderful… NOT!

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Looking up as he heard a familiar 'BAKA!' and then 'YAHOO!', Zoro blinked as he saw Luffy and Sanji heading straight for the fourth island, the one they were passing now. Raising an eyebrow, he got up and moved to the railing, crossing his arms on it and watching as the two disappeared in the trees. Vaguely, he felt a strange sense of satisfaction because for once… that wasn't him. He was the one always being either smacked into, thrown around, or rocketed to parts unknown. Nami wandered over to where Zoro was standing and frowned slightly.

"Where's Sanji?" she asked. Zoro smirked slightly, before raising a casual arm and pointing at the island.

"Over there…" and he sniggered derisively, "Both he and Luffy went on a little trip." Nami blinked before whacking him in the back of the head, sending his face into the railing below it and making him reel back grunting in pain and grabbing at his now bleeding nose.

"What the HELL!?" he yelled.

"Why did you let them go!?" the navigator shrieked, waving her arms at him.

"I DIDN'T! I just saw them flying off!!" Zoro roared back, groaning slightly as his nose and upper lip throbbed, "Stupid bitch…"

"What was that!?" Nami growled and Zoro grimaced slightly, hurrying away from the incensed navigator. He wasn't going to deal with the witch when she was about ready to breathe fire. Still… If what he had heard about these islands, then it was no easy task to get off of the damn thing… Fuck. That in turn meant… he would be rescuing Sanji. Oh dear lord, why couldn't Luffy have gone there by himself? Like he usually did. At least when he got there he wouldn't be insulted for not showing up sooner, for getting lost and for more than likely getting into some sort of trouble. Wasn't his fault tigers and animals liked to attack him all the time, damn it! … Sighing, Zoro moved back to where he could hear Chopper and Usopp yapping on the back deck. He climbed up, and raised an eyebrow at the two.

"Usopp, come. Now." the swordsman ordered, moving back down to the deck again.

"I'm not a dog!" Usopp frowned, but followed none the less. Chopper giggled to himself, silently commenting on the fact that Usopp did in fact, look mildly like a dog… With his long nose, and big wide eyes. Giggling, but trying to hide it, the little reindeer trotted after them. Paying no attention to his sniggering comrade, Usopp blinked when he saw no Sanji and no Luffy on deck.

"What's going on?" he asked, narrowing his eyes slightly, "Did Luffy rocket them both onto the island?"

"How did you guess?" Zoro replied sarcastically as he grabbed up one of the oars and then moved back to the back deck again. Nami, Robin, Chopper and Usopp all followed curiously.

"Zoro, you can't do that…" Nami warned, realising that if Zoro went out in the little boat now… then he would be stuck in the current in the damn thing. Now that would be a pain in the ass.

"Why the hell not?" Zoro muttered as he placed one foot on the railing.

"Because, I said so." the navigator frowned. The swordsman arched an eyebrow, then snorted before leaping off the railing and into the little boat below.

"Come on, Usopp." he called back up. Nami growled and moved to the railing herself, clenching it with angry hands and glaring down at the ignorant first mate.

"Damn it, Zoro. There's a current. Merry's already stuck in it, and you will be too if you keep this up!" Silence followed this statement, as Robin bowed her head slightly. She'd studied the map, and therefore knew about this current. Not to mention her broad expanse of general knowledge had covered this particular point when she had learnt about these rare islands. Zoro looked up at the cartographer, frowning a little.

"So what? The Island's are impossible to get off, supposedly, aren't they?"

"They're also impossible to get on to, swordsman-san…" Robin reminded him. Zoro scowled angrily. Why were they so against him going to help Luffy for hell's sake?

"Usopp, get down here now…" he growled.

"But-"

"I said now."

"…Fine." Usopp sighed, climbing onto the rail, and then awkwardly shimming down the rope and into the boat, freaking out because it rocked violently when he fell into it. Rolling his eyes, Zoro looked back up at the others, before pulling out a sword and easily swiping through the rope. Almost instantly, the little ship began to pick up speed, levelling with Merry as the current dragged them along.

"Zoro!!" Nami yelled, angry and frightened that they would both be killed if they didn't get out of the current.

"Leave them, Navigator-san… They're gone…" Robin said softly, resting a hand on the younger woman's shoulder and watching as Usopp rowed frantically to try and get out of the current.

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Okay, first chapter. It's a little short perhaps, but as they go on, the chapters should get a little longer hopefully. What did you think? It's a little different than my usual thing, isn't it? maybe because I haven't written something by myself in a little while. XD Anyway. Tell me what you thought! What you think may happen, things like that, ne:D