The Cliff

Like his lovely Nami-san had predicted, they made it to the next island just as the kitchen clock struck noon. Sanji was finishing up packing lunchboxes for the crew. They didn't have time to eat lunch right now. If they were going to find the bastard who killed Usopp, they needed to cover as much ground as possible, so they decided they would split into three teams. Nami, Chopper, and Robin would be one, Sanji and Luffy, would be team two, and Zoro and Brook would be team three. Franky had stayed behind to guard the ship and fix the damage that had been done the previous morning. They would all meet back at the Sunny in four hours.

"Everyone, a storm will be here in about half an hour. It's going to be pretty bad, so be careful!" Nami warned them.

The crew nodded, split up, and began their search…

A short young woman stood at the edge of the highest cliff on the island. She fearlessly looked down at the sharp rocks that were littered below. The sky had turned greyer and the wind had picked up. The waves have grown in size and now were crashing violently into the side of the cliff; the water almost reaching her webbed toes.

"Looks like the storms here!" She yelled over the howling wind as it blew through her short dark-green-grey hair. She turned around to the small cave that topped the precipice.

"Finally!" came a voice from inside. A forty-something year old woman, climbed out tying her long blond hair into a tight bun.

"You're ready?"

"I've been ready for hours." The older woman yawned.

"Now remember, you're just going straight; right for that buoy. And if you get there-"

"If?"

"-just head for the lighthouse- STRAIGHT to the lighthouse."

"Keep talking to me like that, sea slug, and I'll cut out your tongue and feed it to stray dogs."

"You're scary."

"I call it charm," she smirked.

They both looked out to the ocean, a giant wave was about to hit the cliff. Sarah took out her pocket watch from her hip satchel. "Here it comes…Ready… Set…Go!"

The older woman dove headfirst into the wave and disappeared from sight. Water sprayed up to the heavens as the wave crashed against the cliffs and into the spear-like rocks below. When it finally subsided, Sarah looked at the lighthouse. There was no sign of the woman.

"That idiot is hopeless," Sarah muttered to herself, tucking her pocket watch back into her satchel.

She waited a little longer, but after a few minutes the sky had grown so dark couldn't see anything but violent waves. However, she had feeling that the overcast would start to clear up in a few minutes and she would be able to look for her nakama properly. Screw that. She was hungry. Sarah checked her satchel again. She had all the money. That made her smile.

Humming to herself she walked back down towards the town, her bare webbed feet slapping against the stony trail. Now that she didn't have to worry about giving the hag her share of food money, she would be able to eat whatever she wanted tonight. There was a little place near the docks that had the best pasta in town-which really wasn't saying much. Do to its reputation as being The Island of Dread; this poor town was barely standing. The people who lived here for whatever reason were kind, but quiet and spoke with caution as if they were afraid that the walls had ears. It got really annoying after a while.

Sarah stopped to take in the sight of the sun setting over the harbor. Despite its name, Dread Island was rather beautiful. She held her hand against the sun and squinted. A new ship had docked! It looked like it was a pirate ship too! Sarah got a closer look. She couldn't help but giggle as she took off running at full speed toward the harbor, because painted on the sail was a skull wearing a strawhat.

Like always, her instincts did not fail her. The sky had mostly cleared and the rain had slowed to a light drizzle. In the distance she could see a group of strangers talking. She couldn't make out what they were saying, nor did she care. All she cared about was that he was there. Right there! Right in front of her! Sarah slowly walked towards them. She been dreaming of this moment for years, but she still had no idea what to say to him. Words wouldn't be enough to express how much she missed him, but she knew what would be.

Five hours after docking the crew was once again gathered under the awning of the café close to the Sunny. Franky studied it. It was worn down, with a gaping hole in it that made it look like hell…like them. They had all returned on time, only to give the same damn report.

"No one in this shitty town will talk to us!" Sanji cursed as he kicked the stack of crates, smashing them to bits.

"Maybe they have a good reason for not talking to us?" Robin suggested.

Zoro thumbed his katana. "I'll give them a better reason why they should," he said darkly.

"I don't think scare tactics will work," Robin noted. "The people of this town are already terrified of something."

Nami looked up. "Maybe what they're afraid of is what killed-"

"Oi, Sanji!" called a voice from the down the dimly lit street.

Everyone looked up as Sanji turned around. There was a splat as the cook's face was suddenly covered in mud.

"What the Hell?!" Sanji yelled. They could hear someone giggling in the distance as the cook tried to wipe the mud out of his eyes.

"Oi, what's your problem?!" Franky demanded.

The crew was immediately on their feet, glaring as the still laughing figure walked towards them. Whoever it was had something in their hand and they were going to throw it! Franky smiled. Here they were, sitting around itching to kick someone's ass and up walks this idiot.

The new target of their misplaced aggression stretched their arm back ready to throw. They were aiming for Sanji again.

"Doce Fleur!" Robin shouted.

Franky watched expectantly for the asshole to fall to its knees, but nothing happened. Instead Robin panted and dropped her hands to her sides.

"What's wrong?" Chopper asked.

"I don't know," Robin warned them. "My ability isn't working on her. Be careful, she isn't normal."

This got the crew into battle mode, except for Sanji who was still trying to get whatever she threw out of his eyes.

"Watch out!" Zoro stepped in front of the cook. There was another splat as Zoro blocked the attack with the side of his blade.

"Damn it!" Sanji exclaimed. "What the hell is in this mud?!"

The woman stopped. Franky could finally get a good look at her. She was a very attractive short woman, about 5 feet tall, with shoulder-length, dark cyan hair. She was wearing long brown gloves that matched her short brown vest with a high collar that covered most of her breasts. She didn't have any shoes, exposing her webbed toes.

"Spit!" answered the young woman with a grinned.

Sanji froze. Then, to everyone's surprise, he relaxed. "That's disgusting," he said.

Franky furrowed his brow. Was he smiling?

"You're disgusting," she said as she continued to walk up to their chef. Everyone was eyeing her suspiciously.

"You know her?" Zoro asked, swords still raised.

"Yeah. It's fine," Sanji said waving his hand dismissively. Everyone lowered their weapons. The woman giggled again and slapped the blind chef on the back. "It's nice to see you're alive," she noted.

"I've been alive for a while now, Sarah," he replied. "The question is; where the hell have you been?"

Franky was taken aback. He had never heard the chef talk to a woman that way. Then again, he couldn't see her body with that crap on his face.

"It's a long story, I'll tell you it over the drinks you'll buy me," Sarah decided.

"Sanji-kun," Nami interpreted, there was an edge in her voice.

The smile slipped off the chef's face. "It'll have to wait. My nakama and I have something that needs to be taken care of first."

"And what would that be?"

"One of our nakama was murdered yesterday morning," Robin said.

"Oh," the playfulness in the woman's voice was gone. "By who?"

Zoro answered. "We don't know. None of us heard a gun go off, or saw anything odd. One minute he was talking, the next he was bleeding, and then he was dead."

Chopper was sobbing again. "We don't know who, or how, or why… Why would someone do that t-to Ewswobb?!" the little doctor wailed.

Sarah furrowed her brow and sighed thoughtfully.

"What was is it?" Nami asked.

"You didn't do an autopsy did you?" the she asked.

Chopper shook his head. "I-I couldn't!"

Sarah nodded, "Did you burn or bury him?"

"No!" answered Nami she looked like she was getting pissed. "Why are you asking these questions?"

"What did you do with the body?" Sarah asked.

Robin answered, "We put him in a burial ship and sent him off to sea," Sarah's expression changed. She looked furious.

"Why? What's wrong?" Luffy asked.

Sarah growled, "That bastard's done it again."

Zoro furrowed his brow. "You know who killed Usopp?"

Hesitantly she nodded.

Luffy stood up so suddenly he knocked over a table. "Tell us!"

But Sarah remained quiet until Luffy grabbed her by her collar practically lifting her off the ground. "Tell us!" he demanded.

Sarah looked at him somberly, "You're not going to like the answer."

Luffy was practically shaking. "I NEED TO KNOW WHO KILLED USOPP!"

With greatest reluctance she looked him in the eye gravely.

"You did."