On the Straw Hat ship, the weather is quiet. After repairing the Merry and speculating on what might happen in Luffy and the others' absence, Usopp and Chopper are playing cards on deck, while Sanji is locked in the kitchen to check that nothing is missing for the next few weeks at sea.
"And I won again!" Says Usopp with a big smile as he lays his last card in front of the little reindeer's discomfited face.
"That's not fair!" He grumbles as he throws the cards around him again. His little arms are crossed and he makes a pouty face. "Why can't I win!" The sniper flashes a big smile as he chuckles and rubs his nose with pride.
"You don't stand a chance against the great Captain Usopp! I am the best in the world at this game. I have already won many tournaments and my name is known all over the world as Usopp the invincible!" Chopper's eyes began to glow, completely forgetting the crushing defeat he had just suffered.
"Really Usopp? That's really great! I'd like to be as strong as you one day!" The man let out a small, proud laugh as he puffed his chest out.
"I could teach you everything I know, but this path is difficult and full of pitfalls! Do you think you can do it?" The little doctor leaps to his feet, clenches his fists and looks at Usopp with determination.
"I'm not afraid of a challenge! If it means I can beat you!"
"All right, then... Hey!" Shouts the sniper as he realizes the reindeer's true attention. The two bicker a bit as Luffy's group boards the ship. As soon as they see them coming, they approach them with undisguised relief to see them in one piece and unharmed.
"Hey guys, how's the news?" Asks the sniper, while Luffy gives him a big smile.
"This town is really cool! And you'll never guess who we ran into! " He jumps up with excitement.
"Someone who told you how to get to Skypiea?" Try Chopper. Nami shakes her head in annoyance and starts talking in an irritated voice.
"No. This city is really crappy! Everyone laughed at us when we asked about the sky islands! Damn it! I wanted to make them swallow their words so badly!" She yells while making big irritated gestures at the little doctor's questioning face.
"So we have no more information?" Asks the sniper with a visibly disappointed face.
"I wouldn't exactly say that." Everyone turns to Robin who arrives at the ship and hands Nami a piece of paper. "I found someone who might be able to help us. He's on the other side of the island, living as an outcast." They look at the map to see the town indicated and a red cross on the other side of the island. The navigator lets out a sigh as she waves the map in her hand.
"I take it that it doesn't cost anything to try. We won't find anything here anyway. But for now, we can't leave yet, Stella isn't back yet. I hope she won't be long." She said as she folded the map and slipped it into her pocket.
"Shishishi! I'm sure she already knows we're all here."
"You're right, Luffy." They all turn to Stella who gives them a big smile as she steps over the railing of Merry. "I see you're still in one piece, real fish in the water." She says as Luffy pounces on her, nearly knocking her to the ground.
"Stella!" Balancing precariously, Stella smiles at him as she ruffles his hair and turns to Nami while Luffy still has his arms around her.
"I take it you had a good time. So? Any info on the sky island?" Nami glares at her, but still points to the map of the island.
"We didn't get any information, but Robin may have found something." Stella nods with a small smile as she looks at the archaeologist.
"I see you have the ability to gather information too. It looks like you're following in my footsteps." She says with a big happy smile. Traces of pink appear on Robin's cheeks as she looks away slightly from their teacher's bright, proud face.
"I... I didn't do much. I just used my powers of persuasion." She declares, regaining her composure and trying to get her face smooth again. But Stella's sweet smile makes it clear that she won't be able to hide her feelings and true thoughts like she usually does.
The others look at them questioningly, but make no comment because they understand that the relationship between these two women seems more complex and deep than what is visible now.
"Okay, now that everyone has arrived, we can leave. Come on, everyone get your stations!" Shouts Nami.
"Let's get this adventure started!" Shouts Luffy as he lets go of Stella and jumps to the front of the ship with an excited face. Stella giggles softly and goes to stow her bag in the room at her usual hiding place, making sure no one will stumble upon her costume.
Once this is done, she goes to the door to lock it to be quiet while she calls Marco and Ace. She can already hear the shouts of the two commanders as she goes to tell them that Teach has escaped under her nose.
She sits down on the chair in front of the desk and dials Marco's personal number, because it is very likely that he is no longer on the Moby Dick, already on his way to join Ace. The Den Den rings several times before someone picks up, except it's not Marco's voice that answers, nor the voice of someone she knows.
"Hello? Who is this?" Replies a gruff, stony voice that is rather unpleasant to the ear. Stella tenses up and she looks coldly at the Den Den that has taken on the face of a man with a scar running diagonally across his face. "Hello? Answer it, asshole! Who are you?" She brings the microphone up to her mouth and speaks in a voice as cold as Antarctica.
"Who are you? How did you get that Den Den?" The guy doesn't say anything for a few seconds before he starts to growl.
"I'm the one asking the questions, bitch! You don't know who you're talking to! And you dare to call me! If I find you, I'll take care of you!" Stella looks at the face of this creep. Did she get the wrong number? No, that's impossible, every number is carefully recorded in every Den Den. The most probable hypothesis is that Marco has lost his Den Den.
"You can always try. But just to be sure, is this Den Den really yours, or did you steal it from someone?"
"Huh?! What do you care about it? Is it your boyfriend's number maybe? I'm sorry, but his stuff was stolen earlier. I advise you to delete this number from your phonebook because he won't get it back anytime soon! Ha ha ha!" Stella rests her elbow on the desk and lets out an annoyed sigh, pinching the edge of her nose. At least Marco is okay if he just got his stuff stupidly stolen.
"I see... I have a quick question for you. Do you have any idea who you just stole from?"
"Huh?" Responds the thief in a very clever way. "I don't know and I don't care! He's never going to find me and my gang, so it's best he gives up. He doesn't stand a chance against us anyway!" She doesn't know whether to laugh or cry at this talkative thief. She might as well take advantage of it to get as much information as possible from this gang, she will find a way to contact Marco somehow.
"Mouai... Of simple small thief of the streets will not make him afraid. " She said with boredom and a touch of disdain.
"WHAT?! What did you just say to me, bitch? I'm the leader of the thieves Warui ! I have a bounty of 11 million Berry!" Stella bites her tongue to block her laughter and victorious smile.
"Hmmm... Warui? I've never heard of it. You must be on a really tiny, empty island, nothing to brag about." She picks up a sheet of paper and starts writing down information about this bunch of low-life thieves.
"WHAT?! Kuraigana Island is one of the largest islands in this sea! And it is my playground! Everyone knows me and fears me! So it's not your boyfriend that's going to scare me! "He exclaims, totally offended that he didn't scare this woman on the other end of the phone. He gets even more upset when he sees the amused and superior rictus that the Den Den makes to him, meaning that Stella this laughs at him.
"So what? Even if you're feared, you must probably live in a small, dark and closed basement, because deep down you know you're afraid of the marines and my boyfriend." The man explodes with rage and begins to copiously call Stella names as he describes little by little where he is. Pushing a little further, she even manages to get the number of men under his command and even where the phoenix's belongings are stored. "SO?! Now you're scared?!" Stella swallows her laughter and takes on a small voice all fearful.
"Yes... You are really powerful and strong! You're right, my boyfriend is really lame and so weak that he doesn't stand a chance against you! But if he finds you, be nice to him and don't hurt him!" Tears start to appear in her blue eyes, but he doesn't need to know that they are tears of laughter that she has been trying to contain for a while.
The poor thief starts laughing with pride at having managed to scare the impertinent little girl, but his joy doesn't last long as one of his men bursts into his office, nearly slamming the door against the brick wall.
" BOSS! We have a problem! The guy we robbed this morning has found us!"
"WHAT?!" He yells as he leaps up from his chair, dropping the microphone on the table. His eyes are wide on his colleague and he shifts his gaze back to the Den Den, who is wearing a big mocking smile.
"Hooo~. Looks like he found you on his own after all. Little advice, you should run away from here. After all, you just stole Marco the Phoenix, Whitebeard's second in command. ~ Watch out for the fire, it burns. ~" Adds Stella in a mocking tone while the leader of the thieves has a paler and paler face, realizing the huge blunder he just made. Without a word, he rushes out of the room and starts running with his colleague right behind him.
The leader runs as fast as he can towards the exit, but he stops at a crossroads when he hears the cries of fear and panic of the other thieves in the gang coming from the room at the end of a still closed corridor, which serves as their living and resting room. A pungent smell of smoke and fire begins to fill the hallway leading to the exit.
" BOSS!" Another man appears at an intersection in the hallway and looks expectantly at his leader. "'Boss! We need you! We can't do it without you! He's burning everything and our weapons have no effect!" A new howl down the hall draws their attention and the door that separated them from the combat zone lights up blue, licked and burned by Marco's trademark blue fire. The chief paled even more, realizing that the woman on the phone was telling the truth. "BOSS!" The two men's shouts woke him from his shocked state. "What do we do?" He takes one last look at the door, which is already half burned out.
"We're running away! We don't stand a chance against him!" And he runs without looking back, totally abandoning his men who are screaming in pain on the other side of the burning door. The last two men still alive watch their leader run down the hallway without looking back. They are totally lost, but they also start to run because they don't want to stay there to end up grilled in merguez.
The burning door falls in small pieces of charred wood before Marco calls back all his flames. He doesn't want to burn his stuff. Scanning the rest of the half-destroyed building, he sees three men running for the exit. He doesn't worry too much about them because a welcoming committee is waiting for them outside. Without a glance at the burned out room, he walks through the ashen door and up the still intact hallway. He opens each door and burns the locked ones.
After opening a few doors, he finally finds the cabin of the thief leader. He quickly spots his Den Den on the desk, indicating that his belongings should be nearby.
"Finally, I was starting to worry!" The female voice startles him and he looks wide-eyed at the Den Den, which displays an all too familiar smug smile.
"Stella?" He asks cautiously as he walks over and grabs the microphone so the woman can hear him better. It's a good thing he didn't come back five minutes earlier, or he would have heard the very unpleasant sound of an ultra-sound amplified voice. Stella still has tinnitus in her ears.
"Of course it's me. Don't you recognize my oh-so-sensual, voluptuous voice, honey?" The blond displays a grimace at the sweet name.
"Very funny. Why else are you on the line? Your number isn't registered, so that thief couldn't have called you by mistake." He asks, looking around to see if he sees his stuff anywhere.
"Indeed, it was me who called you. I have information about Blackbeard. I know where he is." Marco's body comes to a stop and he looks at the Den Den with wide eyes before his face turns serious.
"Where?" He says in a somber tone.
"On the Island of Jaya. On the other hand, there is a problem." She said with a closed face. Marco said nothing, waiting for the next part. "It is impossible for me to detect him with my observation haki, even after seeing him. I think he's able to erase it at will, which may be a problem." The Phoenix's eyebrows furrowed.
"Wait... You had it in your sights, but you couldn't catch him?" Stella let out a small grunt of irritation, not proud of what she was about to say.
"Let's just say he was right next to me and we even chatted together over a beer. But I didn't realize who he was until after he left. But I'm sure somewhere he knew who I was despite my disguise, because he totally disappeared when I couldn't see him anymore." Marco has his face in his hand, exasperated and frustrated, he doesn't know whether to laugh at her misfortune or yell at her for letting him go.
"I see..." He lets out an exasperated sigh. "It doesn't matter. Now we know where he is, and that we'll have to watch the area carefully if he's able to erase his presence so effectively." She gives a small grunt of approval.
"Yeah, that's the right thing to do. So, have you found Ace?" Marco's eyes spot a small recess in one of the walls and he heads there, resting the small Den Den on his shoulder.
"Yep! We found him three days ago. We tried to call you, but you didn't answer. We were a little worried, but since we know nothing bad can happen to you, we waited for you to call back." Stella's face lights up upon hearing the good news, at least now Ace isn't risking anything with the others around to watch him.
"Sorry for the wind, but let's just say I was a little busy." The blond nodded absentmindedly as he punched the false wall, creating an opening that led to a hiding place with many bags, including his own. He smiles as he grabs his bag and begins to rummage through it to make sure nothing is missing.
"No problem. Thanks to you, Ace is with us and now we know where to go. And it's good timing, we're only a day away from Jaya." Stella raises her eyebrows in amazement, hopefully she'll be able to see Ace again before she goes to Skypiea.
"The sooner you get there, the sooner you'll have a chance to catch this asshole." Noticing that all of his stuff is still in his bag, Marco throws it over his shoulder and begins to head for the exit of the half-destroyed shack.
"We're counting on it. If you manage to catch him by then, you'll know that we'll arrive in 1 or 2 days maximum. If not, leave it to us and enjoy your vacation. According to Ace, you are with his little brother. How is he doing? He's not too turbulent? "The woman shows an amused smile when she hears Luffy and Usopp yelling outside, talking about a castle from what she understands. Besides, she feels the ship slowing down, a sign that the Merry is about to dock at its destination.
"Let's just say I'm not bored right now. Between him and his friends, I always have something to do. On the other hand, the only thing I have to complain about is the meals." Marco raises an eyebrow with a small amused smile as he sees the exit door a few feet away.
"Why? Is their cook bad?"
"No, quite the opposite. The cook has a real talent. But let's say Luffy eats as much as Ace and on top of that he steals from other people's plates without any scruples. Being elastic has its advantages, let's say it." Marco lets out a laugh as he imagines a more childlike Ace who has arms that stretch in all directions and looks like a balloon at every meal.
"Ha ha ha, I can imagine the scene. But at least you stay sharp even during meals!" He exclaims while pushing the door that leads out of the bandits' den, which is an old abandoned and now half burned building. He quickly sees the three men who had tried to escape tied up next to Ace, Izou and five members of Ace's former crew, who begged them to come with them to find their former captain. Among them is Deuce, a young man the same age as Ace, with light blue hair and whose face is constantly hidden by a dark blue mask surrounding his eyes. He is Ace's old right hand man and best friend.
"Ha ha ha... Very funny Marco." She said in a sarcastic tone as outside she heard shouts of surprise and commotion from Luffy's crew.
The sound of her voice was loud enough to be heard by the others who looked up to see Marco talking to a Den Den. Ace peeled himself off the tree he was leaning against and approached the Phoenix.
"You have Stella on the phone?" Marco nods as he reaches for the microphone.
"Yes. She managed to find Teach. He's on the island of Jaya, less than a day away." Ace's eyes widen at this news and his fists clench as the anger of revenge flows through his veins again, raising his body temperature to the point that small flames begin to lick his skin.
"This asshole is soon in my hands. He doesn't know what's coming." He flashes a big, almost crazed smile, so excited is he. In 24 hours, he can avenge his friend's death. Stella hears him and frowns slightly, worried he'll do something stupid because of his eagerness.
"Calm down, my little flame. I can feel your fire from here. You must know that I couldn't catch him or detect him. So don't think it's as easy as you think. Besides, I don't know if he's already eaten his fruit or not." The young man frowned at the nickname and the lack of confidence his godmother seemed to have.
"Just because you can't catch him doesn't mean I can't either!" He says with a hint of misplaced anger. Marco and Izou let out a sigh, shaking their heads. Deuce steps forward and places his gloved hand on Ace's almost burning shoulder.
"Calm down Ace, there's no point in warming up. Save it for when we get that traitor in front of us. Then you can give him all the torture you want." His friend's calm smile quickly soothes the flame man. He takes a deep breath that brings his body temperature down to a normal level.
"You're right. I'd better keep all this heat inside me so I can throw it in his nasty face." The two adults over 40 face-palmed their faces at this relentless logic from the boy, but at least they won't have to suffer any potential burns, not that it's very impactful for Marco but it's more embarrassing for the others.
"Anyway..." Marco begins. "I got my bag back and we have a new destination. So let's not hang around here too much, especially since the smoke must have attracted the attention of the Navy." He brings the microphone closer to his mouth. "Thanks again for your help, we'll contact you if there are any changes in the schedule."
"It's working! I'll do the same. By the way, Deuce!" The boy looks at Den Den who smiles at him, "Take good care of Ace! You're the only one who can keep him sane. You're the one responsible for him." Deuce has an amused chuckle as he looks at his friend who has crossed his arms and pouts as he stares at the poor snail.
"Don't worry about it. I'll take care of him like I always do! You don't have to worry." Stella's smile softened.
"Thank you, I feel more reassured hearing that."
"OI! I'm not a kid who needs to be watched all the time, mind you!" Everyone laughs at his unadult-like behavior.
"Don't worry Stella, we'll take good care of your baby." Says Marco in a mocking tone while looking at Ace with an amused look.
"HEY!"
It is under the laughter that the line is cut. The smile still on her lips, Stella puts away the snails in their vivarium. She hangs Seima on her belt, with this time Aoi on her shoulder to match her denim jacket, her white tank top and her navy blue pants.
As she walks out onto the deck, the first thing she notices is that the Merry is moored to a small grassy bank and there is no one left on the ship. The sun begins to decline on the horizon turning the sky orange and yellow in a beautiful sunset, she didn't realize how long she was in the room.
A few meters away, she sees a small house hidden by a huge wooden board representing a castle. Scanning the surroundings, she easily spots all the pirates inside the small house. Chopper is bustling around a person who looks unwell, but is not part of the crew. There are also two other people present, one of whom looks familiar, but she can't remember where she met him. Maybe someone from the city?
With a quick, fluid leap over the railing, she lands quietly on the grass and heads for the small house. The wide-open door allows her to see the entirety of the large, single room in the house. The Straw Hats are sitting around a small golden statue in the shape of a toucan with a tall, strong, bare-chested man with a chestnut on top of his head, and two kinds of gorillas at his side. One of them is the captain of the crew they met when the galleon fell on them from the sky.
Her entrance into the house attracts the attention of the chestnut headed man.
"Who are you? Didn't anyone ever tell you to knock before entering?" He says in a grumpy, suspicious tone. All heads turn to her and she gets jumped on again by Luffy.
"Stella! Where have you been? You missed a lot!" Says the little captain as he wraps his arms and legs around the white-haired woman in the orange hat again. An amused smile quickly appears on her face as she enters the room still carrying Luffy.
"I was in the room to call your brother on a matter that concerns him. So, did you find a way to get to Skypiea?" Asks she as Luffy finally lets go of her. Robin closes the book she was reading and gets up from her chair to approach her.
"Yes, it seems the only way to get there is through the Knock up Stream. A huge geyser of water that will propel us to the sky island. The flight is scheduled for tomorrow morning." Said she with a small, affectionate smile, hiding her excitement to go to an island floating in the skies that holds archaeological knowledge that has been out of reach for centuries.
"The Knock up Stream? It's not going to be easy to take it. We better be well prepared because we'll only get one shot at it." The dark-haired woman nods, not too surprised that Stella already knows what's in store for them.
"Uh... Sorry to bother you, but who are you?" Asks the chestnut-headed man, who looks at her suspiciously. Stella smiles at him and steps forward, extending her hand to the man still sitting on the floor.
"I'm Stella Star, the teacher of this bunch of kids. And you? You must be the outcast of this island?" He raises an eyebrow before extending his hand in turn.
"Indeed... I am Montblanc Cricket." Her white eyebrows raise in surprise at hearing his name.
"Montblanc? Like Montblanc Norland?" Cricket's face closes slightly as he drops his hand.
"Indeed. I am his descendant. Why? Do you have something to say?" He said in a slightly jaded tone, expecting a mocking retort.
"Well..." She runs her hand through her hair, rubbing the back of her neck as she looks at the Straw Hats. "I can't tell you exactly why, but... Even if it's a little late... I want to apologize. I'm really sorry." The man's eyebrows furrow and everyone looks at her with confusion. Why is she apologizing? And why is she saying it's a little late?
"Uh... Sorry, but I don't understand why you're apologizing? Do I know you?" Stella lets out a sigh as she looks at the ground, not daring to look at the man.
"No, you didn't know me personally. That excuse is not for you, Cricket. It's for your name, Montblanc." Cricket's eyebrows furrow further, not understanding what she means. At the confused face, Stella bites her lip, uncomfortable. "I know my apology is worthless to you, because you don't know who I am or what I've done. But I'm glad I can at least apologize to a descendant of Montblanc Norland."
Cricket continues to stare at her in confusion, but finally sighs when he realizes he won't have another explanation for the moment. At least this woman isn't here to make fun of him and his family.
"I see... I don't know yet if I should accept your apology on behalf of the family. But I appreciate the gesture." Stella gives him a relieved and happy smile.
"Well... It's not that I don't understand this conversation, but we need to get ready to take the Knock up Stream." Says Nami, who shows a somewhat irritated face by the fact that Stella already knew about the geyser, and that she didn't understand anything about the conversation that just took place.
"Yes, that's true. Now that I think about it, you absolutely must get your hands on a Southbird. Without it, you won't be able to get to the place where the Knock Up Stream appears."
"A South Bird? What's that?" Asks Chopper. Cricket grabs the gold statue of a bird.
"South birds are birds that constantly point their beaks south. But they are a protected species, so it is illegal to keep one in captivity. But for our project, we need to capture one. Without it, it is impossible to reach our destination."
"Really?! Such a bird exists? I thought the only way to navigate on Grand Line was the Log Pose." Said the navigator with surprise and interest, because if they could keep the bird, they could better orient themselves on this deadly and unpredictable sea.
"Yes, there are even other species that point to other poles. But I advise you not to keep them in captivity because they will wither away." Warns Cricket as he sees the redhead's eager face, frowning at the man's response.
"That was too good to be true... And where is that bird?" The man points in the direction of the thick forest that can be seen through the window.
"They live in this forest. But I warn you, they are particularly hard to catch." Luffy flashes a widening smile, excited about the adventure ahead of him.
"Let's go guys! Let's go get that bird and head to the sky island!"
"Oi!" Shouts everyone. Soon, different groups form. Stella, Cricket, and the two monkeys see the youngsters heading deeper into the forest.
The small house owner turns to the woman in the orange hat with a questioning face.
"Aren't you going with them?" He asks with his arms crossed as the two gorillas head to the Merry to reinforce it and make various upgrades for the flight. Stella is still looking at the forest with a small amused smile.
"They don't need me to catch a bird. And I'd rather stay here if there's ever a problem and they need my help. Besides, the Merry would be pretty lonely without a crew member around." She finishes with a more playful smile as she heads toward the ship.
Cricket watches her walk away with many questions, but finally sighs. This is none of his concern. While he is curious as to why she apologized for his name, he doesn't really want to know, as he is proud of his name. He turns his back to the forest, which is getting darker and darker as the sun sets. The sky is now a beautiful dark purple and the first stars begin to appear.
Quickly, the sky becomes inky black. The moon began to rise and the stars became more numerous. Cricket and the two monkeys turned on the house lights and a few torches around the boat to get enough light to see what they were doing to the Merry.
Stella is lying quietly between the mandarin trees, with Aoi eating blades of grass beside her. She is lulled by the sound of the sea and the forest, but also by the leaves waving above her with every little breeze that caresses her face. She could almost fall asleep if the hammering of the two monkeys on the boards did not prevent her from sleeping!
She lets out an annoyed little grunt, but she doesn't say anything because Merry needs all the help it can get to pass tomorrow's test. Because she's not going to hide it, currently, the Merry won't survive the power of the geyser and will explode in midair.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?!" The irritated and slightly worried voice of Cricket calls out to Stella who gets up to go see what's going on, leaving Aoi to continue his meal which is now one of Nami's mandarins.
"Hahahh-haha! We heard that you have a beautiful little treasure with you! We've come to steal it from you!" Stella's footsteps stop momentarily in the middle of the bridge as she hears Bellamy's distinctive voice and laughter. She clicks her tongue and steps forward to see Bellamy and his gang below, about ten yards from the house. She notices that he has bandages on his arms and especially around his neck, where she hit him to knock him out.
"What?! That gold belongs to me! Do you really think I'm going to let you do this?!" Shouts Cricket, as he and his two friends are on guard, ready to fight and punish the pirates.
"Hahahh-haha! Do you think I give a damn? Come on, guys! Get that gold for me!" With one movement, all the pirates pounce on the trio. The fight is extremely lopsided and while Cricket and his friends manage to crush a good half of them, it's not enough and they end up on the ground. Seriously injured, but not fatally. Bellamy flashes a triumphant smile and his gaze turns to the Merry. "Take the gold and destroy the house and its ship! That will serve as a warning to the others!"
"Oh no. I don't think so." The cold, masculine voice halts the pirates' advance toward their new objective. Appearing like a ghost, they see a man on top of the Merry's head. His red and black hair flutters in the wind under the moonlight and his blood red eyes stare at Bellamy's face with a cold, closed look. "You will kindly leave here without taking anything. Be thankful enough that I haven't killed you all already."
The pirates look at him with wide eyes, impressed by the presence he exudes.
"You?! What the hell are you doing here?!" Shouts Bellamy in disbelief and fear, but for all answer, he sees the man disappear from his position to appear right behind him, a silver blade against his throat, ready to slice his carotid artery.
"I warned you to leave this island immediately... So? What are you doing here?" Said he coldly, pressing more on the neck that he will slice without any hesitation. He gave him several times a chance, now the quota is exhausted.
"What business is it of yours?! " Growls the hyena, without moving from his position. Around him, his men look at the scene without knowing what to do, because they do not want to be the cause of the death of their captain.
"I gave you a warning. But it turns out that the punishment I gave you was not enough." He says this with a sadistic smile that Bellamy can't see from his position, but the others do, and they barely suppress a shiver of fear as a black aura begins to appear and his eyes darken.
Bellamy doesn't say anything for a few seconds, then he crouches down in one motion, lightly scratching his neck through the bandage and kicking the man in the stomach with his devil fruit.
Sandy takes the blow by surprise and flies away. His body flies at full speed against a huge tree trunk that vibrates violently under the impact. He cannot suppress a small groan, more from discomfort than from pain. The leaves of the tree fall before his eyes. He sees the pirates running towards him to attack him as Bellamy gets up with a big smile on his ugly face. The dark green leaves fall slightly obscuring his view and that of the men attacking him.
A blink later and Sandy is no longer against the tree. A gasp of surprise and the beginning of a questioning are not long enough, that a howl of pain draws Bellamy's attention to his left. One of his men has fallen face down and is not moving.
"Wha..."
"HAAA!" Another body falls. The so proud man's heart beats faster as a second, then a third, then a fourth man falls to the ground. More and more people fall around him, each body bringing Bellamy closer to danger. The men furthest away are the first to fall, with each second the reaper gets closer to its prey, taking the people around it.
"Captain! HA-" Bellamy watches helplessly as his crew dies without him being able to do anything. It's as if the wind itself is taking a soul with it. The slightest breeze makes the man shudder, Sandy taking a malicious pleasure in brushing against him before taking on a new life.
"Stop... " Bellamy begins as he notices that only half of his men are left standing. Another person falls. " Wait... "One more. "That's enough..." All he hears is the sound of a body behind him. "I said STOP!" He screams in rage, his fists clenched so tightly that the blood flows through his fingers. But that doesn't stop Sandy, who takes down another pirate.
Bellamy can't take it anymore and crouches down to engage his power, his legs creaking more and more, ready to be used against this merciless opponent.
"STOP IMMEDIATELY AND COME FIGHT! "
"Hooo~ Poor helpless captain." Sandy's voice rises into the air without Bellamy being able to see him. "Yet I warned you and gave several warnings. But it seems greed has gotten the better of you. Tell me. What is your dream? Or your goal in life? Is being a mere pirate really all you wanted?" He says in a mocking voice as another pirate falls to the ground fleeing the death zone.
"WHAT BUSINESS IS IT OF YOURS? THE AGE OF DREAMS IS OVER! NOW ALL THAT MATTERS IS HAVING POWER!" A mocking chuckle answers him.
"Poor boy ~ We shattered your dreams and now you are shattering others'. Tell me ~ Who clipped your wings? Who destroyed the child you were? Your family? A friend? A rival? An enemy? Society?" Bellamy's teeth clench tighter and tighter, to the point of pain. "Or... A lover perhaps?"
"SHUT UP! YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS WORLD! NOR HOW IT WORKS! ONLY THOSE WITH POWER HAVE A SAY! ONLY STRENGTH AND POWER COUNT! EVERYTHING ELSE IS... Obsolete." Sandy has just appeared in front of him and looks at him with a cold, haughty look. A hand grabs the collar of his jacket and he comes face to face with this red haired man.
"And you think that by being an asshole you're going to make things happen?! But you're right, the world is run by a crazy self-centered asshole! Other people's lives have no value unless it's under his shoe." He growls as his eyes turn dark red. "Yes, the miserable little lives that crawl around on earth are as valuable to him as cockroaches. Yes, he will do anything to crush those who dare to stand in his way. But there's only one thing he can't control. And that is people's dreams, nothing and no one can stop anyone from dreaming. So you're not the one who's going to make it." Bellamy looks at him with wide eyes as Sandy releases him, pushing him hard to the ground.
He lands on his butt, his power nullified by Sandy who had grabbed him by the collar. He now looks at this frighteningly powerful man who killed his crew and dares moralize to him.
"You don't care about me! You just killed my crew like flies and you dare to say that there is someone worse than you? You wouldn't happen to be that self-centered asshole?!" Sandy's irritated face appears right in front of him, causing him to jump up and back away hastily.
"If you think I'm the most despicable person in the world, I wonder what he is." He said through his teeth. With a brisk motion, Sandy grabbed Bellamy's T-shirt to lift him up and throw him in the direction of his boat where a familiar symbol was floating on the sail. A smiling smiley face crossed out diagonally. "Get the hell out of here with the rest of your crew. And go cry in the flamingo skirt."
Bellamy rolls through the grass for several yards before coming to rest on his back. He swallows as he looks up at the starry sky, feeling his heart continue to pound in his chest as the last sentence rises to his brain.
"Flamingo?" He stands up hastily and looks at Sandy angrily. "You dare to call Sir Don Doflamingo, Flamingo?!" Sandy flashes a small, superior smile.
"If you knew what I usually call him, you'd faint. A little advice, if he ever wants to kill you because of what just happened. Tell him his little star says hi." He says in a sarcastic tone. Bellamy looks at him with a face of horror as he clenches his fists.
"He will not let the deaths of his men go unpunished! Prepare to be put in your place!" Sandy rolls his eyes in annoyance, unimpressed by the hyena's barking. He bends down and grabs one of the men on the ground and throws him at the pirate captain's feet.
"Pick up your men and get out. Be glad they're still alive." The pirate looked at Sandy with wide eyes before looking at the motionless man at his feet. A sigh of relief crossed his lips as he saw the torso slowly rise and fall. Almost imperceptibly. "Bellamy." He lifts his head to look at the red-haired swordsman. "Never forget that feeling of helplessness and use it to grow stronger and protect what you hold dear. You have the right to another chance. But others will clearly not be so forgiving. Is that clear?"
The pirate nods, as he and the rest of his still conscious men meticulously gather all the crew members and bring them aboard their ship. Once everyone is on board. Bellamy turns to Sandy who was watching them do it, leaning against the Merry.
"One day we will meet again, and I swear the outcome will be different." This bold statement makes Sandy smile with amusement.
"Good luck with that." Without a word, Bellamy's crew finally pulls away toward the nighttime horizon.
With a final sigh of relief, Sandy heads to the bedroom to change, making sure he's out of sight of Cricket and the two goons. The three wounded men had watched much of the fight and were surprised by the sudden appearance of this man. But as Bellamy and his men began to carry the unconscious men back to their ship, they returned home to heal in peace.
Stella returns under the mandarin trees where Aoi sleeps peacefully. His purple and blue shell moves to the rhythm of his breaths and shines gently in the moonlight. As discreetly as possible, Stella lies down beside him and closes her eyes. Fatigue starts to hit her because of all the energy she has spent and the conqueror's haki used to excess.
With a small sigh of relief, she falls asleep under the cover of the fruit trees. Protected by a peace bubble.
The sun begins to shine. The first rays of the sun fall on the eyelids of Stella, who blinks several times to wake up. Her vision is a bit blurred, she only sees a blue and purple spot in front of her. After a few more blinks, she looks at Aoi who has already started his breakfast with fresh grass slightly wet by the morning dew.
A big yawn makes her jaw drop as her muscles tense and stretch, raising her arms above her head. She stretches a little and yawns again. Her skin shivers a little from the fresh morning air. She's not wearing much clothing, but a blanket has appeared over her body and slipped over her legs.
She blinks and frowns. Who could have gotten close enough to her to put a blanket over her without her noticing? Between her fingers, the blanket is soft and light, but warm. She folds it gently so that she doesn't get soaked by the drops of water.
Stella gets up slowly, tucking the blanket under her arm. She can always ask and thank the person who was kind enough to do this. Aoi is still nibbling on his blade of grass when he is unexpectedly grabbed and placed on a shoulder. He turns his head towards the woman who dared to snatch him from his grassy paradise with a squint.
The white-haired woman chuckles softly at his irritated face.
"If you keep eating, you'll end up shaving the whole lawn. Let those poor blades of grass grow in peace." The smell of bread and sugar tickles her nostrils as she heads to the kitchen. "I think Sanji made some pastries, would you like some?" She asks the little snail whose eyes begin to glow intensely at the mention of cake. "I think that's a yes." Stella giggles as she pushes open the kitchen door.
A sweet smell of sugar, chocolate, coffee and tea wafts through the currently empty room, if you exclude the cook who currently has both hands in a bun dough. Hearing the door open, Sanji looks up from his workbench, surprised to see that someone is already standing. His face lights up when he sees Stella enter.
"Stella-chan! Where have you been? We haven't seen you all evening!" He says happily while still having his hands trapped by the swollen dough. The woman raises an eyebrow at his statement as she tightens the blanket under her arm.
"What do you mean? I was under the mandarin trees. Someone even brought me a blanket." Sanji looks at her questioningly.
"Well, as much as it pains me to say it as a gentleman, I wasn't the one who brought you that blanket." Stella's gaze grows complex, but it's not really an emergency. So she'll wait for the others to get up and ask them the question. Maybe it's Robin, after all, with her power she could have very well put that blanket on her without feeling it near her.
"That's okay. So, any news on the South Bird? Did you manage to catch one?" She asks as she sits down at the table where there are already freshly baked pastries.
"Yes, we managed to catch one. It was Robin of love who managed to get her hands on it! She's so talented!" Chirps the cook as he cuts the brioche dough into a ball and places it on a baking sheet. Stella looks at him with a small smile but a critical eye lingers. She may be overly protective of the archaeologist, but in her eyes, she's not just anyone. So she must be excused if she is a little too mother hen.
"That doesn't surprise me from her. She's always been very talented." She says with a small smile as she bites into a croissant and holds out a soft piece to Aoi, who eats it happily. A quiet silence settles in the kitchen, only disturbed by the sound of Sanji's fluid movements in the kitchen and the spoon spinning in the cup of coffee latte that the Cook has prepared in a jiffy.
The silence is broken by Sanji asking a question that has been nagging him for a while.
"Tell me Stella-chan." The woman sets her blue eyes on him. "What exactly is your connection to Robin-chan? I feel like you two are very close to each other. I... Can I ask why?" He asks, trying to keep it light, but curiosity and embarrassment quickly take over. Stella continues to look at him quietly as she continues to turn the spoon in her half empty cup. Her gaze is a little lost in thought before she answers.
"We both have a common past. But if you want to know, you'll have to ask her directly. It's also her past and she is your nakama. But I can tell you that she is extremely precious to me. And I can't help but worry about her because of all the dangers she's in." She said with a somewhat worried sigh on the end. Which questions the cook.
"Dangers? Which ones?" A small smile appears on Stella's thin lips.
"The world government to some extent. But as to why, that's not for me to say." She finishes by taking a sip of her sweet, mild coffee.
Seeing that the conversation won't go any further. Sanji continues to prepare breakfast calmly. His fluid and controlled movements allow him to make many small dishes in no time. Stella looks at him with a calm and peaceful smile. Watching the cook do all this with passion and mastery is a real sight for sore eyes. But as all good things must come to an end, the tempting smell of bread and buns woke up the rest of the crew who soon arrived.
Luffy was the first to enter the kitchen.
"Breakfast!" He yells as he sits down in his usual place and starts stuffing his face with pastries. The captain's casual behavior particularly irritates Sanji, who starts yelling at him like he does every morning, not to gobble it all up and wait for the others. Well, especially the girls.
Quickly the others arrive, alerted by the morning cry of the elastic man who serves as their alarm clock. The faces still a little tired sit around the table and begin to eat in good mood.
Robin sits down next to Stella, pours herself a coffee and smiles at her.
"Good morning Professor-san. We were a little worried about your absence yesterday. Where were you?" She asks as she grabs a piece of bread and starts buttering it. The question calls out to the rest of the diners who seem to notice her presence. At the same time, they are not very awake, they had to stay up late to finish the preparations for Merry.
"That's right. Where were you yesterday?" Asks Nami, who is peeling one of her tangerines. Robin's and Nami's question caught Stella's eye, as she implies that she wasn't the one who gave her that blanket.
"I was under the mandarin trees. Didn't anyone see me?" Asks she in amazement. Everyone shakes their heads, no one went to look under the fruit trees. Stella frowns slightly, wondering even more. "So no one brought me this blanket?" She says, pointing to the blanket on one of the sofas placed against the walls. Once again, everyone answers in the negative. "That's weird."
"Maybe it was a ghost that brought it to you." Scoffs Zoro as he sips his sugar-free green tea. Usopp and Chopper swoon at the thought of having a ghost on the boat.
"Don't talk nonsense, Marimo. There's no such thing as ghosts." Sanji declares boredly as he drops off a new batch of pastries that quickly disappears. The swordsman growls at the slightly haughty tone of the cook.
"Maybe it's sleepwalking?" Tries Chopper once calmed by the sugar brought into his system. Stella shakes her head at his statement.
"No, I'm not sleepwalking. However, this ghost story may be plausible." She stands up and carries her cup to the sink to be washed. The pirates look at her questioningly, as they all agree that Zoro's statement was just a joke.
"Uh... Stella. You know there's no such thing as ghosts, right?" Usopp asks with a wary face and a raised eyebrow. The woman sketches a small smile that does not reassure the sniper.
"More or less. But there is something close to spirits that may be present on this ship. But I'll have to go check it out." And off she goes, leaving more questions in the air.
Quietly, Stella heads to the mandarin trees to test her theory. Once in front of the trees, she sits on the wooden floor in front of the small plantation and places both hands on the wood, closing her eyes. She inhales and exhales slowly as she cuts herself off from the world, focusing only on the wood in her hands. Her haki begins to flow through her body and build up against the wood. She lets the haki flow into the wood, slowly diffusing itself in search of something specific.
She feels every fiber of the wood under her fingers, every structure and repair of Merry. Slowly, her haki approaches the keel. Boom Boom. A smile forms on her lips as she feels the beating against her fingers. It's not her own heartbeat, but the Merry's.
"Merry." The leaves of the tree gently stir above her as there is no wind. The smile on her lips widens, "You've become a Klabautermann! That's great!" She beams as she strokes the wood more. The leaves stir and something barely perceptible reaches Stella's ear.
... I... happy... there... A childish voice, barely audible, is heard. Stella's face lights up even more.
"This is awesome! It's been so long since I've met a Klabautermann! Let alone attend a birth! You definitely need to meet Sutashi, my ship! I'm sure you'll have a lot to talk about!" She is so happy, like a child at Christmas. She has to tell the others. "I'm going to tell the others! This is so cool!" She gets up and runs to the kitchen, where she violently opens the door, startling the crew that stayed inside.
"I have something awesome to tell you!" Everyone looks at her with wide eyes, they see Stella smiling like they've never seen her before. "Merry has become a Klabautermann! That's awesome!" She says, bouncing around like a child. But after a few seconds of no reaction from the others, her good mood drops a bit. "What's the matter? What's with the lack of reaction? " The pirates look at each other questioningly before Nami speaks up warily.
"Uh... Sorry I don't share your good mood, but what's a Klabautermann?" Stella blinks several times before snapping her fingers, understanding what the problem is.
"Oh yes, that's right. It's normal that you don't know what it is. To put it simply..." She spreads her arms with a big smile. "Merry has gained a soul! Your boat has come alive by considering it a member of your crew! It has just been born, so you can't hear it yet. But when it's old enough, you can talk to it like I'm doing now!" The crew looks at her with round eyes, trying to understand what she just said and what it implies.
"Wait, wait, wait! " Begins to say Usopp, panicked, as he stands up. "Are you saying Merry came to life?! Like a real person?!" Stella nods sharply with a big smile.
"Yes! That's extremely rare! Because many people consider their ship as a mere object! But you! You considered it as a full member of your crew! It was you, with all your little attentions, who made it come alive! "
"WHAT?! " Shouts everyone, looking at her with big eyes.
"But... But how is it possible?!" Asks Nami who is just as surprised as the others. Stella crosses her arms but without losing her smile.
"I have to admit, this is one of the great mysteries of Grand Line. Even I can't really explain it. But the common dominator is that the ship had an important place in the crew and the ship itself wanted to protect the members on board."
Jaws drop to the floor and people look around more carefully. The one who reacts most strongly is Usopp, who begins to cry as he clutches the wall in a hug.
"Merry! My little baby! I will protect you even more from the big brutes!" Cries as he looks at Sanji and Zoro, who raises their hands in appeasement, not wanting to suffer the wrath of the sniper now father of a baby ship.
"Shishishi! This is so cool! I can't wait for it to grow up so I can play with it!" Luffy laughed as he ate the last of the pastries on the table.
"This is so cool! But how do you take care of a Klabautermann? What if it gets sick? I need to do some research!" Said Chopper as he trotted toward the infirmary, but was intercepted by Stella who picked him up.
"Take it easy, mister doctor. The Klabautermann are still ships. So, as long as you fix it and take care of it, it will be fine."
"So I don't need to prepare any medicine for it?" Asked the little reindeer innocently, looking at Stella with his big chocolate eyes.
"No, just keep taking care of it like you always do and everything will be fine." The little animal flashes a big happy smile before jumping to the ground. "But be careful, because like any living thing, a Klabautermann can die." Usopp turns pale and cries even more.
"Haaaa! No! Merry! Don't die!" He panics as he sticks to the wall. Seeing the sniper's immediate panic, Stella quickly reassures him.
"Don't panic. As long as the keel isn't damaged, you can fix it." The tears subside a bit and Usopp dries them.
"You're right! We have to do everything we can to strengthen the keel!" And he quickly leaves the galley to go to the hold, to make some more adjustments. Everyone else is still a little shocked, as this is the first time they've heard this story from Klabautermann. But strangely enough, they quickly accept the situation. It's official, they have a new member in their crew!
"I have to say it's a surprise. I've read about it before. But I never thought it could be real." Admits Robin, who is helping Sanji tidy up the table with her many hands.
"It's extremely rare to meet a Klabautermann. I've only met about ten in my entire life." The archaeologist's eyes widen at this statement.
"Only about ten? I should count myself lucky to have met one in my life." Stella chuckles and gives her a big smile.
"If you go on my ship, you'll meet a second one."
"That's so cool! We have a new member as unique as we are! That's so cool!" Yells Luffy with a big smile and bright eyes. Stella nods as Nami stands up in turn looking at the clock on the wall.
"That's all well and good, but we have to go. The Knock Up Stream is scheduled for 11 o'clock. And it takes three hours to get there." She finishes her tea and heads for the door to arrange departure.
Quickly, everyone gets out and starts preparing for the 7 a.m. departure. The ship has been completely refurbished, it now looks like a big white chicken with wings and a crest on its head. On the railing of the bow. The South Bird is chained by one leg to the railing so it doesn't fly away.
"It's time to go. I hope you haven't forgotten anything!" Said Cricket from the lawn, as the two gorillas climbed into their respective boats to guide the Straw Hats to their destination.
"Shishishi! We had a lot of fun with you, chestnut-headed gramps. You'll see, we'll reach that sky island and ring the golden bell. Then you will know that your ancestor did not lie! " The man nods with a smile at the pirate captain's words.
"I'm counting on you in that case." With another laugh and a few more warnings. The three ships depart for their new destination. During the trip, the trio of idiots laugh at the expense of the poor South Bird, who can't turn its head in any other direction.
The three-hour journey passes quietly, but things don't seem to be going as planned, as the sea of clouds is an hour early. In the distance, we can see the big clouds that plunge the sea into darkness.
"Captain! The Millennum Cumulonimbus is ahead!" Shouts one of the sailors.
"What? This is a joke! Come on, let's go! Get the crew ready! We don't have time!" Shouts one of the monkey captains. Quickly, dozens of men in wetsuits dive into the water to spot the powerful current. Cries of alarm go out in all directions and soon the sea starts to move, making bigger and bigger waves. Everyone hangs on as best they can, their hearts racing.
Barely a minute later, a huge whirlpool appears in the middle of the choppy sea.
"You must reach the center of this eddy to take the Knock Up Stream!"
"WHAT?!" Everyone panics in disbelief, wondering what to do. Everyone is worried, except Stella and of course Luffy.
"Come on guys! Let's go to the sky island! Thanks guys, it was nice to meet you!" He says as he waves his arm in the direction of the other two ships that are standing away from the deadly whirlpool where a dead sea monster is drifting with the current.
"For us too! And good luck!"
"HAAAAA!" The Merry jumps into the whirlpool, sliding against the nearly vertical wall to the center. And like a cyclone, the sea is calmer and flatter in the center of the whirlpool than around it.
"Look at the sea! The current is starting to rise!" Indeed, the whole sea begins to rise little by little until it reaches a normal level. The rough sea becomes calm and flat. The calm before the storm.
"Wait!" The shout attracts the crew's attention, in the distance a ship resembling a giant raft with a black flag with three skulls is approaching them at high speed. "Zehahaha! I finally found you Straw Hat!"
"Who is this guy? " Sanji asks with a frown.
Stella's eyes widen as she hears that laugh. A laugh that only belongs to one person. Her heart barely has time to beat again as she rushes to the girls' room. She takes her bag and empties it with eagerness. She barely takes the time to kick the clothes to put them under the bed. She grabs her Den Den Mochi and puts them in her bag. Ace's Vivre Card, Whitebeard and Rayleigh are recovered as well as some money and above all, Seima and Hebi are at her belt, as well as Hisui in its bag slipped in her back.
Her feet skid on the floor as she leaves the room, slamming the door against the wall. With a fluid motion, she jumps onto the railing as the water beneath the ship begins to boil, a sign that the geyser will appear in a few seconds.
"Stella! What are you doing?!" Screams Nami as she sees the white-haired woman's determined face with her hair flying in the wind. Stella's smile is almost crazy as she stares at Teach and his crew as they get closer and closer. Grrrr.
"Stella!" She turns to the crew, turning her back to the sea and spreading her arms.
"Sorry, guys. But it looks like our paths are going to part sooner than expected." Glou! Glou! Grrrr!
"What?!" The sea began to rise a few feet.
"Don't worry about me! I'll find you somehow!" GRRRR!
"No, stop! "
"Don't forget what I taught you. "
"NO!" They watch helplessly as Stella leaps into the void with a big smile on her face.
"BOOM!" The Merry is propelled into the sky at great speed, flying to its new destination. Stella watches them fly away, being only a small bridge in the distance. The wind whips her back as she falls toward the sea. She flashes a happy, proud smile. She takes a deep breath and turns around, folding her arms against her body to gain speed towards Blackbeard's boat, now destroyed by the power of the Knock Up Stream.
Wait for me, asshole, I'm coming!
And here is a new chapter published. I can't tell you how many times I rewrote the scenes, but I'm satisfied with this one.
Stella is now separated from the others to fight Blackbeard alone. Will she make it through? Will she crush them easily or will she be defeated by the strategy Teach has prepared for her?
We'll have to wait until the next chapter to find out. But what do you think, will it be quick or not? Let me know in the comments, I'm curious to know!
See you next time!