"I sorry all that happened to you." Nami said.

"It's fine really, despite being alone all the beauty on this island makes living here very tranquil." said the girl.

"But, what about that giant mural?" Robin asked.

"That, that's one of the island's great works, 'The Sea on the Ocean'. I don't know how long it's been here but master would always talk about watching it be created when he was just a kid. Apparently it took all the island's painters, sculptors and architects to make it. It was made to keep the island hidden from any pirates who might want to steal its art."

"Oh, well that does make sense" Nami replied.

"Odd" Robin thought, "I don't remember hearing about the mural in any books on this island."

As she was thinking about this Sanji came into the room carrying three plates of food. "What a tragic tale, my heart truly goes out to you my dear…" Sanji stopped his romantic shtick and had a curious look on his face "Now that I think about it we don't know your name."

"Oh it's Florence" the girl replied "master always said it was a good name for an artist."

"Indeed it is my dear Florence" Sanji was now back to his romantic shtick "you know I too am an artist, an artist of food and flavor." Sanji now presented an exquisite meal to Florence while Nami looked on with an embarrassing sweat drop on her head and Robin kept her stoic manner. To be fair Florence was a lovely looking girl at 29 with flowing brown hair and bright green eyes, so Sanji's action did have justification. "I also made equally beautiful meals for my dear Nami and Robin" Sanji had now rapidly turned and given the other two plates he was holding to Nami and Robin.

"You know the rest of us need to eat as well." said Ussop as his head popped through the door to yell at Sanji.

"FOOD!" yelled Luffy from down the hallway.

"You certainly have an… interesting crew." Florence said to Nami.

"Tell me about it."

For the next few minutes all the straw hats enjoyed Sanji's food in the living room of the cabin, which was luckily spacious enough to hold the crew. They all discussed Florence's story and the oddities of Pittore when an idea struck Ussop. At the same time Florence was just coming in to check on everyone.

"Oh good Florence I have a question for you." Ussop said.

"Yes?" "This island has many natural resources artists use right?"

"Yes"

"This island also had sculptors and architects who used wood and metal right?"

"Yes"

"Where are you going with this Ussop?" Zoro asked.

"Think about it: wood, metal, canvas; these are both art supplies and ship supplies, we can use them on the Merry!" Ussop said.

"But don't shipwrights have all those things at the ready?" Sanji asked.

"Yes, but wouldn't it be great if when we get the Merry fixed we give the shipwrights all the supplies they need and save our cash?" Ussop replied.

"I fully agree with Ussop!" Nami replied. "Florence is it ok if we take some stuff from the island to use on our ship?"

"Of course it's the least I can do after that incident earlier." Florence said with a tinge of embarrassment.

"Speaking of which could we get one more thing resolved?" Zoro said with a nerve throbbing on his head, "Could you please remove this stuff?" He was pointing to the painting that was still on his face, Chopper had a similar issue.

"Ah c'mon moss-head, you could wind up in a museum with a mug like that." Sanji said playfully.

"Shut up! Anyway, can you get it off or not?" Zoro's attention was now back to Florence.

"Sure, remove" as Florence said those words the paint disappeared from Zoro and Chopper's faces.

"So cool" Luffy said, "Hey Florence could you maybe make a painting with that power?"

"I'll try" Florence pointed her hand toward a white wall of the cabin. Suddenly a random mess of scribbles and paint appeared on the wall.

"What happened?" Luffy said with disappointment.

"Sorry but ever since master passed away I haven't been able use my power to truly paint anything."

"But what about our faces?" Chopper asked.

"That was just instinct, I wasn't really thinking about painting I just wanted to distract you."

"Oh, sorry" Luffy said "All right men, operation get ship supplies is a go!"

"Luffy wait this island is huge don't you think we should have some people watch over the Merry just to be safe?" Nami was sincere in her request but she was also hinting that Zoro should stay by the ship.

"I also want to ask Florence some questions about the food here." Sanji said.

"Ok you two can stay here then." Nami said.

"Actually Miss Navigator I was hoping you'd stay here too." Robin said.

"What why?" Nami asked.

"To keep those two from killing each other." Robin gestured toward Zoro and Sanji who were now in a minor argument. "Besides your navigation skills are little use on an island you don't know."

"Fine" Nami said.

"Ok then we've got our teams, let's go explore!" Luffy shouted.

Meanwhile on the nearby sea a ship was approaching Pittore. "Captain, what's the point of this we've been looking for years and nothing, that island has just disappeared." a man said to another man who was sitting on a large chair in the shade.

"It seems," The captain was rising out of his chair, "that you don't want the painting or the money that comes with it." The captain was approaching the other man.

"It's not like that captain, it's just I'm tired, we're all tired, we" the man was suddenly seized by the throat.

"You're tired! For 20 years I've searched for that island, it's here and now you're tired!" The captain threw the man against the side of the ship. "Well I have no use for weaklings on my ship!"

"No Captain Vino, please!" The man begged when suddenly there was a clicking sound and the man then instantly burst into flames.

"You look like you could use some water, enjoy the sea!" Vino said as there was another click and suddenly the man was just a dot on the horizon falling into the sea. "Anyone else tired!" No other crew members said anything. Vino Mediki at 34 wasn't very intimidating with a small slightly muscular frame, an unbuttoned flannel shirt, slicked back hair that spiked a little near the back of his head and a rough 5 o'clock shadow, but all his crew still feared him greatly.

"Brother" a woman's voice called "you really must be more careful with the crew; this is the third one we've lost this month."

"Shut up Levi" Vino said to the woman. She was slightly younger than Vino and wore a black satin dress and a black and white boa, which contrasted greatly with her neon pink hair.

"Come now brother, just rela-" Levi's mouth was suddenly muffled by Vino's hand. "You reek of deception sister; I'm not in the mood for your tricks today." Vino was now starting to choke Levi when he felt the barrel of a gun on his head.

"I'm sorry sir, but I'll have to ask that you let Lady Levi go." The man with the gun said.

"Lorenzo!" Vino said through gritted teeth "you were my father's servant and therefore mine as well; how dare you point a weapon at me!"

"Sorry sir but you know your father's final orders were to protect your sister." Lorenzo seemed emotionless behind his dark shades and business suit which completed his bodyguard look.

"Fine" Vino said as he released Levi "next time I won't be so nice."

"Captain!" a man yelled from the crow's nest "We've spotted something! It looks like a rip in the sea!"

"That must be it" Vino said in a giddy voice "men head for the rip!" He yelled. "Soon I'll have my revenge." he thought.

To be continued…