THE CHILDREN Set Sail!
Disclaimer: I don't have any ownership over One Piece or Zettai Karen Children…
Kaoru: "Enough said! Let's get back to the story! I'm itching to see a good beating!"
Normama: "Yeah~! Let's~!"
Luffy and Kaoru soar through the air, heading towards Mock Town where Bellamy, the pirate that beat up Luffy and the guy that stole Cricket's gold, must have gone back to.
"Can't you go any faster, Kaoru?" Luffy wondered while keeping his hat from flying off.
"Any faster and you'll die from lack of air," Kaoru noted.
"Huh? Lack of air?"
"Basically, if we go too fast, we can't breathe quick enough…"
"Oh~! I get it!"
Actually there was another reason Kaoru couldn't take them faster, though she won't mention it. Kaoru has been feeling a large strain upon just lifting Luffy and taking him along; it was as if Luffy was much heavier than he looks. But that was impossible considering Luffy's lean, almost scrawny, physique. She never had problem carrying someone of his physique before and even when she had to lift larger build person she didn't have as much discomfort. She doesn't know what made Luffy so special to be any different.
Right now none of that was important so she had shoved her question aside for the time being. The lights of Mock Town are already in sight.
"We're almost there!" Kaoru informed.
"Good!" Luffy nodded determinedly.
Kaoru and Luffy landed on the rooftop of the tallest building in town. Even if it wasn't a big town, it's still considerably large and would take forever to go from one bar or another to find this Bellamy.
"If we shout from up here, there's no way he won't come out!" Kaoru smirked confidently.
"…Kaoru," Luffy suddenly noted, "Stay out of this…"
"Eh!? But-!" Kaoru began to protest; she didn't come all this just to watch after all. But she stops midway when Luffy placed something on her head; it was his trademark Straw Hat. "…? What are-!?"
"Take care of it," Luffy noted as he cracked his knuckle as he eyes the streets below, "It very important to me…"
Kaoru carefully took the Straw Hat off her head and stared at it. It was mildly beaten and worn, with signs that it has endure a great deal for a long time. Kaoru never like wearing hats, but she doesn't outright hate them. And she heard from Nami that Luffy cherish this hat more than his own life; lending Nami his hat only once before, entrusting it to her before entering an important battle. Now it was Kaoru's turn. Deep down she feels honored; she has been entrusted with something rather important from her friend and captain.
Smirking with a huff, Kaoru place the hat back on before beginning her float down to the street below. "Aye-aye, Captain!"
She on the ground and a good distance away from where the expected confrontation will occur when Luffy yelled out with all of his might, "BELLAMY~~~!"
There was silence for a while before people began to stream out of the bars and house to see what was going on. From one pub, a tall and darkly tanned man with unkempt blond hair, a scar over his right eye, and a navy-blue pirate captain's coat over his body came marching out confidently with a group of people in toll. Most of them had the distinctive smiley symbol with an eye patch. Kaoru didn't need a second guess to guess that the leading figure was Bellamy.
"We were just talking about you," Bellamy sneered in mockery, "Something I can do for you~?"
"Yeah," Luffy replied sternly, "Give back the Old Man Diamond-Head's gold!"
"Gold~? The stuff that old man Cricket had~!?" Bellamy chuckled before getting into a crouching position. Kaoru watch as his shins molded into springs that allowed him to spring all the way up to the roof where Luffy stood. "I ain't giving it back~! I stole it from him, as a pirate~! And being a pirate yourself, you shouldn't have any objections to that~…"
"But I do," Luffy replied immediately, "Those guys are my friends. So I'm stealing it back…"
As the conversation continues on, Kaoru noticed that a lot more people began to stream out of the pubs to watch. There were even some with the same insignia that was painted back at Cricket's house; even Kaoru didn't need to guess that they were with Bellamy. They all had a confident smirked on their face.
Bellamy, once Luffy was done giving him his reason, laughed in mockery. "I got to ask you: Can you fight~? Do you know how to throw a punch~!? What's a coward like you going to do to me~?"
At that Kaoru grumbled in anger. She may have known Luffy for a relatively short time, but she knew better. Luffy is an idiot, a dreamer, a pirate, and a troublemaker but he is not even close to being a coward.
"I-I wasn't wrong," A drunkard nearby managed, "It's him-!"
"Oi~!" a rather important looking figure among Bellamy's gang rolled his eyes at the drunkard, "Why do you still have that thing for? Just tear it up already!"
"B-But what if this wanted poster is real? If he really is worth this much, there's no way Bellamy would be able to-!"
"That's absurd. Just look at that kid. That's no vicious killer no matter which way you look at him. I'm starting to doubt that Thirty-Million Beli Poster now too~!"
Kaoru glared at the man before returning to the main event above.
"If you're just going to stand there scared like you did this afternoon," Bellamy mocked, "You ain't going to steal anything from me~! You Coward~!"
"That afternoon was different," Luffy replied.
Bellamy laughed at Luffy's response and morphed his legs into springs again. "Oh really~!? And what exactly is different~!? If that's the case, then this time I'll make sure that you'll never give any of that insolence again!"
Bellamy preformed a powerful leap which caused the roof they were standing on to break and give way.
"I'll have this finish in an instant! Spring Snipe~!" Once he came in contact with something solid, he immediately launched himself at Luffy at high speed.
Luffy in response jumped out of the way over to another roof, causing Bellamy to crash into the falling debris instead.
"Heh! Little Maggot," Bellamy sneered as he once again sprang literally towards Luffy. Luffy in response, dodge again except this time stumbled and nearly fell off the roof. He barely hanged off the roof edge.
"What did that brat come here for?" The head of Bellamy's group laughed in mockery upon seeing this.
"Let's just enjoy Bellamy's show," Another suggested, causing a round of laughter.
"He sure talked big, but now it looks like he's running scared~!" Another round of laughter ensures; the crowd began to chuckled and laughed at Luffy in mockery.
Kaoru growled lowly to herself, seething power as she did. If she wanted to, she could slam all their heads into the ground easily. But she has resolved to watch Luffy fight Bellamy and see how he teaches him a lesson.
"I see nothing different," Bellamy mocked as Luffy hopped back onto the roof, "Nothing's changed from that afternoon~!"
Bellamy launched himself once again at Luffy, who promptly dodge but fell off the roof in the process.
"I thought you said you were going to take the gold back! All you do is talk trash, and you're too powerless to do anything! You can't even stand up and face me~! All you can do is stand there and ramble about your dreams~! So what kind of man does that make you~!? Pathetic!"
Bellamy once again launched himself at Luffy, finally hitting him which sent him screaming towards the ground fast.
"You can struggle all you want. There's no escaping my Spring-Spring Power~!"
"You're finished already~!?" The head of Bellamy's group laughed, "What a shame~!"
"There's no way that brat could be a match for Bellamy~!" Another sneered, causing the others around him to laugh with him.
Bellamy glared at the place that Luffy landed. "…Don't tell me he's dead already~?"
As if to respond to Bellamy's question, Luffy burst out of the debris that covered him and stood tall, somewhat shocking some of the crowd.
"That's good~! I'm not ready for you to kick it just yet~! I'm just about to start the real show~! Spring Hopper~!" Bellamy leapt again but this time he didn't aim at Luffy. Instead, he kept bouncing around the area, gaining speed which each ricochet he perform; he slowly began to disappear from view.
"Bellamy disappeared," A spectator exclaimed in awe.
"It's the same thing he used against the Executioner!" Another added.
"Those guys are your FRIENDS~!?" Bellamy's laughter can be heard as he continue to bounce around, "Oh I see~! That old man and his monkeys are the same species as you~! A pack of idiots who believe the lies of some 400-year-old ancestor~! What City of Gold~!? What Sky Island~!? THE ERA OF DREAMS IS OVER! YOU'RE A DISGRACE OF A PIRATE~~~!"
"…You ask if I know how to throw a punch?" Luffy recalled as he slowly raised his right fist up, cracking it as he did.
"Hurry up and finish him off, Bellamy~!" The Head of Bellamy's group called out as the rest of the group laughed, "Fools like him don't have the right to live in reality~!"
"SO LONG, STRAW HAT~~~!" Bellamy bellowed as Kaoru watch him approach her captain at incredible speed. But just as he closed in…
"…GRR~!" With one mighty swing, Luffy punched Bellamy into the ground. BAM~~~!
Silence followed. Nobody move. All were gawking at what just happen. Bellamy the Hyena, who had started off so strong and confident with arrogance and popularity to back him up, lay before Luffy unconscious with his eyes still open but rolled back a fist mark in the side of his head. Kaoru could slightly still see his body slowly rising and falling, so he was definitely alive.
Luffy on the other hand, who was labeled as a coward with no strength and was booed off for being a dreamer, stood tall over the fallen Hyena. His right fist soaked and dripping in blood, but it'd belonged to Bellamy. After another tense second, Luffy glance over at Kaoru, prompting everyone to take notice of the redhead.
Kaoru in response threw back the Straw Hat she safeguarded to Luffy, allowing him to reposition it back on top of his head.
"…Ha-ha," the leader of Bellamy's group suddenly chuckled nervously, "Hey…Quit fooling around, Bellamy! Hey, Bellamy!? Are you trying to play us!? It's not funny anymore! Say something!"
Bellamy didn't respond as he continued to lay there unconscious.
"H-Hey Bellamy! Stop acting like a retard! Get up! Show us your usual show like you usually do!"
Silent remain as Bellamy's only response to his calls as everyone began to lose their nerves.
"…Bellamy, get up! You can't lose to a piece of shit like him! You're the super rookie with a bounty of 55,000,000 Belis!"
"…55,000,000 Belis~?" Kaoru suddenly huffed, "The guy Luffy had to fight back in Arabasta was 80,000,000 Belis…"
"…What did you say!?" the guy pointed one of his a giant dagger at Kaoru, "You shut your mouth you brat! Don't talk shit-!"
"A giant dagger," Kaoru hummed in thought, before using her psychic powers to pull the daggers out of the startled guys hand and into hers, "If I remember correctly, Shiho said 'giant daggers' did that to Masira…"
"…W-What're you-!?" the guy managed before witnessing Kaoru compressed the daggers into marbles, "…! What-!?"
"Never again!" Kaoru summarized as she toss the marbles back towards their owner.
"W-What are-!?"
"…! O-Oi~!" The drunkard suddenly held up a piece of paper for the guy to see, "I-Isn't she-!?"
"…Huh!?" the guy gasped when he saw whatever it was on the paper before performing a horrified pratfall, "Y-YIKES~~~!"
Though confused by his reaction, Kaoru took her place next to Luffy, who glared at the spectators.
"Old Man Chestnut-Head's gold!" Luffy sternly announced, "Give it to me!"
This time around, nobody had a smug look on their face as the majority of them dash off, screaming in fright.
Meanwhile, back at the northeast shore of Jaya, the Mountain Monkey Alliance was hard at work working on repair and enhancing the Merry Go. Despite their injuries, Masira and Shoujou also enthusiastically pitching in.
"Fix the ship quickly!" Masira commanded.
"Alright~!" Shoujou cheered, "Lift the ship up~!"
"…Are you sure they should be up?" Shiho noted as she help hammer some nails into the patching plank.
"Truthfully, no," Aoi admitted, "But along with their ape-like looks they also seem to have the freakish stamina of apes as a bonus; I'm surprise they could move at all with their injuries…"
Shiho nodded in understanding; she has found that the people they met so far in this world seem to be a lot tougher to supposedly fatal wounds than the people from their world. She sometimes wonders if everyone in this world would be like that.
"Wow," Usopp suddenly awed, "These guys must be really tough; they were just beaten unconscious and now they're fixing the ship as if nothing happen…"
"You think so too!?" Well, so much for her theory.
"Of course! Do you see me getting beaten that badly and get up doing labor like nothing happen?"
"…Uh~!" Aoi readjusted her glasses knowingly, "Was it not but a week ago in Arabasta where you got clobbered to the point of being bandage up like a mummy and managed to run around for a few hours-?"
"Before collapsing!"
"Yes, but it doesn't change the fact you move on for a while like they are now…"
"…Well, I suppose…"
"In fact, it was a miracle that you got out of that entire situation without being permanently maimed. And recovering within three days, back to normal condition at that…"
"…Okay, okay~!" Usopp threw his arms up in defeat, "Stop killing off my humanity…"
"Well, even if Aoi is somewhat right," Shiho chuckled nervously as she glances over to where Chopper, who was working on Cricket as he too pitch in remodeling the ship, "I think the one who deserve the most credit for those 'quick-recovery' incidents goes to your mentor, Aoi…"
"I suppose," Aoi smiled, "So it's either they're the world's fastest healers or Chopper's the world's best doctor…"
Usopp nodded and proceed to returning to work when Nami's voice rose up.
"Remind me again, Zoro," Nami called to the Swordsman, "Why didn't you go with Luffy?"
"Again?" Zoro huffed in annoyance, "What's your problem? Don't fight! Then go fight! Don't go! Now you want me to go!? Make up your mind already!"
"Why are you criticizing me!? Don't blame me for you being scare to fight the first time around! That's how you got beat up, right!?"
"That's what you think!?" Zoro sighed in disappointment, "You don't get it; they didn't beat us! Refusing to fight doesn't mean we were afraid! When there's no reason to fight the only way to win is to stand down!"
"Oh~! I see~! Stand down~!" Nami sarcastically awed, obviously not impress, "Real brave~!"
"You don't know anything about fighting!" Zoro roared at Nami's sarcasm, punching the main mast he was working on in frustration, "So just shut up!"
"Don't tell ME to shut up! You're the one being an idiot!"
"Guys, come on~!" Usopp wailed suddenly, "Take it easy on the ship!"
"Yeah take it easy on the ship!" Zoro jumped the wagon.
"Why are you telling me that!?" Nami yelled back at Zoro's unreasonable accusation.
"Hey, Seaweed-Head!" Sanji exclaimed angrily at Zoro, "Quit dumping your shitty mistakes on Nami-san!"
"HAH!? What was that, you Bone-Dry Grass-Head!?"
"HUH!?"
"Hey!" Aoi snapped loudly, catching everyone's attention, "Don't break out into an unnecessary fight! We got work to do! RE. MEM. BER!?"
"Yes, Ma'am," Everyone bowed apologetically in shame before returning to work.
"Jeez!" Aoi sighed, "Who are the real kids around here?"
Shiho laughed as she head over to help Nami. "It's being on a ship like this where no one has the right to call us 'kids'; fact is, we could be adults here…"
"And how~!"
Shiho brought over the planks of wood that Nami and she would be using and began to work with the Navigator in patching up. Naturally, she didn't miss Nami grumbling in frustration, obviously from the previous argument.
"Still hooked up about that?" Shiho started.
Probably realizing that it was pointless to deny it, Nami sighed before answering. "I just don't get it! Having no reason to fight so just stand down and let yourself get beat up!? Let them laugh at you and do nothing!? How could anyone possibly think like that!?"
Shiho thought about what Nami said, then thought about what Zoro said…before her mind drift to Minamoto. "Nami…"
"…? What?"
"If someone was to accuse you of doing something wrong even though you obviously did not, would you've fought back?"
"Of course! I'm not going to let somebody accuse me for doing something I didn't!"
"Even if you were kids of closely the same age?"
"…Huh?"
"…Once upon a time, we, the Children, were unable to attend schools like normal kids because we have these powers. Eventually, due to Minamoto's intervention, we finally began attending school. But we encounter a problem: there were some kids there that were pretty hostile to Espers. One time, they accuse Kaoru of using her powers to do something wrong. The argument heated up and Kaoru started to consider using her powers to force the other to believe her…"
"…Uh, isn't that dangerous?" Nami sweat dropped, "I've seen her power in action. She could easily crush a child to death!"
"Exactly! Somehow, Kaoru came to somewhat the same conclusion and stuck to her claim without forcing the other to submit. Eventually, the other realized that Kaoru was speaking the truth and apologized…"
"…So what are you trying to say?"
Shiho sighed and chose her next words carefully. "I'm saying, perhaps, just because you got what it takes to make others believe you it's not always the right choice. Maybe…the reason Zoro and Luffy didn't fight back was because they saw those guys as ignorant children who are too blind to be taught otherwise. Instead of arguing nonstop, they decided that as long as they believe in what they believe nothing else those guys do could touch them. Likewise, if they used force to get what they want, then they just sink to their level where they feel as if their belief isn't strong enough to hold onto without force…"
Nami blinked at Shiho's logic.
"In short, I guess they were trying to be the more mature people in that situation. They gain nothing through fighting and there wasn't a big enough reason to fight without looking like a kid throwing a tantrum…"
"…I never thought of it that way…Ah-! I get it; that's why that strange guy was impressed by my words towards them. I saw them as ignorant kids and saw no reason to argue with them; I did it without realizing it…"
Shiho smiled; she had no idea who was Nami referring to when she mention 'that strange guy', but it looks like Nami understood Zoro and Luffy's action a bit better now.
"…Thanks, Shiho…"
"No problem; it'll harm me in the long run if our Navigator remains frustrated as we set sail…"
"Oh~!"
"Well, let's get back to work…before Aoi snap at us for dillydally during our work…"
"…I definitely don't want to see that again," Nami chuckled nervously in agreement.
"Luffy~!" Kaoru called, coming out of one of the pubs, "Found them~!"
"Really!?" Luffy cheered upon seeing the bundle hovering over her head, "Great! Let me carry them!"
"No, I got it~!"
"But I want to carry them~!"
Kaoru sweat dropped; there wasn't time to argue. "Alright, how about this: I carry the golden bells and you carry the bird?"
"Okay, I'm good with that!"
After Luffy's easy One-Hit Victory, with everyone too frightened of them to inform them the gold's location, Kaoru and Luffy went on a manual search. Fortunately, Kaoru managed to locate the gold in the very pub that Bellamy walked out of earlier. Bellamy is still knocked out where Luffy easily defeated him and the majority of Bellamy's group had cluster around him, still trying to wake him up. All of them still had the disbelieved face on them.
"…I-It's not possible; I refuse to accept this!" the head of Bellamy's group suddenly managed as his crew stopped him from marching up to Luffy and Kaoru, "How could we lose!? Hey you get back here! You hear me, you stupid runt!? I'm talking to you! I'll get them; I'll show you a real punch! We won't be beaten by some pretend pirates! Where are you going-!?"
"Where're we going?" Luffy suddenly noted, stopping in his tracks as he held up a fist.
Kaoru turn to watch when she realizes Luffy had stopped. She turned around just in time to see the head of Bellamy's group preform a frighten pratfall.
Luffy remain silent for a moment before causally pointing to the sky with the hand he held up as a fist.
"Up there!" Luffy answered, "To the sky!"
"…Huh?" the guy managed.
"I'm sure you have a lot of question," Kaoru huffed, "But we have no time to answer. Right Luffy?"
Luffy nodded. "Let's get going!"
With a nodded, Kaoru used her power to lift herself and Luffy off the ground.
"To the sky~!"
With that, they rocket off leaving the dumbfounded pirates.
"…What are they doing right now!?" Nami huffed impatiently, "Those idiots~~~!"
"I'm starting to wonder myself," Shiho hummed, tapping the ground with her foot impatiently, "With Kaoru's power they should have been back at worse an hour ago…"
"But now it's morning! They're already 46 minutes late! If this goes on we won't make it to the Knock-Up Stream in time!"
"You think it's because of the gold they're carrying?" Aoi suggested, "Or perhaps they had a hard time finding them?"
"Impossible with Kaoru there," Shiho sighed, "And with their speed, those crooks wouldn't have time to sell or hide the gold. My guess it only took them a couple of minutes…"
"Oh I'm pretty sure they took their time searching!" Nami grumble, "With Luffy's brain, he wouldn't know how to calculate how much time it takes to come back! Kaoru probably got dragged along too…"
"Nami," Usopp sweat dropped, "I'm pretty sure he never had the notion of calculating time. The only schedule Luffy follows is his own. I do agree that he probably dragged Kaoru at his own pace…"
"Yeah," Sanji nodded, "I'm 100% sure that's it…"
"…Could they have been beaten in town?" Chopper wondered in worry.
"Impossible~!" Shiho and Aoi waved their hand violently in front of their face in denial. After all, Luffy doesn't go down that easily and Kaoru even more so.
"If he lost the fight," Nami growled in anger, "I won't forgive him even if they came back in time!"
"What do you want them to do?" Zoro rolled his eyes with a sweat drop.
"Well, I could see her point," Aoi sweat dropped, "Going off to beat the crap out of someone only to come back defeated and late; it's like they wasted time unnecessarily…"
"Ah~!"
"…Oi~~~!" Voices echoed a little ways south of them. Everyone turn to see Kaoru and Luffy approaching from the air.
"Oh, they're here!" Sanji noted.
"Finally," Shiho huffed.
"It's those guys!" Masira cheered, "Great! They're finally back!"
"Luffy~~!" Aoi called as they closed in, "Kaoru~~! Hurry~! We're already behind schedule-!"
"We did it~~!" Luffy suddenly cheered.
"We got them~~!" Kaoru noted in a cheer as well, "Take a look~~~!"
"…? Are they holding something?" Aoi noted.
"… …Are those…insects!?" Shiho sweat dropped upon seeing the two carrying makeshift bags filled with beetles.
"Hercules Beetles," Kaoru cheered, "Stag Beetles, Atlas Beetles~~~!"
"We found a bunch of them on our way back~~~!" Luffy cheered, "We caught a lot with Kaoru's power~~~!"
"WHAT THE HECK WERE YOU TWO DOING~~~!?" Everyone comically exclaimed.
"Dear me," Robin chuckled.
"Are you kidding me~!?" Nami yelled once the two landed in front of them.
"Are you two crazy!?" Aoi exclaimed in the same manner.
"I thought you guys took too long!" Shiho lectured, "How could you be collecting bugs at a time like this!?"
"But Shiho~!" Kaoru cheered, holding the makeshift bags full of beetles, "Look! Look! These are rare beetles, even in Japan!"
"You're 47 minutes late because of these bugs!?"
"But they're a collector's item in this world too! We can sell them for millions!"
"…!? Did you say MILLIONS~~~!?" Nami's eyes twinkled and turned into Belis signs.
"Hey~!" Aoi dope slapped the money-struck Navigator, "Don't go turning on us!"
"How much are they worth!? How many of each did you get!?"
"Snap out of it!"
"All types!" Kaoru cheered, "This Rhinoceros Beetle is probably worth each at least 1,000,000 Belis~! These Deep Mountain Stag Beetles is probably each a good 50,000,000 Belis at least~!"
"SERIOUSLY!?" Nami exclaimed excitedly.
"…Actually," Shiho sweat dropped knowingly, "The last time I looked at Beetle Selling catalogue in this world, the least you could have gotten for a Deep Mountain Stag Beetle was much more…"
"SERIOUSLY!?"
"Yeah, especially if I recall correctly the Albino Deep Mountain Stag Beetles; they're the ones with the white eyes. The Hundreds of Millions you get from them would've been worthless…"
"HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS~~~!?"
"Yeah…So~, Miss Sleazebag, raise your hand if you want one~!"
"I WANT~~~!" Nami comically raised her hand, lost in the excitement.
"DON'T ADD FUEL TO THE FIRE!" Aoi dope slapped her silver-haired friend.
"We only found eight of those albino ones though," Kaoru admitted, "But all in all, we got around 87 rare beetles…"
"We'll find a place to sell them later," Shiho chuckled.
"Oi~~~!" Aoi comically twitched in frustration, shaking in pent up annoyance, "What happen to going to Sky Island-!?"
"WOW~~~!" Luffy suddenly awed, "AMAZING~~~!"
Everyone turn to see what was making Luffy awing so loudly. As most expected, Luffy was awing at the Merry Go's new look. It looks completely repair and is outfitted with some sort of bird theme armor.
"I present to you~!" Usopp dramatically declared, "The Merry Go Aero Mode~~!"
"It looks like a Turkey~~~!" Luffy proclaimed with his eyes twinkling like crazy.
"Uh, it looks more like a chicken than a turkey," Kaoru commented with a sweat drop.
"I thought so too!" Chopper exclaimed, also with his eyes twinkling in awesomeness.
"…Is it your design, Aoi?"
"Hell, NO!" Aoi exclaimed in denial, before turning away with a blush, "…though, I may have suggested the design…so I contribute 0.1%…"
"…Heh~!"
"What are YOU looking at!?"
"…I feel uneasy whenever I see that thing," Nami managed with a sweat dropped.
"Well for once I agree with you," Zoro nodded, "Chickens don't know how to fly, a pigeon would have been better…"
"What's THAT got to do with anything, you DOPE!?"
"That's NOT what she's talking about, Zoro-han," Aoi comically backhand slapped her mentor.
"At the very least," Shiho noted, "It's not only seaworthy but it's also aerodynamic surprisingly; I've checked myself. So it should be okay despite its looks…"
"I hope so," Kaoru chuckled nervously before noticing Luffy heading over to where Cricket sat, the knapsack of gold in hand, "Ah-! Excuse me for a moment, guys…"
"Eh?" Aoi blinked as she watch Kaoru jog after Luffy, "…Ah~! I see…"
Now standing next to Luffy, Kaoru placed the sacks of gold on the tree stump in front of Cricket. Luffy followed suite and place his knapsack with the golden bird next to Kaoru's.
"…Your gold, Old Man," Kaoru informed, "Every last morsel of it…"
Cricket was silent for a moment as he simply stared at them before sighing. "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get on the ship, there's no time. You want to give up your chance to get to Sky Island? Like some idiots…"
The words were harsh and carry no words of gratitude, but Kaoru smiled knowingly. "You're welcome…"
"Yeah," Luffy smiled as well, "and thanks!"
"…What for?" Cricket frowned in confusion.
"For fixing the ship…"
"…If you want to say thank you for that, say it to them," Cricket pointed to the Monkey Mountain Alliance, "They worked their asses off to get your ship sea and sky worthy…"
"Really!? Wow, thanks!" Luffy acknowledged and held up one of the beetles from his bug bag, "Here! I'll give one Hercules Beetles to you~!"
"What, really!?" Shoujou, Masira and their individual crews exclaimed in excitement, "We can have one!? You really are a great guy!"
"Of course~!" Kaoru glee, "We're friends, aren't we?"
"We sure are!" Masira wooed before returning to a serious expression, "Anyways, we don't have time for this foolishness; get on your ship or we won't make it on time!"
"We'll lead the way," Shoujou announced, "Just follow us!"
"Luffy," Aoi called from the Merry Go; everyone else are already aboard, "Kaoru, Hurry~~~!"
"On our way," Kaoru called as she and Luffy sprint to the ship.
"…Monkey Mountain Alliance~!" Cricket suddenly hollered, just as Kaoru and Luffy was about to jump aboard, "Don't mess this up~! I'm counting on you men~! No matter what happens, give it your all for these fellas~~!"
"Aye-Aye~~~!" The Salvage Pirates cheered in acknowledgement.
"…Guess that's his way of saying 'thank you'~!" Kaoru chuckled as she and Luffy finally jumped aboard.
"Okay!" Luffy called to the rest, "Let's go!"
"You heard him, everyone!" Nami called, "Set sail~!"
"Alright~~~!" Shiho, Aoi, Chopper and Usopp cheered.
"Understood, Nami-swan~~~!" Sanji swooned.
Kaoru used her powers to maneuver the ship to sail away from the shore.
"Oi, you lots!" Cricket called, bringing everyone's attention back to them, "We'll part ways here! But I want to tell you all one more thing! One thing you got to remember, above everything else!"
"…? What is it?" Aoi pondered.
"After everything that has happen, there is one thing that I'm absolutely certain about: Those stories about 'City of Gold' and 'Sky Island', no one has managed to prove either of them…but at the same time, no one has been able to prove that they DON'T exist!"
Hearing that, Shiho giggled. "That's true…"
"People might say I'm crazy and laugh at me for thinking against the common belief but that doesn't matter; I don't care! That is what makes it truly so Romantic~!"
"Romantic, huh?" Aoi thought about it, "Chasing a dream that seems impossible with all your heart to show the whole world otherwise, huh? Yeah, it certain is…"
"Yup," Cricket nodded with a smirk, "…And about the gold…thanks! So don't you go falling from the sky and crashing, you got it!?"
"Don't end your farewell with something so ominous!"
The rest of the crew laughed at Aoi's reaction as they pulled away from the shore.
"Bye Old Man~~~!" Luffy called back.
"Thanks for the hospitality, Old Man Chestnut-Head!" Kaoru called back as well, "I'm sure the City of Gold does exist~~~!"
Cricket laughed. "Thanks for the encouragement, girl!"
"Cricket!" Chopper called back, "Don't fool around with your health again~~~!"
"MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!"
"Don't die while we're gone~~!" Shiho called.
"And why are YOU ending our farewell with something so ominous!?" Aoi comically lectured and dope slap her friend.
"Remember, it's currently 7:00 A.M.," Shoujou announced, "We'll reach our destination at around 11:00 A.M.! Like the Boss said, the 'Knock-Up Stream' appears in different places every time, so we must get there early and search for the exact position. Since we set sail later than our original plan-…"
"Hey, guys!" Luffy called as he forcefully turned the South Bird's head westward, "Look at this!"
"Hey! Are you knuckleheads listening to me!?"
The Children watch as Luffy freed the South Bird's head. It immediately swung back south like a bent stick.
"I'm explaining-!"
"Look~!" Luffy laughed, "He turned south again~!"
The Children giggled at the sight of the South Bird's reaction.
"So you guys are the same too, huh?" Shiho managed to the other three birds, each chirping in confirmation.
"There really are such strange birds in the world," Usopp noted with a chuckle, "I'd never seen birds quite like them…"
"Certainly," Aoi adjusted her glasses, "In our world, for example, I heard there are some birds that eats clay or birds that used other creature to get at the honey in beehives…"
"Really?"
"Yeah, but these directional birds take the cake for having the most bizarre ability…"
"This guy really only face south~~!" Kaoru laughed, "The goofy bird acts just like a compass…"
"So funny~~!" Luffy added with a laugh.
"It's not that strange," Shiho rolled her eyes, "At least not when they're compared to you, Luffy…"
"Ah-! How rude! Don't lump me with the 'strange' people-!"
"You're the LEAST normal one here! So don't say otherwise!"
The South Bird grumbled a bit in annoyance, to which the North Bird comfort which cause the South Bird to blush a bit.
"Oh-Ho~~!" Kaoru snickered knowingly, "Someone got a crush on someone~~~!"
"…! JYOH~~!" the South Bird began chirping like crazy.
"What did it say?" Usopp wondered.
"…He said," Chopper translated, "I'll turn away from south and give you idiots a headache once you get lost!"
Luffy and Kaoru laughed at the idea. "Go ahead and try~~~!"
Tempting fate, the South Bird turned its head around a whole 180.
"Ah-! He did it," Aoi noted.
"…But," Shiho smirked knowingly, seeing the South Bird's face turning green in discomfort, "for how long~!?"
"Turn! Turn! Turn! Turn~!" Kaoru chanted.
Finally, the South Bird's head snap back into place, causing everyone even the Eastern Bird and Western Bird to laugh.
"Told you he couldn't do it~!" Luffy jeered, causing the South Bird to chirp in frustration. "He won't feel right unless he's facing south~!"
"HEY!" The crew of Shoujou holler in anger, "Don't piss off the Great Captain~!"
"Aw, forget it, forget it~!" Shoujou waved it off, "Honestly, the way they ignore their surroundings it makes one so edgy…"
"Is that how it is?" Kaoru blinked.
"Of course it makes one edgy," Aoi sighed, readjusting her glasses, "We're behind schedule, we have no idea if we can make it on time and to top it all off we don't know if we'll succeed or not. Yet despite all that, we're goofing off without a care in the world…"
"I can't be help," Shiho sighed, poking at the South Bird's head constantly to annoy him, "When you're on this ship, it's hard to remain so serious and upbeat…"
"Really?" Kaoru tilted her head in confusion as she gently groomed the North Bird's feather.
"Of course you wouldn't notice, Kaoru. We've been on this ship so long you're practically accustomed to it…"
"Heh~…"
"…Oh well," Luffy suddenly laughed, "You can't help it with this kind of thing~! Just relax and go forward~!"
"Real encouraging words," Sanji huffed sarcastically, "coming from someone who caused the delay in the first place…"
"Hey! Kaoru made us late too!"
"EH~!?" Kaoru comically frowned, "Suddenly I'm at fault too!?"
"Why are you acting so surprise!?" Shiho and Aoi comically exclaimed.
"…But, either way, what he said is right," Masira suddenly considered, "Stressing for hours on this is pointless; we might as well enjoy ourselves…"
"I see your point," Shoujou nodded in understanding, "Alright, ye mateys, relax and full speed ahead! Anyone not relaxing answers to me~~!"
"Aye-aye~~~!" The crew exclaimed as they began slouching at their post while keeping the ships moving forward.
"AH~~~!" Luffy sighed as he slouch on the spot, "The Weather is so nice~~~!"
"Isn't it~~~?" Kaoru mimicked and slouched on the spot as well.
"…This is ridiculous," Zoro sweat dropped at the sight of this.
"Oi, will it really be alright like this?" Aoi managed in the same manner.
"Oi, that's enough!" Shiho grumbled, "We shouldn't be uptight but not too loose either! And not to the point where even the ships are doing it as well!"
"… …Huh!?" Aoi blinked in astonishment, once she realized that all three ships had deformed into what looks like a melting position…like they were relaxing. "Is this even possible!?"
"At this point, when it comes to this world…nothing is impossible anymore…"
"…In other words, nothing surprising should surprise us anymore huh? What a paradox…"
It would be another three hours since they set sail from Jaya that one of crewmates of Masira suddenly called out.
"Boss!" the man called, "It's not good!"
"What is it!?" Masira called.
"N-Night! Approaching from the southwest! It the Millennium Cumulonimbus!"
"Really!? What time is it!?"
"10:00 A.M.! Much earlier than expected!"
"This is bad! Shoujou! Is everything ready!?"
"I was just about to send them!" Shoujou replied before turning to his crew, "Dispatch the Utan Divers! Find me those current!"
"Yeah~~!" The crewmen of Shoujou hollered and dived into the water.
"T-That's the Millennium Cumulonimbus!?" Shiho gasped alongside her friends and crewmates.
Directly southwest of them, there was huge gathering of clouds cover the whole area. Already the area beneath it was getting dark.
"I-I-It's huge!" Kaoru exclaimed, "It's got to be big enough to cover all of Okinawa and then some!"
"No wonder the area becomes nighttime!" Aoi managed in awe, "If Cricket's right and those clouds are dense, it would become nighttime for as far as the eye can see!"
"…So what are they doing?" Usopp wondered looking towards the ship Shoujou owns.
"The Millennium Cumulonimbus appeared earlier than expected!" Nami suddenly announced, "But we still haven't located the Knock-Up Stream yet! My guess they're trying to find it now!"
"…But…how?" Shiho frowned as she stared over at Shoujou. Even if his crew had divers, they couldn't possibly find something like a Knock-Up Stream. Right?
"Search Sonar~~~!" Shoujou called as he sang into his microphone, which was connected underwater.
"…! I see!" Shiho awed at the ingenuity, "He's using pseudo-sonar to find it!"
"Ah~!" Aoi thumped her palm in understanding, "That's why he's called the 'Sonar King'!"
"Amazing!" Kaoru awed, "…But, can they really find-?"
"A reflective sound wave confirmed!" A diver report as he rose from underwater, "A large strong sea current at 12 o'clock!"
"…Never mind…"
"Found a gigantic organism at 9 o'clock!" Another surfaced to report, "Should be some species of Sea-King!"
"…That's amazingly accurate," Shiho sweat dropped.
"10 o'clock direction found a current going against the current!" A third surfaced, "Quite likely a giant whirlpool!"
"A-A giant whirlpool!?" Aoi sweat dropped in worry, "That's good information! Let's avoid-!"
"That's it!" Masira exclaimed as the divers returned to their ship, "Turn the ship to 10 o'clock direction!"
"EH~~~!? WHY~~~!?"
"That thing is the sign for an explosion! Follow the whirlpool closely! Don't back out!"
"That's what we're looking for-!?" Shiho managed before the ship suddenly rocked violently, "WAH~~!"
"What the-!?" Kaoru managed, "What's going on!?"
Aoi peered overboard to see… "The waves suddenly became huge waves!"
"Wah~~~!" Chopper exclaimed in terror, "The ship will sink~~~!"
"Kaoru! Protect the ship!"
"I-I'll try!" Kaoru nodded as she used her powers to blast apart some of the incoming waves.
"Just what's going on!?" Shiho hollered at the top of her voice.
"It's all signs for the explosion!" Shoujou managed to inform.
"Miss Navigator!" Robin suddenly called out, "How's the Log-Pose?"
"Eh!?" Nami managed in recollection and glared at the Log Pose, "…!? I don't believe it! It keeps pointing at that cloud!"
"Say what!?" Usopp and the Children exclaimed. Then, according to the Log Pose, Sky Island really exists up there?
"Not only that, but the wind is perfect! The Millennium Cumulonimbus is heading straight towards the center of this 'whirlpool'…"
"Seriously, what's this about a whirlpool?" Shiho managed.
"It seems like we guessed correctly this time, Brother!" Masira cheered proudly.
"Yeah," Shoujou cheered as well, "the size of the explosion is perfect too!"
"W-Wait a minute!" Kaoru managed, "Slow down! I can't understand a word you're saying!"
"Can we get there!?" Luffy exclaimed in worry.
"Yeah, we can get you there!" Shoujou called.
"What!?" Everyone exclaimed, "How!?"
"We'll take you to the inner edge of the whirlpool!" Masira informed as his ship and the other ship that belong to Shoujou send out a cable that connect to the Merry Go with the intent to guide it.
"…And then!?" Nami exclaimed when Masira didn't continue, "What do we do after that!?"
"The rest is easy! Just follow the current! Head straight to the center!"
"C-Center!?" Aoi sweat dropped in worry; she's getting a bad feeling, "C-Center of what!?"
"The whirlpool of course!"
"… …Whirlpool? As in…" Kaoru nervously pointed the gigantic whirlpool that just appeared in sight, "…THAT GIANT WHIRLPOOL!?"
"Yep!"
"DON'T 'YEP' ME!" Shiho exclaimed.
"You never said we need to get sucked in~~~!" Nami exclaimed in shock, "I don't remember signing up for all of this~~~!"
"…Oi, Chopper-han!" Aoi dope slapped Chopper who was gleaming with anticipation, "I don't have psychometry powers, but I don't need it to know what you're thinking! It's not going to turn out like that~~!"
"Eh!? Really?" Chopper noted before reality finally kicked in and he started to run around in panic.
"Don't worry!" Sanji suddenly declared, "I'll protect Nami-san and Robin-chan~!"
"How can you be thinking about impressing the girls at a time like this!?" Shiho exclaimed in shock.
"This is my first time seeing such a huge whirlpool," Robin commented ever so calmly.
"Why the HELL are you so calm!?" Despite her exclamation, she would have to agree. In the perspective of the Children, it is as big as a football stadium.
"No~~!" Usopp comically wept in terror, "This bad~~~! I've change my mind~~~! Go back~~~! I want to go back~~~!"
"Forget it, Usopp," Zoro sighed, "It's too late. You-know-who is already…hyper and excited…"
"Ah-!" the Children glared at their Captain, the only one with a big grin on his face.
"Here I come~~~!" Luffy declared, "Let's go to Sky Island~~~!"
Just then from out of the swirling sea, a Sea-King emerges closed to them only to be sucked back down towards the center of the whirlpool. It was unable to fight the strong waves as it struggle to swim away before sinking helplessly out of view. This sight left many people on the Merry Go paralyzed in fear. If a Sea-King couldn't take it in its own environment, then…
"Alright then~~!" Masira voice hollered from a distance away. At some unknown point, both Shoujou and Masira had broken off from them and maneuver their ship off into a safe distance and left them in the current of the whirlpool. "From now on, do your best with your own strength~~!"
"Yeah~~!" Kaoru called back, "Got it~~!"
"Thanks for escorting us here~~!" Luffy also sendoff.
"WAIT~~~!" Usopp comically exclaimed in desperation, "DON'T LEAVE YET~~~! LET US GO WITH YOU~~~! THIS IS TOO TERRIFYING~~~! LET US GO BACK, ASSHOLES~~~! WE'LL DIE FOR SURE LIKE THIS~~~!"
"YOU NEVER MENTION THAT THE WHIRLPOOL WOULD BE THIS BIG~~~!" Nami also comically wept in desperation as Chopper and the Directional Birds chirped in collective comical panic, "LIAR, LIAR~~~!"
"IT'S ALREADY BECAME NIGHT~~~!" Aoi reported, adding to the hysteria.
"WE'RE BEING SUCKED INTO THE WHIRLPOOL~~~!" Shiho exclaimed in terror.
"Don't be so unreasonable, Luffy, let's go back!" Usopp exclaimed desperately to Luffy, who had his back turn to them eyeing the whirlpool, "It's not too late~! You understand right!? This whirlpool alone is already deadly enough~~!"
"…Y-Yeah~!" Shiho managed, "That Sky Island is just a fantasy of a fantasy after all!"
"I-It might sound like an excuse," Aoi added, "b-but it's absolutely true! It's g-got to be!"
"…Fantasy of a Fantasy," Luffy repeated, "…Sounds about right…"
"…! Luffy?" Kaoru blinked. Is he finally going to admit that Sky Island is just make-belief in the face of this dangerous situation?
"Y-Yeah, Luffy!" Nami nodded desperately, "I think it's probably fake, too!"
Luffy suddenly turn to them, with the biggest grin the Children had ever seen on him. "This 'Island of the Fantasy of the Fantasy'; if we miss the chance for a grand adventure like this, we'll regret it for the rest of our lives sure!"
One good look at Luffy's face, sparkling with excitement and anticipation and Nami, Usopp, Aoi and Shiho wept in devastating realization. Only Chopper and Kaoru beamed with renew sense of excitement.
'…I-It's no good; there's no turning back~~~!' the four weepers thought, 'He's…actually…enjoying this~~~!'
"Oi," Zoro suddenly called, "While you guys were doing the fruitless complaint…a problem has occurred…"
"…? Problem?" Aoi blinked, "What problem-?"
Aoi stop midsentence when she realized that the Merry Go was no longer on water. It had at some point sail off the edge of the whirlpool rim and start falling towards the center of the whirlpool.
"We're just about to be swallowed by the giant whirlpool," Zoro finalized.
"… …WHAT~!?" Shiho exclaimed in comical terror, "When did THIS happen!?"
"Zoro-han~~~!" Aoi exclaimed comically, "Tell us this kind of stuff sooner~~~!"
"We're going to fall~~~!" Chopper wailed comically.
"Nami-swan~~~!" Sanji called, spreading his arms out, "Come into my arms~! I'll protect you-!"
"Lousy Pervert Master S~!" Shiho exclaimed, "This isn't the time~~~!"
"AHH~~~~!" Everyone exclaimed as the Merry Go finally began to drop.
…
… …
… … …
"Ah-!" Kaoru noted, checking her surrounding in astonishment, "The whirlpool! It's gone!"
"… …HUH!?" Sanji managed, "It disappeared!? Why!?"
Just as Kaoru stated and everyone had come to realized, the whirlpool that seems to have a depth of hundreds vanishes without a trance. Only a quiet ocean lay stretch out as far as the eye can see.
"Damn it all!" Shiho yelled in anger, stomping in hysterical rage, "Getting me all worked up and then disappearing like it's trying to make fun of us! Make up your mind, Normama! Is there going to be a whirlpool or not~!?"
"Who are you talking to?" Aoi sweat dropped.
"Shut up! I'm tired and frustrated, alright!? Let me blow off some steam unrestricted!"
"I-If you say so…" Yeah~! I think I'll let Shiho break the Fourth Wall this time around.
"What happened!?" Luffy stared around in confusion.
"A whirlpool that big disappearing!?" Usopp also exclaimed in the same manner, "What the heck happened!? Where did it go!?"
On a hunch, Nami glance over the side of the boat and into the water. "…! That's not it! It's started! The whirlpool has only sunk under the surface…!"
"Eh!?" Shiho noted as she stared overboard as well. She saw was a swirl similar to a whirlpool only underwater, "It can't be…!"
"…WAIT~~~!" an unfamiliar voice suddenly ranged out a little ways off, "Hold it right there~~~!"
"…! Oh~!" Luffy noted once he saw where the voice came from, "Hey, Zoro! That's…"
"Hmm?" Zoro noted, "…Ah~!"
"…Who are they?" Aoi noted once she and the other two saw where the voice came from.
What they saw was a large raft-like ship with a big black ship sails on it. On the sails were three glaring skulls with four crossbones; a pirate's mark no doubt. On board were four people.
"I finally caught up to you, Straw Hat Luffy~!" one of the men declared loudly.
"…! He's…" Nami managed, recognizing the guy who is speaking, "That's the guy at Mock Town! That praises us!"
"Eh? Seriously!?" Shiho blinked, recalling the 'strange guy' Nami mentioned.
"We're here to take your head that is worth 100,000,000 Belis~!" The guy hollered again, "So don't be shy and surrender to us now~~~!"
"…Huh!?" Kaoru blinked, "100,000,000 Belis!? But Luffy's only 30,000,000 Belis, isn't he?"
"Yeah, it is," Luffy nodded before calling out, "Hey~~! What do you mean '100,000,000 Belis'~~!?"
"Hmm!? So you don't know, do ya~~~!? Ah~! And I see another familiar face as well among that ship~!" the man hummed when his eyes fell on Kaoru.
"…? W-What!?" Kaoru called out when she notice his stare, "Have we met before?"
"This has got to be my lucky day~!" The man laughed before holding up three paper, "There's a bounty worth '100,000,000 Belis' on your head, 'Straw Hat Luffy'~~~! Also, 'Pirate Hunter Zoro' and 'Psychic Kaoru'~~~! You have '60,000,000 Belis' and '90,000,000 Belis' respectively~~~!"
"… … …Eh!?" the Children collectively yelp upon hearing one of their names included on the guys list, "P-Psychic Kaoru~~~!?"
"D-D-D-Did he just said my name too!?" Kaoru managed in disbelief.
"…He's right!" Usopp exclaimed, having taken out a binocular and gazing at the Wanted Posters in the stranger's hand, "He's got different poster for each of you! They're new bounties! Zoro and Kaoru! You two have become wanted pirates! Congratulation!"
"EEH~~~!?"
"Kaoru gets a bounty, and we don't!?" Shiho exclaimed in rage, "That's so unfair~~~!"
"How much did Kaoru get again!?" Aoi tugged on Usopp's trousers.
"…It looks like Zoro got 60,000,000 Belis," Usopp informed after carefully inspecting the Wanted Posters, "and Kaoru got…90,000,000 Belis~!"
"What~~~!?" Shiho and Aoi exclaimed in shock.
"Hey wait!" Sanji exclaimed in worry, "And me? There's a bounty for me too, right!?"
"No," Usopp answered immediately.
"Look again, carefully!"
"Still no…"
"I can't believe it," Nami awed, "Did the incident in Arabasta drastically increased Luffy's bounty? But to 100,000,000-?"
"This great! Hear that!?" Luffy cheered, "100,000,000~~! My bounty went up big time~~~!"
"I'm behind even Kaoru?" Zoro mused, "I'm okay with that, but…60,000,000? I'm not satisfied, though it's not too bad either…"
"…I-I-I-I got a bounty~~~!" Kaoru cheered the loudest, "I'm a full-fledged pirate now~~~!"
"Don't get cocky just because you're ahead, Kaoru!" Shiho fumed.
"…? Ahead? Ahead of what?"
"…The BET!"
"…? … … …! Ah~!"
"Damn it! The fact that you forgot the bet that you started pisses me off!"
"Calm down Shiho," Aoi frowned with a sweat drop, "You're starting to sound like Sanji-han…"
"And you're starting to sound ambitionless like Zoro!"
"HAH!?"
"All of you knock it off!" Nami comically screeched, "There's nothing good about getting a bounty, you hear!?"
"Hey you guys~!" A voice rang out suddenly; it was Shoujou, "Stay focus~~! It's coming~~! The Knock-Up Stream~~~! Brace yourselves~~~!"
Suddenly, everyone aboard the ship felt it: the ocean beneath the ship began to swell and rise, bulging directly beneath them.
"Everyone," Sanji called, "Hold onto something or go inside!"
"GYAH~~~!" Usopp comically screeched as everyone scramble to find a secure place to hold onto, "The ship; it's being lifted up~~! The sea is going to blow upward~~~!"
The Children brace themselves for whatever that was going to happen, holding onto the main mast of the ship. Kaoru was ready to shield the ship if it becomes necessary; Aoi was ready to teleport anyone that may end up falling off; Shiho used her powers to keep a constant check on the ship's health and the stream that is about to come.
Finally after what seems like hours…BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM~~~~~!...the water finally exploded beneath them. The screams of the pirates that was going to attack them stands to reason that they too were caught in the blast, though obviously not as lucky.
"GO TO SKY ISLAND~~~!" Masira and Shoujou cheered as the eruption carried on.
Meanwhile, aboard The Merry Go, despite the catastrophic explosion, everyone aboard are still alive and well. The only problem is that everyone, including the Children, is finding it difficult to keep their feet on the deck; rather they were better off standing upright on the wall of the cabins!
"…! What's going on!?" Aoi gasped in amazement at what she was witnessing.
"The ship!" Shiho awed, "Merry is sailing vertically on the surface of a huge pillar of water!"
"How the hell are we doing this!?" Usopp exclaimed in shock.
"… …Search me…"
"What's with that half-heart answer!?"
"This is…Amazing~~~!" Kaoru awed the loudest of the three, "This is totally different from just simply rocketing upward with my power~~~!"
"Alright~~~!" Luffy cheered, pumping a fist towards the clouds (now ahead of them), "I can't believe this is finally happening~~! If we keep going like this we can get to Sky Island~~~!"
"Yeah~~~!" The Children cheered, totally caught in Luffy's excitement…that and the bizarre nature of their current position, "Forward, Merry~~~!"
"…! Wait a sec!" Sanji suddenly voiced in concern, "It's not as easy as you think!"
"…? What is it?" Usopp asked nervously, "What now!?"
"Did you forget some luggage?" Luffy pondered.
"Why would THAT matter now!?" Aoi sweat dropped.
"Can you feel it?" Sanji noted staring down at the ship, "The ship is beginning to leave the stream!"
"EH!?" Shiho yelped before using her powers to check herself, "…! He's right! Merry's slowly inching off from the hull! At this rate, we'll bounce off and fall into the ocean!"
"E-Even if you say that," Usopp wept, "What do expect us to do!? It's hard enough just holding onto the ship, or haven't you notice-!?"
"WAH~~~!" Chopper suddenly exclaimed, "L-Look~~~!"
Everyone gazed up to see a Sea-King falling downward, fortunately not in their way.
"…Hey," Kaoru sweated nervously, "Wasn't that the Sea-King that got sucked in earlier!?"
"It is!" Shiho managed in fear, "It's only a matter of time before the same thing happens to the Merry! We'll end up like that sooner or later…"
"I know," Zoro noted standing on the wall of the ship, "But what can we do? We don't have a lot of options when it comes to Mother Nature; we're at her mercy…"
"I guess we just simply hold on and hope for the best," Sanji declared.
"EEK~~~!" Chopper and Aoi shrieked in terror as debris began falling all around them, "Ship parts are falling from the sky~~~! We're going to end up being destroy just like those ships~~~!"
"We're going to nosedive all the way to the bottom of the ocean," Usopp cried out in despair, "all because Luffy had to follow some stupid dream-!"
"Spread the sails!" Nami suddenly ordered, "Right now!"
"Huh!?" Everyone noted in confusion.
"Sure, it's a pillar of water but it's still part of the sea! It's a rising current! Shiho, can't you feel it!?"
"…?" Shiho blinked in confusion for a moment until she notice Nami's hair moving strangely. She concentrate for a small moment before finally realizing what Nami was hinting, "Wind! There's wind blowing upward!"
"Of course there's wind!" Aoi frowned, "We're in the air-!"
"Winds don't blow upward though!"
"The wind from below is a rising air current produce by geothermic heat causing a steam explosion!" Nami continued, "It may be package differently but it's still wind and water! If our opponents are the wind and sea, we'll sail on; in their face! Trust me, after all who's this ship Navigator~?"
The Children stared at Nami in awe and admiration. Hearing her say all of that with such confidence ease their worried hearts big time.
"You are of course, Nami-swan~~~!" Sanji answered the Navigator's question.
ありったけの夢をかき集め [Come aboard and bring along~ all your Hopes and Dreams~!]
"Yosh!" Kaoru smirked as she used her powers to unfurl the sails, "I got the sails~~!"
"Totally convenient!" Usopp and Chopper comically awed.
捜し物を捜しに行くのさ [Together we will find the Great Thing that we're looking for~!]
"Alright everyone," Nami ordered, "Catch the starboard wind and align the ship with the current!"
"Aye-Aye~~!" Everyone cheered as they followed Nami's order.
ONE PIECE!
"…!? Hey," Chopper reported nervously as he manages to stare over the side of the ship, "we're rising over the water! Is that okay!?"
"Nami, do something!" Luffy exclaimed, "We're going to fall~~!"
羅針盤なんて渋滞のもと [Compass left behind~, it will only slow us down~]
"Ready to catch the ship-!" Kaoru began only for Nami to raise her hand to stop her, "…? Nami!?"
"No need," Nami informed, "It's already good to go!"
熱にうかされ舵をとるのさ [Your heart will be your guide; raise the sails and take the helm~]
"Eh-!?" Aoi managed as the ship completely left the water. But instead of falling, the ship continue to speed upward, "…EH~~~!"
"W-We're flying~~~!" Luffy exclaimed excitedly.
ホコリかぶってた宝の地図も [That legendary place the end of the map reveals~]
"The Merry Go is flying~~~!" Kaoru cheered as well in amazement.
"Really!?" Usopp gawked in shock.
確かめたのなら伝説じゃない! [Is only legendary~ till someone proves it real~!]
"It really is!" Aoi noted, excitement building up inside her.
"It worked," Nami managed in relief.
"Even I thought it wouldn't work," Shiho admitted, having read what Nami had planned.
個人的な嵐は誰かの [Through it all, through all the trouble times, through the heartache~ and through the pain]
"Nami-swan~~!" Sanji swooned in admiration, "You're so cool and beautiful~~~! I think I love-!"
"If the wind keeps this up!" Nami announce happily, "We can sail as high as we want!"
バイオリズム乗っかって[Know that I will be there to stand by you~~!]
思い過ごせばいい! [Just like I know you'll stand by me!]
"Hey Nami!" Luffy hollered back to Nami, "Are we almost to Sky Island?"
"If it exists, it should be passed those clouds!" Nami pointed ahead.
ありったけの夢をかき集め [So come aboard and bring along~ all your Hopes and Dreams]
捜し物を捜しに行くのさ [Together we will find the Great Thing that we're looking for~]
"Passed those clouds!?" Kaoru glee in anticipation. Never in her wildest dream did she and her childhood friends think they'll be sailing up to reach an island in the sky that is supposedly a myth. "I wonder what's on the top~!"
ポケットのコイン、それと You wanna be my Friend? [There's always room for you~ if you want to be my Friend~?]
"There's only way to find out~~~!" Luffy cheered, "Let's bust through and find out~~~!"
We are…We are…On the cruise~~! WE ARE!
"YEAH~~~!" The Children cheered as they closed in toward the clouds.
Normama: "So the Jaya Arc ends and the Skypiea Arc begins at last~!"
Aoi (fuming): "…Why am I always treated as the one who is always getting angry or having the silliest reaction in this story!?"
Normama (Blinked in confusion): "… …Eh? But hasn't always been like that even back in your own manga?"
Aoi (comically stumbling): "Ugh-! W-Well, yeah but… …"
Shiho (chuckling): "Well, Aoi has always been so pure and innocent, as well as being the most level-head among the three of us. It's only natural that she would have the most interesting retort no matter where we all end up…"
Aoi (sweat dropping): "…Interesting, huh?"
Kaoru: "On that note, I have a feeling that this is one of the longest chapter so far. Why is that?"
Normama (chuckling): "Well, the original chapters of One Piece that serve as the base for this chapter had the focus elsewhere…which has noting to do with your perspective. And, obviously, I wanted to end the Jaya Arc in this chapter so I can start the Skypiea Arc…"
Aoi (nodding in understanding): "I see… …Anyhow, tune in next time as we enter an entirely new perspective of the Straw Hat's world…as well as witnessing Usopp doing something so stupid it's funny…"
Usopp (sweat dropping): "Hey~~~!"