THE CHILDREN Set Sail!
Disclaimer: Ownership of One Piece or Zettai Karen Children? Nope!
"Hey, Luffy!" Kaoru called after as she and everyone else rush after the said person who was heading towards Angel Beach, "Wait up a minute, would you!?"
"Yeah, what is it?" Luffy finally stopped to turn and answer.
"What's the big idea?" Sanji, "Why did you just get up and leave like that?"
"Well, you heard Nami. If we stay we'll cause more trouble for Conis and her dad…"
"Alright," Sanji nodded in understanding, "So where are we going then?"
"Where do you think? To the Sacrificial Altar…"
"…And how are you planning to get there?"
After a long silent moment, Luffy hummed with a confused frown, causing both Kaoru and Aoi to comically fall on the spot.
"You have to THINK about it!?"
Finally, Luffy pointed towards the beach. "There you go! We can just swipe one of those boats out there and head up the Milky Road! Easy!"
"Easy, huh? You SEE any boats out there!?"
After a long silent moment, Luffy hummed with a confused frown, causing both Kaoru and Aoi to comically fall on the spot again.
"Oh just STOP trying to think!"
"A boat won't do us much good anyway," Usopp sighed as he pulled out the map of Skypiea for everyone to see, "not if all we have to go on is this old map! I can't even tell where we are on this thing. And look! The Milky Road isn't even on here at all!"
"Man," Luffy frowned, "What a pain in the butt…"
"Gee, you think?" Aoi sighed as she readjust her glasses in thought, "…What we need is more information, just as Usopp pointed out…"
"But where are we going to find that?" Kaoru frowned, "If Shiho was here instead, we could find out but she isn't…"
"That's the problematic. Why is that we are never in the spot we need to be in the beginning?"
"Even if you asked that…"
That's when everyone notices Conis standing behind them.
"…Um, excuse me," Conis greeted nervously.
"Oh~! Conis-chan~!" Sanji swooned in greeting, "Did you come all this way to give me a goodbye kiss-?"
"Like HELL she is!" Aoi dope slapped Sanji.
"Yeah!" Kaoru added, "She's doing it to me!"
"Like HELL she is!" Aoi turn and dope slapped her redhead friend.
"Well, actually, I'm here because of my father," Conis informed, "he asked me to help you find your way to the Sacrificial Altar…"
"Oh~!" Usopp smiled, "That's sweet!"
"I can accompany you to as far as Angel Island's Docks. We should be able to find a suitable boat for you there…"
"…You got a definite plan! Unlike a certain little scatterbrain I know…"
"Yeah, right," Luffy laughed.
"I MEANT YOU!"
"Eh!?"
"Why are you so surprise?" Aoi sweat dropped.
"You're going to be our escort Conis~!?" Sanji swoon on the spot in love-struck, "Great! We'll be delighted to have you, right Luffy~!?"
"… …Of course we would," Luffy declared, "Lead on, lady!"
"Great," Conis nodded before turning to lead.
Thus everyone began to follow Conis confidently. Well, almost everyone.
"Hey, Kaoru," Aoi suddenly whispered to her redhead friend.
"…? What is it?" Kaoru tilted her head in response.
"Don't you feel like we're being followed?"
Kaoru paused in her advance and scanned around for a moment; she was not going to let someone leer at Aoi if she can help it.
"…For the record, it not like someone is leering at me…"
"I-I know that!"
Aoi rolled her eyes before using her heighten Esper sense to detect a human anomaly hiding in the bushes a little ways behind them.
"Did you find the stalker?"
Aoi nodded. "Judging by the fact that the person is in a military crawl position, it's probably one of those White Berets again…"
"Where!?"
"About just five bushes behind us…"
"Got it!" Kaoru smirked and immediately turn and cast her power at the designated bush, "Psychic~~…Weed Pluck~~!"
In an instant, the area where the bush was went flying into the air, taking the hidden White Beret soldier with it into the distance.
"He won't be bothering us again for a while~!"
"…? Hey~!" Luffy called from further up the path, "What's taking you two~? Hurry up~!"
"Coming~!" Aoi called, "Let's get going, Kaoru!"
"Yeah!" Kaoru nodded before rushing with her glasses-wearing friend after the group.
"Whoa!" Luffy awed, pointing at a town just ahead of them, "What's that!?"
"Oh, that's Lovely Street," Conis informed, "If you want a closer look, you're in luck. We actually have to past through it to reach the docks…"
"What kind of place is Lovely Street?" Aoi wondered
"It's a place where you can buy or interact with just about anyone…"
"So it's pretty much a market, huh?"
"In other words," Kaoru hummed in anticipation, "we'll get to see how island life is like right before we set off, huh?"
"Exciting huh?" Luffy cheered, "Upper Yard, here we come~!"
"…You do realize," Conis suddenly noted as she continue to lead the way, "It is possible that you will die there…"
"Yeah," Luffy, "well, everyone dies eventually…"
"…So you are alright with that? You're not worry at all?"
"Are you serious? Why would I be worry? I'm pumped up for it~!"
"…Eh?" Conis turn in astonishment at the answer…just in time to see everyone else kicking him in rage in a comical beat-up cloud.
"You jerk," Usopp roared as comically stomped all over Luffy, "don't laugh about it!"
"What is your problem!?" Kaoru added, "Even I'm not laughing at that!"
"Our friends can be in serious trouble!" Aoi noted, "Why don't you think about something else besides yourself for a change, huh!?"
"Be a little bit more concerned for Nami-san and Robin-chan!" Sanji demanded as he kicked Luffy continuously.
"And about the Going Merry, Zoro and Chopper too!"
"And Shiho too!" Kaoru added.
"Don't you care about them!?" Sanji finalized.
"O-Okay~! I'm sorry~!" Luffy managed in pain after everyone finally stop.
"A-Are you okay?" Conis managed in worry, though she looks more puzzled.
"Don't worry about him," Kaoru reassured with a smile, "He actually likes it; how else can you explain why he can make such a dumb comment?"
"…I-I suppose you have a point…"
"Hey!" Luffy frowned, "I don't like getting beat up!"
"When you look at the number of times you get beat up by any one of us, objectively," Aoi readjusted her glasses, "it does look like you want to get beat up…"
"Even more so if we add in the reason why you get beat up~!" Kaoru finished off.
"Boo~! Meanies~~!" Luffy pouted as they continue to follow Conis.
"…!? Kaoru," Aoi suddenly stopped.
"Hmm? What is it?" Kaoru halted as well.
"Just behind that hump of cloud over to our right…"
"… …Ah~!" Kaoru nodded slowly in understanding before casting her esper powers over at the cloud hump, "Psychic~~…Sandcastle Destruction~~!"
In an instant, the hump of cloud exploded sending a White Beret soldier flying with a startled scream.
"Done~! Let's catch up with everyone else…"
Aoi nodded as the two jogged after their group.
"Wow~!" Kaoru awed at her surroundings, "It's so nice here~!"
"I guess this is why it's call 'Lovely Street'," Aoi noted the livelihood and attractiveness of the building in the area.
"Lovely Street is the center of comers as well as the only main street of Angel Island," Conis, "It was designed to fully utilize the characteristics of Island Clouds and has just about everything…"
"You don't say," Aoi peered around to see cloth shops, food stands, and even accessory pawn shops. They all have one thing in common: the uses or sale of Dials.
"Look!" Luffy pointed upwards, "The shop is floating in mid-air!"
"It takes a special type of island to build those," Conis explained.
"…So…where are all the floating restaurants?"
"I think it would be cheaper and tastier if we just buy ingredients and let Sanji cook them up later," Kaoru noted.
"Hmm~! Good point~!"
"Nami-san and Robin-chan comes first," Sanji reminded, "We'll eat afterwards…"
"… …Hey guys," Usopp suddenly noted as he stops in his track and looked around, "I notice everyone is avoiding us…again…"
"Eh?" Aoi peered around to see that Usopp was right. People in front of them nervously got out of the way as they walk on, creating a clear path.
"Can't say I blame them," Sanji huffed as he walks on, "Words probably gotten out that we're criminals…"
"So what else is new?" Kaoru chuckled nervously, "living as a pirate, you should at least expect this much…"
"I guess," Usopp hesitantly nodded before he continues to walk.
Luffy, on the other hand, laughed. "Ah~, let them be that way~! That means we got downtown all to ourselves!"
"I suppose that's a positive way to look at things," Aoi chuckled.
Sanji, though, sighed sadly. "All these gorgeous angels and they're avoiding me~!"
"That's the only regretful part in all of this," Kaoru nodded in understanding.
"If you're being that regretful now," Aoi sighed tiredly, "You shouldn't have become pirates…"
"But these shops are selling a lot of weird things," Luffy noted as he went over to a store to poke at a strange-looking flower, "So~ Nice~! If I only had some money~~! I wonder if I can trade for it with some treasure-…"
"Luffy!" Sanji hollered back, "This is no time to be fooling around! Nami-san, Robin-chan and the others were taken as sacrifices!"
"Yeah," Aoi added, "Are you going to save them or not!?"
"Save them?" Luffy laughed, "You worry too much! Don't forget, Zoro was taken with them-!"
"We can't rely on a guy like that!" Sanji protested.
"Hey~!" Aoi frowned, "That's rather rude to Zoro-han!"
"Well, he's more likely to sleep through the trouble…"
"… …I…can't deny that…"
"Anyway, I hope the ship is okay and hadn't sustained anymore damages," Usopp muttered in worry, "I mean she's been through a lot of rough times and more than her share of abuse recently…"
"It'll be fine," Kaoru reassured, "Shiho's there too! She'll take care of it…"
"Does she know how to fix a ship?"
"She is a Psychometrist…"
"…I don't find that comforting…"
"…Hmm?" Luffy suddenly noted, "There's something in the middle of the street!"
"…Huh?" Conis managed as everyone gather around what looks like a display with a strange statue inside.
"…It's face is weird," Kaoru noted.
"Is it a fur seal?" Luffy wondered.
"I don't even think even this word has a fur seal this strange looking," Aoi sweat dropped.
"It looks like a weird mud doll," Sanji grimaced at the statue's looks, "But it's probably a religious figure, knowing this place…"
"Oh, you're both are morons," Usopp sighed fulsomely, "This is art! I can tell!"
"Art?" Kaoru comically frowned in discomfort, "…This thing?"
"Of course! Can't you see the beauty crafted in each nook and cranny of this statue?"
"Beauty?"
"I guess 'beauty' is in the eyes of the beholder," Aoi sweat dropped.
"That's vearth," Conis identified.
"…? Vearth?" Kaoru and Aoi noted in confusion, "Don't you mean 'Earth"?"
"To you Blue Sea Dwellers, yes that is also true. For us though, you might say that it's the idol representing the eternal yearnings of the citizens who live in the sky…"
"Eh!?" Luffy frowned in shock and discomfort, "You guys yearn for that long, praying to this thing!? Is there something wrong with you!?"
Conis, in response, laugh lightly. "It's probably too hard for citizens of the Blue Sea to understand…"
"I can sympathize a bit," Aoi noted after humming in thought for a moment, "since earth materials are rare up here, it only makes sense that people to want to obtain it…"
"Why?" Luffy tilted his head in confusion.
"I guess to them earth, vearth in this case, to them is like gold to us…"
"Really?" Luffy hummed in thought.
"Anyhow," Conis continued to lead on, "we're almost there; the port is that way…"
"Eh~!? We're leaving the city already!?"
"What do mean!?" Aoi exclaimed in disbelief, "This place was never our destination in the first place!"
"I know~! I just don't see why we can't stick around a little bit longer…"
"If we move like that we'll never get to the others in time," Usopp grumbled.
"You don't know that~!"
"Like hell we don't!" Everyone aside from Conis collectively yelled at Luffy.
"…!?" Aoi halted and sighed, "Kaoru, just behind the light post behind us; he's not even hiding…"
"Again!?" Kaoru rolled her eyes and cast her esper powers, "Psychic~~…Stalker Countermeasure~~~!"
The White Beret soldier was immediately sent flying out of the town with a startled scream.
"Really, these are relentless in their trailing…"
"Strange that they only seem to be keeping an eye on us," Aoi hummed in thought as she and Kaoru continued to follow everyone else, "I wonder why…"
"Look at all these boats~!" Luffy awed.
"Yes," Conis nodded, "You'll notice there are boats of all shape and sizes anchor in this harbor. From luxurious hotel ships where you can spend the night to sleeker models that are made for speed and loaded up with giant dials. If you look over there, there are even more types …"
"It's true~!" Kaoru awed as noted the types of boats, both simple and complex ones.
"Wow!" Luffy stopped in front of a large gondola with a bull head-figure, "This one…is perfect~~! I always wanted a gondola~! We'll take it!"
"Well," Kaoru shrugged, "Since we're going, we might as well go in style~!"
"Oh, look back there, I bet those dials make this baby move quicker than lightning!"
"No," Usopp sweat dropped nervously, "There will be a lot of problems if something this big move that fast…"
"This is going to be a whole lot of fun~! Come on, let's go for a spin~!"
"You idiot," Sanji, "we got to rescue the crew first, remember!?"
"Yeah," Aoi sighed, "get serious would you, Captain?"
"…Actually," Conis nervously informed, "your boat is right over here…"
"Really? I wonder what kind of-?" Kaoru managed before stopping herself upon seeing the boat Conis stopped in front of. It was hardly even considered a boat; it barely had any room for everyone. The only unique part is the bird head-figure and the parasol place in the center.
"Presenting: The Little Crow," Conis smiled proudly.
"… …Huh!? No way~!"
"You're kidding me, right~!?" Luffy comically gawked in dissatisfaction.
"…Little Crow?" Sanji repeated the name in negative amazement with a sweat drop, "It's not even a seabird…"
"I don't think we're one to talk, not after retrofitting the Going Merry like a chicken," Aoi sweat dropped.
"I used it until I became able to control a Waver," Conis informed proudly, "It's a little slow, but it has two Breath Dials onboard and is quite reliable. Please use it as you wish!"
"A-Ah~! So it's your boat," Kaoru sweat dropped, "I-I can see why you recommend it…"
"Well," Aoi sighed, "If you recommended, I guess we could-…"
"Wait, hold on!" Luffy suddenly voiced, "…I'm not going!"
"…Eh!?" The girls made a startled sound.
"…Unless I can take that on!" Luffy pointed back towards the larger, grander gondola with the bull head-figure, "I like that one better!"
Kaoru and Aoi comically stopped themselves from falling over.
"Y-You were just being selfish!?" Aoi managed in disbelief
"…You don't like it?" Conis turned back with nervous smile, "I'm sorry but I'm afraid those are for rent. I don't have the money to-…"
"The only thing 'sorry' is this guy!" Sanji lectured as he comically smashed Luffy's face repeatedly, "You ungrateful shithead! Apologize! Give Conis-chan a sincere apology! You shitty excuse for a man! She goes through the trouble of getting us a boat and all you do in response is complain!? What's wrong with you!?"
Conis and Children sweat dropped at the sight.
"Conis-chan~! Pay NO attention to his selfishness! I'm sorry he doesn't appreciate your help like I do!"
"…I-I'm sorry," Luffy turned and apologized to Conis with a beat up face.
"…I-It's okay," Conis smiled nervously, before pointing off towards a gate-like structure, "The exit is the No.2 Gate. You can get to Upper Yard by connecting with the main Milky Road. J-Just follow it and you'll be fine…"
"I see," Aoi nodded, "Got it! Thanks a lot Conis!"
"You're welcome…"
"…Hey, Conis," Luffy suddenly spoke up again.
"Y-Yes?"
"…How come you been shaking…ever since you start guiding us?"
"… …Huh!?" Kaoru and Aoi managed be noticing Conis freezing in shock, "…Conis?"
"I-I…" Conis stammered, "D-Does it look…t-that way…?"
"Conis," Kaoru blinked in worry, "You're really shaking now!"
Aoi nodded. "Almost as if you're afraid of something-…"
"Conis-chan~~~!"Sanji glee, "You must be worried about us~~! I'm so touch-!"
"Give it a rest, would you Sanji-han?" Aoi sighed as she comically knuckled Sanji in the face.
"Speaking of being worry…will you and Pagaya be alright?" Usopp suddenly added, "The others on the street were clearly avoiding us like the plague. Yet you led us here…and lent us your boat. Is helping us going to get you into trouble?"
"Ah! I didn't factor that thought in! Is that what you're worry about!?"
"S-Sorry!" Kaoru interjected, clapping her hands in front of her face, "We didn't want to drag you into this mess even further!"
"N-No," Conis nervously shook her head, "T-That's not true! I-I'm not-!"
"You know," Luffy intervened again, staring into Conis' face, "Your face looks kind of pale. You should've told us if you were that scared. We could've come here by ourselves…"
"… …I-It's…It's not what you think…"
"…?" It was in that moment, Aoi notice that the few people around that had been staring at them nervously suddenly gotten even more nervous; some even had a fearful expression of impending doom.
"Don't you get it? It's strange, right? Carefully explaining the route to the trials and then taking you here…It's like I'm leading you to come here…"
"Now that you mention it," Kaoru nodded slowly as she too took notice at the surrounding people's escalating panic, "That is true-…"
"Hey! Stop!" One of the bystanders suddenly shouted, "Don't say such foolish things!"
"…!?" Aoi glared around with a suddenly realization, "Are they all in on this?"
"I'll bet," Sanji grimaced until he notice Conis collapsing down to her knees, "C-Conis-chan-!?"
"C-Could you all…please just run away~?" Conis began before looking up with a tearful expression, "I'm so sorry, everyone! The one who called the Super-Express Lobster…was me!"
"…!? W-WHAT~~!?" Aoi and Kaoru exclaimed as everyone else around them began to panic and run away.
"That lobster that kidnapped Nami-san, Robin-chan and the others!?" Sanji exclaimed, "Conis-chan called for it!?"
"I'm so sorry!" Conis continued her confession, "While you three were in the house talking to my father, I went aboard and lied to your friends about a current that leads to Cloud End! They believed me, and I had them raised anchor! That was the signal that summoned the Super-Express Lobster of All-Mighty Eneru!"
"B-But why!?" Kaoru exclaimed after her story, "Why would you do that!?"
"Once we know someone's a criminal, we must lead them to the Upper Yard! If we don't take them to the Judgment Ground, then the penalty is death!"
"…!? That's crazy!" Usopp managed.
"Stop it!" Some of the remaining civilians exclaimed in horror, "Don't you know what you're saying!? That's blasphemy against God!"
"…This is our 'Civic Responsibility'," Conis continued, "The duty of every citizen…"
"Stop that girl!"
"I'm so sorry~~! I should have told you sooner~…"
"Wait a sec!" Luffy managed, "You're saying…they forced you to lead us all here…without telling us about that!?"
Conis could only manage a guilt-stricken nod.
Suddenly even Kaoru and Aoi understood where Luffy was getting at…as did Sanji and Usopp.
"If that's so…" Luffy managed.
"Conis, you idiot!" Kaoru and Aoi exclaimed as once.
"WHY DID YOU TELL US AT ALL~~~!?" Everyone exclaimed in unison.
"…Huh-?" Conis managed before Luffy gripped her worryingly by the shoulders.
"Are you nuts!?" Luffy began, "Now you're life is in danger!"
"It's too late!" The bystanders exclaimed, "Get away from her!"
"And what's your problem!?" Kaoru yelled at the fleeing bystander, "You acting as if -!"
"The judgment is coming~~!"
"…!? Judgment-!?" Aoi began only to cut short when she felt a chill that directed her attention upward. It was then that she saw… "…!? K-Kaoru! Look out~~~!"
"Eh-!?" Kaoru turn her attention skyward just in time to see blinding dot of light getting bigger and bigger as if it was getting closer-… "!? Psychic Dome Shield~~~~!"
Just as Kaoru erected a red dome barrier above herself, Luffy and Conis, just as a huge surge stream of electricity came down and struck with great force. The shield was already beginning to form small cracks.
"W-What!?" The citizens in the area gasped in astonishment, "That little girl-!?"
"Luffy, get Conis-chan out of here~! I can't keep this up forever~~!"
"Got it!" Luffy called as he picked up Conis and began to dash out of the range of the blast.
Unfortunately, Luffy barely managed three steps when another beam of electricity came down and struck the shield. It was only three seconds later when the shield broke and Kaoru, Luffy and Conis was engulfed in the double streams of energy.
"Kaoru~~~!" Aoi, who with Sanji and Usopp was just a bit out of the range of the attack, exclaimed in horror as she and the other two was sent flying from the force of the impact.
"W-What in the world was that thing!?" Sanji exclaimed in confusion after recovering from the shockwave.
"Kaoru! Where's Kaoru!?" Aoi managed in panic.
"Luffy and Conis too-!?" Usopp managed before gawking in horror, "Holy SMOKE! Look what that thing did!"
Aoi and Sanji saw it too, but they couldn't believe it. Where Kaoru, Luffy and Conis once were was replaced with a gigantic hole that seems to stretch down right through the Angel Island.
"It did that!?" Sanji gawked.
"No~!" Aoi ran to the side of the sizzling hole and peered in, "Kaoru~~! Luffy~~! Conis~~~!"
"…That what happen to those who defy the All-Mighty Eneru," One of the remaining citizens managed sadly.
"…!? You people-!"
"Do not fear~!" A familiar voice echoed gallantly from above, "All three are safe!"
Aoi turn skyward to Luffy, Conis and Kaoru riding an odd flying horse with… "Gan Fall-san!?"
"Oh, it's the weird old man!" Usopp recognized.
"W-Weird? Me?" Gan Fall sweat dropped before tossing down Luffy and Kaoru, "No…I would be the Sky Knight and this one is on the house…"
"Ah-! I got them!" Aoi immediately teleported them safely to the ground and rush over, "Luffy, Kaoru! Are you two alright!?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Luffy laughed.
"Make the world stop spinning~~!" Kaoru managed in her daze.
"Good, looks like you're both fine," Aoi sighed in relief.
"Conis is fine too," Sanji breathed a sigh of relief.
"And she will remain so under my watch," Gan Fall declared, "You have my word. I shalt allow Eneru to harm her!"
"Thanks!" Luffy acknowledged as he and the now oriented Kaoru stood up determinedly.
"Now that you've seen the scope of Eneru power and anger, though, what are you going to do next?"
"The same thing we were going to do from the start, of course," Kaoru smirked, "Go to Upper Yard and rescue our friends!"
Luffy nodded in agreement.
"…I see," Gan Fall nodded in approval before directing Pierre to fly off with Conis, "May luck be with you~!"
And with that, they were soon out of sight.
"Well then," Luffy punched his palm as he board the Little Crow, "Let's get going!"
"Yeah!" Kaoru smirked, also getting onboard, "I want some payback. I got caught off guard last time; it won't happen again!"
"We first need to get everyone else first," Aoi reminded as she got into the boat.
"Good luck, fellas," Usopp waved at the boarded crew, "Hop aboard and get nice and comfy; I'll give you a good shove off-!"
"Get on the boat!" Sanji kicked Usopp into the boat.
"But I don't want to~~!"
"I'm driving," Luffy cheered as he took the wheel and step on the pedal to get the ship moving.
"Alright, Upper Yard," Kaoru smirked, "Here we come~~!
Meanwhile back with Conis, she peered back to where Kaoru, Aoi and the others had been just in sight. "…What about them?"
"They have chosen their own course," Gan Fall announced, "Do not blame yourself, child…"
Conis remained silent for a while before speaking again. "…I-I know who you really are…"
"…Of course, it is no secret! I am the Sky Knight…"
"…No, we all know… …Please come back to us…God…"
Normama: "Yet another chapter complete~! Sorry if it's relatively short this time around…"
Aoi: "You're forgiven. i finally feel like I got more screen time…"
Shiho (pouting): "… …But I didn't get any screen time…"
Aoi (sweat dropping): "Well~, you're with the other group; it can't be help…"
Kaoru (grinning): "Maybe next time. Until then, please R&R this chapter~!"