THE CHILDREN Set Sail!
Disclaimer: Hey, this is Normama~! For the last time, no! I don't have ownership over One Piece or Zettai Karen Children. So stop bugging me about it!
"I really hope Conis is okay," Usopp noted once they were a good distance from the docks, "You know she's going to have hell to pay when the White Berets catch up with her and it's our own stupid fault! She'd be okay if she hadn't helped us. And not sure she can trust that Sky Knight; he pretty much gives me the creeps…"
"He's kind of old and weird," Luffy noted at the wheel, "But he doesn't seem to that bad of a guy…"
"There's no other choice," Sanji sighed, "I want to protect her but it's not like we could have brought her along with us…"
"Bringing her with us is definite death sentence for her," Aoi sweat dropped.
"Well," Usopp, "then she's probably in less danger without us. Sacrificial Altars, Ordeals; from the sound of it, I want to be the one flying off with the old geezer…"
"We're the one being force through this ordeal," Kaoru frowned, "Even if we could let you go, the one in charge definitely won't let you go…"
"I guess you're right," Usopp whimpered, "Why me~?"
"Man~," Luffy whined, "This piece of junk is slow~!"
"Of course it is," Sanji sighed, "It's got to be several times heavier than a standard Waver; what did you expect?"
"I guess it would have been better if we just zoom right through the entire thing," Aoi pondered on the thought.
"But it's not like we can afford any of those other ones," Usopp reminded.
"That's true…"
"… …Hey, I just thought of something," Kaoru suddenly noted, "First off, we're already criminals in Sky Island; secondly, we're pirates! Couldn't we have just stolen one of those ships back then? It's not our situation could get any worse once we steal one of those, right?"
…
… …
… … …
"… …Now that you mention it," Usopp sweat dropped.
"Damn it! Kaoru!" Luffy exclaimed in comical rage, "Why didn't you say anything before!?"
"W-Well excuse me!" Kaoru exclaimed in defense, "I became a pirate just over two weeks ago! Why didn't any of you veteran pirates thing of this!?"
"Shut up! As a pirate you should be thinking about these kinds of things sooner!"
"I redirect those words back to you; as a pirate captain, you should have thought of this much earlier!"
"Ugh-! I-I got no comeback!"
Aoi sweat dropped with a sigh. "Well, it doesn't matter now~. Let's just live with Conis' Little Crow
"…Fine~!" Kaoru and Luffy pouted in dissatisfaction.
The boat continued down the Milky Road and it wasn't long before an unexpected sight greeted them in the horizon.
"…!? Uh, guys!?" Usopp managed in shock, "Where did that huge forest come from!?"
"Is that the Upper Yard!?" Sanji questioned in suspicion.
"It's got to be," Kaoru noted, "We're heading straight for it!"
"But I don't remember this being on the map!" Luffy frowned.
"Wait!" Aoi checked the map again, "No, there is supposed to be a forest ahead, but I don't see any warning about how big it is! This cannot be right…"
"Who knows how old that map is," Sanji offered an explanation as they enter the forest, "We know it can be trace back a couple of hundred years but who's to say it hasn't been around longer? The forest may have been a fraction of its size when that map has been made…"
"Oh," Usopp hummed in understanding, "that's true…"
"All I know," Luffy squealed in excitement, "is that I got to climb one of those trees! They're enormous~!"
"I didn't know tree can get this big," Aoi noted, "In our world, the largest recognized tree, the General Sherman, is only roughly about half of these trees in all dimensions…"
"Maybe these trees adapted to the conditions of up here in Sky Island," Usopp suggested, "Just like those Sky Fishes…"
"…!? Hey Luffy!" Kaoru suddenly shouted, "Get back down here! We don't have time for this!"
Everyone glared up to find that Luffy couldn't contain his excitement and had slingshot his way up to one of the branches of one of the enormous tree.
"Luffy!" Sanji shouted, "Get back here right now!"
"But it's so fun up here~~!" Luffy called back as he began to climb further up the tree.
"Fun-Done! We got to keep moving!"
"We're going to leave you behind at this rate~!" Aoi reminded.
"…! Oh yeah~!" Luffy thumped his palm before preparing to slingshot back to the boat, "Gum-Gum~~~…!"
"!? Wait! Luffy! You can't do that! You're going to wreak the boat-!"
"ROCKET~~~!"
"WAAH~~~!" Kaoru screamed in horror, having already arrived to the same conclusion that Aoi did, and immediately used her power to strengthen the boat, "P-Psychic Boat Trampoline-!"
Not two seconds after coating the boat with her protective power, Luffy crashed right onto it with a boom.
"I ain't going to be left behind on this grand adventure~!" Luffy announced before noticing that everyone was collapse all around him in a daze, "…? Hey, this isn't the time to be lying around, guys…"
"WHOSE FAULT DO YOU THINK IT IS FOR US BEING LIKE THIS!?" Everyone exclaimed in comical raging retaliation.
"Look," Luffy exclaimed, pointing ahead at what seems to be a series of exotic fiery touches, "The entrance!"
"They look like some Native American territorial markings," Aoi noted.
"Native what!?" Luffy and Kaoru repeated in confusion.
"… …Never mind…"
"Well," Sanji turn to Usopp, "This is it, Usopp. If you're going to chicken out, now's the time…"
"Actually," Usopp turn eagerly, "if you don't mind, I was kind of think that I would like to go back-!"
"Too late~!" Luffy and Kaoru dropped the bombshell.
"THEN WHY DID YOU ASK ME~!?"
"Because it's funny?" Aoi shrugged with amused expression.
"You guys are mean~!"
"…If you weren't such a coward, we wouldn't have been so mean to you~!" Kaoru noted as Luffy simply laugh.
As they were joking around with Usopp, the boat silently passed through the torch that are set on either side of the Milky Road. Rows of carved statues ominously glared down at them as they sail deeper into the Upper Yard; Aoi would later recount this part journey as an ominous journey with a sense of horror tension in the air.
Usopp was already comically gawking in horror at his surrounds.
"…!? What was that!?" Usopp whimpered after hearing a sudden bird shrieking and some leaves rustling.
"Would you calm down!?" Kaoru sighed in exasperation.
"Yeah," Sanji noted, "take it easy…"
"Open your eyes!" Usopp exclaimed, "Don't you notice anything strange!? Look at all these shipwrecks~!"
Indeed, scatter about off to the sides of the Milky Road were a series of shipwrecks, some larger than the size of the Going Merry.
"It is a forest," Luffy calmly noted.
"He's right," Sanji calmly agreed.
"That doesn't make any sense!" Usopp retorted, "Besides, it didn't run aground; they were slice in half!"
"Because it's a forest," Kaoru claimed.
"No," Aoi sweat dropped, "Like Usopp pointed out earlier, this place being a forest has nothing to do with those ships being slice in half…"
"Then what's your explanation~?"
"Well, they were obviously attack. By what, I don't know…"
"How half-hearted…"
"I don't want to hear that coming from you!"
As Aoi retorted to Kaoru's ironic comment, there came rustling in the bushes overhead.
"…!? Did you hear that!?"
"Woods are full of noises~!" Luffy smiled from the wheel of the boat, "Relax-!"
"I heard that!" Sanji noted in worry.
"AAH~~!" Usopp exclaimed as he identify what had made the rustling and immediately seize a paddle and started paddling the boat to move it faster. Aoi and Sanji, having seen the same thing, follow suite. "Full speed ahead! All ahead full! Stroll! Stroll-!"
"What's going on-?" Luffy wondered before noticing a giant blade of some kind whiz behind them, slicing a random wrecked ship off to the side in half, "A sickle monster!"
"No," Aoi corrected, "It's just scythe! A rather big one!"
"Hang on tight!" Usopp exclaimed in horror, "Here comes another one!"
"…!? A-Again!?"
"…! No!" Sanji as he hears several whizzing sounds coming closer, "Not just one!"
"Paddle like crazy~~~!" Luffy commanded and began to help everyone move the ship faster.
No sooner did they begin, several Sickle Blades swung down from the trees, back and forth in the Milky Road ready to cut anything that they touch.
"What the HELL is this!?" Kaoru exclaimed as she used her psychic powers to speed up the boat.
"Watch where you're going~~!" Usopp exclaimed in panic, "Faster, Luffy! No, wait! Slow down-!"
"Which is it!?" Aoi retort in panic.
"This isn't working!" Luffy frowned as he jump off the wheel and headed for the back of the boat, "Usopp! Take the wheel!"
"Huh?" Usopp managed as he instinctively took the wheel as he was ordered.
"Gum-Gum~~~…" Luffy stretched his arms back, aiming into the water behind the boat.
"What are you doing!? It's in front of us!"
"I know, just hang on!" Luffy noted as one of the sickle blades swung at them, "Bazooka~~~!"
Luffy sent his stretch hands colliding into the water, causing the Little Crow to fly forward, escaping the reach of the sickle blade.
"Ha! Dodge it!"
"Wow~~!" Usopp awed in relief as the Little Crow landed, "That was close!"
"…!?" Sanji grunted as he hears more whizzing from ahead, "Great~! There's more!?"
No sooner did he finish giant wooden spears rain down on and all around them.
"Spears!?" Usopp comically exclaimed, "Are you kidding me!?"
"Usopp!" Luffy called, "right!"
"No," Sanji intervened, "left!"
"Which way!?" Usopp exclaimed in confusion as he did his best to guide the boat through the rain of spears.
"Just dodge them!" Aoi exclaimed as she pulled out her swords and knocked away several of the spears that they couldn't dodge.
The rest crew also fends off the one that can't be dodged, with Luffy and Kaoru swatting aside any in their reach and Sanji taking some of them out with is kicks.
"They just keep coming!"
"One of them is bound to hit us!" Usopp exclaimed in despair.
"I have enough of this!" Kaoru exclaimed and erect an invisible wall in front of them, "Psychic~~…Great Shield~~~!"
As to be expected, compare to Iron Harpoons from before, a simple widespread red force-field was enough to shatter any wooden spears that came crashing onto them. With the shield erect, they soon escape the firing zone.
Sanji sighed in relief. "That was close…"
"I hope that's all over with," Usopp sighed tiredly, "I can't take anymore scares…"
As if to mock Usopp's hopefulness, a whizzing noise can suddenly be heard from ahead again.
"…Oh, now what-!?" Usopp managed before a giant saw blade came flying at them, which they narrowly avoid, "GAAH~~~!?"
"It's gone!" Luffy managed in confusion.
"No, not yet!" Sanji noted as it began to make a U-turn back at them.
"It's coming back~~!"
"Move!" Kaoru exclaimed.
"Dodge~!" Luffy exclaimed.
"Either way is fine!" Aoi exclaimed, "Just get us out that things way~~~!"
"No need to tell me that~~!" Usopp managed as the flying saw blade came closer to them.
Meanwhile, with the Going Merry…
"…I can't believe that overgrown crustacean just drop us out in the middle of nowhere!" Zoro grumbled.
"Does anybody know where we are?" Chopper wondered as he gazes around at their new surroundings.
"…One thing's for certain," Nami sighed in contempt, "We're definitely somewhere in the middle of Upper Yard…"
"Upper Yard?" Shiho peered around, "This place?"
After what seems like forever in Shiho's perspective, the Giant Lobster they were on final threw them off. The Going Merry ended up landing roughly on a stone altar surrounded by Sea-Clouds in what looks like a large cove. On the end of the cove are dozens of large trees, with branches stretching high above them nearly blocking out the sun.
Robin also hummed in consideration to the surrounds, especially the altar they are currently on. "This seems to an altar for sacrifices…"
"Altar? Wait, sacrifices!?" Nami managed in horror at Robin's choice of words.
"Nami, what's a sacrifice?" Chopper blinked in confusion.
"…You don't know what a 'sacrifice' is?" Shiho sweat dropped to which Chopper nodded innocently.
"Uh, you know," Nami raked her brain for the proper explanation of the word, "like an offering to the Gods…"
"Oh, is that all?" Chopper sighed in relief, "I thought it meant being boiled alive in stew or something…"
An image of a tied up Chopper screaming in a cauldron of boiling water appears in Shiho's thought with a sweat drop.
"Actually," Robin suddenly noted, "that's about right…"
"…Huh!?" Chopper widens his eyes in horror.
"But, regardless of the method, the thing they offer is generally someone's life…"
Chopper screeched in horror at the revelation. "Are you trying to tell me we're all going to die here!?"
Unfortunately in the panic of his screaming, Chopper suddenly fell off the railing of the ship and began tumbling down the altar's stairs.
"Chopper!" Shiho called after.
"Damn him," Zoro cursed as he rushed after Chopper down the flight of stairs.
Chopper continues to tumble down towards the sea of clouds until a pair of hands sprout from the bottom of the steps and caught him right before he hit the clouds. But just as Chopper and Robing began to breathe a sigh of relief, the cloud burst out and a large toothed fish leaped towards Chopper with a roar.
"WAA~~~!?" Chopper screamed in the face of this new danger.
"Oh no!" Nami gawked, "What is that!?"
"A shark," Robin hummed in thought, "in the sky. A Sky Shark?"
"How can you go calmly name a dangerous creature at a time like this!?" Shiho retort as the Shy Shark closed in on the screaming Chopper.
Fortunately, Zoro suddenly leapt at the shark with all of his swords drawn and struck the Sky Shark away before it could get Chopper, giving the humanoid reindeer time to dash up the stairs to safety. Sadly, the inertia of his attack sent him hurling into the clouds, with the Sky Shark diving in after him with its hungry mouth open.
"Zoro!" Chopper exclaimed once he was safely high up on the altar.
"This is bad," Shiho, "Regardless of obvious differences, that Sea-Cloud is still a sea! Sharks should have an underhanded advantage there!"
Back with the Little Crow…
The crew on the tiny boat was still in danger of the approaching flying Saw Blade.
"Damn it~~!" Usopp directed the Little Crow out to the way just as the Saw Blade whizzed by, "Oh, it missed us-! GAAH~~!? Not again~~~!"
They narrowly dodge the giant Saw Blade again as it struck several tree trucks instead, cutting them down cleanly.
"…!? I'm sick of this place~~! We're never going to make it to the end~~~! I'm turning back! I don't care what you say-!"
"Oh no, you're not!" Luffy roared.
"Shut up! I'm captain of the Little Crow!"
"Since when!?"
"Since now!"
"Even if we do turn around," Sanji noted as he kept his eyes out for the Saw Blade, "there's no guarantee we'll survive the trip back…"
"He's right," Aoi agreed as she ready herself for when the Saw Blade return, "We got this far, so we can't quit now…"
Just as Usopp was about to retort again, the giant saw blade return from the front, which they narrowly avoided again.
"GAAH~~!" Usopp screamed pathetically, "Doesn't that thing every quit~!?"
"Let's see how you like a little Gum-Gum, huh!?" Luffy declared as he ready himself.
"Yeah!"
"Get it, Luffy!" Kaoru cheered, only to sweat drop as Luffy glare at the fast-approaching Saw Blade, "…Uh, Luffy~! Any second now~!"
Luffy continues to glare at the approaching saw blade before sweating nervously. "…I got nothing…"
"Now you say that!?"
"GAAH~~~!" Everyone screamed as they narrowly dodge the saw blade again.
"That only leaves us with one choice," Sanji declared, "Try and outrun it!"
"How can we outrun that!?" Aoi retorted as the Saw Blade began to make a U-Turn back at them.
"There's no need!" Kaoru prepared herself as she glared at the giant projectile, "I got this!"
"This better not be a repeat of what Luffy-han did!"
"Psychic~~~!" Kaoru unleash her power on the saw blade, halting it right before it hits the boat, "Blade Catch~~~!"
"You did it!" Usopp cheered but then sweat drop when he notice just how close the Saw Blade was to his face which was about three centimeters, "…But this is way too close! Couldn't have stopped it earlier!?"
"Huh~?" Kaoru frowned knowingly as she uses her powers to bring the Saw Blade closer to Usopp's face.
"Eek-! Sorry, I didn't mean it! Throw it away already!"
"…Ahem!"
"… … …Thank you for stopping it from hitting us…"
"You're welcome~!" Kaoru threw the saw aside, allowing it to sink into the Sea-Cloud.
"Nice Kaoru-!" Aoi began only to abruptly cut off when she saw another giant saw blade, "Another one!?"
"What-!?" Kaoru managed before casting her powers on the new projectile, "P-Psychic Blade Catch Again~~~!"
Kaoru once again caught the saw blade and cast it aside. But soon more flying Saw Blades appear to take the fallen one's place.
"…This is ridiculous! How many do they have!?"
"We got to keep on paddling out of the area where these things appear then!" Sanji concluded.
"Yeah, Aoi~!"
"Huh?" Aoi noted in surprised at being called.
"You handle the saw blades; I'll make the boat go faster!"
"Wait me-!?" Aoi managed as yet another saw blade flew towards them, "WAH~! Teleport Misfire~~~!"
Using her psychic power, Aoi warped the saw blade off its course a bit so that it misses the boat completely.
"WHOA~~!" Luffy's eyes gleamed, "AWESOME~~! Aoi's awesome~!"
"Thank you," Aoi bashfully chuckled before comically slapping Luffy out of his delusion since he had stop paddling, "Now get us out of here!"
"You got it!" Kaoru used her powers on some spare oars, "Psychic Speed Paddling~~~!"
Everyone paddle like crazy until they finally left the area the giant saw blade could target them.
Usopp sighed in relief. "I think we finally escape that place…oh~, but this is bad~! Now it's too late to go back~! I can't even see the entrance anymore~…"
"Then stay here~!" Luffy offered.
"I'LL DIE, YOU IDIOT~~!"
"More than likely-," Sanji managed before Usopp screamed, turning everyone's attention back to the front as a giant monster descend upon them, "What the-!?"
Sanji immediately cut off and leaped at the creature, swatting it away with a powerful kick.
"Was that a big snake!?" Luffy awed.
"It looked like a giant lamprey," Sanji corrected, "A Sky Lamprey, I guessed. One that big will do more than just suck up a little blood…"
"Neatest forest ever, huh!?"
"Neatest would not be my first choice of words to describe this place," Aoi sweat dropped.
"Neat forest, my butt!" Usopp, "If this is our so-call ordeal, then I quit!"
"You can't quit yet!" Kaoru reminded, "We just got here!"
"We got to keep moving!" Sanji, "We can't any more time on this Milky Road than necessary, otherwise we're asking for certain death…"
Meanwhile, back with the Going Merry…
Zoro still hasn't surface yet after fending off the Sky Shark from Chopper and falling into the Sea of Clouds.
"…What happen to him?" Chopper wondered in worry.
"Hard to say," Shiho hummed anxiously, "…Does anyone know how long he can hold his breath underwater?"
"Nope," Nami answered immediately.
"…He's alive, right?" Chopper wondered again.
Before anyone could answer, the clouds rupture and the Sky Shark sprang out with Zoro in its mouth, keeping the shark's mouth from closing shut on him with his swords.
"There he is!" Shiho exclaimed the obvious.
"Zoro!" Nami called in worry.
"It is my fault!" Chopper cried as both the Sky Shark and Zoro plummet back into the clouds, "What if he gets swallowed!?"
Once again the scene became eerily quiet with no sign of Zoro.
"…Wait, why has he come back up!? Zoro, please be okay~~!"
"You don't think," Nami gripped her head in horror, "he got eaten, do you?"
"WAAH~~~! Zoro's fish food~~~!"
"…If he had been eaten," Robin noted calmly, "The clouds would have turn red by now…"
"How can you stay so calm at a time like this!?" Nami retorted.
"…I AM SO DONE WITH YOU~~~!" Zoro's voice suddenly roared as the Sky Shark burst out of the clouds as if being punch, with the swordsman following in a stance that looks like a mighty uppercut.
"… …He killed it with a punch," Shiho sweat dropped, noting the dead Sky Shark that was floating lifelessly in the Sea Clouds as Zoro return to the altar tiredly.
"…I can tell you one thing," Zoro huffed as he rejoins everyone, "We are not going to make it across by swimming…"
"…What kind of swordsman punches a shark instead of using his blade?" Nami rolled her eyes.
"I'm so glad you're okay~!" Chopper breathes a sigh of relief.
"Whatever happened to your precious swordsman's pride, huh-?"
"WOULD GIVE IT A REST FOR ONCE!?" Zoro shouted as he took off his damped shirt and start squeezing it dry.
Suddenly, several shark fins rose above the clouds and began to circle the altar.
"…!? There's an entire school of them!" Chopper gawked, "What are we going to do!?"
"I'm not sure," Zoro admitted, "If that first one is any indication, we not going to have much luck fight them off…"
"We got to do something," Robin noted, "We can't stay here forever…"
"Leave us here like this. Is it that lobster's idea of a joke?"
"Well I certainly don't find that very funny…" Shiho grumbled.
Robin hummed in thought. "Perhaps this is the Heaven's Judgment we've been hearing so much about…"
"Except you think this God would try something flashier, you know," Zoro muttered in complaint as Nami throws him another dry shirt.
"Yeah, well, I couldn't say since I never met the guy…"
Zoro gazed at the damage part of the Going Merry's hull. "I'm not sure what the solution is, but we definitely can't set sail with the hull looking like this. Hey Chopper, try and figure out a way to fix this ship…"
"Uh, me?" Chopper blinked in confusion before finally nodding in understanding, "Uh, okay…"
"Why should he fix it?" Nami frowned, "Are you going somewhere?"
"I'm going to find a way into the forest," Zoro informed as he putted on the dry shirt, "We should probably make this our base of operation. You guys can keep a lookout; I'm sure Luffy and the others are on their way. Like they say, 'You get lost, you should stay where you are', alright…"
"Shouldn't that apply to you too!?" Shiho comically complained, "And with your habit of getting lost, it's a definite!"
"…Shut up!"
"Zoro," Chopper called, "If you want to go into the forest, well I guess that's okay with me, but you haven't really told us what for…"
"…There's supposed to be some God on this island, right?" Zoro smirked, "I want to meet him…"
"Wait! That's a terrible idea!" Nami exclaimed in startle, "I mean what you're going to do once you actually find him!?"
"I don't know~! Depends if he behaves himself~!"
"Zoro," Chopper's eyes gleam in admiration, "You're the bravest person I know…"
"And what about his priest, huh?" Nami demanded, "You're going beat them up too? Hello~!? The last thing we need is you pissing off a God! It's kind of not smart!"
Zoro smirked got wider. "By the time I'm done with him, this God is going to bow before me…"
"Wow~~~!" Chopper's eye gleam again in admiration, "Go Zoro~~~!"
"I don't believe in him anyway. Who cares if I pissed him off?"
"HUH!?"
Nami, on the other hand hung her head and sigh before comically praying upward. "Oh, powerful one~! Just want you know, I don't agree with my idiot shipmate; I don't even like him that much~!"
"Don't listen to her, Zoro! You're awesome~~!"
"Of course," Shiho smirked in mockery, "If makes a fool of himself and lose, he'll be far from awesome…"
"…I guess that could happen…"
"Huh~!?" Zoro glared at the Psychometrist, "You're saying I'll lose!?"
"I'm saying people like bite off more than they can chew without learning," Shiho shrugged, "…Then again, you guys seem to be able to accomplish the impossible, so I won't be surprise you actually did win…"
Zoro huffed. "Then keep your damn annoying compliments to yourself…"
"Oh, powerful one~!" Nami prayed upward again, "Just want you know, I wish to correct myself; I don't agree with my two idiot shipmates; I don't even like them that much~!"
"You pray now," Shiho smirked knowingly, "But that's rich coming from someone he ran over some who was serving that 'powerful one' with Sky Waver…"
"Don't remind me!"
Back with the Little Crow…
"…Come on," Usopp whimpered as he continue to direct the boat's course, "Can't this little cruise be over with already?"
"Are you kidding me?" Luffy snickered, "That's probably a warmup for later~! Supposedly we're going to go up against a boatload of super-deadly priests that is already waiting for us on the island…"
"…!? Seriously!?" Kaoru sweat dropped with a nervous frown.
"That may actually be possible," Aoi hummed in thought, "Ignoring the fact that they were using large stakes, Giant Saw Blades and Large Swing Scythes, they seem more like defensive countermeasures against invaders…"
"…!? So what you're telling is that none of what we've gone through has anything to do with the actual ordeal!?" Usopp exclaimed in shock.
"I don't know," Sanji admitted, "I kind of doubt it. Especially considering the magnitude of that attack back at the docks. I couldn't tell you how it works, but it's serious power; take even one hit and you're a goner. This Eneru shouldn't be taken lightly that's for sure and I get the distinct feeling he's watching us even now…"
"That's weird," Luffy frown in thought, "So you think he was in that town?"
"I'm guessing he must have been to attack as accurate as he did…" Kaoru noted.
"But I didn't notice anybody significant back there," Aoi informed, "With that kind of power, there was no way I could have miss sensing him…"
"Maybe he was able to hide his presence? How else can he aim so accurately?"
"Not necessarily," Usopp suddenly claimed, "This is a God we're talking about! I bet he can see us from a thousand miles away! Heck, he's probably watching us right now~!"
"Yeah~?" Sanji huffed unimpressed, "Since when did you become such a devoted follower? You're not even from here!"
"You're missing the point completely!" Usopp grimaced, "People say God is great, right? I was taught to show respect to those with power! You don't have to mean it, it's self-preservation!"
"Fine~! But you do realize that not every God in the world is great!" Sanji smirked in Luffy's direction. "Like the God of Poverty…" Sanji then smirked in Usopp's direction. "The God of Pestilence…" Sanji then turn with a smirk at Aoi. "The Goddess of the Forgotten…" Sanji finally turn to Kaoru with a smirk. "Or the Goddess of Old Man?"
"Oh, what do you know!?" Luffy and Usopp exclaimed in disbelief.
"What are instigating about me!?" Aoi comically wept in pain.
"Just who are you talking about just now!?" Kaoru exclaimed in anger, "What kind of sick joke is that!?If that's so, you're the God of Unrequired Love!"
Sanji grumbled. "Blasphemy! No girls have ever rejected my advance!"
"Then exactly how many did you went out with?"
"… …Okay, moving on~!"
"Hey don't dodge the question!"
"We can continue this discussion later. That is if we live through being eaten by that thing…"
"Huh!?" They turn in time to see another giant Sky Lamprey charging at them.
"GAAH~~!" Usopp, "Not another one~~~!"
Meanwhile, back with the Going Merry…
"…That vine looks really sturdy," Zoro noted as he stared at one of the branches directly above them.
"Huh~," Robin hummed, "Excellent idea~! Mind if I tag along, Swordsman?"
"…? Sure, as long as you promise not to slow me down~!"
"Wait a minute!" Nami cried in startle, "Where do you think you're going!?"
"Look at this," Robin pointed out a wall on the altar with lots of hieroglyphics, "At least a thousand years has passed since this altar was built…"
"A thousand years!?" Nami and Chopper gawked in the same manner.
"The sense of history here is amazing; it gives me chills, you feel it?"
Nami and Chopper went into a confused silent, but eventually gave an uneasy nod.
"A place as ancient as this is sure to be filled with all kinds of old relics. Imagine all the valuables we can discover. Just think about it; the possibility is endless…"
"…!? In that case, I'll join you~!" Nami suddenly chimed.
"EH~~!?" Chopper comically gawked in shock, "Nami! I thought you were too scared~~!"
"It's for history~~~!"
"Yeah~," Shiho sweat dropped after seeing Nami's eyes sparkling with Beli symbols, "Sure you are~!"
With her intention set, Robin used her powers to sprout a pair of hands near the vine and tossed it down to Zoro who promptly caught it.
"Will that work for you?" Robin wondered.
"Yeah, it's perfect," Zoro nodded and clearing his throat dramatically before swing on it over to the shore, all while making a Tarzan-call.
"… …A-A Tarzan-cry," Shiho sweat dropped, "It exist in this world too…"
"It's official," Nami grimaced, "He's lost his mind…"
Zoro easily swung the vine back over to the altar, allow Robin to come across as well. With the vine swung back, it was now Nami's turn.
"…Ugh," Nami grimaced as took another moment to consider her position, "Looks easy enough… …B-But this is higher up than I thought…"
"Be careful~!" Robin called back from the shore, "If you fall, you'll most certainly die~!"
"IS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE YOUR IDEA ON HELPING~~!?"
"Well," Shiho gazed into the clouds where the dead Sky Shark floated and watch as the other Sky Sharks start eating it, "She's right~! You're dead if you fall~…"
"STOP SCARING ME~~!"
"Nami," Chopper voiced his worries.
"Alright! I'm going~! Is that what you want!?" Nami proclaimed as she took the swing.
But while she did make it over the sea of clouds, she was now accelerating towards one of the large tree trunk. "EEK~~! HELP ME~! IT'S TOO FAST; I'M GOING TO CRASH-!"
Right before colliding into the tree, several pairs of hands sprout out and gently caught the screaming Navigator.
"Look at that," Robin chuckled, "You're not gutless…"
"…T-Thanks…for catching me," Nami thanks once she landed on the ground and collapse onto her knees in exhaustion.
"Any time…"
Zoro, meanwhile, gave another Tarzan-Call before addressing Nami. "…It's what you should have done…"
"THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT~~!" Nami protested angrily.
"Okay, Chopper~!" Zoro called back to the altar, "Shiho~! You two are in charge of the ship!"
"We're counting on you~!" Robin called back.
"We'll be back soon~!" Nami also called.
"Bye~!" Chopper called, "Everyone be careful~!"
"Don't take too long~!" Shiho bid a final farewell, and with that the three adventurers disappeared into the huge forest.
"I guess Nami would be alright since she's with Robin and Zoro," Chopper sighed in relief, "They're so brave and adventurous. I'm too scare to go, but maybe someday if I'm really lucky I can be brave like them too~!"
Shiho smirked. "I don't know, Chopper. You seem pretty brave yourself in your own way when you need to be…"
Chopper chuckled. "Yeah, but not like them…"
"That true…"
Chopper picked up the toolbox. "Oh well, if I can't be brave like them right now, at least I make myself useful. Being left alone in a dangerous forest to fix our ship proof that everyone trusts us, so we have to do my very best…"
"Yep," Shiho, "It just the two of us, all by ourselves, in the big scary forest…"
"Yeah-! … …WAIT, WE'RE THE ONE IN MOST DANGER~~~!"
"Oh, you just realized?"
"WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING~!?"
"So I can see the best reaction from you…"
"THAT'S HORRIBLE~~~! WHO'S GOING TO PROTECT US~~~!?"
"…I'm I really that unreliable in your eyes!?" Shiho sighed as she dragged Chopper with her to start fixing the boat.
Back with the Little Crow…
"GAAH~~~!" Usopp as the monster draws closer to them, "Sky Lampreys~~~!"
"…Hey," Luffy suddenly noted, "What do you think? Would those things taste good with some salt and pepper?"
"Why!?" Aoi nearly comically tilt over, "Why is your stomach the first thing to speak in situation like this!?"
"Never thought I say this," Sanji sighed, "But I don't think now's the time to be trading recipes…"
"Damn! Then Gum-Gum~~~," Luffy sent a flying fist forward, striking one of the Sky Lamprey and sending it flying away, "Pistol~~~!"
"Psychic Cleaver~~~!" Kaoru used her powers to slice one of the lampreys in half.
"Anti-Matter Kick Course!" Sanji declared as he sent one of the Sky Lamprey summersaulting over them.
"Two-Sword-Style," Aoi made a combo of swings with her swords, chopping the last lamprey into dozen of little piece, "Even Distribution~~~!"
"…I hate Sky Islands," Usopp whimpered, "They're scary~~!"
"Want to get off here?" Sanji suggested.
"What kind of question is that!? You want me to die!? I'm allowed to be scare! Cut me some slack!"
Luffy chuckled before noticing something ahead. "…!? Hey look! There's a giant head blocking our way~!"
"…Not quite," Sanji narrowed his eyes, "It's a statue…"
True enough, there was a giant stone statue head closing in in front of them.
"Oh, right," Luffy awed, "But it looks like a total dead-end…"
"No, look!" Usopp pointed ahead, "There're four entrances!"
"…Of course," Sanji grumbled, "And how much you want to bet all four of them leads to different places?"
"Ordeal of Swamp," Aoi listed out the names depicted above each entrance, "Ordeal of Iron, Ordeal of Strings, and Ordeal of Spheres…"
Luffy laughed excitedly. "You think we get to take our pick?"
"Is it just me," Sanji sweat dropped, "or does none of these things sound much like an ordeal?"
"They certainly do sound harmless," Kaoru frowned, "But if there's one thing I learn from Minamoto, is that looks can be deceiving…"
"I'll have to agree there," Aoi nodded, "Whichever we choose will decide whether we'll have an easy time or rough time, regardless I bet…"
"…Uh, I don't know guys," Usopp whimpered as they near the entrances, "Which one do we choose?"
Normama: "Another chapter is complete~!"
Aoi (sweat dropping): "…I know it's a little to say this now, but most of these chapters are incredibly short…"
Normama (laughing nervously): "Any longer and I can't guarantee I can post a chapter every month…"
Shiho (sighing): "I suppose that's a good tradeoff for a short chapter…"
Kaoru: "By the way, readers~! Did you notice the new picture for this Fanfic? Normama thought it would be a nice change in pace and let you see his (and ours) evaluation of certain people we, the Children, knows and what price is put on their head if they ever ended up with a wanted poster! This time-…"
Aoi: "Kaoru! Let us say our piece already!"
Kaoru: "Oh, sorry~!"
Aoi (rolling her eyes): "Geez~! Ahem! This time, we are showing you readers our initial impression for our Supervisor, Minamoto Kōichi-han! Not a very impressive bounty on his head in our first evaluation…"
Shiho: "But you all know bounties; they have the means to change in time~! So stay tune for more Wanted Posters…Oh, by the way, the next chapter has a fight scene where I get to show off a bit~! Look forward to it~!"
Kaoru: "Hey! No fair! What Aoi and me!?"
Normama: "You might get some fight too; just be patient and wait~!"
Kaoru (grumbling): "… … …Fine~!"
Aoi: "That was a rather slow answer. Anyway, R&R this chapter please~!"