THE CHILDREN Set Sail!
Disclaimer: Wow~~~! Is this really your work, Normama?
Normama: It is, but it also isn't…
Fujiko: How can it be both!?
Normama: Well, the story's mine, but One Piece and Zettai Karen Children isn't. I'm just borrowing some elements from both…
Fujiko: Ah~!
It was a dark room, with the only source of light illuminating from behind a large man that sat in a menacing pose at his desk. The man is glaring daggers at a line of people, who are currently sitting tied up and muffed on the wooden chairs set about three meters from the desk.
"…I'm only going to ask this one more time," the man warned as the gagged people panicked from they are forced to be seated, "Depending on your answers, I might have your very existence erase from the face of history forever~!"
The gagged people squeal in fright.
"Now~~! Where are our National Treasures~~!? WHERE. ARE. THE. CHILDREN~~~!?"
The gagged people struggled about, making panicking muffling noises as they did.
"So~~…You won't answer, eh~~~?"
The gagged people desperately shook their head in denial before the man roughly but slowly rose from his desk.
"It appears all of you are tired of living already~~!"
The people gave frighten muffed screams as the man drew closer.
"If that's the case, then I'll—!"
"Okay! That's enough!" A voice suddenly rang out as a door behind the gagged people burst open. And in came Minamoto and Kashiwagi…and a whole bunch of SWAT-looking guards. "Chief! That's enough of this ridiculous scam of yours!"
"MINAMOTO-KUN~~~~!" Kiritsubo exclaimed as watched from his seat at his desk, now tied up, the soldiers of B.A.B.E.L. lead off the gagged people out of the room, "How can you do this!? While the Children are waiting for our rescue response, you're wasting time doing this—!"
"That's MY line!" Minamoto declared as he and Kashiwagi stood towering over the tied up old man, "Why are you doing this, wasting precious time and resources to playing around in some kind of dark drama with criminals, who are in a way connected to crimes against Esper, that happen to find and capture!?"
"I'm NOT playing around! I was interrogating those suspects about the whereabouts of the Children!"
"Sakaki has already scanned them with his powers! They're clear!"
"You don't know that!"
"OF COURSE WE DO~~~~!" Minamoto and Kashiwagi comically shouted at Kiritsubo in unison; the combine anger frightened Kiritsubo into silence.
"Chief," Kashiwagi sighed after she gave a huff to calm herself down, "we already have a mountain of other issue to deal with without you adding to the flame. As much as I hate to do this, until further notice you are place under house arrest!"
"What-!?" Kiritsubo managed before Kashiwagi cut him off with a glare.
"You are confined here, in your office, doing paperwork while the rest of us take charge of search from now on!"
"K-Kashiwagi-kun! You don't have the authority to—!"
"I've already gotten approval from the Director," Kashiwagi held up a paper with the words "You're in charge for now, Oboro!" written on it, obviously written by Fujiko, "So, Chief, do you understand your position now?"
Kiritsubo grumbled before hanging his head in defeat and comically crying.
"Well, that's one problem down," Minamoto sighed in relief before grimacing, "Now here's another thought: you think we'll end up getting sued by those criminals for cruel and unusual usage of authority?"
"Fortunately, aside from being gagged, intimidated, and interfering police work we should be in the safe zone," Kashiwagi replied, "I'm sure Director Fujiko is currently dealing with other issues in her own way…"
"Here's hoping it," Minamoto sighed before starting towards the door with Kashiwagi in toll, "now let's get to the issue of finding those three…"
"Yes…we don't know, after all, how long the Chief will remain silent even with the Director's order…"
"Seriously, that Old Man is worrying too much! If those girls really were in any sort of danger, chances are we would have heard of it by now in one way or another…"
Unfortunately for Minamoto, the Children are indeed in trouble…and he is blissfully unaware of it. For back in the Forest of Illusion…
"…Hoh-Hoh-Hoh-Hoh-Hoh~~~!" Satori laughed as he continues to dance silly on top of his Surprise Cloud confidently as he peered down at his prey, "The end is near~! Rest in peace~~! You can never win, for I am the God's Priest~~~!
Aoi panted from where she got her guard up, a bit banged up in various places. Luffy, Sanji and Usopp were on the ground, also quite beat up. Kaoru was still on Aoi's back, still out cold.
"…I-It is over," Usopp sputtered from where he lay, "T-Too much traumatic experience…heart…can't take it~~~…."
"Don't give up already~~!" Aoi comically exclaimed at the negative pirate sniper before refocusing her attention on Satori
Satori laughed. "Don't have any more tricks, do you~!?"
"Wouldn't you like to know!?" Aoi teleported behind Satori again and try to slash at his back, only for Satori to block the attack with his hands again.
"My, you really are fast~! But it is pointless as long as you keep yourself weigh down by that useless luggage on your back~!"
"She's not a useless luggage!" Aoi declared as she teleported away before Satori can use his mysterious Impact attack on her, "She's my dear friend! I wouldn't be here if it were for her!"
"How touching~," Satori smacked a Surprise Clouds towards Aoi, "But it is now because of her that you got yourself injured up to this point~!"
Aoi slice the Surprise Cloud apart, revealing the inside to be a collection of butterflies.
"Hoh~! It really is as if you knew which Surprise Cloud is harmful or not~!"
"Took you this long for you to figure that out!?" Aoi once again tried attacking Satori from a blind spot, only to teleport away again when the Sky Priest blocked again.
"You really are no fun when it comes to my Surprise Clouds, but at the very least you put up a better fight than the rest of your fellow inmates~!"
"Oh, trust me~! If you let them hit you even once, you wouldn't be so cocky!"
"Really~? I find that hard to believe," Satori smacked away several Surprise Clouds which eventually sent at least fifteen Surprise Clouds heading towards Aoi's position, "when one of them is just freeloading on your back with no care in the world~!"
"Who put her out of commission in the first place!?" Aoi teleported herself out of harm's way, before realizing too late that Satori's waiting hand was aiming at her unconscious friend's head.
"How many time does this make it already, poor little girl~?"
"Damn-!" Aoi managed to spin her body just in time to receive the attack of Impact in Kaoru's place. She was sent flying once again, this time heading straight at a Surprise Cloud. Despite know what was inside, considering the speed she going at she didn't have time to call forth her power. "Two-Swords-Style! Reverse Misfortune~~~!"
Using the backside of her katanas, she slashed hard at the Surprise Cloud. Due using the back blunt side of her katanas, the Surprise Cloud was simply smacked away. It went off five meters before it finally explodes.
"Your friend is a real burden on you~!" Satori laughed, "In the time you fought me, you only get hurt because of protecting her~! It not too late, child~! The answer is simple~! Just leave her to her fate~!"
"…And I keep telling you: that's not going to happen!" Aoi coughed from her recently received injury and for exerting herself just right after.
"Yes, but you might want to try reconsidering that~!" Satori laughed, "Your boat is going to exit this forest soon~!"
"Eh!?" Aoi jolted a bit and used her power to vague sense where the Little Crow was. Her check only confirms Satori's words: the Little Crow was much farther away now; it's only a matter of time before it leaves now.
"When that happens, you're completely doomed~~!" Satori laughed, "Unless you guys can fly like birds, you'll never leave this place~~~!"
While Luffy, who had by now steadily gotten up, grumbled at Satori's words Aoi inwardly smirked to herself. If it's flying, it's all the more reason to keep Kaoru out of harm's way. That is something Satori, who had knock out Kaoru from the very begin, has yet to know.
"You will wander around in this forest…until you die~~~! Hoh-Hoh-Hoh-Hoh-Hoh~~~!"
"I won't let that happen~~~!" Luffy sent forth a stretch fist, only for Satori to effortlessly dodge the attack.
"Behold the Surprise Cloud Illusion~~!" Satori suddenly pulled out a fishing rod and used it to latch together several Surprise Clouds together into a long chain. He then use the fishing rod to attach a large dragon mask on one end of the chain and direct the entire chain to sail at Luffy and Aoi.
"…!?" Aoi and Luffy barely dodge in time.
"Sphere Dragon~~~!" Satori laughed, "Which one is the Surprise Cloud that contains fire~? We'll just have to wait and see~! The Sphere Dragon is made of Surprise Clouds of bombs and blades~!"
"In other words," Aoi gasped in revelation, "If we touch even one Surprise Cloud…!"
"That's right~! It will cause a chain reaction and its huge body will cause a humongous explosion~~!"
"WAH~~~!" Luffy cried as the Sphere Dragon is directed by Satori to chase after him.
"Luffy-han!" Aoi called out and made an attempt to rush in and help. But before she could even take two steps, she suddenly slipped and fell onto the ground, "What-!?"
"Hmm~?" Satori watched as Aoi struggled to get back to her feet, only to weakly raised her head after much effort, "…My~! You're overworked~! So you finally reached your limit, huh~?"
"…Seriously!? Now!?" Aoi breathed heavily, "Dammit! All of those injures coupled with my extensive use of my teleportation power finally caught up!"
"Well too bad~!" Satori laughed as he continues to direct the Sphere Dragon to chase after the desperately fleeing Luffy, "I guess you got no choice but to watch as your fellow inmates die before your eyes~~!"
"…Dammit!" Aoi muttered in frustration, "Dammit~~~!"
Satori laughed as Aoi brawled and Luffy continue to run away from the Sphere Dragon. That is until the Sphere Dragon suddenly stops moving in an unnatural way.
"… …Huh?" Luffy managed as he finally notices that he was no longer being chase.
"What the-!?" Satori managed in confusion as he yanked and flailed about his fishing rod, trying to get to move, "Hey, what's going on!? Why won't it move anymore!? Why can't I move it!?"
"…!? This is-!?" Aoi managed, noticing that there is a faint red glow to the Sphere Dragon, before noticing the weight on her back had already disappeared.
"…I can't believe that I got myself knocked out in one attack," a voice grumbled from behind Aoi, "And worst off, while I was unconscious everyone got hurt as they were fighting for their lives. Aoi especially because she was protecting me!"
Aoi mustered her remaining strength to turn her head around just enough to see her redhead childhood friend conscious and floating a few meters off the ground, with her arms cross and glaring up at Satori.
"Thanks, Aoi," Kaoru noted without removing her glare from Satori, "And sorry! You just rest up now; I'll take over from here!"
"…Kaoru!" Aoi managed in relief.
"Hmm~!?" Satori blinked as he notice Kaoru now awake, "Well, you're finally awake, huh~? A bit late, don't you think~?"
"Yeah, real late," Kaoru smirked dangerously at Satori, "I hope you had fun playing with my comrades! Because when I'm done with you, not only are you going to wish I hadn't woken up…but you'll also regret not playing with my comrades a lot nicer!"
"Really~!?" Satori laughed as he smacked a Surprise Cloud towards Kaoru, "So what if you're awake and ready to join this hopeless fight of your fellow inmates~! That's no reason to be cocky~! Hoh-Hoh-Hoh-Hoh—!"
But just before the Surprise Cloud could reach Kaoru, the sphere suddenly stops while glowing faintly red.
"—Hoh!?"
"What's wrong~?" Kaoru smirked as she use her psychic power to send the Surprise Cloud back towards Satori, "Didn't see this coming~~!?"
"Whoa—!" Satori managed to dodge the returning Surprise Sphere by a margin, "W-W-Why!? I knew you did it, but how without touching it!?"
"How indeed," Kaoru teased before directing her attention to immobilize Sphere Dragon, "By the way, that dragon really didn't like how you were controlling it with that fishing rod~! Isn't that right, Dragon-san~?"
"Eh—?" Satori frowned in confusion before suddenly noticing the Sphere Dragon snaking its way towards him, "WHAT—!? Impossible!"
Satori narrowly dodge its initial charge only to find himself dodge even more so as it kept on coming back to him.
"…!? Y-You!" Satori suddenly shouted towards Kaoru, "Y-Y-You're doing this! How are you making the Sphere Dragon move by your will!?"
"Does it matter~!?" Kaoru smirked before sticking out her hands causing them to glow bright red, "You should be more worry about yourself instead!"
"What-!?" Satori watched as the Sphere Dragon broke itself apart into individual spheres again floated ominously all around him.
"There's no point in predicting what's coming if you can't dodge them right~~?"
"Eek—!" Satori shrieked, knowing exactly what Kaoru was intending to do through the use of Mantra, "W-W-Wait a minute! Let's talk about this—!"
"Psychic~~~…"
"No—!"
"HOMING MISSILES~~~~!" With that command, the surround spheres gravitate towards the center…towards Satori.
BOOOOOOMMM~~~~!
In a matter of seconds, the area literally exploded from the collision of so many Surprise Spheres containing either explosive or weapons.
"…*Pant*, *Pant*," Satori breathed in and out to calm himself down, "That was…*Pant*…dangerous! What's with that girl, capable of making things move at her will without even touching them!? If I hadn't escaped upward a second late, I would have been done for!"
Satori survey the area beneath him to see the area scorched and a crater in place of where there used to be ground.
"…Damn, my training isn't complete! She messed up my rhythm in an instant. If I can't concentrate just because of a small thing like that, I can't use my Mantra…"
"…Are done calming down yet, Dumpling Man~?" A voice ranged out across from Satori, causing him to realize that Kaoru and Aoi were floating a few meters away from him.
"YOU BOTH ARE STILL ALIVE!?" Satori comically exclaimed in shock and fright.
"Yeah we are~!" Aoi smirked before pointing behind the Sky Priest, "But I made sure we aren't the only ones~!"
"Eh—?"
"Phew, that was dangerous," A voice popped up from right behind the Sky Priest, "If Aoi hadn't teleport me onto this Dumpling Man's back, I might have been screwed…"
"YOU'RE NOT DEAD EITHER~~~~!?" Satori preformed a comically double-take when he realized Luffy was hanging off his back.
"Okay, Luffy~~!" Kaoru called out childishly, "use your rubbery limb to wrap him up real good~! We don't want him getting away now~!"
"You got it!" Luffy chuckled as his arms and legs stretched out to wrap Satori up so he had no way to escape or retaliate.
"L-Let me go, you bastard!" Satori nevertheless struggles to break free from his captor's binding.
"…Don't let go, Luffy," A voice from the right of Satori caught everyone's attention to find the Pirate Chef of the Straw Hat Pirates seating on a surviving Surprise Cloud with his leg crisscross and lighting up his cigarette, "Don't let that Dumpling Man move no matter what!"
"Ah, Sanji!" Luffy cheered, "You're still alive!?"
"Yeah," Sanji nodded, taking a puff from his cigarette, before glaring over at Kaoru, "No thanks to you! Check the surroundings before you do explosive stuff like that!"
Kaoru stuck out her tongue and gave a little giggle. "That's what Aoi's for…"
"Whatever," Sanji sighed before glaring back at Satori, "Now then, Dumpling Man…you keep talking about Trials, but honestly, we are completely innocent. I don't care that we have to go through this damn trial…because there are two ladies awaiting my rescue. In other words…"
Sanji glared directly into the Sky Priest's eyes and spoke his next few words with confidence and without shame.
"This is a Trail of Love!"
Aoi preformed a comical pratfall while Satori couldn't help but comically gawk and let the sentence "Is this guy an idiot!?" passed through his brain.
"Damn you—! Let go!" Satori continues to struggle in defiance, "You really are despicable! This is four on one!"
"…Kidnapping our friends," Aoi began.
"Making the cute Angel cries," Kaoru followed up.
"And then trying to kill her," Sanji finalized, "You're in position to call us despicable…"
"For that matter, you guys already label us as criminals~! Of course everything we do is despicable~! What's the point of insulting pigs by calling them pigs?"
"Yeah! That's right!" Luffy snickered as kept Satori from moving from his position, "It's really cool that you can read our movements…BUT…like Kaoru said earlier, if you can't avoid it, there's no point in mind reading, right~~!?"
"…Ah-! Bullseye~!" Kaoru grinned evilly when she notice Satori comically gawking in fright upon hearing Luffy's words.
"AH~~~! You IDIOTS~~~!" Satori roared in defiant, "STOP! IDIOTS! I AM A GOD'S PRIEST! Listen well! In this country, if you are not judge by a Priest you'll become a 1st Class Criminal! UNDERSTAND!? Attacking me…is the same as declaring WAR with the ALMIGHTY GOD ENEL~~~!"
"Shut your mouth or the flavor will escape," Sanji prepared himself, "For example, if you want to cook using pepper, the most important thing is to brutally, swiftly, and completely dice the pepper…"
Sanji suddenly somersault towards the trapped and panicking Satori.
"…That way, the amazing flavor—"
"WAAH~~!" Satori struggled desperately in Luffy's full body prison, "STOP IDIOT~~~!"
"—will be released—"
"STOP~~~! STOP~~~!"
"—into the powders!"
"PAIN! IT'LL HURT A LOT! STOP—!"
"CONCASSER~~~~!" Sanji bellowed as he performed a powerful ax kick onto the head of Satori, the Sky Priest of the Forest, immediately knocking him out with his glasses shatter and some of his teeth falling out.
"…I knew your kicks were powerful, Sanji-han," Aoi noted as everyone present peered down at the now unconscious and beaten up Dumpling—I mean, Satori, "But I didn't think he'll be this badly knocked out…"
"Yeah," Luffy nodded, "I though he'll be tougher…"
"Guess he wasn't the type to take hits well," Kaoru noted.
"Once you could bypass that mind-reading thing, he's a pretty easy opponent, I guess," Sanji puffed on his cigarette, "If Kaoru hadn't been knocked out from the beginning, this fight would have been over way sooner…"
"Sorry," Kaoru hung her head in shame.
"Well, that's all in the pass now," Aoi shrugged, "Now we can all get out of here… … …Speaking of which, where's Usopp? I could find anywhere in the immediate area the last I saw him…"
"He's probably blown to bits thanks to that explosion," Sanji sighed.
"DON'T SAY THAT!" Aoi comically backhanded Sanji, "And HOW can you be so calm if that's what REALLY happen!?"
"Hey, guys!" A sudden voice rang out, catching everyone attention. It was Usopp and he was running. "Luffy, Sanji, Kaoru and Aoi! I found the boat, but we got to move; I'm serious~! If we don't get to it right now, we're going to be stuck on this stinking island~!"
"…I guess Usopp's okay," Sanji noted as he started off in the direction Usopp was heading in.
"He's yelling something about the boat," Luffy added he follow suite, "Let's hurry and get there!"
"Yeah," Kaoru and Aoi nodded as they chase after their comrades.
"Kick it into gear!" Usopp called back to his friends as they hurry to catch up to him, "the boat's leaving this place and we got to get on it now!"
Usopp stopped after seeing a clear path to the Little Crow.
"Get up over here and just hold onto my body!"
"Your what?" Luffy noted in confusion.
"Why do we have to—?" Kaoru began only to fall short when Usopp pulled out and put on a strange belt.
"Here goes!" Usopp aimed his belt at the Little Crow, "Usopp {Tarzan's Cry} ~~~!"
A grappling hook shot out of the belt and soon latched onto the Little Crow.
"Now that's what I call 'marksmanship'!"
Luffy laughed in awe as he and everyone else comical hard nudged Usopp, sending him comically flying. "Usopp, you're my hero~!"
"Do you try to kill all of your heroes like that~!?"
"I don't think so…"
"You threw my back out, you jerk!" Usopp cracked his back in place.
"You fixed it!" Aoi exclaimed.
"Ugh~! I can do anything~!"
"I'm surprise you pulled this off~!" Sanji glee as everyone held onto Usopp as he instructed earlier.
"Yeah~? Well no more underestimating me-!" Usopp smirked before his body began to get pulled off by the Little Crow, "Eh?"
"Hey?" Luffy managed as everyone help Usopp struggle against the pull.
"What-!? Hey-!" Sanji managed in confusion and dread, "What are you doing!?"
"I'm not doing anything!" Usopp struggled to fight the tension that was building up, "the rope's just tightening! Hold on-!"
Before he could finish, the tension finally became too much and immediately flung the group towards the Little Crow screaming in shock and horror. It didn't help that while they were on their way to the boat, it wasn't a straight path as they ending colliding and bouncing off of every tree that were in the way.
We find our courageous five now back on the boat as it begins its ascension from the Forest of Illusion. Everyone, however, was beaten up from the trip back onto the Little Crow. Usopp, for one, was hanging over the ship, half of his face dragging in the Milky Road. Everyone else was lounging about exhausted by the ordeal they just took to get back on the boat.
"…W-Well," Usopp managed, half gurgling, "that wasn't so bad~~~…"
"…I will not let you forget this," Sanji grumbled as he took a single weak kick on Usopp.
"…You know," Luffy managed, "I could have stretched my arm and grab the boat~~~…"
"N-Now that you mention it," Kaoru managed as well, "I could have just flown us back aboard too…
"Or use my teleportation power," Aoi added, "There was definitely no need for all of that…"
"…Look," Usopp countered still half gurgling, "we're on the boat and out of the forest~~~! That's all that matters~~~!"
"Maybe. But I would it like it better to get out of that forest… …in a more dignifying way…"
"W-Why is it," Kaoru mumbled in pain, "That we end up worse just getting back on the boat than while we were fighting that Dumpling Man…"
"…Life is strange, isn't it?"
"Yeah~…"
"… … …Okay, I get it, my bad~!" Usopp apologized still half gurgling, "I'll take any form of punishments when this is all over with…"
"Then let me kick the shit out of you to my heart's content," Sanji grumbles as he gave the Pirate Sniper a few more weak kicks.
"…Can we save that until after we find the others at least?"
"… …Fine," Sanji ceased his kicking before straightening himself up…as did everyone else.
"Well, regardless," Kaoru stretched herself, "Now I'm hungry! Do we have any more of those rice crackers?"
"That's coming from someone who was knocked out for the majority of the fight!" Aoi comically reminded before holding her growling belly, "Not that I'm complaining. I need a refill in my body energy too after that fight…"
"Yosh!" Luffy cheered as he dug into the bags and pulled out some rice crackers, "Let's have Rice Cracker Party for getting out of that forest in one piece!"
"…I wouldn't exactly call our escape 'in one piece'," Aoi sighed as she took one rice cracker, "or that we're out of the fire yet…but a guess a small celebration is in order!"
"Yosh!" Kaoru held up her cracker, "Cheers for clearing the first Ordeal!"
Everyone on the Little Crow cheered in response.
…
… …
… … …
"… …-ho! Shiho!" A voice rang out amidst the darkness.
At first, Shiho was confused as to who was calling out to her as she drifting aimlessly in the darkness. But as soon as she began to work out the owner of the voice, her mind snapped back to reality…as did her eyes as they immediately sprang open.
"Whoa! Shiho! You're awake at last!" Chopper, who had been trying to shake her awake, leapt back in startle due to Shiho suddenly awakening.
"…Chopper!" Shiho managed as she right herself up, "We're alright?"
"Yeah," Chopper nodded, "I don't see that Sky Priest anywhere either…"
"So he left," Shiho sighed in relief, before noticing that the Sky Knight and his flying Steed lying nearby, "…! Are those two…?"
"I just checked on them myself. They're badly bruised and other major injuries, but they'll make it…"
Again, Shiho breathed a sigh of relief.
"If it wasn't for Shiho pulling us out of the Sea Clouds and back onto the altar, it would have been a different story…"
"… …Huh?" Shiho turned to Chopper in confusion, "I didn't get us out…"
"Eh!?"
"I tried to, though. I remembered that once we hit the water, I made a dash to get you, Gan Fall and Pierre. I got you guys together, but then those Sky Sharks attacked…"
"So that's how you got those cut wounds on you?" Chopper pointed out the various place on Shiho that had cut marks.
"Yeah, to defend all three of you. Seriously, Chopper, you know you can't swim! Why did you jump in too!?"
"But I could just sit there and do nothing!"
"Yeah, instead you gave me more work in the process…"
"Ugh-! S-Sorry…"
Shiho sighed. "What's done is done. Anyway, the thing is, while I did manage to get and keep you all at the surface with all those Sky Sharks, I couldn't get you back to the altar. Plus, the last thing I remember was getting smack by one of the Sky Shark's tail; that must have been how I end up getting knocked out…"
"Heh~," Chopper nodded at Shiho's story, before he tilted his head in confusion, "Wait, if you got knocked out Shiho, who got us out!?"
"That's what I want to know," Shiho sighed before noticing a large shadow looming over her and Chopper, "…!? Who's there—!?"
Shiho turn her attention skyward immediately, fearing that Shura came back…and just as quickly gasped in shock.
Chopper gasped in shocked as well when he saw what Shiho saw. Right before their eyes was a flock of, unquestionably, South Birds hovering in the air around them except for one major difference…they were huge; just one could easily be three meters in height should it stand next to Shiho.
"JYOH~~~!" The Giant South Birds chirped in greeting.
"South Birds!?" Shiho gawked, "Aren't they supposed to be found only on Jaya!? What are they doing up here!?"
"And why are they so big~~~~!?" Chopper added in shock.
"JYOH~~~!" One of the Giant South Bird closest to them chirped a couple of times in Chopper's direction.
"… …!?"
"What's wrong?" Shiho questioned Chopper, "They said something to right? What did they say?'
Chopper puzzled over what he just heard before glancing over at Gan Fall. "…T-They said that they came here to…"
"…To what?"
"…to rescue God…"
"… …Huh?" Shiho stared at Chopper, then to Gan Fall and then to the Giant South Birds, "GOD~~~!?"
Meanwhile, back on the Little Crow…
Luffy chuckled. "Let me do it again~! But this time, don't make me laugh~!"
"Alright!" Usopp laughed as he and Kaoru watch Luffy cross his arms and hung his head as if sleeping.
"Here goes~!" Kaoru snickered before calling out in what seems like Nami's voice, "Zoro, will you wake up already~?"
"…Huh, you're a dead man!" Luffy lifted his face with a deadpan expression, using his hand to push back his hair bangs in an impression of Zoro, before faking a sudden drowsiness and forming a sleeping snot bubble, "Snooze~~~!"
Usopp laughed so hard that he coughed as a result. "That's the best~~~!"
"That sounds just like him~!" Kaoru laughed in the same manner.
"Just because he isn't here, it doesn't mean you can make fun of him!" Aoi lecture from where she sat.
"This is no time for goofing off!" Sanji, who was at the wheel with Aoi, yelled back, "Nami-san and Robin-chan are lost out there somewhere; for all we know, they could be in trouble…"
"Zoro and Chopper are with them you know," Luffy noted.
"There are three more priests waiting in the wings…"
"And~ he completely ignore your comment," Kaoru sweat dropped.
"We have more challenges ahead of us…"
"This is an ordeal of love," Luffy suddenly mimic Sanji's manner of speaking and made a gesture like he's puffing smoke, causing both Usopp and Kaoru to laugh hard at it.
Intermission, we shall return to our regular schedule program momentarily!
"…Whatever the case is," Sanji lit another cigarette after he beaten up both Usopp and Luffy's face to a pulp with Aoi doing the same to Kaoru, "we got to get to that altar, don't you think~?"
"…Okay~~," Luffy, Usopp and Kaoru acknowledge apologetically, "We're sorry~~!"
"I'll give you three credits for making fun of someone while they're right in front of them," Aoi sighed, shaking her head as she did, before turning back to Sanji, "Hey, Sanji-han…"
"What?" Sanji noted at Aoi suddenly addressing him.
"We had such a hard time in the last fight; since there were a total of four trails, there's at least three more priests in wait, right?"
"… …Wondering if we'll be able to get to Nami-san and Robin-chan at this rate?"
"… …There's Shiho, Chopper-han and Zoro-han too. But yes…"
Sanji took a puff from his cigarette. "Aoi…it's not a question of whether we'll get to them or not. It's whether we do it or not…"
"… …Right~…"
"Seriously, Aoi, what's wrong with you? It's not like you to question whether or not we'll succeed or not…"
"Yeah, Aoi," Kaoru chimed in, completely recovered from her comical beating, "We beat one Sky Priest, didn't we?"
"…Yeah, we did," Aoi sighed before looking down at her two katanas in her hands, "But the battle also showed us just how big of a difference in strength I am from my opponent. It's great that we won, but during most of the battle, I couldn't even land one good hit on him…"
"But you took the same amount of beating Luffy and Sanji took, got back up and fought back," Usopp suddenly noted, "Not many could do that you know…"
"Well, so did you, Usopp-han," Aoi sighed, "Not to mention in the end, it was Sanji-han, Luffy-han, and Kaoru that finished him off while you went to find the Little Crow's location. I just bounce around just amusing the Sky Priest…"
"That's not true," Luffy suddenly declared, "You protected Kaoru when she got knocked out and got me on that Dumpling Man's back so I could hold him in place!"
"That's right," Sanji puffed his cigarette, "Point being is that alone, I doubt any of us could have handled that shitty situation any better. Because we were all there that we got it done. So quit worrying, we'll be counting on you when the next Sky Priest shows up…"
"…? There's going to be another?"
"Obviously! Did you really think they'll let us off after dealing with just one!?"
"Yeah!"
"N-No hesitation!?" Aoi sweat dropped in exasperation, "Come on, Luffy! If the situation is that someone stole your meal, will you forgive them that easily!?"
"EH~~~!? No way in hell~~~!"
"Exactly!"
At Aoi's tired groan, Kaoru gave a slight chuckle.
"W-What? What's so funny?"
"Naw~!" Kaoru grinned, "I just prefer this all-so-serious Aoi compare to the negatively-worry Aoi…"
"That's right," Sanji grinned as well, "So, like I said, get your mind out of the mud. I don't think I can stay sane with the thought of Nami-san and Robin-chan in danger couple with dealing with these three braindead idiots on my own…"
"…!? WHO ARE YOU CALLING 'BRAINDEAD IDIOTS'~~~!?" Kaoru, Luffy, and Usopp exclaimed in rage.
"…Point taken," Aoi gave relieved chuckle, "… …And please don't forget Shiho, Chopper-han and Zoro-han into the equation…"
"Sure, sure~…"
"You just waved them off!"
"Where are we now?" Luffy wondered as he survey the surrounds.
"No doubt it's the place for our next trial," Sanji prompted.
"In other words, the next Sky Priest is coming," Aoi readied her katanas, determined to not let the situation become a repeat of the early stage of the Ordeal of Spheres, "Be on guard, everyone!"
"Yeah," Kaoru grinned as her hands glowed bright red, determined to prevent herself from being taken out so soon again, "Bring it on!"
Usopp, meanwhile, moaned in fright. "One Ordeal is bad enough, damn it! So what are we dealing with this time? String? Iron? Or Swamp?"
"I say it's swamp!"
"…Uh, why?"
"With a setting like this? It seems about right…"
"You think?" Luffy wondered as he swept his view over the large meadow-like landscape in front of him, "It's just an average-looking plain to me…"
"There's nothing average about it!" Aoi exclaimed as pointed to one of the short poles they were passing by, "Look! Those are human skulls on those poles!"
"…Ah-!" Luffy blinked when he saw that Aoi was right, there was a human skull perched on top of every pole in sight, "They are!"
"That's your reaction!? At least be a little bit more disturb!"
… … …Vroom~!
"Eh?" Kaoru's ears perked when it received a strange sound, "What was that?"
… …Vroom~!
"It sounds like motor?" Aoi noted, "…Also, it sounds awfully familiar…"
…Vroom~!
"Yeah, like that time when just arrive and got attack by—!" Kaoru began before a spark of realization hit her, "Something is coming!"
Vroom~!
"It's here~~~!" Usopp exclaimed as he pointed out four approaching figures from the port side of the Little Crow.
"… …N-Natives?" Aoi managed as she managed to make out the outfits of people that effortless leaped over them.
One of them that held a large bazooka-like weapon, however, suddenly aim at them just as they reached a safe distance from the ship.
"What-!?" Kaoru managed as the native, without hesitation, pulled the trigger and launched a shell at them.
"That bastard~~~~!" Luffy, who moved a second faster, inflated himself, receiving the shell bounced it back towards the shooter causing the shell to explode.
"Good reaction," Kaoru gave a thumbs-up in approval before noticing the natives landing on the tree branches, clearly uninjured, and glaring at them, "But really! What's their problem!?"
"Well, duh~~~!" Usopp exclaimed, "They're here to kill us!"
"But, no how you look at it, they don't seem to be Sky Priests…"
"True enough," Sanji noted in confusion, "If anything, they remind me of—…"
"AH!" Aoi suddenly exclaimed as pointed at the native that had shot at them, "That's him! He's the Masked Raider we met in the White Sea!"
"…My thought exactly!"
"So you want to fight!?" Luffy exclaimed towards the Natives.
"…! Wiper!" One of the other natives called towards the native that shot them, "Shall we engage!?"
"…No," The Native named Wiper responded, "Ignore them…"
"…Yes sir!"
Wiper then directed his attention back to crew of the Little Crow.
"So you are the ones: the citizens of the Blue Seas that caused a racket in Skypiea. If you don't want to die, go back to the Blue Sea. If you try to do anything weird on this island…I'll treat you like Enel and eliminate you too!"
"BASTARD~~~!" Luffy roared as prepared to charge at Wiper.
"What did you say~~!?" Kaoru roared in the same manner, "Let's fight then! Last time you just caught us off-guard! This time—!"
"Enough, you two~~!" Aoi exclaimed as she and Usopp held back Kaoru and Luffy respectively.
"Stop!" Usopp wailed, "Don't say any more~~~~!"
"So the raiders and God are enemies?" Sanji, meanwhile, assess the information he just heard.
"… …That is," Wiper noted as he prepared to leave, "if you have the strength to escape from here…"
With that, Wiper led his fellow Native Raiders off into the jungle.
"…What's their problem!?" Luffy grumbled.
"One thing's for sure: they're God Enel's enemy," Aoi responded, "But they're our enemy too…"
"Dammit!" Usopp wailed, "What's this island's problem!?"
"Let's just move on," Sanji noted, "But also keep your eyes peel for any more enemies…"
"Got it!" Kaoru nodded.
So, with that strange and short encounter, the crew of five of the Little Crow continues on. Although expecting another ordeal to raise its ugly head, no other enemy made their appearance to challenge them. Kaoru and Aoi, perplexed as they were, could only accept Luffy's optimism that the Ordeal of Sphere was the only trial they had to take as the hours goes by.
What they don't realized that their short encounter with Wiper and his Native Comrades was hinting to their inevitable involvement with a war that had spanned for more than Four Hundred Years…a war which is currently going on at this very moment.
"… … …Phew~!" Shiho sighed in relief as she finally pulled the Main Mast of the Going Merry onto the top the Sacrificial Altar after fishing it out of the White Sea, "At least like this, we can strap it back onto the ship instead of rebuilding it…"
It has been several hours since she and Chopper survive their attack from the Sky Knight Shura. They were more or less rescue by the Sky Knight Gan Fall and his Flying Steed Pierre, both who are greatly injured in their attempt to drive off the Sky Knight and are currently under Chopper's care in the ship's cabin.
Shiho, meanwhile, had been working hard to repair the damage that had just been recently done to the ship on her own.
Her biggest challenge was to retrieve the torn off main mast of the Going Merry; it had previously caught fire by one of the Sky Priest's attacks and had to remove from the ship before it caught anything else on fire, thrown into the sea as a result.
At first, Shiho tried to retrieve the mast by swimming to it and pull it back to the Altar, but the Sky Shark prove to be more troublesome then she thought even when she only had to defend herself. Instead, using the ship's cannon, she managed to attach several lines the floating mast and slowly reeled the mast back towards the Altar. After about two grueling hours, she finally managed to not only pull it back to the Altar but up it as well.
It was only during her labor did she began to appreciate the hard training she had received from the Pirate Chef Sanji…as well as understand how bless she was to have grown in a world that had modern day machinery. If she hadn't taken Sanji's rigorous training, she probably wouldn't have been able to pull off retrieving the ship's main mast. Even so, she could not help but swear to herself never to take modern day machinery so lightly again; had there been a crane or a bulldozer, her task would have way easier.
Anyhow, deciding that retrieving the Mast is more than enough for now, Shiho wandered back into the ship and found Chopper still treating Pierre and Gan Fall. While Pierre was wide awake now, Gan Fall remained unconscious.
"Are you done treating them?" Shiho called out.
"Pierre is done," Chopper answered without turning to her, "But the Sky Knight will need a bit more attention…"
"I see," Shiho nodded before approaching, "But I can assume that it's alright to touch him now, right?"
Chopper nodded to which Shiho allowed her hand to glow bright blue. Earlier she had wanted to obtain information from Gan Fall about what he knew about their current situation as well as understand what those Giant South Bird had meant when they refer to him as "God", but Chopper insist that he should be treated first. Shiho gave in due to the fact that without treatment he would have died and that was no way to treat someone who had risked his life to come to their aid.
Now that the treatment is mostly over, and Gan Fall is out of critical condition, Shiho is ready to extract as much information from him as possible, if not to prevent another disaster to fall upon them again.
The moment she came in contact with Gan Fall with her glowing bright blue hand, a wave of information came to her one after another. From Gan Fall's time as God to his time minutes before leaving to protect them here in Upper Yard.
"… …So that's it," Shiho hummed in understanding before removing her hand from the Sky Knight.
"What did you find out?" Chopper asked eagerly.
"Well—…"
"Shiho~~~!" A voice suddenly boomed from outside, "Where are you~~~!? Chopper~~~!? What happened~~~!?"
"…!? This voice is…!"
"That's Nami's voice," Chopper cheered, tears swelling up his eyes, "That means Robin and Zoro are back too! They came back!"
"Well then, let's go welcome back our adventurers!"
"Aye-Aye~!"
Chopper and Shiho head out onto the deck of the ship and peered out towards the forest to see Robin, Nami and Zoro waiting on the shore.
"Welcome back everyone~~~~!" Shiho called out, alerting the three of her and Chopper's present.
"Shiho~~! Chopper~~!" Nami exclaimed in relief upon seeing them, "I'm so glad you two are alright~~~!"
"O-Of course we are, you bastard~~~!" Chopper called out strongly, though it still end up as a wail with streams of tears pouring from his eyes, "I-I-I wasn't scared at all~~~!"
"… …Okay, we get it," Zoro sweat dropped from the shore, obviously aware of the front Chopper was putting up, "Stay strong and pass over some vines to get as back over, will you~~?"
"Coming right up~~!" Shiho sighed before noticing a boat approaching from a Milky Road that had extend into the White-White Sea around the Altar from among the tree tops, "…!? Someone else is coming—?"
"Oh~! Look~!" A voice rang out from the boat, "It's the Going Merry~! That must be the Altar~~! Shiho~~~!"
"…!? This voice! Kaoru~~~~! Aoi~~~~!"
"Ah-! That's Shiho's voice!" Another voice called out, "And on shore, I see Zoro-han, Nami and Robin!"
"Yeah~~~~!" Another voice, which is unmistakably Sanji to Shiho, cried out, "Nami-san~~~~! Robin-chan~~~~! I finally passed the Trial of Love~~~~!"
"What?" Luffy's voice sounded out in confusion, "That was the Trial we needed to pass?"
"No it wasn't~~~!" Aoi's voice ranged out again followed immediately by the sound of a comical dope slap.
"Were you all scared~~~!?" A voice that was unmistakably Usopp's rang out profoundly, "Well, Captain Usopp is here. You can relax now~~~!"
"Ah-! Careful of that Sky Shark~!" Kaoru's voice suddenly exclaimed.
"Sky Shark~~~!? Where!? Where!?"
"Made you look~~~!"
"…Oh, good," Shiho shrugged, "I see everyone is still in high spirit…"
"Yeah," Chopper nodded before noticing a redhead girl had leapt off the ship and is now flying straight towards them, "…? Kaoru's coming?"
"Eh-?" Shiho managed before Kaoru flew right into her, tackling her in a hug.
"Shiho~~~!" Kaoru cried out in joy, "I'm so glad you're alright~~!"
"K-Kaoru-chan!?" Shiho exclaimed in shock before noticing that Kaoru's grip were strategically place on her chest region, "Wait-! Kaoru-chan, where do you you're touching—!?"
GROPE~~!
"Kya~!?"
After the crew of the Little Crow retrieved the three on shore to take them back to the Altar and Shiho comically discipline Kaoru for slipping in that sexual harassment, everyone was once again reunited on the ship.
However, it was not entirely a happy reunion.
"The Mast," Usopp managed blankly as he stared at where the main mast of the Going Merry once was and then to the mast itself that laid next to the ship.
"…Uh…that's," Chopper managed in worry, "Usopp, we're sorry…"
"Yeah," Shiho sighed in shame, "The Sky Priest that attack us was really good. Even though I was here, I couldn't do anything…"
"S-Shiho told me to rip the mast off, but that was because it caught on fire, so…"
"… …Are both of your wounds okay?" Usopp suddenly inquired in worry.
"Eh?"
"Uh, yeah," Shiho nodded as she rubbed the area that she injured at, "We'll make it…"
"A lance that burns stuff? That's definitely one tough opponent, considering how hard we had against our Sky Priest opponent," Usopp grimaced at the thought before laughing cheerfully, "Well, good thing the one that got burned badly wasn't you two! So don't worry, we can always fix her up…"
"Usopp," Shiho blinked before smiling, "Sorry, even I thought for a moment you'll brawl at this…"
"Well, I am mad but not you guys; you guys were doing your best to prevent damage to the ship. Besides, even if you could have prevented this, I wouldn't want either of you two dying doing so…"
Shiho chuckled nervously. "I'm glad you think so…"
"…WHOA~~~!" Chopper suddenly roared out, comically emitting fire.
"Whoa-! Chopper!?"
"I'll do it~~~! I'll become a dependable man~~~!"
Shiho blinked at this before giggle. "Work hard, Chopper~!"
"…I won't approve it!" Kaoru, who had been nursing her wound from Shiho's disciplinary nearby, suddenly huff.
"… …Huh?"
"No matter how much Usopp's kindness or Chopper's enthusiasm touched you, Shiho, I won't approve either of the two—!"
"What are you imagining!?" Shiho dope slapped her redhead childhood friend.
"Putting that aside," Aoi intervened, checking Shiho's wounds, "It must have painful for you, Shiho, fighting on with this kind of wound…"
"Well, yeah. But believe me, physical pain are the best kind of pain you can receive. Mental pains are the opposite; the worse. So this?" Shiho pointed to her injury. "This, to me, is a badge of courage…"
"You wouldn't be saying that if that leaves a permanent scar, though with Chopper-han's skill that's unlikely…"
"The Sky Priest that gave that wound was named Shura, right?" Kaoru chimed in anticipation, "I'll remember that name! So I can give him a good beating for Chopper and Shiho!"
Shiho chuckled. "I'll be looking forward to that~!"
"Hey Chopper!" Luffy called to the still comically fire-up Chopper, "Where's that weird Sky Knight!? He's hurt too, wasn't he?"
"…! Oh yeah!" Chopper straightened out in attention, "The Sky Knight!"
Chopper led the way into his sickbay, where Pierre was faithfully watching over the prone body of his unconscious master, the Sky Knight Gan Fall.
"Wow~! He looks so different without his armor," Kaoru blinked; since they were in the way, Chopper and Shiho had removed Gan Fall's armor set, so he now looks skinnier than before.
"Ugh," Aoi observed the bandages and assess the damage hinted by them, "Numerous bruises and cuts, and one big puncture wound to the abdomen with signs of burning. On a body this old, any of them, especially the last one, could have been fatal…"
"He would try that hard," Nami managed in astonishment, "just for a free One Whistle he gave us!?"
"Something you'll probably have a hard time doing," Shiho nudged the Pirate Navigator's hip, "No question about that~!"
"Oh shut up!"
"Well, regardless, I'm glad he did…"
"Yeah," Chopper nodded in agreement, "If the Sky Knight didn't come, the ship, Shiho and I would have been goners…"
"Unfortunately, yes," Shiho sighed, "That Sky Priest Shura was an unbelievably tough opponent; I couldn't even land one good decent hit on him that I could be proud of…"
"None of us did, really," Kaoru grumbled, "All because of that stupid ability of theirs. What was it again?"
"Mantra," Shiho responded, "According to Shura, it's an ability to 'read one's intent'…"
"So it's precognition?"
"Close, but not quite. If I have to put it simply, it allows you to anticipate your enemy's movement by reading what their intentions are; it's kind of like mind-reader…"
"Oh~!"
"But it also seem to have its own set of flaws," Aoi noted, "According to the Sky Priest Satori reaction, it requires concentration. When his concentration broke, he didn't even see us or Luffy coming; I believe that was the deciding factor in the fight…"
"So it's an ability to read one's mind but it requires concentration," Robin hummed in interest, "Certainly, it's not an ability that we could take lightly…"
"Well," Sanji sighed, "There a shit ton of things I want to ask the old man, but I'll just wait until he wakes up…"
"Yeah," Kaoru nodded before noticing Luffy playing around with Gan Fall's long beard, "…!? Luffy! Leave him alone!"
"Sorry~!"
"…With the ship like this," Shiho noted once they left the cabin, "and the sky getting dark, we'll have to wait until tomorrow to go back to Angel Island…"
"Agree," Sanji nodded before pointing towards the forest, "For now, let's just go ashore in the forest and camp out next to the lake. If something happens, it'll be a better place to fight, too…"
"Camp out!?" Luffy suddenly cheered, "As in camping!?"
"… …Uh, yeah?"
"YEAH~~~~! CAMPING~~~~!"
"PARTY~~~!" Chopper cheered in the same excited manner.
"When was the last we went camping?" Kaoru wondered.
"Can't honestly recall," Shiho crossed her arm in thought, "I think this would be first official time outside of a mission…"
"We can't really count those times we were out with the Hound, huh?" Aoi chuckled nervously.
"…The Hound?" Zoro inquired.
"Ah~! It's a fellow Esper Team we're friendly with, Zoro-han… …How about you, Zoro-han? Have you been camping before?"
"Before joining this crew, yeah of course. I was a Pirate Hunter, so there were times I got to camp out…"
"Heh~!"
"Wait! Hold on~!" Usopp exclaimed in shock, "We're in enemy territory! How can we go camping!?"
"Then you rather be here, on the Sacrificial Altar~?" Shiho inquired before dramatically praying towards the heavens, "Oh Great Divine God~! Our Brave Captain Usopp has volunteer to sacrifice himself to thee to allow our safe passage out of these dangerous lands~! Please accept this selfless token as our sign that mercy has descended upon us~!"
"STOP~~~! Don't forsake me~~~!"
In response to the joke as well as Usopp's desperate wailing, everyone laughed wholeheartedly.
We find the Children and the Straw Hats now camping on the shoreline of the outer rim of the bay that surrounds the Sacrificial Altar. They have also moved Gan Fall and Pierre there with them, since Chopper insisted so to better keep watch over their recovery.
"Okay~~~!" Usopp called for attention, "With everyone's information, many things became clear. However~! The most important information is this: This Island is actually the Golden City that the Mountain Monkey Alliance had been trying to find!"
"Wow!" Kaoru exclaimed in startle, "Really!?"
"It's apparently true," Shiho replied, "Nami and her group, during their exploration, came across half of a structure of a two-stories house. Apparently it the other half of the house that Cricket was living in!"
"Seriously!?" Luffy comically gasped as he ate roasted Sky Sharks they fished earlier.
"Yeah. It was strange, really, now I think back. Cricket's house was a two-stories building, but the house has no way to access the second level. The half of the house that Nami's group found here in Upper Yard, however, has the other missing half of Cricket's house, complete with stairways leading up to the second level…"
"Oh~!"
"In other words," Usopp continued, "the part of the island, that held the Golden City described by Noland, didn't sink but somehow got blown up here over four hundred years ago!"
"Is that even possible!?" Kaoru comically frown.
"After much discussion," Shiho answered, "The only logical possibility, or rather the only possibility we could think of at the moment, would be the Knock-Up Stream!"
"…!? T-The Knock-Up Streams!?"
"That fun thing we use to get up here~!?" Luffy exclaimed in excitement.
"If it was big enough," Shiho responded, "And if it happened right under the half of the island of Jaya that held the Golden City, it might be the only thing that would get this piece of land up here into the clouds…"
"Oh~!" Kaoru and Luffy thumped their palms in understanding.
"Uh," Nami suddenly raised her hands with a sweat drop, "I was reporting that earlier~!"
"… …You were?"
"YES!"
"Well, for argument sake, "Aoi nervously laughed as she work with her grinding equipments, "Usopp-han and Shiho summarized everything you said so that could keep up…"
"… …Ah~! Right~! I forgot that these two can't keep up with my simple explanation~!"
"HEY~~!" Luffy and Kaoru comically grumbled, offended.
Aoi gave a nervous chuckle before presenting the mixture in her grinding bowl to Chopper. "Chopper-han, I've finish with the mixture you asked me to get ready~!"
"Thanks!" Chopper accepted the mixture and began applying them to a set of bandages he was going to use to replace the ones on Gan Fall, "I'm glad you're here to help; an extra hand is always needed when caring for patients…"
Aoi shrugged. "I wouldn't be half as much of help if you didn't diligently teach me about your advance medical knowledge, though…"
"S-S-Stupid~!" Chopper bashfully danced on the spot, "Don't try to kiss up to me, you bastard~! I'm not happy about this, dammit~!"
"Yeah, yeah~!"
"Hey, Chopper," Sanji called over where he was preparing some kind of herbal soup, "Should it be finer?"
"Yes," Chopper nodded, "Make it so that he can drink it because his gullet has been injured…"
"Gold, eh~?" Luffy snickered in anticipation, "I've been waiting for an adventure like this!"
"Buried treasure~!" Kaoru chanted excitedly, "Buried treasure~!"
"Yup~!" Nami grinned in delight, "If you're interested, it makes things easier~!"
"And who was it that wanted to leave Sky Island~?" Shiho playfully retorted.
"… …I-I didn't know at the time!"
"Well then~, aren't you glad that Luffy made it difficult for us to leave and that you brought here as a sacrifice~?"
"… … …Somehow I get the feeling no matter how I respond, it's going to end with me digging my own grave…"
Shiho only giggle knowingly in response.
"Uh…hey, Luffy," Usopp managed frightfully, "Did you forget? That raider's warning?"
"Yeah? And?" Kaoru countered.
"And!? What if we get target by those guys!?"
"And you call yourself a pirate that runs away at every little threat people make against you!?"
"T-That's not what I meant! I-I-I-I meant we should get ready to fight them!"
"Yeah," Aoi gave Kaoru a side glance, "Otherwise, we might end up getting ourselves knocked out during the majority of the fight~!"
"…!? I-It won't happen again!" Kaoru exclaimed in her defense before turning back to Usopp, "Usopp! Prepared us everything we'll need! Hard Hats, Dust Cloud Bombs, or even Smelling Salts; I don't care, just make sure we got everything we might need to ensure our enemies can't overwhelm us, no matter who they are!"
"Now you're speaking my language~!" Usopp nodded.
"The God will be angry though!" Chopper noted in worry.
"He's already angry, though," Shiho shrugged unfazed by the concern, "Making him angrier wouldn't change a damn thing…at most, he'll probably eat you, Chopper…"
"WHAT-?"
"Perhaps roasting you over a fire like these Sky Sharks~!"
"WAH~~!"
"Sprinkle some herbal seasoning that make your meat juicy~!"
"WAH~~~!"
"And cook you until you're nice and brown before—!"
"WAH~~~~!"
"Would stop scaring Chopper-han already!?" Aoi comically dope slap the Silver-Haired Sadist.
"Sounds interesting," Robin giggled, before sweat dropping upon Aoi's gaze, "… …I meant seeking treasure with an island full of enemies on our tail…"
"Oh!"
"Nonetheless with treasure up for grabs," Sanji smirked knowingly, "Pirates won't stay silent, right?"
"Well, duh~!" Kaoru rolled her eyes, "There isn't a pirate in existence that doesn't glee at the prospect of treasure finding~!"
"With plenty of enemies," Zoro smirked from his napping place, "This is a game of survival!"
"Yep," Aoi nodded as she tightens her grip on her katanas, "Plenty of practices if we're lucky…"
"Plenty of chance to try these out too~!" Shiho picked up the Jet Skis she looted from the White Berets earlier.
"YOSH~~~~!" Luffy cheered, "It's decided~~~! We'll go and find Gold~~~~!"
"Yeah~~~!" The Children and the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates cheered in excitement.
Normama: "So ends another chapter~!"
Kaoru (Pouting): "Not much action as I hope, though…"
Aoi (rolling her eyes): "That's coming from the person that stole the spotlight early on in the chapter!"
Kaoru: "Yeah, but I was knocked out for the last two chapters!"
Shiho: "Hey, Normama. Why didn't you have me use the Jet Skis during my fight with that Sky Priest in the last chapter?"
Normama: "Well, with Shura's sudden appearance, you couldn't possibly pull that out from wherever you may have kept them…"
Shiho (thumping her palm): "Ah~! That's true! And here I thought you just simply forgot to have me use those~!"
Normama: "Don't worry, you'll get plenty of chances to use any swindle items you've picked up…"
Kaoru: "Really!? Like when!?"
Normama: "Well, maybe the next chapter, so my fellow readers please R&R and wait patiently until next month!"
The Children: "You better not miss it~!"
Kiritsubo: "In the meantime, check out new cover Image for this FanFic… …Staring me~!"
Aoi: "Ah-! Chief! How could you steal our spotlight~~~!?"