Author's Notes: First off, I know this has been quite the long delay. There's been a lot of uninspiration and such, but I was finally to get this one just right. I hope this delay isn't going to do any big damage to this series, but I do hope you enjoy this nonetheless.

Ah, and on a side not, I'm kind of surprised I already have this many reviews. It took me up until my 70th chapter on the first book to get near 200. Seriously, thanks to all of you whom have been reviewing and have been fans thus far! I hope this one doesn't disappoint!

Chapter 22: The First Obstacle

There was teenager sitting on the wooden bench. She peered up at the lobby's ceiling, watching the ceiling fan out of boredom through her blue eyes.

She had Long blue hair that reached down to her shoulders. Her sleeveless shirt was a plain white one, with the letters "AZ" written in red on the back. Her shorts were only about to her knees, and she wore black sandals.

She had been sitting in the lobby for what felt like hours. Her father had been busy in his office all night. He was well-respected member of the police force, and he was also once in the navy.

The door to the lobby burst open, and an officer ran on past, not even noticing the blue haired girl.

"Sergeant! Sergeant Snowhill!" the officer shouted.

Almost instantly, the door to the office burst open. A tall man rushed out of the door and grabbed the other officer. He began to shake the panicking officer. This man was wearing a fancy, not to mention high-ranking suit. He had matching blue pants and black boots, and at his side was a sword. He also had blonde hair, and eyes hidden behind some unruly hair.

"Get a hold of yourself, solider!" he shouted.

"Ah-Ah-Ah!" the solider shouted, being shook up. "Sergeant-"

The tall man slapped him across the face.

The officer stopped. "…yes, sir."

"Now, solider, what is your message?" the man asked.

"Yes, Sergeant Snowhill. We got a call from the airport region. It seems that there was a suspicious 16 year old girl sighted." the officer said.

"…suspicious? How?" Snowhill asked. His daughter, the blue haired girl, got up and began to walk toward him.

"Well, listen to this phone message we tapped into." the officer stated, holding a tape recorder. He pushed the button and began the playback:

"Hello?"

"…you can drop the act."

"It can't possibly be-"

"Believe it. You thought I had died back then, didn't you?"

The Sergeant rose an eyebrow. "What is this?"

"Keep listening, sir."

The conversation went on:

"Yeah, he was. He thought he could control the queen. Serves him right that he got killed."

"I suppose… so. listen. I'm already over at Peru. I'm well aware there's a Crystal Star there."

"Oh? Stay down there. I'll be joining you shortly. I should be able to make it before those heroes. …and no doubt, they'll be slowed down while searching for the rest of the missing team."

"I won't move from here. But if they show up first, I'll beat them, one by one."

The blue-haired girl gave a curios expression. "Dad, what's going on?"

"If I didn't know better…" Snowhill said in conjecture. "This sounds like a smuggling!"

"Oh cool, some action!" the girl shouted.

Snowhill ignored her. "Ok, solider, you know what to do."

The soldier nodded. "Yes sir, I'll ignore the Peru authorities right away!"

"NO!" Snowhill shouted, with a boot-camp esque tone. The soldier gasped and got into a saluting posture. "I will follow this suspicious fellow!"

The soldier twitched. "…but sir, once the person leaves the country, it's not in our ability to just chase them to another country, nay, continent!"

"But the person in question comes from here. Therefore, it's my duty to stop them." Snowhill said. He walked toward the door, and picked up his jacket.

The soldier was still resistant. "Sir-"

"SOLDIER!" he shouted, in a boot-camp esque voice. "You will let me go, that's an order!"

"Yes, SIR!" the said. "Just calm down!"

"You're dismissed!" Snowhill shouted.

"Yes, sir!" The soldier shouted, before running away.

The girl looked toward him. "Are we going on a trip, Dad?"

"Cadet, attention!" he shouted.

"Dad, I'm your daughter, your thirteen year old daughter?" the blue-haired girl stated. "My name is Adelle, not Cadet."

"CADET!" Snowhill shouted. "You're not coming with me to Peru, and that's an order."

Adelle replied with a pouty face.

Snowhill turned around. "…there's no way to change your mind, is there?"

"Nope." She stated simply.

"Fine, come if you want, Cadet. Though if you interfere once, you'll be on the first flight back to Arizona."

The Going Merry had finally set sail. They had managed to pull the van onto the craft, which was now tied to the dock next to the main mast. The ship gave creaks of complaint as she rocked back and forth over the waves.

The sock hat have a disapproving look at the ship's mast. It looked to be in a severe condition, pieces literally falling apart. The only thing that held it together appeared to be weak patchwork thrown together at the last minute.

"Which one of you is the shipwright?" Double D asked.

"The closest thing we have to one is Usopp." Nami stated.

"I keep telling you again and again, I'm not a shipwright." he whined back.

Eddy laughed. "Hahaha, you guys are in luck then! Double D can fix anything!"

The crew perked up. "Really?"

"Um, Eddy-"

"Yeah! He always builds our sca- er, enterprises." Eddy rambled on.

"Awesome!" Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp all exclaimed at once.

Double D got a bit uncomfortable. "Um, Eddy-"

"He'll repair every square inch of this scrapheap for a minor 10 bucks!"

"…10, bucks?" Sanji asked.

Double D protested. "Eddy, I can't-"

Nami shrugged. "Look, whatever bucks are in your currency, we'll give you this." She reached into her pocket and tossed a small coin. Double D caught it and looked at the coin. It was a fancy looking piece, with a large "B" written on it, with two bars that made it look similar to a dollar sign. He turned over the coin, on which it read: 100.

"…wow… a new kind of currency. This reminds me of when I first saw the other world's currency."

"Ok, Double D!" Eddy said. "Get crackin'!"

Double D groaned. "Do this, do that, geez." he moaned, giving Eddy the coin, to which his eyes lit up. Double D walked over toward the mast, and examined the patchwork.

"So, you pirate guys." Eddy started. "As you know, we're in the middle of a mission! A big, awesome mission between two worlds!"

Luffy gave a hearty laugh. "Aw, some people get all of the luck!"

"You should talk!" Nami shouted.

"ANYWAY…" Eddy began. "We're gonna have to fight alongside each other!"

Zoro gave a look of suspicion. "…who says we are?"

"So, when this is done, who's gonna come with us?" Eddy asked.

Luffy gave a confused look. "Huh?"

"Well, every time we went to a new place on our adventures…" Eddy began. "…we'd get a new companion every time we were hunting for a crystal star. So let's save all the emotional garbage and just cut to the chase, huh? Which one of you 7's gonna join us?"

Eddy pointed at the general direction of the group. Everyone on board had stopped, even Double D, who was in mid-swing with a mallet.

Luffy, however, gained a serious face. "Hey, three-haired guy. My crew isn't for sale."

Eddy smiled, and folded his arms. "Fine, then we'll have to do it the hard way."

"Eddy!" Goombella, Mac and Double D all scolded.

"Geez, relax, I was just kidding!" Eddy shouted, agitated. "…a little."

A few more moments of silence began. Night finally began, and everyone onboard had become accommodated. The rocking of the ship against the waves was much more calm, and the warm lights from inside the ship offer a rather homely environment.

"Ok, let's get down to business." Nami sighed. She took Earth's World Map and placed it on the deck, and motioned for the others (aside from Double D and Usopp, who were both still working on patching).

Nami began: "According to Sock Hat-"

"Ah!" Double D exclaimed, after accidentally hammering his own finger, dropping the mallet and waving his arm in distress.

Usopp growled. "Idiot, what are you doing?"

"-we need to go here." Nami stated, pointing at the mark on the map. "Supposedly, both of our goals are there."

"Once we get there, neither groups are obligated to help the other anymore." Zoro said. "After you guys get your star, you're on your own."

Mac nodded.

"So, So!" Luffy began. "What are we gonna find there? Food? Treasure? Pirates!"

"Who knows? Maybe all three." Goombella commented.

"YEAH!" Luffy shouted. "Let's go!"

By midnight, the shore was completely invisible. The Straw Hats had decided to head back into their cabins for the night by this point. Not everyone had gone to sleep just yet, however. Some of the more curious people on board had decided to stay up for a bit.

"So, Sock Hat…" Sanji began, placing a cigarette into his mouth and promptly lighting it. "Is that whole deal of yours true?"

Double D, the only other one in the kitchen, nodded while sitting down at the table. "It's been a 4 year long adventure."

"Wow, that's longer then our own trip." Sanji said.

Sanji walked over to their stove and turned on the fire, taking a pan over it and swiftly placed a few ingredients into the pan. They replied with a loud hissing sound as they hit the fire.

"So, Double D, was it?" Sanji said. "What exactly do you plan to do when we get there anyway?"

The Sock-Hat shrugged. "Unfortunately, we're not too good at planning. But as far as I know what will happen, we will have to explore unknown territories to find the star. And since Beldam's also looking for the stars, we might find her there too."

"Oh, the witch." Sanji said. "The one that's possessing that girl named Nazz you told me about?"

Double D nodded.

"Well, if we meet her, allow me to personally show her what happens when you mess with a fine lady."

The Sock Hat gave him a look of confusion. "Lady?"

To Sanji's dismay, the fire on the stove quickly turned off on it's own.

"Uh, lousy piece of garbage." Sanji groaned. "This ship's been getting really beaten up. The stove ain't working right anymore either."

Double D got up. "Allow me."

"Oh, you don't have to do anything." Sanji said, trying to sound polite. "You're a guest in my kitchen."

Double D smiled, but kept walking toward the kitchen. "What an old model of a stove. But… I'll see what I can do."

Sanji watched as the Sock Hat turned it around, and opened a hatch in the back. Double D looked into it's components quickly. "Alright, stand back for a moment."

Sanji took a step back.

Double D placed one hand on his head (where he was wearing the Eye of Wisdom) and the other into the top of the stove.) With a quiet tone of voice, he spoke: "Fire."

A sudden burst of fire shot from the stove's top, a quick towering one. The large tower of flame and light quickly vanished, returning to a state of a common fire. The ingredients in the pan resumes sizzling in the heat.

The pirate cook returned to the side of the stove-top. "Thanks."

"No problem." Double D stated, getting back from behind the stove again.

"Wow…" Goombella sighed with a state of wonder.

She and Robin had decided to chat in the girl's cabin, while Nami rested in her bed.

"It's quite hard to believe that Archeology isn't a crime here in this world." Robin sighed.

"It's not in most worlds." Goombella said. "Or rather, on my world on this one. I don't know what I would do if it were a crime."

Robin sighed. "Being able to explore history free of worrying about interference… it sounds like a fantasy."

"So, I'm very curious." Goombella said. "What kind of history does your own world have?"

"It's a forbidden history." Robin said, getting up. "Our government is heavily corrupted. And there's something they don't want us knowing about something that occurred in the past. We call that the Blank Century."

Goombella continued to listen with wonder.

"…and it's my personal goal to find it."

Goombella nodded. "I see-"

There was a quiet knock on the door.

"Come in." Robin said.

But before the person behind the door could open, the door suddenly opened on it's on accord.

Goombella turned around to check whom had opened it, but the source of it had vanished before she could see.

Even Eddy, the one who was behind the door, looked quite surprised. "Eh… heh… um, Goombella?"

"Yeah?" She asked.

Eddy began to walk in. "With that jerk Goombirro out of the way, I'll be completely able to lay on my old Eddy charm." He thought.

"Goombella… ha-ha, do you look like 50 bucks tonight or what?"

"…huh?" Goombella asked. "What are bucks?"

Robin, having a book nearby (a dictionary), took it and turned to a page. "Bucks." she read. "Adult male Antelopes."

"I looks like 50 male antelopes?" Goombella asked, with a mixed voice of offense and confusion.

"Nice going!" he scolded in his mind. He slapped his forehead quickly. "No, no! I should say, you look like 50 coins! Yes, right!"

Goombella gave back a confused stare. "So I'm money?"

"You know what?" Eddy asked. "Forget it!"

Robin chuckled in the background.

"…so, what's up?" Goombella asked.

"Oh, right!" Eddy shouted. He approached Goombella. "I was just wondering… um, if I could… uh…"

Goombella walked toward him. "Yes?"

Eddy gasped. "Oh crud, I don't know what to do. I never thought I was going to get this far!"

"Uh…" Eddy continued. "Maybe… join in the conversation?"

"Oh, ok." Goombella said.

Eddy smirked and sat down beside her on a couch, whilst Robin watched out of curiosity all the while.

"So…" Robin continued. "Shall we continue?"

"Ok." Goombella said. "So, about my world's archeology. I have come across all sorts of awesome places, like Dry Dry Ruins, Shwonk Fortress…"

As Goombella began to explain her research, Eddy sat there and nodded, having not the slightest idea what was going on.

"Ok, we're going nowhere fast." Eddy groaned in his thoughts.

"…and of course, the site had to be dug twice, because it began to rain right in the middle of our expedition."

"Oh my." Robin said. "But I'm glad that you're colleagues were able to repel the bandit's meddlesome attacks."

"What do you think?" Goombella asked, turning toward Eddy.

"OH! Um… well." Eddy stuttered. "Ok, think Eddy! What would Double D say?"

"Well…" Eddy began. "That kind of… ex-pid-di-tion seems to be really helpful… in… oh c'mon, what's the word! Uh! …inv-ig-et-or-a-tory…"

"…invigorating?" Goombella corrected him.

"Yeah!" Eddy shouted, slamming his fist on the couch's armrest. "Oh, and if you really want to know something cool, I saw some pretty awesome stuff in the palace of shadow."

"Really?" Goombella asked.

"Yeah! Ok, check this…"

Sanji finally turned off the stove, and placed the food on the table in front of Double D.

"I know it's not that large of a meal, but it should be enough to help you rest tonight."

Double D smiled. "Thanks, Sanji."

The door quickly opened up.

"Hey!" Eddy shouted. "I said I was sorry!"

"Eddy, you didn't save us all single-handedly and you know it! Don't lie about being the legendary hero either, I was there!"

Eddy tried to protest: "Goombella-"

"Don't ever lie about archeological information again!" Goombella shouted, before running back into the room.

Eddy stood still, realizing that both Sanji and Double D were both starring at him.

"…what?" Eddy asked.

"Why were you in the girl's bedroom?" Double D asked.

Eddy frowned. "Because!"

He sat down near Double D and pouted.

"Are you alright?" Double D asked.

"Close enough." Eddy replied. "Stupid archeology."

The door opened up again. This time, it was Robin.

"She apparently needs some time to herself." Robin sighed.

"Ah!" Sanji exclaimed. "Miss Robin, why, you look ravishing tonight!"

Robin smiled. "Thanks, Mr. Cook."

Eddy placed his head on the table. "Why does it work when he does it?"

Double D rose an eyebrow. "Huh?"

Sanji spun as he approached Nico Robin, absentmindedly grabbing the plate he was about to serve Double D, and held it toward Robin in a fancy posture.

"I know it is but a small offering, but please accept it. I have prepared the finest of foods just for you."

"Thank you." Robin said, sitting at a chain away from the table. She casually took a sip of coffee while reading from a book. Sanji forgot all about Double D and Eddy, quickly joining her a heart in his eye.

"I'm going to go get some air." Eddy said. He began to walk toward the exit.

"Ok, Eddy." Sock Hat said. "But don't take too long. It's late, we should get some rest soon."

Eddy ignored him and walked outside.

Unlike the inside of the Going Merry, it was considerably warm outside. This was because they were getting closer to the equator as the ship sailed. Mac and Bloo, having nowhere else to rest, slept in the waterbed in the back of the van, which was still secured on the deck of the ship.

Eddy walked down some stairs and then continued to walk upward, toward the figurehead. He came to a stop, leaning his back against the sheep figurehead. Unlike the rest of the ship, since this was the very front, he could feel it rocking even harder, as wind rushed against him.

"…Ah, what's a guy got to do to get a girl's attention?" He sighed.

"Ask Sanji." replied another voice.

Eddy gasped and turned around. "Who the-"

It was Luffy, lying down on the figurehead, leaning backwards and starring at Eddy whilst being upside down.

"Don't do that!" Eddy shouted.

"Ok." Luffy replied. He jumped upward, getting on his feet, and stood towering over Eddy.

"You're up late." Eddy said. "What are ya doin'?"

"You are too." Luffy replied.

"Yeah, whatever." Eddy groaned.

"What's you're problem?" Luffy asked.

"A little miffed, that's it." Eddy groaned.

"Miffed?" Luffy asked. "What for?"

"None of your beeswax!" Eddy loudly shouted.

Luffy replied with a laugh. "Just do what I do when I get angry."

"Hm?" Eddy asked.

Luffy placed one of his hands on his elbows and pulled backwards, in an odd fighting posture. "Hit the guy who got you angry."

Eddy placed a hand on his chin. "Hm… beat up Goombirro. …not bad, not a bad idea at all."

"Is that guy your enemy?" Luffy asked.

"…not, exactly." Eddy said. "I mean, he's on the same team as us and all… but, well, he's with the girl I used to like, and-"

Luffy starred back at him with the most clueless of expressions.

"…are you paying attention?" Eddy asked.

Luffy nodded, still looking like he wasn't paying attention.

"…just the way he said something to me earlier." Eddy said. "It's been stickin' to me for a while."

"Hm?" Luffy asked.

"It was right after that accident… with the slingshot." Eddy said.

"I hope you don't take me for an idiot." Eddyrecalled him say. "I saw you fire that right at her. First, you attack my girlfriend, then you frame someone else about it even though it's obvious that it's you. You're a real punk, you know that? Just do us both a favor and stay as far away from Goombella as possible."

Luffy starred back with a serious expression.

"But, it's not fair. I met her before he did." Eddy said. "And he sounded really creepy when he said it too."

Straw Hat jumped off of the figurehead, and landed beside Eddy. "Huh?"

"It's true." Eddy said. "If I ever get the chance to, I'll pull him aside really let him have it!"

Luffy began to walk away from Eddy, toward the front rail.

"Uh, hello?" Eddy asked. "Luffy!"

The Straw Hat boy reached the rail, and effortlessly climbed himself onto the top of the railing, and peered outward into the open sea. "Wow…"

"LUFFY!" Eddy shouted.

"Hey, Eddy!" Luffy shouted. "C'mon and see this! It's so cool!"

Eddy growled and marched toward the rail. "This had better be good."

He stood aside Luffy, and looked into the ocean.

"…what, what is it?" Eddy said.

"No, look over there, to your left." Luffy added.

Eddy turned his head. "WHAT THE-"

"I know!" Luffy shouted. "Isn't it cool?"

Eddy took a few steps back, then turned around and ran from the spot, back toward the ship.

"HEY!" He shouted at the top of his lungs as he ran. "EVERYONE UP! THIS AIN'T A DRILL!"

Mac sprung up instantly. The back hatch of the van opened up, and Mac crawled out and onto the deck, still wearing his pajamas. "W-what's going on?"

Bloo followed after a few seconds later, still appearing tired.

The door opened up, and Double D, Sanji, and Robin all ran out.

"Look!" Eddy shouted, pointing in front of the boat.

They reached the end of the deck and peered outward. Ahead of then, in the near pitch-black area, there was something very large, larger then the ship itself. It was spinning very quickly, and the sounds of water getting sucked into it's spiral were getting progressively louder. The ship, getting closer and closer toward it began to complain in creaks and groans.

"Oh… my…" Double D said.

"What is that?" Sanji asked, trying to get a better view.

Robin was the only other one who didn't seem worried. "From this distance, I think that it is a Whirlpool."

Author's Notes: Ok, That about sums up this little chapter. Not too much action, just more dialog for the most part. Yup, I introduced two new characters in the beginning. They aren't part of any crossover, I invented them myself. They will eventually have a big role in this.

Well, that's about it for this round. Hopefully that little cliffhanger will be enough for everyone for now. I'll keep writing, but please review in the meantime!