Chapter 3: Heading back to Sabaondy

After the small fight against Duval and the Makoro crew to rescue Hachi, the Straw Hat crew were able to finally taste the takoyaki Caimie had promised then. Along the way they gained the friendship, even though unrequired, of Duval, whom now had a brand new face thanks to Sanji.

"So now we're heading to Sabaondy Archipelago," Caimie said while holding a map of the route they had to take.

"Do we have to go there to be able to go to Fishman Island?" Usopp asked, absentmindedly.

"Well, us fishmen and mermaids and the likes can just dive straight there, but since you guys are humans wouldn't be able to make it alive due to the sea pressure," Hachi explained.

"Yeah, even our submarine couldn't make it that far," Franky agreed.

"Alright, pay attention everyone!" Pappag said out loud as he stood on one of the ship's rails. "It looks like you're all in the dark about how things work out, so it's time for somebody to explain the ins and outs of this area so you all are aware of it." The starfish cleared his throat. "First up: actually, there are two ways to get to the New World from here. But for outlaws like yourselves, there's only one which would be fit and open for ya'll."

All the crew left whatever they were doing to sit down and listen to him.

"The first way would make a request to the World Government. This would lead to them open the way over the Red Line and go through the Holy Land Mariejoa, which lies at the peak. But for pirates, like you, there's no way they would agree to let you through and you wouldn't get permission, whatsoever."

"Wait, walking over the Red Line? What does it mean?" Chopper asked.

"Well, you'd have to leave your ship behind and get a new one once you reached the other side," Pappag said as if it was the most logical thing to do.

"Leave the ship behind?!" Franky roared.

"Yeah. It'd cost a bit of cash and the application would take a while to come through, but that'd be the safest way to get there and is what most people opt to do…" The starfish shook its head. "However, on the route you'll be taking, your ship comes with you. It's 'the Ocean-Floor Route', which goes straight to Fishman Island!"

"But that route isn't the safest one to take," Caimie added, smiling.

"Hey, Caimie! I don't remember giving the story back to you!" Pappag said slightly upset.

"Plenty of people who tried to take that path ended up getting eaten by sea monsters or Sea Kings, ship and all."

"Huh?!"

"Uh… I don't think I wanna go to Fishman Island after all…" Chopper said, slightly afraid.

"Me either…" Usopp added.

"Wait a minute. Caimie, you said ship and all, right?" As the mermaid nodded, Nami added. "But what kind of ship can travel through the ocean floor?"

"This ship, of course!"

"But this ship doesn't have the ability to dive…" Franky murmured, thoughtfully.

"No! That's fine. You see, in that huge wall that goes around the whole world… the Red Line, there's just one tiny little hole in a certain place…" Caimie stopped for a second and then added as she saw the alarm on the crew's faces. "Oh, but of course, from our perspective it's a really huge one. And that's where Fishman Island is!"

"It's pretty much straight under Mariejoa. You just have to dive ten thousand meters underwater and you're there. Is a pretty amazing place, too!" Hachi tried to reassure them.

"Wasn't that sky island ten thousand meters up in the sky too?" Zoro said as he scratched his head. This whole thing was like having a freaking déjà vu.

"That's why you need to get your ship coated at the island where we're headed!" Caimie chimed in.

"Coating?" Nami and Franky said in disbelief, having no idea what the heck were they talking about.

"Woah!" Luffy exclaimed.

"How lovely!"

"That's Sabaondy Archipelago!"

But only one person knew what was up in the oven for them in that place. In more than just one way, at that. Once they got to where Rayleigh should've been, Shakky's bar, they headed for the Sabaondy Park where Caimie got abducted by human traffickers where a mermaid was a big of a catch.

After contacting with the ex-Flying Fish Riders, the whole crew joined them in pursuit of the ones that had dared touch one of the precious Straw Hat friends.

"I should've warned her properly about the kind of place this was!" Pappag whined. "I feel like an idiot for even coming here in the first place. I should've made sure Caimie never set foot here, no matter what I had to do to stop her!"

"I'm sorry, Straw Hat… I was trying to give you a hand and ended up giving you more trouble."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Luffy refuted as he was getting more and more irritated. Damn, he'd went through this at one point and now it was happening all over again. "You guys haven't done anything wrong. The three of you are our friends now, aren't you? So, we're going to save Caimie no matter what it takes. Stop crying already!"

"Oh… you…!"

"Those are the Flying Fish Riders!" Hachi exclaimed as his eyes met with the newcomers.

"Let's hitch a ride!"

As Luffy got on the Flying Fish along the rider, the Straw Hat captain began to think about all the things he'd done over the years, but especially on this very day. The way things turned out wasn't the best but hell if he had any regrets. He'd do anything for his friends and Caimie was definitely one.

Should he, though, repeat all that went down in that devastating day? He knew he should, at least he had to lure Kuma to Sabaondy so they could be separated because telling his crew to split up and meet right there two years from now wouldn't work. They would just question his common sense.

Ah, hell… I'll just have to get a repeat of the whole thing. Even though if now I'm pretty much confident that I'll be able to take down all those robots by myself, things can't change this much!

The sound of a Den Den Mushi made him pay attention to what he had on hands right there.

"Ah, is the boss! They seem to have found the ones who abducted the mermaid!"

"They did?! Then let's hurry up!" Luffy answered.

It was true that this very day was still imprinted like fire in his head. The way he burst in that auction house, how that damn World Noble treated Hachi when they discovered he was a fishman and shoot at him… He was sure he would get angry all over again, but that was fine. Those despicable monsters deserved a good beating. And he wouldn't as much as hold back.

"Burst right through!" he yelled as he saw that they were right in front of the damn building.

"Wha-!"

"What's all this ruckus?!"

"Luffy?! And… Zoro!"

"Ah… Caimie!"

Before he even thought a way to approach the situation, the raven-haired boy began to run towards the stage.

"Caimie! Wait right there!"

"Wait, Straw Hat! Nyu…!" Hachi said as he grabbed him with his six extra hands.

"What'ya mean?! She's right there!" Luffy exclaimed as he tried to set himself free.

"Yeah, she is but look carefully at the situation! She has one of those collars on, not to mention that the Tenryuubito are involved now!"

"A fishman! A fishman's here! How disgusting!"

"Don't let it near me!"

"Go back to the sea, you monster!"

"It's like Robin said… Fishmen and merfolk are… absolutely discriminated against…!"

"They're what?!" Chopper asked in alarm.

As Luffy was trying to get to the stage, the sound of a gunshot stopped him on his tracks and as he looked back, the same nightmare that twelve years ago had unfolded… It was like someone had set a snail that could reproduce images on rewind and on replay.

Right when that happened the annoying, disgusting voice of that Tenryuubito reached his ears once more as he mocked Hachi as if he wasn't even a person. As if… it was less than a mountain of junk that you had to get rid of.

"Hachi!" Nami's scream came right after. And Luffy could feel the anger and the rage surge through his whole system once more.

"Ah, thank goodness. He shot it… If it had come any closer we might have caught something from it…"

He had had enough of this bullshit. Luffy turned around and began to step up. When he was going past Hachi, the fishman grabbed him.

"That's enough, Straw Hat… Please…" he panted "wai…" The octopus coughed. "You promised… even if something or somebody gets shot… right before your eyes, you mustn't go up against… the Tenryuubito…!"

"Stupid fish… Blabbing your mouth off even though I shot you… You're getting on my nerves…!"

At that, Luffy lifted his gaze and glared right at the stupid man. Oh, yes. He was about to pay for what he'd done and said. Now he wasn't getting away with the bullshit he'd pulled off.

"Stop it, Straw Hat! You'll never get off this island unscathed!"

Watch me as I do. That was his thought.

"What's this guy up to?" one of the people in the audience said.

"Is he serious?" Kid mumbled.

"And don't get me started on you!" the Tenryuubito said as he shot again.

Luffy's glare was now wild, one of pure hatred as he came up near the noble and his hand impacted on the Tenryuubito with a well-deserved punch, sending him flying several steps upwards.

"Sorry, guys. I know that if you hit one of these guys… one Marine Admiral will show up with a hoard of battleships in tow."

"Why did you go and punch him? I wanted to slice him up!" Zoro said as if nothing had happened.

A/N:

Well, here's the third chapter. I know I've skipped plenty of the original scenes but I didn't want it to get too slow, but neither too fast so, yeah.

Woot, Luffy hit that World Noble. He fucking deserved it. Always hated those snobs good-for-nothing.

Now to respond to the lovelies who've left their comments:

Dator Mortis: Why thank you! No, until everything at Impel Down and Marineford has went down he won't tell anything. And taking his crew there would change too many things. They wouldn't have a chance there, remember that Zoro's in no shape for another fight. Here's the next update! Hope you enjoy!

general yumi: I'll try my best. I hated the fact that Whitebeard died too, I'll try hard to prevent him from going down, can't promise much, though!

BlackGryphon101: Glad you're liking it! I can feel proud if people say they're looking forward to it or they like it so far. And no, he won't be able to have a thorough talk with Rayleigh and as I've been saying, I don't want to change too many things. Besides, remember that Rayleigh's a retired pirate, true he's willing to help them out but he won't get involved that much in the New Pirate Era's affairs. Oh, I don't doubt he would but remember that (if I'm correct) he said that his own era passed by already and that now was the time for a new one. So, no, Rayleigh won't take part in Marineford. Sabo will, though. More of Sabo will come soon, you can tell with this chapter that I'm trying to get there as soon as possible.

Awsme Grl: Why, thank you! I know it's uncommon and that's why I went with it since no one has done this before! Hope you keep on enjoying it!

Ace Portgas D: Thank you! Here's the new chapter! And I love your nickname *smirks*

Ang3l S0ng: Well, that scene won't show up. I wanted to make it go as quickly as possible. Here's the new chapter! Enjoy!

DoubleM7: Thank you! I was already planning on skipping scenes. Would've been too boring to re-read what you already know is gonna happen, right?

Lightningblade49: Yes, that's what I thought too. It would be a too radical change of events and, honestly, Oda did a great thing with the 2 years skip. And yes, definitely he'll get a higher prize on his head. And that's the plan!

Well, here's the third one. I'm already working on the fourth one so, you'll get a new update soon! I couldn't wait a whole week to update xD.

See y'all soon!