Chapter 4: What's Inside?Walking on the Thousand Sunny!
The sun began to rise after the successful raid on the fort. Ash became the tenth member of Monkey D. Luffy's Straw Hat pirates. He and Pikachu slept on cushy beds in the same room with Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Brook, Franky, Chopper and Usopp. Seemingly enjoying a dream, Sanji turned his body around like a rolling pin. "Oh… Nami-Swan…" he cooed. "I deserve everything… and everything is you. Please don't tease me so much…" With one hard turn, he rolled out of bed and onto the ground hard. Zoro, trying to sleep while on his side, back facing the edge of the bed, rolled backwards… and off the bed and near Sanji. "Make me your peach cobbler… Nami-Swan…" Sanji puckered his lips as Zoro started to wake. Seeing Sanji's lips so close to him, Zoro began to panic.
"No, not again!" he gulped. "Get away, Chef Boner!" He inched his head away from the lips when Sanji opened his eyes. He saw Zoro and gawked to how close the two were.
"What the- What the hell, Moss-head!?"
"You doing that thing with your lips again towards me!"
"Like hell, I would to you! I bet you wanted an excuse to execute me!"
"The only thing I'll execute is that way you work with ladies, now that I know you aren't that good at it!"
"Hey, you're faring much worse off!" The argument woke Ash and Pikachu to see the tension between the only two awakened beforehand. Irritated, Ash turned to his Pokémon.
"Pikachu, you know what to do," he mulled.
("Got it,") Pikachu squeaked. Ash rolled away before Pikachu released a Thunderbolt, shocking the two. Several seconds later, Sanji and Zoro seemed a little crispier than normal.
"Was that really… necessary?" muttered a shocked Sanji.
"Well, we did kinda wake him up," a stunned Zoro gulped. Ash and Pikachu gathered themselves before stepping out of the room and outside. He journeyed to the front of the ship just behind the figurehead statue. Ash leaned on the hull rim while Pikachu hopped onto the figurehead. Ever since Misty activated the trap door, his life had taken such a turn. From a Pokémon Trainer to a pirate by a came of mistaken identity…
"I still can't believe what we did," he muttered. "We're usually good guys. Now we've committed crimes that would make Team Rocket a little envious." Pikachu mulled to the misfortune. "I guess you know what I mean. Fighting Marines and an agent of the World Government…" Their time alone would end.
"Good morning, Ash!" Robin greeted from the other side of the ship. Ash and Pikachu turned to Robin, sporting a smile to ease tension.
"Morning, Robin! We'll be right over!" It would take five minutes for Ash and Pikachu to reach Robin and see a garden of flowers she watered. Pikachu awed Robin's garden. "I agree. These flowers are gorgeous." Robin chuckled to the compliment.
"Thanks. Did you have a nice time sleeping?"
"Almost. Not because I'm sleeping in a bed instead of my bag, more of Sanji and Zoro arguing at each other." Robin giggled a little to the notion.
"No surprise, considering those two don't see face-to-face without some sort of conflict." Ash shrugged, now understanding a little to the argument. He looked around to find a small garden with seeds sprouting. He also found tangerine trees. Seeing Ash's fixated face, Robin decided to help with explanations. "Oh, the garden there is Usopp's. He uses the Pop Greens as weapons. He still uses Stars like his infamous Ketchup Star for faking death. The trees are Nami's tangerine trees. She grows in the name of her adoptive mother, Bellemere." Ash and Pikachu awed the gardens growing on the ship. An idea came to mind.
"You don't mind if I help out, do you?" Robin giggled once again.
"Not at all." Granted, Ash summoned Bulbasaur and they grabbed watering cans to water the plants. Remembering last night, Ash wondered about the Poneglyph discovered from the raid.
"Did you learn anything from the scroll?" Robin blinked to the question.
"You know, I studied it last night. What I found was a riddle, but no question connected to One Piece." Ash and Pikachu wondered more. Robin presented the finding written on a paper. Ash looked at it.
"One cannot sea; the land's of my find; the view from the gods isn't found but moved to beast the weak. Poseidon's Epic is a Siren of danger and reached by wing." Ash, Pikachu and Bulbasaur couldn't help but be befuddled with the riddle. "One cannot sea? Why is it spelled S-E-A, not S-E-E?"
"It could mean that the island holding One Piece isn't on the surface. It may be either in the skies like Skypiea or underwater like Fishman Island. Looking even more, it's most likely in the skies above. Then again, it wouldn't make sense with the third line: 'the view from the gods isn't found'." Ash pondered about it more, only to come up with no answer.
"I got nothing… I want to understand it more…" One more chuckle from Robin told Ash not to think about it a lot.
"Don't worry about it. You probably won't be around when we all find it." Robin's smile got to Ash once more, unable to keep quiet about her face.
'What is it about her smile? It looks… eerily familiar.' Before he became fixated about it, Sanji appeared with food on trays.
"Morning, Ash," he sounded. "Good morning, Robin, dear!"
"Good morning, Sanji," they replied. Within reach, Sanji handed food to Ash and Robin. Eggs, bacon, hash browns, bread and croissants filled each plate.
"Okay, let's see what you dish out," Ash punned. Taking a few bites, Ash's eyes lit up.
"I wasn't gonna feed you after you used Pikachu to shock me and Zoro. Though, I guess dreaming about Nami and nearly kissing Zoro in the process…" A shrill from Ash stopped Sanji's rant.
"This is good, just as good as my mom's or Brock's cooking." Interested, Pikachu ate a few strings of seasoned hash browns, its eyes lighting up. Sanji smiled while lighting a cigarette.
"So, these gourmet-styled meals aren't new to you? Not that I mind. Then again, I assume your mom's got the same cooking décor I have, right?" Ash blinked, a little confused.
"What do you mean?" The blank reply told Sanji that Ash was still young.
"Don't worry too much." To Ash, breakfast felt missed.
"Anyway, it's a quality I've been missing for sometime. Aside from being an upcoming Pokémon Breeder, Brock was an excellent cook, especially through the Kanto Region. Then came an errand to Valencia Island and meeting Professor Ivy and those three sisters… and Brock chose to stay. Since then, I've dealt with Misty's bad cooking, Tracey's simple fruit sandwiches and decent cooking from the Pokémon Centers. Heck, I don't know how to cook." Sanji realized Ash barely had enough to eat since Brock stayed with this professor.
"That's a problem… I've met many a chef who claim they can cook but none have captured the essential hands and expertise I've long searched for… but that doesn't necessarily mean they're bad by any sense of nature, just in need of knowing true culinary arts." Ash and the Pokémon became curious to Sanji's explanation. "It's not hard to figure that cooking is a skill and I can help. After all, I fed an entire Marine Base while trying to rescue our ship from G8. How about it, Ash? Perhaps you can use it to impress your mother and this Misty that I assume is a girl." Since Ash can't do Pokémon battles like back home, he believed this could help him down the road.
"You do seem to have plenty of talent that could be fulfilled," Robin assured. This push gave Ash enough initiative to proceed.
"Okay," he finally answered. Sanji nodded, accepting the new student. "Anyway, I haven't had much time to ask questions with everything going on with rescuing you from the Marines and the fort raid… But what's going on with this place? What's this One Piece you found in the scroll? What about Devil Fruit that gives you guys these powers? Why become pirates?"
"Whoa, slow down!" urged Sanji. "Give us time to assemble these questions." Robin wanted to get something of her chest.
"If I may, Sanji?" she started. Hearing Robin asking for a request, Sanji quickly turned to Robin with hearts in his eyes.
"Yes, of course, Robin, dear!" Robin turned to Ash, ready to talk.
"The Marines, or more specifically, the World Government came to my home called Ohara. There, I was a scholar of my people, able to read and understand Poneglyph language at a young age. That's when the World Government launched an unprovoked attack. I was the only survivor. The World Government killed everyone by use of the Buster Call. I was fortunate to live, if only…" To Ash, Robin's home was destroyed without provable cause. The World Government had mercilessly murdered for no reason. He and the Pokémon sympathized with the eldest woman.
"So that's why you're after the World Government," he muttered. "I'm sorry about that." Sanji decided to add to the problem.
"Robin's not the only one," he started. "Most of us had our lives screwed by the World Government. That's why we're out here against the authority." Ash realized the purpose of the Straw Hats and the war against the World Government.
"I now feel honored to be a Straw Hat pirate," he accepted. "More than when we started the raid." Robin and Sanji understood Ash's new conviction to his cause.
"The next thing I can bring up are Devil Fruits. I'm sure you're aware of the four on the Sunny who have these unusual powers like Robin and Chopper."
"And Luffy and Brook."
"Right on. Devil Fruits are foods that grant anyone who eats it powers, though at first bite, it's… less than taste to be light. They also vary by classes like Zoan and Logia and affect each. Luffy ate the Paramecia-Type Gum-Gum Fruit."
"Like chewing gum?"
"That's one way of describing it. Luffy's body is now made of rubber as you've already known… better Pikachu tried to shock him over Nami-Swan. Chopper ate the Zoan-Type Human-Human Fruit and can morph his body to anything he could. He has more options by eating his Rumble Balls." Pikachu and Bulbasaur wondered about eating something made from the reindeer. "Another Paramecia-Type Devil Fruit is Brook who ate the Revive-Revive Fruit. He may look dead, and he once did, but the Revive-Revive Fruit offers him a second chance. One more Paramecia-Type is Robin who ate the Flower-Flower Fruit." Ash remembered how Robin used her powers against the Marines.
"Oh yeah… She could grow limbs and make anyone who have them submit." Robin smiled, realizing the growing intelligence on Ash. Her smile turned a little sly.
"That's not all," she sneered as she crossed her arms again. "Pierna Fleur." Flower petals passed Ash before he felt legs beneath his bare feet. He nearly fell to his new height, now within the same height as Robin. She walked to Ash and helped steady him. "There are many ways I can fight with my powers, but I can have fun with them like this." She leaned into Ash and kissed him between the eyes. Ash's face turned red. Sanji gawked at Robin's frontal to Ash.
"Robin…!" he whined.
"Of course, those who eat a Devil Fruit lose their ability to swim. Even more, water's the main weakness as it saps a user's energy." The extra explanation made Ash and the Pokémon gulp.
"No wonder they call them Devil Fruits," he figured. "Always a risk." Ash's extended feet turned to petals and scattered away. Zoro came forward, completely recovered from the electric jolt.
"Fed?" he asked. Ash nodded. "Good. We start training. Come with me." Ash and Pikachu glared to each other before following Zoro. The three climbed the mast to a hut on the top. Ash and Pikachu awed the crow's nest hut. "Don't admire it too long." Zoro tossed a pair of swords to Ash. He noticed the swords.
"Weren't these the same swords the Marines used?"
"Yeah, but it's not like they'll use them again." He brought out a wooden sword and pointed it to Ash who now held a sword in each hand. "Let's go." Ash crossed his arms and charged. He swung both but Zoro blocked both, the "blade" catching both. Leaping back, Ash reset himself before picturing a green man-sized mantis with blades for arms.
'Let's try picturing myself as Tracey's Scyther.' He dashed head on, one sword out at Zoro while the other tucked back. The lunge made Zoro scoff. He blocked the first sword but the second emerged and in a blink, the second sword deflected away, not reaching the moss-head. Again, Ash reset himself. He spun the swords and now held them backhanded.
"Going assassin-style? Good luck." One more charge… Ash swung with the sword like a punch. Again, Zoro deflected the strike. That's when he saw Ash with the other hand flying for an uppercut. Zoro leaped clear… but not fast enough. The strike actually cut his robe and he realized it. "Must be slowing down a little bit. That was good, Ash! Ready to continue?" Ash nodded. Going for a few hours, Ash showed improvement in his speed and precision. During downtime, Zoro showed Ash his three swords.
"These what make up your Three-Sword style?"
"That's the current set: The Wadō Ichimonji, the Kitetsu III and the Shusui. Give Shusui a few swings." Handed the black sword, Ash swung the sword around and feel the weight of the blade. "It belonged to a samurai named Ryuma, a rather touchy swordsman who now lives as a zombie." Ash gulped to the title given.
"Z-Zombie?" He tossed the sword away.
"He's still respected despite being part of the undead, though he's gone for good. Anyway, Kitetsu is a cursed sword." He unsheathed a katana with a red hilt and gold thumb-guard. "They say those who wield it will suffer a horrible death. However, I tried my luck and won its trust." To Ash, it felt comparable.
"Really…? It's kinda like Pokémon, especially those I've captured and trained, without the cursed part. Sometimes, you need to gain the trust like I have. Right, Pikachu?" The Electric Mouse Pokémon squeaked to agree with Ash. Zoro handed Ash the white sword, the Wadō Ichimonji.
"This one holds a special place in my heart, though not all for the right reasons. The Wadō Ichimonji belonged to a friend and daughter of a dojo's owner, Kuina. We made a promise that one of us would be the strongest swordsman. Only a day later, she died in an accident and I inherited her blade as my promise to fulfill our dream." He unclothed his torso, revealing scars all over. Ash and Pikachu gawked to the scars on him.
"Whoa, how are you still standing?" Zoro smirked, the humor apparent. Ash refocused on the Wadō Ichimonji. The tragic tale made him think. Pikachu squeaked sadly about the story. "Excuse me..." Ash laid the blade down and began to pray. Zoro saw the action, awing his dedication to her memory.
"He understands the burden…" After some more time in the crow's nest, Ash and Pikachu came down to be met by Franky.
"Hey, how was your training?" he asked.
"Weird," Ash admitted. "I'm a trainer… in training. Try making sense of that." Franky refocused his attention.
"Let me show you around the Sunny, if you need to find something. Follow me." Ash and Pikachu obeyed as Ash followed with Pikachu on his shoulder. From the second floor from the deck, they entered into a kitchen and dining room. The bar separated the small kitchen and the tables and sofas. In the kitchen, Sanji cooked with a smile on his face when he heard the door open.
"Franky, Ash!" he called. "Welcome to the kitchen." Ash and Pikachu reached the bar with Franky watching.
"Looks like a place I could call home if on a ship," he studied. Sanji chuckled from the compliment.
"So you say?" Both shared a laugh. That's when Ash noticed the heat building and him working on the stove.
"So, what are you whipping up now?" All Sanji did was smile.
"Later tonight when we feed everyone." Ash nodded, thinking whatever he's stirring will be good. Franky led Ash to another room with a bed, desk, medicine cabinet… and Chopper.
"Hey, need a checkup?" he announced.
"Nah, just checking it out, Chopper," Ash joked. "So this is Sick Bay?"
"Well, the medicine room but yeah. Here, I can treat any wounds you have."
"I see. I may need you if Sanji ends up giving me food poisoning."
"That almost never happens… but I do have treatments for it. After all, I'm hoping to be a great doctor." Satisfied, Ash turned to Franky where they journeyed up to what seemed like a library. Numerous books filled the shelves. They found Robin reading a book.
"Hi, sweetie," she greeted to Ash. "Came to see the library?" Ash awed the quantity of books discovered.
"That's quite a collection of books," he awed as he toured through the shelves. "Books on history, books on medicine…"
"You can come here to learn a lot about this world while you and the Pokémon are here." A splash echoed from above. Finding the ladder and looking up, the group found Nami peering from above.
"Oh, Franky giving you a tour of the Sunny?" she asked. Ash nodded to the question.
"At least it's me and not Sanji or Brook with him," Franky pointed out. Before Ash could ask, Robin decided to inform.
"Above here is the bathing room," she explained. Ash questioned the construction of the Sunny with this idea of making rooms.
"You'd put a room full of water above a room full of books?" he tried to understand. Franky didn't seem bothered.
"It sounds like a disaster waiting to happen but we have mechanisms to make sure to avoid that calamity," he assured. Pikachu wanted to trust the shipwright. They left and after some walking found Usopp in a storeroom with a banner reading "USOPP'S FACTORY." Usopp cleaned cannons when everyone arrived.
"Hey, Ash," he greeted. "Welcome to my workshop." Ash looked around, finding several different slingshots hanging on the walls.
"You made all of these slingshots?" he awed.
"Impressive, right?" Usopp finished his polishing before ready to guide Ash down the hall. They came across a door with "SOLDIER DOCK SYSTEM" printed on it. "Here's where we have smaller ships in our dock system for when we're fighting or finding something. We have Nami's White Hobby Horse, the Mini-Merry II, the Shark Submerge III, the Black Rhino FR-U IV, the Brachio-Tank V and one more to have a swimming pool." Franky decided to add to the detail.
"Before I helped build the Sunny, the Mini-Merry had been on my mind since their original ship, the Going Merry, could not sail. They gave it a viking funeral, even though no one wanted to see her burn." Ash seemed to know something about vikings before but that was a sports team.
"A viking funeral: it's cast out to sea to burn until nothing left," he recalled. "I briefly saw that in the library." Usopp pointed to the door with "2" on it. Franky opened the door to show Ash a steam-powered paddle-boat with a white lamb as its figurehead. "So you're the memory of the first ship…" He turned to his partner. "Shall we?" Pikachu nodded before they knelt to the Mini-Merry. Ash removed his bandanna and put it on his chest while palming the little ship. Usopp and Franky seemed… touched.
"My goodness," Usopp awed while tears drained from his eyes. "That's one heartfelt dedication."
"That 's so moving!" cried Franky. Tears poured from his face. "Ash is one who knows a legacy! But I'm not crying, dammit! Sanji's got onions down here!" Ignoring the two, Ash and Pikachu finished the prayer to the Mini-Merry.
"Your parent ship was something special to these Straw Hats," he said.
"You have no idea," replied Usopp and Franky. Hours of touring the Sunny, Ash came back to the deck. Luffy greeted Ash back to the open air.
"So, what do you think of the Sunny?" he asked.
"Awesome, including that aquarium bar Brook's in," Ash pointed out.
"That's great!" He led Ash to the prow where Ash had a question on his mind.
"I've been wondering about how your hat became a symbol." Before he could ask, Luffy smiled and told him a story. Ash and Pikachu listened intently to the tale.
"Hearing my pledge to be king of the pirates, Shanks gave me the hat that I wouldn't lose. Anyone donning my hat is a Straw Hat pirate." Ash and Pikachu awed the tale. "What about you?" Ash scoffed but nodded to explain himself.
"For the longest time, I've dreamed of becoming the greatest Pokémon Master. Pikachu's been with me since the start and we won't stop until we're living that dream." Luffy laughed before he removed his hat and placed it on Ash.
"The top… those are our dreams… and I want you to make it there." Ash nodded and Pikachu squeaked happily to the encouragement. "Say, how about we say it with volume?" Ash laughed but liked the idea.
"You got it!" Both stomped the prow with a foot each.
"I am Monkey D. Luffy… and I will be king of the pirates!"
"And I'm Ash Ketchum… and I will be a Pokémon Master!"
"Look out worlds!" they shouted together. "We won't stop until we reach the top!" The Straw Hats watching smiled to the dedication and vow the two had to offer.
"Just what we need, another Luffy," groaned Zoro. Luffy grabbed a piece of seared meat and gave it to Ash who ate it. Sanji stepped through the door to the kitchen.
"Dinner's ready!" he announced. As the group made their way to the kitchen, Zoro stopped by to glare at Sanji. "What do you want, moss-head? Ash will need to cook if he's back with his friends."
"Really? I see prowess with his combat abilities. There's no chance he'll outclass me but he'd be a better fighter than a cook."
"Simmer on the muscles, moss-head. He'll stir more than a few Marines with me at the helm." The argument seemed to be going nowhere. "How about a wager? Loser performs for the winner?" Zoro smirked to the offer.
"How long has it been since we agreed on something?"
"Not long enough, I'm afraid." Ash ran back to the men's bedroom before returning with his bags. He released Squirtle while Bulbasaur joined eventually.
"I'll feed Lapras and Charizard after you guys," he promised. He pulled out a massive bag of pellets, but it also freed a ball like what Ash's Pokémon came out of, except it's gold at the top and silver on the bottom. Furthermore, a carving of "GS" was above the button. Nami eyed the new ball and rushed to get it.
"Mine!" she yelled. Ash snagged the ball before Nami retrieved it.
"No!" He put the ball back in his bag. "I can't lose it!" Zoro wondered about the new ball.
"What's so special about that ball?" he asked. Ash placed the ball back in his bag.
"The GS Ball was suppose to be delivered back to Professor Oak. There's a mystery around this ball, and it doesn't help that no one could open it. I'd hope he could figure out what's with it." To a lot of the Straw Hats, they believed the importance of the GS Ball. Nami reached around Ash to grab the ball but Ash held his ground, and the ball. "No way, Nami!"
"Come on, Ash!" she whined. "Give it here!"
"I brought back all that gold from the raid, and you're not satisfied?"
"It's worth a lot!" Robin decided to aid Ash and she crossed her arms.
"Cinco Fleur!" she chanted. Five arms grew out of Nami and snared her. "When we get done, hide it so that she can't find it." Ash nodded, the circumstances mounting. Ash proceeded on feeding the Pokémon which caught Sanji's interest.
"So this is what you feed Pokémon?" he wondered. He picked a piece and plopped in his mouth, followed by Chopper. "Nice, and I can tell that it's got balance in spices… and the vitamins and minerals for the Pokémon have been perfected." Chopper's eyes lit up as well.
"This is pretty good!" he chuckled. "I could get hooked on it!"
"Right?" Trying the Pokémon food gave Sanji an idea. "I think I can make this for the Pokémon and let them try to see if they like it." Interested as well, Luffy came to try a piece. After shoving one and eating it, he made a ruling.
"It's not bad, but it needs meat," he nodded. Sanji mulled to Luffy's judgment.
"Everything you eat needs meat, doesn't it?"
"Why not? They're growing animals, some meat to juice their kibble couldn't hurt." Groans from Sanji and Ash told him otherwise. As they ate with Luffy scarfing down each tenderloin in reach, Nami had an announcement of her own.
"So you know the gold Ash and Charizard brought back?" she spoke up. "Well, after close examination, I've estimated the amount to be at least twice what we earned in Skypiea." The boys gawked to the news.
"Double from Skypiea?" gasped Franky. "From the islands in the sky?" Brook awed the news as he pounded his bony hands.
"I remember Skypiea's run by a god," he minded. "Last I heard, the god was Eneru, a Logia Fruit user. He had the Rumble-Rumble Fruit." Zoro had more.
"His lightning abilities didn't hurt Luffy and it took forever for him to realize that," he scoffed. Ash now figured out how he shook Pikachu's Thundershock easily.
"I guess since you withstood a god, Pikachu's electricity was nothing," Ash compared. Luffy snickered to the comment.
"Hey, don't sell your buddy short of Berries, Ash," he urged. Hearing berries, Pikachu began to think of what Luffy referred to. In its mind, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, any berry sounded edible. Its mouth watering, Luffy saw Pikachu's reaction. "Guess Pikachu wants some Berries I mentioned." Ash blinked to the mention of Berries.
"Something tells me the Berries you mentioned aren't food."
"It's actually money here," Nami clarified. To help, she pulled out a bill with a "1,000" print and a B with two vertical lines through it. "See? This is bill for 1,000 Berries." Ash nodded, understanding their currency. Pikachu whined that it wasn't food. Nami knelt to Pikachu, a show of sympathy. "Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." Pikachu sighed, wishing the berries weren't money. Brook became interested with the connection of Ash and his Pokémon.
"Something's been rattling my bones," he spoke. "But how did you and Pikachu become friends?" Ash seemed more than willing to explain.
"Pikachu's actually my first Pokémon," he started. "See, when I got to Professor Oak's lab, his three Starter Pokémon were already taken. I thought my Pokémon Training career ended before it started until the professor had one more…"
"Pikachu, right?" summed up Robin.
"Yep, but we didn't get off on the right foot and some of those habits are still alive like his refusal to go into his Pokéball." Sanji got an idea of what he meant.
"Is that how you carry your Charizard, Snorlax and Lapras?"
"That's right. Pikachu refused to listen and I tried to wonder why. Then, we were attacked by a flock of nasty Spearow, one I recall evolving to a Fearow. Seeing me protecting him, Pikachu realized I wanted to care for him and in a flash, used Thundershock to blast the flock away. Needless to say, we were weakened and I had to get him help. I nearly lost my friend on the first day as a trainer. We've had disagreements on and off, but he's been steadfast and we've been together since." A teary Nami picked Pikachu up and hugged him gently, knowing that Pikachu's a boy.
"That's so beautiful!" bawled Franky. Usopp believed Franky embellished the story.
"Come on, Franky," he groaned. "It's a nice story but that's not the reason to cry."
"I'm not, you idiot!" Ash had more.
"We've shared arguments and laughs like my rival, Gary," he continued. "One time, we're at an excavation site where we saw Gary digging for fossils." This peaked Robin's fancy. "We watched as it looked like he dug up a fossil… but the archaeologist who was at the site concluded it's Pokémon manure." Robin hiccuped in laugh before snickering. Before anyone could wonder, she blasted out in laughter, so loud that it caught everyone by surprise. She teared up, overcome with the hilarity.
"Wow, Robin's giggled before but not 'laugh your head off' material," Nami gulped. Before anyone got a paper bag to keep her from hyperventilate, Robin eased off.
"I wasn't expecting something so funny, and especially around my type of study," she still laughed. Night fell. Pikachu drank some cola offer by Franky in a cup that he could hold. He emptied the cup and let out a little burp, sparks flying for a moment.
"That's so adorable," Nami cooed. Pikachu could only itch his head in embarrassment. She turned to Ash with a request. "Say, Ash… is it alright if I have Pikachu for the night?" Ash became unsure about the idea.
"I don't know…" he pondered.
"Please!" She opened her eyes wide and tears form like a little sad puppy. She clasped his hands, much to Sanji's chagrin.
"No fair!" he yelled. "I want my hands held like that! And by her!" Ash began to cave when she forced her lower lip out.
"Okay, I guess you can have Pikachu for tonight," he surrendered. Delighted, Nami hugged Ash.
"Thank you, Ash!" she cheered before giving a big smooch on the cheek. Pikachu climbed on Nami's shoulder before they left the kitchen. To Zoro, the move seemed to favor Ash.
"Nami will be distracted long enough for you to hide the GS ball," he suggested. Ash realized the idea and agreed.
"I guess I forgot about that," he admitted. "Though, this does give me an idea where I can put it." Ash set out to hide the GS Ball in a place he believed Nami wouldn't look. Nami snuggled with Pikachu as Robin watched.
"You like being in Nami's arms?" Pikachu squeaked to confirm Robin's guess.
"You should've heard him burp," Nami giggled. "Not often would my heart melt for something like that." This made Robin wonder.
"Maybe I can cuddle with Ash at some point…" Nami blinked to the suggestion.
"Robin… aren't you… uh…" Robin heard the stutter.
"Something wrong?" Nami shook her head in denial.
"Just tired. That's all. Night!" Nami and Pikachu snuggled in and fell asleep. The next morning, Nami fed Pikachu a tangerine on the deck near the wheel. "You like it?" Pikachu's chime agreed with her. Suddenly, a coo. Looking up, Nami found a seagull carrying papers in its bag. 'Hey, a News Coo. I wonder if anything's going on back at Cocoyashi Village?" The News Coo landed on the Prow and handed something to Nami who read it. "You're charging more for this?" The News Coo shrugged its wings, trying to play innocent. "Fine… I guess you're just doing your job for birdseed." She paid and the News Coo handed her the paper. It flew off while Ash stepped out of the boys room. Seeing the paper in Nami's hands, he figured she received a newspaper.
"Any new stories?" he asked. As Nami opened the newspaper, a piece of tan paper fell out. It sailed to Ash with Pikachu following it.
"I was hoping maybe for some good news from near my home." When Ash looked at the paper, his eyes nearly jumped out of his head.
"What!" Nami heard the shriek and came over to see what Ash had. The other Straw Hats came over to see the trainer and his paper. "What's this?" What would make Ash freak like this?
TO BE CONTINUED…