Chapter 15: The Sound of Sunlight
Disclaimer: Do you know that big, highly successful manga series called One Piece? Yeah, I don't own that.
Previously:
Luffy and his crew are lost and separated in Skypiea, and a war is brewing. Sanji and Usopp are rescued by the Knight of the Sky, Gan Fall, while Nami and Vivi are wounded and searching for the others. Zoro was captured by Marines stranded on the island, only to be released by Tashigi. Conis is taken to Upper Yard by the Commander Yama, while her father chases after her. The raider Wiper is leading a assault against God Enel to reclaim Upper Yard for the Skypieans, while Enel himself is watching to see just who would be the last man standing in his 'Survival Game'.
Meanwhile, Luffy and Robin end up separated, and very naked together…
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
As the first faint rays of light flickered through the forest, Luffy was wide awake as he stared at the beautiful, brilliant woman who had her arms wrapped around him. They were both naked, lying together on the uncomfortable ground. Twigs and rocks dug into Luffy's side and he longed change position, but there was no force on the planet that could make him risk waking her up. Robin looked so peaceful, so serene, as she slept, and every second felt like an eternity with her body next to his. Each breath felt painfully loud in the silence of the forest, but his heartbeat was slow and steady.
Luffy assumed that he must have fallen asleep sometime during the night, but he honestly wasn't sure. The whole experience just blurred together; so vivid yet so overwhelming at the same time. The memories were burned out of his skull, yet it was the feelings that he recalled the most. The feeling of her body around his, of her muscles, and her mouth…
The very thought was enough to make his pulse race.
Instead, he just lay on the ground, perfectly still yet wide awake. He watched Robin sleep and felt the rhythm of her breathing as her breasts pushed gently against his chest. Her body was so warm. He had no idea how long he had been lying like that, but time seemed to freeze anyways. Luffy was thinking hard, or at least trying to. He had never been a great thinker, but now his thoughts were so sluggish that it had taken him hours just to form a coherent thought.
Well, Luffy thought slowly, as his skin tingled with the phantom feelings of last night; that actually happened…
…
Wow.
Even as the first rays of morning danced through the foliage, Luffy didn't move. His body was cold, itchy and trembling, but Robin looked so peaceful that he would never dare disturb her. After what seemed like a lifetime, Robin started to squirm slightly, and her eyes flickered.
"You're staring," she murmured sleepily, yawning as she stretched out, cat-like.
"… Sorry," Luffy blushed, forcing his eyes to look away.
She smiled softly, and brushed her hand against his cheek.
"It's alright," she reassured, moving in closer. "You're allowed to stare."
Their lips touched gently, a soft peck full of affection. Luffy was grinning madly. So was Robin.
"Good morning," she whispered, her hands resting on his stomach. She could already feel the pressure as Luffy's arousal started to stiffen.
With a small thrill, Robin realised that she had absolutely no regret about what she did last night. She had briefly wondered if she would wake up the morning after filled with dread and guilt for being so impulsive, but there was nothing but a warm, contented sensation filling up her chest. She had enjoyed it far too much to feel anything but satisfaction.
Luffy tried to return the greeting, but the words jammed in his throat. His heartbeat was so loud it felt deafening. Acting on instinct, he pushed himself closer for a second kiss, this time longer and more passionate, while her hands caressed his body tenderly.
She sighed softly, which only drove him to push on further. Robin could feel her body heating up. Her skin was tingling with his taste on her mouth. She had to bite her cheek for restraint as she pulled herself away.
"Luffy…" she said unwillingly. "We've got to move. We need meet up with the others."
He paused, his body hesitating for a second before collapsing in resignation. His friends needed him. "You're right…" Luffy murmured, still staring at Robin with such longing that it made her heart skip.
She grinned, and then winced slightly as she pulled herself up off the ground. There were twigs and leaves stuck to her skin, and her hair was faintly resembled a bird's nest. "God, I'm a mess," Robin muttered.
Luffy didn't think she looked anything less than glorious. He tried to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. He had never realised just how hard it was to put the words together.
"Come on," Robin said, brushing herself off and standing up. "We've got to find our clothes. I need to wash myself."
Luffy followed blindly. His head was spinning so quickly he could barely even walk straight. Their clothes were scattered around the camp. Luffy found his shorts next to the bonfire, while Robin picked up her shirt, pants, bra and panties from different corners of the campsite. Luffy's mind went blank for a moment, temporarily hypnotised by the way her hips rocked and her body bounced with every movement. Robin didn't seem to mind him staring.
She led the way to the nearby stream, carrying her clothes under her arm, and then bent over to wash herself. Luffy followed her lead, but his attention was focused solely on the way the droplets of water trickled down her well-toned and curvaceous body. She glanced towards him frequently enough, too.
Their supplies were limited, so when she was done she dried herself off using her shirt, and then wore it inside out. Luffy put his sandals, shorts and underwear on, but left his body dripping wet. It was only when they both wearing clothes that Luffy rediscovered how to talk again.
"Robin," he called softly, still trying to figure out what to say. She turned to face him with wide brown eyes. "I… I don't… I mean, I just… what…"
The words died in her mouth. Robin slowly walked towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She was taller than he was, so much so that he had to look upwards to stare into her ears. He could feel her breath on his face. He felt his pulse soothe.
"Yes?" She asked gently, looking at him understandingly.
"I don't understand what's happening here," he admitted quietly. "I've never done this before, I don't know what to say, or what to do, or—"
He was cut off by a sudden kiss. As soon as her lips touched his, any fear seemed to vanish.
"Luffy," Robin said gently. "You don't have to do anything; just… just don't overthink it."
Luffy was speechless for a while. Overthinking. That was something he had never been accused of before. His expression forced Robin to supress a giggle.
"It's simple," Robin explained. "Did you enjoy what we did last night?"
He nodded. "And so did I," Robin continued. Some room for improvement, but a pretty good first effort, she added quietly to herself. "We just enjoyed each other's company."
Luffy didn't respond. "Think of it like friendship," Robin added, a flicker in her eyes. "Just… very close friendship. You don't have to think of it as any more than that if you don't want to."
There was a slight edge to that last statement. Luffy stared at her inquiringly. For the first time, Robin shifted slightly, and her composure started to crack.
"I'm not going to put anything on you," she explained. "You're seventeen, it was your first time, and… well, it was wrong of me to jump on you like that," she admitted, slightly sheepishly. She sighed. "You have no obligation to make anything more out of last night if you don't want to."
A look of utter confusion settled on Luffy's face as he tried to understand what she was saying. "I like you, Robin," he said finally, before realising how lame that sounded. "I mean, really like you. And I really liked… last night. I just… want to know what the rules are."
Robin's gaze turned curious. "The rules?" She asked interestedly.
Luffy shifted slightly. "Well, what do we do now," he muttered uncomfortably. "And how do I treat you. I mean, Sanji keeps on going on about -"
"Alright, that's rule number one," Robin interrupted. "You forget everything that Sanji has to say on the subject."
"Everything?"
She nodded firmly. "Everything."
Luffy looked relieved. He remembered Sanji's 'cookery' book clearly. "Thank god," he muttered, mostly to himself. "I'm pretty sure most of those were impossible, anyways." A giggle burst out of Robin's lips.
There was a moment's silence, and Robin surprised herself by how comfortable she felt. She had her arms wrapped around Luffy's neck, yet her heartbeat was completely calm. For twenty years, she had had trouble letting herself get close to anyone, and it was a strange thrill to realise how intimate they were now.
Followed by a sudden realisation that she really didn't want to lose this feeling.
"Ok, then," Robin said quietly, pulling herself in slightly closer. "We set the rules right now."
He didn't respond. Robin continued in a hushed voice, but they were so close Luffy could hear her perfectly. "There are no commitments," she said finally. "No pressure, and no obligations on each other. We don't have to move too fast, and we can figure everything else out as we go. Does that sound good to you?"
He hesitated for a moment, and then nodded. "And… well…." He muttered, a bit awkwardly. "Could we keep it quiet from the others?"
She grinned, glad that he was the one who mentioned it. "I think that's a very good idea."
"Especially from Sanji?"
"Especially from Sanj," Robin agreed definitely, although honestly she was more worried about how Nami and Vivi would react. "There's no need for anybody else to get involved between us."
He still looked slightly uncertain, like a man trying to navigate an ocean he had absolutely no experience with.
"You don't have to do anything you don't want to do," Robin continued reassuringly. "Last night, I did that because I wanted to, and that's all we need to work by. What we want, and what we want to do for each other. It's exactly the same as friendship; we stay honest with each other, considerate, and we get to be a lot closer. Just…" Her voice cracked and she bit her lip slightly, trying to think of the best way to phrase it. "… Just treat me with respect."
As soon as it came out, she regretted the way it sounded. Luffy's eyes widened in genuine shock. "Of course I'll respect you," he said the same voice someone would use to argue that the sky was still blue. "You're, well, you're an amazing person."
He said with such simple certainty that it nearly took Robin's breath away. Without a second thought, her lips pressed against his, lingering for a long time before pulling away. Luffy was breathing heavily as they parted. They were standing so close, both of them still slightly wet.
"What about you?" Robin asked eventually. "What rules do you want?"
"I…" Luffy gulped, before admitting, "I really don't want to lose you as a friend."
The smile stretched across her face. "Yes, that's the most important rule of all," Robin muttered, before pushing in for another kiss. This time it was more passionate, a stream of wanton kisses across their lips.
Slowly, Luffy started to take the lead, and Robin was happy to let him set the pace. His arm wrapped around her waist as he leant her backwards gently. It was with an air of wonder that he realised he could touch her wherever he wanted. His other hand started on her thighs but then started to drift around. He caressed across her chest, her breasts, trailing over her bellybutton and down to her hips; tracing the ridges of her muscles. Her body was soft yet firm, and responsive.
Robin's leg slowly started to wrap around his. It was with a faint gasp she forced herself pull away. "Luffy," she gulped slightly, while her cheeks blushed bright red. "We've really got to go look the others."
He nodded dumbly. "Yes," he muttered, blinking repeatedly as he tried to compose himself. "The others."
There was a moment's quiet as they stared at each other, before his face broke out into a large grin that stretched from ear to ear. Robin smoothed her clothes down, flashed him a sly smile, and then extended her hand quietly. He took her hand tightly, and then they started walking away together.
In the distance, the shadow of the giant beanstalk loomed over the forest. For nearly half an hour they walked towards the beanstalk in comfortable silence, strolling silently while the forest began to wake up.
Eventually, Robin glanced towards him. "You know," she said quietly, her voice amused. "You can stop smiling now."
He shook his head. The smile had turned into a permanent fixture on his face. "No," he said finally. "I really can't."
In the sky, the sunlight seemed to be nearly horizontal as it slowly seemed to flood over Upper Yard. Dawn gradually filled the island with gloriously bright light, and then forest was strangely subdued while the sun crept over the horizon.
"Nami!" Vivi shouted with concern, still holding her wounded side tenderly. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine!" Nami called back, although she was climbing so high into the treetops that she couldn't even see Vivi anymore. The rough bark bit into her fingers, but the tree was so large and twisting that climbing it was quite easy. With a rough shove, she pushed a giant leaf out of the way, and then the forests of Upper Yard stretched out beneath her. With the golden light illuminating every outline, the untamed land looked almost beautiful.
It would look a lot more beautiful if we had a way out, Nami thought grimly, sighing as she surveyed the surroundings.
Five minutes later, she climbed down to the ground again. Vivi was biting her lip worriedly. "How does it look?" The princess asked eventually.
"Big," Nami grimaced, her navigator's brain already putting the geography together. "There's a huge beanstalk to the east in the centre of the island- we must have come that direction. We're quite close to the sea, but we don't have a ship. Judging from the sun, Angel Island must be somewhere to the south-east, on the other side of the island. There are lots of Milky Roads all over this island, that must be how everyone moves across, yet we'll still need a ship."
Nami's lips pursed. "Also," she continued curiously. "There's half a building to the west of us."
Vivi frowned. "Half a building?"
"Cut in half down the centre, right on the coast, not far from here." Nami nodded, looking thoughtful. "There's something really strange about this island…"
"Oh," Vivi muttered, unsure. "Any sign of the others?"
Nami shook her head. "Too much foliage. I couldn't see any details."
"Maybe we need a signal fire or something?" Vivi suggested hopefully.
"You really want to tell that psycho priest and those raiders where we are?" Nami countered. Vivi sagged with disappointment.
"Right…"
There was an awkward silence. Ever since last night there had been a strange tension between them. They were both doing their best to ignore it and stay busy, but it was hard when they were both thinking about it intensely. The feelings were out, but neither of them were sure how to deal with it.
Nami shifted uncomfortably. "We've got to search for the others," she said firmly. "And then we can find our ship, and get out of here."
Vivi nodded. "Ok, then."
Neither of them moved. Vivi carefully avoided eye contact. After a couple of seconds, Nami sighed.
"Listen, Vivi…" Nami murmured slowly. Vivi didn't react, but she was listening intently. Nami squirmed awkwardly. "… I just want to say, well… I just don't want to -"
"NAMI! VIVI!" A voice boomed so loudly that birds erupted into flight. Nami felt like throttling someone at the interruption. At that moment, a likely candidate burst from undergrowth.
Sanji was practically panting with excitement. His suit was torn and ripped, his hair was a mess, but he didn't seem to care. He was drooling with anticipation as he stared towards Nami and Vivi, breaking into a run with his arms wide open.
"Nami! Vivi!" Sanji screamed happily, the tears running from his eyes as he saw them, and their lack of shirts. "BREASTS!"
Vivi looked shocked and confused. Nami responded instinctively as Sanji charged up for a hug; by extending her fist while the chef ran straight into her knuckles headfirst. Sanji dropped to the ground.
"I'm so happy I've found you," Sanji murmured nearly incomprehensibly through what sounded like a broken nose. Vivi just stared at him bemusedly.
"I can't believe I was actually looking for you," Nami sighed, rubbing her face with despair.
From the same direction and with a much quieter entrance, Usopp popped his head through the shrubbery cautiously.
"Oh," the sniper greeted casually. "Hey there. Nami. Vivi."
There was a rustle of leaves, and suddenly a small, furry object shoved Usopp out the way, followed by a large amount of quacking as the bushes exploded.
"Carue!" Vivi cried excitedly, rushing up to hug the panicked duck. Carue was flapping madly even as Vivi hugged her old friend tightly.
"Nami!" Chopper screeched in a high-pitched voice, wrapping his arms around Nami for comfort. The doctor was shivering with trembling with fear, holding on tightly. Nami's expression instantly softened. "I'm so glad I've found you! It was really scary! There was this octopus head, and a swamp maze, and Zoro kept on getting lost, and then marines and then -"
"Easy, now…" Nami soothed, holding Chopper closely. The reindeer was seemingly oblivious to being pressed against her voluptuous chest, or how little skin her bikini was actually covering.
Sanji watched quietly, his tears slowly turning to tears of sadness, before turning away to stew. "I wish I was a reindeer…" The chef muttered bitterly. "Or perhaps even a duck…"
"Nami!" Usopp called curiously, pointedly ignoring Sanji's melodrama. "You don't know where Luffy or Robin is, by any chance?"
The navigator gulped, and shook her head. Usopp slouched with disappointment. "That must mean Luffy and Robin ended up together…" He mused. "At least Robin will keep him out of trouble."
Sanji grumbled something about 'that buffoon' ending up with Robin, but everyone ignored him. The chef recovered from his rejection like a pro, and lit a cigarette coolly.
"So how are we meant to find Luffy?" Chopper squeaked nervously.
"Just follow the explosions," Sanji muttered quietly. "Luffy could never do anything quietly."
Nami cast a glance at Vivi, and then asked, "What about Zoro?"
"Zoro ended up with Chopper, and then got lost," Usopp explained, rolling his eyes. "So he's probably in the West Blue or something by now…"
Vivi glanced between Chopper, Usopp and Sanji curiously. Sanji and Usopp both looked pretty badly beaten, but Chopper seemed in fairly good shape. "Did you have to fight 'Ordeals' and priests too?"
"Yeah," Usopp said with instant arrogance. "We faced this giant guardian, Satori, yet I beat him with one hand behind my back—"
"He lost and had to be saved by this Knight of the Sky," Sanji translated.
"Well so did you!"
"Anyways, that old geezer saved us and then dropped us off with Chopper," Sanji explained simply. "And then our emergency food supply here managed to sniff out you two."
Chopper tried not to look pleased at the sort-of compliment. Nami sighed wearily. "Chopper, could you try to smell where Zoro, Robin or Luffy are?" She asked tiredly.
The toddler sized human reindeer saluted happily, his pink hat wobbling over his antlers with the clumsy movement. Then, his body rippled like water, and his shape morphed fluidly. In the blink of an eye, Chopper was transformed into a medium-sized reindeer with shaggy fur and a lean body. He was still wearing his hat and purple trousers, even as he started sniffing in a wide circle.
Vivi's shoulders sagged in relief, causing her to wince and clutch her side. For the first time, Sanji noticed her wound, still crudely bandaged in the bloody remains of Nami's shirt.
"You're injured," the chef exclaimed suddenly, his eyes instantly alert. "Did someone dare to hurt you? Tell me who would injure such beauty, and I swear on my honour that I pound the manners into him until he apologises for hurting beauty incarnate!"
His eyes started glowing, and Sanji seemed to magically rotate in circles. Vivi glanced around with confusion. Nami just looked even more fed up. "For I shall be your knight in shining armour! I shall beat all miscreants in to the ground!"
In a supernaturally smooth motion, Sanji pulled his red shirt straight off, somehow without even tearing the buttons. At once, Sanji was bare-chested and kneeling before Vivi, holding out his shirt like a precious offering.
"Take my shirt for bandages, my princess," Sanji muttered coolly, taking a deep breath of his cigarette and lowering his voice into dull whisper. Vivi was looking around, flustered, struggling to decide how to react. "For I would run through hell itself, barefoot and over burning coals in your name. My body is yours to command!"
Pleading, Vivi glanced towards Nami. The navigator groaned as she stepped in front of Sanji. Nami firstly took his shirt, because Vivi did need a new bandage, before punching Sanji squarely in the nose. The chef fell backwards with a squirt of blood. "Had to be done," Nami explained with a shrug, already tearing Sanji's shirt in half.
Usopp looked down at Sanji without shock. "You're an idiot."
"No!" Sanji cried triumphantly. "I am in love!"
A few meters away, Chopper's blue nose wrinkled. The reindeer was sniffing the ground when the wind changed, and a new scent hit his nostrils. At once, Chopper's eyes widened in shock. "Guys! Someone's coming!"
The reaction was instant. Usopp drew his slingshot and pulled it back instinctively, somewhat uselessly since he was still out of ammo. Without hesitation, Sanji leapt to his feet, spinning his legs around and stepping forward in front of Nami and Vivi, while the bushes started to rustle.
"Quickly!" Sanji said urgently, dropping into a fighting stance. "We don't know who it is! Nami! Vivi! You better hug me tightly!"
"Why haven't I killed him yet?" Nami growled irritably, flourishing her Clima-Tact forward. The sound of crunching twigs and footprints were painfully loud in the quiet. Chopper was in front of her, transforming into his Heavy point, and standing up pretty well despite trembling slightly.
The footsteps were nearly echoing around the trees. They could see the outline of the approaching intruder, his shadow highlighted by the sun, as he paused just before the clearing. Every muscle was tensed, and for a few heart pounding seconds the world froze just before the figure finally stepped through the brambles.
And then suddenly the pirates were staring at an average-sized, middle-aged man in dull clothing, looking at the group almost absentmindedly.
"Oh, excuse me," Pagaya said with mild surprise. "I thought you were someone else."
Nobody said a word as the tension melted away into an awkward gloop. After a couple of seconds, Pagaya simply turned around and started to walk away. As a group, the pirates deadpanned, with various levels of drama.
"Wait a second!" Nami demanded angrily at the retreating Pagaya. "What the hell are you doing here?!"
Pagaya looked faintly confused at the question as he turned around. "I'm walking through the forest," he said simply, making hand movements as if to demonstrate. A vein twitched in Nami's forehead.
"You're Conis' father, aren't you?" Vivi asked, just before Nami had a chance to explode. "She means why are you on this island?"
"Oh, I'm sorry," Pagaya apologised, rubbing the back of his head idly. Slowly, Usopp realised that Pagaya had a bazooka slung across one shoulder and a large bag slung across the other, and his grey clothes seemed almost damp. It was hard to see clearly with the sun in his eyes. "I'm here looking for my daughter. I've been searching all night."
"Conis?" Sanji asked urgently. "Conis is on this island?"
"Yes," Pagaya nodded. "And I fear she's in danger. You haven't seen her by any chance?"
Sanji's visible eye glinted with shock. Nami was looking at Pagaya with confusion and faint irritation. "Conis is here?" the navigator demanded. "But she poisoned us and sent us here! Isn't Conis working for the enemy? Why is she in danger?"
For half a second, Usopp was sure he saw an expression flicker through Pagaya's normally completely impassive face. It was an expression that suddenly didn't look so apologetic.
"Conis was taken from Angel Island yesterday, by the Commander of the Enforcers, in your ship heading towards God's Shrine," Pagaya explained simply. "I was hoping to intercept them, but I fear they might have slipped by. She might have been forced to betray you, but she is not loyal to Enel. She is in grave danger on this island."
Nami grinned brightly as she put together what Pagaya was saying, glancing at Vivi happily. "That means the Going Merry is on this island too! So we have an escape route, we just have to -"
"Nami," Usopp interrupted slowly, squinting to see with the sun in his eyes. He suddenly recognised the dark liquid that soaked through Pagaya's yellow shirt. "I think that Pagaya is bleeding…"
"Oh, I am?" The Skypiean muttered with surprise, staring down at the blood covering his arms and chest. Droplets of red dripped onto the ground.
"He's bleeding!" Chopper cried with alarm. "Is there a doctor around? Is there - oh right."
At once, the reindeer rushed to Pagaya's side and pulled him to the ground so he could inspect. The Skypiean complied absentmindedly. As soon as he was pulled out of the sun, they could all see the red stains covering his upper body. It didn't take Chopper to realise what was wrong.
"Wait," the reindeer squeaked with confusion. "You don't have any injuries at all…"
"Oh yes, that's right," Pagaya remembered, twirling his antennas thoughtfully. It looked like he was smiling, but it was hard to tell through his bushy beard and closed eyes. "Pardon me; that blood is not mine."
There were a few seconds quiet. Slowly, Chopper started to take a few steps backwards. "Ummm… whose blood is it?"
Pagaya looked apologetic, but there was just a hint of something else there too. Usopp suddenly noticed that the nozzle of his bazooka was covered in blood too. "Oh, I'm very sorry," he confessed. "But I can't remember."
Everything went quiet. Sanji took a deep breath of his cigarette and stared at Pagaya thoughtfully. Pagaya looked the very image of a humble, unassuming father. A humble, unassuming father covered in blood and armed with a bazooka.
"I really am sorry about what Conis did to you," Pagaya explained, standing up slowly. "She shouldn't have betrayed you to do the authorities like that, but at the time she believed she never have had a choice. She did what she did because she was scared and foolish." Pagaya glanced at Nami earnestly. "I hope you can find it in your hearts to accept that she made a mistake and let bygones be bygones."
There was a moment's pause. Pagaya's voice shifted slightly. "That said…" He continued, more quietly. "… if you attempt to seek retribution on Conis for her actions, then I will not forgive you."
Nobody made a move. Usopp was instantly aware that his bazooka was very close to hand. Nami looked momentarily speechless. Vivi stared at Pagaya, suddenly thinking about her own father, and how far he would go to protect her. Perhaps it was a father-daughter thing. The princess felt her heart flutter slightly. It was Sanji that eventually broke the silence.
"You never have to worry about us," the chef muttered solemnly, flicking his cigarette to the ground. "No one in this crew would hurt an innocent, and I swear that I would give my own life before I allow a lady to be harmed so unjustly!"
After half a second, Pagaya grinned. "Then we won't have a problem!" He said pleasantly. "I'm sorry for taking up your time."
He turned to leave, but paused to point at the small white lines in the distance, crisscrossing over the forest. "Do you see those?" He explained. "They are Milky Roads that go all across Upper Yard, streams made out of a mixture of Island and Sea Cloud that is sturdy enough to support itself yet ships can still sail over it. God's followers use them to transport supplies and avoid the dangerous forests. I assume that Yama must have brought your ship over the Milky Roads."
Pagaya glanced at each of them seriously. "I will head to God's Shrine to try and cut him off and rescue Conis. However, the Milky Roads are all interconnected together, so if you follow one of them then you are sure to eventually find your ship."
It took Nami a few seconds to process the information. "So we just have to follow the Milky Roads… we can do that."
"I hope you have a save journey," Pagaya said softly, carefully slinging off his bag. "Citizens of the Blue Sea are at a disadvantage in the sky. Perhaps these will help even the odds."
He dropped the bag in front of the pirates. Usopp was the one that stepped forward to open it, carefully unzipping the bag as if it were a bomb. "I spent six years building those," Pagaya admitted. "Originally, we wanted to arm an army. I would hate to see them go to waste."
The bag was filled with dozens of bulky objects. Some of them had been fashioned into swords or arrows, but most were circular, bony structures with a cylindrical shell.
Chopper looked at the bag with confusion. "Shells?"
"No," Usopp murmured. "They're Dials."
"They're weapons," Pagaya muttered, already starting to walk away, as the pirates stared at him with confusion. "In the sky, Dials are the most precious commodity in war."
He paused briefly, glancing back to the group. His voice was uncharacteristically grim. The morning sunlight glinted off the dried blood on his hands. "You should leave this island as quickly as possible," Pagaya warned darkly. "This is not a safe place for anyone…"
Conis leaned slowly over the ledge of the Going Merry into the waters below. The ship was dock at an old ruin in the middle of a lake, and she was surrounded by creepy bird noises, dangling vines and overgrown trees. Not long ago, Conis would have been thrilled to be here; in the middle of the Holy Land, walking on Vearth itself, surrounded by a wildlife that was unnatural to the sky. She had never imagined that she would end up in Upper Yard under these circumstances.
She looked the ancient ruins quietly. It was a sacrificial altar, Yama had told her briefly as they docked up in the ruins last night. Somehow, that was almost fitting. Conis wondered how many people she had sent to this altar over the years.
In the lake before, Conis could see Sky Sharks thrashing under the surface. For most of last night, she had debated jumping and ending it all. She still didn't know why she shouldn't. She was going to die anyways, and if there was one thing Conis was certain of, it was that she was going to hell.
All around her, she was surrounded by reminders of the people she had betrayed. The people she had sentenced to death. Everything from the scent of cigarettes in the kitchen to the books and maps scattered about the women's quarters, to the mess littered throughout the meeting room was a painful reminder of what she had done.
I killed them all, Conis thought dully, watching the sun rise over the ruins. The pirates were surely dead by now, and it is all my fault.
Now, Conis was trapped on a boat with Yama. They sailed off late yesterday, but not even the Commander of God's Enforcers had been comfortable travelling through Upper Yard in the dark. He had stopped at the altar for the night, but now as morning approached they'd be setting off shortly.
Conis despised Yama. She was normally mild mannered, but she hated everything about the man. She hated the way he stomped about the ship without any respect, she hated the way he talked to her, and she hated the way he sized her up with suspicious, beady eyes. The man was as fat as a house, and so sweaty that the stench haunted her, yet he still glared at her like she was an insect. Yama was a horrible, disgusting person.
Commander Yama would idly smash through the doors to fit through, or throw out whatever piece of furniture he didn't like. He manhandled the sails like an animal tamer brutalising a beast. Yama would treat the Going Merry like it was piece of the trash. Somehow, Conis found that the most despicable thing about him.
This ship was special. It was the first time she had ever been on a Blue Sea ship like this, but she could feel it all around her. It was almost as if the Going Merry had a personality that was soaked into the walls. It was more than just planks of wood and sails.
Slowly, Conis rubbed the wooden ledge, feeling the shivers run down her spine. She couldn't explain it, but Conis could feel the Going Merry. It was almost as the Going Merry was alive.
She had seen how the ship responded when Yama tried to sail it. Every rope snapped, every sail buckled in the slightest wind. It was the main reason why it had taken so long to travel through Upper Yard. It was like the ship itself objected to Yama's presence just as much as she did.
Conis' red eyes burned as she tried to look at the sun. She had been crying all night, and the tears had stained her face. Her lips tasted salty. The grief and turmoil was strangling from the inside. She had murdered eight people. Eight good people. Conis realised suddenly that she couldn't live with that thought. She just wanted it to end. The pain was too much to bear.
I might as well end it here myself, Conis thought, feeling strangely distant suddenly. God will surely kill me himself as soon as I reach Upper Yard…
She spent a long time staring at the sharks thrashing in the water below. Then, carefully, she climbed up onto the ledge until she was standing on the edge. Her heart was pounding furiously, but Conis couldn't feel it.
With a deep breath, she took one last glimpse at the golden sun before closing her eyes. Her blonde hair draped unkempt over her face, and then everything faded as she pushed forward. She could feel herself tilting, falling closer over the edge…
And then, a gentle hand landed on her shoulder. It was barely more than a brushing touch, but enough to knock her backwards. Conis' eyes burst open as she landed firmly on the wooden deck, glancing around in shock.
"What the—?" Conis gasped, her hand on her shoulder, feeling the phantom sensation of a touch. Her heart was pounding faster than ever. She turned quickly, just in time to glimpse a yellow flash disappearing below deck.
Suddenly, she was feeling lightheaded and confused. Without a second thought, Conis scrambled to her feet and chased after the retreating shape.
"Is anyone there?" Conis demanded, hearing her voice echo as she dropped down into the storage room. Inside the Going Merry, it was dark and gloomy as Conis stumbled almost blindly through the cramped room.
She caught a flicker of movement heading towards the women's room and she charged after it. It couldn't be Yama, Conis told herself firmly, I can still hear his snoring from the men's room.
"Who's there?" Conis asked with a hushed voice, which still seemed unnaturally loud.
There was a rustling behind her. Conis' had no idea how the unseen intruder had got by her, but she turned and gave chase. It was dark and quiet, yet somehow Conis still knew that there was somebody there as she stumbled back out of the women's quarters.
She charged towards the forehead cannon deck, suddenly a feeling washed over her. It was the same feeling she had ever since she arrived the Going Merry. Conis instantly found herself wondering if a ship could really be alive.
Conis thought about her father, and the way that he treated ever Dial boat he repaired. Pagaya would talk quietly to each waver like an old friend, and polish the wood almost affectionately. He once joked that all something's needed to work was a little bit of love. Maybe if something was cared for enough, then who could say whether it was alive or not…?
Conis felt herself breathing deeply as she looked around the empty cannon deck. There was prickling in the back of her neck that warned that something was not right here. She shouldn't be on this ship. She was breaking some rules.
"… Is there anyone else on this ship…?" Conis whispered breathlessly to the empty room.
For a few seconds, the only sound was her heart pounding furiously in her chest. And then…
"No," a gentle voice replied from behind her. "There's no one else."
It took a long time for Conis to respond. She turned around with wide, disbelieving eyes, only to see a figure standing in the doorway. It was a small person, as large as a child, their face and body covered by an overly large yellow raincoat. The voice was light and childlike, yet reverberating with power.
"There's just me," the figure said softly with a small shrug. "I've always been here."
Conis felt her heart start to spin. This was impossible. She couldn't seriously be talking to the spirit of a…
The Skypiean looked like she was about to collapse. The hooded figure took on a more urgent tone. "They're all still alive," it hissed quietly.
"What…? Who…?" Conis gulped confusedly, still glancing around with panic. The figure's outline seemed to waver, almost translucently.
"Everyone. My friends," the figure replied, hushed. "Robin. Vivi. Chopper. Sanji. Nami. Zoro. Luffy. Usopp." It said that last name with a slight hesitation. "I can feel them. They're all still alive on this island. "
Conis didn't respond. "We can still help them," it continued, almost pleadingly. "We can still save them."
Conis shook her head disbelievingly. "I don't understand…" She gasped.
The hooded figure took a step forward. Suddenly, Conis recognised the edge in its voice. It was crying.
"They're in trouble. They need me. They need us," the voice sounded desperate now. "We have to move quickly, and I need to go to them. I'm too weak to do it myself, but I can't let it end like this. I need to save them all."
Conis felt her heart pounding like a drum. The figure was frantic, like a child looking for its family.
"They need your help," it begged. "Otherwise, they're all going to die."
It was silent as the scouting party headed back into camp. The charred ruins of the battleship were still sinking in the coast, and the marines were still trying to salvage whatever little they could from the wreck. The camp was makeshift at best. A perimeter had been set up, but the coast was a terrible location to defend. Tashigi's party met no resistance as she walked into the frenzied marine camp.
Tashigi forced herself to ignore the glances that her men were giving them. There were no accusations, no open disobedience. They followed her orders with quiet contempt, but without any insubordination. Somehow, that was even worse. The mood was poisonous.
She tried to tell herself that there was nothing they could prove. All they knew was that Zoro escaped sometime in the night. No one was precisely sure when or how he escaped. There was absolutely no evidence against her.
Except that everyone had carefully watched Tashigi talk privately to the pirate. Except that Tashigi had helped the pirates escape arrest once in Alabasta, and that she was being charged with pirate sympathies. Except that there were over fifty marines glaring at their commanding officer with obvious suspicious.
Tashigi kept a firm grip on her sword for reassurance, and tried to stop her stomach from churning.
In the bustling camp, there were marines everywhere, most of them wounded. Some tents had been set up, but mostly the camp was just a jumble of salvaged crates and busy men. There were injured marines forced to lie on the ground while overworked doctors and medics attempted first aid.
Tashigi felt a feeling of dread fall over her as she estimated how many marines were remaining. In less than twenty-four hours, they must have lost over half their number.
In the camp, the men under her command disappeared into the crowd as soon as possible. Normally, that would be a flogging offence, but Tashigi barely had any authority left. No doubt that they would spread among the others, and the rumours about her would spread like wildfire. Tashigi the pirate sympathiser. Tashigi the pirate…
The lieutenant took a deep breath and forced forward through the bustle. She was trying to find Captain Hina, but the camp was in such chaos that it was hard to find anything. Tashigi paused as she paused a row of medical tents, where a wrinkled old woman was shivering on a bench, distant from all the marines.
"You're Amazon, right?" Tashigi asked curiously. "The gatekeeper. What are you doing here?"
The old lady looked at her with surprise. Amazon was very short, elderly, and had a face that seemed to be made of wrinkles. She was shivering slightly, and her clothes were scorched. Tashigi could barely believe that it was only yesterday, but she remembered Smoker giving the order to have the gatekeeper brought on board and interrogated.
Tashigi blinked. The realisation hit her. "Oh," Tashigi muttered with shock. "You were in the brig when Enel destroyed the ship… I am so sorry, nobody intended for that to happen to you…"
It took a few seconds for the old lady to respond. "It's alright," she muttered, her voice calm, but very cautious. She was trembling slightly. "Your people were very kind to fish me out of the water like that…"
Tashigi felt her heart break for the old woman. She looked so frail and vulnerable, and Tashigi could barely imagine what it must have been like for the ship to explode in lightning around her. She was just about to try and reassure Amazon, when suddenly a voice burst through the camp.
"Lieutenant Tashigi!" It was Hina's voice, and then the captain was walking through the camp. The sea of marines parted to let her by, mostly due to Fullbody and Jango pushing everyone out of her way.
Tashigi snapped to attention and saluted on reflex. Hina was approaching her slowly, with an unreadable expression. Standing shortly behind Hina, Tashigi recognised several men from her scouting party, each with a snide little smirk. Tashigi felt her stomach jump.
"Captain," Tashigi said politely, as Hina approached. There were dozens of eyes focused on the two of them. Even Fullbody and Jango became silent.
"Tashigi," Hina muttered. "Hina has just received several accusations about you. Are they true?"
"I don't know, Captain. What are the accusations?" Tashigi didn't drop her salute, keeping her face wooden.
The captain just looked at her coolly. "Please don't play dumb. It's a poor defence."
Tashigi paused for half a second. "No, captain. The accusations are completely unfounded."
Tashigi was a terrible liar.
Hina didn't react straight away. "I see," the captain murmured. The pink blonde captain thought about for a while, and then seemed to reach a decision.
She turned to the assembled marines. "Everyone get moving!" Hina ordered loudly, turning away from Tashigi. "We move out in ten minutes! Hina wants everyone armed and ready to go! Any wounded trail along at the back!"
Her voice carried such natural authority that everyone snapped to attention and started to move with renewed vigour. A warning glance from Hina told Tashigi not to go anywhere, even as everyone else started to file away. Even those who wanted to watch were forced away by Hina's unquestioned command presence. The noise in the camp became louder.
"We need move out quickly," Hina explained to Tashigi in a softer tone of voice, when no one else was listening. "This island has been eating through marines ever since we arrived, and Hina is not going to stay here until there's no one left. We've got to go on the offensive while we still have the manpower, and bring this island under control."
Tashigi nodded understandingly. Around her, there was a dull rumble as the few remaining cannons were rolled out. "And what about me, captain?" Tashigi asked with quiet anxiety.
Hina looked at her sympathetically. There was genuine empathy in the captain's eyes. Women in the Marines were few and far between; perhaps that was why Hina had always seemed more compassionate to Tashigi than others. Hina shook her head regretfully.
"Hina is not the one you have to worry about," she muttered softly, turning to the camp. "You're not under my command."
Tashigi frowned, but then she followed Hina's gaze to a lone figure limping through the chaos. Tashigi felt her body stiffen with utter dread. Tashigi's hand went instinctively to her sword.
Smoker was up and about again. His clothes were still charred, but he had a baton in his hand and a pistol in his waist. His body seemed stiff, yet there was pure determination in his eyes.
And he was glaring at Tashigi with undiluted rage.
It was morning by the time Wiper returned to the Shandorian camp. The other raiders had retired the previous evening, yet Wiper fought longer and more viciously than anyone. By the time he finally did return the camp, the sun was rising slowly and it was only because he needed to reload.
Laki watched him stomp into the camp moodily. It had been a tiring day and a restless night for all the raiders. Wiper was suffering small cuts and bruises across his body, yet his hands and his bazooka were coated in a layer of dried blood.
"Where have you been all night?" Laki asked coolly, leaning up against a sentry post. They were camped not far away from a field of skulls on pikes, a gruesome reminder of why they were here. The smell of rotting bones still lingered over everything.
Wiper just grunted. "Hunting."
"Any luck?"
A foul expression passed over Wiper's face. "Lots of small fries, no big game," he scoffed, cleaning the blood of his nozzle. His bazooka was as much a heavy club as it was a ranged weapon. Laki wondered curiously how many Enforcers had met their end by it.
Wiper dropped his bazooka on to the ground. The God-Slayer landed with a tremendous thud. "The four priests are the big targets," Wiper muttered. "We should have killed Ohm, but the bastard escaped. I caught Gedatsu later on, but he disappeared into his swamps and I couldn't find him again. I spent the rest of night hunting down Satori, yet those damn balls kept getting in the way. I haven't caught a glimpse of Shura yet."
"That's because Shura is dead," Laki told him simply. "Aisa heard his 'voice' go out yesterday, when you were off hunting by himself."
Wiper looked momentarily surprised. "Shura was one tough bastard," he muttered. "Who killed him?"
"Aisa's not sure," Laki shrugged. "It wasn't one of us. Must have been one of the Blue Sea citizens."
"Hmph. I met quite a few of those intruders," Wiper growled, and Laki doubted the 'meeting' would have gone well for them. "The forest is flooded with guys in white uniforms, but they never even knew how to fight properly. They would never have been able to beat a priest."
Wiper paused slightly. "Then again," he admitted. "There were these two girls that looked like they were giving Ohm a pretty hard time. They were made of different stuff. They got away, but I was too busy to hunt them down."
"Really?" Laki asked with a teasing smile, placing her hand on her hips. "The great 'Berserker' Wiper, heir to Calgara, was shown up by a couple of girls?"
Wiper just rolled his eyes and pushed his way past her. Laki scowled briefly in irritation. The camp was made up of three hastily assembled tents, while most of the raiders slept in sleeping bags in the open air. The Shandorians were already starting to move, sharpening their weapons for the upcoming battle. The mood was grim and silent.
Genbo was sitting, cross-legged, on the ground, loading up one of his rare heavy metal cannonballs into his handheld cannon. Not far away from him, Braham was polishing his pistols, while letting the Flash Dials recharge in the morning sun. Wiper glanced around, noting that although many of the raiders were injured, few were severely so.
"Where is Aisa?" Wiper demanded finally. "I need to speak to her."
At once, Laki's expression turned to concern. "You can't. She's asleep."
"Then wake her up," he ordered gruffly. "I need to know how many people are on Upper Yard, and where."
She shook her head, and Wiper shot her a furious stare. "No. Aisa shouldn't be here," Laki continued angrily. "You know how she gets. Whenever there's a battle going on, Aisa suffers more than anyone. She 'hears ' everyone. She was screaming in pain yesterday. I had to sedate her."
Wiper didn't respond. A vein bulged in Laki's forehead. "She's my cousin, Wiper, and I had to sedate her," Laki repeated, her heads trembling with rage. "If you want to face Enel, fine, but Aisa shouldn't be here."
Around them, the other raiders were starting to stare at the confrontation cautiously. Wiper took a long time to choose his words. "We all have to put up with pain," Wiper muttered coldly. "If she's a warrior of Shandia, then she will put up with it. Now. Wake. Her. Up."
Laki looked furious. "You don't understand," she muttered in a hushed voice. "It's not just about her being in pain. It's Enel. Aisa can 'hear' everyone on the island, but Enel… Enel can 'hear' her. And Enel talks a lot louder than anyone else. If she has to face Enel's presence again, so up close, well… I'm scared it might kill her."
Again, Wiper paused. His expression was unreadable. "If you don't wake her up, right now," Wiper muttered slowly, in a hushed voice. "Then I will."
Laki had to stop the shiver going down her spine. Wiper would never hurt Aisa, she tried to herself, Wiper looked after Aisa like a big brother . Her cousin had always looked up to Wiper as a role model, despite Laki's constant objections.
Still… how far would Wiper go when he believed that the Shandia nation was at stake?
Without a word, Laki walked away. Laki pushed open the door of a tent, and Wiper glimpsed Aisa. The child was fast asleep, but sweating heavily and writhing restlessly. Wiper's fists clenched unwillingly.
"You haven't lost any of your charm, I see." A voice murmured coolly from behind him. "'Chief ."
Wiper turned, to see the old chief sitting on a log behind the tent, polishing his sword slowly. The old man looked almost unrecognisable without his staff and cowl. He had replaced his old purple and orange robes for battered, grey armour, and he carried a long sword expertly, with a second on his belt. That's an ordinary blade, Wiper noted distractedly. Most raiders used Dial-infused weapons, yet the chief had always been old-school.
"I will kill Enel before he can hurt anyone else!" Wiper snapped. "But I need to know how many people are in Upper Yard."
The old chief just snorted. Wiper scowled.
"Old man," Wiper muttered roughly. He had been the chief for so long that Wiper honestly couldn't even remember his name. "You should be back in the village."
The old man scoffed. "Don't get too full of yourself. I've been killing Enforcers since before you were born. As a warrior of Shandia, this is where I have to be."
There was a flicker in Wiper's eyes. He really didn't want the old man to get hurt, but the words stuck in his throat. Any well-wishing just seemed too hollow. Instead, Wiper just grunted.
The old man chuckled humourlessly. "My time is done, anyways," the old man said quietly. "It looks like you're the new chief now. And who knows? Perhaps I really have been a fool, and perhaps a warlord is what our people need now."
"I'm fighting to reclaim our homeland, old man," Wiper snapped.
"You're fighting for a story I told you when you were a child, and for an ancestor that's long dead," he countered. "Calgara and Montblanc Noland. The Light of Shandora - The Golden Bell."
His words rung in the air. The old man looked at Wiper almost pityingly. "Tell me something, if you had to choose between the lives of everyone around you, your friends, your family; or ringing that bell and reclaiming the homeland, which one would you pick?"
"Both," Wiper growled angrily. "We will all reclaim the homeland together. The Golden Bell has been silent for too long."
He really did believe it, the old chief thought silently. He believes every word of that story I told him, and he would fight to the end to honour an ancestor that died four hundred years ago. Perhaps that is my mistake too. I was the one who told him the tale.
"Alright then," the old man continued quietly. "Then let me ask you this… could you ever imagine a time when you no longer have to fight at all? Could you imagine putting down your bazooka for good?"
Wiper didn't respond. The chief looked at him with compassion. "That's the problem with 'Berserkers' and other men who live for war. Sooner or later, the war has to end. What are you going to do then?"
"This war hasn't ended for over four hundred years!" Wiper snapped.
He smiled sombrely. "You sound like you wish it will never stop. Would that really be a happy life for you, constantly fighting?"
Yes, Wiper almost replied. Wiper loved fighting. He loved the bloodlust. He loved the rage.
Instead, Wiper was silent as he turned his back on the old man. Just then, a raider came rushing out of the tent.
"Chief!" He called urgently.
"What?" Wiper and the old chief answered at the same time. There was a moment's pause, and then Wiper shot the old man a dirty look.
"What is it?" Wiper answered firmly.
"It's Aisa," the raider reported, casting a fleeting glance at the old man. "She's awake."
Wiper started moving quickly. Aisa was sitting up in her bed, with Laki's arms around her comfortingly. Aisa was crying. For all the girl tried to act tough, Wiper knew who fragile she really could be. Laki scowled at him darkly. Wiper felt his stomach clench.
"Aisa!" Wiper asked quickly. "I need your help here. Tell me, how many people are in Upper Yard?"
She snivelled weakly. "Lots… so many…"
His voice became stern. "Where? Where are priests, where is Enel—?"
Aisa whimpered slightly. She was clutching her head in pain. Laki's grip on her tightened in alarm. "No… so many…" Aisa muttered, looking at Wiper fearfully. "… They're all going to die…"
Nobody moved or said a word. The atmosphere in the tent turned cold.
And that was when they heard it.
The sound seemed to spread across the island slowly, resonating perfectly in the air. It was a chime beyond beauty, bolder than bravery, gentler than song. It cupped the soul, healing the wounds of the heart, as if the empty and tired spaces of hearts of the people were being filled from within by sunlight. The entire island seemed to freeze as the sound rung through the air.
The sound of a relic of the past.
The sound of a bell.
As Enel woke, the devotees on God's Shrine rushed to serve him. Musicians played a soothing melody, servants presented fresh fruits and wine, and concubines offered their bodies for his pleasure. Enel waved them all away. He had no interest in such mortal desires.
Instead, he stared out over the forests of Upper Yard. From his position on top of the beanstalk, he could see everything. With his Mantra, he could see so much more.
Enel looked unhappy. Cautiously, Gode approached the God, careful of Enel's almost childlike mood swings.
"Your holiness," Gode bowed deeply. "How may I serve?"
"There aren't enough people dying," Enel muttered irritably, mostly to himself. "This game is getting boring."
Gode didn't respond. Enel rested his hand under his chin, musing quietly. He had been quite hopeful when he felt Shura die yesterday, but the night had been quite boring. Enel was quickly become annoyed. He stared at the rising sun thoughtfully, still hovering just above the horizon.
"I will be kind," Enel decided finally. "I will give them five hours."
He turned to Gode idly. "Go ready the Ark Maxim," he ordered, walking passed his servant distractedly. "In five hours I will leave this place, and everyone in the sky will be dead."
Gode was just about to bow and leave when he froze suddenly. He was a smart man after all, and there was something about the way Enel said that which made his blood run cold.
"Your holiness," Gode said cautiously. "I have served you loyally since the beginning."
Enel glanced at the beard Birkan with disinterest. "Yes, you've been acceptable," the God nodded, musing thoughtfully. "And I suppose that not all mortals are boring. I like the number four. I think I could accept four followers coming with me to Fairy Vearth. That's five survivors in total."
Gode didn't respond. Enel looked at him with mild realisation. "Oh yes. I suppose if you want to be among the survivors, you better go down there and compete in the game."
Gode's normally impassive face started to become panicked. He was no fighter. He would never survive long by himself.
"But your holiness…" Gode gulped. "I have never been anything but loyal to you. I have spent my life serving you…"
Enel thought about it for a few seconds. "Yes, you have," he conceded finally. "And I suppose it is a bit unfair to make you fight for your life below. Your loyalty deserves a reward."
The God smiled softly, extending his hand. Gode sighed with relief. "As a reward for your years of service," Enel drawled. "You have the honour of dying by the hand of God himself."
The servant never even had time to scream. The bolt of lightning burst from Enel's fingertips, squarely hitting him in the chest. It was over in a second. His body shuddered furiously from the lightning, yet there was so much power that Gode's body caught fire and charred black. By the time the corpse dropped to the ground, the body was completely unrecognisable.
The music in God's Shrine halted abruptly. All of the other devotees were staring at their God in shock and horror, as he calmly stepped over the smoking remains.
Enel glanced around the assembled servants. "Oh, very well," he resigned graciously. "I will kill you all too."
The lightning arced around his body. That was when the screaming started and the devotees tried to run. The servants closest to him were burnt into cinders before they could take a step, but most managed to flee away from God's Shrine.
Enel looked at the fleeing bodies with bemusement. He could easily hunt them done, but there was no point. If they would reject my gift, then fine, he decided finally, they can all die in the forest instead.
He took a couple of steps before he realised his mistake. "Damn it," Enel muttered with annoyance. "Now I'm coming have to prepare Ark Maxim myself."
He started at the charred body of his former chief of staff without emotion. Around him, the buildings were smoking from his lightning.
"Good help is so hard to come by…" Enel murmured irritably. His body transformed into lightning and burst upwards. Seconds later, he materialised further up the beanstalk, where the Ark Maxim sat waiting, like a dormant beast.
The ship was magnificent. It took an army of slaves years to build her, yet it was the only ship glorious enough for Enel himself. It was a colossus of the sky's finest wood and purest gold. Enel grinned as he shot a bolt of lightning into the mechanism, and slowly the propellers started to power up.
The Ark Maxim. The flying ship that would take him to Fairy Vearth.
Enel paused just in front of his throne, turning to stare at the newest addition to the Ark. During the first test flight, not long ago, Enel had discovered something very curious at the very top of the Giant Jack. Enel had desired it for himself as soon as he laid eyes on it.
A golden belfry bell stood on the deck of his ship. The bell was at least eight hundred years old, dirty, and covered in vines, but somehow it was still just as beautiful as ever. There was an aura of reverence around the golden bell, and Enel wondered curiously how many people it took to build such a magnificent structure. The gold was of the highest quality, and the carvings along the metal were incredibly detailed.
This is the treasure that the Shandorians fought so hard to reclaim, Enel thought with satisfaction. The old men of the island still spoke in hushed tones of the 'Song of the Island. A war of centuries had been waged for this bell.
It was truly an artifact fit for a God.
Enel paused, glancing down towards Upper Yard below.
The Shandorians worshipped this bell. So did the Skypieans, in their own way. They still believed that the sound of the bell would mark the end of the war. They considered this bell to be a holy object.
Enel's eyes narrowed. "I am the only divine being in this world," he muttered to himself, spinning his staff as he stared at the bell suspiciously.
Previously, he had wanted to keep it for himself. All of a sudden, an idea struck him, and he could think of something better to do with this bell.
The God walked up to the bell slowly. It really is beautiful, he thought absentmindedly, just as he raised his staff and swung it towards the bell. The vibration caused the entire ship to shudder. Even after four centuries, the bell rang as perfectly as ever.
The sound rang outwards, so clear and perfect it spread for tens of miles. For the first time in centuries, the island sung.
Wiper was left speechless as the ringing echoed over the land, resonating from the top of the Giant Jack. All of the Shandorians stopped and stared. None of them had heard the sound before, but it was so supernaturally beautiful that there was only one thing it could possibly be. Stories had been passed down about this sound for centuries.
"This…" The old chief choked, barely able to belief his ears. "This is… it is so beautiful…"
No one dared to raise their voices. The ringing was almost hypnotising.
"I never thought I would actually hear it…" Laki muttered quietly, glancing towards Wiper.
There were tears in Wiper's eyes.
The sound had been his dream for so long. And it was everything he had ever dreamt it would be.
The old chief was the first to realise what was missing. He glanced around the camp with confusion.
"But… who's ringing it?"
As the sound of the golden chime spread over Upper Yard, the trees cracked as an enormous python raised its head, so large it towered over the forest. If it was possible for a snake to cry, then this snake was weeping now.
Its huge, serpentine body swayed as the sound brought back memories so long forgotten; of a time when it was small, and dancing beneath a golden bell and a beautiful ringing…
"Tsula… ! Tsula… !" The python hissed madly, dancing through the air.
Birds were chirping madly around the snake, rabbits ran in circles, ears perked all the way up, tigers were climbing to the tops of the trees and staring with wide eyes. It seemed like the whole forest was dancing to the sound.
Enel was laughing each time his staff struck against the bell. The bell was perfect. Its shape, its curves, its structure, was all designed to produce the clearest, most beautiful sound possible. It was more than just a bell; it was working of art.
"What a beautiful noise…" Enel muttered in appreciation.
Then, his staff started to crackle as he charged electricity through it. The next time it collided against the bell, everything exploded. And Enel really started to laugh.
He wasn't just destroying a bell. He was destroying something sacred. Profaning something holy. And he loved it.
It was right as God to destroy everything.
His staff pierced straight through the belfry bell, and the sound shifted. The acoustics were ruined. It turned from a clear, perfect ringing, to a tortured, painful scraping that tore across the country.
"No…" Wiper muttered in absolute shock, as the beautiful ringing vanished. "No… how dare you…?"
The mood around the camp turned murderous. They were all battle-hardened warriors, and they were all crying. The noise was so painful it felt like their ears were bleeding, worse than nails on a chalkboard.
They all knew what they were listening to. They were all listening to the sound of a golden bell being destroyed.
"How dare you…" Wiper murmured, stumbling forward slowly. His heart was pounding like a cannon, and his blood was pouring through his muscles. The shock was quickly overwhelmed by a rage the likes of which he had never felt before.
Wiper snatched up the God-Slayer quickly. This was rage on a scale he hadn't believed was possible.
"How. Dare. You…?" Wiper growled, his legs exploding into a furious sprint. He didn't care about anything anymore. Whatever pain or tiredness he felt was suddenly gone.
The only thing he wanted was to watch Enel die.
"HOW DARE YOU!?"
Enel was laughing like a maniac even as he pulverised the bell into pieces. What was left couldn't even be called a bell anymore. It was barely anything more than a pile of shards, a hulk of molten metal.
The God stared out over the island. The whole forest seemed to be writhing in agony, shock, and anger. Enel just laughed.
"Now the game has begun!" Enel proclaimed triumphantly, just as thunder split through the sky.
The skipper quietly cut through the Milky Road. Around them, floating orbs bounced around the forests idly. The Devil fruit hunters were completely silent as the noise bled out around them.
"Well, that was weird," Marcus exclaimed happily. "I wonder what that noise was about."
Neither Berrit nor Isaac replied. Both of them were staying as far from Marcus as the small boat would allow. Marcus' shirt was still coated in dried blood from last night.
"So, what was this place called again?" Marcus asked cheerfully, looking around the forest and the floating balls of cloud. "The Ordeal of Orbs or something? Any ideas what that means?"
Marcus was in very happy mood. Generally, if Marcus was in a good mood, then it meant that a lot of people were dead, and even more people were about to die. Right now, Berrit and Isaac were in survival mode, and just trying to stay alive.
It's a pretty good job being a Devil fruit hunter, Isaac told himself repeatedly. The money was great and you got to travel. The only downside is that I have to share a boat with a psychopath…
Slowly, a childish laugh echoed through the trees. "Welcome to my Ordeal of Balls. Ho, ho, hoooo! I am Satori of the Forest! You are facing God's Judgement!"
A large, rotund man burst from the trees, hovering on a floating ball. Berrit and Isaac gave him one look and then turned away.
Satori started to look a bit annoyed as the ship just kept sailing by him with no consideration. "Oi! Don't ignore me, you bastards!" Satori demanded loudly. "This is a trial!"
"Have you seen my earplugs anywhere?" Isaac asked Berrit quietly, without even glancing towards the priest. "I suspect I'm going to need them…"
Satori's face flushed. "Bastards…" he growled, before kicking a ball of cloud towards them angrily. "Don't ignore me…"
As the cloud flew towards the ship, it exploded in a small fireball. Still, there was no damage. Marcus was suddenly standing at the edge of the skipper, the air shimmering as he absorbed the explosion.
"Oh, don't worry," Marcus grinned. "I'm not ignoring you."
His smile was predatory. Satori laughed, dancing between the balls and hovering in the air. "Oh! You look like a tough guy!" He said teasingly. "I am one of the Almighty God Enel's priests! Welcome to the forbidden holy land, Upper Yard. In the Lost Forest, the chance of survival is eleven percent!"
"Eleven percent?" Marcus mused. "Trust me; your chance isn't as high as that. You're funny guy."
The air started to shimmer around him. "That's why I'm going to take my time with you," he grinned.
Even Satori seemed to falter slightly. "Don't underestimate me!" The priest roared, spinning as he launched his balls towards Marcus. The clouds exploded into everything from vicious animals to spears. Marcus stood perfectly still, arms crossed, and never seemed to notice any of them. The air shimmered and the explosions just shredded away around him.
"So, you're a priest?" He asked, almost conversationally, while Satori continued his salvo of explosive clouds. "I've never been one for religion, personally. I have, however, always had a very strong interest in biology. It's something of a hobby."
Behind him, Isaac was continuing to search for his earplugs. Marcus jumped off the skipper and started to walk casually towards Satori, much to the priest's annoyance.
"So you have a weird power…" Satori chided, still bouncing between balls. Suddenly, he rebounded of a nearby tree and plummeted straight to the ground, arm outstretched. "So what!"
Satori's huge body dropped like a stone, faster than the eye could follow. His arm suddenly thrust towards Marcus. "Impact!" Satori screamed, just as a burst of pressure exploded from his palm.
The air shimmered around Marcus and the force disappeared. Marcus tilted his head and looked at Satori like he was an idiot. Satori's mouth dropped open. Around him, the ground had been gouged from the shockwave, yet Marcus seemed completely unharmed.
"That's cute," Marcus muttered, amused. "My turn."
His arm flashed forward. Satori knew the attack was coming, and tried to absorb it using his Impact Dial. He might as well have tried to block a tornado with a piece of paper. Marcus' fist exploded as it approached, and the shockwave sent Satori flying backwards, landing roughly against a tree trunk. The Impact Dial in his palm overcharged and exploded.
Marcus started strolling towards him, slowly. The shimmering around him started to increase. "Right, so where was?" Marcus mused to himself, while Satori struggled to pick himself up again. "Oh yes! Biology!"
The priest tried to pull himself to his feet, but he was coughing up blood. With one attack, Marcus had shredded through his clothes and skin. Satori's hat and goggles were ruined, while he clutched his stomach in pain, gasping loudly.
"Did you know?" Marcus continued conversationally. "That I actually took an apprenticeship in medicine a while back?"
Satori was swaying slightly, struggling to remain focused on his Mantra through the pain. They were covered in the shadows of the forest, and Marcus' eyes glinted almost hungrily. With the sun rising in the distance, it looked like the horizon was on fire.
Marcus' heavily shadowed eyes cut through Satori. His hair was dark, greasy and unkempt. His clothes were cheap and shredded, with stained blood coated over his body. Satori gulped unwillingly.
"You… you were a doctor?" The priest muttered, stumbling to his feet.
"A doctor?" Marcus scoffed. "Hell no!"
His grin widened even further. The air started to glow red. "I'm a motherfucking chiropractor."
With a blur of movement, Marcus' fist was suddenly buried into Satori's chest. The priest screamed in agony. Nearby trees collapsed from the impact.
"I really need my earplugs…" Isaac muttered desperately, searching up and down desperately as the sickening cry of agony hit the skipper.
Marcus was laughing as he jammed his knee into the writhing Satori. "Welcome to Musculoskeletal 101!" He proclaimed happily. Satori tried to struggle, but Marcus was too strong. "Did you know that bones are a lot less rigid than most people belief? They don't snap, so much as they eventually buckle. It's pretty amazing the amount of beating your skeleton can spring back from."
His knee forced the priest to the ground roughly. "As a matter of fact, the most brittle parts of the body are the hands…"
Marcus clutched both of Satori's wrists and squeezed tightly. There was a sickening crack, followed by a gut-wrenching scream. Berrit and Isaac both tried desperately to distract themselves.
Marcus never stopped smiling. "… and the skull!" He jammed both of his hands to either side of Satori's head. The priest was too delirious with pain to even beg for his life. The air started to shimmer as Marcus slowly increased the pressure.
"Now, the thing about is skull is there's all that brain fluid inside," he continued gleefully. "It really does make a difference. As you start to shred through the bone, there's just all that pressure on the inside…"
Satori's eyes looked like they were about to burst. There were no screams anymore, just desperate gasps of agony. "Well…" Marcus muttered happily. "I suppose it's like popping a ball…"
In the skipper, Berrit and Isaac both avoided eye contact with each other. The sound of a sickening squelch burst through the forest. A few minutes later, Dan 'The Demonic' Marcus walked out of the trees, covered in a fresh layer of blood. He was whistling happily.
"I guess nobody told these guys…" Marcus muttered to himself. "Demons eat priests for breakfast…"
I am now taking bets on who will be the last ones standing :)
Next chapter: 'Battle Royale'…