P.E.R.C.Y. J.A.C.K.S.O.N.

"I am NOT going there."

The New World really hadn't been that bad so far. Percy had discovered pretty quickly that all Devil Fruit Users were pretty useless once you threw them into the sea. The monsters weren't so bad either. With Nami's help, along with the rest of the crew (who, thanks to Brook, could all now see through the Mist), the monsters proved to be no more than speed bumps. He was actually having fun.

That was, until they found the burning sea surrounding an island called Punk Hazard.

"Percy, you have to draw a straw," said Franky, "Nami said so."

Percy took a step backwards, "No way, the sea is on fire. My entire life is based on signs. This is a big, fat, firey one. I'm. not. going."

"Fine, you big baby," Nami snapped, "Everyone else, draw straws."

Luffy threw himself into Zoro's arms, "You got a red straw! This is gonna be so romantic!"

"Your definition of romantic needs work," Usopp moaned, clutching his red straw dejectedly.

Franky pecked Robin on the cheek, "You'll be ok?"

"Of course," Robin said cheerfully, "I'll see you when I get back."

"If you and the shitty rubber idiot do anything to offend Robin-chan's delicate sensibilities, I'll toss you into the fire myself," Sanji threatened Zoro, "Hey! I'm talking to you moss head!"

"Yeah, yeah," Zoro waved him off, already walking off with Luffy, hand in hand.

"You gotta admit, they are pretty cute," Nami whispered in Percy's ear.

Percy rollled his eyes, "You are such an Aphrodite kid. Now are you gonna help them or not?"

"SOMEBODY TRADE WITH ME!" Usopp wailed.

Milkey Road!

O.N.E. P.I.E.C.E.

Best. Vacation. EVER.

Sure, it was soooo hot and the dragon kept blowing fire, but Luffy got to fight next to Zoro, and that was enough for him.

And Usopp and Robin were there too!

But seriously, the dragon was SO awesome! It was at least twice the size of the Sunny, with beady red eyes, a scaly underbelly and claws and fangs sharp enough to cut steel.

Best of all, the dragon could TALK!

"This isn't a God thing, is it?" Usopp asked Robin.

"Not that I know of," Robin said lightly.

Meanwhile Luffy and Zoro zoomed around the dragon, looking for the source of the voice. Zoro would meet the Dragon's gaping maw with his swords before backing off again, giving Luffy an opening to attack.

"Damn it," Zoro cursed, "This is one stubborn lizard. Let me cut it up, Luffy."

"Sure," said Luffy, "But let me bring it to you!"

Luffy rocketed himself onto the Dragon's back, noticing a pair of legs stuck in the dragon, "That's weird. Let'er rip, Zoro!"

Using Usopp's weird trampoline plant, Zoro sprung into the sky and cut off the dragon's head.

Cien Fleur!

Luffy giggled as Robin caught him and Zoro in her hands, "That was pretty fun!"

Zoro slung an arm around Luffy's shoulder, "Let's go find more dragons to kill."

"Hang on you guys," said Usopp, "You can go have your psychotic date night later; first, you gotta explain what that thing is."

No one knew what to make of the talking torso.

"Bu! Let me go, bu!"

"Zoro, what do you think?" Luffy grinned, showing off his new centaur legs.

Zoro face palmed, "I plead the fifth."
Robin giggled, "Could you tell us about the Warlord you mentioned, Mr. Legs-san?"

At first they'd thought that Luffy had ripped the guy in half. Upon further inspection, they discovered that the man had been cut up by a devil fruit and the pieces of his body scattered around the island.

"His name is Trafalgar Law," said the legs.

"Luffy," Zoro said urgently.

"I know," said Luffy.

"Stop DOING that!" Usopp ordered, "What is going on with you two?"

"We'll explain when we're with the others," said Zoro, "Law approached us with an offer on Sabaody two years ago."

"This cooked dragon is good," said Luffy, "Maybe Law wants some? Let's go ask him!"

"What in the Hades did you do to my dragon?"

Zoro whipped around, swords at the ready, "Who's there?"

"Hades?" Robin mused, "I wonder…"

Out of the fire emerged a scrawny, olive-skinned, curly-haired boy.

Luffy's eyes were shining, "Wow, you're fire proof? You should join my crew! I'm gonna be King of the Pirates!"

The boy cocked his head to the side, "Now where have I heard that before?"

His dark, manic eyes gleamed in recognition, "Hephaestus's underpants! You're Percy's friends! I've been looking for you! My name is Leo Valdez."

P.E.R.C.Y. J.A.C.K.S.O.N.

Percy hated the heat.

In hind sight, he guessed that his mom took him to Montauk whenever she could in order to get away from the heat.

True, the heat reminded him way too much of Tartarus, but it was more than that; the heat was his opposite; Percy wasn't built to last in the heat.

So slumped against Chopper in a pale, sweaty mass on the deck, Percy thought he could be forgiven for not noticing the sleeping gas in time.

It knocked out the others immediately. Percy and Nami stumbled around, disoriented as enemies climbed aboard the ship that reminded Percy of something…he just couldn't think of what.

"We have to escape," Percy told Nami, staggering towards the railing, "Into the sea."

Nami tripped and hit the deck, out cold.

"Interesting," said one of the assailants, "This one is still conscious."

Percy's observation haki told him of a hand coming at his head, but he was too sluggish to move.

"No matter," said another assailant, catching Percy as he fell, "No one will miss him, or the others."

"Gotta do something," Percy slurred. He felt a tugging in his gut before the now all-too familiar sensation of his body turning into water.

"Gah!"

"Where'd he go?"

"That was probably a clone. Fan out and search for the real one."

While the weird-looking enemies searched the ship, Percy slipped, unnoticed into the burning sea.