I really should try to stop disappearing so often.
Nami could tell a fight was about to start. She'd been in enough bars with pirates to tell it was going to go down.
The stare-down between Luffy and their mystery Captain was intense, if only slightly undercut by Luffy's somewhat blank expression.
"Who the hell're you?" Luffy asked. The blonde man raised an eyebrow, a maniacal expression on his face.
"Who am I?" He asked, "it's common courtesy to know the names of bigshots, kid." he replied.
"Go easy on him, Bellamy," the man from before with the silver hair said, "poor guy looks like he's got nothing going on behind the eyes." A snicker breezed through the bar at this. Nami balled her fists at the insult, no matter how true it was.
"Barkeep," Bellamy barked as he stood next to Luffy, " give me your finest wine, and whatever for this guy." The bartender looked anxious, but nodded. He quickly returned with the two glasses, placing them down in front of the pair.
"Well you talk like a prick," Luffy noted as he took his glass, "but it seems you're a nice guy." He raised to his lips, ready to swig.
Bellamy grabbed him by the back of the head and slammed him down into his glass, and then through the counter.
Nami jumped up in surprise at the destruction, distancing herself on instinct. Nojiko and Zoro acted differently. A blade pressed against Bellamy's neck while a gun pressed into his temple immediately.
"Guys, you promised not to fight!" Nami shouted.
"We just got attacked, Nami," Zoro replied in a deadly tone, "that wasn't in the deal." Nojiko's response was to click back the hammer of her revolver, narrowing her eyes at Bellamy.
"Aw, the widdle boys guard dogs are angry!" Bellamy exclaimed manically. "What're you gonna do, huh? stab me, shoot me?"
"Give me one more reason and I'll paint the wall behind you with viscera," Nojiko replied. Luffy got to his feet and wiped blood from his cheek, turning to glare at Bellamy. Nami knew the look. Gone was his innocent blank expression, replaced with a predator sizing up it's next meal.
"Ease off him," Luffy stated. Both Zoro and Nojiko's weapons retreated, obviously to give Luffy the leeway he needed. Bellamy cackled.
"Are you ready to go, Straw Hat?!" He demanded, "show me what you've got!" Nami grit her teeth. Once a fight started, she knew both Luffy and Zoro would wipe out anyone who looked at them funny. This was their last chance.
"Barkeep!" She shouted as the two stalked each other, "does anyone around here know about the Sky Island?!"
The bar went so quiet you could've heard a pin drop. At first Nami was worried, then confused. Turning around, she saw the entire bar was staring at her now, a mix of confusion and curiosity on their faces.
Before everyone present erupted in laughter.
Nami stared blankly as the entire patronage of the bar roared with laughter, pointing at her and giggling like children.
"Sky Island?!" Someone asked, "did that dumb broad just ask about Sky Island?!"
"Holy shit, she's as dumb as her Captain looks!"
Of all the laughs, Bellamy's was the loudest. He had nearly fallen backwards with laughter, grabbing at his stomach as it were to burst.
"Sky Island!" He laughed, "oh that's rich! Hey little lady, what backwater ghetto did you and your friends pop out of?! No one believes in that bullshit!"
"B-But-!" Nami tried, gesturing to the Log Pose on her wrist. "The Log Pose it pointing to the sky, so-!"
Another round of laughter erupted from the bar. Nami could feel her entire face ignite in embarrassment.
"She's trusting the Log Pose!" The silver-haired man roared as he slammed his fist onto the able next to him repeatedly. "On the Grand Line, the one place in the world nothing makes complete sense!"
"Are you really that naive?!" Bellamy asked. "Sky Islands? Please! Those are legends, created by storytelling morons hundreds of years ago who blamed imaginary Gods when it rained too hard! The mysteries of this sea are being solved day by day. Like the Blast-Off stream, for instance."
"Blast off Stream?" Luffy asked.
"I'm not surprised a dumbass like you doesn't know," Bellamy spat. "Sarquiss, explain it real slow for the kid! If he looks at me like that any longer I'll punt him!" The silver-haired man, whose named appeared to be Sarquiss, snorted.
"It's a current around here that blasts high into the sky," he said. "Whoever gets caught in it get sent to God, and they're ships eventually fall back down. Where do you think the legends started?"
"Exactly!" Bellamy said. "Sky Islands, Lost Cities of Gold, The Emerald City, the One Piece?! It's all bullshit! Especially the One Piece!" He laughed, "Roger didn't find some glorious treasure, it was a final middle finger to the World Government! A recruitment call for the whole world!"
Bellamy's expression darkened.
"It's fools like you that give pirates a bad name," he said. "Morons too busy looking up and can't see what's right in front of them. "oh he died doing what he loved, that's admirable" Hah, what a joke! Listen good, kiddies. The age of pirates who dream is over! A New Age is coming where wimps like you won't be a part of it! Seeing people like you calling yourselves pirates...It makes me wince!"
Nami held in a gasp as Bellamy surged forward and punched Luffy square in the jaw, sending him back into the floor. As Luffy rolled over onto his back, a full mug of beer exploded next to his head.
"Get the bums out of here!" Someone called, "it's making the booze taste bad!" Sarquiss giggled like a child.
"The people want a show, Bellamy!" He called, "we should give it to them!" Bellamy grinned like a Hyena.
"Gladly!" He said, cracking his knuckles. In an instant the four of them were surrounded by thugs, presumably Bellamy's, all aiming to get a hit or two in.
"Alright, screw the promise!" Nami hissed, "Luffy, you have my full permission to beat the shit out of all these goons!" Zoro and Nojiko reached for their weapons at this.
"You don't have mine," Luffy said. Nami raised an eyebrow at him, watching as their captain looked over his shoulder at them.
"What?" Nojiko asked, confused. Luffy's expression remained stoic.
"Don't fight them," he said.
The next fifteen minutes could only be described as the most humiliating moment Nami had ever experienced. She stood by her sister, helpless, as Bellamy and his crew beat the crap out of Luffy and Zoro. Nojiko had been spared the beating against her own will, because Sarquiss said the only thing they both were good for was breaking beds with. So the two stood there, motionless, as the two strongest members of the crew were humiliated in front of the entirety of the bar. They were beaten, slashed, glasses thrown at them, everything short of outright lethal wounds.
After what felt like an eternity the beating ended, Bellamy taking a step back to admire their work.
"Morons," he snorted. "Too busy with your head in the clouds to see my fist hitting you. Do us all a favour. Go home and wrap it up before someone less kind takes you out back and treats you like a sick dog!"
"Why not take their heads, Bellamy?" Sarquiss asked. "Navy's been pretty generous lately. That's free millions right there man!" Bellamy exhaled loudly and chugged a mug of beer.
And spit it in Luffy and Zoro's faces.
"Nah," he said as he wiped his mouth, "I'm done dirtying my hands playing with trash. Hey pretty lady's, get your boy toys out of here before we kill 'em for real!"
Nami clenched her fists and considered lobbing an insult, but she could tell this wasn't the time. Both Luffy and Zoro needed to see Chopper now, so it was best they get out of here. She nudged her sister quietly and walked up to Luffy, regarding him quietly.
"Hey not so fast, hot stuff," Sarquiss called. "How much to take you off your 'Captain' there? Following those morons will lead to an early grave. Come with us and really make a living!"
The idea of travelling with Sarquiss and Bellamy made her stomach turn violently. They were exactly what she used to think all pirates were. Violent, sexist pigs who just took and took and gave nothing back to anyone. Neither of them saw her or Nojiko as people, just items. Hot pieces to be shown off.
"Buy us off?" She asked loudly. "Be real. I'd rather keep my head in the clouds than wrestle in the mud with you." Nojiko let out a cold laugh.
"You couldn't afford us even if you found the City of Gold," she said. "Stick to the arm candy, boys. You can't handle us." Nami felt an inkling of pride that their words silenced the bar. She grabbed Luffy and put his arm around her neck to support him, Nojiko doing the same for Zoro. They left with what little dignity they had, the bar watching them go. Once they excited and walked forward a bit, Luffy coughed.
"Sorry about all that, girls," he said. "Wish you hadn't had to see that."
"Don't be prideful now, dumbass," Nami hissed. "You can afford to let me see you like this if you'll let a bar of morons treat you like dirt."
"Seriously," Nojiko muttered, "you two could have won that battle easily."
"Who said they didn't?" A voice asked.
Nami turned, and sitting on the ground nearby them was the big man from earlier with his cherry pies. He gobbled one down in record time, grinning heartily. "God, these are so good," he declared.
"What did you say?" Nami asked him. The pirate grinned at her.
"Those guys in there gonna end up as the shrimp of the pirate world," he said. "They lost that fight yet they threw all the punches."
"Do you know how a fight works, fatty?" Nojiko asked in annoyance. The pirate laughed again, scratching his hairy gut.
"You two were impressive as well, lobbing insults like that!" He took a massive swig of booze. "The age of pirates who dream is over?! What a joke!"
He slammed his jug of booze onto the ground.
"A man's dream never dies!" He declared.
Nami felt a shiver go down her spine. The man said it with such conviction and determination she believed him to his core.
"Who wants to wait for glory to come to them?!" The man demanded, "those who dream the biggest will always encounter times when fighting requires no punches!"
Nami's eyes drifted over to Luffy, who was watching the man silently. The pirate grinned, showing off all his missing teeth as he stood.
"Sorry, am I in your way?" He asked. He took another swig from the jug as he walked past, laughing to himself. "I'm curious to see how you'll all reach Sky Island."
With this, he disappeared into the crowd. Nami watched quietly, unsure of what to say.
"Should we ask him about Sky Island?" She asked, "he seemed to know something."
"No," Luffy replied as he stood on his own. "They're dangerous." Nami made a face at this.
"They?"
"More boards, Big Bro Usopp!" Johnny called. Usopp grumbled irritably to himself as he slammed the nail into the last board he was working with.
"How many times do I have to say it?" He demanded, "I'm not a carpenter, why do I get stuck doing the repairs?"
"Cause you're the only one who wants to do it," Chopper informed him blankly. Usopp mocked the reindeer quietly under his breath as he moved to the next hole on Merry's hull, grabbing one he boards Johnny had grabbed him. Now that they'd made it to civilisation they could do some repairs, but they weren't exactly very good. He wasn't a carpenter or a shipwright. He was basically just duct taping holes.
"Why don't we go shopping for a new ship?" Sanji asked from the balcony. "It'd be easier that watching you try to repair Merry."
"We can't sell Merry!" Usopp yelled, whirling on the cook. "Don't you know where we got her?! A beautiful lady from my hometown gave this to us! I'd rather die than sell the ship Kaya gave us!"
"That's pretty romantic, Big Bro Usopp!" Yosaku commented from nearby, Marianne sitting next to him. "Is this Kaya your girlfriend?"
"W-What?! N-No she isn't...She's just a friend!"
"That's sad," Johnny remarked as he wiped sweat off his brow. "Sounds like she really likes you if she gave you a whole ship." Usopp gulped.
"Do you think?" He asked weakly.
"Kinda," Yosaku agreed. "It's kind of an expensive gift."
"W-Well...I-I don't know..."
"Enough you two," Vivi said, joining them from below deck, "any more and you'll fry poor Usopp's brain." Usopp was glad for the distraction.
"How's it looking below deck?" He asked her.
"Not great," she answered as she crossed her arms. "The damage isn't as bad, but it still needs repairing. can't exactly keep sailing in such a dangerous place without fixing it." Usopp sighed at this, hanging his head.
"Maybe we need to prioritise a shipwright," he muttered, "this is already annoying." As he continued hammering away, something caught his eye. Looking up, Usopp was greeted by the sight of their four comrades returning.
Two of them covered in blood.
He spluttered as he got to his feet.
"Luffy?! Zoro?! What happened to you guys?!" His cries alerted the rest of the crew, who also looked over.
"That's a lot of blood..." Marianne noted.
"Someone get a Doctor!" Chopper yelled in a panic.
"You are the Doctor!" Yosaku told the reindeer as he grabbed him by his antlers, shaking him. "Doctor them!"
"You two better not have let a scratch get on the ladies!" Sanji roared. As the four came aboard and Chopper began to look at their wounds., Usopp sighed. "I thought we agreed on no fighting?"
"They didn't fight," Nami replied, arms crossed. This made Usopp raise an eyebrow. "They just stood there and let those pirates beat the crap out of them."
"What?" Vivi asked, "why?"
"No reason to fight 'em," Luffy replied as Chopper inspected a cut on his arm. "Besides, Nami did tell us not to fight."
"You can fight back, you know!" Nami yelled. Usopp noted her tone wasn't angry, more exasperated. Turning, he noted Nojiko was standing by the railing, looking annoyed.
"What's the matter?" He asked in her direction. Her gaze narrowed in annoyance.
"They didn't lay a hand on me," she said.
"Good!" Sanji cried, "I'd be horrified if they did!"
"That's not the point!" Nojiko shouted. "I threatened that pig Bellamy too, I threatened to paint the wall with his grey matter! Why was I forced to watch?!"
"You know why, sis,' Nami replied with a frown. "They may have beat the shit out of these two, but they respected us less. We weren't pirates to them. Just fancy arm-candy." Nojiko's face scrunched in disgust.
"Bellamy better hope I don't see him or his lapdog Sarquiss ever again," she said in a low tone, "or I'll make sure he never cackles ever again."
"On that," Nami said, "we are agreed."
An uncomfortable silence came over the crew, punctuated only by Chopper bandaging wounds.
"So no new information?" Yosaku asked. This earned him a dirty glance from the sisters.
"Scrub the deck before I 'deck' you," Nojiko threatened. Yosaku already had experience in what happened when you defied one of the sisters, so he scrambled to his feet and went searching for a mop.
"I see you're own excursion went badly," another voice said. Turning, Usopp watched as Robin walked back onboard, smiling faintly.
"Where have you been?" Vivi asked her.
"Buying clothes for myself," Robin answered as she lifted her shopping bags. "Figured I needed more than one outfit. Oh, I also happened across this." She walked to Nami and handed over a scrolled-up piece of paper to her. Nami unravelled in and made a face.
"What is this?" She asked.
"A map of this island," Robin replied. "We're at Mock Town on the West side. But look here, to the East." Robin pointed on the map. "I heard someone special from Jaya lives on the East coast. Man named Mont Blanc Cricket. From what I gathered, man can stop talking about his dreams. We could have some in common." Nami's face scrunched up even more at this information.
"Is this really all the info we got?" She asked weakly.
"Well, for Sky Island, sure," Robin replied as she reached for her bag. "But I also happened across some bounty posters. Seems more of us have gotten one."
"Wait, what?" Usopp asked weakly. "Please say it isn't me! Please!" Robin just smiled innocently and handed the pile of posters to him.
'Straw Hat' Monkey D. Luffy
Dead Or Alive
110,000,000 Berries
"That's a massive increase!" Luffy said, sounding joyous.
'Pirate Hunter' Roronoa Zoro
Dead Or Alive
60,000,000 Berries
"Seems extreme," Zoro noted, otherwise uninterested.
'Sword of the Sea' Johnny
Dead or Alive
10,000,000 Berries
"Huh?!"
"Sword of the Earth' Yosaku
Dead or Alive
10,000,000 Berries.
"What did we do?!" Yosaku asked. Nami examined the fine print.
"Wanted for defeating Bounty Hunters at Whiskey Peak and being a known associate of Pirate Hunter Zoro and Straw Hat Luffy."
"Aw come on!" Johnny said, "not even for our own feats?!"
"Stop riding our coattails, you two," Zoro said with a smirk.
'Hawkshot' Nojiko
Dead or Alive
5,000,000 Berries
"They want you for the same reasons as these two," Nami said, gesturing to Johnny and Yosaku. Nojiko looked annoyed.
"Was Whiskey Peak really that big a deal?" She demanded.
"Apparently," Nami said. The shots of the last three were all seemingly mid-battle, but Usopp had no idea where they had gotten those shots from. He was just happy his name hadn't been called yet. Just so long as that last poster wasn't his. Nami flipped the last one to the front, and her eyes widened.
"What the hell?!" She demanded, "what is this for?!"
"What?" Luffy asked, "who is it?" The Captain looked over her shoulder, and his eyes widened too. "Huh?!"
"What?" Sanji asked, "who is it for?" Shaky, Luffy grabbed the poster and flipped it around for the crew to see.
Princess Nefertari Vivi
ONLY ALIVE
80,000,000 Berries
"Me?" Vivi asked weakly. "Why do I have a bounty?" Nami grabbed the poster back and examined it closely.
"Princess Vivi went missing from Alabasta shortly after the conflict with Crocodile," she read. "She is presumed kidnapped...By the Straw Hat Pirates?! Bounty is only payable upon safe return?! What the hell is this?!"
"There's no way my father issued that," Vivi said to placate the Navigator, "he said I should go!" Nami frowned and moaned angrily.
"Doesn't say anything about him issuing it," she said. "Navy did this themselves."
"Luffy's bounty is bigger because of that," Zoro called as he waved it around. "Says here the extra ten mil was because they assume he's the kidnapper."
"I didn't kidnap Vivi!" Luffy shouted, "but I do appreciate the extra numbers, so I suppose it's fine."
"Fine?!" Nami asked him, "do you want the whole world after us to get this bounty from her?!"
"As oppose to the bounty on me or Zoro?" Luffy asked her. Nami just grumbled under her breath at this, making him laugh and clap her on the back. "Don't worry Nami, we'll be fine."
"I'm sorry if this causes trouble," Vivi said weakly. "I didn't realise they'd try to cover up my disappearance as well."
"Don't worry about it," Luffy told her, "just imagine it as a head start you get on everyone else!"
"Speaking of which," Sanji said, "we helped take Croc down, why didn't we get bounties?"
"Because if they covered it up, there's no way to give you a bounty reasonably," Nojiko told him. "Whiskey Peak is why we all got one. The fight against Croc and the Number Agents isn't mentioned."
"Not to mention the numbers on you, Sea and Earth over there are relatively low," Robin added. "They didn't factor in Alabasta at all.
"Good!" Usopp declared, "I'm already on Luffy's poster, last thing I need is my own!"
"Don't worry Usopp," Nami said as she clapped him on the shoulder, "no one would ever be looking for you."
"Thank you Nami...Hey, wait a damn minute!"
"Enough talk!" Luffy declared, "let's get going to Mt. Black Crickets or whatever!"
"Mont Blanc Cricket," Robin corrected.
"Right, that!"
Jaya turned out to not be that big of an island, only taking the Straw Hats around an hour to circle it to the East. As they sailed across the edge of the island, something soon came into view. It wasn't a village or house though.
"That ship looks a lot like that other guys," Luffy noted as they got closer. The ship dead ahead of them had a similar monkey design to it, and was sailing right for them.
"It's different then Masira's," Vivi noted, "maybe they're in the same alliance."
"What do we do?" Usopp asked from the wheel, "they're coming right at us."
"We haven't done anything wrong," Nami replied, "and Masira was willing to talk, so let's see what happens. If it goes South I don't care. I want to watch someone get beat up now."
"That's the spirit Nami!" Luffy told her. As the ship got closer, he flinched as a microphone buzzed to life.
"You there!" A voice demanded, "what do you think you're doing in my territory?! I'll kill you all if we don't get a good explanation out of you!"
"Talking seems to be going well," Zoro noted with a hand resting on his swords. Luffy was about to crack his knuckles when he remembered what Vivi told him earlier about talking.
"Hey, Vivi," he called. "Talk to him for us."
"Huh?" The Princess asked, "why me?"
"You were trained!" He insisted, "come on, be our voice." Vivi looked a little anxious, but balled her fists and nodded.
"What should I say?" She asked. Luffy whispered to her in a low tone, Vivi nodding along. Once he was done, She cleared her throat and stepped forward.
"We apologise for the intrusion into your territory!" She called out, "Do you by any chance know a Masira?"
"Masira?" The voice asked, "of course, we're brothers! How do you know him?"
"We met him scavenging the open sea," Vivi replied. "His ship was similar to yours, so I felt the need to ask."
"Did you harm him?"
"No. As a matter of fact, we were very friendly to him! Masira even offered to help us fix our damaged ship." There was silence for a moment, and then the voice made itself known.
It was another ape.
At least, he looked like one. As oppose to Masira, who was bulkier and rougher, this one was wearing a green captain's coat that was much to small, and had ridiculously long hair. He also looked half asleep, but that made sense. He'd be tired carrying around all that hair as well.
"If you are friends of Masira, you are friends of mine," he said lazily. "I am Shoujou, the Sonar King! So, what are you doing in my waters?"
"We wanted to speak to Mont Blanc Cricket," Vivi replied. "We've heard he lives in these parts, and we had questions to ask him. Do you know him?"
"Do I know him?" Shoujou demanded, "Of course I do. Follow me, friends. I will escort you to Cricket." Shoujou then walked away from them, and his ship began to veer away. Luffy chuckled as he clapped Vivi on the shoulder.
"Good job!" He told her, "you're a natural."
"That was easy," Vivi excused easily. "I didn't have to try that hard to convince him."
"Don't be ridiculous!" Luffy insisted, "from now on, Vivi, you'll be our voice! That okay with you?" Vivi smiled brightly and nodded.
"As long as I can help out," she said. Luffy nodded before turning to look over his shoulder.
Stay on his tail, Usopp! Let's find Mt. Cricket!"
"Do you get people's names wrong on purpose, Luffy?" Nami demanded.
"Fifty-fifty," he replied.
"Hot damn that woman was scary," someone behind Bellamy said. "She sounded like a demon straight out of hell!"
"I know," someone agreed. "Best we gave her the information about Cricket she wanted so she gets the hell out of here. I saw her break enough arms to know I don't want to cross her."
"What do you think she wants with him? He's just a weirdo."
"I heard he found a ton of gold recently. I imagine that has something to do with it." Bellamy smirked at this and turned in his seat.
"Oi," he called out, "you two. What was that about gold?"
Although this chapter doesn't show it, I am going to try and get through Skypiea a littler quicker than Alabasta. I don't want to be here for a millions years, you know what I mean? It'll also go through more of a rewrite than Alabasta, which I'm excited for! I hope you enjoyed, leave a review!