Ocean Journeys are the names of every chapter that takes place at sea. So when we get to Drum to Alabasta, Alabasta to that pirate island, etc, they're also called Ocean Journeys. Hence the "Parts".
I'm warning you now, but there likely won't be an update next month as I review the Drum Island Arc and get ready for Uni. But speaking of the next chapter, would you be interested in a chapter from the Straw Hat's Perspective? If I integrate it into the story, it'll happen after the island's events from the Pokemon's perspective but provide the SH humans' pov on the events and people.
I want to integrate the Straw Hats into the story more and I feel like this is a step in the direction to help me with that goal. These chapters won't further the "plot" so to speak, but will offer insight and events that won't have been seen.
Sorry for the long blurb, I hope you enjoy this chapter! It's not as long as most chapters, but I'm going to let it slide.
"So, what's Alabasta like?" Zhaleh asks, directing the Going Merry to go around the hidden whirlpool. How the surface could look so calm but underneath be so tumultuous is incredible. He wants to try it, but they couldn't delay.
Vivi smiles, and Zhaleh doesn't need Darcy's abilities to tell him that she's fond and proud. He's seen a very similar look on Aliahra face, back in Sinnoh. There was no sadness for something she hadn't seen in a while on his mum's face though.
"Well, for starters, it's a summer island that's almost entirely desert. It's got a lot of history and was one of the twenty founding countries of the World Government!" She then quickly looks around at the ship she's on, wincing as she remembered that Pirates and the World Government do not get along.
"Why haven't you asked the World Government for help then?" Usopp asks, distracted from making new ammo to replace what he used up on the last island.
Vivi got a dark look on her face. "Sir Crocodile is a member of the Seven Warlords and works for them. They won't believe he'd do this to a founding nation. And if the World Government got wind of my people trying to have a revolution, they'd kill them all or worse."
There's a pause as that sinks in. Usopp looks awkward before turning back to his ammo. Zhaleh rolls his eyes at that response before flopping onto Vivi's lap. It did mean he had to also push her down though. It's hard to sit in a lap when a person is standing.
Vivi's hands, still soft even after the last two years, grow confident the longer she pats Zhaleh's fine fur. He's not a fluffy Eevee, but he still knows his fur's really nice to touch, if a little wet feeling.
"My father's the king, Cobra. He's a fair man and a good king. He knows as well as I do that our people wouldn't be rebelling if it weren't for the good of everybody. Our people just don't know the fault isn't his but Crocodile's." He can't see it, but Zhaleh can feel the tears of frustration forming in Vivi's eyes. "He said if the revolution got to the point it'd result in bloodshed, he'd step down so as to avoid it. But it's Crocodile who wants the throne to get to the Poneglyph. Dad's never told me what's on there, but it is something that cannot be allowed to fall into any warmonger's hands."
Nuzzling into a hand, he patted back at her with a paw. It got a smile and relaxed the shoulders that were becoming tense.
"You know about Igaram, he's the captain of the Alabasta Royal Guard. His wife, Terracotta, is the royal seamstress and royal head chef. When this is all over, I know she'd be glad to try her skills against Luffy's stomach." She let out a laugh at that, relaxing as she focused on less stressful things.
She then looks to the sky, contemplating something. "I suppose since Igaram came with me, either Chaka or Pell must be acting as the Captain of the Royal Guard instead. They're both Zoan Devil Fruit Users. Pell is the strongest fighter in all of Alabasta. His Fruit is the Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Falcon. He used to take me flying when I was younger."
Nico perks up in interest, but she doesn't switch. "Well, Nico's looking forward to meeting him. What's Chaka's animal?"
"Oh, he ate the Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Jackal." And that instantly got a reaction from Darcy.
"And there goes Darcy. That's kind of funny. Sure Nico isn't a falcon, but Gira's saying it's a Raptor bird? Nico's final evolution is Staraptor, so." He shrugs, not entirely sure how to finish the sentence even though it feels like it should be longer. He then just adds, "That's a bit of a coincidence." And leaves it at that.
"So Nico too, huh." Her voice is a bit quiet at that but she continues louder. "It feels like fate then. The Falcon and Jackal have been protectors of Alabasta for centuries. That I have met a pirate crew with a Jackal and raptor bird that will help me protect my home…" Her smile turns into a reassuring and determined grin. "I feel like we can't lose!"
"Damn straight." He says, returning her grin. Before Giratina could give him a look and utter the word "Language", he gives an internal look back. It doesn't technically work, but Gira picks up on what he's trying to do. He still gets a stern look, but Zhaleh doesn't care.
"Oh is that the case, hmm?" Nami says. Her eyes are money as she appraises Zhaleh, looking at his siblings. It feels icky, so he throws sand at her. He's got PP to waste for that move, not so much for Surf, his only attacking move.
Nami's glare as she wipes the sand and tears from her eyes gets his blood pumping for a fight, but of course, he's not allowed to. Nico makes the switch and immediately has Vivi attempt to help her preen her feathers.
"Darcy will not be helping you, Nami. Lucario as a species is predisposed to follow justice and hate those with evil in their heart. He wants to help people, but he will never help you scam others." The Staravia says. "As for me, I expect payment for my services, along with a portion of the budget to be set aside for my needs. Your "Crow's Nest" is frankly appaling and needs dire attention, in addition, I would like feather and talon care products. A "hero" should look her best, don't you agree?"
Zhaleh tunes out Darcy's annoyed shouting as he goes over to lay on Terra's back. He wants to try watering his back and see what happens. It's growing plants now after all.
"This, is a TM. Short for Technical Machine apparently." Aliahra states, showing off the blue and orange sheened disk. "This one can teach the move Dragon Claw to Pokémon that can learn the move. Unfortunately, none of mine can. Gira already knows the move."
Usopp takes it carefully from her hand, looking over the disk from another world. Giratina said in another region known as Paldea, TMs could be made. They were the breakable sort though, and though Giratina did not yet know the materials they used to make it, the few they did seemed to be related to Pokémon. She relays that to Usopp, and it seems to gain his interest.
Giratina still held hope that Usopp might be able to do something though. The staff she had interrupted him in making is meant to help Nami use new moves after all.
Usopp hums as he inspects the disk, testing it a few ways. The others seemed confused and grossed out when he licked the TM, but she got why. People had five senses, and to get the best impression of something, one should use all five senses. That includes licking things to get a taste.
For instance, Luffy doesn't actually taste like rubber. There's a similarity to it, but he also tastes like humans. Zoro froze up when she licked him for comparison. He was fine the next time she saw him. Nami had pulled her away after seeing her do that to lecture her on not licking people.
Aliahra got thrown out of the room when she licked Nami. She tasted a lot better than the boys. Probably due to that hygiene stuff she and Vivi would force her through.
She spies Karoo on deck. She hasn't gotten to lick him yet. Feathers were a different texture to skin, so he had to taste different right? And Sanji would threaten to cook the duck sometimes, so he had to taste good too.
Usopp pulls her back down, already knowing the horror stories about her recent licking tendencies. When she goes to lick him now, he throws fire down her throat. It's painful, but now she's breathing fire!
She switches with Terra to go show Niran. And also to get Zhaleh to wash her mouth out because it really does hurt.
Terra… may have just done something stupid. It's not completely his fault, however! Grotles grow berries on their backs, it's a natural bodily function of theirs. The problem came in with what he is growing. There aren't any other berry-like plants nearby he had to use as an example. Nothing but Nami's tangerines.
Maybe he shouldn't keep napping in her grove. Maybe he then wouldn't be growing tangerines in his own grove. If he could just stay in the Distortion World all the time except for fights, it would save his shell. Except he needs to eat and there's no sun in Giratina's domain so he can't even make his own sustenance.
It will also mean giving up compost which, while a big ask, isn't unreasonable in the face of his life.
It's midday, just before lunch. The prime time to nap and undergo photosynthesis. Terra is kicked into switching with Zhaleh who just fished up some new aquatic life for Sanji to use for either lunch or dinner.
Merry laughs at him but offers advice anyway. Terra likes her, she's nice and helpful. Unlike several other laughing beings only he can hear. He doesn't name any names or call them out but he's sure one of them can feel his disappointment.
'Maybe you can blend in with the grove?' She suggests.
The clicks of heels on wooden planks stop. "Terra…" Nami begins, the chill of the constant blizzards that plague northern Sinnoh is embodied in her tone. "Just what is that on your back?"
There's silence from where Luffy and Usopp were previously playing a game. They're definitely watching now.
Terra turns and looks at Nami, his beak shifting into a smile. The sweat drop and avoidant eyes make the attempt at guiltlessness futile. He accepts his fate and whines, slipping his legs out from under him to lay flat on the deck. Merry's ghostly laughter and his sibling's mirthful remarks at his fate torment him.
"Tangerines." He answers honestly.
"Did you think you could steal from me, Terra?" She asks, her voice as sharp as a blizzard's biting winds.
"Wasn't intentional, forgot my grove could grow them." He replies. Already mentally drafting his apology speech and wondering if he might still be fast enough to jump over the side of the ship.
Nico can fly them back later, right? Her laughter sounds distant, she's not close enough to the portal for him to force a switch. If Zhaleh wasn't resting, trying to recover from his hunt, he would be joining in her laughter. Darcy and Niran certainly are. Aliahra's at least admonishing them.
"Wait just a minute, you're growing them?" Nami asks, now just a confused overcast.
Terra removes his face from the deck to watch as Nami comes over and inspects his back. "Yeah? I'm a Grotle, the name being inspired by Grove and Turtle. We can grow berries and fruit in our groves. Since I've been napping next to your trees, the bushes on my back naturally started growing tangerines too. Likely due to osmosis."
He doesn't actually remember if osmosis means what he thinks it means or not.
It is not the correct terminology, but using this term serves your point here.
A tangerine is plucked off his back and Nami carefully inspects it. She peels and eats it. Humming consideringly, she goes back to his grove and inspects the bushes themselves. Luffy reaches over and plucks a tangerine of his own, Nami tries to take it back, but the elastic return of his arm is faster than her delayed reflexes.
"These are some very good tangerines. Not to the same quality as mine yet, but this is only a first harvest." She frowns as she debates something internally before drooping. "Considering you're growing these under your own power, they're yours. Do with them as you wish. Though I should warn you, some are turning blue."
She glances at her Log Pose before pivoting and walking away. They're still headed in the right direction, so it looks like she went to get some things done in the women's cabin. Luffy lands on Terra's back, laying on the bare shell between the bushes, before picking another tangerine and swallowing it whole.
Unable to see his own back, Terra knows he'll have to wait and see if she's truthful about blue tangerines. Considering Oran berries look a lot like tangerines but blue and slightly larger, this could be monumental.
The Grotle walks him back to where he and Usopp were playing a game and decides to nap there for today. He won't feel like he's in someone's way if he's serving a purpose as a seat or lounging area.
Just as he lies down, however, there's a crash from the women's cabin. They all leap to check it out. Aliahra switches to the front so she can get through the door with the rest of them. It's a little hard for Terra to manoeuvre on the Merry, as she's not a ship meant for tortoises. It doesn't help that he's the slowest Straw Hat to boot.
Darcy steals a tangerine and lounges on his back, sending a direct wave of reassurance. It's not needed - Terra doesn't mind his subpar speed or poor agility - but it's nice to know he's accepted anyway.
Zhaleh sleepily frowns as they all reach Nami's flushed collapsed form. "I guess now would have been a good time to know Baton Pass and Aqua Ring. That would probably help a fever, right?"
Giratina shakes their head. That deepens his frown, though it changes when Darcy throws a tangerine – this one orange – at his face. Indignation makes for a more amusing face. All of the traces of sleep are now gone too.
Terra focuses on listening in to the Straw Hat's panicking over Nami's sudden fall and heightened temperature. It's a vague hope but if there is any way he can help out, he'll take it.
"What do you mean you knew this would happen?!" Darcy yelled. Giratina was not fazed by this reaction.
They knew there were things that had to happen that the others would not agree with. Nami's near-death experience due to that mosquito bite is just one of them. Aliahra knew it had to happen too, if she remembered, she would have let it happen.
"No, she wouldn't have!" Darcy responded to the thought. Darcy's telepathy… wait a moment. "Don't try and change the subject Gira!"
Aliahra tries patting Darcy to calm him down. Zhaleh grumbles from his place in Nami's arms, focusing on replacing sweat with slightly chilled water. He is not actually an ice-type, but that did not mean he could not help as a water-type.
Nico rolls her eyes, annoyed by the conversation that is half thoughts. Terra worries silently, so the Staravia keeps her attention on him.
"The possibility," they begin but Darcy is not having it. They will have to have this conversation later then. A shame. Darcy's potential for having two abilities at the same time was unheard of. Giratina should have considered how they could do the same for others.
There is no reason why Terra could not have both Overgrow and Shell Armour. It would just take a small reworking of the matter that makes up the Grotle's shell. To be immune to critical hits would be useful. The tangerines ripening into Oran berries in his grove would undeniably be useful, especially in the short term.
An Aura Sphere goes through Giratina. The fighting-type move is unable to hit a ghost-type. They narrow their eyes at the Lucario. Aliahra steps between them.
"You guys' kind of suck at getting along." She observes, amused and worried in equal measure. "Nami's going to be alright, correct Giratina?"
The banished deity nods. "If she did not get sick, then we could miss Drum Island. We need to go there." They do not think about why, though they focus on how necessary it is. It is a matter of life and death, and not just Nami's currently.
"… You could have just told us, there was no need to risk Nami's life." Darcy hisses. He had flinched at the mention of life and death. Giratina wonders if his ability, Inner Focus, which should make him immune to flinching does not work outside of battle.
Or has evolving switched his ability from Inner Focus to Telepathy, an ability that Lucario does not typically have. Giratina's altered form's hidden ability is Telepathy, they know how it functions.
Considering how Darcy is frozen stiff from their thoughts, there might be merit to the possibility that Darcy has lost his ability. Zoro was capable of flinching moves when Zhaleh fought him the day they met. They will have to spar and test it out.
The Lucario walks over to the gateway but stops to stare at Nami's feverish face. He settles on doing it later, and Giratina leaves him to it. There would be time later to check after all.
"We need to get to Alabasta as soon as possible," Vivi says, resolve and love dripping from her. "Which means we need a doctor. We need our navigator at full strength to get there as fast as we can."
The Straw Hats cheer, relieved for Nami. They are pirates, after all. Their crewmate matters more than a bunch of people they don't know. That's not to say they didn't matter, but their worth stemmed from how they mattered to Vivi, who was pretty much their crewmate at the moment too.
'Nami would die if Vivi did not make this choice.' Giratina says, preventing the Pokémon and Aliahra to feel any joy. Zhaleh switches with Darcy to go smack the dragon around a bit.
Zoro notices the tense Lucario first. His joy disappears too. Darcy hates that.
"What is it, Darcy?" The swordsman asks, getting the other's attention too. The joy starts slipping from them too, and the worry Vivi had tried to hide starts blossoming.
"Gira jus' said Nami would've died if Vivi made a differen' choice." The lisp came back a bit as he forced the words out. Nami's emotions roiled like a stormy sea, so troubled that Darcy flinched away from it. Vivi's worry changed and her resolve grew over it.
"Now I know I made the right choice then." She said, trying to sound more confident than she felt. It didn't inspire him with as much confidence as it did for others.
"If Gira said Nami would have died then that must mean she's going to survive now!" Luffy said, his certainty and confidence much more honest and therefore more reassuring.
Darcy nods, relief relaxing his frame. There is nothing he can do now, but Nami's going to be fine now. He ignores the worry he feels for the people of Alabasta and what this delay would mean for them. It didn't matter that it was for the best in the bigger picture, he couldn't help his feelings.
'Just get stronger, you can save more people the stronger you are.' Zhaleh says, smacking Giratina with another sand-attack. He had PP to waste for that move, and sand could be really irritating.
It is a little annoying to get good advice from Zhaleh of all people, but he isn't stubborn enough to ignore it. Without knocking Nami, he got off her bed.
"Hey Zoro, watch this!" He says before manipulating aura to form a long stick shape. It isn't a sword but it could be. He's just getting back into Aura Manipulation after all.
Luffy's hand over and pokes the glowing stick. "It's solid!" He says.
Darcy nods, adjusting his grip to be like Zoro's when he's holding one sword. Then he grins, it's bloodthirsty. "Yep, and it can do this!"
He wacks Luffy with it. Unlike other physical attacks, it does full damage. Luffy yelps in pain and nurses the welt the blow left behind. "Hey, that hurt! Wait, that hurt!"
Everyone's looking at the glowing stick with more interest. After all, it just hurt their Rubber Captain. This was the reason why Aliahra had him forget Foresight when it was what let him hit that smoke logia marine. Aura Sphere was a move that couldn't miss. It's a move based on Aura, so obviously that meant other Aura constructs could hit too.
Unless being a Logia meant they were Ghost-types. Then Darcy was in trouble with his Normal and Fighting move set. Stupid Ghosts, having immunities to two types. Steel only gave him an immunity to Poison! In this world, who's going to be using that?
'Logia's operate more like Wonder Guard, only that which is super effective can hit them. Though there are some small differences. Aura will work. Haki is something I will have to tell you about, I will do it before Alabasta, do not worry.'
Darcy felt his grip being corrected. He focuses on the present and sees Zoro's hands draw away. His grip on the Aura stick felt better, stronger, and more natural. He sends his thankfulness to Zoro. The swordsman sends back a feeling of 'don't bother' and mild irritation at the previously bad grip. There is no uncomfortableness with the empath talking.
Darcy grins. He ruins Zoro's work by letting go of the Aura stick to grab his hand. He starts pulling the much taller, and much heavier, human out of the room. They'd been crowding Nami long enough, and since Zhaleh is busy annoying Giratina with continuous Sand-Attacks, that means he has a chance to train with Zoro.
"Let's spar, I want to get better with Aura." If he can reliably use Aura in all of his attacks, then he doesn't have to worry about anyone with a Logia or other Devil Fruits like Luffy's.
After an evolution, with Aura Sphere and a Special Attack Stat comparable to (and in fact, slightly better than) his physical Attack Stat, Zoro almost lost the first bout. The second bout the next morning, after they had fully healed, Darcy won and reached level seventeen.
Luffy getting involved in the spars is a new development, and Zoro ignites Sanji to join the spars too. There's definitely a rivalry between these two now, they couldn't accept that they had tied in that hunting match on Little Garden.
Darcy worries whether they'll keep trying to kill, or at least beat each other, for the next hundred years too. Sanji does make really good food, but Darcy likes Zoro more cause they train together and Zoro teaches him stuff. So he really wants him to win. Wait...
Darcy looks at Zoro more intently. The Lucario realises why he evolved now. He blushes and can't look at the man who is basically his "trainer" that he bonded with enough to evolve. Zhaleh laughs at him, so he forces him to switch.
The Vaporeon easily beats Luffy when no one else had yet. Despite Sanji's, Zoro's, and his best efforts. Water-types and Devil Fruits.
All the Pokémon (bar the trapped Giratina) got involved in the daily spars. So everyone got at least one level, Zhaleh two due to his hunting and ability to beat Luffy. The humans got a few themselves. So Luffy is now at a higher level than Mr 3 had been, much to his joy. Being able to see the progress being made into getting stronger really increases the resolve to get stronger. Although the humans had to have Aliahra and the Pokémon telling them their levels instead.
Unlike the humans, who when fighting each other didn't need to knock each other out for experience points to get levels, each Pokémon always fought until someone was unconscious.
And considering how long it takes the Pokémon to wake up from unconsciousness and they didn't know how long until they reached an island with a doctor, aka Drum Island, which lead to the humans having to run away while the Pokémon ran after them, one hit away from unconsciousness, trying to continue the fight.
One would think it'd be easy to run away from Terra, considering how slow the Grotle is and how the Merry really hadn't been designed with him in mind. Everyone quickly found out that the Going Merry is a snitch if they tried to hide. They also found out that with Terra giving her the energy by melding with the wood, she could wrap, bind, or otherwise constrict her passengers with rigging that was now part vines. It caused damage and prevented them from escaping as Terra continued to attack them.
Zhaleh - who now that Darcy and Nico have evolved is now the second slowest once again - has also proven quite difficult to deter. If they took too long getting below deck, they would be washed out to sea where the Vaporeon, now invisible, preyed on them as if they were lunch. That often ended with Zhaleh the winner though, considering how the sea isn't exactly a place any of the humans could fight easily.
The Staravia, that Sanji wouldn't fight and the Pokémon were just having to live with that, has no problems following her eldest brother's example. It is a short distance to the sea, and as a bird who could fly, she isn't considered 'grounded' and restricted by the water the others were forced to swim in. Well, Zoro would swim. Luffy just sank and then Sanji had to dive in to save him. Either way, it helps her always win against the latter opponent.
Unlike the others, Niran didn't knock anyone overboard and couldn't connect with the ship for an advantage. However, and this is the same with Darcy most of the time, he could chase and the others couldn't go fast enough to escape him.
Darcy could be tempered by Zoro and Aliahra both telling him no. He'd sulk, but he'd accept the fight is over. So unlike the others, Aliahra didn't have to switch in and Giratina didn't have to hold him down to prevent him from switching back.
This did result in Sanji getting tagged by Aliahra's strange determination to lick everyone on the crew. The Pokémon had no mercy for them, as they were the ones she licked first. Sanji had trouble getting Aliahra to eat some leafy greens after she licked Terra. Apparently, they tasted similar and Aliahra didn't want to eat her Grotle.
With Nami sick and out of it, she couldn't be the one to lecture her about it. And Giratina saw no reason to rectify the situation. They did not need to eat after all. They didn't understand the necessity as well as the others.
It took Terra eating the food she didn't want to for her to realise it is okay to eat it. Although Darcy has heard Usopp's worried thoughts on cannibalism. That was a conversation they had.
Then the chill came, and Giratina said Drum Island is near.
It is time to meet the doctor.
But Doctor who? Sorry, couldn't resist.
Aliahra's Nature is Quirky, so I decided yes, I can make her lick things as she discovers the world. At least she's not shoving things in her mouth like most babies. It's similar but not the same. Anyways, relating to that:
From the game, Terra's Quiet, Darcy's Bashful, Nico's Relaxed, Niran's Serious, and Zhaleh's also Relaxed. Giratina's Bold but eh, they don't really matter right now. Some of these natures aren't as combatively effective as they could be (looks over at Nico's speed-lowering nature), but that's what Character Development is for! The Mints unfortunately don't exist.
For those who know about Pokemon Natures, what do you think the Straw Hats (and other One Piece Characters) are and why? I've started doing calculations for fights, so this will have somewhat of an effect.