Episode 5

After a long night of loneliness had passed, morning comes once again to Plum Island. Unlike most days, this day is cast in gray clouds, which look to bring rain or tropical storms. Little raindrops begin to form on the windows of Dani's small home, as he sits at the kitchen table finishing a late breakfast.

Faye walks into the room and places a long jacket over her thin frame, then makes her way to the front door. "Alright, Dani, I'm off to get Aiku. I'm not sure why the doctors haven't called yet, but I'm sure she's ready by now."

Dani turns to her, a piece of bacon hanging from his mouth. "Okay, mom. I'll be here."

She smiles to him and walks out the door.

After a brief stroll down the forested path to the medical facility, she makes her way inside and comes to the front desk.

"Hello, may I help you?" One of the nurses greets.

Faye smiles at her, brushing rain from her jacket. "Yes, I am here to pick up Aiku. Is she ready yet?"

"Oh, you're Faye-her mother, correct?"

"Yes, that's right."

"I'm sorry, we haven't had a chance to call you yet. You're daughter isn't at this facility currently."

A spike of sudden shock runs through Faye. "What? I don't understand. Where is she?"

"We were told that the doctors had recommended a transfer."

Faye steps closer to the desk, her anger rising. "They moved my daughter to another facility without my permission-or informing me? Do you have any idea how unacceptable that is?"

The nurse sighs. "Ma'am, I understand. I really do, but you must consider-"

"I don't think you do understand." Faye interrupts, her eyes welling. "How could they do such a thing? How dare you take my child without my knowledge!"

"Ma'am, I know you're upset right now. But please be assured, this is not as uncommon as you may think."

"You better explain yourself clearly." Faye's voice grows severe and threatening.

The nurse feels her tension and settles herself. "Please understand, we did this for your child's safety. If she had a severe condition or problem, we will often move patients to another facility on the neighboring island of Orotot."

"Is that where she is now?"

"Yes, she's fine, I assure you."

"Don't tell me everything is fine." Faye snaps. "I pray that when you have children, you never find yourself in this position. Your policy is absurd, and as soon as I can file a report, rest assured, I will. Now tell me exactly where she is."

The startled nurse lifts a peice of paper from her desk and examines the details. "It says here she is on a medical boat. It's docked in Orotot harbor, the south end. It will be docked there until tomorrow morning."

"Fine. Call them now, and tell them to hold the ship until I get there."

"Ma'am, I can't-"

Faye slams her hand on the desk. "Do it!"

The nurse relents and instinctively backs away from her rage. "...Y-y-yes, right away."

Faye storms out of the facility and into the falling rain, stomping through puddles as she makes her way back up the forested path.

When she enters her home once again, she steadies her heavy breathing and wipes away her tears, hoping the wet streaks of rain will hide them. She knows this is not the time to concern her son. As she comes into the kitchen, she removes her coat, hangs it, then begins to put the leftover food away.

Dani walks in and immediately notices Aiku is not with her. "...Mom? Is everything okay?"

Faye turns to him and forces a smile. "Yes, sweetheart."

Dani's confusion grows. "Where is Aiku?"

"Oh, they...they took her to another facility."

He comes beside his mother. "But...I don't understand. I thought she would be back today?"

Faye remains focused on wrapping the food. "We just have to wait one more day, okay? I'm going to pick her up tomorrow."

Dani can see the concern and pain dwelling beneath her calm expression. Her eyes are red and her hand is trembling. "Are you sure everything is okay?"

Faye turns to him with another forced smile. "Yes. Now, go to Chong's and make sure he's made arrangements to see the doctor, please." She turns away and reaches for the house transponder snail. "I have to make arrangements for some time off so I can pick her up."

Dani nods. "Okay..." He voice trails as he studies his mother's face. He can tell she is hiding something, but he is unclear of what it could be. An uneasiness runs through him.

Later that day, Dani and Chong walk down the forested path toward the medical facility again, shielded from the steady rainfall by their thick raincoats.

"Why aren't your parents taking you to see the doctor?" Dani asks.

Chong scoffs. "Are you kidding? I'm not going to tell them. You know how they freak out about the smallest things. Imagine how they would react to this!"

Dani laughs. "Yeah, you're right. I just hope you're okay. Have you noticed anything yet?"

Chong shakes his head and holds his hands up. "No, not really. My hands are a little tingly, but that's about it."

"I hope something doesn't happen to the doctor while we're in there."

Chong turns to him with a ghostly expression. "Like what? What could happen?"

Dani shrugs. "I don't know. You could touch a nurse and turn her into slime or something."

"Whaa-are you serious?! Don't scare me like that, man! They'll lock me up!" They laugh.

Moments later, they arrive and check Chong in at the front desk. They agree to see him immediately, leaving Dani in the waiting area.

As Dani waits, reading a small book on devil fruits, he notices the nurses leaving the station to file some paperwork in the back room. To the side of the front desk is a hallway leading down into the patient rooms, and the first room on the left was where Aiku was staying. Dani sees that her name is still labeled on the doorway, until another doctor walks by the room and rips the name plate off the door. The abrupt action causes Dani to sit forward, as if it were a sign that something was wrong.

With curiosity piqued, he silently makes his way over to Aiku's old room and peaks his head around the door. Inside, he sees two doctors talking; the same doctors who were examining Aiku initially. When Dani realizes they are talking about her, he pins himself against the outside wall and listens to the conversation.

"...Has Aiku been taken already?"

"Yes, very early this morning."

"I'm honestly relieved. I was getting tired of those endless tests."

"Be thankful you are able to work for such a great scientist. Vegapunk is strict about his staff."

"That's true. And we did provide him with an amazing specimen. We're sure to receive that promotion now."

"I'm more interested in the results of our work. If what we uncovered was correct, she'll become one of the most powerful warriors the Navy could wish for."

"What do you mean? Fukitsu found her."

"Yes, but we were the ones who completed all the tests he needed. They have us to thank."

Dani's eyes grow wide with fright, trembling as he listens.

"But there's something I don't understand. How can you force a child away from their family to become one? Surely they are met with resistance."

"Hardly. After she's been in solitary confinement for years, and fed special medication to alter her brain chemistry, the grooming process is easy. Then all that's left is the devil fruit training."

"And her parents?"

"Well, that I'm not exactly sure of. But I've heard they fake the child's death."

"Fascinating. So where is she now?"

"On Orotot Island, just a couple miles west of here. She's on the medical ship that arrived last night with Fukitsu. They depart in the morning."

Dani has heard enough. He moves away from the door and briskly walks back into the front lobby. As he comes into the sitting area, Chong is already waiting for him.

Chong rises from his seat happily. "Oh, there you are. I was just-"

"Not now, Chong. We have to get out of here." Dani commands.

"What's your problem? Don't you want to hear about what happened?"

"We'll discuss it later. Let's leave now. We have to find Tydal and Tiff." Dani quickly walks out the door.

Chong follows him uneasily. "Why-what's going on?"

"Come on!" Dani stars to run down the pathway. Chong chases after.

After gathering Tydal and Tiff, the small group gathers in a run down beach shack near the coastline, half eaten by salty rust and decorated with old buoys. Inside, Dani sits quietly and gazes at the sandy floor, while his friends sit around him, concerned. The rain patters rhythmically on the tin roof.

"...Are you sure that's what you heard?" Tiff asks, shaken from Dani's revelations.

Dani nods. "Positive. I was standing right outside the door. I heard everything."

Tydal leans forward. "So all this time they were just running tests on her? Was she even sick?"

"I'm not sure. Probably not."

Chong thinks. "Are you saying the government was using her for some kind of experiment?"

"That's what it sounds like. They seem to have a plan in mind for her."

"A plan to use her as a warrior?" Tiff wonders.

"That's what they said."

Tydal shakes his head. "That doesn't sound right. She's only seven!"

Dani huffs. "You don't understand. They're keeping her there. They want to make her government property. They're going to lock her away and groom her for the rest of her life."

Tiff is disgusted. "That's sick!"

Chong shares her sentiment. "How could the Navy even be involved in something like that? We've trusted them all our lives."

"It's sadistic." Tydal adds.

Dani nods slowly. "I can't believe it. I feel so helpless. How could they do this to my sister..." His eyes fill with tears as he places his face in his hand.

Tydal comes beside him and places a firm, comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Dani..." Tiff breaths.

Chong stands, filling with new found anger. "Well what are we going to do?"

"Yeah, we should tell your mother right away!" Tiff suggests.

Dani lifts his head. "No. We're not going to do that."

The group looks to him in confusion. "What-why not?" Chong inquires.

"I won't cause her any more pain. Not now." Dani rubs his tears away.

Tydal kneels beside him. "Dani, this is hardly the time to be humble. This is serious."

Dani looks to him. "It's not about that. If you could see how much she's hurting right now, you would understand." The group listens. "Right now, she's pissed-that's for sure. But she also thinks she's going to pick up her daughter tomorrow. Now we know that's not going to happen. Unless we assure it."

Tiff gasps softly. "Dani what are you saying?"

Chong steps forward. "Dani, you can't seriously be thinking..."

Dani looks to them with resolve in his eyes. "Yes. I am." He rises to his feet and adopts a steely expression. "We rescue her."

"No way!" Tydal exclaims. "We're talking about a Navy ship here, man. The government. Do you understand? It's not possible."

Dani stares at the ground. "I don't care. I just don't. Not anymore. I say drastic times call for drastic measures." He looks to his friends.

The group remains silent for some time, unsure of what to say next.

Tiff breaks the silence. "...Dani, we can't. We can't do this. Please understand."

Chong reluctantly agrees. "It's not that we don't want to support you. But we'll be jailed for this. Don't think the government's punishment doesn't fall to children. Obviously that's not the case."

"We could even be killed if something goes wrong." Tydal adds.

Dani raises his head again and nods solemnly. "I understand. This isn't your problem, I get that. And you're right." A moment of brief relief comes over the group, as they hope he has given up on the idea. But then Dani rises and walks out of the shack. "I'm on my own this time."

The group follows him out the door, calling after him.

"Dani, stop! This is insane!" Tydal orders.

Dani turns back to him, his face filled with rage. "The only insanity here is what the Navy is doing right now! And I'm going to stop it." The rain begins to fall harder, matching his extreme emotion. He breaths erratically and stares at his friends. "I don't care what happens to me. I don't care if I die. I won't cause my mother and my sister any more pain."

As he turns and walks away for the final time, his friends look on in shock, unable to process the events they have just witnessed. The rain soaks them as Dani walks into the mist and disappears beyond the border of the beach.

Moments later, Dani arrives at the front door of his home. Instead of going inside, he pins a hastily written note next to the door knob, then pulls a hood over his head and returns to the showing skies. He walks down a separate forested path and eventually makes his way to another section of the beach where several small boats are docked.

When he arrives, he begins to survey the boats, deciding which one to take, careful to keep an eye out for any wandering fishermen.

"What are you going to do, steal a boat?" A voice calls to him from behind.

Dani spins around anxiously to see Tydal, with Tiff and Chong behind him. "What are you doing here?" Dani inquires.

Tiff comes beside Tydal. "We...Had a change of heart."

"Funny how you can have that affect on people." Chong comments with a thin smile.

Dani walks forward and confronts them, examining their faces. "None of you have to do this. This is not-"

"We know, Dani." Tydal stops him, stepping forward and placing a strong hand on his chest. "We already discussed it. You and Aiku are more important than what happens to us." He smiles.

Tiff agrees. "We're friends. And family."

Chong steps forward and holds his hand out. "What happens to one of us, happens to all of us. Like always."

Dani's anger washes away with the rain. His expression turns to pride. He grabs Chong's hand firmly. Tydal places his hand on top, then Tiff places her hand on his. They each share a warm, determined smile, then break hands.

Dani looks each of his friends directly in the eyes, assuring they are all ready. He gives an affirmative nod. "Alright. Let's do this."

Tydal pumps his fist, then runs forward onto the docks with Tiff and Chong behind him. Dani follows. When they come to the end of the dock, Tydal stops when he arrives in front of an oblong green boat, which is half submerged in the water.

"Here it is!" Tydal states, pointing at the vessel.

Tiff steps beside him. "We're taking your father's fishing sub?"

"You have a better idea? How else are we going to sneak in?"

Chong agrees. "That's true. It's not like we can just row up to the ship and say hello."

Dani stares at the sub in delight. "Perfect!"

Tydal grins. "Alright then-hop in!"

Dani and Tiff hop in first. As Chong is about to board, he trips on a rope line and starts to fall. Tydal reaches out to grab him, but is shocked when his arms pass straight through his body. Chong lands on the deck with a hard thump.

Chong rolls over and rubs his head. "What the hell, man?!"

Tydal stands in disbelief. "It...It wasn't me!"

Chong jumps to his feet. "What do you mean? Why didn't you catch me?"

"I did! I'm not sure what..." Tydal slowly reaches his hands out again, as Dani and Tiff pop their heads out of the sub to look. When his hands touch Chong's body, once again, they pass through him as if he was not there. "What the..." Tydal breaths.

Chong feels his body frantically. "What the heck is going on?!" Tydal continues to wave his hands through his body. "Stop it, man!"

Tiff climbs halfway out of the sub. "What's going on?"

"Look! My hands are going through him!"

"What?!"

Dani climbs up next to her and watches it happen. "It's the devil fruit!"

Chong looks to him in desperation. "This is the fruit? It made me invisible?!"

"No, look!" Tiff exclaims as she points to him.

Just then, Chong's body transforms into a thick cloud of smoke, swirling and churning with fluid motion, leaving behind only a mouth and two eyes.

Tydal jumps backwards, alarmed. "Are you joking?! What is this?!"

"I'm a ghost!" Chong exclaims, feeling his missing face.

"No, not a ghost! It looks like smoke!" Dani comments in amazement.

Tiff turns to him. "A smoke fruit?"

"Looks like it. Or something like that, anyway."

Chong sweats steadily, examining his new body with panic. "Oh man, what did I do to myself."

"Relax, Chongy! Don't panic. We'll figure this out." Dani assures.

Tiff agrees. "Yeah, he's right. Come on, get in the sub!"

Chong turns to them with wide, worried eyes. "And how am I suppose to walk?! I have no legs!"

"I don't know. Try to float!"

Chong wafts his way toward the sub. "If that was a joke, it's not funny."

Tydal pulls away from him as he passes. "Keep your distance, man! Don't touch me with that white crap!"

"Shut up!" He barks, billowing into the top of the sub.

Tydal hovers over the opening. "Make sure there's enough room for me so I don't have to sit near him!"

"Get in!" Tiff yells, pulling him head first into the sub and closing the hatch.

With evening approaching and the sun beginning to set, Faye opens the front door of her home and looks out over the horizon. She soon notices Dani's letter on the ground beside her, dampened from the rain, and picks it up. She unfolds it and reads the short, simple writing, which states: Sleeping over at Tydal's, be back in the morning. Love you. Under normal circumstances she would not fid this strange, but leaving a note randomly was something Dani had never done before. A feeling of grave concern washes over her. Her mother's instinct can sense something is not right. She glances out to sea once more, then returns inside.

As twilight falls across the bay of Plum Island, the small green submarine glides swiftly through the sea, just underneath the waves, heading for another small island not far in the distance. Tydal drives the machine, as Tiff sits beside him looking out the porthole windows. Dani and Chong sit behind them.

Chong, who is still nothing more than a cloud with two eyes and a mouth, squirms uneasily in his seat. "This is so weird. Why couldn't I get something nice like flying or strength." He shutters.

Dani turns to him. "I think it's pretty cool."

"Cool?! Look at me-I'm a cloud!" He shouts.

"You just have to figure out how to use it, that's all. Right now it's new."

"I don't think I'll ever get used to this..."

Dani smiles and turns to Tiff. "Hey Tiff, how far now?"

Tiff checks a small map in front of her. "About half a mile now."

Dani nods. "Okay, we're getting close. Everyone get ready."

Tydal looks back at him. "Ready for what? What exactly are we doing? It's not like we hatched a plan."

Tiff agrees. "True. We really should have taken some time to develop a strategy."

"We didn't have any time!" Dani protests. "We need the cover of night to sneak in, that's all I know. And the boat leaves tomorrow morning, I don't know how early."

Tydal sighs. "Why do I have a feeling this is not going to end well..."

Then, as the sub's lights shine through the dark water, Tiff notices something directly in front of them. "Look! Right there! Stop the sub!" Tydal pulls a lever and halts the engines.

Dani leans forward. "What is it?"

"I can see the bottom of a large ship." She points out the window. The group crowds the window. They can see the underside of a what appears to be a white Navy ship and the outline of a dock. "That's got to be it. No other ships at this island would be that large."

Tydal turns to Dani. "Alright-so now what?"

Dani unexpectedly turns to Chong. "Well, I do have one idea."

Chong looks to him nervously. "What? What is it?"

"You're new power gave me an idea."

Chong fills with dread. "Oh no..."

Dani motions to Tydal. "Tydal-surface the sub just a bit."

Tydal shakes his head. "No way, I don't think that's a good idea. They probably have guards posted all over the ship."

Dani thinks for a moment. "Is there anything else we could use to break the surface, beside the periscope?"

"Hm. Well, there's an emergency air pipe."

"That will be perfect! Raise it up, but not too far. And put up the periscope too."

Tydal nods and flips two switches beside him. At the top of the sub, a small thin pipe rises up, protruding only a couple inches from the waterline. Beside it, the periscope breaches with a small splash.

Tydal turns to Dani again. "Okay, they're up. Now what?"

Dani looks through the periscope and searches the aft section of the ship. It's not long before he spots a small hatch located next to the ship's rudder. He smiles, then leans toward Chong. "Ready to try out that new power?"

"...No." Chong's voice trembles with distress.

As the friends lie in wait outside the Navy ship, inside their submarine the group argues under the waves, continuing to convince Chong to make the first move of their operation.

"Come on, Chongy! Be brave!" Tydal encourages.

Tiff agrees. "Yeah, let's see what you can do!"

Chong huffs. "That's easy for all of you to say. I'm the one who has to actually do it. And I don't even know what I'm doing!"

Dani leans toward him. "Look, this is the only option for us right now. We're not going to be able to climb up a rope here."

"I understand that, but what am I suppose to do?"

Dani thinks. "Well, from what I remember reading, you kind of just command your body to do things."

"So you just think about something and make it happen?" Tiff wonders.

"Pretty much."

Tydal looks to Chong confidently. "So try it out!"

Chong sighs, then he raises one of his smoky limbs into the air. The group watches as his arm thins into a long wisp of smoke, then travels up the air pipe and out the top. It wiggles through the air like an eel.

"See? You're doing it!" Dani proclaims.

"Now try your whole body!" Tiff orders happily.

Chong nods uneasily, then closes his eyes and concentrates. Almost instantly, his entire body matches the shape of his arm, then smoothly slides up the air pipe. When he reaches the top, one single eye protrudes from the pipe and looks around. "Did it!" He calls to them down the pipe.

Dani comes underneath the pipe. "Okay-now do you see that small hatch right next to the rudder?"

Chong locates it. "I see it."

"When you come out of the pipe, make your way onto the ship through one of the mooring line holes, then go down to the hatch and open it. We'll be waiting."

Tydal stops him. "But wait, hold on. All of us shouldn't just go wandering around the ship. We're just asking to be caught."

"Hm. You're right. Alright then, I guess it's up to you, Chong. You'll just have to locate Aiku on your own and bring her to the hatch."

"Oh, yeah. I'm sure she'll be real pleased to see me." He quips.

"Better figure out how to change back!"

"Easier said than done!" Chong hesitates for a moment, then takes a deep breath and begins to move out of the pipe. "...Well, here goes nothing."

Tydal stares up the air pipe. "You've got this, Chongy!"

"Do your best!" Tiff adds.

Dani turns to Tydal and Tiff. "Alright, now for our plan."

"What do you have in mind?" Tydal asks.

"Bring the sub right next to the rudder-directly under to the hatch. The aft section of the ship and rudder should hide us from sight."

"I'm not sure, the sub is fairly big."

"Right, so what we'll do is raise the top hatch up just above the waterline so we can get out."

Tydal and Tiff look at each other. "Well, I guess that's the best we can do." Tiff remarks.

Tydal turns to the steering wheel again. "Alright-let's do this."

Moments later, Chong's smoke snakes through the air silently, traveling quickly along a mooring rope, then through one of the holes in the side of the deck. He lingers behind a few storage boxes for a while, letting sailors pass. When the passage is clear again, he starts to make his way through various hallways, peeking inside rooms as he passes.

Soon, he comes to what appears to be a information terminal, with a map of the ship laid out on the wall. A few sailors linger in the back looking through paper work, so he stays low to the ground while examining the map. Before long, he spots the section where Aiku would be held: the guarded medical room, down the hall from the infirmary. "Got it." He whispers to himself.

"What are you doing?" A voice calls out.

Chong freezes in fear, thinking he's just been discovered. He slowly turns his head toward the voice, but to his surprise, he sees a sailor talking to a picture of a captain on the wall.

"Did you not hear me? What are you doing?" The sailor continues to interogate the picture.

"What the..." Chong breaths in confusion.

The sailor points frantically at the picture. "You can't be down here. This is a secure facility. It's no place for people like you. Let me see your...umbrella? Yeah. Let me see it right now!"

Chong watches in bewilderment as the sailor continues to converse with the picture. His words become more random and crazed by the moment. When Chong hears the other sailor start to talk, he peers over the desk to see the crewman counting numbers in the air with his fingers, as if he's pressing an imaginary, floating calculator.

"What the heck is wrong with them?" Chong remarks. "These Navy guys really do have issues..." He uses the opportunity to waft out of the room, and back down the hallway.

Soon after, he arrives near the guarded medical cell. One of his eyes pops around the corner to survey the situation. Two armed guards are posted on each side of the door. "This must be it." He whispers. "Now, how to get inside..."

Just then, he notices that some of his smoke is billowing down the hallway and in front of the guards. At first, he is concerned that they will see it, giving away his position. But as he hides, he suddenly hears the guards break out in laughter. When he peaks around the corner, he sees both guards keeled over, crying with boisterous giggles, unable to keep themselves standing.

"What's so funny?!" One of them exclaims. "I don't know!? But it's hilarious!" The other cackles. They fall onto the ground and begin to roll on the floor, unable to control themselves.

Chong looks to them, then raises one of his smoky arms in front of his face, slowly realizing this may have been caused by his new powers. "No way. Am I doing this?" He looks to them one last time, making sure they are still distracted. "Well, better use this opportunity fast." His cloudy form flies briskly down the hall and in front of the door. He then thins himself once again, and slides through the keyhole. When he pours out the other side, his ghostly form reappears and stands silently by the door. Then he notices Aiku near the back of the room. She sits on a metal bed, chained by the waist, and crying into her hands.

Chong floats over to her with a warm smile. "Aiku! There you are."

Aiku wipes her tears, sniffles softly, then looks to Chong. Shock quickly grows on her face. "W-w-what...WHAT?!" She backs away fearfully.

Chong can tell she's about to scream and desperately tries to stop her. "No, no! Wait! It's me!"

"A GHOST!" She screams.

Chong quickly comes beside her and holds his hands up. "Aiku, stop! It's me!"

"How do you know my name?!" She pins herself against the headboard, trembling.

"Just hold on a second!" Chong closes his eyes and concentrates again, attempting to force himself back into his human form. He quickly begins to morph, and before long, he is himself again.

Aiku's eyes fly open with astonishment. "...Chong? Is that really you?"

"Yes, it's me!" He feels his body. "Thank goodness. I think I'm getting the hang of this now."

"Is that your devil fruit power?!" She inquires, still unsure of the situation.

"So far." He remarks.

"What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean? We came to get you!"

"We?"

Chong nods assuredly. "Yes! We're all here. Tydal, Tiff, and Dani too!"

She hops to the side of the bed in excitement. "You all came! But how did you even get in here?"

Chong motions to his body. "I think that should be obvious by now."

Aiku realizes what he means. "Oh, right!"

Chong examines her chain. "We need to get you out of here fast, before anyone notices. Where is the key to this chain?"

She points to the door. "One of the guards has it."

Chong looks to the door and makes his way toward it. "Okay, just wait here."

"What are you doing? You can't just go out there!"

Chong looks back at her. "How do you think I got in here?" He opens the door and shows her the guards still rolling on the ground in laughter.

Aiku's shock returns. "Whaa-what happened to them?!"

Chong shrugs. "I'm not exactly sure. Something to do with my power, I guess." He grabs a group of keys from the guard's belt and returns to Aiku. "Do you know which one it is?"

Aiku studies them for a moment. "It's that little brass one I think."

Sure enough, the key is correct, and Aiku is finally free from her chains. Chong smiles. "Okay, you're free! Let's go-quickly!"

Chong leads Aiku out the door, stepping over the giggling guards and heading toward the aft of the ship. After descending a series of stairwells, and hiding from a few more sailors, they come at last to the small hatch inside the rudder room. "...Here, this is it!" Chong states, gesturing to the hatch.

"Here's what?" Aiku wonders.

"Dani and the others are right on the other side of this hatch. Help me get it open!" He motions to several water tight latches that keep it sealed. They work together to twist and pull them away, finally freeing the small door from it's frame. As the hatch opens, they can see Dani, Tydal and Tiff standing up in the sub's top opening, floating just above the waterline.

Aiku catches sight of Dani and squeals with joy. "Dani! You're here!"

Dani immediately quiets her. "Shh! Keep your voice down, okay?" He smiles at her. She covers her mouth and nods.

Chong picks her up and steps forward, handing Aiku to Dani. They embrace tightly as Aiku begins to tear with happiness. But just as Chong is about to step outside the hatch, something stops him.

"Halt!" A stern, brash voice calls out from behind him.

The group looks up to see an officer accompanied by several sailors.

"Chong, hide your yourself!" Tydal whispers sharply.

"Oh-right!" Chong quickly distorts his body into a smoky figure again, masking his identity.

The officer removes a thick blade from his back and points it at Chong's misty face. "Going somewhere?"

Dani hands Aiku to Tiff. "Get her inside! Keep her safe!" Tiff nods and takes Aiku below deck.

The officer angers. "I said stop! Don't move another inch or you're all dead."

Chong seethes. "I don't get it. How did they even know we were here!" He mutters.

The officers scoffs. "Are you joking? With all the commotion you left in your wake, it wasn't hard to figure out something was amiss." He moves his blade closer to Chong's face. "What the hell are you, anyway? A ghost? Hm. No matter. Return the girl immediately, or else." The group freezes in place, uncertain of the next move. "Fine, have it your way." The officer growls, his patience reaching the end. He swings his sword into the air and brings it down upon Chong.

"Chong!" Dani cries out.

Chong covers his head and waits for the blow. But to everyone's surprise, the sword is stopped before it can impact. As Chong peers over his crossed arms, he sees that a shield of smoke has formed in front of him, preventing the blade from cutting.

"Whoa! Look at that!" Tydal exclaims. Dani looks on in amazement.

Chong examines his hands, noticing two large plumes of smoke surging out from his palms, forming a circle in front of him. "I don't believe it..." He breaths.

The officer retracts his sword in disbelief. "What the hell?! What is this?!"

"Another devil fruit, sir!" One of the sailors remarks.

The officers grimaces in rage. "I can see that! Now get him!" He orders.

The group of sailors rush out from behind the officer and stomp toward Chong.

As Chong watches them, he shrugs, figuring this would be a perfect time to keep trying new things. "Alright then..." He stretches his arms out. "Let's try THIS!"

In an instant, the plumes of smoke form into two large waves shaped like snakes. They wrap themselves around the entire crew and squeeze. The sailors and the officer gasp for air as they try to free themselves.

"Holy crap!" Tydal shouts, stunned by the strange sight.

Dani's eyes grow wide. "No way!"

Chong smirks as he watches himself perform this impossible action. Then he slams the sailors into the wall with a loud crash. They collapse into a pile on the floor.

Dani leans forward and waves Chong into the sub. "Come on, come on! Lets go now!"

"Right!" Chong leaps from the hatchway and lands on top of the sub's opening. He jumps inside. Tydal follows, then Dani. They close the top and quickly glide away at full speed.

Inside the ship, the officer jumps to his feet again. "You morons! Don't just stand there, sound the alarm now!"

"Yes, sir!"

As the sub speeds away from the ship, an alarm begins to blare, cutting through the night sky and alerting all to the danger. Fukitsu, who is on the shore, glances back at the ship as his listens to the alarm. He eyes narrow in anger.

On board the sub, Tydal, Tiff and Chong surround Dani and Aiku as they embrace again. Aiku cries into his chest, relived to be free of her cell.

Dani holds Aiku's head. "It's okay, Aiku. You're safe now."

Aiku stifles her tears as she lifts her head. "...But what about you? They're going to come after you now because of me."

Dani holds her face. "Don't worry about that. None of this is your fault, do you understand? We'll figure this out together. Right now we're going to get you home."

"To mommy?"

Dani smiles. "That's right. She's waiting for you."

Tiff leans toward Dani. "She's right though. We have to figure this out immediately. No doubt they're already on their way back to Plum Island."

Tydal agrees. "True. It won't be hard for them to figure out who took her."

Dani thinks for a long moment. "...This doesn't involve any of you anymore."

Chong is startled by this statement. "What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry. It's not that I don't appreciate your help-I do. But I can't involve you anymore. The Navy is coming for me, they don't know the rest of you. We need to keep it that way."

Tydal leans closer to Dani. "Dani, I'm not sure if you remember but Chong just assaulted a group of sailors and an officer with a devil fruit."

Tiff nods. "Yeah, and not to mention we all helped to take Aiku. All those sailors saw us."

"It's not like we were planning to get caught, but we did." Chong adds.

Aiku, who has been quietly listening, begins to sob again. "...I'm so sorry everyone. I didn't want this to happen."

Tiff places her hand on Aiku's shoulder. "It's okay, Aiku. Just like Dani said, none of this is your fault." She looks to her with a comforting expression. "We're all family, okay? We would do anything for you."

Aiku looks around to all her friends. They each share a warm, reassuring smile with her. She wipes her tears and tries to force a smile in return. But the night's events are still fresh on her mind. She hides herself beneath Dani's arm.

Tydal returns to the sub's controls. "But right now, we have to high tail it back to the island." He slams a lever forward and holds the wheel tight, as the vessel draws closer to their home port.

Back on Plum Island, Faye lingers at home quietly, alone with her thoughts. She sits by the bay window with Aiku's lighthouse drawing in front of her, running her fingers over the squiggly designs. Just then, a knock comes at the door. She rises and walks to the front of her house. When she opens the door, she is surprised to see Tydal's father waiting, a concerned expression wrinkling his face.

"Tydus? Is everything alright?" She asks.

"Hey Faye, sorry to disturb you so late. I was wondering if you had seen Tydal? He's hasn't returned home yet."

Faye is stunned by this. "He's not home? Dani told me he was sleeping over with you!"

Tydus steps back in surprise. "No! He's not with us."

"Tydus!" Another voice calls from behind him. A friend of Tydus strides up next to him. "Your submarine isn't at the dock. I just checked."

Tydus turns to him with severe concern growing in his eyes. "Take my other boat and search the bay. Go!" He orders.

Faye steps closer to Tydus. "What's going on?"

Tydus faces her. "I'm not sure. Looks like our kids have gone on a little unplanned adventure. At least I hope that's all it is." He turns and follows his friend. "I'll search the bay. You call around."

Faye nods and watches him go. With the unexpected departure of Aiku, and now the strange disappearance of Dani, her mind races with emotion. She returns to her kitchen and begins to dial numbers on her transponder snail.

When the submarine finally returns to the port of Plum Island, Tydal pulls the ship into the docking area and pops the top hatch open. As he looks around, he immediately sees his father and friend making their way down to the boats. He jumps out and crouches on the platform. "Oh, crap. There's my dad."

Tiff climbs out and stands next to him. "Should we tell him what's going on?"

Dani and Aiku climb out next. "No, don't say a word." Dani orders.

"Why not?"

"Like I said, this has nothing to do with all of you." Chong hops out and stands with his friends, listening to Dani. "The best thing you can do is pretend like nothing happened."

Chong steps forward. "But what if the Navy starts asking about us?"

"That's exactly my point. If you pretend nothing happened, then nothing did happen. The Navy has no pictures of us, so they can't prove anything. Cover this up and go live your lives like normal."

"But those sailors saw us!" Tydal insists.

Dani shakes his head. "No, it was too dark out for them to see our faces clearly. And Chong was in smoke form."

Tydal rubs his chin. "Oh, right..."

"But what about you?" Tiff wonders.

Dani thinks. "I'm not sure. Time will tell." Aiku clings to him, worried.

His friends stare at him for a long moment, debating what to do next.

"Tydal!" Tydus calls out in the near distance.

Tydal moves toward Dani and grabs his arm. "Okay, you two go hide!" He turns to Tiff and Chong. "You two also! Hide and go home! Make up a good excuse if your parents ask." He pushes all of them into the nearby bushes, then runs out onto the middle of the dock.

"...Dad!" Tydal calls to him, drawing attention.

His father briskly walks to him and grabs him by the shoulders. "Where the hell have you been-we've been looking everywhere!"

"Sorry, Dad. I...uh...just took the sub out for a little maintenance."

"So late?"

"Yeah, well...I was doing some work on the underwater lights."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Sorry, I didn't think it was a big deal."

"When you go out this late at night, it absolutely is. Do you understand?"

"Yeah. You're right, I'm sorry dad."

"And why did Dani say he was sleeping over at our place? His mother is worried sick."

"Well...he was going to, after we finished work. But now he's on the way home."

He father studies him for a moment, but senses no danger. "...Alright. Let's go back home. And don't ever do this again."

"Okay. Sorry, Dad."

As they wander down the docks and into town, Tydal glances back toward the bushes one last time before he departs. Seeing no one there, he smiles and walks on.

Soon after, Dani and Aiku arrive at their home. When Dani opens the door, Aiku rushes past him and into the kitchen. She frantically begins to search for her mother.

"Mommy! Mommy!" She cries out.

Faye jumps up from her seat at the bay window and dashes into the kitchen. Catching sight of Aiku, she pauses for a moment in disbelief. "...Aiku?!"

"Mommy!" Aiku yells, running into her arms. They embrace at long last. Dani stands next to them and watches, happy for the time being.

Faye pulls Aiku away, then stares at Dani. "...What is going on, Dani?! What's happening."

Dani comes beside his mother, as deep concern grows on his face once more. "Mom-I need you to listen to every work I am about to say."

They stare at each other desperately.

After Dani has revealed the night's events in detail to his mother, they all sit quietly at the kitchen table. Faye's extreme trauma is displayed clearly on her face. She struggles to find the right words, staggering under the weight of her emotions.

"I know this is hard to accept, mom..." Dani continues. "I understand how you must be feeling. But it's true."

Faye looks to Aiku. "Aiku, did this really happen to you?"

Aiku nods slowly. "Yes, mommy. Dani saved me." She tears.

Faye looks to Dani. She can see the serious tone of his eyes. This is a true nightmare that has come to life. "How could you do something so dangerous?" Her voice grows severe.

"What choice did I have?"

"You could have told me, you know that!"

"Mom, you know that's not true!" Dani retorts. "There's nothing we could have done. As much as you would have protested, they would never let her go! One excuse after another until Aiku was gone. This is the only choice I had-"

"Of course I could have done something! I would have torn that ship apart until I got to her!"

"I know that, mom! And that is exactly what I did!" They stare at each other for a long moment. Aiku sadly looks between them. "I'm not a little boy anymore. I'm the man of this house now." He fights his emotions to retain a steely composure.

Faye studies his face, realizing the stark truth this situation presents. Where once she saw her little boy, a true man now stands in his place. "...I know. I know you're not. But it's still not an excuse." She closes her eyes and drops her head. "I could have lost both of you." She begins to weep softly.

Dani hesitates, but decides to remain silent.

Aiku then reaches out her little hand and places it on her mother's arm. "Mommy..." Faye looks to her. "I know you're upset. But Dani didn't get hurt. And neither did I. He's a hero. And we're together now, aren't we? Please...don't fight."

Faye holds back her tears and smiles at her daughter. "That's true. You're right, Aiku. You are a very smart, brave girl." She looks to Dani. "And so are you, my love. I'm happy you're both home." Her smile widens.

"Me too, mommy!" Aiku jumps into her arms again. They embrace tightly.

Faye holds her daughter as tears fall down Aiku's back. She then looks to Dani with an anguished expression. "What do we do now?"

Dani takes a long pause to ponder their options. "...We need to leave. Right now."

Aboard the medical ship, Fukitsu stands tall and proud at the bow of the ship, the wind rushing through him. The outline of Plum Island sits directly in front of them.

Another officer comes beside him. "Sir, we will arrive soon. What are your orders?"

Fukitsu keeps his eyes locked on the island. "Send every last marine you have available to search the island for Aiku." He pulls a photo of her from his inside pocket and gives it to the officer. "Make copies of this and give them to each squad leader. No rest until she is found."

"Yes, sir." The officer grabs the photo and walks inside.

"You won't escape me again..." He grumbles to himself.

End of Episode 5