This is the 2nd chapter. I don't own the series of One Piece.
Unyielding Dreams!
Somewhere at sea
After Robin learned about Ventus' dark past from the Straw Hats a few days ago, she felt bad for him, and it would explain why he doesn't trust her. Even in the past few days, Ventus kept avoiding her like a plague while not talking to her. The Straw Hats are getting worried, hoping that the young Dragoon would give her a chance which it's not gonna happen. Sanji tried to convince him about Robin being a gorgeous woman, which he's acting like a lovesick idiot and the young Dragoon doesn't care about it. Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper tried to get him to talk to her, but the young Dragoon isn't interested. Nami and Zoro knew that getting Ventus to trust Robin is a lot harder than they thought it would, but they don't blame him.
Now at the sea, the Straw Hat pirates are doing their own activities while sailing. Robin was reading a book quietly, Nami is navigating the sea by looking through the binoculars, Zoro is at the top of the main mast, doing a thumb stand push ups, Ventus was washing his clothes and hanging them up to dry, and Chopper, Usopp, and Luffy were fishing since they've been at it a countless time during the sea.
Robin however, kept wondering towards Ventus while trying to read a book. Ventus then finished his laundry, headed to the room to read a book. Ever since Anna, Shanise, and Ivan left the Straw Hats to return to Ishgard in order to help fight against the Garlean Empire, the young Dragoon was educating himself by reading some books, navigating, and cooking. She got answers from Nami, learned that Ventus had been taught in between using the lance, magic, and aerial combat by Freya and Fratley from Burmecia, along with the education that doesn't involve physical labor. Despite in his adult appearance, it is hard to believe that Ventus' only 14 years-old, but Usopp points out that he's in his growth phase because of his bloodline as a hybrid between a human and a dragon.
She's gonna have to come up with the idea on how to gain his trust and educate him, which it's going to be hard because the young Dragoon kept giving her a cold shoulder and dragonic glares. Sanji didn't like how Ventus treated her, which he was planning to set things straight with the young Dragoon. Zoro however told him to leave him alone, and it got to the point that a fight breaks out, which the young Dragoon bonked both of them. Nami knew that Ventus' gonna be like this during the time at sea. While she does appreciate the help on stopping Zoro and Sanji fighting and keeping Luffy on a short leash, but his attitude seems to change a bit ever since Robin became a new member of the Straw Hats and the Garlean Empire gathering the army to invade Ishgard.
When Choppers fishing rod has caught something, he spoke.
"A bite!" Chopper exclaims as he pulled it up, caught a fish. "See?"
"Nice catch, Chopper." Luffy praised him with grin, causing Chopper to chuckle.
Now, Usopps fishing rod has caught something.
"Hey! I've caught one too!" Usopp said as he tried to pull the fishing rod up, which he has having a hard time while struggling. "Oh, yeah, it's a big one! I bet there's a real maneater on the end of the line now!"
Usopp kept trying pulling the fishing rod with a grunt.
"Oh, really?" Chopper asks excitedly.
"Amazing!" Luffy adds with a grin.
Soon as Usopp finally pulls a fishing rod up, he just happen to caught a tiny swordfish which both Luffy and Chopper wasn't amused.
"'Maneater'?" Chopper rhetorically repeats in unamused tone.
"That isn't even a good snack." Luffy told him in disappointment.
"Oh, that's real nice, coming from you, Luffy!?" Usopp growled in sarcasm with white eyes and shark-like teeth. "Have you ever caught anything?! Ever?!"
"You see!" Luffy retorted as he cast a fishing rod. "Watch this!"
"Are you sure you can get one?" Usopp asks skeptically.
"Of course I can." Luffy replied.
"Nami, dear~!" Sanji called her when he arrived with a drink on a tray, twirls around and extends the drink to her. "I've brought you an amazing tropical beauty drink~! It's specially designed for keeping your skin smooth."
"Oh, thank you." Nami thanked him, grabs the drink.
"Sanji!?" Usopp, Luffy, and Chopper whines, turns to him.
"Come on, I want some!" Luffy demands.
"Yeah, no fair!" Chopper complains.
"Knock it off, you guys!" Ventus said in a cold tone when he revealed himself, earned their attention. "If you three are gonna complain, do it elsewhere on the ship. Just keep fishing."
"But..."
"No 'buts', if we're gonna keep wasting supplies before we get to the next island, there won't be anything left." Ventus points out. "We gotta save up the supplies and make due with what we got before the next island."
Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper knew that he's right about it, but with the look on the young Dragoon's face, they noticed that he's being serious. Robin was about to say something, but Ventus shut the door and continued his reading.
"That does it! I've had it with his intensity!" Sanji growled, felt very annoyed. "I'm gonna have a talk with him!"
"Hold on, Sanji." Nami said, grabs him in the arm. "I'll handle this, you stay here and keep an eye on them."
"What?! But Nami, dear, I can handle him~!" Sanji said lovingly.
"Like hell you can, you damn lovesick moron!" Zoro retorted with a scowl. "Last time you tried, he isn't convinced at all!"
Sanji couldn't help but turned to him with a growl when Zoro went inside of the room while Nami followed him. Soon as Zoro and Nami went inside, Ventus turned to them.
"Ventus, we need to talk." Nami told him.
"If it's about Robin, my mind isn't gonna change." Ventus said, turns back to the book. "I'm still not accepting her as a friend or a new member of the crew. But it's not my decision since Luffy is the Captain of this crew."
"Maybe so, but you've been given her a cold shoulder all day, and it's getting ridiculous." Nami states. "Look, all she ever does is reading books, that's all she ever did. And yet, you're still avoiding her. As far as I can see, you're still not given her a chance or even try to talk to her."
"Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper already accepted her easily because of her Devil fruit powers, while that lovesick cook over there accepts as well." Zoro adds.
"I HEARD THAT YOU DAMN MOSS HEAD!?" Sanji yelled in a muffled tone.
"I bet he accepts to any of the women." Ventus said in a deadpan look on his face.
"HEY! I RESENT THAT!?" Sanji yelled again.
"Yeah." Nami said with a sweat drop. "Anyway, the point is, you could've at least try to give him a chance."
"Why? After you told her about me and homeland." Ventus said. "I'm not that stupid Nami, I still have good ears."
Nami and Zoro sweat drop, but they keep forgetting that Ventus had a good hearing because of his dragon traits.
"We had to because she has a right to know and the way you've been acting few days ago during the time at the island." Zoro said. "Neither of us blame you because it's still haunting you. Well, except that lovesick idiot."
"And I know you and Zoro still don't trust her, but what I want to know is why?" Nami asks.
Ventus can tell that she and Zoro wanted to know why the young Dragoon wasn't accepting Robin or even try to get to know her. He already know the part of her being an archeologist and a wanted criminal when she was only 8 years old, survived and stay hidden for only 20 years, and working with the Baroque Works. While Ventus knew that she's preventing Crocodile for learning about the Pluton, it got him wondering why did she tricked the former Warlord of the Sea.
"Besides of her a former member of the Baroque Works and tried to recruit me, she's not telling us about herself." Ventus explains. "All she ever did was given you guys a short details and keeping it to herself. Robin is hiding something, and she's not even telling us. But what? I know, but I don't really care."
Nami and Zoro then confirms their suspicions, but can tell that the young Dragoon is making a valid point. They were aware that Robin isn't telling them about herself, either, which because they didn't want to ask about it.
Just as Nami was about to say something, they heard a loud noise coming from the outside as they noticed a large sea snail on a ship.
"What is that thing?" Luffy asks in confusion, causing Usopp's jaw dropped.
"It's huge?!" Chopper exclaims shockingly.
"Hey, guys, what'd you catch there?" Sanji questions when the large sea snail collapses down to the deck in sideways, causing the Straw Hats, except Robin, to look at it.
It's a large sea snail with a front mirror. The interior was big enough space to fit someone in and a large amount of inventory to fit, and it has a hatch door to get in and out.
"That's a really big sea snail." Luffy states.
"Yeah, Luffy, I don't think that's what it is." Usopp points out.
"What do we do with it?" Nami questions.
"Let's have dinner!" Luffy suggests with a drool on his mouth.
"Hold on, Luffy, someone's inside of the shell." Ventus told him, catching a scent. "And it's only one person in there."
"Are you guys nuts!?" Usopp protests, air slapping them.
"Boiled maybe?" Sanji guessed.
"Not you too!?" Usopp shouts with his budging eyes.
Until, the sound of a hatch was heard as it was pushed open which was a person groans with exhaustion, causing the Straw Hats, except Ventus and Robin, to flinch.
"Oh, wow! I thought was going to die in there for sure." The salesman said, rubbing the back of his head when he saw pirates. "Oh, uh, hi everyone."
The salesman is a tall, slim man with fair skin, round eyes, a thin upper lip, a thick bottom lip, a thin nose, and a square chin. He has short, black hair that comes to a point on the right side of his head. He also has short thick eyebrows and a perpetual cheek blush. He wears a tangerine-colored suit with brown buttons, a blue shirt with purple polka dots, and a yellow tie. He also wears a yellow pocket square, gold cufflinks, and gold rings on his index, middle, and ring fingers on both hands. He wears a white banner across his chest with the words, 'GEKIYASU!' in a red color.
"Who the heck...are you?" Luffy slowly questions.
"Oh dear, please do pardon me for not introducing myself to you folks sooner, I'm Rice-Rice from Transponder Snail Mail Order." Rice-Rice introduced himself. "I am available at a moment's noticed to happily deliver anything you might need to your place to precedence. So nice to meet you."
Rice-Rice then gives a smile.
"For a salesman, you sure talk a lot." Ventus said in a deadpan look on his face.
"Transponder Snail Mail what? I've never heard of it." Zoro states seriously.
"Well, you see, I was in the process of making a delivery, Escar here and fully got caught up in the terrible storm. And then, I became trapped inside." Rice-Rice explains while waving his arms side-to-side. "I was in there, just being tossed back and forth and back and forth by the violent waves. It was really very unpleasant."
The Straw Hats are beginning to understand when he's telling him which the Grand Line can be unpredictable when it comes to the laws of nature being defied and the serious weather.
"Wow, that must've shaken you up." Nami points out surprisingly.
"Shaken and stirred." Rice-Rice remarked with a joke, chuckled a bit. "Pardon my joke, I just can't help myself sometimes."
"Here, have some water." Chopper offers, pouring the glass of water to Esgar.
"I want to thank you all so much for saving me from the wicked sea." Rice-Rice said, holding a stack of catalogs. "It's not much, but I'd like for you to have these catalogs. I can deliver anything in here to you."
"That's cool!" Zoro states with a smirk. "So, you'll even deliver them while we're out of the ocean?"
"I won't be to sure if I were you, Zoro." Ventus warned him. "There's a catch about the delivery and the ones you ordered."
"He's right about that, and I can't do that, either." Rice-Rice adds with an agreement, causing Zoro to twitch a bit. "Our motto is safe reliable and expensive. In order to meet those standards, we are currently unable to make sea deliveries..."
While Rice-Rice continued the explanation, both Luffy and Usopp were looking inside of the shell which it's filled with many items.
"Hey, looks pretty roomy in there." Usopp said surprisingly.
"What's this?" Luffy asks curiously, grabbing some kind of weapon that has a green handle, and black sphere-like figures that appear at the top.
"Hey now! What do you think you're doing with that?!" Rice-Rice shouts when he turns to Luffy, quickly ran and grabs it while regaining his composure. "Since you've clearly taking quite a liking to this item, I will happily to introduce you to it. I'm sure that you're all familiar with the popular Buru-Buru Blade, who isn't after all? It is our companies top item and no doubt many of you already own the old model. This beauty right here is improve version. You see, we've received feedback from customers who are looking for a bit more variety from the product. This model allows you to modify the amount of weight at the ends of it, even young children can enjoy it. We always listened to our customers, the Transponder Snail Mail Order company values your opinion. That is always have been to accept any comments you might offer."
"I don't why would it makes me happy?!" Luffy exclaims happily when Chopper was pushes the mechanical pink rabbit forward, but dragged backwards.
"This thing is a lot of fun." Chopper states when Rice-Rice grabs the mechanical rabbit.
"You all know about this little baby, right? The amazing Abu-Abu Slider, it's our company's number 1 product and boy, we are proud of it." Rice-Rice explains. "A brand new model has just been released, isn't it something?"
"The last thing was the top product and this is number 1, what's the difference?" Sanji inquires in confusion.
"Who knows." Zoro and Ventus said in unison when Usopp was knocked by two balls from side to side, holding an exercise product.
"And right over here, we have our best selling item called the 'Golden Fish'." Rice-Rice continues, showing the item. "We highly recommend those straight machine for those don't get as quite as much exercise as they would like to."
Rice-Rice then turns to the Straw Hats.
"I can offer these two excellent weight loss products together as a set for the incredibly reduced cost, and today only..."
Rice-Rice then quickly grabs a pack of 'Mero-Mero Juice', showing it to them.
"...I will throw in 20 bottles of 'Mero-Mero Juice' that due to the West Blue as a free gift..."
Rice-Rice then quickly grabs a huge stacks of encyclopedia.
"...In addition, you'll receive a 26 volumes Encyclopedia set that sharpen your mind. As well as the pair of binoculars, perfect for bird-watching." Rice-Rice continues. "Now, I'm sure you would expect all of this to cost a pretty penny, but not today folks! I am happy to represent this to you as a token of gratitude for helping me!"
"You're giving us all that?" Luffy asks with a big grin.
"With just 20 thousand berries and at that price, you're really robbing me blind. You thieves!" Rice-Rice answered with a smile.
"So, they're not free?" Zoro asks.
"Neither of them are." Ventus told him with a deadpan expression on his face.
"Must...have..." Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper said excitedly.
"You're gonna buy them?" Sanji asks in a sweat drop.
Then, they began looking at the catalogs. Ventus doesn't seem to be interested on looking at the catalogs since the price and the deliveries are too expensive. Luffy and Usopp are fighting over the same catalog while Sanji manage to caught something at his eye.
"You guys sell kitchen knives along with all this other stuff?" Sanji inquires.
"Yes, this high quality culinary knife is produced individually by authentic craftsman at the high mountain." Rice-Rice explains while showing the kitchen knife, bends it and lets it go which the knife is flexible. "Why just looking how flexible it can be, it's perfect for the amateur or professional. And so sharp, it is guaranteed to last you a lifetime. Still undecided, let's throw it a dozen table knives, a pair of kitchen shears, a paring knife, and an electric sharpener. If you act now, it's all only 2,900 berries."
Soon as Rice-Rice set the table next to the deck along with the set of knives, shears, and electric sharpener, he then turns to Robin while showing her a soap.
"And for you, miss, here is a 'Smooth-Skin Soap'. It is guaranteed, to keep your skin young and healthy for years, Hard to pass up, huh?" Rice-Rice informed her, earned her attention.
"Wow, you really do have everything." Robin said in an unamused tone.
"Yes, from Mineral Water to Cannonballs, there is nothing that we can't offer to our customers." Rice-Rice said, oblivious to her tone.
"Do you sell stuff that's alive?" Luffy asks excitedly.
"You moron! They don't sell something that's alive!" Ventus shouts in annoyance, bonks him in the head.
"He's right, because we don't carry what we can't carry." Rice-Rice agrees with a laugh.
"Hey! Do you have paper?" Nami asks with a smile, earned his attention.
"'Paper'?" Rice-Rice repeats in confusion.
"Right, strong paper that's big and hard to tear." Nami explains. "Something that'll take more than a sea breeze to damage."
"Absolutely! Please, just leave it to me, Miss!" Rice-Rice answered excitedly, causing Nami to sweat drop as he shows the stack of papers. "Transponder Snail Mail Order is proud to present to you, the one and only 1,000 Year Paper!"
"So, what is that?" Luffy inquires.
"1,000 Year Paper is made from the truly incredible 1,000-Year tree that grows on Eight Nine Island." Rice-Rice explains, causing Nami to smile. "This paper is invulnerable, and it is said that nothing will fade from it, even it exposes to the sun for 1,000 years. It's great for family trees and treasure maps."
"Paper airplanes, too?" Luffy inquires excitedly.
"What? Well, no sir, why would you want to do that?" Rice-Rice asks, turns to Luffy.
'For being an idiot, as usual...' Ventus mentally thought with a tick mark on his head.
"Right. So, how much is it?" Nami asks, earned their attention.
"You want it?" Luffy inquires.
"Uh-huh." Nami replied.
'I freely got her on the line now. She seems like the type who would buy something when she really wants it, no matter the cost. I'll make her want it more than anything and then check out the price.' Rice-Rice mentally thought, starts to haggle. "I can understand how interested you are, but with such a valuable item, they're short supply in great demand. Even if you weren't to make an order today, it could be quite some time before I'm able to get it to you. Years, maybe."
Though, Nami can tell that Rice-Rice isn't being honest about it, but decided to play along.
"But surely, you can sell it to me somehow, right?" Nami asks with a smirk. "There's no price that I won't be willing to pay."
"WHAAAAAAAAT?!" Luffy exclaims shockingly with shark-like teeth.
"THIS IS THE SAME NAMI WOULD RATHER CAN COUNT MONEY THAN EAT?!" Usopp adds with his hands on the top of his head, budging eyes, and shark-like teeth.
"THE SAME NAMI WHO LIKES MONEY MORE THAN LIKE ITSELF!?" Zoro adds with a shock.
"AND SHE'LL PAY ANYTHING?!" Zoro, Luffy, and Usopp shouts in unison.
"You guys might be overreacting." Sanji said with a sweat drop.
"Idiots..." Ventus muttered in annoyance.
Rice-Rice pondered a bit as he thinks it over, then spoke.
"Alright then, it you're absolutely have to have it, Miss..." Rice-Rice said, then drops a stack of papers down. "A dream of 1,000 Year Paper! It normally cost 60 million berries, but I can give to you for only 48 million!"
"It cost 48 million berries?! Really?!" Chopper exclaimed in shock with his budging eyes and a jaw dropping.
"Does that mean this stuff cost 48 thousand berries per each sheet?!" Usopp adds, also in shock.
"But can't you drop the price just a little more?" Nami pleads with a smile, causing him to ponder.
"Well, you drive a hard bargain. How about 47.5 million?" Rice-Rice offered, showing his fingers which Nami wasn't convinced.
"How's 2 million?" Nami suggested which Rice-Rice wasn't convinced either.
"Or 4.8 just for you?" Rice-Rice said, showing his fingers and making Nami flinch.
"Rip off." Usopp quickly muttered with a shrug.
"Can't you do lower?" Nami inquires.
"Sold!" Sanji said, leaving them shocked.
"What do you mean?" Nami asks surprisingly.
"Do you really have many berries?" Zoro questions.
"Nope." Sanji answered simply, causing them to face-fault down to the deck as he tied Luffy with the rope. "If we hand Luffy over to the Marines, we'll collect the bounty and have plenty to spare."
"WHAT?! NNNOOOOOOOO!" Luffy yelled with budging eyes and shark-like teeth in horror.
"Sorry, Luffy, but Nami deserves this sacrifice." Sanji states.
"No she does not!?" Luffy argued when Rice-Rice widen his eyes.
"Luffy? Luffy?! You don't mean...No! Mokey D. Luffy?!" Rice-Rice exclaims in fright, sweating bullets.
"Yeah, that's me, weird guy." Luffy told him, then turns to Sanji. "Hey, Sanji, come on! Please, just untie me now!"
"I can't do that." Sanji said when Rice-Rice is trembling.
'The infamous pirate with 100 million berry bounty on his head?! This is that Monkey D. Luffy?!' Rice-Rice mentally exclaims, turns to the Jolly Roger with horror and then collapses down to his knees with his hands on the top of his head, whimpering. "Oh no! That's a real pirate flag up there!? How could I miss something like that?! Did anything could've happened to me?!"
The Straw Hats, except Robin and Ventus, were confused while watching him cry in fright.
"Sanji, just let me go!" Luffy begs.
"No way." Sanji said as Rice-Rice quickly stands up and turns to them.
"I just remembered that I have a very important appointment! Have a nice day!" Rice-Rice said as he quickly got inside of Esgar, then jumped away from the ship and flees which he left some of the items behind.
"Hey, you left your stuff!" Zoro shouts, but Rice-Rice ignored him and flees while the rest of the Straw Hats watched him leave.
"Is this something we've said?" Luffy inquires.
"Maybe he was a bit afraid of you and your friends." Robin states, reading her book. "After all, you're a wanted man, Monkey D. Luffy."
"For once, she has a point." Ventus agreed with a sigh. "It took him long enough to get through to that thick skull of his."
Nami then turns around and noticed the 1,000 Year Papers next to the other items which it got her interested. She then takes the stack of papers to the room, turns to her crew as she spoke.
"Alright, guys, I'm gonna do some work now. So, don't interrupt me, you got that?" Nami suggested.
"Alright, but what do you mean by work?" Usopp asks curiously.
Ventus already knew what Nami was planning, putting two and two together.
"It's secret." Nami answered with a smirk and a playful wink.
"Whatever." Usopp said with uninterest tone, sweat dropped.
"I'll take care of it~! I won't let anyone come near you until you're done with all of your work, Nami, my dear~!" Sanji said happily.
"Nami, what if the wind or currents changed suddenly?" Chopper asks with worry.
"If it happens I'll try and get back on track so we can get to the next island." Ventus told him, putting the Log Pose on his wrist. "But only if the clouds are changing."
"He's right, which it why Ventus' in charge of the navigation while I'm working on those maps." Nami adds as she shuts the door.
Nami then places the stack of book, maps, and the equipment she needs to make some maps to record the route they've been in on a different islands. She then placed on a 1,000 Year Paper on the desk.
"Let's see here." Nami said as she starts working on making her first map. "Things have been hectic lately, so I haven't much free time since we've entered the Grand Line, but..."
She then placed the triangle ruler on the paper, drawing the lines and starts making the map.
"...Little Garden...Drum Island...Alabasta..." Nami continues. "I've made sure to write down all of the routes that we've taken since we've gotten here. I've taken...uh, obtained maps of this surrounding areas from towns as well. I'll draw my own original and complete 'World Map', just like I've always dreamed that I would."
While outside of the room, Usopp, Luffy, and Chopper were holding the brooms as Sanji spoke after putting the Encyclopedias, the kitchen set, and the catalogs inside of the other room.
"Alright, guys, listen up! While Nami is working and Ventus' in charge of the navigation, we're going to get this place completely clean." Sanji suggested.
"Alright!" Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper cheered.
"Are you sure about that, Sanji?" Ventus asks, earned his attention. "I mean, this is Luffy and Usopp we're talking about. Neither of the two could even get it done because of them fooling around."
"He's got a point." Zoro agrees with a shrug, much to Sanji's annoyance. "But good luck with that."
"YOU'RE WORKING TOO, ZORO!?" Sanji yelled with a tick mark, turns to him with white eyes and shark-like teeth while Usopp, Luffy, and Chopper agrees.
"Well than, what about her?" Zoro questions, thrust his thumb at Robin, who's read the book. "I don't see her helping."
"She has a doctor's note, she's too beautiful to help mop the deck." Sanji answered with a smirk.
'There's no such thing, you idiot...' Ventus mentally muttered with a tick mark, annoyed of Sanji's womanizing antics.
"You've gotta be kidding me! That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard..." Zoro groans in annoyance when Sanji kicked him in the face, causing his veins to pop out of his head.
"Why don't you shut up and help us, you moss head monster!" Sanji suggested, but he and Zoro are glaring each other.
"Ooh, such a witty insult, you pathetic excuse for a loving machine!" Zoro retorted.
"Kinda sounds like someone wants an ass beaten!" Sanji snapped back.
"Just go ahead and try it, you really think you can beat the moss-haired monster?!"
"You clearly aren't close to being a match for the powers of love machine!"
And just as Sanji and Zoro were about to fight, Ventus bonked them in the heads very hard.
"What part of 'don't interrupt' do you two morons don't understand?" Ventus questions in annoyance. "In case you two forgot, Nami is working on recording the maps! Sine the both of you don't have anything better to do, how about I make a suggestion. Zoro, you get your ass up to the crow's nest and keep an eye on the sea in case the clouds are changing."
"And just who made you the Captain?!" Zoro shouts, but earned a dark glare from the young Dragoon.
"What did I just say?!" Ventus growled with a dragonic tone, causing his face pale as a sheet of paper.
Zoro then quickly get to the crow's nest as Ventus then turns to Sanji.
"And you, keep an eye on those three so they can clean the deck completely..." Ventus continues as Sanji nods frantically, then turns to Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper which the three are scared. "What are you three standing around for?! Get to work!"
And with that, Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper quickly scrubs the deck while Sanji keeps an eye on them. Ventus was about to head upstairs when Robin turns to him.
"You sure have your way of handling your crew." Robin states. "Is that why Luffy put you as his First Mate?"
"...Whatever..." Ventus said in a cold tone, heading upstairs while checking the Log Pose to make sure they're in the right direction.
While inside of the room, Nami continued working on the map after hearing that noise coming from Sanji and Zoro. She was glad that Ventus was able to stop them while having them working on the ship. Nami then remembered of her time back at Cocoyasi Village.
Flashback
At the Cocoyasi Village, Bell-mere and Nojiko were tending the fields at the tangerine farm while Nami was watching and then spoke.
"Hey, Bell-mere! Bell-mere, I have a question for you." Nami called her, earned her attention. "Hey, Bell-mere? Can you tell me something? Where is the wind come from?"
"From the sea." Bell-mere answered with a smirk, turns to her foster daughter.
"The sea?" Nami repeats surprisingly when she, Nojiko, and Bell-mere looked at the sea.
"The wind is born on the sea and it blows across Cocoyasi Village, bringing blessings." Bell-mere explains. "Not just the wind, but rain, clouds, rainbows too. Everything we know comes to us from the sea."
"Oh wow! Bell-mere, tell me something." Nami said, turns to her in amazement. "Where is the sea come from? Where does it start?"
"Nami! Stop bothering Bell-mere with all these questions!" Nojiko shouts.
"Yeah, but Nojiko..."
"You're a very curious girl, Nami." Bell-mere told her with a chuckle, pats her on the head which it got Nami giggled.
Soon as the sun was setting, Bell-mere went out to look for Nami.
"Nami! Nami!" Bell-mere called her.
Nami was wrapping her arms around her knees, looking at the sea when Bell-mere was able to find her as she walks to her foster daughter.
"I heard you did it again. The lady from the bookstore stormed into the house, she was furious." Bell-mere informed her. "Now let's go home, dinner is all ready to eat."
"Bell-mere, will you tell me something? What's out there? What's beyond the sea?" Nami questions, stands up.
"I wish I knew, but I have no idea what lies beyond the Grand Line. It's very far away." Bell-mere told her, kneels to her level.
"But I thought you're a Marine." Nami points out, turns to her.
"The sea is too big, even for a Marine to explore." Bell-mere told her, turns to her.
"I want to go beyond the sea and explore, even if it is big." Nami said with determination, leaving Bell-mere surprised. "Bell-mere, do you think I can? Do you think I can go beyond the sea?"
"Well, Nami, you're a very strong girl." Bell-mere states. "If you really put your mind to it, you can do anything you want."
"Then that's what I'll do." Nami said. "I'm gonna use all of my navigation skills to sail around the worlds oceans! And then I'll make a map of everything that I see along the way. I will!"
Flashback Ended
"That's right. I will, someday." Nami said, finished her first map that says 'Grand Line'. "Someday, I will complete my very own map of the world."
Meanwhile, Luffy was still scrubbing the deck when he noticed the bubbles were flying away.
"Hey, Luffy!" Usopp called him, earned his attention and noticed him standing on the broom, sitting on top of Chopper's head. "Watch this!"
Chopper then uses his hooves to push the Abu-Abu Slider back, then pushes Usopp and making the liar slides on the floor with the broom full of soap.
"Oh, wow!" Luffy exclaims excitedly. "Hey, come on! Let me try!"
However, it got Nami annoyed after hearing the noise coming from her crew as she stood with an annoyed look and sighed. Soon as Nami opens the door, she noticed that the entire deck was covered in soap.
"Nami, you're working so hard~! Are you all finished now?" Sanji asks with a goofy smile, turns to her.
"No! What's going on out here?" Nami asks, turns to him.
"What are you guys doing with all this stuff anyway?" Sanji asked his crew.
"We're cleaning." Usopp answered simply.
"This is actually a lot of fun." Luffy adds. "You wanna try it, Nami?"
"It's more like they're fooling around while I was setting up the new kitchen set at the counter and the encyclopedias at the shelves." Ventus states in annoyance, opened the door.
"What's with all the noise down here?" Zoro asks in annoyance, walking down the stairs and grabs a Smooth-Skin Soap. "What is this stuff? The Smooth-Skin Soap from earlier?"
"Hey, you guys! This isn't safe." Nami warned them.
"She's right, because someone could get hurt." Ventus adds when Chopper reels back with the Abu-Abu Slider.
"Nah, we'll be fine." Usopp assures them as Chopper pushes him.
However, Usopp accidentally bumps Luffy, causing him to be tossed overboard which it got Chopper worried.
"You're such an idiot!" Zoro and Ventus shouts in annoyance.
"Gum-Gum: Bungee Jump" Luffy then stretched his arm and grabs hold of the figurehead, then hopping off of the cannon and over the figurehead. "Move back you guys!"
It got the Straw Hats noticed that Luffy sent himself flying towards the room.
"Move!" Sanji shouts, shoves Nami away when Luffy accidentally crashed into the room. "Are you hurt anywhere, Nami dear?"
"Move it!" Nami demands as she ran to the room, but it got her widen her eyes when she saw her desk and her map a complete mess. "Look at my map!?"
"Ah, is that what you're doing?" Luffy asks when his crew were gathered.
"A map?" Chopper repeats.
"That's what this important work of yours was." Usopp said, realizing what Nami was doing.
"That's right. It's the only map in the worlds recorded journey after entering the Grand Line. It's one of a kind." Nami said in teary eyes, turns to them with anger. "Look at it now!"
It got the Straw Hats, except Ventus, flinched when they remembered of Nami's dream.
'The dream that I've had since childhood is to complete my very own map of the world someday.'
These words have echoed on their minds and realizing why Nami is working on the map.
"Get out of here!" Nami growled as she shoves Usopp and Chopper away from her. "Just leave now!"
"Nami." Luffy called her.
"What now?!" Nami demands, turned to him.
"I'm sorry." Luffy apologized.
"Sorry isn't gonna cut it this time, Luffy! Now just leave already!" Nami told him, drags Luffy out of the room. "Leave or I'm gonna fine you all 100 thousand berries!"
And with that, the Straw Hats left Nami alone so she can re-work on the map.
"It's your fault, Zoro." Sanji told him.
"How'd you figured that?" Zoro asks in annoyance.
"I agree with Sanji." Usopp said.
"Both of you shut up!" Ventus growled, earned their attention. "The only ones at fault are Luffy and Usopp! If it weren't for you two morons, then none of this would have happened!"
Both Usopp and Luffy flinched which the young Dragoon makes a valid point. Zoro was grateful for him defending the swordsman.
"Next time, you two throw yourselves at sea and rid us of your stupidity!" Ventus said, walking upstairs. "You two are much more trouble than your worth!"
"Now you wait just one minute, Ventus..."
"Just leave him be, Sanji." Robin suggested, earned his attention. "He needs time to cool off."
Sanji then turns to Ventus, who's inside of the room studying the map while checking on the Log Pose.
Few minutes later, most of the Straw Hats are asleep and Robin has fallen asleep from all of reading. Ventus checked the Log Pose, which has changed its direction and started smelling the air.
"Rain...No, the waterspout." Ventus said with his eyes widen as he opens the door, ran to the crew.
Chopper also smells rain when he turns and noticed the waterspout which it got him panicked. Ventus then rushes down the stairs and then knocks the door which it got Nami's attention.
"Listen, I told not..."
"Nami, waterspout dead ahead!" Ventus shouts with an interruption. "Stop what you're doing and hang up the map!"
Ventus then turns to his crew.
"How long are you guys planning to stay asleep?!" Ventus shouts in a dragonic tone. "Get your asses up! We've got trouble!"
The rest of the Straw Hats groaned while waking up from the shout and Nami was able to hang the map up. It got Luffy and Usopp screamed in panic when they saw a waterspout heading their way.
"Luffy, Zoro, you guys pull the sails!" Ventus ordered which the two complied as they head to the main mast. "Usopp, Chopper, secure the stuff on the deck with ropes!"
Usopp and Chopper complied as they head towards the crates.
"Sanji, help me turn to starboard!" Ventus shouts as he and Sanji went inside of the room. "We need to steer the ship away from the waterspout or else we're screwed!?"
Sanji and Ventus then steers the ship as hard as they can while both Zoro and Luffy pull the sails and tied it up with ropes. Both Usopp and Chopper were covering the supplies with a tarp and ropes, but Robin wasn't help which she's still on the book, reading.
"One more thing, if my precious map gets washed away by waves or something during this storm...Then you are all going to pay!" Nami shouts with a dark glare. "And the press will be very steep!?"
"She's scary!" Chopper cried in panic as the Straw Hat pirates continued to steer the ship away from the storm while trying not to avoid the waterspout.
Soon as they're able to get away from the waves and the waterspout, the atmosphere has returned to normal.
"The atmospheric pressure is risen and the rain stopped. Nice work, Ventus." Nami praises the young Dragoon, then turns to her crew. "And thanks for the hard work you guys, you can all take a break now. Meanwhile, I'm gonna get back to work. So, you guys just keep an eye on the clouds again, you got it?"
"So, you aren't done yet?" Chopper inquires.
"Of course I'm not done yet." Nami answered simply. "I'm only trying to draw up the map of the world, it's gonna take a while. I've finished a very small portion of it today, there still a lot left. So, the real work starts now."
"She's serious." Zoro said with an impressed smirk.
"I believe in you, Nami~!" Sanji adds with a goofy smile and a blush.
"Usopp, do you think she's going to fine us again?" Chopper asks with worry, leaving Usopp replied with a nod and Luffy chuckled while Robin finished reading her book.
"You were reading this the whole time?" Usopp asks in annoyance.
"Now, unfurl the sails!" Nami ordered as the sails was open.
"Full speed ahead everyone!" Luffy shouts.
And with that, the Straw Hat pirates continued to sail while Nami continued to draw maps.
That's it for the 2nd chapter.