(A/N: Venus' first movie! It'll be separated into three parts. I didn't realize until recently that this technically occurs before Warship Island, but I think it feels more sensical to have it happen after, considering Warship Island starts only two days after Loguetown. Enjoy!)
Clockwork Island Adventure- Pt. 1
After their adventure at Warship Island, the crew had stopped for a little siesta on a peaceful, sunny island with a beautiful beach. As Luffy winded a toy windmill that washed ashore, Nami was sunbathing, and Zoro was doing push-ups with sandbags stacked on his back. "Heh," He grinned when it started spinning, and held it up high. "Look! She's really good-looking!"
Nami looked up from the table. "What's he talking about?"
"Thanks for getting my back, Sanji," Venus glanced at the blond cook through putting her sheer, black crop top back on over her bikini top. She held a bottle of sunblock, as she set herself up in a chair under a shady umbrella, and sipped her lemonade.
"Anytime, Venus-chan. Okay, here I am, Nami-san," Sanji approached her with a bottle of suntan lotion, and untied her pink strapless bikini top. "Nami-san, your skin is perfection incarnate." He started rubbing the lotion on her back.
"If your hand slips, you're dead," Nami threatened.
"Yes," Sanji agreed, as Venus stifled laughter.
"Hm?" Luffy was confused when the Going Merry was in full sail, and drifting away without them.
"Best vacation I ever had," Venus remarked.
"That's fine, but don't forget that we're wanted," Nami reminded.
"Yeah, yeah."
"Look at her, she's great!" Luffy pointed to the sea, as a striped singlet-clad Usopp ran over with a beach ball and a yellow inner tube.
"What are you yapping about, Luffy?" He asked.
"But just look at her!" Luffy continued his rambling.
"We're in no hurry," Nami pointed out.
"She's right," Sanji agreed.
"Our ship's so darn good-looking," Luffy kept it up.
Venus nonchalantly looked, and spit her lemonade back through the straw in shock. "Guys! The ship!"
"Luffy, Venus, what're you..." Usopp finally looked over, as did Zoro, Nami, and Sanji, and they all widened their eyes in horror. The ship was sailing away without them!
"GOING MERRY!" Everyone screamed at once.
"Gotta love that flag!"
"Are you mad?!" Zoro exclaimed to Luffy.
"She's been stolen!" Usopp fussed.
"No way!" Luffy finally realized. "Stolen?!"
"Idiot!" Zoro and Usopp scolded.
"You thief!" The captain jumped down from the rock he sat on, and stretched his arm out. "Stop right there!" He reached as far as possible, but he could just barely touch the railing.
"We got that ship from Kaya!" Usopp glared.
"How dare you steal from a thief?!" Nami shouted.
Just then, Venus noticed her holding her top up to cover herself. "Uh, you want me to tie that for you?"
"Yeah, thanks."
She quickly did so, then glared at the ocean. "That's our ship! Get your own!"
"COME BACK!" Everyone shouted, but to no avail.
"Has it been a whole week?" Sanji wondered aloud. "Couldn't you find a better boat?" He complained. The crew of six were forced to cram onto a small, rented paddleboat resembling a duck.
"Or clothes?" Zoro added. Since their clothes were on the ship, they all, except Luffy, had to rent fresh ones from a wedding shop. Sanji wore a white suit, Zoro was in a black traditional kimono, and Usopp was dressed like a priest in a black hat, and brown kimono.
"Don't complain!" Usopp ordered. "That wedding rental was all there was!"
"I kinda wish they had a black dress," Venus pouted, "I feel so weird in this." She and Nami were donned in long, white bridal dresses, though Nami's was off-shoulder with ruffled hems, and long sheer sleeves, Venus' was spaghetti-strapped with a sheer-paneled bodice, and showing the spiderweb on her bikini top. Her black cover-up was also thrown on over the top.
"Can't really afford to be picky," Nami rolled her eyes.
"I think you look great," Usopp turned to her with a genuine grin.
"Thanks," She blushed shyly.
"Where are we?" Luffy asked around.
"We don't know," Nami replied with annoyance, "They took all our maps."
"And my swords," Zoro added.
"And my shoes," Sanji chimed in.
"My spell book..." Venus lamented, "B-Burton..."
"Dimwits!" Nami raged. "How can you think of going out unprepared?"
"Help!"
"Look, a kid!" Usopp pointed out a little boy struggling to stay above the surface.
"He's drowning. Let's go help him." Sanji urgently dove into the water, and swam over to him, with the crew close behind. "Hey, are you all right?"
Just as he reached him, however, the boy suddenly dropped the act, and smiled deviously. "Fooled ya!"
"Huh?" On cue, they were caught in a large net from underwater! "What the...!"
A small ship approached them, as a man with spiky brown hair, and an aviator uniform with goggles, a green jacket, and a white scarf stood at the front. "Good work," He praised the kid, as he climbed in. He was in a white and orange striped beanie accented with pins, a pair of goggles, brown shoes, red cargo shorts, a green vest, and a light yellow shirt.
"No prob! These guys were easily fooled."
"Damn kid!" Sanji glared from the net.
"But I didn't see any money on them."
"Well, that's just great," The man frowned, and walked over to the net. "Poor folks, eh?" With one pull, the crew were sent tumbling on the deck.
"Who the hell are you?" Sanji demanded.
"Us?" He posed with the boy. "We're the thief brothers who hunt all treasure!" They jumped in the air, performing flips, and landed on a pair of treasure chests on top of a pile of boxes. "Borod!"
"And Akees!" The boy smiled pridefully.
"Thief brothers?" Just after Luffy's words, the pile crumbled under the brothers, sending them falling. "What now?"
"It's just rubble," Nami noted the contents of the chests.
"No actual treasure?" Venus looked in confusion.
"Heh, you're just failures," Usopp smirked.
"You know nothing about us!" Akees glared. "We're going to steal the Diamond Clock from Clockwork Island!" Borod regained his footing.
"The Diamond Clock?!" Nami's eyes lit up at that.
"What's that?" Usopp asked.
"The world's best mechanical clock with amazing jewels!" Nami replied.
"Nami-san, my love!" Sanji swooned. "You know all."
"I guess taking that makes you the King of Thieves," Usopp remarked.
Luffy joined in the conversation. "Hey, that's just like us."
"Eh?" Borod was surprised.
"I'm gonna be the King of Pirates!"
Borod's eyes widened. "King of Pirates?" He pointed to their dinky paddleboat on the deck. "With this?"
"Of course not!" Luffy and Usopp glared.
"Our ship was stolen by some low-life loser!" Sanji said.
Venus had a small grin, eyes straight on Borod, as lovestruck hearts floated around her head. "You're handsome." Usopp stared at his feet in confusion. Why was he feeling... jealous?
He looked at her for a moment with a raised eyebrow, not noticing Akees leering at her, then returned to business. "Does your ship have a straw hat mark on it?"
"Yeah, i-it matches his hat," Venus gestured to the captain, while twirling one of her space bun tails.
"You saw it?" Usopp asked.
"Yeah. The Card Pirates had it."
"Card Pirate?"
"It's a vile pirate band, who have their base on Clockwork Island," Borod answered Luffy, "They have the Diamond Clock that I want too."
The crew looked at some wanted posters for Boo Jack, Honey Queen, Skunk One, Pin Joker, and Bear King. "Unimpressive," Sanji and Zoro said simultaneously, before they started arguing.
"Hey, I like these faces," Luffy remarked, "They look cool!"
Borod was flabbergasted. ""Look cool?" They stole your ship! Aren't you mad? Don't you wanna get them?"
"Borod, look!" Akees caught his attention, and everyone turned to see what he was pointing out.
"What the...?" Usopp muttered.
There was a fleet of ships led by one with a black flag featuring a brown bear head with crossbones, and playing card symbols at each side, and a bear prow. "The Card Pirates..."
"Ohhh, I get it!" Venus palmed her fist with a bright smile. "They're called the Card Pirates, because they have the playing card symbols!"
An irritated Zoro patted her head. "Yes, thank you for pointing that out," He deadpanned.
On one of the many ships, Luffy spotted a bathing woman with blonde pigtails, and her back to them. "Hey! You there!"
"Hmm?" She turned back with a hum. It was Honey Queen.
"A hot babe!" Sanji gushed, steam shooting out of his nose like a bull.
"Now, who are you guys?"
"Give us back our ship you stole!" Luffy ordered.
"I haven't seen your ship."
"Course you have!" Nami exclaimed.
"Now hand it over!" Venus glared.
"Hm? Hey..." Honey Queen turned with interest at the two girls, before a round man with a pigskin hood and orange uniform bearing the letter J joined her.
"Time for a nice riddle."
"Riddle?" Sanji deadpanned.
"Who will become the King of Pirates?"
"Dear Boo Jack, that's the simplest of questions," Honey said.
"Me!" Luffy pointed to himself.
"Wrong!" Boo Jack taunted. "It's our boss, Bear King-sama, who'll be the King."
"You don't know anything," Luffy defied him.
"What?"
"It wasn't even a riddle," Sanji shrugged.
"They're a bunch of losers," Zoro frowned.
Boo Jack was now angry. "Are you making fools of the Card Pirates?"
"They obviously need a lesson," Honey remarked, and snapped her fingers.
On cue, hordes of pirates appeared in the ships, and started moving in. "Here we go," Sanji smirked.
"I guess," Zoro said.
"Good luck!"
"Thanks!" Venus beamed to Borod.
"Take this," Luffy put his beloved straw hat on Nami's head, and began to fight back. "Gum-Gum... Pistol!" At the same time, Sanji fought with his kicking power, while Zoro wielded his swords, all of them sending the pirates packing.
"Witchy-Witchy... Ball!" Venus launched some in the ocean with her move.
Borod and Akees watched in awe. "They're amazing! As I thought!" A helpless Usopp, missing his slingshot, could only dodge the enemies.
"Oh dear," Honey frowned from the tub high up. "Who'd have thought?" The stout man curled himself into a spike-covered ball, and managed to catch the crew off guard. "Well done, Boo Jack!"
"What's that?" Sanji asked, as Usopp's jaw was dropped.
"Something bad," Zoro replied.
"Leave it to me." Usopp ran to the back of the boat. "Execute plan. Escape!"
Honey watched in disappointment, as the boat sped away. "Oh dear."
Through Usopp's frantic paddling, a small wooden box fell overboard. Now on alert, Akees wacked him on the head to stop him, and Borod swam after it.
"Huh?" Luffy hummed.
A delirious Usopp laid on the deck. "What was that?"
Borod grabbed the box, and held it up. "I found it!" Akees sighed in relief.
"A little box?" Venus questioned.
Just then, as Honey, now fully clothed, ran over on a spinning Boo Jack, a set of bombs was thrown on the boat, promptly blowing it up. "And now a riddle! What was it that we wanted from you?"
It was then when they realized; the girls were gone! "Nami-san!" Sanji's eyes widened.
"Venus-chan!" Usopp shouted in terror.
Honey was holding the unconscious girls bridal style, stacked on top of one another. The redhead still wore Luffy's hat. "Correct. So we will take them with us."
"What?" Sanji exclaimed.
"No way!" Usopp glared.
"They'll be presents to Bear King-sama."
"And they will please us in all thinkable ways," Honey added.
"All thinkable... ways?" The group repeated nervously.
Another bomb was thrown, knocking them from the boat remains, and made their escape with the girls. "Dammit!" Sanji glared after helping Luffy above the surface.
"Venus-chan!" Usopp cried helplessly.
The boat remains, still intact, was rigged with a parachute manned by Borod to get them moving. "Can we reach them in this?" Zoro asked.
"You'll see," Akees replied, "Borod can read the wind like no one else!"
"Don't brag, kid," Usopp scolded.
"They got Nami-san and Venus-chan from us because you dropped that whatever," Sanji blamed.
"We would've gotten away otherwise," Usopp added. He looked closer when Akees started winding the key. "Is that your treasure?"
"That music box is the only homeland that Akees has," Borod replied.
"Homeland?" Luffy asked.
After Akees opened the box, a soothing, wordless song started playing. "When I found him, he was sleeping in a crib with that music box," Borod recalled, "It was the only thing that could comfort him."
"You're not real brothers?"
"Not in blood, but in soul," Borod answered Luffy.
"Yeah!" Akees agreed. "I'm gonna be as cool a thief as Borod, and live well." That sent Luffy in deep thought, specifically about Shanks, and his relationship with him bearing similarities.
"A maelstrom!" Usopp pointed out a whirlpool close by.
"Yeah," Borod acknowledged, "We're closing in." From their spot, they stared in awe at an island with a skinny, rock pile-like tower reaching above the clouds.
"So that's Clockwork Island," Zoro commented.
"So, what'll it be?" Borod asked. "I'm going after that Diamond Clock. You want your lasses, and your ship. Same destination."
"Those lowly pirates that took Nami-san," Sanji glared.
"And Venus-chan," Usopp added, equally angry, then grinned with confidence, "Then there we'll find Going Merry..."
"And my swords," Zoro chimed in.
"Then let's go to Card Castle... together!" Borod announced.
"Yeah!" Luffy eagerly agreed.
Meanwhile, in the grand top room, walls and ceiling made of gridded glass, a meeting was happening between the ruler of the land, and a young couple. "What? Say that again!" Bear King ordered.
"You took this island 7 years ago," The silver-haired young woman pointed out regretfully, "You've killed many with the weapons we make. If you complete that awful, murderous machine... we can't do this anymore!"
Bear King shot between the couple in warning. "Mayor. You do know that we hold the ratchet key to this island? You do know what happens if I remove it?" The brown-haired man glared, as he and his fearful wife stayed quiet. "Good. Get them out of here."
"Yes, sir!"
A pair of guards with numbers on their shirts began forcefully escorting the couple away. "Let me go! I can walk," The husband protested.
"Once the King Cannon is finished, I, Bear King, will conquer the seas, and be King of the Pirates!"
As he laughed evilly, Boo-Jack and Honey entered the room from the elevator, with Nami and Venus in tow. "Welcome home, Honey Queen" One of the other minions, who sported a fur-covered jetpack, greeted her, then started dancing in celebration at the white-clad girls. "Two young females! You took them?" Suddenly, Nami shot up with a demonic death glare, scaring him into stepping back. "Eeek!"
"They are not for you, Skunk One," Honey scolded, "They are for Bear King-Sama."
Bear King jumped down from his throne. "A bride candidate for me?"
"Better: two!" Boo-Jack beamed, as the king picked them up from his shoulder.
"What?" Nami glared.
Just then, Venus started to wake up. "Ugh, what happened?" Her eye blinked open, before she gasped in shock at the face before her. "Oh!"
Bear King grinned jovially with a blush. "I like them!" He set them down, and Nami kept Venus behind her back, before he whipped out a large bouquet of pink roses. "I... I want to marry you, please. Both of you."
"B-both of us?" Venus' eye widened.
"Fell in love at first sight?" Nami frowned. "Sorry, but I hate hairy men."
Bear King grabbed out a large razor. "I can shave!"
"I prefer shorter guys," Venus said.
"I can lean down for you!" He did so, the grin not leaving.
She turned away defiantly. "I hate spineless people pleasers."
"I make my own choices!"
Nami crossed her arms. "And I hate weak men."
Bear King lifted a pair of weights. "I'm strong!"
"But you can't defeat Luffy."
That caught his attention. "Luffy?"
"One of their crew, a strange guy whose body is made of rubber," Boo-Jack clarified.
A man with black slicked-back hair, a purple and yellow jester-like outfit, and a red diamond painted over his right eye approached them. Pin Joker. "Might that be Straw Hat Luffy?" He pulled a wanted poster of said pirate out of thin air.
Honey had a look, and was surprised at the familiar face. "That weakling is wanted?"
"I'd say "caution is the eldest child of winter"," Pin Joker said sagely, not realizing his flub.
Venus raised an eyebrow in confusion. ""Wisdom"," Nami snarked, to his chagrin.
"We must remain careful."
Bear King scoffed, and snatched the poster away. "We, careful? With this little runt?" He then perked up. "I got it!" He turned to the brides. "I'll show you two how strong I am. The 30 million Berries that are put on this little rat's head..." He threw the poster in the air, and shot through the picture. "... will be for our wedding party!"
"This is not how I imagined my wedding at all," Venus drolled.
"Hahaaa!" Luffy gushed when they arrived on the shore. They all looked in awe at the tower looming over them, almost threateningly. "This is just so cool!"
"How'd they bother to build this?" Usopp wondered aloud.
"It's a defense barrier," Borod lectured, " Climbing those stairs, we'll soon be dead."
"So, how're we getting up?" Usopp dared to ask.
"There's a central elevator," Borod replied, "Every evening, the hidden door opens for them to get out, so- Oh my God!" He and Akees yelled out when Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji began their trek up the stairs. They and Usopp ran after them. "Wait! Didn't you listen? There are traps!"
"Like we care," Sanji drolled.
"Come on," Zoro urged.
"Sounds fun," Luffy added.
"Listen to Borod!" Akees ordered, to no avail.
On cue, the stairs turned into a slide, making everyone slip; Sanji yelled in terror when water started gushing down, flooding the whole staircase, and was followed by rock panels covered in spikes. Using his rubber powers, Luffy shielded everyone from the spikes, narrowly keeping his own back away from harm. Everyone screamed in horror when perfectly round rocks began rolling down towards them; Sanji jumped into action, and cut them in half with one kick each. Zoro grabbed a loose rock under the water, and pulled it up, loosening all the others into keeping the water at bay. "A-Amazing!" Borod's eyes widened, along with Akees'.
"Hurry up!" Zoro ordered, and the boys continued their sprint.
Eventually, Sanji busted through a wooden door closing off the staircase, and everyone collapsed in exhaustion. "And we're finally at the top!" Sanji exclaimed in relief.
"Wooooooow!" Luffy pumped his fists in ecstasy; there was a small town right before them. "It's a tower! It's a town! This is so cool!"
"What is this place?" Usopp looked on in awe.
"This is Clockwork Town," Borod replied.
They then spotted a white layered castle lined with hearts and diamonds in red, and clubs and spades in black. "And that's Card Castle?" Zoro asked.
Near the top was a giant clock with four diamonds on it. "I see the Diamond Clock!" Akees exclaimed.
"Best mechanism in the world," Borod grinned, "And look there behind it."
"Eh? Huh?" Usopp used his goggles for a closer look; at the very top of the tallest tower, was one of the three things they sought. "It's Going Merry!"
Luffy turned to him. "You see it?"
"It's on top of the tower," Usopp pointed.
"It's so far away, I can't see," Luffy tried to look with his hand shielding his eyes from the sun.
Zoro turned to Borod. "Hey."
"Hm?"
"You have good eyes."
"Hm?" Borod frowned in confusion, then smiled modestly, avoiding eye contact. "Yeah, I guess."
After giving a suspicious look, Zoro smirked, feeling a little mischievous. "Y'know, Venus seems quite fond of you."
"Oh, is that her name?" Borod accepted the change of topic, "Yeah, she's pretty cute, I guess. But I'm not really looking for a relationship right now."
"Fair."
Usopp felt upset, but didn't know why. Why did he hate that Venus liked someone? Did he...
"Damn."
"Hm?" Zoro looked down at Sanji at his pained cuss. The cook was sitting on the ground, holding his sandaled feet, as they were now bleeding from his earlier kicks, and lack of protection. "Feet hurt?"
"I'm okay, don't bother," Sanji glared, then stood up and walked with some struggle.
"Okay!" Luffy pumped his fist. "Let's go!"
"Smash into the Card Castle!" Borod chimed in with determination.
"First we eat, then change," Luffy decided.
"Wh-what?" Borod stammered. Sure enough, they stopped at a shop to find new clothes after grabbing some food, to his chagrin. "Your crewmates were kidnapped, and you just sit here eating?"
"Shouldn't you attack?" Akees asked.
Usopp pulled on an orange jacket above dark green pants, while simultaneously eating a bread roll. "Nami will be fine, and she oughta protect Venus for me."
"For you?" Akees raised an eyebrow with a smirk.
Usopp almost choked on his roll, but quickly caught himself. "Us! Us! For us! That's what I meant!" He rambled nervously, and cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "For us."
"Ah, this is much better," Zoro grinned in relief, now wearing an open black jacket, and a white scarf with his usual, black pants.
Sanji took a smoke break just outside, now in a blue-green patterned button-up, and black pants. "That's it. You take the bill, eh?" He asked Borod.
"What?"
"Here ya go." The elderly shopowner handed him the bill. "Do come again."
"What?" Borod and Akees glared in annoyance at the pirates already making their leave. "Can we bargain a little?"
"No," She refused.
"We're a bit short."
"Not a chance."
Not needing to change, Luffy merely stuffed himself while window-shopping. "Luffy, whaddaya doing here?" Usopp peeked in the window with him. "Hm?" He saw that there were jars, teapots, and perfume bottles on display, with a recurring theme. "This is really beautiful stuff."
"All clockwork?" Sanji and Zoro walked inside.
Usopp wouldn't understand what Luffy said, because his mouth was full. "What was that?" He watched as he coiled his arms together. "Clockwork..." He mimed a triangle, as Borod and Akees rejoined them. "Island... is a fun... island."
"Outsiders. You know nothing about this place." They looked up, and saw a couple that looked like engineers sitting at a table on the level above them. "This place used to be a dream. The fun times have long since passed."
Luffy swallowed his mouthful. "We built this mechanical clock to celebrate our child," The woman recalled sadly, and gazed at a portrait of said clock above them, "The whole island rejoiced."
"So you're the ones who built the Diamond Clock!" Akees exclaimed.
"But since the Card Pirates came, everyday has been hell for us," The man said, as everyone listened, "Nowadays, we only build weapons that kill people. If we protest, Bear King will crush the island. As long as he has the ratchet key, we can do naught."
"That's horrible!" Akees glared.
"That's all finished now," Borod assured, "These guys will smash the Card Pirates!"
"When did we say that?" Sanji confronted.
"We just wanna get our stuff, and the girls!" Usopp added, "Then we're leaving this place."
"Doesn't it make you mad?" Borod asked.
"Make you furious?" Akees chimed in.
"You gotta save this island!" Borod urged.
"Save this island!"
"You're just saying that, because you wanna nick the Clock!" Usopp challenged with a confident grin.
"Hey!" Borod silenced him with his hand covering his mouth.
The couple heard him, however. "Oh? Well, if you want, feel free to steal the Clock," The woman decided, and turned to her husband, "Seeing it just brings back painful memories. But stealing it is impossible. No one has ever succeeded at that."
"Borod can steal anything he wants!" Akees said.
"Yeah!" He agreed.
The woman walked to the railing. "You don't know how dangerous they are. You must leave this instant."
"Sorry, ma'am," Sanji refused.
"We have our reasons," Zoro added.
"You have no future if you die!" She protested.
"Nor if you run away," Luffy said, and as everyone turned to him, he gave a teeth-baring grin. "Right?" With that, everyone ran outside. "Let's go!"
"Yeah!" Zoro agreed.
"Wait, Nami-san," Sanji glared in determination.
Akees tripped after he was out the door. "Ouch!"
"What're you doing?" Usopp pulled him up by the shirt back on his feet.
"Come, Akees!" Borod urged.
"Yes!"
"Don't worry, Venus-chan," Usopp said more to himself, "We're coming."
"But..." The couple tried to follow them, but their efforts were futile. The woman hung her head low, and saw a small, wooden music box abandoned on the sidewalk. "Huh?" She picked it up in curiosity. "Did he call him Akees?"
(A/N: So there's the first part of Clockwork Island Adventure! One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda, and the movie was directed by Atsuji Shimizu, and written by Hiroshi Hashimoto. Venus belongs to me.)