DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING, EXCEPT RAGNAR AND ALL VIKINGS AND OCs IN THIS STORY! ONE PIECE BELONGS TO EICHIRO ODA, VIZ MANGA, TOEI ANIMATION AND FUNIMATION ENTERTAINMENT/CRUNCHYROLL LLC
Chapter 55: A Town that Welcomes Pirates! Setting Foot on Whisky Peak!
Only a few hours had passed since the Straw Hats departed from the Twin Capes, and yet…they were totally unprepared for this: snow in May…a common phenomenon in countries found in the North Blue, but here? It was virtually impossible! Crocus was right – the Grand Line really did defy the laws of nature for it to snow in the midst of late spring. Yet still, the Merry sailed on, her jolly roger fluttering high above the mainmast once again.
Nami was inside the galley, all huddled in a coat, earmuffs and a scarf to keep herself nice and warm. She couldn't possibly comprehend what was going on.
"Can somebody please tell me why it's snowing?" She asked, completely lost mentally, "It was hot and sunny a few minutes ago." Coming from the tropics of the Conomi Islands, it was evident that Nami was not used to the cold.
"The Grand Line is known for sudden changes in the weather," said Ragnar as he entered, with a bundle of furs, "But in this weather…suddenly, I feel right at home." It was clear that the Viking didn't mind the cold at all. In fact, he enjoyed it! The same could also be said on deck
Luffy was in the midst of finishing his latest project, a snowman, whose nose he stuck right into the middle of the makeshift face.
"Perfect! All done!" He exclaimed, satisfied with his work. The snowman consisted of two rounded balls for the head and body, sticks for the arms and nose, two stones for eyes, and a carved-on smile, while it also wore a green makeshift cape and barrel for a hat. "Well, look who just popped in! It's Mr. Snow-Barrel!"
"You amateur! You call that pathetic blob a snowman?" Usopp asked with a chuckle, before unveiling his own masterpiece: a perfectly crafted snow sculpture of a young woman…who bore a striking likeness to Kaya. "Behold, a soulful inspired work of art! The Snow Queen!"
"Whoa, nice!" Luffy remarked, impressed by the length Usopp went to such artistic mastery, "But can your lady do…THIS?" Then he ejected one of the arms from his snowman, and sent it crashing into Usopp's snow sculpture, decapitating the Snow Queen, much to the archer's horror and shock.
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?" Usopp bellowed as he kicked Luffy's snowman right in the head.
"HEEEEYYY! YA BIG BULLY!" Luffy growled, and before long the two began getting into the mother of all snowball fights. Usopp began throwing volleys of hand sized snowballs at Luffy, only to be on the receiving end of is captain's massive snow boulder. "Who's the amateur now, huh!?" Luffy asked before slamming the great snowball right down on Usopp, who then proceeded to take said snow boulder and run after Luffy with it.
"COME BACK HERE AND TASTE YOUR MURDER!" The archer yelled, and the two only got into a snowball fight on deck, much to Nami's shock.
"How those two can be so energetic in the freezing cold is beyond me," she muttered, just unsure how Luffy and Usopp both could last so long without coats.
Meanwhile, Sanji was at the bow, removing snow from the upper deck, so that the crew could get around easily. He was wearing only a great overcoat, mittens and a scarf.
"Nami~! Shall I shovel some more for you~?" He asked, lovestruck, but not caring at all that she was Luffy's girlfriend.
"Just keep going till it's gone!" Nami called back, "You're doing great!"
"Thank you~! My pleasure~!" Sanji replied, and continued only to shovel further.
"Hey Sanji! Save some of that snow in a barrel, will you?" Ragnar asked, "We can use it to preserve food, and to have extra water!"
"Of course! Good thinking!" Sanji replied, snapping out of his lovestruck funk, and ensuring that a pile of snow was reserved for both water and refrigeration.
"Ragnar, these furs are just exquisite!" Vivi exclaimed as she managed to sample out the pelts of several animals from Norðvegr. The current pelts she sampled included ermine, Arctic fox, wolf, beaver and muskox. "The tailors back in Alubarna would love these!"
"Thanks, Vivi. I learned from that first trip with my father what sells for good money in the desert lands," replied the Viking smiling happily, "Apologies for the lack of heating in this ship. She's a slightly older model, but at the very least you have a roof over your head."
"Oh, don't worry, it's fine," Vivi remarked, smiling at her old friend, "Just let me know if there's anything I can do. I'd rather be actually doing something than just being waited on like I am back home."
"Oh, well in that case, your highness, I hope it's not too much to ask if you would help Sanji," said Nami, but then at that moment, a flash of lightning caught her and Ragnar's attention. "Lightning?! First snow, now lightning! What's going on with this weather?!" Nami asked, shocked by what she was seeing. "I've never seen anything like it! One minute, it was a cloudless sky; the next, it's a blizzard! It's like the normal laws of nature don't apply here!"
"Yes, it's just like Crocus and I said," Vivi explained, "By the way, what's our current heading?"
"I know our heading, I just checked it a while ago," said Nami, as she walked out towards the deck to check the heading, only to scream in abject terror as she checked the Log Pose, causing everyone on deck to stop what they were doing.
"What's wrong?!" Usopp asked as he held a snowball.
"Nami, what happened!?" Luffy asked, concerned. All he could see was Nami gawking at the Log Pose, and it was not pointing in the direction she thought was correct.
"N-No way!" She muttered, then looked right at Usopp, "Make a hard turn, 180 degrees! Hurry!"
"A 180!? Why would you want us to turn back!?" Usopp asked, confused.
"Wait a minute! Nami, what's gong on!?" Luffy asked for clarification.
"The ship is turned around! We're sailing in the wrong direction!" Nami explained, "I only took my eyes off the Log Pose for a second. I thought the waves were calm."
"I take it this is your first time navigating the Grand Line?" Vivi asked, to which Nami only nodded reluctantly, "Aside from using the sun and the stars, you can't trust anything else here. Not the wind, current, waves, or clouds. Don't get me wrong, the sun and stars can be as they are in the four seas, but not everything is as it seems here on these seas. Aside from celestial navigation, the only other way to navigate the waters of the Grand Line is with the Log Pose."
"Thanks for the info," Nami replied, glad that Vivi was at least of some help. The princess only got to her feet and took off her coat, ready to help however she could. Nami was amazed that a princess was willing to pitch in to help commoners, but then again, Ragnar was a quartermaster, so it wasn't uncommon for aristocracy on the crew to do hard work. Nami only then began barking orders: "Brace the yard! Force the wind starboard! Turn the ship 180 degrees to the left!" Then she looked down to the archer and chef of the crew, "Usopp, man the lateen sails! Sanji, man the helm!"
"You heard the navigator, hard to port!" Ragnar barked. Even though Luffy was the captain, when it came to giving orders, both Nami and Ragnar worked well as a team. The Viking only descended to the deck, and began hauling ropes from the starboard side of the deck. "Oh, this is definitely familiar," Ragnar muttered with a smile, recalling such similar circumstances back when he was only a boy. It was terrifying, but exhilarating. Now, as a man, he was prepared for these same challenges all over again.
"Hey wait! Looks like the wind's changing!" Usopp shouted, and the sun emerged from a dense bank of clouds, providing a warm vernal breeze, which definitely was a welcome sensation to those wearing lighter clothing. Usopp only noticed that Zoro was still napping, in fact he'd been napping ever since they left the Twin Capes. "HEY! WAKE UP, SNOWMAN! WE'RE IN A CRISIS!" The archer yelled, but Zoro only grunted it off in his sleep.
The entire Merry was now in crisis mode, true to Usopp's word. Everyone was rushing all about the deck, now freed of snow, in an attempt to get back on course.
"Hey! I think I just saw a dolphin! Let's follow it!" Luffy suggested as he saw a pod of those great toothed whales coming up for air, which was not helping in these circumstances.
"YOU KEEP QUIET!" Nami yelled at her boyfriend. As romantic as that sounded, Luffy needed to get his priorities straight as captain. And yet, the situation was only starting to go from bad to worse.
"THE WAVES ARE GETTING REALLY HIGH!" Usopp shouted, "AND THERE'S AN ICEBERG AT TEN O'CLOCK! THIS IS NOT GOOD!"
"A FOG'S ROLLING IN!" Sanji added, as the visibility started to drop with the dense sea fog obscuring everything in sight.
"THIS IS CRAZY! WHAT'S GOING ON!?" Nami asked, completely and utterly shook by what was just happening.
"IT'S THE END! WE'RE GONNA CRAAAAAASSSSHHHH!" Usopp screamed, terrified of the circumstances.
"Pull yourselves together! We can destroy it!" Ragnar shouted, and ran straight for the beakhead. Quickly, he loaded a round of heated shot into the cannon's barrel, primed the barrel with powder, and once he lit the touchhole with the linstock, all that followed was a massive BOOM! As the Merry recoiled, the iceberg shattered into smaller shards as it broke apart, while Nami and Sanji both manned the repaired whip-staff, but as they passed, the larger portion of the iceberg managed to scar the Merry, tearing a hole in the side of the hull.
"Nami! Ragnar! We're taking on water!" Luffy shouted to his girlfriend and quartermaster.
"Usopp! Go patch it!" Nami ordered, and as Usopp ran to patch the hole, she noticed the cloud cover only increasing. "The wind is picking up!" True to her word, the wind began increasing in intensity, and the cloud front was approaching with frightening rapidity: a wall of black clouds shot through. "Quick! We gotta hurry!" Nami shouted.
"Yeah, and big time!" Luffy added, grabbing his hat by the brim so that the gale wouldn't blow it off his head.
"Oh no…!" Vivi muttered, her eyes widened with terror. A sharp gust of wind bent the mast and tensed the mainsails, the hull listed sideways with a groan.
"PULL IN THE SAILS! THE WIND IS TOO STRONG! WE'RE GONNA OVERTURN!" Nami shrieked.
"FURL! FURL ALL SAIL! DO YOU HEAR THE NEWS!?" Ragnar bellowed.
At that moment, Sanji came out with a massive tray of onigiri for the entire crew.
"Everyone needs to eat to keep their strength up!" The chef ordered, and most of the Straw Hats rushed to grab what they could. Ragnar grabbed one rice ball for himself, and one for Vivi, while Luffy was stuffing his face full with them, much to Sanji's irritation. "Slow down!" The chef grumbled as he struck the captain on the head.
Nami was trying desperately to furl in the sail, but the gale was too strong even for her, and tore a hole in the great sheet of linen along the seam.
"Oh crap! The sail's gonna tear!" Usopp lamented as he noticed the damage.
"Forget about that! Fix the leak!" Nami countered.
"There's another part of the ship's hull damaged below!" Vivi shouted as she opened the hatch doors. Usopp only rushed below to repair the leaks and work the bar on the Merry's bilge pump – an exceptional machine. Usopp only let the hose hang outside the gunport, and started pumping with all his might. The pump struggled to expel the water that was already up to Usopp's knees, and the archer took advantage of the rare moments where the storm let up to gain a lead. It required momentous effort, but Usopp was up to the challenge, continuously working so that the emptying of the bilge was never interrupted.
The storm went on for hours, exhausting the crew, who did their utmost to keep the Merry afloat, while Nami kept her eye trained on the Log Pose. A lightning bolt split the sky asunder and plunged into the waves, shattering into blinding streams of fire, unleashing a devastating crash of thunder. All in all, it was total chaos. This was what Gin meant about the Grand Line being a living hell, and why he didn't understand it.
After five hours of chaos and turmoil, the Straw Hats finally reached calm waters and smooth sailing. The sun was now high in the sky as well. It was at this calm that Zoro finally woke up from his nap. Incredibly, the pirate hunter had slept through all the chaos. He only stretched and rose from his spot.
"I'm rested," he grunted as he got to his feet. As he walked about, Zoro noticed that most of the crew was either slumped over, lying on their backs or flat on their fronts from exhaustion. "C'mon! The weather's nice and all, but that's no reason to be lazy," said Zoro, then he turned to Nami who was lying flat against the railing of the aft-castle, "We'd better be on the right course. That's all I can say."
'Shut up, you bastard!' Ragnar, Nami, Sanji and Usopp all thought. They could not believe that Zoro only slept through everything while the rest of them were working their asses off. Ragnar only rose to his feet and helped Vivi up as well.
"Well, that was fun," the Viking muttered sarcastically, then looked towards his old friend and asked, "How are you holding up?"
"I'll be fine," said Vivi, "I just hope we don't run into any further disasters like that freak blizzard."
"As long as we have that Log Pose, we should be fine," said Luffy, smiling as he sat proudly atop the repaired figurehead.
"Hey, princess, what was the name of that thug you were with earlier?" Zoro asked, remembering her so-called partner from when they were back at the Twin Capes and were swallowed by Laboon, "Because I don't think he could be trusted."
"I don't know what his real name is," Vivi replied, "All I can say is that he went by Mr. 9."
"Right. Y'know that name sounds familiar, and that's bothering me," Zoro muttered with a smug grin on his face, "In fact, the more I think about it, the more I'm certain I heard that name before!" Vivi only was surprised by this. Perhaps this pirate knew who that man was in the past? "Or…maybe I have…!" Zoro didn't finish. Nami only punched him in the back of the head as she glared down at him.
"You jerk! You think you can just sleep while we do all the work!?" Nami growled, readying another fist, "You're lucky we didn't toss your lazy ass overboard!" Zoro only glared back at Nami, but the navigator continued to sock him on the head, until three swollen bumps were seen coming out of his hair. Zoro only writhed in pain while Nami addressed the crew. "Listen up everyone!" She told them, "There's no way to know what's gonna happen next! During the terror most of us just experienced, I came to an understanding of why this sea was named the Grand Line: my navigation skills are useless here! Anything can happen! But mark my words: I will guide us through!"
"Uh…okay…you sure about that, Nami?" Usopp asked, somewhat confused by the speech she just gave them.
"Without a doubt! We're gonna be fine, just wait and see," Nami replied, smiling in confidence, then turned her gaze towards the horizon, "Speaking of which…we're here! Our first stop on the Grand Line is in sight!" All the Straw Hats could see was a vast island with mountains that resembled cacti.
"Land ho!" Luffy called out, chuckling in confidence.
"So, this is Whiskey Peak, huh?" Sanji muttered as he gazed out over the isle, "The landscape is unlike anything I've ever seen."
"Whoa! Those cacti are humongous!" Luffy remarked as he saw the mountains.
"Listen, guys, I deeply appreciate all you've done for me, but I can't be seen with you once we get to shore," said Vivi, "Word of warning, though: the townspeople aren't what they seem. They may try and trick you with overbearing acts of hospitality, but don't be fooled. It's more than likely that there's a chance they could kill you."
"So, we're basically walking into a trap, aren't we?" Ragnar asked, grinning as he had an idea form in his head, "Well, Luffy? Permission to speak freely in that case?"
"The floor's all yours, Ragnar!" Luffy replied, "Go on ahead!"
"Many thanks, Captain," said the Viking as he looked towards the crew with confidence, "I know that Vivi is definitely telling the truth when she says there's trouble afoot. However, just like at Arlong Park, this will take brains as well as brawn. Now, once we make landfall, we need to let our opponents suspect nothing. If they offer us food and drink, just play along, but don't get the drink get to your brains. If you smell something off with what they give us, don't eat or drink it. Once night falls, then we spring our counter trap." He then looked first to his captain and first mate, "Luffy, Zoro, you two are with me. We'll create a diversion to keep our foes busy. It's kill or be killed, so don't hold back." Ragnar then turned to Nami with a smile, "Now, Nami, while the three of us create a distraction, you'll have free reign to raid their supplies, treasury and raw materials." Lastly, Ragnar only looked at Vivi, who was definitely giving a look of concern. "Vivi, I know you'll want to help, and while you may not be able to aid us directly, you can still be a boon to us. Stay here and watch the Merry for us. When I whistle in battle, lower the gangplank, and set Viðarr loose. If, for any reason, everything goes awry, I'll sound the horn, and we'll set sail as fast as we can."
"But what about us?" Sanji asked, wondering what part he would have.
"You and Usopp will need to act as decoys," Ragnar explained, "It's more than likely, they'll attempt to lower our guards with an act of hospitality before killing us. So, when the lights are snuffed out, just try to act asleep. If, by any chance, you do fall asleep, all the more convincing." Ragnar then looked to the rest of the crew, "Still, it's best we all put on a convincing performance. If we get so much as a heroes' welcome, best we act like we're enjoying ourselves. Now, let us go with the wisdom of Odin, the power of Thor, and the wit of Freyja!"
"Hold on, Ragnar!" Vivi spoke up, as she pushed his helmet back and placed her thumb on his forehead, "May Ptah, the Lord of Truth, grant strength into your arms."
"Thank you, Vivi," Ragnar replied softly, smiling at her, then placed his helmet back down to cover his nose.
"Okay guys! We're about to make landfall!" Luffy declared, and as the ship drew closer to the island, Vivi headed below deck, with Ragnar securing the hatch behind her.
"Well, there's a waterway right up to the shoreline," said Nami, noticing the mouth of a great river that flowed into the island, "It looks like we can go inland by ship."
"Good. The river seems wide enough to support Merry's draft," said Ragnar, "At the very least, we'll be able to resupply on fresh water, if it hasn't been used for a latrine, that is."
"Um…I'm weighing the possibility of monsters out there," said Usopp, nervous about what to expect from this town.
"It's definitely a possibility," said Sanji, "This is the Grand Line, after all, but Crocus and our guest did say there was a town here."
"Besides, we can't just up and leave if there are monsters here," Nami pitched in, "According to what Crocus said, it's imperative that we stay on this island at least for a little while. The Log Pose needs enough time to record the island's magnetic field. Until that's done, we have to stay put. The Log Pose can require a different amount of time for each island. Some will take a few hours; others will take a few days."
"Suppose that this is a trap and we get stuck here waiting!?" Usopp asked, frantic at this point, "That's stupid! We'd be done for! What's the point of gathering navigational coordinates if you're dead!"
"We're staying!" Nami insisted, "Besides, as long as we stick to Ragnar's plan, just like we did at Arlong Park, we should come out of this alive."
"Nami's right," Luffy added, "Besides, we took down Captain Kuro, Don Krieg and Arlong. If we can stand up to them, we can take whatever these guys throw at us."
"As strange as this seems, I agree. There's no need to worry yet," Zoro chimed in, "Like Ragnar said, we already know to expect a trap, so we'll be sure to keep on our toes."
"Now that that's settled, let's get going," said Sanji, confident of victory, "We have to do everything in our power to keep Vivi safe!"
"I don't think I'm gonna be able to make it with this cold! It's a condition, really," said Usopp, feigning having a sore throat so that he could remain aboard the ship, "You guys just go on without me."
"All right, get ready, and make sure you're prepared to run as well as fight," said Nami, grasping her shield that she had slung over her shoulder.
"Right! We're heading straight into the beast's den, so all of you be on your guard!" Ragnar told the rest of the crew, gripping his sword in his left hand. Usopp meanwhile was still making up excuses about diseases that forbade him from setting foot on the island, all to no avail. All the while, the Going Merry only sailed further along the river, the current leading them further inland. Ragnar and Vivi were both fine with navigating these calm waters, as navigating rivers wasn't as chaotic as navigating stormy seas.
"What's out there waiting for us?" Sanji asked to himself, the fog being too dense to make out anything for humans.
"Please don't let us die…!" Usopp prayed, hoping that some Gods would spare their lives. Luffy, however, only chuckled as he kept his gaze fixed ahead. All the while, Ragnar sniffed the air for any signs of trouble.
"Keep calm, but ready for anything. From the smell of it, we're not alone," said the Viking, having caught a whiff of something. He was right to be cautious.
All along the riverbanks, a group of men watched from afar, seeing the Going Merry emerge from the fogbank; one with a pair of binoculars.
"Hey! It's a pirate ship!" The man whispered to his companions.
"A new group of pirates are here," muttered another. Whoever lived here was certainly familiar with the sea dogs and corsairs of the high seas. Yet what they did not know was that they would be in for quite a shock later on…
Back aboard the Going Merry, the other Straw Hats could see shapes coming out of the fog, and Luffy was the first of them to notice.
"Hey guys, Ragnar was right," said the captain, "Something's moving over there, on the riverbank."
"Who are they?" Sanji asked, tensing for a fight.
"Now, be on your guard, everyone," said Nami, brandishing her axe and shield.
"Well, I may have to fight monsters, but at least I came prepared!" Usopp muttered, drawing an arrow on his bowstring, "Whoever's out there, I'm ready! Show yourselves and face my wrath!" Zoro too was ready to draw one of his swords, but at that moment, Ragnar held his arm out.
"Hold, all of you!" he told them, "I suspect that they won't attack us just yet. Listen to me carefully. When the fog lifts, do not attack yet. Even if they're planning a trap, there's a chance they'll want to act smart about it by trying to lower our guards. Get ready for anything."
As the fog lifted, that's when they all heard it, a sound from the riverbanks…it started as a low hum, and then grew louder. Yet this…this sound wasn't one of anger…this sounded…glad?! Men, women, and even children, were gathered on the riverbanks, all smiling and cheering the Straw Hats as they came into view.
"Welcome to the Grand Line!"
"Greetings and welcome weary travelers!"
"We're happy to have you in Whiskey Peak!"
All aboard the Merry, the Straw Hats were either shocked, or skeptic at the sight. This was definitely not what they were expecting at all.
"Why…those aren't monsters, they're people!" Usopp remarked, "And…they actually seem happy that we're here!" Luffy only laughed at the very sight, at least this was a hero's welcome worthy of the saviors of Orange Town, Syrup Village, and the Conomi Islands.
"What the heck's wrong with them?" Sanji asked, befuddled, only listening to the cheering of the townspeople.
"Pirates are always welcome in our town!"
"Hooray for the heroes of the sea!" Even confetti was flowing through the air, as people began playing horns, drums, and instruments of all kind; even firecrackers went off. Yet Ragnar still suspected something was off.
"Remember, this is still a trap," reminded the quartermaster softly, "Though it appears we have yet to see it sprung. Play along for now, but remember the plan. Vivi was right in that they'd try and use hospitality to lower our guards. Be ready for anything, and don't let them catch wind of what we're up to."
"OH YEAH! I've never seen so many cute girls in one place!" Sanji exclaimed, lovestruck at the sight of beautiful women smiling at him. Usopp even began blowing kisses and waving to the crowds.
'I guess some folks consider pirates to be heroes, just like the Vikings!' Usopp thought to himself, his ego stoked by this praise, 'Who knew! Man, I should've come here ages ago!'
Soon after, the Merry dropped anchor in the heart of town, allowing the Straw Hats to get a good lay of the land. All of the buildings were constructed with either adobe or stone. The buildings had flat roofs supported by rough-hewn wooden beams and small laths. The beams typically extended through the exterior wall surface. The upper floors of some buildings were accessible by ladders, and were semi-fortified with minimal door and window openings at ground level. As they disembarked, they were approached by a tall man with a small red nose and blond hair in a style that resembled a powdered wig. He was dressed in a white collared shirt with a cravat, a light blue waistcoat, as well as a navy-blue coat and breeches, while his lower legs were covered in striped silk stockings, and buckled black shoes adorned his feet. Noticeably, in his hands, the man held a saxophone as well.
"Well…MA-MA-MA! Welcome!" The man declared, clearing his throat in the style of an opera singer, "My name is Igarappoi, and it is my honor as mayor to welcome you to Whiskey Peak!"
"Oh, great! I'm Luffy, nice to meetcha," said Luffy, introducing himself in kind, then noticing the hair Igarappoi had, "Nice hair! I like the curls!"
"You'll find that this is a place that thrives on making liquor and music," said Igarappoi with a smile, "Hospitality is a matter of pride in our town. The smiles run long, and the liquor flows as bountiful as seawater! Would you permit us to throw a party in honor of your arrival, so that we may hear tales of…MA-MA-MA! Your tales of adventure?"
"WE'D BE GLAD TO!" Luffy, Usopp and Sanji all exclaimed in unison, seemingly in good spirits, as they all rushed towards the nearest tavern.
"Idiots," Nami muttered with a sigh as she shrugged and shook her head. Then she looked to Igarappoi and asked, "By the way, how long until the Log Pose records this island's magnetic field?"
"Log what?" Igarappoi asked, but smiled and diverted the question, "Oh, such boring details will have to keep for now. Surely, you'd like to rest after your journey, no?" He then went to lead Nami into the tavern, but as soon as he noticed Ragnar, his face momentarily froze as if he'd seen a ghost. Ragnar too noticed this reaction, but then Igarappoi regained his wits and smiled, declaring, "Now, let's enjoy the party! Sing and be merry! Entertain our guests!" And with that, the whole town erupted into cheers of celebration.
'I know that man…' Ragnar thought, recognizing Igarappoi's face from when he was a boy. Instantly, however, he soon came to realize who it was. 'Something's definitely not right, and it seems that it may involve Alabasta…!' The Viking just had to uncover what the truth of the matter was that involved Vivi and Igarappoi…it could be what changed the course of history.
Later that night, with the moon rising high in the sky, all the townsfolk of Whiskey Peak gathered in the tavern, with much raucous celebration, with musicians playing their greatest hits, the wine flowing, and food in abundance. All the Straw Hats were busy doing a variety of activities. Usopp managed to gather quite the crowd around him as he told stories…mostly embellished of how he was the greatest of all the Straw Hats.
"Then I looked him straight in the eye and I said," he began, "'Sea Kings! You don't dare touch my friends, or you'll answer to me!'"
"Oh wow! You're amazing, Captain Usopp!" A trio of women all swooned, one of which being a nun.
"Well, even I trembled when traveling the deadly seascape of the Calm Belt," Usopp exaggerated, "Trembled with…excitement, that is."
"Really?" A chef asked in awe.
"You're a true hero!" Another man replied, and the four men raised their tankards in cheer.
Meanwhile, Nami, Zoro and Ragnar all were sitting round as Igarappoi handed the navigator a tankard filled to the brim with wine.
"Please, don't hold back on my account, drink up!" Igarappoi insisted to Nami, who was somewhat suspicious.
"Uh…no. Thanks, but I'm not drinking," said Nami, holding her hands out in declination. If it seemed too good to be true, then it probably was – the only other reason why she would refuse alcohol.
"Don't worr…ahem! MA-MA-MA!" Igarappoi said as he cleared his throat, "Don't you worry. What you have there is a very special drink, made using only the very sweetest premium grapes," the mayor explained, "It contains all the flavorful benefits of a fine wine, but zero alcohol."
"I see," Nami remarked, then took a taste of her beverage, which was true to Igarappoi's words. "Yeah, you're right! It's delicious!"
"We had an excellent grape harvest this year, and now, to celebrate that harvest, it's time for our annual toast competition!" Igarappoi explained, which was met with cheers from the townsfolk, "It's simple: make a toast; take a drink. This continues as long as you can hold your liquor. The last one standing is the winner! Please, join us!"
"Uh…no thanks, you all go on ahead," Nami insisted, "I'd rather watch the competition." Nami was only too cautious, per Ragnar's instructions. She didn't want to be totally plastered and fall right for the trap.
"Did I mention that the prize is 100 thousand berries?" Igarappoi asked as he held out a sack of coins, causing everyone behind him to cheer. At the sound of money, Nami instantly took up a tankard.
"Then fill her up!" She declared, before looking to Zoro, "Zoro, stand up and join us, you need the money, don't you?" Zoro was utterly confused by what was going on, but took part anyway.
"You there, Norseman! Please come join and drink some wine!" Igarappoi called out to Ragnar, handing him a tankard of wine.
"Oh, thank you!" The Viking replied, grateful for the alcohol, but then took a whiff of it and noticed something off, 'What's that smell?' he thought to himself, before dipping his finger inside it and tasting a drop on his tongue. Instantly, he knew what was going on, 'Oh shit…the wine's been drugged!' he thought, realizing that this was how they were falling for the trap. Yet he only smiled as he took out a small barrel he had on his satchel along with a curved cow's horn, "Thank you for the offer, Igarappoi, but I believe I'll stick to ale. Wine does not agree with my belly."
"Of course, that won't be a problem," said Igarappoi, and left the Norseman be. Ragnar only breathed a sigh of relief, downing his ale happily, watching as Luffy, who was sitting across from him was stuffing his face full with portion after portion, shocking the onlookers.
"Uh, Luffy, you might wanna slow down," said Ragnar, "I mean, food is definitely flying all over the place." However, that did not stop the Viking from tucking into a nice platter of one of his favorite delicacies: wild boar stew.
At the competition, Zoro was able to drink several contestants under the table, as Ragnar could clearly hear from the voices of the crowd.
"Whoa! That's his tenth tankard!"
"No more!" One contestant cried out as he slumped over on the table, "I think I'm done…"
"Good!" Zoro replied, clearly indicating that he could go on. Ragnar then saw that Nami was still in the game as two men beside her fell flat on their backs.
"That girl's drinking them under the table with tankard number twelve!"
"More!" Nami proclaimed as she happily wiped her mouth and held her empty tankard out.
"Give me more!" Luffy suddenly exclaimed, and Ragnar turned to see that his captain was holding out an empty plate and that his waistcoat was too small for him.
"Luffy! You just finished a feast fit for twenty warriors!" Ragnar shouted, "I really don't think that Nami will find that all very attractive!" Yet Ragnar soon noticed that one of the chefs suddenly collapsed onto the floor.
"The cook is down!"
"Good…night…!" The poor chef muttered, dropping from exhaustion. Ragnar's eyes went wide as he turned to see Sanji surrounded by a harem of women. From the remarks of the crowd, they were also stunned.
"Whoa! This pirate's trying to hit on twenty girls at the same time!"
"We don't stand a chance with these pirates!"
"Oh, you are so lucky that Celosia isn't here to see you like this," Ragnar muttered under his breath. Yet he only watched as Igarappoi laughed.
"This is truly a fun…" "MA-MA-MAAAA~! A fun filled night! It pleases me all to see you all enjoying the celebrations with such vigor!" It was at that moment that Ragnar noticed the mayor's face grow dark with a sinister grin, "Oh yes indeed…I'm very pleased…!"
Elsewhere in the town, a lone figure finally hauled himself out of the river, drenched. The moonlight only revealed his face once he'd waded ashore: Mr. 9 – alive and well, and from his gaunt figure, he was exhausted.
"I…have to…hurry…" he panted, slowly making his way to a little log cabin at the top of a great hill, "Must…write…report…for the…the Boss…" As he groped for the entrance to the cabin, he saw that nearby was a mailbox, which was emblazoned with a skull and crossed swords, and a pair of wings. Above it was emblazoned the word "BAROQUE" in all capitals. Still, once he entered the cabin, Mr. 9 got to writing immediately.
Back at the tavern, however, the signs of the party dying down were already evident. Most of the Straw Hats were now seemingly drunk, with the only exception being Luffy, who was still stuffing his face full with food.
"I'm callin' ir quitz!" Zoro finally slurred as he slumped over, "I need ti fet some sldep…"
"That one's finally down after drinking thirteen tankards!"
"Aww c'moh! Yii qukttin' already, Zoro, yoj wuss?" Nami drunkenly asked, having had far too much to imbibe herself, and now she was sitting right across the table from a nun who also decided to compete. By this point, the crowd was just psyched, given their comments.
"Only two left! And they're both women!"
"Fifteenth tankard! Pirate or the nun!"
"My child, forfeit for your own sake," the nun insisted, "There's no disgrace in losing."
"Ha! Well; I aplreviatd tnw cphcern, Sister, but you're not gettin' me tp quuy that easy!" Nami then cackled drunkenly as she was ready to down her tankard.
"This is a new feeling, I think it's full!" Luffy finally groaned as he fell flat on his back, followed by two more chefs. Everyone gathered was shocked to see this reaction.
"Three cooks are down!" One man called out.
"Glad to hear it…thanks…" One of the chefs uttered
Nami only continued to down her tankard, much to the shock of those who were watching in awe as she was drinking her opponent under the table.
"I'm out…" the nun finally muttered, slumping over on the table, all while Nami downed the entire tankard and wiped her mouth in victory.
"I WIIIINNN!" Nami squealed before letting out another drunken cackle and dropping from the alcohol, muttering to herself, "Tje prize money ks mine!"
"She's finally down."
"Whiskey Peak, what a marvellous town!" Usopp reveled.
"We've stumbled upon pure paradise!" Sanji remarked as he lay front on two women's laps.
"Thd ale is dtrong here…but I am sttonger!" Ragnar cackled, seemingly drunk as well.
As the night wore on, the townspeople seemingly returned to their homes, leaving the Straw Hats in the tavern alone and unconscious.
"They've worn themselves out partying, and are fast asleep…sweet dreams…brave adventurers," Igarappoi muttered as he closed the door behind him. It was at that moment that Ragnar opened his eyes, scanning the room for any stragglers. It was only the six of them now, nobody else.
"All clear!" Ragnar whispered as he rose from his slumped over position, and refastened his helmet. Nami and Zoro woke up close behind him.
"So far, so good!" Nami whispered, smiling at Ragnar, "Good call on the wine, by the way." The ginger navigator was relieved that she had such a high alcohol tolerance, otherwise she would have a massive hangover.
"Boy, that sense of smell of yours really comes in handy, Ragnar," Zoro added softly, fastening his swords to his haramaki.
"Comes with the territory, I suppose," the Viking quartermaster replied, "But we can't let them suspect that we're onto them." Then he turned to the two of them and ordered in hushed tones, "Quickly! Close the curtains, and rouse our captain!" He and Zoro began to close the curtains, lighting lanterns so that they could still see in dim light.
"Luffy, wake up! Wake up!" Nami urged her captain, nudging him to rouse himself. Luffy did indeed wake, to the sight of Nami looking down at him with a smile.
"Nami? Is it morning yet?" He asked, still groggy from his food induced coma.
"No, you doofus!" She reminded him, trying her best not to yell, "Remember? The party?"
"Oh yeah…the party!" Luffy finally recalled the scent of the wine being off, as he waddled up and staggered to get to his feet, then smiled at Ragnar, "Well, now we know the whole hospitality gig was how they lure pirates in. So, what now?"
"Phase two!" Ragnar whispered, and the four Straw Hats knew exactly what was to happen now.
Outside, Igarappoi only turned his gaze up to the waxing moon and the mountains above.
"My, how the Cactus Rocks gleam under the pale moon, beautiful as ever," he remarked, only to notice the shadow of a crown scoring the earth before him.
"If I may say, your poetic skills are second to none, Igarappoi…I mean, Mr. 8," said Mr. 9 as he sat on one of the flat rooftops of one of the houses.
"Oh, it's you," Mr. 8 remarked, not even turning to address his colleague, "Where is Ms. Wednesday?"
"I don't know for sure, I'm afraid," Mr. 9 replied as he jumped down, "We got separated during our mission, and I have a hunch those pirates are holding her hostage."
"Well, don't worry about those pirates. They're falling…" the false mayor reassured the false king, turning around with the most stone cold of faces, as he finished, "…Straight to Hell." At that moment, the nun who challenged Nami walked out of one of the other buildings.
"Damn, my head is killing me!" she complained, "Our guests didn't have the good graces to pass out gracefully, so I doctored their drinks a little. Otherwise, they'd still be drinking us all into oblivion. Although I think that Viking among them was onto us. When I offered him a tankard, he declined and stuck to ale." Then she removed her habit and coif, revealing a head of pink hair pulled into short twin-tails. "So, tell me, was it really necessary to put on this elaborate show for those idiots?" Then she removed the rest of her disguise, revealing both her tall muscular physique and a short dress with a magenta and white diamond pattern, and three green flowers. "I get that nobody wants to hear me whine, but it's my duty to point out the amount of food we wasted, when we could've ambushed them at the harbor. We're already short on supplies! It's not like anyone had high hopes for that whale meat or anything."
"Well, how about you go try and kill that damned whale! We tried our best, y'know!" Mr. 9 complained, only to notice another woman, a tall and buxom young lady with long blonde hair approaching. She was clad in an orange and black tube top, knee breaches and sandals, but on her belt, she carried a sword, seax and axe, and carried a shield emblazoned with the heraldic image of an elephant. A conical nasal helmet with cheek pieces protected her face. Mr. 9 immediately saw her emerge and scowled, "Oh, look who it is! The great mastermind of the whaling operation herself! Your plan backfired, by the way!"
"What!? I was certain that it wouldn't have, unless…" The Norsewoman objected, until she finally realized how her plan could've failed, and glared daggers at her colleague, "You used the hand-cannons, didn't you?" she growled. Mr. 9's silence was all that was needed for her to be reassured. Enraged, Ms. Halloween throttled him by the coat collars as she yelled, "I TOLD YOU TO USE FUCKING HARPOONS, YOU BURLUFOTR! YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO USE ANY ARTILLERY WHATSOEVER!"
"Both of you, calm yourselves!" Mr. 8 told them both, stopping Ms. Halloween from going any further, "Before you question the validity of the plan, you should see this!" He then pulled out a copy of the newspaper article featuring Luffy and the Straw Hats and how they defeated the Arlong Pirates.
"A HYPOTHETICAL BOUNTY OF THIRTY MILLION BERRIES!?" The trio all asked in unison, shocked by the Straw Hats' feats in the East Blue.
"For those morons?!" Mr. 9 added, in pure disbelief that the Marines would have estimated such a high bounty on them if they were actual wanted criminals.
"Don't be foolish! Appearances can be deceiving. That goes for…MA-MA-MA!" Mr. 8 began as he once more cleared his throat, "That goes for all of you."
"I'm sorry," the muscular woman apologized.
"It's no matter," said Mr. 8, who was calm about the whole situation, "Our prey has been trapped, and that's news the boss will enjoy. For now, confiscate everything of value from their ship, and see if you can rescue Ms. Wednesday as well, if she is aboard."
"So, what do we do with them now?" The false nun asked.
"Do we kill them in retaliation?" Mr. 9 inquired, hoping that his so-called partner was still alive.
"If they die, then we'll never get any money from them whatsoever," replied Mr. 8, "Besides, they have no bounties on them. They may, however, fetch high prices at the slave markets throughout the Grand Line." That was now a definite and lucrative possibility. Slavers would pay money for warriors who defeated pirates such as Don Krieg and Arlong. "Now go! I want them alive!" With that, the Viking shieldmaiden ran down one of the roads leading to a side street, while Mr. 8, Mr. 9 and the muscular woman remained behind, telling them, "Now, you two rouse the others. It's time we strike!"
"Hey! Sorry to interrupt!" a voice suddenly rang out, and the trio only turned to see Zoro, sitting cross legged and wielding the Wado Ichimonji in his left hand, looking down on them, with Ragnar and Luffy standing right on either side of him, "Do you mind letting our friends sleep? They had a long day and the journey was exhausting, or so I've been told."
"That was quite a performance you put on back there," said Ragnar, smiling as he looked down on the lot of them.
"Yeah, you really had us fooled," said Luffy, smiling confidently. The three of them were only just shocked by what they were seeing. The trap had failed! Their plan was overheard!
"Hey, Mr. 8, Miss Monday! Three of them escaped from the room while we weren't looking!" One man armed with a musket shouted as he emerged from another one of the houses.
"They're right over there," said Mr. 9, who was exasperated by the ordeal.
"Sneaky wretches! You three should've stayed asleep with your friends," Mr. 8 shouted at the three of them.
"After I was able to smell the drug that you placed in the wine? Fat chance!" Ragnar only replied.
"Yeah! What he said!" Luffy added.
"A good swordsman also never makes the mistake of letting his guard down! Plus, I took a nap earlier," said Zoro as he and his companions rose to their feet, noticing that all the town was now up in arms, "Judging by the scowls and cheap disguises, I'm guessing you're all bounty hunters. Your specialty is robbing drunken pirates and Vikings that fall for your fake hospitality. It's original, I'll give you that at least."
"Among my people, such acts are considered insulting!" Ragnar bellowed, enraged that this trick nearly succeeded, "You violated the sacrosanct law of hospitality! And for this transgression, you'll be punished!"
"Yeah, I'm with my quartermaster here!" Luffy added as he cracked his knuckles "I think it's time we pay you back well and full!"
"They're both right," Zoro added, gripping another one of his swords as he smiled confidently at the armed horde below, "I count a hundred of you scumbags, give or take, and we'll fight all of you! Ya hear me, BAROQUE WORKS!?" The very mention of that shocked all the bounty hunters.
"HOW DO YOU KNOW OUR NAME!?" Mr. 8 asked, horrified at the revelation. This swordsman knew more than he was letting on.
"I was in a similar line of work, once upon a time. Your company tried to entice me with a job offer," Zoro explained, "Naturally, I said no. Do the same rules still apply? Employee identities kept secret? Cheezy codenames? The boss' identity and whereabouts also a mystery? Baroque Works: the criminal group that faithfully carries out their orders like herded sheep! That's some secret." Ragnar and Luffy were all too impressed that Zoro knew exactly who they were facing. A sole gust of wind flowed through the town as a standoff was now inevitable.
"This is a surprise…" Mr. 8 remarked, grimacing at the trio, "If you know all our secrets, then we are left with no other choice but to kill all of you…and three more gravestones shall be added to the Cactus Rocks tonight!" Zoro and Luffy couldn't tell what Mr. 8 was talking about, but Ragnar could see it for himself. The mountains that resembled cacti were actually covered in tombstones. It was now kill, or be killed. Mr. 8 only smiled with a sinister chuckle before roaring out, "KILL THEM!" Yet as he pointed to the three Straw Hats, they were nowhere to be found!
From the gundeck of the Going Merry, Princess Vivi only watched on in awe, having seen the whole standoff happening from her hiding spot.
"They disappeared…!" She whispered in awe. Now, she was going to witness firsthand what the Straw Hats were capable of. Their first battle in the Grand Line was now about to begin…and Baroque Works would know exactly what it meant to face their wrath…!
A/N: And so, here we go! The great reveal, Baroque Works has finally made themselves known! The epic clash is finally about to happen!
Now that we're at the Alabasta Saga, expect to also see references to Islamic Culture, as well as Ancient Egyptian mythology and culture. I figured, since Alabasta is based on the Middle East, and especially Egypt, it was only fitting for me to have a mix of the two cultures. For instance, you'll have noticed that Vivi prayed to Ptah that Ragnar be victorious. In Ancient Egypt, Ptah was the God of Craftsmen and artisans, and seen as one of the creators of the world. He was also the patron deity of the ancient city of Memphis, having a massive temple complex that was right across from the Pharaohs' palace.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and be ready for the next big fight ahead! We will finally see how Zoro, Luffy and Ragnar fare against their first major foes in the Grand Line, new secrets will be revealed, and a new goal will be in mind!