A.N I own Nothing.

Sorry this took so long, I was not happy with the first draft...or the three that followed. There is a lot of emotnal events to cover and I want to get it right.

As always Please Review

After the Davy Back Fight, Admiral Aokiji freezing both Robin and Luffy and the whole ordeal with the Sea Horse stealing the crew's memories. The Straw Hats were very happy to have some peaceful days at sea; most of the crew fell back into their regular routine. Even though Luffy Chopper and Usopp continued their normal antics Usopp seemed a bit withdrawn.

When anyone asked what was wrong he would immediately go into one of his lies and then withdraw again a few hours later. After a couple of days at sea Usopp bounced back and was back to his normal energetic self, since the last few Islands had been stressful and hard on the crew, everyone put the snipers minor odd behaviour as him dealing with the stress from the last few Islands.

That night Usopp lay awake in bed, he didn't go to sleep at all so he just lay there in his hammock staring at the roof of the men's quarters. He had seen Connor wake up and leave a short while ago and he contemplated on joining the boy on deck for a while but quickly paused that thought out of his mind

After another hour of lying in bed listening to the others talk in his sleep and snore. Usopp got up and headed on deck. When he got there he looked up and down the ship but no one was on deck.

"That's wired...I thought Connor would be out here," Usopp said to himself. He was honestly a bit surprised that the boy was not on deck.

Usopp spied a light coming from the kitchen and made his way to the kitchen door. He opened it and saw Connor sitting at the table with a candle lit and one of the books Robin used in his lessons open in front of him; Connor was focusing intently on the book. Connor looked up towards the door as Usopp came in.

"Usopp...what are you doing up?" Connor asked, he had not expected to see any of the crew awake at this hour as they always slept through the night.

"I couldn't sleep," Usopp answered and he sat down opposite the boy "what are you doing in here?"

"Oh...I'm...practicing my reading," Connor responded a bit nervously.

"Don't you and Robin have an allocated time for that?" Usopp asked.

"Yes but...I really want to improve and so I do a bit of study when I wake up at night now,"

"That's a good idea," Usopp said "How long have you been doing this?"

"Since we fought that Admiral, now I do a bit of study every night," Connor claimed "I also practice using my sight as well,"

"Do you do that every night?"

"Yes, but only for an hour or two...the rest of the night I'm studying and if it's too cold I'll stay in here and read," Connor claimed.

"Do you still look over the ocean?"

"Yes...but it's only after I wake up," Connor answered "once I calm down from the nightmares I practice my sight and then come in here,"

"Have you thought about...trying to get back to sleep once you calm down?" Usopp asked.

"I won't go back to sleep and since I'm up I may as well do something," Connor claimed.

"Do you want some help?" Usopp offered "I could give you some pointers or help you out with the bigger words,"

"No thank you, I'm just going over what Robin went through today...I find it helps," Connor claimed.

Usopp nodded.

"Alright I'll leave you too it," Usopp said and he stood up and walked out of the kitchen.

Once he was outside he let out a long sigh.

'Even Connor is improving on his own...why am I being left behind?' Usopp thought.

The next day was just like the others, the weather was fine and sunny. While Robin and Connor were busy with Connors daily lessons Nami was sunbathing on the deck, Zoro was sleeping and Sanji was in the kitchen. Now that Connor had told the crew about his secret lessons with Robin there was no need for Sanji to be banished from the kitchen for a few hours; this was good as he made drinks and study snakes for Connor and Robin and he could also give them to the rest of the crew without interrupting Robin's lesson.

Today he had made a thin potato dish called Pille and once he had severed up a plate for Robin and Connor to eat he took the rest out to the others on deck.

"NAMI-SWAANNN!" Sanji called out and went over to the navigator "I made a potato dish called Pille, would you like some?"

"Thank you Sanji," Nami said gratefully and tried some of his food.

"Mmmm this is delicious," she praised.

"NAMI-SWANN LIKED MY DISH...WHAT A FANTASTIC DAY!" Sanji cried out joyously to ocean.

"Oi shut up pervert, some of us are trying to sleep," Zoro shot back.

"All you do it sleep, how about you do something useful for a change," Sanji shot back.

"I'm on look out,"

"How can you see anything with your eyes closed?"

"I use my ears,"

"I can't hear myself think over your loud snoring so there is no way you could hear anything either,"

"That's it…your dead Cook," Zoro said and drew his swords.

And thus another fight broke out between the two.

"This is the fourth time today...honestly it's not even lunch yet," Nami muttered.

Luffy came over and looked in the plate that Nami was holding.

"Hey what's that?" Luffy asked.

"Pille, Sanji made it," Nami answered.

"Eh? It doesn't look like any pie I've ever seen," Luffy said "Oh well I want some too. Sanji Pie,"

Sanji and Zoro stopped fighting and the cook looked over at Luffy while holding back one of Zoro's blades with his foot.

"Pie...but I didn't make any Pie," Sanji claimed.

"Sure you did, Nami's got some," Luffy claimed and pointed to the dish.

"That's Pille not pie," Sanji responded.

"Well whatever it is I want some," Luffy declared.

"Fine," Sanji said in annoyance.

He was about to head towards the kitchen but the kitchen door suddenly opened and Connor and walked out with Robin behind him. Luffy looked over to them and smiled.

"Hey Connor have you finished for the day?" Luffy asked.

Robin nodded.

"Yes we're done for now," the archaeologist answered.

"Yay...come sit with us Sanji made some nice Pille," Luffy said happily.

Connor walked over to Luffy, Usopp and Chopper and joined them on sitting on the Merry's railing.

"Sanji may I have some coffee?" Robin asked.

"YES ROBIN-CHWAAANNNN!" Sanji cheered and eagerly ran into the kitchen to make her the drink.

"I could use a cup too," Nami said and she followed Sanji into the kitchen.

Robin let them both pass before going back inside the ship.

"So Connor what did you learn today?" Luffy asked.

"Multiplication...I think that's what it's called," Connor answered "it was hard and I don't fully understand it,"

"The trick is to take the last number and add the number you want to multiply it by on and you get your answer," Chopper said.

"Whoa you're smart, but that's what I expect from the best doctor ever. I wish I new how to multiply," Luffy said.

"Shut up...flattery won't make me happy," Chopper said happily.

"I don't think the world could survive more than one Luffy," Usopp muttered.

"Hmm what was that Usopp?" Luffy asked.

"Agh...nothing...Hey Connor want to try some of Sanji's Pille?" Usopp offered "it's really tasty,"

"No thanks I had some already," Connor claimed.

They continued to chat and Usopp, Luffy and Chopper ate their share of the Pille, while they were eating Connor noticed something in the water nearby. He activated his sight to double check what he was seeing was real and it was.

"Hey Luffy...do frogs normally do a crawl stoke?" Connor asked.

"That's an odd thing to ask," Usopp said "why do you ask?"

"Because there is one doing it over there," Connor said and pointed out to sea.

The others looked where he was pointing and there was a giant frog with yellow-brown skin and black hair worn in a chonmage. He had numerous scars on his belly doing and was doing a crawl stroke across the ocean. The crew started at it as it swam in front of the ship but it did not stay there for long and it continued on its way.

"QUICK CHASE IT!" Luffy shouted "LOWER THE SAILES, PULL OUT THE ORAS, I WANT TO EAT THAT FROG!"

Zoro, Chopper, Usopp and Connor were very quick to obey the captain…mainly because they too wanted to chase the frog as well. Once the oars were out they all began rowing at an incredible pace and the sudden change in course brought Nami Robin and Sanji out of the kitchen.

"Hey why are we changing direction?" Nami demanded.

"We saw a frog," Luffy clarified "We're going to catch it and BBQ it,"

"THAT'S DISGUSTING YOU CAN'T EAT FROGS!" Nami yelled angrily "DON'T JUST CHANGE OUR COURSE TO SUIT YOUR WHIMS!"

"Frogs legs…marinate them in milk seasoned with salt and pepper, and then sauté them in a butter and garlic," Sanji said thinking about how to cook the frog already.

"SANJI!" Nami yelled.

"Our dinner appears to be heading towards a lighthouse," Robin stated.

"Not you too Robin," Nami moaned, but then she realised what the Archaeologist had just said.

She ran back in side and came back out a few moments later with some binoculars

"You're right…there is a Lighthouse," Nami confirmed "Why is there a lighthouse in the middle of nowhere"

Nami held up her wrist to check the Log Pose but it wasn't pointing to the Lighthouse at all.

"The log pose isn't pointing towards it,"

"But the Frog is heading straight towards it," Robin claimed.

"FOLLOW THAT FROG!" Luffy cried out determinedly.

The crew continued to row on towards the light house to catch the Frog however as they were approaching the ship hit something and stopped in front of the lighthouse; but it was not like any lighthouse that the crew had seen before.

The lighthouse was attached to a large building with what looked like extra-long platform that had railings round the side and seats strategically placed along it along with a tall dark pole with a round top and red glass in side. On the other side was an identical platform only without the building.

The strangest thing was the despite the fact being next to the platforms the ship had completely stopped even though there was nothing blocking its path.

"Huh…..what did we hit," Chopper asked.

"I don't know….we didn't hit the lighthouse," Nami said looking around for whatever had stopped the ship.

"Maybe we hit the Frog," Usopp said.

"No there it is," Connor said and pointed off the left side of the ship.

The frog was standing on the water in a pose that looked like it was bracing itself for something.

"What's it doing?" Zoro wondered.

Suddenly an odd dining sound started and the red glass began to flash indicating there was some kind of light source in it.

"Hey guys what's that sound?" Sanji spoke up concerned.

The crew looked around searching for the source of the noise however a louder even more dangerous noise overshadowed the dinging sound. They quickly identified it as they saw a steam engine heading straight for them at a high speed.

"WHAT IS THAT THING!" Nami panicked "QUICK TUN THE SHIP NOW!"

Zoro, Luffy, Chopper, Sanji and Usopp quickly started using the oars to push the ship back and get the ship unstuck. The Merry got away just in time and only narrowly avoided an enormous train that flew by them. The entire crew was in utter shock and disbelief at what they were seeing as they watched the train fly past them.

"W….W….WHAT IS THAT?!" Connor cried out, he had to shout over the noise.

"A SHIP?!" Luffy asked.

"DON'T BE STUPID, A SHIP OF THAT SHAPE OR DESIGN WOULD NEVER FLOAT LET ALONE NO SHIP CAN GO AT THAT SPEED!" Usopp claimed.

"WHATEVER IT IS IT'S GOING TO HIT THE FROG!" Zoro claimed.

Everyone watched as they saw the frog get in front of the train get smacked aside being thrown into the ocean and the train continued on its way.

"Nooooo….my BBQ…." Luffy cried out depressed.

All but Luffy were in a daze at what they had just seen. Words could not describe it. The silence was interrupted by a young peppy girl voice.

"Oh no. How Terrible. Grandma come quick, pirates are here!" the girl called out.

The crew turned and looked to see a young girl. The girl was clearly a few years younger than Connor, she had green hair braded into pigtails that seemed to stand upward. She wore a short white shirt over an orange and red striped dress with sandals.

"WHAT?!" another voice yelled from inside the building though this one sounded slurred "Hold on Chimney,"

"Someone's coming outside" Zoro said, gripping one of his swords.

An older very large obese woman staggered out, like the girl she had her hair in pigtails but the woman's was no neat at all; in fact it looked very messy and untidy compared to the girls. She wore a purple vest over a with long sleeved shirt and red coloured tie, very pale pink pants, a dark pink conductors coat that sat on her shoulders smiler to how marine captains wore there's and a dark blue conductors hat.

She also had a half empty bottle of some kind of Alcohol in her hand and looked very very flustered like she had been drinking too much.

"What were you yelling about?" The newcomer asked dizzily and let out loud burb.

"Grandma look, Pirates," the girl said and pointed to the crew.

"Oh…okay….um…what's the procedure for pirates again?" she asked.

"We have to call the main land," the girl said.

"Right that….go get the snail phone,"

The girl nodded and ran inside the building and came back out with a big Den Den Mushi and held it out to the old lady.

"Great now then…what was the number again?" the woman asked.

"Grandma did you forgot again?" the girl whined.

"Oh well…it's too early in the morning for this anyway," the woman said uncaringly, she then turned to the Straw Hats "Hey you lot…you her to rob us or something?"

"Uh…." Usopp responded. He was unsure how to answer as not many people asked pirates if they were there to rob them.

"Tell you what… you guys do what you want and I'm just going to sit down for bit….don't take my booze though," the old woman said and she waddled over and sat down a nearby bench. Once she was sitting down she closed her eyes, started snoring and a large snot bubble came out of her nose.

"YOU'RE TO DAMN DRUNK!" Zoro and Usopp both screamed in annoyance. But KoKoro was already asleep.

The Straw Hats dropped the Merry's anchor got off the ship, once the crew disembarked the ship and came down to talk to the girl properly. Sanji gave her some Pille and a fruit drink. They introduced themselves and assured her that they were not stopping to rob the two women. The girl was very relieved to hear that and introduced herself.

"Hi I'm Chimney," The little girl introduced and then gestured to the older lady "And this is my Grandma KoKoro,"

"Hi I'm Luffy" Luffy introduced himself "I'm going to be the King of the Pirates,"

"Really?" Chimney asked in awe.

"Yup,"

"Really Really?"

"Yep, Yep,"

"Really Really Really?"

"Yep Yep Yep,"

Nami intervened before both Chimney and Luffy could continue the loop.

"So Chimney is your grandmother always like this?" Nami asked and looked at the still sleeping Kokoro.

"Yeah she's been like that for nearly ten years now…I don't see why she has to drink all the time," Chimney said "my dad said it's a bad habit,"

"What was that was that long iron boat?" Usopp asked.

"You've never seen it before?" Chimney inquired.

The whole crew shook their heads.

"Well I guess it makes some sense considering its most common around here"

"That's the Sea Train, Puffing Tom(1)," Chimney answered a second later

"Puffing Tom?" Connor asked tilting his head

"Yeah it's a steam-powered train that rides on the sea railroad" Chimney explained

"What railroad?" Sanji asked.

"That one," Chimney said and pointed to the water. "It's just beneath the surface of the water. The train travels from island to island, transporting passengers every day. It even delivers mail and packages sometimes"

The crew looked in and there was a railroad sitting just below the ocean's surface.

"Wow so cool!" Luffy said impressed.

"Yeah, told you it's there," Chimney said, child smile still present "And you were stupid enough to sail onto it,"

"Well maybe you should put warnings up," Usopp shot back.

"We did," Chimney claimed and pointed to the lights "Those flash and we ring a bell making a loud Dining sound when the train approaches,"

"WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT NOR COULD WE SEE THOSE LIGHTS UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE!" Usopp yelled.

"Why are you yelling at me it's not my fault you lot didn't notice the tracks or pay attention to the warning sign,"

"What sign?" Sanji asked.

Chimney led them over to the other side of the building and pointed to a big yellow sign that was painted on the side.

"Waring train track here," the sign read and had an arrow pointing to the ocean.

Usopp face fell, the ship had come from this direction but none of the crew had noticed the warning sign as they had been too busy focused on the frog.

"But what about that frog?" Luffy pointed out "He got on the track and it was quite rude of you to just run him over. Not to mention it's very impolite to steal others dinner,"

The crew sighed and Robin chuckled slightly as Luffy was still focused on eating the frog.

"AH" Chimney perked up, frowning a bit "His name is Yokozuna, he's been quite a nuisance for a long time. He likes to compare his strength against Puffing Tom and he hopes to beat the train. He won't die from something like that,"

"So that's why he didn't run away. That's some amazing fighting spirit," Luffy said with understanding.

"WHAT?! NO!" Chimney shouted "He Causes nothing but headaches. Every time he does that, he dents the front of the train and scares the passengers"

"Is that so? Ok I won't eat him" Luffy proclaimed "I don't eat hardworking animals"

"You shouldn't be eating frog's altogether" Nami muttered.

Sanji leaned down to Chopper.

"Hear that Chopper, you better work really hard to avoid Luffy from eating you," Sanji joked.

"GAHHH I WILL!" Chopper cried out in panic.

"He's just kidding, we're not going to eat you," Nami assured.

Chopper breathed a sigh of relief.

"At least not yet…we need to fatten him up a bit more first," Zoro commented.

Chopper stared at the swordsman in horror and Nami hit him on the head for that.

The Straw Hats stayed with Chimney and continued to talk to the girl for a while; she did her best to answer all the questions about the sea train and the area. Sanji gave her some more Pille to eat and some left over sweets for desert.

Robin asked about how the sea train worked but Chimney was too young to know anymore but the basics. Connor was curious as well but was having a hard time wrapping his head around that a large vehicle could travel over the ocean without the need of a sail or the aid of wind.

After about twenty minutes later Kokoro's snot bubble popped and she woke up. The older woman looked at the crew who were sitting around with Chimney and the looked at her.

"Oh your still here…you didn't touch my booze did you?" Kokoro asked.

"No, we've been talking to Chimney," Nami answered.

"Oi Chimney, I thought I told you not to talk to strangers," Kokoro scolded.

"But they gave me food and drink," Chimney said happily.

"Plus we told her our names so that means we're not strangers anymore," Luffy added.

"Hmm….okay that makes sense," Kokoro nodded in agreement.

"That is not how that works," Nami scolded.

"You're the strangest of us all," Usopp commented.

"Hey you mentioned food, can I have some?" Kokoro asked.

Sanji shrugged and he went back to the Merry and got the old lady a plate of Pille and some fruit punch. Kokoro ate the food happily and enjoyed the drink…after she added some of her own alcohol to it.

"So if you lot aren't here to rob us, are you here to ride Puffing Tom?" Kokoro asked in a friendly manner after she had finished eating.

"Ride…we can ride the sea train?" Connor asked. He was a bit nervous and exited from the thought of riding such a strange vehicle.

"Sure, anyone can ride it and it goes to some pretty fun destinations. There's Saint Poplar: The Island of Spring Queen. Pucchi: The Island of Cuisine or perhaps you'd like to visit San Faldo: The Island of Carnivals," Kokoro advised.

"There all a lot of fun Islands to visit. So…where do you want to go?" KoKoro asked.

"Island of Cuisine," Luffy and Sanji cried happily with the captain's mouth-watering. Sanji wanted to visit the city for professional interests.

"Hold on…dose the Island of Spring Queen have a lot of girls?" Sanji asked.

"Yeah they do, it's also a very nature loving place and a lot of the women wear clothes are made out of leaves and vines…men wear silk clothes taken from local wildlife. The inhabitants are one with nature on that Island," Kokoro answered.

Sanji's perverted mind instantly envisioned several women wearing nothing but three leaves, two covering their breasts and one covering the woman's part down below.(A.N I'm keeping it PG…just encase there are kids reading this)

"I changed my mind I want to go to the Island of Spring Queen," Sanji said red faced.

"No we're going to the Island of Cuisine," Luffy said.

"But Luffy…nature loving beauties wearing only leaves are out there waiting for me," Sanji whined.

"You're a sick and desperate little man you know that don't you," Zoro commented.

"What was that?" Sanji asked dangerously.

"Why not just go to both. If the train stops at both of those Islands we could just have a day or two at each," Robin offered.

"Alright let's do that," Luffy declared.

"I agree with our captain," Sanji said.

"Don't even think about it" Nami scolded, whacking her captains head "We have a ship already and we're following the Log Pose"

"Aww…..But I want to go to the City of Cuisine," Luffy whined.

Oh?" KoKoro, hearing the name Log Pose "Where is it pointing?"

"West," Nami answered.

"Ah then you lot are headed for Water Seven" KoKoro said "That train you saw just came from there. Water Seven the home of the best shipwrights in the world. Ships so good that even the world government trusts them,"

"So there are good carpenters there. Right?" Luffy asked with excitement.

"HIKAKAKA" KoKoro laughed, drunk out of her mind, yet somehow sober at the same time "Not just good mechanics. That place holds the world's greatest carpenters."

A big grin appeared on both Luffy's and Usopp's face.

"Usopp did you here that…the world's best carpenters," Luffy cheered excitedly

"Yeah this is perfect," Usopp returned with equal joy and enthusiasm.

"Alright" Luffy said "It's decided. We'll go to Water Seven get the Merry fixed, find a carpenter to become our Nakama and ride the sea train to the City of Cuisine,"

"We're only doing two of those things," Nami said irritably.

"You can get your ship fixed easily enough…but that second one might be a bit more challenging," Kokoro claimed.

She got up and walked into the building and then came back out again a few minutes later.

"Here, it's a rough map of Water Seven and a Letter of Introduction, if you show it to Iceberg he'll make sure you get a good price and it's done properly," Kokoro said and held out two pieces of paper.

"Also if your following the Log Pose it takes about a week to set, so you should have plenty of time to explore and enjoy Water 7 along with getting your ship repaired," Kokoro finished.

The crew thanked Kokoro and she offered to take them out for drinks if they met in Water Seven as she and Chimney would be heading there themselves tomorrow. With this information and saying good bye to the two the Merry sailed off heading to Water Seven with Luffy sitting eagerly on Merry's head.

"Water Seven…I can't wait," Luffy said happily.

"Luff have you thought what we're going to do if none of the carpenters want's to join us?" Zoro asked.

"Why wouldn't they want to join?" Connor asked.

"Not everyone is willing to give up everything to become a Pirate. It's a dangerous life after all,"

"Don't worry about it Zoro. I've got a really good feeling about the next Island. After all we're getting the Merry fixed up….what could possibly go wrong?" Usopp asked.

(1) Puffing Tom is named after Puffing Billy, the famous and oldest surviving Locomotive to be built. It was built in 1813.