I own Northing
Hey everyone, so on one of my other stories some A-hole posted a spam chain letter about some girl killing their family and how I had to pass it on to...it 10 other people/accounts or this girl would come and kill me at midnight...it was very inappropriate. Saddy it was a Sighned in User and I can't delete it as it was made as a review. If anyone knows how to delete it I would be very grateful if they could tell me. I blocked the user on my profile so it shouldn't show up on this story, but if you see any reviews that look like spam or seem inappropriate...don't hesitate to spam them back or give them a piece of your mind on how you feel about trolls.
Anyway Please Review...but not a troll or spam review...A proper Review.
After leaving Water 7 in the most memorable way possible and finishing up the mid-morning celebration of the return of Robin and Usopp, as well as welcoming Franky and La Volpe onboard, the Straw Hat Pirates were eager to get settled and used to their new home, the Thousand Sunny. Luffy was ecstatic that there was a lot of room for him to sit on the figurehead, and Usopp, who hadn't had a good look at the ship or on deck before they blasted off, was amazed by what he saw.
"This is amazing! I can't believe you built this ship on your own, Franky," Usopp marvelled.
"It wasn't all me; Iceberg, Paulie, and the Galley-la all helped. Though the design is mine," Franky explained.
"Still, it's incredible," Usopp said. And to think he almost missed his chance to sail on it. As Usopp's eyes trailed over the deck to see Chopper on the swing with Conner giving him steady pushes, the doctor was smiling. However, his eyes settled on Luffy, who was very close to the one person on the ship that Usopp didn't recognize.
"Hey Franky, who's that?" Usopp asked and pointed at La Volpe.
"Oh, him? Not sure, I think Luffy-bro recruited him while I was building the ship," Franky said. "He's not a local of Water 7,"
Usopp nodded. Franky was picked up at the last minute, and while he knew all the Straw Hats from Enis Lobby, La Volpe was definitely not among them. So Franky's assumption that Luffy had recruited him during the week's stay in Water 7 made sense. Usopp remembered seeing La Volpe when he'd peeked into the Straw Hats' residence the previous night. He remembered it was a particularly tense conversation from what he saw, even if he didn't know what it was about.
But since he was here, it must be for some reason... although. Given how Zoro was glaring at the man from across the deck, maybe there was more to it.
"I think I should go and introduce myself. As a veteran of this crew, it is my duty to guide and instruct new members on the way of the Straw Hats so they fit right in," Usopp said proudly.
"Oh, are you going to teach me a thing or two as well?" Franky asked.
"Hmm… not a chance," Usopp smirked.
"Why not?!" Franky shouted, a bit offended.
"Because we went through Enis Lobby together. You're already familiar with the craziness that comes with being on board this ship," Usopp said.
"Fair, I did get blasted out of a cannon without my pants on during my recruitment and nearly had my manly jewels ripped off," Franky agreed.
"Robin?"
"Robin-sis," Franky confirmed.
"Yeah, she's scary and morbid," Usopp agreed. "Anyway, better go say hi,"
Usopp headed down the deck and walked over to Luffy and La Volpe. As he got closer, La Volpe was giving Luffy a curious look.
"Can I help you, captain?" La Volpe asked as Luffy was leering at him and very clearly breaking the thief's personal bubble.
"Mmmm... your name's too long," Luffy declared.
"Excuse me?" La Volpe asked in genuine surprise.
"Your name is too long and hard to say," Luffy said.
"But you had no issue saying it this morning or last night," La Volpe pointed out.
"Why don't you have a short name that's easy to say, like Ezio and Alty do?" Luffy demanded, ignoring La Volpe's reasoning.
"Alty? Are you perhaps referring to Altair?" La Volpe asked curiously.
"Yeah, he had a hard name too, so I shortened it for him," Luffy huffed. "I know, I'll shorten your name too,"
La Volpe choked on his own laughter at the thought of Altair's face being called that; he let out a cough to compose himself.
"I see… if it helps, you may call me Fox, as that is what my name means," La Volpe offered, not entirely sure how he should be reacting to this situation.
"Nah, we met a guy named Foxy; I kicked his ass. I don't want to get you two confused," Luffy said and pondered over different names. "Violin... Vole... Voltron... Voloon… Aghh… this is hard. I'll think of something, and I'll call you whatever I think of,"
La Volpe let out a sigh; he really shouldn't have agreed to joining this crew. He then looked at Usopp, who was standing a few feet away watching the exchange.
"Hi, we haven't met. I'm the great Captain Usopp and your personal guide and advisor on how to integrate with this crew," Usopp introduced with a smile and held out his hand.
La Volpe, however, didn't take it. He looked down at it and then back at Usopp with hard and cold eyes. "I know who you are," he stated in a voice that carried a bit of an edge to it.
"You do?" Usopp asked.
"Indeed, you're the one who makes light of loyalty," La Volpe stated, and Usopp froze in place. "I, however, take my role and job seriously," He then moved past Usopp, purposely bumping into the sniper's shoulder. "Ezio said he saw potential in you; I, however, do not,"
"Yesh, a real ball of laughs that guy," Usopp muttered, "right, Luffy?"
Usopp, however, frowned as the rubber captain was still mulling over names and how to shorten La Volpe.
Eventually, Franky called everyone together and offered the crew a tour of the Thousand Sunny. The crew agreed, eager to explore the ship as it was not only a vessel for their adventures but also a masterpiece of Franky's craftsmanship. Franky led them through various sections of the ship, explaining its features and functionalities. The crew marveled at the brilliance of the Soldier Dock System and pointed out the Submarine, along with hints that he was planning to work on another project to add to it, the Gaon Cannon, and the Coup de Burst capabilities before Franky moved onto the parts of the ship that would be more commonly used by the crew.
"This here is the aquarium room," Franky declared proudly, showcasing a room with large windows revealing a vast tank that lined the room with the mast a table extended from it. The table wasn't overly big and had four chairs around it, with a large multi-seated cushioned chair lining the fish tank, giving the room a nice bar-like atmosphere. "The tank's hatch is directly above it, meaning you can store anything you catch. The only thing is it has to be cleaned and filled with fresh water each month,"
"SO COOL!" Chopper's eyes turned to stars.
"Awesome, let's go fishing right away and fill it up," Luffy declared.
"Got to admit, being able to keep fresh fish for long periods will be a huge benefit," Sanji said.
"Yep, and this way you can pick and choose what to eat," Franky agreed. "Next up is the Kitchen,"
Franky led the crew to the kitchen, which also served as a dining room. It was much larger than the Merry's kitchen and had not only a long table but also bar stools near the countertop and temperature-controlled lamps to keep the food either warm or cold. Sanji passionately described the efficiency of his new workspace and was excited as he could cook a larger amount of dishes with the expanded space.
"The fridge, pantry, and all the cupboards can all be locked. The only exception is the ones below the sink and under the bar as that is where glasses and dishwashing soap are kept," Franky explained. "Additionally, all the locks are thief-proof,"
"I would very much like to test that claim," La Volpe stated.
"Franky, that's mean," Luffy whined. "How am I supposed to sneak snacks now?"
"You shouldn't be sneaking snacks in the first place," Sanji scolded as they left the kitchen.
"Next up the library, I think Nami-sis and Robin-sis will like this," Franky grinned.
They followed Franky to the aft, and he opened a large hut-like room. The walls were lined with empty bookshelves, and there was a table with four chairs in the middle. The window at the back provided natural light. Also at the back was a drawing table with a stool and two large glass cabinets. Off to the side was a ladder leading up.
"This is the library and survey room; there are already some books here, but there are more empty shelves towards the back," Franky boasted. "You can add more as we travel. It's a tad smaller than I would have liked, but I have a good reason for that,"
"I will, though I must warn you that I will fill these shelves very quickly," Robin claimed.
"Don't worry, I can make more," Franky assured. "There's still room for more shelves, and I can also install them later,"
"Thank you, Franky," Robin said with a smile.
Nami walked over to the drawing table; it was sleek and well-made, with tools already organized around it. Quills, ink pots, different rulers, and other things. The table was large so she could make use of all her skills with it.
"Amazing, I can't wait to catch up on my map drawing," Nami beamed.
"Where does this lead?" Chopper asked and pointed to the ladder.
"Ah, that, that leads to a bathroom. There's a big tub and everything one needs to have a luxurious bath," Franky claimed.
"A BATH!" Nami cried out in delight and immediately climbed the ladder to take a look. Sure enough, there was a large open washroom, with the signature feature being a large tub.
"On a calm day, taking a bath here while the ship gently rocks will give the feel of a high-end spa," Franky claimed. "I don't really get why it was important, but Kiwi insisted,"
"This is great, hey impressive, what's next?" Zoro asked.
"Ah, next, we have the workshops," Franky said.
"Workshops?" Usopp asked interested.
"Yeah, come on, I'll show you," Franky instructed and walked out of the library. They made their way down to the lower deck, where a hall with several doors was. One on the left side. Two on the right and one at the very end. The door at the end had a Danger sign on it.
"The one at the end is my workshop," Franky explained. "It leads into all the defences' the ship has to offer so it had to take up a lot of space. I don't recommend going in there, and if you have to, make sure you knock or check with me first for your safety,"
"That seems fair," Robin agreed.
Franky opened the nearest door; it had a Green medical plus sign on it.
"This here is for Chopper-bro," Franky said. "The infirmary is upstairs and with ease of access from the top deck, but here's a room for medical research,"
"WOW!" Chopper exclaimed happily and ran in. The room was set up like a lab with clean benches, various equipment, test tubes, and other things. "IS THIS REALLY FOR ME!"
"Yep, it's got good ventilation, and that hatch leads directly to the infirmary, so you can even store extra medicine down here," Franky claimed and pointed to a hatch with a ladder that was out of the way. "To be honest, it's a little smaller than I would like…but there is a good reason for that,"
"I think it's perfect, thank you," Chopper cried and leapt onto Franky with happy tears running down his face.
Franky nodded and then looked at Connor. "Hey little-bro, come over here, I've got something to show you," the cyborg grinned. Connor walked up to Franky, and the cyborg guided him and the others to the door between Chopper's medical research lab and his own workshop. There was a yellow triangular sign on it that said "SUPER genius at work, Keep out,"
Franky pushed open the door. Inside was a room that was similar in size to Choppers; it was very open. There was a large two-sided chalkboard on the far wall with a small table next to it that had a container filled with chalk and two dusters next to it, a single desk and chair in the middle of the room facing the board.
On the left wall was another desk, however, this one was a drawing table like the one in the library but smaller, clearly designed for a child. On the drawing table were cups and containers filled with drawing utensils and different-sized quills and brushes. There was a small shelf above the table with various different colored paint pots.
To the right was a large window with a red cushioned sitting area, underneath it, two small pillows in the shape of the Sunny's head rested on it. On the right-hand side of the window, in the corner, was a single lounge chair with an empty table next to it. On the left-hand side of the window was a slightly larger square table with a silver tray, sitting on the tray was an empty glass jug and two glass cups that were upside down along with an empty bowl resting on a plate.
Finally, behind the now-open door was a large bookcase; it was mostly empty but there were a few books already sitting on the shelves. The crew looked around in awe; it was a cozy room with a relaxing feel to it.
"This is nice," Usopp approved.
"Do you like it little-bro?" Franky asked.
"Yeah but I don't understand, what is this room for?" Connor asked.
"This is your room," Franky responded with a smile.
"My room?" Connor asked.
"Yeah, this is a quiet room for you so you can focus on your lessons," Franky claimed. "You've got a place to store books, there's paper in the drawing desk, quills, ink, a chalkboard," Franky explained. "A table for water and snacks which I'm sure Sanji-bro will provide. The bookshelf has two blank journals already, and you can either write or draw in them. The rest of the books are the educational ones and a few kids' books donated by Water 7 book stores," Franky claimed. "Also, you got a nice reading chair in the corner, or you can sit by the window, and the windowsill has cushions, pillows, and is long enough for you to lie on if you want to take a quick nap,"
Connor looked around the room in amazement, lost for words. Franky had built him a private study for him and him alone. Connor did have a request for Franky, but it was so vague he didn't even know if it was possible to achieve. Whether or not this room would meet the request had yet to be seen, but from the look of it, Franky had done his best to interpret it.
"While the door is closed, no one will be allowed in here; this is your space for you and you alone," Franky continued.
"My space?" Connor asked.
"Yep, this room is just for you, and no one and nothing will bother you in here," Franky claimed. "You can read, catch up on your lessons, do some art, or just sit quietly and watch the ocean…the choice is yours,"
The crew watched Connor carefully; they all knew that he needed a place like this but were unsure how he would react to it. Connor turned looked up at Franky.
"Franky, how did you get the educational books and these other supplies?" Robin asked.
"Oh that, when your supplies were being returned, one of the dock workers noticed the chalkboard and books. Iceberg was notified and assumed it for Little-bro here, so he put a call out for local shops to spare a few educational books and they all responded," Franky answered.
"But how did you know about his lessons and that he needed this?" Zoro asked. "I don't recall the kid ever mentioning it when you were asking for our requests,"
Franky thought back to the day of the Water 7 party when everyone had been distracted by the food and fun by the pool; Connor had come over to him.
Flashback
"Franky…um…about the ship…" Connor started nervously "are you still taking requests?"
"Sure am, what would you like added, Little-bro?" Franky asked.
"Little…bro?" Connor asked confused.
"Yep, you're little, and you're my bro now, just like how all the straw hats are now my bro and sis's," Franky confirmed.
"Okay…" Connor responded. He could live with that; after all, he'd been called worse things, and Franky clearly meant it as a sign of endearment.
"So what's your request?"
Connor glanced warily at the square sisters who were close by. Franky looked at them.
"Could you girls give us a minute? I need to talk to little bro man to man," Franky said, picking up that Connor might be uncomfortable with the girls around. The two sisters quickly agreed and headed over to talk to Sanji to get some food from the cook.
"So what do you want added to the ship?" Franky asked.
"um…it's…nothing much and…kind of silly but…" Connor said nervously "but I want to feel safe," Connor said softly.
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Franky asked concerned "do you not feel safe with Straw Hat?"
"I do, it's…just…I…I get nervous and afraid sometimes. Robin's teaching me…things, and I know everyone is fine with it because they say they are, but…on the Merry where she taught me, everyone could come in at any time, and it…it scared me," Connor admitted "I also don't sleep very well because I suffer from really bad nightmares that honestly terrify me. I just want to feel safe,"
Franky stared at Connor,
"Have you told the others about this?"
"No, they'll just worry more, and that will add to my worries," Connor admitted "please don't tell them,"
"Okay, I won't, it'll be our little secret," Franky grinned and gave Connor a thumbs up.
End Flashback
Franky looked at Connor and grinned. "Call it big brother intuition; now that you're my little bro, it's my job to look out for you," Franky claimed. "After all, I'm a SUPER shipwright,"
"It's good intuition," Robin said with a knowing smile.
"Alright, guys, new rule. No one goes in here without Connor's permission," Luffy declared.
"Right," the other crew members agreed instantly, knowing exactly how much Connor needed this space.
"Anyway, moving on," Franky said and closed the door. "Opposite Chopper bro and Little bro's rooms is the storage room. It's mainly for ship supplies, but I put a barred space in there to lock up treasure," Franky said, giving the last unassuming door a wave.
After that, they headed back up to the upper floors where Franky showed Chopper the infirmary. It was small and simple, a doctor's room with a work desk and a bed. The hatch leading to the medical room was in the middle of the floor. Chopper was very happy with it.
They moved on to the crow's nest, which much to Zoro's delight also doubled up as a gym, complete with dumbbells, weights, and other training gear. The floor was also soft matting, and the windows provided a full 360 view of the ocean.
"The windows are one way so other pirates won't be able to see in," Franky explained. "Additionally, you'll have plenty of room to work out,"
"Oh, this is going to be my new favourite room," Zoro grinned. "It's a bit small for training the kid, though,"
"If you want to spar, you'll need to use the deck, but it should be good if you want to train by yourself," Franky admitted.
"It's great, thanks, Franky," Zoro said, appreciating the new addition. Already eyeing off the heavier weights and making a workout plan for both him and Connor.
"This is all well and good, but where do we sleep?" La Volpe asked.
"Oh right, Quarters, follow me," Franky declared, and they all headed down the crow's nest, and Franky led them to the sleeping quarters.
"Here we are," he announced, and he led the crew into a wide room with bunk beds built into the wall lining the walls and three storage chests in the middle. "There's 8 bunks along the wall and on the roof hooks for up to four extra hammocks. How many you can fit depends on how you hang them,"
The crew approved; the room wasn't flashy or anything, but a quick test of the mattresses revealed they were soft and comfy. Franky opened the chests to reveal extra sheets and blankets for different climates in the Grand Line.
The next room they entered was the girls' room. Unlike the boys, this one had two large beds and was more private. It was still simple and a bit plain but left a lot for Nami and Robin to decorate how they saw fit. The beds were proper double-sized beds, and there were two of them that Franky said could be split up into single beds for when Luffy recruited more female members.
Finally, Franky led them to one last sleeping area.
"And here is Luffy-bro's room, the captain's quarters," Franky announced.
The captain's quarters were a very spacious room with a king-sized poster bed. It had two wardrobes, a foot locker, a tall glass-shelved cabinet with a smaller display case next to it, and a writing desk similar to the ones seen throughout the ship. Additionally, there were decorations of ship wheels, a map table, and a mannequin in the corner, as well as a table with four glasses on it and an empty decanter to put drinks in.
"Okay, this room is the best, It's so spacious," Usopp declared. He went over and tested the bed. "Oh wow, this is really soft,"
"Yep, only the best for the captain," Franky agreed. He then turned to Luffy. "What do you think?"
"No," Luffy said with a frown and an annoyed look on his face. "I don't want it,"
"Eh why?" Franky asked, wondering if he had left something out. "If it's about the furniture, I can make other kinds,"
"No, the room is fine. I don't want to sleep apart from everyone else," Luffy declared.
Franky blinked; he hadn't considered that. All ships had a captain's quarters that was the peak of comfort on a ship. He didn't consider that Luffy would prefer to be with the rest of the crew instead of having his own room.
"Is it not a privilege of a captain to have a private and quiet room to themselves?" La Volpe asked.
"It is," Nami agreed.
"Well, I don't want a private room," Luffy huffed. "Find another use for it,"
"Well, I suppose we can use it as extra storage space," Franky suggested. "The room's a decent size and all,"
"Do that, I want to sleep with everyone else," Luffy ordered.
Franky nodded and made mental plans to recycle the furniture and pondered what to store in the cabin instead.
With that, the tour was complete, and everyone headed back to the main deck. Luffy was eager to fill the fish tank up, and Chopper, always eager to help, went with him. Zoro headed off to the gym, and Nami went to the library with Robin to unpack the books. Sanji took Connor off to the kitchen to discuss what kind of snacks he wanted for his room and make a meal plan for it. La Volpe decided to wander the ship a bit more to get overly familiar with it. Franky decided to sit by the mast and just relax; now that everyone had a tour, he was just going to enjoy the day.
He was thinking about getting some Cola out of storage when Usopp approached.
"Franky, this ship's amazing, but I have to wonder, where's my room?" Usopp asked.
"Hmm…I guess you just pick a bunk or something in the men's quarters," Franky said. He thought the boys would be doing that later in the day as no one had commented as to whether they wanted a bunk or a hammock yet. Franky suspected that would come in the next day or so.
"No, I mean, you've got a workshop, Chopper's got a research lab, and Connor's got his own room. I was wondering if there was a space for me to develop my ammo and such," Usopp clarified.
"Oh, no there isn't," Franky said.
"Oh, well, can I have the captain's quarters then, could you convert that into a workshop for me?" Usopp suggested.
"No can do Usopp-bro," Franky answered.
"Why not?"
"The captain's quarters were designed for sleeping; they're not reinforced or anything, so if I converted it into a workshop and something blew up, you'd blow the whole back off the ship off," Franky claimed. "Whereas mine and Chopper's workshop are reinforced and soundproof. Admittedly, little bro's room is also reinforced and soundproof too, but that's because it's between two workshops,"
"Oh, what if we moved Connor's room to the captain's quarters then, I doubt Connor will be blowing things up in there anytime soon; then I could use that space," Usopp suggested.
Franky lowered his sunglasses and gave Usopp a disappointing look. "I mean I could, but I'm not going to go in there or move anything around unless Little-bro agrees to it first," Franky said seriously.
"I get that, but don't you think it's a bit unfair that everyone has a room to themselves but me?" Usopp asked and crossed his arms.
"Not really, I met all the requests given to me," Franky claimed with a shrug.
"What requests?" Usopp asked.
"Luffy-bro wanted a spot to sit on, Zoro-bro wanted a place to train and work out, Sanji-bro wanted an expanded kitchen and a locked fridge, Nami-Sis wanted a room to draw maps in, Robin-sis wanted a private place to read, Chopper-Bro wanted a medical room," Franky listed, counting off his fingers all the requests that he had gone above and beyond to meet. "Admittedly I combined Nami-sis and Robin-sis requested rooms, but that seemed natural,"
"And Connor's room, how did that come about?" Usopp asked.
"Eh, as I said, big brother intuition. Plus, the learning books gave an indication that one of you was doing some form of education. I figured having a private place to do it would be best,"
"I can understand that, but I really would like to work on some projects," Usopp claimed.
"Sorry Usopp-bro, but there is just no space for it now…if Little-bro agrees I'll move his room to the captain's quarters,"
"I don't want to take Connor's room from him," Usopp claimed. He knew that if he asked Connor if he could have the space, the boy would agree immediately.
"I suppose you can borrow a workbench in my workshop," Franky reasoned. "But I'd rather you not be in there alone,"
Usopp frowned. He didn't like that he didn't have his own space like the others as he felt left out, but at the same time, when Franky was building the ship, he was not part of the crew, so it made sense in its way. Usopp wondered if Franky was rejecting his solutions out of spite or as a reminder of what he nearly lost.
"If it makes you feel any better, La Volpe-bro doesn't have a personalized room either," Franky claimed and replaced his sunglasses.
"Why didn't he make a request?" Usopp wondered.
"Because he didn't join until the night before we left Water 7," Luffy called over his shoulder. "He joined at the last minute,"
Franky and Usopp looked at Luffy, who was fishing; they had no idea he was listening in on the conversation.
"Not as last minute as me," Franky shot back humorously.
"Usopp, come fish with us," Chopper called.
Usopp wandered over and joined in with Luffy and Chopper.
"You're not getting Connor's room," Luffy said in a serious tone as the sniper sat down to join them.
It had been a couple of days since Franky joined the Straw Hats, and despite once being their enemy, Franky had settled in well with the crew. During the day, he could be found either at the helm steering the Sunny or wandering around the ship, checking to make sure everything was working as it should and taking notes on what needed to be repaired, as well as what supplies he would need to pick up at the next island.
Since the ship was brand new, Franky didn't have much to repair, so he spent a good portion of the days in his workshop working on side projects. He would come out on deck in the afternoon to join in with Luffy's games and antics, along with talking to Usopp about his unique ammunition.
Franky was also fascinated by Nami's Climatact and Usopp's Grand Kabuto weapons. While he preferred to work with ships, he was impressed by the use of Dials from the Sky Island, and thankfully, Usopp still had some left over. So, Franky began to wonder if he could incorporate them into his own designs somehow.
On the other side, the rest of the crew loved the new ship; it was unique and a perfect fit for the Straw Hats. Everyone loved the rooms that Franky had built. When not navigating, Nami could be found in the study drawing her maps, Zoro stayed mostly in the gym if he was not napping, Sanji was putting his new kitchen through its paces, and Chopper was eagerly trying to get everyone to visit his medical bay.
Robin loved reading in the library and enjoyed her new garden as well. As for Connor, his time was divided. He spent most of it in his new study room when he wasn't with Sanji or training with La Volpe. The whole crew had agreed that this particular room was solely for Connor, and unless he invited them in, they would not intrude. So far, Robin and Sanji were the only ones who were allowed in there. Robin to teach him in the mornings, and Sanji went in to fill up the water jug and place some snacks for the boy right after breakfast. If Connor needed a refill, he would come out carrying the jug to the kitchen and ask Sanji to fill it up for him; however, he never asked for more food or replacement snacks other than what Sanji gave him in the morning. Sanji offered to make him more at lunchtime, but Connor always claimed he was fine.
Usopp and Franky had been informed of La Volpe's role on the ship and why he was recruited. Usopp was shocked, and Franky was worried when they were told about Connor's gift potentially ending the boy's life in the next few years. The crew had been worried about La Volpe, and for the first few days of travel, Zoro would follow the thief around whenever he was training with Connor. La Volpe didn't seem to care as he knew the swordsman was wary of his intentions. Thankfully, Connor's training so far had been nothing but breathing exercises and practicing keeping his sight on for as long as possible and some minor meditation. When asked, La Volpe told Zoro and Luffy he was doing this as a way of testing Connor's current limits of his gift, and until he had a good idea of how far Connor's eagle vision range was, he wouldn't be able to do any real training with him; that had to wait until the next island. Once he had a range, he would start training the boy seriously; until then, La Volpe would focus on helping Connor keep his mind clear and focused.
Luffy was fine with this as it meant Connor did get to spend a bit of time playing with him, Chopper, and Usopp.
That night over dinner, Usopp, who had not been there for the discussion of the crew's next destinations, asked a question.
"So we've been at sea for two days now, where exactly are we headed exactly?" Usopp asked.
"Fishman Island," Robin answered. "According to Ezio and the log, it's at the bottom of the ocean,"
"Seriously?" Usopp asked in surprise. "Is that where Arlong and his goons came from?"
"It's where most Fishmen are from, yes," Robin confirmed.
"Are we really going there?" Usopp asked fearfully, remembering how tough and cruel Arlong and his crew had been.
"Indeed, but you do raise a good point, how exactly do you plan on getting there?" La Volpe asked, looking at Luffy.
"What do you mean, we just follow the Log Pose," Luffy asked.
"Ah then you don't know about The Florian Triangle then," La Volpe summarized.
"What's The Florian Triangle?" Sanji asked.
"The Florian Triangle is a stretch of sea in the Grand Line that is exceptionally dangerous," La Volpe explained.
"How dangerous are we talking about?" Usopp asked with fear.
"Hmm...the weather is most severe and can change rapidly, even more so than usual for the Grand Line. Additionally, the sea goes from either being completely still as if one was in the Calm Belt to an endless storm or cyclone in the blink of an eye. The triangle also holds these types of weather patterns for any length of time, and the further you go in, the more extreme it gets," La Volpe explained.
"That does sound dangerous," Nami agreed. She looked over at Franky. "Could the Sunny handle something like that?"
"Heh, of course, don't underestimate the Sunny; she can handle a little rough weather," Franky boasted.
"And that is not even talking about the ghost ships," La Volpe continued.
"G...G...Ghost ships?" Usopp stammered out with chattering teeth.
La Volpe nodded. "The Florian Triangle is haunted; rumours say there is a ghost ship with a skeleton who makes those waters their home. The ship's arrival is heralded by the coming of the night, thick dense fog, and a haunting tune," La Volpe continued.
"So what you're saying is… I COULD MEET A SKELETON!" Luffy said excitedly.
"No, you are not meeting anyone!" Usopp scolded.
"Is all this true or just a story?" Connor asked.
"I've heard many sailors tell strange stories of haunted wrecks," Robin mused. "Perhaps they originated from this ship,"
"Hey, come on... you're just messing with us, right? That's a lie... isn't it?" Usopp pleaded.
"I am not. Some sailors claim that if you see this ship and board it, the skeleton that haunts it will take your skin to make it its own…and then feed on your soul," La Volpe said.
"NOOOOOOOO!" Chopper and Usopp screamed and ran out of the kitchen.
"Though I am sure that last part is just a rumour," La Volpe added once they were gone.
"Awesome, Nami, I want to meet a skeleton," Luffy ordered.
"Of course, you do…" Nami let out a sigh. "There's no actual way to tell where this ghost ship is, right?"
"Sadly no, its location has been reported in different parts of the Florian Triangle, and rarely do those locations match up," La Volpe claimed.
"Which parts?" Connor asked.
"Closer to the middle areas, though it has been seen on very rare occasions in the outer areas," La Volpe answered.
"Well, that settles it, we're not going to meet a skeleton," Nami declared.
"No, I'm
the captain, and I say we find this skeleton," Luffy demanded.
"And how do you propose we do that? We're following the log pose, and it's not like we can just go off course and search every inch of The Florian Triangle," Nami pointed out.
"Not every inch, but if Captain Luffy is really determined, you could search a good portion of it," La Volpe claimed.
"Huh, we can? How?"
"The Florian Triangle ironically is one of the only places a regular compass will work on the Grand Line," La Volpe explained. "So, while you can go straight through the centre following the log pose, which is more dangerous and quicker, you can also use a regular compass to navigate to some islands that form the outer shape of The Florian Triangle," La Volpe explained. "Following the islands adds additional time to travel through The Florian Triangle, but those who live there may know about the ghost ship,"
"How much extra time are we talking about?" Zoro asked.
"A month, if not just under," La Volpe stated.
"I don't know if we have enough food for that," Sanji said. "We'd need to stock up a few times,"
"Most of the islands in The Florian Triangle are inhabited," La Volpe assured.
"So, our choices are to sail right through or take the longer route," Nami pondered. "Luffy, which way do you want to go? Go right through or take a longer route and maybe find your skeleton?"
"Adventure!" Luffy declared. "And finding the skeleton,"
"I guess that's sorted," Franky commented. "But how will we know if we're in The Florian Triangle or not?"
"Easy, once a normal compass stops spinning, you're in The Florian Triangle. If it does start spinning wildly, it means you've left the area," La Volpe stated.
"And with the Log Pose pointing at Fishman Island, it will be easier to get back on course," Nami realized.
"Exactly," La Volpe finished.
"Alright, let's go find a skeleton!" Luffy cheered, he got up and ran out of the Kitchen. "Chopper, Usopp, good news, we're going to find a skeleton, and they're going to join my crew!" Luffy shouted from the deck.
"Hey," Zoro spoke up. "Did you just trick him into taking a route that is safer and less likely to encounter that ghost ship?"
"I'm sorry, Zoro, I didn't quite hear you. You want me to add additional interest to your loan?" Nami shot back with a warning tone.
"I can't wait to pay you back," Zoro muttered.